D&D 5E Options: Can we build them?

[1of3]

That's only part of the question. If we ask "what is a 4e style character?" then we get closer to the heart of the matter.

That's the problem. You cannot transfer the "heart of the matter", as you call it, somewhere else. What you are referring to is not a separate thing surround by more peripheral elements in the system, but the emergent properties that result from the various elements in the system interacting.

Therefore one cannot have a 4e-style class in Next. Of course I can make a class that curses someone, there is in fact: Avenging Paladin. But still, this is not the same. You can do this with every other aspect you listed or I listed or anyone might list. Putting them into Next, will still not result in 4e.

 

[jodyjohnson]

Think curses for warlocks, oaths of enmity for avengers, marking for fighters, and quarries for rangers: different classes had drastically different mechanics and effects.

Individually those are all easy to add.

As a fan of 4e, I don't think Action points, feats, limited surges, or minor action healing added anything necessary for the feel of 4e play at our table.

I do think Action points are easily added (we still have an action and movement distinction).
Minor action healing exists.
Surges can replace Hit Dice or Hit dice can replace surges in powers.

After 14 years of feats, I don't think feats add anything essential to the game. I know people like them, but largely I feel like the feat system requires that you remove functionality only to add it back piecemeal.

However you could make all the Ability Increases solely ability increases and then layer a 3.0, 3.5, or 4e feat system on top of all the classes. Just remove all the freebies that 5e grants (finesse, dex as damage, quickdraw, two-weapon fighting, etc.) and then players can earn them back with the feat system.