D&D (2024) What do you want & expect to see in 2024's 5.5e?

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Actually maybe Perception should be a skill at all, it's more an innate ability like having enhanced senses of the Elves, so instead of getting perception skill they just get advantage on perception checks as keen senses. Use investigate if you want a trained skill the improves ones innate perception.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Perception should be an always passive ability. The search action should just temporarily raise your Passive Perception by a set number (5, perhaps, or your Proficiency Bonus).

 

[Bill Zebub]

And does anybody else think that trying to make feats "optional" (and therefore mixing them up with ASIs) was one of the worst decisions in 5e?

I like the simplicity of 5e. I got tired of crunchy games decades ago. But feats are just not hard.

 

[Juicy Brucey]

Bring Dexterity more in line with other stats. Take the initiative bonus away. Give rogues a level based bonus to compensate so you don't screw up sneak attack.

Not something I expect to see, but something I would love to see.

 

[AtomicPope]

First I expect the game to be nearly the same except after years of feedback and experience the classes, subclasses, monsters, races, and traps will be more finely tuned.

Things I expect to see:

• Proficiency Mods Replacing Stat Mods Abilities - Replacing any abilities that use XX Stat Mod per long/short rest with Proficiency makes sense as it puts focus back on the character level and takes it away from attribute dependency. We can even get things like 1/2 Proficiency Bonus for powerful/restricted abilities.
• Thematic Subclasses that Transcend Classes - With the advent of Strixhaven I'm excited to the greater potential of the 5e system. I would like to see more subclasses that can be taken by various classes. Some of these come to mind: Beastmaster (Druid or Ranger), Wildmagic (Wizard or Sorcerer), Weapon Master (Fighter, Rogue, Ranger) etc.
• Improved Monster Format - Mordi's Monster Manual turned back the clock to 2e style monsters, but not far enough. I love the 2e monster format with ecology, habitat, and so forth. We should take what worked in 4e and that's the proficiency checks for monster lore, and hardcode that into each monster entry.
• Expanded Traps/Trap Creation in the DMG - Getting a player's supplement with traps was nice but it's the wrong place for it. We need that in the DMG so traps can function like "monsters", a dangerous encounter that uses resources and rewards exp.
• Better Rangers - In my own campaign our 20th level Ranger was allowed to pick and choose between the PHB and UA for her class features. The new changes have been great for the class, expanding their role and making the animal companion an actual threat to the monsters.

In some ways I'm a little disappointed that 5e dropped some of the wonderful innovations from 4e like Minions and Skill Challenges.

 

[Juicy Brucey]

But yea, it'd be sweet if 4 elements monk was actually good.

 

[DEFCON 1]

And does anybody else think that trying to make feats "optional" (and therefore mixing them up with ASIs) was one of the worst decisions in 5e?

I like the simplicity of 5e. I got tired of crunchy games decades ago. But feats are just not hard.

No, I think it was smart. Because I don't think most players use feats as a way to give "flavor" to their characters, they use them as just one more dial to raise their character's effectiveness and power level in whatever they are doing (which is usually combat, as that is the backbone of the entire D&D game.) So making feats optional meant some DMs could choose to just not allow all these new combat abilities that increased character power, when it was pretty soon into the game's release that DMs and players discovered just how powerful D&D characters already were. PCs didn't need additional power in combat, they were already powerful enough. And thus not having to worry about trying to present challenges for a party with a character with Great Weapon Master, a character with Sharpshooter, three characters with Lucky, and a character with Polearm Master... was a boon for many DMs.

If the game wanted to remove all feats that increased combat effectiveness and only had feats like 'Actor' or 'Linguist' that built upon the other parts of the game besides combat... the social and exploration pillars... maybe then having feats non-optional would be okay. But the game isn't going to do that because that would be 'non-compatible' with the game as it is.

 

[Li Shenron]

All I want is "most" before "druids will not wear metal armor".

What we'll get is everything except that.

 

[clearstream]

I think 50AE has a nice ring to it.

V.V

 

[Charlaquin]

V.V

I don’t know what that means

 

[Laurefindel]

What I expect?
Essentially cosmetic changes mostly, and a different presentation of the same things we have now.

I expect changes to core ranger and beast master subclass, in line with Tasha’s optional variant ranger features.

I expect removal of fixed ASI at character creation, but little changes to other abilities.

I expect (and hope for) a rationalisation of « pet » rules to a universal « acts on your initiative but takes turn after yours » for companions, mounts, familiar, and conjured creatures.

I expect minor tweaks to some subclasses like champion (despite being popular) and 4-elements monk.

I expect some rationalisation on reactions, bonus actions, and their timing.

I expect a few more subclasses offered as « core » in the PHB, especially to classes with two presented archetypes (but not an anthology of all splat published so far).

I expect (and hope for) a little more diversity in monsters’ roles and abilities, and 1/day spells and spell-like abilities instead of player-like spellcasting.

I’m not sure if I expect the artificer to make it into PHB. Somehow I don’t think it will.

What I want?
I want an in depth review or what spells require concentration and doesn’t, and whether they should or shouldn’t.

I want more monster spellcasters. If you’re to publish mostly spellcasting PCs, grant us more ready-made spellcasting antagonists. Or a selection of templates as add-ons.

I want no-magic and low-magic how-to-guides in the DMG.

I want minor but thematic rule variants for specific settings (unlikely to happen given WotC's multiverse approach).