My Dungeons and Dragons - Intro

It looks like Wizards of the Coast is going to make yet another version of D&D. On a series of postings on Google+, some friends and I have started talking about how we'd remake D&D if it was up to us. I decided to start posting here, as it will probably be better for long-term use than a G+ conversation.

Here are some high-level thoughts on what my version of D&D would be like. Note, this is meant to be recognizably D&D, not GURPS, Hero, etc.

• There will be classes and levels.
• The four "main" classes will be Fighter, Wizard, Cleric, and Rogue.
• Hit points will go up with level, though the rate will probably go down above a certain level.
• Fighters will have the most HP, Wizards the least, with Clerics and Rogues in between.
• HP will represent damage--they will not be an abstract "pacing mechanic." If you lose hit points, you are injured, though a given amount of HP loss will be less severe to tougher characters.
• XP will be awarded primarily for achieving goals, and to a lesser extent for defeating monsters, disarming traps, etc. The focus will be on looting dungeons, helping NPCs, and achieving personal goals, and not on fighting monsters, though obviously there will be monster fights in there.
• Attack rolls will be 1d20 + bonus, versus a defense value. I haven't decided whether armor will increase your defense, or soak up damage.
• Saving throws will function similarly. There will be at least three types (e.g. Fortitude, Reflex, Will) and possibly more. I have been toying with a save for each ability score.
• There may or may not be a formal skill system, but there will definitely be skill-like traits that at least some classes will get (e.g. rogues sneaking and picking locks, wizards making sense out of musty old tomes).
• A lot of skills will be absolute, to one degree or another. If your rogue can pick locks, he will pick any reasonable lock given enough time--the main problem will be picking it before the dungeon's inhabitants figure out he's there.
• Creating a character using the simplest rules will consist of generating ability scores (probably randomly as this requires less planning), picking a race, picking a class, making one or two choices to customize the character, and buying equipment. Making a new character should not be a full-session activity, unless you really start getting into optional rules to custom-build a character.
• Combat roles will be greatly de-emphasized, in favor of roles relevant to the adventure as a whole. Anyone can fight, but fighters will dominate. If youre not a fighter, you have to figure out how to turn the encounter from a fight, into a type of encounter that better suits your skills, or let the fighters shoulder most of the load (or run away--that's always an option).

More things will come later.