D&D (2024) YOU are in charge of the next PHB! What do you change?
Remathilis
Legend
My only concern is that you've turned a 1-2 stage choice point (pick race, sometimes pick subrace) info a three or more one, as now every race is a three prong affair (race, lineage, culture) and that's before any internal choices, like pick languages and such.
The trade-off for customization is complexity. 5e to me has hit the sweet spot for meaningful choices during chargen and systems that add multiple choice points (like 2e Players Options or Pathfinder) gets torturously long to make a character.
What I'm unsure about is in play, what is going to make your character feel like a particular kind of elf. Tools have limited usefulness and skills can come from anywhere and in 5e are abstracted, so I don't thing those do the trick. Movement speed, armor and weapon proficiency will similarly not really yield distinctiveness, since every other race will also have subraces/cultures and there might be rules for culture. Darkvision is everywhere. Cantrips maybe, but if you are playing a high elf bard does it really matter if your mage hand is coming from your race or your class, especially if the dwarf sorcerer also has mage hand? Part of the problem is the "typing" of wotc's dnd games, with each character being composed of a subset of universal pools of abilities (spells, skills, tools, etc). So the easiest design is to say, "ok, you are x kind of character, you get this cantrip or this tool," but everyone gets those thigns, and from multiple sources (race, class(es), background, feats) and it all kind of washes out in play. From a game perspective I can see the appeal if you like mixing and matching abilities in character creation.
Oddly, I think "flaws" or limitations are more likely to add distinctiveness, like sunlight sensitivity, because that's the sort of thing that will come up constantly during play.
I'm not very familiar with pathfinder 2e, but I took a quick look at their wiki for elves and I'm not sure it does the trick. A lot of feats were stuff that many players and dms will just forget about during play. Also that game looks exhausting.
Faolyn
(she/her)
Meh. I've been doing that for sample Level Up characters--which also adds Destiny as a level of complexity (and also Maneuvers, for martial characters). It takes a tiny bit longer but I think the benefits, in terms of flexibility and "realism" (since not all members of a specific race are the same), far outweigh the time cost.
Faolyn
(she/her)
The main problem with flaws like that is if you manage to get a workaround--like sunglasses--then they become completely moot.
Levistus's_Leviathan
5e Freelancer
Okay, been awhile since this thread started and has been dying down in activity lately, but it took me this long to think of what I would do, so I might as well put it down. I'll go through the sections of the 5e PHB and list the main changes that I would make to each.
First off, the Step-by-Step Character-Building section. Here, I would just do a minor change, and that would be to make Standard-Array/Point-Buy be the default, with rolling being the variant. Then, highlight that rolling unbalances the game and warn new players about this. I was not aware of this when I first started 5e, so I would like to prevent similar mistakes in the future for other newer players/DMs.
Second, the Race section. Add more races! We don't even have 10 in the PHB. Add Satyrs, Minotaurs, Centaurs, Aarakocra, Tabaxi, Lizardfolk, Goliaths, Goblins, Kobolds, Hobgoblins, Bugbears, Orcs, Tritons, and more (maybe the Eberron Races?)! Let character diversity be a part of D&D 5.5e/6e from the get-go! I would straight up drop the Half-Elf and Half-Orc races, as Elves and Orcs fill those respective thematic niches, and having "half-human, half-X race" just over complicates everything for future racial combinations (Muls, Half-Giants/Half-Ogres, etc). I would just create a new system for a "Hybrid Race" character, where you would choose your two parent races and pick and choose features from each parent race dependent on what they are (like Darkvision and Fey Ancestry from Elves, Powerful Build and Relentless Endurance from Orcs, etc), and then specify what races can and can't interbreed (like Dragonborn can't naturally produce children with Halflings, but they could with Lizardfolk and Kobolds). IMHO, if players can play a Half-Human/Half-Elf and Half-Human/Half-Orc, they should be able to play a Half-Dwarf/Half-Orc, a Half-Goblin/Half-Gnome, a Half-Golaith/Half-Orc and more.
Next, make every race have the Post-Tasha's racial changes. No racial ASIs, no cultural features in the racial stats (like proficiencies with language, tools, most skills, etc), and all inherent magic can use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma for its spellcasting ability (you choose when you take the race) and you can use your own spell slots to cast them.
Then, add a Lineage section. This would include (at the least) Aasimar, Genasi, Tieflings, and Hexblood, but hopefully others as well (I'd be fine with Dhampir and Reborn being in the PHB). I never understood why only humans ever mated with Angels, Devils, and Genies. Let any race be Planetouched, like Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft let any race be half-vampire, hag-spawn, or a Reborn.
Additionally, I would add another Hit Dice to each race dependent on their size and "toughness", so Halflings, Gnomes, Goblins, and Kobolds would get a d6, Humans, Elves, Lizardfolk, Tabaxi, and Tritons, would get a d8, Centaurs, Dragonborn, Dwarves, Goliaths, and Hobgoblins would get a d10, and Bugbears, Minotaurs, and Orcs would get a d12.
Third, the Class section. Add at least an Artificer, and hopefully a Psion class to the PHB (hopefully also an Arcane Gish class, but that's wishful thinking). All subclasses for all classes come at level 1, and every class gets more choices to make so no single character of that class (even if they're the same race and same subclass) is the same. I'd also put requirements to be any given class (like the Multiclassing Ability Score prerequisites). Classes that get Fighting Styles get them expanded from just a small mechanical boost to something on par with a Warlock's Pact Boon, and I'd add Tasha's-style Fighting Styles to the PHB and a few others that encourage other styles of fighting, and they also automatically get Maneuvers similar to the Battlemaster. Spellcasters would get to choose an "Arcane Style", where they could choose to focus on Concentration spells, Blasting spells, AoE's with duration, and so on, which would let them be incentivized to be built differently from other casters. I would also give every class at least 5 subclasses, and probably 9 at most (no, Cleric and Wizard, you don't get twice/thrice as many subclasses as everyone else).
For the main changes to the classes that I would do, see the bulleted list below:
Fourth, Equipment. I would add more weapons (firearms, yklwas, double-bladed scimitars, double-crossbows, katanas, etc), armor, and shields (lantern shields, tower shields, bucklers), and also make them all matter (IMO, nonmagical equipment shouldn't be a part of class balance, and all types of weapons/armor should be useful at all levels). Next, I'd add Vehicle rules (like from Ghosts of Saltmarsh, and maybe the ones similar to BG
iA's Infernal War Machines) to the Equipment section. I'd also expand rules for modifying weapons, like silvering weapons (maybe even gilding weapons), making weapons out of Mithral/Adamantine (maybe even other types of magical metals, like Orichalcum, Infernal Iron, and Eberron's metal-woods), sharpening slashing weapons to have a razor-edge, covering bludgeoning weapons in spikes, covering piercing weapons and ammunition in barbs, and so on. I'd also put the rules for crafting mundane items and using tool proficiencies (like those from XGtE).
Fifth, Customization Options. I've never used Multiclassing in my games, but I would keep it. However, it would have to be expanded to balance some changes that I'd make to the classes, like making Maneuvers not stack from different martial classes, and so on. Then, I'd add even more feats, let PCs get a feat or ASI every 3 levels instead of the normal 4, and not make there be awful feats (Keen Mind, Grappler, etc).
Sixth, Ability Scores. I would make all ability scores be (more) equal. Constitution is no longer used to determine HP for all classes, instead, the two main Ability Scores for every class determines what Ability Score Modifiers you add to your Hit Dice when leveling up (choose one of the two ability scores to add its modifier to your maximized hit dice at level one, you use the other the next level, then alternating all the way to level 20). Next, Initiative is based off of DEX, INT, or WIS (chosen at level 1). Then, I'd add another skill (Endurance, which is CON-based), split Athletics into Mobility (for climbing/swimming/squeezing/grappling) and Brawn (for lifting, pulling, pushing, and similar brute-force strength checks), and get rid of Insight, Perception, and Survival (becoming just Passive checks).
Seventh, Adventuring. I wouldn't change much (if anything) from this section. Maybe add downtime and better Social Interaction rules in this section, but that would be about it.
Eighth, Combat. I'm completely stealing from Pathfinder 2.0; a Three-Action System. Instead of getting movement, an action, and a bonus action to be used on your turn, you instead get Three Actions each turn. Your action can be used for the normal purposes, with dashing replacing the free movement that people get. I would also add penalties for if you attack or cast spells multiple times each turn (disadvantage to hit for the second attack, +5 to the target's AC and disadvantage on the third attack, probably, with Extra Attack allowing for people to ignore some of these disadvantages and Dual Wielding allowing for a free attack on the first Attack action).
Ninth, Spellcasting. No bonus action spells, instead, these are split into either "on hit" spells (like Branding Smite, which would trigger when you hit someone and not take an action, but only one would be allowed each turn/attack) and Minor Action spells (which would ignore penalties for casting multiple spells each turn). Next, Necromancy becomes the Necrotic Damage and Undead-creating/controlling spells, while Evocation becomes just the "instantaneous damage/effects" spell school, and a new Restoration school is created for healing and resurrection.
First off, the Step-by-Step Character-Building section. Here, I would just do a minor change, and that would be to make Standard-Array/Point-Buy be the default, with rolling being the variant. Then, highlight that rolling unbalances the game and warn new players about this. I was not aware of this when I first started 5e, so I would like to prevent similar mistakes in the future for other newer players/DMs.
Second, the Race section. Add more races! We don't even have 10 in the PHB. Add Satyrs, Minotaurs, Centaurs, Aarakocra, Tabaxi, Lizardfolk, Goliaths, Goblins, Kobolds, Hobgoblins, Bugbears, Orcs, Tritons, and more (maybe the Eberron Races?)! Let character diversity be a part of D&D 5.5e/6e from the get-go! I would straight up drop the Half-Elf and Half-Orc races, as Elves and Orcs fill those respective thematic niches, and having "half-human, half-X race" just over complicates everything for future racial combinations (Muls, Half-Giants/Half-Ogres, etc). I would just create a new system for a "Hybrid Race" character, where you would choose your two parent races and pick and choose features from each parent race dependent on what they are (like Darkvision and Fey Ancestry from Elves, Powerful Build and Relentless Endurance from Orcs, etc), and then specify what races can and can't interbreed (like Dragonborn can't naturally produce children with Halflings, but they could with Lizardfolk and Kobolds). IMHO, if players can play a Half-Human/Half-Elf and Half-Human/Half-Orc, they should be able to play a Half-Dwarf/Half-Orc, a Half-Goblin/Half-Gnome, a Half-Golaith/Half-Orc and more.
Next, make every race have the Post-Tasha's racial changes. No racial ASIs, no cultural features in the racial stats (like proficiencies with language, tools, most skills, etc), and all inherent magic can use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma for its spellcasting ability (you choose when you take the race) and you can use your own spell slots to cast them.
Then, add a Lineage section. This would include (at the least) Aasimar, Genasi, Tieflings, and Hexblood, but hopefully others as well (I'd be fine with Dhampir and Reborn being in the PHB). I never understood why only humans ever mated with Angels, Devils, and Genies. Let any race be Planetouched, like Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft let any race be half-vampire, hag-spawn, or a Reborn.
Additionally, I would add another Hit Dice to each race dependent on their size and "toughness", so Halflings, Gnomes, Goblins, and Kobolds would get a d6, Humans, Elves, Lizardfolk, Tabaxi, and Tritons, would get a d8, Centaurs, Dragonborn, Dwarves, Goliaths, and Hobgoblins would get a d10, and Bugbears, Minotaurs, and Orcs would get a d12.
Third, the Class section. Add at least an Artificer, and hopefully a Psion class to the PHB (hopefully also an Arcane Gish class, but that's wishful thinking). All subclasses for all classes come at level 1, and every class gets more choices to make so no single character of that class (even if they're the same race and same subclass) is the same. I'd also put requirements to be any given class (like the Multiclassing Ability Score prerequisites). Classes that get Fighting Styles get them expanded from just a small mechanical boost to something on par with a Warlock's Pact Boon, and I'd add Tasha's-style Fighting Styles to the PHB and a few others that encourage other styles of fighting, and they also automatically get Maneuvers similar to the Battlemaster. Spellcasters would get to choose an "Arcane Style", where they could choose to focus on Concentration spells, Blasting spells, AoE's with duration, and so on, which would let them be incentivized to be built differently from other casters. I would also give every class at least 5 subclasses, and probably 9 at most (no, Cleric and Wizard, you don't get twice/thrice as many subclasses as everyone else).
For the main changes to the classes that I would do, see the bulleted list below:
- Artificer gets more subclasses (Painter, Weaver, Botanist, etc), and the Alchemist is actually on par with the other subclasses. I would then grant them a feature to choose whether they focus on giving away their infusions or keep them for themselves, and give benefits for when someone that has chosen to do one of those styles actually does it (like making magical armor that you give to your friends better if you choose to be a "Team Supporter" Artificer-style).
- Barbarian is renamed to Berserker, and becomes more primal (like it was in 4e). This would separate it further from the Fighter class, and allow for more magical barbarian themes to not have to be re-explained by all the magical/pseudo-magical subclasses that come later on. Path of the Beast, Ancestral Guardians, Zealot, Tempest, and Juggernaut would be the main subclasses (Juggernaut would be a heavily-armored barbarian, like what the Battlerager was supposed to be).
- Bard would probably become an artificer-style half caster (half-caster that gets spells at level 1, gets cantrips, and is mostly support-focused). I never understood why Bards were full-casters, as there aren't many 6th-9th level spells that fit them, IMHO (all of the ones that are on their list seem like "oh, we need bards to have 6th-9th level spells! Quick! Throw every non-damaging, non-druidy spell that's in the game and call it good!"). Subclasses would be changed from "Bardic College" to "Bardic Technique/Trade" (I'd then change "Arcane Tradition" for wizards to "Arcane College/School"). The main subclasses would be a Stories (mix of Lore and Spirits), Battlesong (mix of Valor and Swords), Speech (mix of Eloquence and the frightening part of Whispers and enchantment part of Glamour), and Allure (which would be the "feyish beauty" part of Glamour with some THP features). I could also see the Creation and Whispers bards coming back in some form, but slightly changed in order to codify their themes a bit better (Creation could be about convincing the spirits inside inanimate objects to animate and aid them in combat, and Whispers could be about secrets, nightmares, and Wanda Maximov-style mind-control).
- Cleric stops being the default healing/resurrection class. Cleric is someone that worships a deity/pantheon/aspect of the universe, which shouldn't (IMO) automatically make them be "pseudo-Jesus-es" (in terms of power). A cleric's spell list should be largely determined by their subclass, with a Warlock's "Expanded Spell List", but all the way up to level 9 with probably around 3 spells per level (Death Clerics would get necromancy spells and necrotic-damage dealing spells, Life Clerics would get the "Jesus" spells, Light Clerics would get radiant damaging spells and light-creating spells (not freaking fireball), Tempest Clerics would get lightning/thunder damaging spells and wind/storm spells, Nature Clerics would get nature spells, Knowledge Clerics would get divination and mind-reading spells, etc). WotC did it all backwards with 5e; Classes that prepare spells should get expanded spell lists from their subclasses, and Classes that learn/know spells should get automatically known spells. Additionally, the base Cleric class wouldn't get Turn/Destroy Undead, that would probably be left to Grave Clerics.
- Druids lose Wild Shape as a core mechanic, and that becomes a feature that only the Circle of the Moon gets. Something akin to Channel Divinity (maybe called "Primal Channeling"?) should be added to the core class, with different subclasses getting different features from it (Wildfire Druids summon a fire elemental, Stars Druids enter star-mode, etc). The main subclasses in the PHB should be Circle of the Moon, one circle for every element/season (Circle of the Sea, Circle of Wildfires, Circle of Winter, Circle of Air/Storms, Circle of Earth/Bones, etc), and possibly something like Circle of Spores and Circle of Stars (though I would also tweak their themes and mechanics a bit).
- Fighters become actually fun to play. No more Attack action spamming. If you're going to attack, you have to put more than two braincells into doing so. Like I said above, there are more Fighting Styles (Mounted Combatant, Sword-and-Board, Protector, Bruiser, Pugilist, Archer, etc) and they become more important and they automatically get maneuvers. I would then give them "Eldritch Invocations", like Warlocks get, but for martial fighting (probably called "Battle Tactics", or something like that). One battle tactic could be Action Surge, another could be Second Wind, a later level one could be Indomitable, another could give you a Climbing/Swimming speed, and so on. The main subclasses would probably be the Champion (leaning into the Hercules-style warrior/gladiator, and they'd get concentration-based combat features), Warlord (with team-support features, flanking/coup de grace-style "maneuvers", and enemy-analysis), Rune Knight, Psi Warrior, and Arcane Archer (changed to actually not be garbage, though, and possibly merged with the Eldritch Knight subclass to grant it spellcasting).
- Monks stop being "Kung-Fu Fighters!", and instead become more generic brawlers. They'd get to focus on using Unarmed Strikes or Improvised Weapons, be able to focus on using DEX/STR and WIS (maybe CON), and be less inherently magical (at least with their later level abilities), instead being flavored as one that has perfected and honed their bodies to allow them to be great combatants/bruisers. Ki can stay the same, but would probably be reflavored to be less magical and more like "grit" and "physical energy". The main subclasses would be the Way of the Four Elements (but not awful), Mercy (probably with a different name, though), Astral Self, Silhouette (as a mix of Long Death and Shadow Monks that become more unearthly), Kensei (focusing on your weapon being one with your body), and Drunken Masters.
- Paladins stay largely the same, but I would get rid of the Smite spells, as they're rarely ever used. I would then probably merge Redemption and Devotion Paladins into the same subclass, change Oathbreaker to not be a necromancy subclass and merge its fear features with Conquest Paladins, and allow for paladins to be DEX based (at least for multiclass purposes).
- Rangers start out with changes similar to the ones in TCoE (except Favored Foe isn't concentration, and might just be changed to Hunter's Mark, and that would stop being a spell). I might even add heavy armor to the class and not make them focus on Dexterity, so they can cover way more types of characters besides just dual wielding Drizzt clones and bow-slinging Legolas-clones. The main subclasses would be Horizon Walker, Gloomstalker, Beast Master (Tasha's style), Fey Wanderer, and Monster Slayers. I'd completely get rid of the Hunter subclass, and just move most of its features to the base class (or at least features inspired by its "pick and choose features" options), allowing for Rangers to focus on being more like a rogue, more like a fighter, and more like a druid.
- Rogues also stay largely the same, but would also become more customizable (maybe with how they accomplish Sneak Attack, or what weapons/Cunning Action options they use?). The main subclasses would probably be Phantom, Scout, Investigator (mix of Mastermind and Inquisitive), Swashbuckler, and Faceless (magical Assassin combined with Whispers' Bards shadow-stealing ability).
- Sorcerers would become Constitution-based spellcasters, their subclasses would all add extra spells that they automatically know and switch out (limited like in TCoE), they'd automatically know all Metamagic options, and would have Spell Points called "Sorcery Points" (but more than in the DMG's Spell Point section, as they'd add their Sorcery Points x 1.5 to the Spell Points that they have). They'd be able to use Sorcery Points to both cast spells and use Metamagic options, and to refuel some subclass features. The main subclasses would be Draconic Bloodline, Divine Soul, Aberrant Mind, Clockwork Soul, Elemental Soul (which you'd choose your elemental sub-subclass like Genie Warlocks), and a Feyheart Sorcerer.
- Warlocks would largely stay the same, but their subclasses' spell lists would give them automatically known spells, Eldritch Blast would probably be a class feature that's damage type differed between the subclasses (necrotic for Undead, radiant for Celestial, Fire for Fiend, Psychic for Fey/GOO, cold for Hexblade, etc) and the class's spell list wouldn't automatically have the "evil" spells on them (like Hunger of Hadar, Hex, others that are typically "evil"/taboo spells), as IMO there's no reason why a person that makes a pact with a Celestial or Dryad should be able hex others. I'd include all 4 of 5e's Pact Boons and almost all of its Eldritch Invocations in the Warlock class, as well as another Pact Boon for people who are given armor from their patron. I would actually give Warlocks the most subclasses in this PHB, somewhere around one subclass per creature type (excluding Monstrosity, Humanoid, Ooze, and then combining Beast and Plant into one subclass for "the Wild One" subclass).
- Wizards ditch the whole "one subclass per school of magic" thing, because it's just boring as H E double-hockeysticks. The whole of the class would be able to use spellbooks as spellcasting foci, the subclasses would typically be combinations of different schools of magic, like the War Wizard, but there'd also be a Hypnomancer (Illusion and Enchantment), Lifedrinker (Necromancy and Evocation, to deal necrotic damage and heal themselves and others), Summoner (Evocation and Conjuration to summon creatures and heal them), and similar combinations.
Fourth, Equipment. I would add more weapons (firearms, yklwas, double-bladed scimitars, double-crossbows, katanas, etc), armor, and shields (lantern shields, tower shields, bucklers), and also make them all matter (IMO, nonmagical equipment shouldn't be a part of class balance, and all types of weapons/armor should be useful at all levels). Next, I'd add Vehicle rules (like from Ghosts of Saltmarsh, and maybe the ones similar to BG
iA's Infernal War Machines) to the Equipment section. I'd also expand rules for modifying weapons, like silvering weapons (maybe even gilding weapons), making weapons out of Mithral/Adamantine (maybe even other types of magical metals, like Orichalcum, Infernal Iron, and Eberron's metal-woods), sharpening slashing weapons to have a razor-edge, covering bludgeoning weapons in spikes, covering piercing weapons and ammunition in barbs, and so on. I'd also put the rules for crafting mundane items and using tool proficiencies (like those from XGtE). Fifth, Customization Options. I've never used Multiclassing in my games, but I would keep it. However, it would have to be expanded to balance some changes that I'd make to the classes, like making Maneuvers not stack from different martial classes, and so on. Then, I'd add even more feats, let PCs get a feat or ASI every 3 levels instead of the normal 4, and not make there be awful feats (Keen Mind, Grappler, etc).
Sixth, Ability Scores. I would make all ability scores be (more) equal. Constitution is no longer used to determine HP for all classes, instead, the two main Ability Scores for every class determines what Ability Score Modifiers you add to your Hit Dice when leveling up (choose one of the two ability scores to add its modifier to your maximized hit dice at level one, you use the other the next level, then alternating all the way to level 20). Next, Initiative is based off of DEX, INT, or WIS (chosen at level 1). Then, I'd add another skill (Endurance, which is CON-based), split Athletics into Mobility (for climbing/swimming/squeezing/grappling) and Brawn (for lifting, pulling, pushing, and similar brute-force strength checks), and get rid of Insight, Perception, and Survival (becoming just Passive checks).
Seventh, Adventuring. I wouldn't change much (if anything) from this section. Maybe add downtime and better Social Interaction rules in this section, but that would be about it.
Eighth, Combat. I'm completely stealing from Pathfinder 2.0; a Three-Action System. Instead of getting movement, an action, and a bonus action to be used on your turn, you instead get Three Actions each turn. Your action can be used for the normal purposes, with dashing replacing the free movement that people get. I would also add penalties for if you attack or cast spells multiple times each turn (disadvantage to hit for the second attack, +5 to the target's AC and disadvantage on the third attack, probably, with Extra Attack allowing for people to ignore some of these disadvantages and Dual Wielding allowing for a free attack on the first Attack action).
Ninth, Spellcasting. No bonus action spells, instead, these are split into either "on hit" spells (like Branding Smite, which would trigger when you hit someone and not take an action, but only one would be allowed each turn/attack) and Minor Action spells (which would ignore penalties for casting multiple spells each turn). Next, Necromancy becomes the Necrotic Damage and Undead-creating/controlling spells, while Evocation becomes just the "instantaneous damage/effects" spell school, and a new Restoration school is created for healing and resurrection.
d24454_modern
Explorer
Basic:
- I would add an Agility stat to balance out Dexterity.
- Change the term to Species
- Add Aasimar and Orcs to the main selection
- Remove Half-Races
- Add Artificer to the main book
- Add Firearms to the Weapon selection
- Optional Epic-Level Ruleset
Last edited:
Similar Threads
D&D General
6 Core Classes: You are in charge
