Proficiency Bonus now starts at +5 and increases by 1 per 4 levels (see Progression).

There is now a general list of abilities by level, regardless of class:

Feats are similar to 5e core.

Skills are new skill proficiencies, like those gained at character creation. Players have more skill proficiencies, but there are more skills to buy; see Skill Alternatives.

Stat Adds are unchanged: gain two +1s to any chosen ability score.

Path Advancement means you advance an existing path by 1 rank, or gain a new path at rank 1.

You have 5. Recover 1 with short rest, 5 with long rest.

Lose 1 for each new class you gain through multiclassing.

You may spend 1 Action Point at any time (even when it isn't your turn) to immediately use a bonus or move action.

You may spend 3 Action Points at any time (even when it isn't your turn) to immediately use a single action.

If two or more characters take an immediate action at the same time, use Initiative checks to determine the order.

An immediate action is considered an "interrupt". When you declare an interrupt, you immediately pause the game--any actions not yet completed remain incomplete until your interrupt is done. For example:

• An orc attacks a halfling rogue. The DM rolls an attack successfully. While he is rolling damage, the halfling PC declares an interrupt.
• The halfling PC spends 1 AP to immediately take a move action. The action is completed before the orc's attack finishes.
• After the interrupt, the orc completes his attack--but, seeing as the halfling is no longer in reach, the attack fails and is lost.

Action Points and Enemies

Only PCs (and party NPCs) have Action Points; normal enemies do not. However, some enemies may have the "elite" or "villain" status which grants them Action Points.

Spell slots no longer exist. Instead, you gain Mana based on your class:

Casting a spell costs 1 Mana per level of the spell. Cantrips, accordingly, cost 0 Mana.

Metamagic and heightening are based on Mana, but have no maximum. For example:

• Enlarge Spell adds +100% range per Mana spent.
• Empower Spell adds +100% damage per Mana spent.
• Spell heightening (where casting with a higher-ranked spell slot increased effect) is achieved by spending more Mana. In cases where a higher-ranked effect is not appropriate for lower-level casters, the effect with either note a level requirement, or will simply be a new spell at higher level.

TBD

Your Focus attribute is equal to 1 + Int, and increases by +1 at level 5, 10, 15, and 20.

You regain 1 Focus with a short rest and all Focus with long rest.

You may spend 1 Focus to gain Advantage to any d20 roll, or to reduce Disadvantaged rolls to a normal roll. At level 5, you may spend up to 2 Focus per action to gain 2 extra rolls. At level 10, 3, etc.

The PCs split 6 of these between them (use roll-offs to break a tie) each session.

The primary purpose of a metagame token is to "change the scene", i.e. to make some change to the world instantly, not as a direct result of their character's action, but as a metagame action, similar to the power the DM enjoys.

This can be very subjective, and ultimately up to DM approval, but can be used for purposes such as:

• Conveniently relocating a hazard in the middle of a fight so the enemy slips in it
• Causing a random encounter to occur
• There really was a horse merchant in town, even though the book said there wasn't
• A town guard just happened to be walking by just now
• You actually did remember to bring your backup weapon, even though you could swear you left it back in town

(Sidenote: I'm torn about the use of these in combat, as I primarily want to spruce up out-of-combat gameplay in a similar manner to what Action Points did for combat. However, some applications of "change the scene" that affect combat are just too juicy. So I'm not sure if there should be a restriction.)

PCs might not always agree; in this event, one PC might play a token and declare some change, while another declares that null and void, while a third chimes in with a new possibility, and a fourth doubles down on the original idea from the first player. The way to resolve this situation is this:

• The idea with the highest token count wins
• Any tied ideas are disqualified entirely (except status quo)
• PCs can't specifically play a token to nullify another token, but they can play a token for "status quo"
• PCs can never "take back" a token once played on a given dispute
• PCs can place multiple tokens in the same dispute, whether to reinforce their preference or just play the field
• If no non-tied idea wins, the result is status quo
• If the highest token count is on "status quo", the result is status quo
• If a metagame token affects a PC, that PC can veto the effect regardless of tokens

All classes have the same starting hit points as 5e, but on each subsequent level, they gain a flat bonus based on their hit die:

Armor Class is no longer the only game in town.

There are two additional types of defense:

Whenever a PC is attacked, they simply use their highest qualified number, considering the following:

• Armor Rating can't be used against touch attacks (unless they specifically require skin contact)
• Dodge Rating can't be used against area effects. Block can, as long as you're wielding an actual shield.
• Block Rating can't be used against attacks from your rear arc.
• Dodge and Block are not effective against attacks you are unaware of.

For printed monsters, simply always use AC.

Clarifications

• Proficiency bonus is granted by class. For instance:
  • Fighters are proficient in all defense types.
  • Rogues are proficient in Dodge and Block .
  • Wizards are proficient in no defense types.
• Block bonus is heavily influenced by equipment:
  • A typical weapon grants no bonus, but allows blocking.
  • If you're unarmed (and not a monk), you don't have a Block Rating.
  • A two-handed weapon grants +2.
  • A shield grants +4 or more, and also allows blocking area effects and spells, not just attacks.
• Class abilities can obviously interact with these ratings as appropriate.
  • (I'll try to stick to temporary modifiers at first, to avoid upsetting the basic game balance)

Expected Results

• Dex and AC interact in weird ways, but generally the formula is: if you have both, you get +2, and if you neglect one, you don't get the +2.
  • Thus, proficiency bonuses should keep overall ratings about where they were in 5e...for the appropriate classes. (All you wizards-who-fight can scurry to the back line where you belong, mwahaha)
• Parry Rating should bring shields back to the game, and offer more options for dual-wielders and skirmisher types who don't want heavy armor and can't afford high dex.
• Should help to lower absurd ACs from highly-minmaxed characters.

Example list:

Paths have 5 ranks, rather than 20 levels. At level 1, you choose one path at rank 1. At certain levels thereafter (currently 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20), you may either advance your current path by 1 rank or gain a new path at rank 1.

Spellblade

Rank 1

• Spell Knowledge: You gain access to one Power Skill, and gain 1 Mana per level.
• Bound Weapon: You bind a specific weapon to your magical power. You may use that weapon as a casting focus, and the hand holding it is considered "free" for the purposes of casting spells. You may expend Mana each time you strike with the weapon to grant bonuses to hit or damage (rules TBD).

Rank 2

• Gain a bonus Power Skill of your choice.
• Spellstrike: You may combine a weapon attack with an offensive spell. TBD

Rank 3

• etc...

Necromancer

Rank 1

• Gain access to the Necromancy school.
• Better minions. Disease. Etc

When you gain bonus skill proficiencies by leveling up, you need not always select a new skill. Instead, you may have the option, depending on your classes and paths, to gain a class- or path-specific benefit.

For example, wizards have the option of cashing in a skill proficiency to gain an Arcana: a powerful modification to the way they cast spells. Sorcerers, on the other hand, can cash in a Skill Proficiency to gain a new spell known.

This new skill describes how well you can cast spells. When you cast a spell, you roll Spellcraft to determine if it hits (if aimed) and to set any save DCs.

Spells now inflict bonus damage based on your Charisma score. However, spell base dice have been slightly reduced.

Example spells:

• Shocking Grasp inflicted 1d8 damage in 5e, but in 5e Advanced it inflicts 1d6+Cha.
• Thunderwave inflicted 2d8 damage in 5e, but in 5e Advanced it inflicts 2d6+Cha.

Spells are no longer class-specific, but rather organized into a universal list of "schools". Access to schools is granted by class and path choice, and largely mirrors basic 5e, but it is possible to gain access to schools through other means, such as by trading in a Skill Proficiency.

Partial list of schools:

All elite enemies have the following traits:

• +100% hit points
• Gain Advantage to any save against instant death or loss-of-control effects. Against effects not allowing a save, gain a normal save of the appropriate type.

Plus one of the following:

All leaders have the following traits:

• Core traits of Elite
• Any 3 Elite Traits
• Grant any 1 Elite Traits to all allies within 60 ft
• Reinforce: As a legendary action, choose any non-villain ally. You summon 1d3 fresh allies of the same type. Recharge 33%.
• Rally: As a legendary action, choose up to 5 allies within 60 ft. You restore 100% missing HP, divided equally among the target (so if you chose 5 allies, each is healed for 20% of their max HP, not to exceed their normal maximum). Recharge 33%.
• Inspire: As a legendary action, choose up to 3 allies within 60 ft. The next check each ally makes gains Advantage. Recharge 33%.
• Synchronized Attack: As a legendary action, choose up to 2 allies within 60 ft. The allies may take a single action during your turn, despite it not being their turn. Recharge 33%.

All villains have the following traits:

• Immune to instant death and loss-of-control effects
• Gain +200% HP
• Gain paths, skills, and feats as if they were a PC of the appropriate level
• Gain double proficiency bonus to all checks
• Gain Focus as a PC of the same level, but double points
• Gain 10 Action Points