D&D 5E Level-Up Rewards

[ren1999]

Now that we can see levels from 1 to 10, I'd like to talk about level-up rewards. What are your ideas? Here are mine.

What about this progression?

Instead of Weapon Attack and Magic Attack we'll add just a basic toHit bonus for spells and weapons.

Level-Up Awards

1st level 1 constitution score+1hd, 3 background skills, 3 powers, toHit+1, 1 main action, 1 reaction
2nd level +1hd, +1 skill, or skill+1
3rd level +1hd, +1 power
4th level +1hd, ability+1
5th level +1hd, toHit+1
6th level +1hd, +1 off-hand action
7th level +1hd, +1 skill, or skill+1
8th level +1hd, +1 power
9th level +1hd, ability+1
10th level +1hd, toHit+1
11th level +1hd, +1 main action
12th level +1hd, +1 skill, or skill+1
13th level +1hd, +1 power
14th level +1hd, ability+1
15th level +1hd, toHit+1
16th level +1hd, +1 off-hand action
17th level +1hd, +1 skill, or skill+1
18th level +1hd, +1 power
19th level +1hd, ability+1
20th level +1hd, toHit+1

 

[Chris_Nightwing]

So you're homogenising classes?
You also really need to drop that extra action idea.

 

[ren1999]

So you're homogenising classes?
You also really need to drop that extra action idea.

If I do that, then nobody should have two weapon fighting or be able to use an off-hand weapon. That constitutes 2 actions per turn. So if they can only use one off-hand weapon during their turn, then why use it at all?

And dragons should only get one action per turn. And no more monsters getting two claw attacks per turn. If monsters do, then the characters should get two attacks if they are of similar level.

More than 1 action per turn will not go away without eliminating 2 weapon fighting and off-hand weapons.

Going back to Magic Attack Bonuses. Why have a Magic Attack Bonus if you also have a Save DC Bonus? It's just an attrition bonus and meaningless?

 

[Sekhmet]

Two weapon/off-hand fighting and natural attacks are supposed to be how you acquire additional attacks, not arbitrarily throughout the leveling process.
Eliminating the additional attacks on your table is the only way the aforementioned can be interesting or useful.

 

[Chris_Nightwing]

If I do that, then nobody should have two weapon fighting or be able to use an off-hand weapon. That constitutes 2 actions per turn. So if they can only use one off-hand weapon during their turn, then why use it at all?

And dragons should only get one action per turn. And no more monsters getting two claw attacks per turn. If monsters do, then the characters should get two attacks if they are of similar level.

More than 1 action per turn will not go away without eliminating 2 weapon fighting and off-hand weapons.

Going back to Magic Attack Bonuses. Why have a Magic Attack Bonus if you also have a Save DC Bonus? It's just an attrition bonus and meaningless?

I agree - TWF should not give an extra attack, I've analysed this in another thread.
Dragons are quite capable of coordinating multiple different limbs and forms of attack at once, they are quite, quite different from humanoid PCs in this regard. They should get mutiple attacks BUT why not give them multiple initiatives instead, so that there is no many-attack-smackdown?

Magic Attack Bonus is opposed by AC, not a saving throw. Saving throws can be of any ability score, and higher level monsters will have higher level ability scores, whilst higher level PCs will have magic items, spells and maneuvers that add to saving throws. I think it's a good way to set the classes up: an attack bonus with weapons, an attack bonus with spells. You can differentiate them quite well with this.

 

[the Jester]

I really hope 5e moves away from a single unified character progression chart.

I also really dislike the whole "everyone gains extra actions willy-nilly" thing. I have no problem with there being options that give extra actions, but I really dislike the idea of it being an expected part of leveling up.

That said, monsters aren't pcs, shouldn't be tied to the same rules as pcs and can have extra actions left and right if it fits the monster. Even if there is no way whatsoever for a pc to get a second attack on his turn, there is no reason to limit ettins, hydras, chimerae and other similar monsters to pc rules.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Every time you level, the DM gives you a cookie.

 

[ren1999]

I agree. You've got to get a cookie!

 

[ren1999]

I think that more than one action per turn for higher level beings is in keeping with the movies. Conan often slays 2 or 3 before someone takes a swing at him.

 

[Gorgoroth]

..

To those who believe that humans are incapable of coordinating two hands' actions independently in complex feats of manual dexterity need to get out more. Or even look at youtube a bit.

try "Bach", for starters. Or martial arts. Or dual-wielding forms. Or boxing. Or whatever...the examples are limitless. Whether the human mind achieves multi-tasking with time-slicing focus or true independence is as irrelevant to its perceived effect as a single core system running a pre-emptively multitasking operating system and opening up 8 apps at once is only actually processing one thing at a time.

My point is...humans can do plenty in parallel. I don't want my heroes in D&D to be strictly worse than I am at basic dexterity.

I profoundly disagree that TWF should ever be modelled a single attack with some kind of "baked-in" bonus of whatever. It's pointless to even debate that, because they will not model it that way. It is terrible the way they did it in this packet, but that's something they'll need to rectify.

I, for one, after playing D&D for twenty years, cannot go back to a system with combat rules that are worse than...well, virtually all the editions I've played so far.