D&D 5E My D&D Wishlist

[wolfen fenrison]

I know of these items are stated or rumored to be in the works, but still this is what I'm most looking forward to.


1. More material for the various campaign settings (Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Dark Sun, Dragonlance, Birthright, and Mystara), full book releases or player's companions, whatever just more. And maybe how they can all connect to each other (Spelljammer!)


2. More planar goodies. the current state of Sigil, a list of the domains of dread deep in the shadow fell, maybe a planar player's companion that has player race rules for more planetouched and rouge modrons.


These first two highlight my favorite thing about D&D lore, the vast multiverse of settings and planes.


3. More of the base classes from previous editions translated to class paths, some 1E ones that are left like the Cavalier (maybe as a spell less paladin variant of fighter archetype) and the Acrobat. Or 3E classes like the Hexblade, Samurai, Shugenja (for Clerics), Wu jen (Wizards), Shaman (Druids). And even 4E classes like the Swordmage, Warlord, and Runepriest.


4. More playable races, especially from the common humanoid races (Orcs, Goblinoids, Kobolds, Gnolls), I've already mentioned planar races, I would like more races from the various settings (Thri-kreen, Muls, Giff, Lupins, Rakasta, Tortles). And of course more subraces for the races that have them.


So far this has mostly been just a list of MORE! But there is 4 previous editions (or 4 decades if you like) of classes, races, monsters, and settings to bring forward into this new edition.


5. Psionics, the races, classes, monsters, powers, and settings (mainly Dark Sun and Eberron).


6. Other games that could be made using the same rule set as D&D. Gamma World, Boot Hill, Urban Arcana and/or Dark*Matter, Star Frontiers and/or Star*Drive. Give those advanced tech rules in the Dungeon Master's Guide room to breathe and grow while still being so completely compatible with D&D that while they each function on their own they can still be combined to make for some crazy crossover games.
These last two would take the most work and time to bring about, but I feel the could also bring the most benefit. Especially if they all are cross compatible each other like World of Darkness and the Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay game. Much like other cross compatible game set in a unified rules set like HeroClix ,Dice Masters, and Universal Fighting System, each property can be played by itself or viewed as part of a larger whole.

 

[Tony Vargas]

More material for the various campaign settings (Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Dark Sun, Dragonlance, Birthright, and Mystara), full book releases or player's companions, whatever just more. And maybe how they can all connect to each other (Spelljammer!)

One of the nice things about 5e is that it's pretty easy to pull past material and run it using 5e. I'm running In Search of the Unknown (c1979!) tomorrow night, using 5e.

More of the base classes from previous editions translated to class paths, some 1E ones that are left like the Cavalier (maybe as a spell less paladin variant of fighter archetype) and the Acrobat. Or 3E classes like the Hexblade, Samurai, Shugenja (for Clerics), Wu jen (Wizards), Shaman (Druids). And even 4E classes like the Swordmage, Warlord, and Runepriest.

Amen!

I like the idea of the spell-less Paladin, I toyed with an "Oath of Fealty" Paladin, but didn't get far with it. The idea being a Knight devoted to a temporal ruler, order, or philosphy, rather than a deity or religion.

Accrobat should be easily doable as a Rogue sub-class.

Hexblade as either a Warlock sub-class, or a Fighter sub-class ripping off the Warlock the way the EK rips off the Wizard. Either way you end up with a caster who conjures up a weapon and goes to town with multiple attacks. Warlock you're doing it from level 1, fighter you're tougher while doing it.

Samurai could probably be a battlemaster Fighter with a culture-specific background. Similarly, Shugenja & Wu-Gen: existing class, new Background.

The Shaman could be a radically different class from the Cleric or Druid, OTOH.

EK doesn't begin to handle the Swordmage, which makes it tough. A swordmages is a much better caster than the EK, but a much better melee type than any full caster. It'd be hard to do it justice, I think.

Warlord would need to be a full class. It's just too different in what it is/does from the dedicated specialist 'striker' of the 5e fighter. It'd be far too much for an archetype to take away extra attacks, for instance.

One possibility might be to add a new non-caster class, and have Warlord be one archetype of it (covering the Leader/Healer role), and others each taking up some other non-Striker functions (either familiar, traditional roles, 4e formal roles, or novel, even interaction- or exploratoin- focused ones). One of the sticking points with 5e, for me, as a player, is that striker/DPR is the only role/combat-function available to a non-magic-using concept, which is unduly limiting. It'd be nice to see that addressed, but for the existing non-caster sub-classes, the high DPR features are firmly entrenched in the base class.

RunePriest could, conceivably be just another Domain (of 'runes' I guess), but it's different enough from the Cleric to make that unsatisfying. Domains do go so far as to alter armor & weapon proficiencies, special abilities, and spell lists, though, so it might just be a very dramatic Domain. It might use Runes as foci instead of a single, conventional holy symbol, perhaps?

More playable races, especially from the common humanoid races (Orcs, Goblinoids, Kobolds, Gnolls),

Yeah, that can be fun. Shouldn't be hard, either.

I would like more races from the various settings (Thri-kreen, Muls, Giff, Lupins, Rakasta, Tortles).

Er, well... they've already done the Aarakokra (sp?), so I guess the doors wide open.

Psionics, the races, classes, monsters, powers, and settings (mainly Dark Sun and Eberron).

The absence of psionics from the PH was almost as glaring as that of the Warlord. The available excuse is that, while psionics were in a PH1 (1e AD&D PH), they weren't in the form of a character class or classes, but an optional add-on appendix that randomly gave anyone a (tiny) chance of being psionic. (Even if that didn't warrant a full class, a Sorcerer sub-class or a Wild Talent feat could have been on the table...)

Mearls posted some thoughts on psionics, but they were couched so hypothetically that I don't find them very encouraging. Others are hoping for a lavish psionics splatbook. I wish them luck, it would be better for the game, I think, for psionics to get a more complete treatment rather than just a bone thrown their way.

Other games that could be made using the same rule set as D&D. Gamma World, Boot Hill, Urban Arcana and/or Dark*Matter, Star Frontiers and/or Star*Drive.

Not so sure 5e could handle many of those. Historically, Gamma World was usually pretty D&D-like. That's about it.

 

[Jester David]

A Psionic book is high on my list with the psion, a half-dozen psionic classes, some psionic monsters, a bunch of new spells, and optional rules for psionics out the wazoo.

I'd also like a nice 320-page Manual of the Planes that is a purty as the core rulebooks and really delves into all of the planes, including optional planes like the Far Realms or Dimension of Dreams. Preferably also with a goodly section on Sigil and the Planescape factions. Maybe a few alternate ways of presenting the planes as well.

Other than that, I'm set. Maybe in a couple years a second monster book would be keen. When they have an even more solid handle of the monster math. Everything else can be handled by the small free player's guides and Uneathed Arcana articles.

 

[wolfen fenrison]

2 years latter, lets see where my wishlist stands.

"1. More material for the various campaign settings (Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Dark Sun, Dragonlance, Birthright, and Mystara), full book releases or player's companions, whatever just more. And maybe how they can all connect to each other (Spelljammer!)"

Well not much has been done on that front. Aside from 1 UA dedicated to Eberron and Curse of Strahd taking place in Ravenloft, everything has been set in FR. But there has come a surprising cure for my multiverse setting itch. The Magic: The Gathering Plane Shift booklets. They these free little crunchy free PDFs to tie into the fluff filled "Art of" books for the various new card blocks. Together they make more or less a decent campaign setting book. And some of the race/class/background material has been very interesting as well as some of the adventure ideas (like making the party a group of Planeswalkers!). Did I mention these are free?

"2. More planar goodies. the current state of Sigil, a list of the domains of dread deep in the shadow fell, maybe a planar player's companion that has player race rules for more planetouched and rogue modrons."

Again not much done here either aside from some events that happen in various adventures. Princes of the Apocalypse can involve pockets of the elemental planes, Out of the Abyss involves lot of demons and demon lords but all in the underdark, and like I mentioned above there is a Ravenloft adventure. I still would like a 5e equivalent of the Manual of the Planes. As far as planetouched race though we now have Aasimar, Genasi, Eladrin, and Shadar-Kai.

"3. More of the base classes from previous editions translated to class paths, some 1E ones that are left like the Cavalier (maybe as a spell less paladin variant of fighter archetype) and the Acrobat. Or 3E classes like the Hexblade, Samurai, Shugenja (for Clerics), Wu jen (Wizards), Shaman (Druids). And even 4E classes like the Swordmage, Warlord, and Runepriest."

Boy howdy did this get worked on. The Cavalier is a Fighter archetype along with the Samurai. Hexblade is a Warlock pact and Wu Jen is an order for the Mystic class. And Artificer is gonna be its own class. Bladesinger, Lore Master, and Warmage are Wizard traditions. Favored Soul is a Sorcerer origin now. Swashbucklers and Scouts are Rouges.

"4. More playable races, especially from the common humanoid races (Orcs, Goblinoids, Kobolds, Gnolls), I've already mentioned planar races, I would like more races from the various settings (Thri-kreen, Muls, Giff, Lupins, Rakasta, Tortles). And of course more subraces for the races that have them."

This got just as much attention as the sub-classes. Volo's Guide has so many race options in it (including all the "savage humanoids" expect for gnolls). And then they released Tortles in an official PDF for Extra Life.

"5. Psionics, the races, classes, monsters, powers, and settings (mainly Dark Sun and Eberron)."

Well got a full 20 lvl (with 6 orders to choose from) psionic class with the Mystic. I'm hoping to see some Dark Sun races and the Kalashtar from Eberron with a future release.

"6. Other games that could be made using the same rule set as D&D. Gamma World, Boot Hill, Urban Arcana and/or Dark*Matter, Star Frontiers and/or Star*Drive. Give those advanced tech rules in the Dungeon Master's Guide room to breathe and grow while still being so completely compatible with D&D that while they each function on their own they can still be combined to make for some crazy crossover games."

I never expected to see anything happen in this area honestly. As a massive fan of d20 Modern (and d20 Future, Urban Arcana, and Dark*Matter) I've come to expect to be treated as the unwanted stepchild of the community (site went suddenly dead with no notice just when an adventure path was started, the forums were shrunk, moved, shrunk, then eventually killed off). There has been an article and a UA about d20 Modern, and while I bemoaned Eberron getting similar treatment, for d20 Modern this felt like the skies opening up and the gaming gods letting me know I've not been forsaken.

Can't wait to see what the next year brings.