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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Greg K" data-source="post: 7315944" data-attributes="member: 5038">I would change the following (edit: my apologies to anyone that read this earlier. I kept getting interrupted and accidentally saved this while thinking I was saving another post that I was editing.  I will, probably, need to go through at a later date and edit this again).1. I would have given all classes their subclass at first level. Holding off until second or third level results in some weird results. Having subclasses at first level would make variants easier (even eliminating the need for many) and result in abilities and training that is more reflective a given concept would have from the beginning.2. Barbarian: I don't like the con bonus to AC (much like I didn't like the 1e Barbarian adding Dex twice). I would have made it a flat bonus than using a second stat modifier3. The Cleric: <ul style="margin-left: 20px"> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Remove Armor and Weapon proficiencies from the domains. I would have had these as another choice point at first level similar to the Warlock's Chain, Blade, Tome. This would help give more variation in tailoring clerics since many domains are more <ul style="margin-left: 20px"> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cloistered: The robed priest archetype </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Itinerant (Light Armor): The more worldly minister</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Templar: The armored warrior priest.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mendicant: The begging priest including friars and several asian priest types. With both Friar Tuck and Asian inspired priests being associated in fantasy with unarmed combat and staff fighting, perhaps make this the martial arts cleric. Another option might be making a new class and this a subclass (see monk below for why) or a monk archetype (again, see monk below for why I would prefer it as its own class instead of a monk subclass)</li> </ul> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Channel Divinity: Turn/Destroy undead is a class feature for all clerics even if inappropriate for a deity's domain. I would limit Turn/Destroy Undead a class feature for those domains dealing with life, death, grave (Xanthar's)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Tie spell choices even more to deity domains as was done with 2e spheres.  </li> </ul>4.. Monk: I would have preferred this as either two or three classes<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> The Martial Artist. This would have been based upon customizable styles to duplicate most of the Kung Fu theater guys and fantastic versions of real world fighting styles. I would have looked to 2e Oriental Martial Arts styles with a Base of Hard, Soft, and Hard/Soft that determines base damage.  Maneuvers would have been handled similar to Battlemaster maneuvers. Some options for style would be  Vital Striking (weak points): These tend to be your open hand strikes, finger strikes, throat strikes with webbing between the thumb and forefinger,  as well as kidney and groin strikes. Power Strikes: Haymakers and other slower handstrikes in which the attacker winds back,  Wheel Kick/Spinning Back Heel Kicks Pressure Points (e.g., Kyosho in japanese styles) dealing with nerve clusters  and Pain/Pressure Points and in many styles based on knowledge of healing. Includes Dim Mak in some Chinese styles (in others Dim Mak is an application of chi to one of thee areas. Locks/Holds: immobilizing one limb or an attacker. Also includes joint disabling locks, and certain disarm techniques Sweeps/Throws: save vs being knocked down Ground fighting Defensive Bonus options would be Body reading, Iron Body Training, Missile Deflection.  Ki would be saved for thing such as the following: channeling ki to boost strength,  making the body heavier/ lighter (the latter to reduce falling damage and increasing jumping distance) , making the body hard like iron (Damage Reduction or an AC bonus), momentarily increasing reflexes for initiative or Dodging, healing others, ghost touch (striking incorporeal targets), hitting creatures only struck by magic, Invisibiity techniques, Hypnosis techniques.  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> The Mystic.  This would be the martial arts/spellcasting priest hybrid. a 1/2 or 1/3 caster. Subclasses would include the 3e OA Shaman( a shamanic/martial artist), a Friar (more European priestly caster), the asian spellcasting martial arts priest of many movies, The sorcerer martial artist, a mentalist martial artist</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The monk could be a subclass of either with subclass abilities based upon enlightenment and becoming one with the universe. </li> </ul>6. Rogue:  I am not a fan the light armored swordsman/swashbuckler (SCAG) and non-spellcasting ranger (Xanthar's) being subclasses simply because the rogue is the  "light armor" class. I would have made two separate classes or created class variants similar to Khaalis's light armor fighter variant which was meant to address the former of the two archetypes or 3e UA class variants.  Perhaps, the variant class abilities the designers were talking about will address my issues7. The Mystic: I am not a fan of the direction that they are taking in the playtests.8. I would have made the  Eldritch Knight, Arcane Trickster. A more general warrior mage class could have included subclasses for Bladesingers, Eldritch Knights, Duskblades, and Spellswords, 9. I would have included both the Shaman and Witch as classes. These are two fantasy archetypes. For the Shaman, I would be looking at both Witches (Mayfair Game) by Nigel Findley (TSR acquired the title so I am assuming WOTC still owns it) and Green Ronin's Shaman's Handbook. I have seen third party class variants for the barbarian and druid as well as third party classes. To date none of them have hit the mark for the way the two above books did.For the Witch, I would, again, look at Witches (Mayfair games) and Green Ronin's Witch's Handbook. I would also look at comments of Tom Moldvay (the designer of B/X Basic Dungeons and Dragons) in Dragon Magazine 43 about what the witch should be.10.  Skills: No skill point variant in the DMG.  I am fine with skill points not being default, but a variant in the DMG would have been nice.11. Feats: A few of the feats need to be reworked. I think they have been addressed on these boards and elsewhere12. Leveling: I would have slowed down default leveling speed and, possibly, extended the game to level 30 (see magic below)13. Magic: I like a lot of what was done with magic to reign in casters. the one thing that I would have done is changed spell acquisition so that sixth level spells were gained around 18th level . Some of Gygax's players stated elsewhere that it was never intended for players to gain 7th level and higher spells. They were put in the game for completion and NPCs. I might have extended the game to 30 levels and  added 7th-9th level for play in levels 20-30.</blockquote>

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