5E Friday - What Goes Into D&D

Recently I began to think about what exactly needs to go into the thought process for an edition of D&D. How many components of the game system need to have design decisions made on them. So, I went through a bunch of the old and new editions for D&D and came up with this list. My criteria for adding to this list included things that would be expected in a "core" game. Thus I didn't ask questions such as, should monster races be allowed? I figured 5E specifically and other iterations would add such things as supplements.

-What dice types to use.

-What Target Number system.

-Random generation of characters including race and class?

-Level structure.

-0-Level characters?

-Level acquisition speed.

-What is Max Level?

-What Stats to include (Comeliness?).

-Generation of Stats.

-Effect of Stats on game play. Each of these is a separate category as each Stat can effect game play in a variety of ways. For example, does a higher Intelligence allow more known languages, bonus spells, better to hit with spells, better damage with spells, what skills does it affect, etc?

-Stat range (18/00 or 19+?).

-Does Age affect Stats or game play?

-Is Race a Class?

-Does Race provide bonuses or penalties to Stat scores?

-Does Race disallow certain classes?

-Does Race limit Class max level?

-Does Race limit equipment?

-What racial abilities does each race have?

-Does each Class have a different system mechanic?

-Does Class limit equipment?

-Does Class limit Skills?

-Starting HP, Skills for each Class.

-Unique Abilities for each Class.

-Are Abilities specialized per Class or are they Skills any Class can take (but some are better at)?

-One XP chart for all Classes or a separate one for each Class?

-Level titles?

-What abilities does each class gain as they level up?

-What is the hp increase as characters level up?

-What is the Skill increase as characters level up?

-What type of Skill system? None, Secondary, Proficiency, number of Skills, broad range or narrow focused Skills?

-Take 10/20?

-Feats.

-Themes/Prestige Classes/Epic Classes.

-Can PCs create items (crafting system)?

-Is Alignment included and how does it work?

-Languages. Which to include, how to acquire them, their relevance.

-Standard for monetary system (gold, silver or other)?

-Starting money for characters.

-PC maintenance (automatic loss of money)?

-Relevance/inclusion of Hirelings and Henchmen.

-What equipment to include and prices for each.

-Masterwork?

-Technological level of equipment (guns?).

-Damage values for weapons. Size of opponent affect damage? Weapon speed? Armor Class Adjustments?

-AC values for armor.

-Weapon proficiency?

-Critical hits and fumbles?

-Charging, Called Shots, Grappling, Subdual damage, Firing into melee, Holding Actions, Casting while in melee.

-Surprise.

-Concealment/cover.

-Breaking off from combat (opportunity attacks?).

-Detail of combat (grid or gridless/miniatures?).

-Healing (Surges, X hp/day, Healing Skill?)

-Dead at 0 hp, -X hp, Death Saving Throws?

-Ramifications of Death (Resurrection? Stat loss?).

-Attacking objects.

-Units of time measurement (turn, round, segments). How long is each time measurement?

-Distance (feet, meters, area a PC covers?).

-Max level of spells (7-9?)

-Spell acquisition? Speed and volume of spell acquisition? Recovery of spells.

-What spells or rituals to include.

-Casting conventions.

-Material or somatic components?

-What affects can be placed on PCs and NPCs?

-System for saves.

-Energy Drain?

-Relevance of Encumbrance. System for encumbrance.

-Movement values. Jumping, swimming, running.

-Light effects.

-Infravision, ultravision, darkvision.

-System for Initiative.

-NPC reactions.

-Morale?

-Poison, disease, falling, fire, drowning, aerial, environmental effects.

-Psychosis?

-Acquisition of XP. From gold, kills, quests, Skill usage? How much?

-XP group or individual?

-Training required for leveling up?

-High level play. Acquisitions and systems for Followers, Domains?

-How to design encounters/dungeons/adventures.

-Trap design.

-Monster placement.

-Monster vs. PC balance.

-Design of monster restricted to PC abilities?

-Size of monsters relevant to abilities/Stats?

-Do monsters have vulnerabilities (what does silver do to a vampire?) or immunities (require +1 magic weapons to affect?).

-What monsters to include as "core".

-How to handle treasure (amount gained, selling magic items).

-Relevance of magic items.

-Artifacts.

-Default setting.

-Font style.

-Art style.

-Page design.

A fairly long list of what I think needs to be included in the design process for a version of D&D. Did I miss anything?