D&D General Mechanics you DO want to see return

[Sacrosanct]

Oh! Another mechanic I want to return: universal weapon damage. I'd probably add damage bonuses based on class at some point, but universal d6 for every weapon like in OD&D and B/X (variable weapon damage was optional in Moldvay)

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I'd love to see a Race-as-Class option for 5e. Like, let me play the dwarfiest dwarf. Extra stonecunning at higher levels (something like a passive perception), immunity to poison, and maybe even a return of the old dwarven bonuses to saves vs. magic.

 

[aco175]

Two things;

I would like to see is spell attacks where you rolled to hit the reflex or fortitude. My players like to roll to hit even with casters. I let them make the save for the monster so that they are still rolling, but the other way was better for me and my group.

The other thing piggys on an earlier post with fighters being better to hit and advance faster than the other classes. This goes with another thread a couple weeks ago where 5e does away with a lot of the class specialization and how you do not need the 4 roles as much. A fighter with a feat and background can be a decent thief so you do not need a thief. I would like to go back where each class is the best at what they do but have a way to gain some other class ability. Maybe not go multi-classing but certainly not be better then the class. Maybe fix multi-classing to work better. Not sure.

 

[Retreater]

Not to necessarily replace 5e as it is now, but more for optional rules (in no particular order):
1) racial ability penalties
2) magic item shops/wealth per level guidelines
3) DR against magic types (silver, adamantine, holy damage, +3 swords, etc.)
4) minions
5) ability score requisites for some classes
6) streamlining saves (when do you ever have a Cha save?)
7) healing surges (spreading out non-magical healing to free up the cleric)
8) combat maneuvers with mechanical benefits (disarm, trip, bull rush, etc.)
9) lethality (not sure what rules would need to be added/changed to reflect this)
10) better encounter building (instead of the weird multipliers we have now)

 

[Charlaquin]

I'd love to see the concepts of monster design make a return from 4e. Minions, elites, solos, as well as things like soldiers and skirmishers. You can obviously achieve them using the rules as is, but guidelines would be nice for quick eyeballing.

This is my #1. Another one from 4e I’d like to see make a return is non-AC defenses (although I kind of use passive ability scores to approximate that already.)

Also count me in on the folks wishing for stronghold and follower rules. I would jump on the morale rules bandwagon, but I’m already kind of using my own barebones morale system, so I feel like adding an official one would only complicate things.

Oh! A material harvesting and crafting system!

 

[Yardiff]

Matt Colville put out a Stronghold and Followers for 5e, has anyone wanting this back reviewed it?

 

[Retreater]

Matt Colville put out a Stronghold and Followers for 5e, has anyone wanting this back reviewed it?

I've not written an in-depth review, but I have used the mass battle mechanic once, FWIW, if anyone has questions about that component.
I haven't run a regular, long term 5e campaign to get into the strongholds and followers part. Haha

 

[Fanaelialae]

Matt Colville put out a Stronghold and Followers for 5e, has anyone wanting this back reviewed it?

I'm using the stronghold rules IMC. They're not bad, and my players have been motivated to both use the keep and upgrade it. They've had fun with their followers, and have considered using their soldiers to attack the local hobgoblins (but keep getting sidetracked by other interests). That said, they almost never remember to use the abilities they gained from resting at the keep. As for the mass combat rules, I haven't had a chance to try them.

 

[jasper]

5. Return to the old style of 3 saves: Fort, Ref, Will
Um BRING BACK THE ANCIENT SAVES.
Poison, Paralyzation, death magic.
Rod, Staff, or Wand.
Pertification or Polymorph
breath weapon
Spell

 

[Tony Vargas]

A spin off of the other thread about mechanics you don’t ever want to see again, but the opposite. This is about mechanics that went away in the current edition that you’d like to see return.

• racial ability penalties.
• race-as-class
• spell interruption.
• spell preparation into the slot, not spontaneous
• sustain action (concentration uses an action)
• all save bonuses scale as you level
• save DCs based on slot level, not character level
• stronghold and follower rules
• weapon vs armor adjustments (expanded for different sorts of monsters, too)
• the broadsword, ranseur/spetum, &c
• 3.0 style weapon sizes
• more martial classes - no-casting ranger/scout, warlord, martial artist - with the CS dice/Maneuver mechanic, if not MDDs, available to all non-magic-using martial archetypes. (Or, alternately, bring back from Arnesonian proto-D&D, the hero & wizard as the only classes.)
• more dramatic martial maneuvers like WWA, C&GI, etc
• Psionics as a set of classes - Psion, Ardent, Psychokinetic, Psychic Warrior/Battlemind - with magic/not-magic explicitly left to the DM
• Prestige Classes - but as a DM tool, exclusively tied to setting
• Skill Challenges
• Minions
• More nearly dependable encounter guidelines

….oh, and class balance.