| demlin |
Let me preface this with: I love the system. This is more of a collection of thoughts that could be looked at before the next edition arrives. Maybe you also have your own subsystems that you'd like to share, especially for downtime and exploration.
Static Item DCs: these should scale if the PC has access to the spell list, similar to how wands also do
Lack of common 1 action skill choices: you attack twice or cast a spell, now what? you've got a small subset of common options:
* move
* recall knowledge
* take cover in various forms like raise shield
* demoralize
I know there are more choices like Athletics maneuvers or Feint, but those usually don't come up that often after attacks. In general, I'd like a couple more options for other skills that are generally useful, like something other than Tumble Through for Acrobatics, something related to Performance or something other than Recall Knowledge for most Wis/Int skills, etc
Counteract spells: Counteract as a mechanic is fine, but it requires using your highest level spell slots more often than not. That coupled with the amount of condition removal spells makes it very difficult to succeed (as opposed to Dispel Magic, which is fantastic)
Skill Feats & General Feats: too much trash combined with must picks
Consumables: they're bad because they are balanced for classes that can get them for free and have a heavy action tax; I've never seen players use them
Difficulty Scaling: doubling in power every 2 levels might be a bit too fast, maybe we want that every 4 levels? This is mainly an issue in sandbox campaigns and your run of the mill PL+4 boss. No, not interested in Proficiency without Level.
Bulk & XP: This is probably an unpopular oppionion but these systems are simple in most cases and very, very complicated in edge cases; for bulk this includes complicated conversions for different creature/item sizes like large PCs or horses and for XP this includes quest rewards not scaling properly: you will gain 10XP from a completing a quest (Minor/Moderate/Major Accomplishments) at level 1 and the same amount at level 2, which incentivizes completing quests as late as possible. I suppose most of you simply handwave this due to its complexity or never run XP.
Lores: Hate them. Similar to languages, these can be useful or not do anything. They are entirely up to GM fiat, unless they are coupled to a specific class like Thaumaturge. Anyone of you put a skill increase into Architecture Lore? In a way, they work like +2/+5/+8 modifiers to other skill checks which they technically should have been in the first case.
Exploration Activities: great in theory, but not used in adventures at all. Treat Wounds takes 10 minutes, so what? Nothing in AP X says that this section should be completed in Y amount of time. And if they do like some parts in AV, 10 mins don't matter. Homebrewing restrictions is also difficult, because 10 minutes is such a short amount of time that it does not really matter. Other systems solve this better, e.g. healing 2d8 without a check, then making a Medicine check to see if your healing decreases to 2d6 the next time around. Or torch timers. No, 2e does not expect you to be at full health every encounter; the combat rating is based on that but that does not mean that you need full hp to complete a 60XP encounter.
Downtime Activities: everyone has 7 days of downtime, what do you do? Ah well, let's roll Earn Income, we're done. APs are wildly different in that regard as well. I think we need a more structured system that is used in APs as well, has more choices and is fun to run.
Buff Spells: BBEG spends their turn casting Invisibility, then dies to fighters before they can take their next turn. In a similar fashion, PC casts bless, combat is over in the next round. Maybe this is an action cost issue? You can prebuff heroism, are there other 10 min buff spells?
Utility Spells: Try to build a spellcaster by going through 1st level spells on AoN. How long does it take you to pick your spells? How many of these spells are so situational, that you never pick them? Feels like there 5 spells out of 40 that I always pick.
Archetypes: Great idea, s&$*ty execution. Multiclass archetypes are wildly useful, some archetypes poach class feats (Beast Master, Blessed One) devaluing class choices to a certain degree, while most of them are terrible flavor options often tied to APs. Where are the class archetypes that were so fun to play with in 1e?
Stealth: way too complicated, does not fulfill the fantasy of sneaking through sections, requires too many checks and only a single failure to become observed, stealing objects does not really work nor sneaking in combat. Comes online very late. There are a lot of balancing issues in here.
Vancian Casting: this is probably controversial but no complaints