D&D (2024) YOU are in charge of the next PHB! What do you change?

[Cadence]

Far Reaching Systems Changes:
1) No longer a strict d20 System. d20s are a part of the game, but not the exclusive resolution of all systems.

Especially when something is competitive between two characters (whether PC, NPC, or monster), this seems huge. There are some things random enough where my +1 bonus self might have a chance of beating a non-epsilon chance of doing better than a +10 bonus. So if it's two people who know the rules playing a single game of MtG, maybe it's competing d20's with modifiers - anyone can get screwed/flooded, but there's still a skill difference. But a typical just for fun chess player isn't going to beat or draw against the grandmaster, even if spotted a few pieces. And even the master is probably not going to be able to pull it off very often. Maybe that's d4s with modifiers added.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

This 6th edition prefix is going to confuse people, I can see some ask "when did they release 6e, how the heck did I miss that?!?!"

 

[Lanefan]

This 6th edition prefix is going to confuse people, I can see some ask "when did they release 6e, how the heck did I miss that?!?!"

More to the point, why is it labelled "D&D 6E" when in the first post the OP insists that whatever's in the new PH has to be 5e compatible?

'Cause that's a huge difference. If this new PH doesn't have to be 5e compatible then everything's on the table. Forcing 5e compatibility acts as a significant straitjacket and, as an example, knocks out about 90% of the changes I'd make.

 

[Greg K]

I am still working on my list. However, I have seen a few things on my list already mentioned.

Race

• Rename to Ancestry
• Ancestries have lineages (e.g. Half-Dragons, Half-Elf, Half-orcs)
• Culture split off from Ancestry

Culture:

• replaces subrace
• base cultural skill proficiencies, tool proficiencies, and cultural weapon groups, stone cunning, languages, etc. go here.
• all ancestries/lineages have a culture
• Environmental based cultures: Arctic, Aquatic, Coast, Desert, Forest, Grassland (Plains, Savannah, Steppes), Hills, Island, Jungle, Mountains, Underground, Wetlands (Bayou, Marsh, Swamp), urban, rural
• Society: Foraging, Pastoral, Horticulture, Agrarian
• ? : Mageocracy, Military State, Political State, Theocracy,
• Occupation based: ex. fishing, Mining.
• some kind of combination of the above
• include sample cultures for the ancestries/lineages

Classes

• subclasses earlier for all classes. I prefer 1st level.
• Rename the Barbarian (can't recall if this was mentioned)
• Redsign the cleric
• Redesign the monk for more customization or replace it with a Martial Artist class with Monk as subclass
• Eldritch Knight split off into its own class: Arcane Warrior. Subclasses: Bladesinger, Duskblade, Eldritch Knight, Spellsword
• add some other new classes

Add new skill proficiencies

 

[overgeeked]

Especially when something is competitive between two characters (whether PC, NPC, or monster), this seems huge. There are some things random enough where my +1 bonus self might have a chance of beating a non-epsilon chance of doing better than a +10 bonus. So if it's two people who know the rules playing a single game of MtG, maybe it's competing d20's with modifiers - anyone can get screwed/flooded, but there's still a skill difference. But a typical just for fun chess player isn't going to beat or draw against the grandmaster, even if spotted a few pieces. And even the master is probably not going to be able to pull it off very often. Maybe that's d4s with modifiers added.

Start with a base of success on an 11+/d20 (50%), compare the participants’ modifiers, then add the difference to the roll. So you have a +10 chess skill and I have a +2 chess skill, that’s a +8 to you. You make the roll with a +8. So you’d only fail on a 1 or a 2. Anything more than than a +10 difference is an automatic win/loss.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I'd keep the term Race, but make it clear it's the scientific definition of Race, not the social one.

I'd have a separate Nationality for cultural elements and Background for more personal history.

I'm have all the current PHB classes, but add Shadowcaster, Articifer, Psion, Priest (different from Cleric), and Warlord.

I'd have subclasses (renamed) at first level, but bring back paragon paths and epic destinies for later levels.

I'd have a piety system, but base it around concepts, so that it can be shared be between settings like Domains now.

I'd expand the races to include the most common playable races in between settings, so for example Goblins, Centaurs, Minotaurs, Genasi, Aasimar, Loxodons, Hobgoblins, Bugbears, Tritons, etc...

 

[Sithlord]

Start with a base of success on an 11+/d20 (50%), compare the participants’ modifiers, then add the difference to the roll. So you have a +10 chess skill and I have a +2 chess skill, that’s a +8 to you. You make the roll with a +8. So you’d only fail on a 1 or a 2. Anything more than than a +10 difference is an automatic win/loss.

I’m not sure race is a scientific term. But I would make it clear that the term is being used as it would be used in the ancient world or in a medieval setting.

 

[MichaelSomething]

Seems like focusing on the rules is going the wrong way.

What I would do is leave a blank page where people can write in their story/house rules/gaming ideas/etc. Then I would maintain an online site where everyone can upload their personized pages so we can all see each other's ideas...

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Races become less Rubberforehead human.
Half Elf, Half Orc, Mul, and Quartling become sublineages of Elf, Orc, Dwarf, and Halfling respectively.

You have it backwarts... It is Threequartling...

 

[cbwjm]

I'd make races have a fixed stat (+2 dex for elves, +2 str for half-orcs & dragonborn) and a free ASI (like from a level up) which can be spent on stats, a feat, or a planetouched feature. This allows for a mountain dwarf to also have a fiendish, celestial, or elemental background but they have to give up that +2 bonus to another stat. This also means that there are no tiefling, aasimar, or genasi races since they are now part of the choices made for each race at character creation. Humans I'd likely change to have two free placement ASIs in addition to gaining a free language, tool, and skill. Maybe something else as well, not sure yet.

Not sure what I'd do with classes since I need to keep it compatible with other books so I won't be able to change around when classes gain their subclasses.

Backgrounds I'd make a little more robust. Skills, tools, languages would still be part of it, following the current structure, but I'd also have small bonuses gained as they level up, some actual mechanical features to the backgrounds. For instance, a mage guild graduate might have a couple of spells they can cast 1/day each (in addition to using spell slots). Speaking of this, I'd make it explicit that any spells gained from feats or racial backgrounds can be cast using spell slots as well.

I'd probably add an ability increase to a large number of feats that otherwise don't have one, savage attacker and skilled are good examples of feats that feel like they need a boost.