D&D 5E (2024) (+)One Big Thing I Would Change

[TwoSix]

Diegetic?

All growth occurs within the context of the story. You earn your abilities in the fiction, they aren't granted by selecting a metagame option.

Magic items are the main form of diegetic progression in standard D&D.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

That’s the 3.x rule, IIRC?

Yep, modifiers of the same type don't stack... except for dodge/circumstance/armor bonuses, which do, because why be consistent, and then people start inventing new categories for their super-special new spells like profane...

EDIT: Pathfinder2 reduced the categories down to Status/Circumstance/Item, where only the highest positive and biggest negative modifer from each category applies. But then they still have untyped penalties, which all stack individually, making this whole categorization just... a lot of +1-2+1+1 that just feels like busywork.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

Make reactions like bonus actions: you don’t get one unless a feature or ability says you do. Then give the fighter a feature that grants AoO.

 

[Argyle King]

I'd like proficiency dice to be the default rule instead of a flat bonus.

 

[beancounter]

Floating ASI's

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

No multiclassing. It's a class-based system, please act like one.

If there's a need for a new niche (and copy feats like Magic Initiate isn't enough), then make a new class for it.

 

[ersatzphil]

All of the character abilities you select as a player would be at 1st level. Leveling would give some numerical bonuses and more hit points, and that's it. All character growth past that would be diegetic.

May I interest you in The Black Hack?

 

[Parmandur]

I'd like proficiency dice to be the default rule instead of a flat bonus.

I'll see you Proficiency dice, and raise you Ability modifier dice. Have a 12 Intelligence? Add a d4 ro Intelligence checks. Have a 20 Strength? Add a d12 to that roll.

 

[TwoSix]

May I interest you in The Black Hack?

Oh, I’ve already been around the block on most of the NSR type games (Knave, GLOG, Into the Odd, etc) already.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I’d make it so every spell (and class ability) with status conditions attached has hp thresholds, like the sleep spell does.
I would also make it so, if the target fails its save but has too many hit points to be affected, some kind of reduced, minor effect is applied instead.

With a system like this in place, we could probably get rid of the immersion breaking (but currently necessary) legendary resistance.

Might as well link my thread on the matter

Oh man that’s a heck of a thing. As a DM who loves LR and has never seen any immersion issue with it, it’s not for me, but it’s an impressive work.