What do you think D&D is missing?

[dmccoy1693]

My first choice is sounds mechanics for larger scale battles.

Ditto.

My second is the ability to create the game you want from D&D from the ground up. Let me expand on that (as I'm sure it doesn't make all that much sense).

Interesting take. To a certain extent, I have to agree.

My own idea: I'd actually want a WotC to encourage player imagination. What I mean is that I've seen enough DM's only allow published material (and usually only wizards published material) into their games. 1st ed pretty much was like: If you don't like the way your mage progressed, change it, come up with some other way you think a mage should progress. I'd really like to see that again. Don't get me wrong, I love the different takes on classes and PrCs and such, but I'm a firm believer in that the rules are there to serve the players, not the players there to serve the rules.

i.e. One of the PCs in my game is a vampire. We recently found out that going to gaseous form is a standard action and going material is a free action; we've been doing it backwards. The DM said he's got to start doing it like that. I asked why and he responded, "Well we should be doing it right." "Right" should be what the group (or specificly the DM) says, not what the book says. If we never discovered that, our group would have been fine. It's not like we're being graded on how closely to the rules we follow. It's that kind of strict adherance to a set of arbitrary rules that annoys me more then anything else about D&D. I've played in and run plenty of other games and I don't see that nearly as often elsewhere. (From this alone, would you call me a neutral or chaotic alignment?)

 

[Ry]

There's too much added now. The game needs more streamlining.

In reference to hong's suggestion, which I heartily agree with, I think action / hero points could be a part of that streamlining (i.e. Wizards use action points for their spells, Warriors use them for making an extra attack, rogues add dice to skill checks, etc).

 

[Fifth Element]

For me, I would say that this game needs a good chase mechanic / way to temporarily increase your movement rate. You cannot take any 2 naked humans with the same movement abilities and have them run one another down. If A always moves away from B at the fastest possible movement rate, B will never catch up, unless one of the following happens.

1) Player A suffers fatigue damage and passes out before B (in which case your foot chase has lasted for a few hours)
2) The DM intervenes and calls for some arbitrary opposed roll that makes sense.

Well, per RAW a Dex check should be used for a chase over a short distance, while a Con check should be used for long-distance pursuits, recognizing that using plain movement rates is inadequate.

But if you're saying you'd like to see a more detailed resolution system for chases, to make them more dramatic/exciting, I don't think I'd disagree.

 

[Vrecknidj]

There's too much added now. The game needs more streamlining.

Not to sound like chicken little, but isn't this the tendency? In each previous edition, the buildup of material became burdensome, and then at some point thereafter, we started anew.

In reference to hong's suggestion, which I heartily agree with, I think action / hero points could be a part of that streamlining (i.e. Wizards use action points for their spells, Warriors use them for making an extra attack, rogues add dice to skill checks, etc).

I am a big fan of hero points and make extensive use of them in my home game.

Dave

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Well, per RAW a Dex check should be used for a chase over a short distance, while a Con check should be used for long-distance pursuits, recognizing that using plain movement rates is inadequate.

But if you're saying you'd like to see a more detailed resolution system for chases, to make them more dramatic/exciting, I don't think I'd disagree.

I wont dispute that the RAW does mention something about a dex check for short term chases, I am pretty sure that they advice they give does not translate well to tactical movement. I actually want something that can add to your movement rate on a successful check, and to have that check dependant on a skill or at least an ability.

The Dex check mechanic just does not work at all on a tactical scale.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Ry]

Oh, I agree that it's the tendency, I just want to see a LOT of it.

 

[Greg K]

There are a lot of things that I want changed/done different. However, missing?

Action Points (well, it is in UA) although I prefer M&M hero points
Background/culture/Occupation
Chase Rules
Ritual Summoning and spellcasting (maybe incantations from UA covers this)
Combat maneuvers as per Book of Iron Might (cut down many of the combat feats and use some of the existing feats to reduce the maneuver penalty)

Edit:
Talent Trees

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Like. . .

?

I think he's looking for Social Combat rules, like from Exalted.

Brad

 

[Deset Gled]

I want better mechanics to allow battles to escalate, rather than be completely front loaded. Something like a parrying/active defense system for warriors, and longer casting/charging times for high level spells. Something so that a confrontation starts with little damage and works it's way up to a big kill, rather than a tidal wave of fury followed by cleanup.

 

[Le Noir Faineant]

What do you think D&D is missing?

GREYHAWK HARD COVER!!!