One Thing I Think Could Be Improved From ALL Previous Editions...

[Li Shenron]

I don't want a "baked in" setting (unless it's Greyhawk), but I do want to see illustrative examples, and those could be built on a common setting. For example, the gods chapter can explain types of gods, domains, portfolios, etc ... then provide an example of a pantheon from a classic D&D setting.

Definitely, but perhaps even better if more than one sample pantheon is provided (short description, kind of like all sample pantheons in 1-2 pages), so that none of them will be thought as "default" even by accident.

 

[gloomhound]

What one thing I think could be improved from all previous editions.....


Better support for one player and one player plus DM play.

 

[Mark CMG]

One thing occurs to me that I don't think has been done in any previous edition, but that recently increasingly jars on me:

- There is a 'default game world' hard-coded into the initial rules set.

In AD&D we had, essentially, Greyhawk - and again in 3.X. And kinda in 2e. In 4E we had PoLand. But doing this - especially changing it - causes unnecessary friction and hassle for a DM who wants to design and run his or her own world setting (within the D&D system parameters).

The stuff I'm thinking about primarily comes down to the gods, the cosmology and the alignment system. Maybe also the equipment lists - although standard types of weapons and armour are arguably required for the system/powers themselves.

I would much rather see "Divine Domains", rules for codifying planes of existence, rules for defining deities and suggestions for alignment systems included in the core rules. By all means, give a baseline set of examples in each area, to give everyone a "starter for ten" on their first time out with the new system and to give a baseline for the generic adventures, but please give the generic rules for this stuff from the word 'go!'

I agree it needs to be defined so that individuals can integrate it into their own campaigns. I think the details of specific deities would be better off in setting books but how such things work with divine magic needs some definition in the core.