What do you wish was in D&D that isn't?

[Ydars]

Now that 4E is out, and we know what has made it in, I have got to thinking what concepts I would have like to have seen in the game that WoTC perhaps never considered...............

Some of these might have made the game very different, but perhaps that is no bad thing.

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I personally, like the Troupe style roleplaying of Ars Magica; basically, the players roll up an organisation of many individuals and the players can play any member of the organisation. The individuals are also a mix of powers; mages are VERY powerful, companions are not so powerful and Grogs are just fun characters who are there for pure entertainment.

I can see this working really well for an RPG involving low magic and combat lethality because if the character you are playing dies, your investment, as a player, does not end; you still have many other characters.

It would also be nice from the point of view of healing; someone wounded might have time to heal naturally because they are not an essential character; you just play someone else until they are better.

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I also like the social combat system of Exalted; where there is a system for convincing NPCs to do things, almost against their will.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Empire-building would be nice. Constructing a stronghold, amassing troops, forge alliances, and declare war.

 

[jdrakeh]

Rules for different scopes of roleplay (e.g., rules for playing individual characters, rules for playing small small groups of characters, rules for playing trade organizations, rules for playing governments, etc). Kind of like Aria, sanz unplayable craziness. So, I guess, I wish D&D had more Reign.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Good question.

4E incorporates a lot of what I'd like.

What it doesn't have is the level of detail and flavour that I'd like.

Rituals are an example. Like, I'd like to know what sort of things the 40000 GP of ingredients that ritual is using are going on. Like I'd like to know what sort of non-adventurer-related rituals exist, and how they're used, and what magical effects they have, if any. Surely in the D&D world a marriage ceremony might actually have some magical effects to it, for example, like potentially cursing people breaking it (not that my liberal-ass mind likes that, but it seems reasonable). This is something that could, of course, very easily be added by WotC or a third-party company.

I could go on, but basically what I'm saying is, I'd like to see more "useless" information, more non-combat information, more "how people" live-type stuff. Obviously this probably shouldn't be in the core books, but I'd love to see it.

It doesn't have information on building and maintaining strongholds, kingdoms, and so on. That's something I'd really like to see.

Kind of like Aria, sanz unplayable craziness. So

Oh Aria, where are you now? That was one hell of a... game probably isn't quite the right word. Certainly inspirational. I may have to drag it out of storage.

Edit - Yes as JV says I have been sorely missing rules for setting things on fire and for Greek Fire. I am certain that one of my players will attempt to set any enemy on fire within two combat encounters of his playing 4E. Page 42 will probably work for most situations, I guess.

 

[JVisgaitis]

Rules for crafting
Rules for appraising something's value (they may be in there and I might have missed them)
Better multiclass rules
More weapons & equipment (they don't have a flask of oil or greekfire. Yes, my characters are all pyros!)

 

[JRRNeiklot]

D&d.

 

[jinnetics]

Familiars

 

[xechnao]

Empire-building would be nice. Constructing a stronghold, amassing troops, forge alliances, and declare war.

Check out Reign. It is all these stuff.

 

[Greg K]

For starters:
- Barbarian, Bard, Druid and Monk in the PHB
- Gnomes and Half Orcs in the PHB
- d20M style talent/bonus feat trees
- More starting bonus feats based on the initial class with starting armor and weapon profiencies taken as player choices rather than assigned.
- Unearthed Arcana style Weapon Groups (or, preferaby 2e Fighter's Handbook/PO: Combat and Tactics weapon)
- The 3e skill system
- Less skill consolidation
- craft and profession skills
- Book of Iron Might style maneuvers and build maneuvers system
- Elements of Magic: Mythic Earth style magic system
- Action Points that worked like Hero Points in Mutants and -Masterminds and are useable more than once in an encounter

- Daily Use Item rules that make sense logically
- The lack of +1/2 level bonus

 

[Cadfan]

A dedicated shapeshifter class. Not one that shifts into everything under the sun. One where you can make a character who's schtick is shifting into just. one. thing. This has been a big part of fantasy literature and movies for a very long time, and really should be included. Unfortunately, D&D tends to have grab bag shapeshifters who turn into a motley array of critters, and somehow that devalues each individual one.