Not 5 things, mind you; but what is that 1 thing that would make it even better?

I say, an NPC Codex, like Pathfinder has.  That is a great resource.

Now that Xanathar's has some decent encounter tables, and Common magic items, I don't think 5e is missing anything obvious. A role-based NPC codex (like the NPCs in MM & XGtE) would be nice, but not vital.

I guess I could do with more on procedural treasure generation, like the 1e "% in Lair" and Treasure-Type tables.

5e lacks NPC/Monster Reaction and Morale rules, which should be bell curve based (eg the Classic 2d6 or 2e 2d10), not a Wisdom save.

It could do with some rules for armour-piercing attacks, like using a ballista or modern rifle vs an armoured target. I've experimented with using 8 + DEX + Prof as the target's DC number.

A feat that would allow a caster to have a 2nd concentration spell up.  I know the whole concentration thing was an attempt to reign in magic user superiority but most players I know think they went too far with how many spells were hit with the concentration stick.

A monster manual filled with creatures that actually have the tools needed to handle the PCs.

2nd would be a DMG with a better magic item system.

Some classic hardcover setting supplements like the 3rd Edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book.

I appreciate the adventures having some of those details in their appendicies (and even did that for Ring and Gauntlet of Spiragos), but it just doesn't beat a big ol honking hardcover.

Kender!  ((ducks, hides))

It would take a foundational level rewrite (so ain't going to happen in 5E), but my #1 improvement would be a change in the class/race/background structure to class/race/culture/background.  Given that "culture" would eat a great deal of what are in race and background, "background" might not be the correct name for what would remain of it.  But ignoring that problem for the moment:

Class - your adventuring stuff.
Race - your biological (or magical equivalents) stuff
Culture - what you got from your society, or lack thereof
Background - your non-adventuring stuff

While I'm tempted to say adding a real Warlord (built on a structure like the warlock class; i.e. mix of at-will, short rest and a few long rest options), the absence of a class is not going to fix some of the core math problems in the system.

So my one thing would actually be a fix to the saving throw math scaling. The issue is that because poor saves don't scale at all while spell DCs always increase with the proficiency bonus, it becomes progressively harder for PCs and monsters to make saves they aren't proficient in.

Further, by the time this really starts to be noticeable (as the DCs hit the 18+ range) those with spells also have a large enough suite of spell options that they can selectively target the saves that the target might not even make if not for 20s always succeeding; changing the game from one where the party works together to overcome threats to one where the spellcaster(s) just need to figure out the auto-fail stat to shit down the encounter.

My suggestion would be that all saves get proficiency (to match spells always having proficiency) and change the class proficient saves into a flat +1 bonus to those saves (which are probably already better due to ability scores).

Agree that the wisdom save is not the same as morale and the cha-based skills do not equate to the reaction table. Beyond that- Coville had a crazy successful KS for a Stronghold Builder/Domain Management guide. While I understand that most people who started 1989+ (certainly 2000+) have no idea why this would be core-book-worthy, I think the demand for this optional material speaks for itself.

Rules for scaling Legendary monsters to party size.

I've home brewed these rules, and they would have been easy to include. A single creature against a 7 player party needs more Legendary Actions to scale to the action economy, and it needs more hit points to not pop like a pinata.

Quote from: Razor 007;1071508Can you think of 1 thing that would make 5E even better?

6E ...

This is a pretty fundamental change, so not realistic, but I'd say "De-magic-ify everything massively!" There are 12 classes in the PHB. 9 of them do magic. If you include options/paths chosen at 3rd level or whatever, like every class. Personal opinion and everything, but it is part of the puzzle that contributes to the "Fantasy Super Hero" thing that harshes my fantasy vibes. Kewl super powers and spells everywhere.

Quote from: soltakss;10715356E ...

Assuming of course that it's from WotC. 6e will only make 5e look worse and make 1e/2e or /gasp - the OSR, look better.

Actual Campaign Settings.

Quote from: Tanin Wulf;1071520Some classic hardcover setting supplements like the 3rd Edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book.

I appreciate the adventures having some of those details in their appendicies (and even did that for Ring and Gauntlet of Spiragos), but it just doesn't beat a big ol honking hardcover.

+1 for this, specifically Birthright and Planescape (although given the WOTC history of turning an original, interesting race concept from 2E Planescape (tiefling) into some sort of half-breed, cambion high-powered core race in 3E - 5E...I am a little apprehensive)



I dislike magic item attunement as written.  
It tries to both limit the number of high power items AND prevent the multi-character usage of certain lesser items.
They also seemed kind of arbitrary on a few of the attunement choices...Ring of Feather Fall(Yes) and Goggles of Night(No).....really???
Trying to do both at the same time doesn't work well.  I wish they would have done 3 attunements for the more powerful items, then maybe X/day or some other rule for the less powerful items to prevent 'abusive' multiple character usage...

Easy enough to house rule though.