bitspersecond
Villager
Some pieces I would add into my game:
- Better monster design, specifically around
- more spell-like effects rather than spell so that players can't just shut down everything with counterspell.
- more templates so that DMs don't feel hamstrung around how a monster is presented but are more open to tweak creatures
- more action-oriented monsters / legendary-like monsters a la Matt Colville to make boss fights feel more epic
- Introduce a 'dramatic scene' encounter system that unlock cool new powers that both monsters and players can use for specific encounters that kick things up a notch for encounters/scenes that are meant to be, and feel, epic. Having it as a mechanical effect clues players into what's happening in a blatantly obvious way. Idea adapted from FantasyCraft.
- I would add more options with hit dice such as spending them for martial effects and giving them to spell casters for slots or spell points in some way (particularly sorcerers since that feels thematically correct to me, as well as some warlocks).
- I would experiment with doing away with spell slots, at least for wizards, and put limits on how often specific spells can be cast (still requiring a certain class level to cast them). Combine with needing a roll to cast successfully. Upcasting would be banished without expensive spell components -- that's where the energy comes from for upcasting the spell and encourages adventuring for the components and supports the exploration pillar of play. Personally, I like the idea of harvesting monster parts, too, supporting the combat pillar (not that it needs much more support).
- Add a tiered mechanic (similar to Cypher System) for gaining hit points from hit dice w/o requiring healing or a full short rest:
- Once per long rest, spend a bonus action and spend 1 hit die to gain that die+CON on hit points to 'catch your breath'
- Then, same thing, but it costs you a full action (obviously this doesn't apply to 1st level characters)
- Then, same thing, but it costs you 1 minute (doesn't apply to 1st/2nd level characters)
- Reset everything after a long rest
- Make long rests more dangerous: You can keep watch for a 2 hour period during your 8 hour long rest ... but if anything disturbs you during the remaining time you don't get the benefit of the long rest -- this is to encourage those on watch to deal with encounters without just waking the entire party and making it more nail biting/tense. It's the classic movie scene where the one character wanders off to investigate that odd noise.
- Hardcore mode ... limiting HP, creating vitality points out of constitution ... something optional for campaigns that want to go that route.
