Okay, this one is:

• D&D 6e based
• Some nods to Pathfinder
• Similar to my unnamed "new 5e" circa late 2024
• Also new initiative

Start with 5e, b/c I'm not so sure about 6e.

• Classes
  • Multiclassing allowed by default, no penalties
  • First-level bloat of classes reduced by offloading some of their power onto Feats, which are granted as bonus feats if you take 1st level at your 1st character level
  • Monster classes exist: see the 5.5e vampire
• Skills
  • More proficient skills at 1 and thereafter
  • Expertise for all!
• Feats
  • My 5.5/PF system has WAY too many feats
  • A single feat progression would be great, especially after playing PF2
  • Many traditional combat feats offloaded to Weapon Proficiency and Weapon Expertise, such as Cleave
  • Dodge, Parry, and Block don't require feats
  • Fighter might grant bonus feats
  • Feat types:
    • Ancestry
    • Background
    • Legacy Item (awaken a non-magical item to become magical, or discover your Moonblade or whatever)
    • Subclass (for the very few of which that ought to exist)

Fighter Classes

It's worth considering what currency non-Fighters spend to get cool powers. I mean Rangers have a d10 HD, bonus feats, full attack progression...AND ranger powers...AND spells. What did they give up? Bonus feats?

Two options:

• put more weight on basic abilities like HP/lev. Maybe grant the pure fighter extra hit, crit, etc
• use subclasses, and eliminate "generic fighter". Consider: Ranger, Barbarian, Paladin, and perhaps Warlord, Colossus (defender), etc

PC Classes vs Monster Classes

Yes, monster classes grant ability scores, and powerful abilities to boot.

PC classes should grant many bennies that monsters don't, especially skills. And...perhaps feats?

Power Skills

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies are particularly good profs, and can't be taken with normal skills (or can they?). They have a large impact on combat.

You know what else does? Beast Mastery. Rage. Lay on Hands. Etc.

All the magicky-but-not-spellcaster types should gain skills which, like Arcana, Invocation, Thaumaturgy, etc, can have supernatural effects, but aren't "spell" spells. Just so they don't feel like casters so much.

And "spell spells" themselves might just be the same kind of skill. Effectively, each major power type per school could be one of these, such as:

• Thaumaturgy
  • Blood
    • Transfusion
    • Phylactery
  • Anti-magic
    • Anti-magic Touch
• Psi-yi-yi
  • Telepathy
    • Mindlink
    • Empathy
    • Psychic Assault

Relative to SoL

The PCs have way too many feats, especially Ancestry. And why? Partially because of the "shadow levels at 0". Those probably shouldn't exist, because you can take classes at an actual level. This game should have just featured 3 monster levels on and fewer PC levels to start.

How many per level?

Feats should be kinda rare. Leaning toward 1/3, max 1/2, min 1/4. Definitely not 1/level.

Skills could alternate with feats, but they're definitely not as big a deal.

Rank up is a pretty big deal for numbers. Prof up is nice too.

Paths? Hmm.

Paths

• Fighter: definitely. Ranger, Barbarian, Paladin, etc.
• Rogue: rather likely. Assassin, Bard, Shadowdancer, etc.
• Druid: hell yeah. Shifter, Shaman, Channeler, you know the drill.
• Priest: maybe. Specialty priest? Yes.
• Psion: not a great case. PsyWar is cool ofc, but that's abaout it.
• Invoker: yeah, the standard ones are pretty good.
• Witch: mild yes. Need more paths besides Necro. Something about Felicity? Chroma?
• Monster classes: no.

Classes

Fighter

Every 2 levels (or so), gains a Martial Proficiency, which can be:

• weapon prof/exp/mastery
• armor prof/exp/mastery
• exotic weapon
• hit/crit/cpow/hpow type stuff