I've compiled some of the writing I like from TGD here:
http://tgdmb.com/viewtopic.php?t=55089& ... highlight=
monster first design and all that. So many of my ideas are based on that
"If I did it" AD&D3e
* Standard/Move/Swift action economy
* Every class has something to do with their swift actions
* Avoid off turn actions, find a new way to do immediate/interrupt/Opportunity actions
* No "claw claw bite", attacks are almost always 1 roll
* Fort Ref Will, with Sense added in as the "Perception defense"
* Reflex and touch AC are the same, AC is basically Reflex+armor stuff
* Hitpoints and damage dice be sacred cows so I'll keep that instead of a hitbox system
* STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA another sacred cow I have to live with to keep it D&D
* Skill proficiencies instead of points
* Background skills to handle stuff like being good at painting and being a blacksmith or something
* Short list of skills, no more than 20, with specialization within a skill like..
Athletics: uses STR, CON, or DEX depending on the act. Specialize in swimming, jumping, etc.
* Classes are 5 levels long and fit into tiers of 1-5, 6-10, etc.
* Monster templates and powerful species treated as race+some class levels
* Monster manual monsters designed in a somewhat similar fashion, who knows if thats actually possible
* Characters expected to multiclass within those 5 levels
Most "full" 5 level long classes will follow a pattern like:
1- Class resource mechanic
2- Class option
3- Class resource mechanic+
4- Class option+
5- Class resource mechanic+
The main factor of what makes a class is their resource mechanic.
Core starting classes would be...
Fighter: uses TOME monk style maneuvers, has a pool of extra actions to use per encounter that can be refreshed mid battle. Ex: You use your extra swift action to stack two combat maneuvers together, on your next turn you can spend your swift action to recharge that swift action next turn. Based on what Project Orcus was going for that turned into a Warblade.
Rogue: Has a pool of "Just as planned!" points to pull off stunts, basically like a Ki Pool. Spend a round 'observing' to refresh your Just As Planned points, so similar to the swordsage but with an explicit flavor to stop people from whining about versimilitude and fightan magic.
Totemist: Barbarian's berserker rage and Druid's wildshaping combined into one class. Some "spend X turns being awesome then you are fatigued" mechanic.
Shaman: The nature magic half of the druid, covers "Wears skins and lives in the wilderness" types of domains.
Chosen: Aura generating party buffer/debuffer, uses Kaelik Cleric mechanic. If you're a nature priest you should be a shaman instead, Chosen covers "wears clean robes and builds grandiose temples" types of domains that could be its own classes.
Illusionist: deals with mind/pattern/shadow magic
Necromancer: deals with spooky skeletons and such
Summoner: Can focus on summoning a variety of pokemon, or building up one unique stand/persona
Arcanist: Does the stuff leftover from the above casters like tossing fireballs and force fields and stinky clouds.
Demifiend: Badtouch class that's the infernal bloodline part of sorcerer and grow horns and wings.
Dragonblood: Badtouch class that's the dragon bloodline part of sorcerer and grow horns and wings.
Elementalist: Possibly a badtouch class, for people who want to be immune to fire and on fire and shoot fire and fly by shooting fire part of sorcerer.
Some class concepts like "Bard" and "Ranger" are multiclass combinations of the above plus a feat. So being an inspiring musician is something a Fighter can do and call himself a Scald or a Rogue/Illusionist can do and call himself a Bard. Tracking bears and calming bears are things that the skill system should cover, though having a loyal bear ally seems like the sort of thing feats can get. Concepts like "Artificer", "Alchemist", "Beastmaster" could also be feats, or could be 1-2 level long classes that you dip into, or be full classes.
Some class concepts like "Paladin" in 3e was pretty "like a cleric diluted with fighter levels", so now you get to choose how fighty or aura-y your Paladin concept is with what multiclass combinations to take. I'm mainly interested in lower level D&D play so I haven't given much thought as to what 6-10 and 11-15+ looks like.
Release schedule somewhat like MTG blocks. You get a book that details the setting with PC options and adventure modules, plus some metaplot that is advanced in a smaller cheaper supplementary book later that year. Perhaps make up some bulldookie about how players who buy the 1st book get a code to submit how their real authentic playthrough of that adventure path turned out so it affects the outcome of the 2nd supplement when in reality its whatever I feel like.