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

[Aldarc]

I’d probably do subclass at 1st (I think getting subclass right away is important), class feature at 2nd, and ASI/feat at 3rd, then keep that pattern for every level after.
That keeps 5,11 and 17 for important tier defining class features.

Are you a fool? This is too obvious!

 

[Campbell]

I would place a lot more emphasis on subclass and not have class chassis decide so much to open up more design space.

I would also make expertise more widely available so any class could be good at any skill. Skilled archetypes would get more skills at higher depth. Mostly I want to avoid bad feels like Rogues being better at Athletics than Fighters or Barbarians.

Something also really needs to be done about holes in the saving throw math that get worse as levels go up. One idea would be to make all saves proficient and grant advantage on certain saves as a class feature.

 

[Greg K]

For maximum compatibility* I’d go for adding an optional variant feature to each class that gives many options that broadly speak to the archetypes the class gets.

if not giving subclasses at 1st level to all classes, I would also do class variants at Level 1 similar to Khaalis's Light Fighter Variant. I would do one variant for the bard to address the issue discussed in Mike Mearl's Happy Hour with the Valour Bard. I would do a Wilderness Rogue and, maybe, an Academic/Scholar Rogue variant for the Rogue.

 

[Greg K]

If I am in charge of the next PHB, I
1) bring in Steve Kenson to replace current WOTC designers on the PHB and have him design Psychic, Shaman, and Witch classes among other things
2) Replace the Human with something along the lines of Rich Howard's Ultimate Adaptability (from his website and the Tribality website) and/or WinRar's Humans Redone (from Reddit Unearthed Arcana and GM's Binder). However, i would separate the racial elements (biological elements) from all races from the cutltural elements and make the cultural elements a selection of choices that can apply to any race

 

[Tinker-TDC]

I think the big thing is making every class get at least one new thing every level. This is probably most achievable by making classes level 10 and optionally making subclasses and ASIs go on top of class features.

just in case gonna make a list here of all the class features that add NEW things (so ignoring the ones that just let you trade things for other things like Cantrip Formulas and Martial Versatility.)

Artificer: 11 class features
Barbarian: 12 class features (+2 Tasha's)
Bard: 9 class features (+1 Tasha's)
Cleric: 4 class features (+2 Tasha's)
Druid: 5 class features (+1 Tasha's)
Fighter: 5 class features (+2 if you include the two bonus ASIs)
Monk: 17 class features (+4 Tasha's)
Paladin: 12 class features (+1 Tasha's)
Ranger: 11 class features (+4 Tasha's)
Rogue: 11 class features (+1 Tasha's) (+1 if you include the bonus ASI)
Sorcerer: 4 class features (+1 Tasha's)
Warlock: 5 class features
Wizard: 4 class features

Naturally these numbers are misleading as different classes get a different number of subclass features and "Spellcasting" is being treated as one feature whereas in the 5e design scheme it counts as a feature every level you get a new level of spellcasting. Monk is the big standout in this list but it also requires the most to be playable (unarmored defense and ki-empowered strikes are more making up for minuses than plusses in themselves) and has some big ribbons like Timeless Body and Tongue of Sun and Moon.
So that's my proposal. 10 levels with subclasses and ASIs being in-addition to class features rather than instead of class features and getting to use the same class feature one more time per day not being the only thing you get on a level-up. Opens up room to play without subclasses or allow subclasses to give features on different levels for internal balance purposes. Also makes your highest level spell equal to your level in that class which adds simplicity for new folks.

 

[Sithlord]

I would place a lot more emphasis on subclass and not have class chassis decide so much to open up more design space.

I would also make expertise more widely available so any class could be good at any skill. Skilled archetypes would get more skills at higher depth. Mostly I want to avoid bad feels like Rogues being better at Athletics than Fighters or Barbarians.

Something also really needs to be done about holes in the saving throw math that get worse as levels go up. One idea would be to make all saves proficient and grant advantage on certain saves as a class feature.

No. I would not make expertise available to other classes. I really think that should be a rogue thing. However, I would lower DC for most checks so that a person without expertise still kicks butt at it. But if they are don’t to keep the DC as high as they currently are then you are probaly correct. I do see an exception, I would do expertise arcana for wizards, religion for clerics, survival for rangers, but very class specific. But that is just my opinion.

 

[ph0rk]

No. I would not make expertise available to other classes. I really think that should be a rogue thing.

Why not give rogues something similar to jack of all trades instead? Expertise is all about breaking bounded accuracy, and either more classes should have access to it or none of them should.

 

[Sithlord]

Why not give rogues something similar to jack of all trades instead? Expertise is all about breaking bounded accuracy, and either more classes should have access to it or none of them should.

Because I’m old and I think the rogue should be untouchable with certain skills like stealth, detecting and finding traps, opening locks, climbing walls, deception, and a few other skills.

 

[Greg K]

Because I’m old and I think the rogue should be untouchable with certain skills like stealth, detecting and finding traps, opening locks, climbing walls, deception, and a few other skills.

Except for stealth, I agree with you (I think Bararians, Druids, Rangers should be able to have expertise in stealth). However, I think there are other skill proficiencies or tool proficiencies that certain other classes should be able to have expertise.

 

[Parmandur]

Because I’m old and I think the rogue should be untouchable with certain skills like stealth, detecting and finding traps, opening locks, climbing walls, deception, and a few other skills.

Even with the Ranger and certain Feats granting Expertise, the Rogue still has reliable Talent, which is killer.