What if 8.2 had worked?

Proposed:

• Remove proficiency bonus to stats
• Resume global proficiency bonus (+2 compared to 5e)
• Resume skills/tools proficiency
• Saves: gain one with a feat, classes grant bonus feats at 1st character level
• Weapon/Armor Proficiency: gained with feats, classes may grant as bonus feats
• In addition to basic numbers, core ability scores all grant an additional perk:
  • Str: hit power
  • Dex: crit, hit
  • Con: Fortitude
  • Int: skills, spell DC
  • Wis: Willpower, Mana
  • Cha: Willpower, spell damage

Advancement

New rules:

• Feats:
  • Start with 3
  • Gain one feat at every even level under 10
  • At level 11 and 15, gain a Super Feat
  • At level 19, gain an Epic Feat
• Powers:
  • Start with 2
  • Gain one more at level 3, 5, and 7
  • At level 9 and 13, gain a Super Power
  • At level 17, gain an Epic Power
• Ability Scores:
  • Start with 20 points, unweighted, max 20, base 10
  • Gain 1 point every even level under 10
  • Gain 1 point every level from 10-19
  • Gain 2 points per level from 20 onwards
• Ranks:
  • Rank 1 (Hero): level 1-4
  • Rank 2 (Champion): level 5-8
  • Rank 3 (Paragon): level 9-12
  • Rank 4 (Superhero): level 13-16
  • Rank 5 (Legend): level 17-20

Attributes

In previous versions, the total modifier for things like hit and damage was determined by either ability mod + proficiency bonus or ability mod including proficiency bonus to the ability score.

Going forward, we will revert to the global proficiency bonus system used in 5e (albeit with a higher base). This number adds to things like hit and damage, but does not determine ability score "perks".

Ability Scores

Major change: Wisdom replaced with Perception.

• The "willpower" aspects transfer to Charisma.
• The aspects of perception, prediction, and awareness transfer to Perception.

Dexterity renamed to Agility. No change besides losing ranged attack bonuses to Perception.

(I predict the above changes won't stick, but the mechanical changes hopefully will)

Hit and damage rolls change relative to previous versions of S8:

• Strength adds hit power to all melee and ranged attacks.
  • Exception: crossbows and firearms have a set "strength" bonus, balanced by slow reload time.
• Agility adds hit rating to all melee attacks.
• Intelligence adds hit rating to all spell attacks.
• Perception adds crit rating to all attacks.
• Charisma adds hit power to all spell attacks.

Attributes

HP and speed unchanged.

Armor Class removed, in favor of:

• Parry Defense: 10 + Str modifier (usable against melee attacks if you have a parrying weapon)
• Dodge Defense: 10 + Dex modifier (usable against any attacks you're aware of)
• Armor Defense: based on the armor's bonuses

New Attribute: Resolve

Similar to Hit Points, Resolve is a numeric attribute that helps you resist death and loss-of-control effects, when it seems like all is lost. Raw willpower, combined with inherent magical energy (whether or not you're a spellcaster), allows heroes to push beyond their limits and survive dire situations.

Resolve is typically calculated as: (5 + Cha) * level, reflecting the character's inner strength and magical resilience.

New Mechanic: Never Give Up

All is lost. Your allies are down. You have no Hit Points and can't get up. The enemy has won.

No.

I refuse to give up. I cannot let my friends down. I must keep fighting, no matter the cost.

By expending 5 Resolve per level, a character can negate one death effect (or heal themselves from 0 HP), or one loss-of-control effect. This is permanent restoration, rather than temporary immunity. It doesn't render future immunity to similar effects.

New Mechanic: I Must Succeed

You've put everything in this one desperate action, a final gambit to defeat the Big Bad and save the world.

And you roll a natural fricking 1.

That just won't do.

By expending 5 Resolve per level, a character can turn any one d20 roll into a natural 20.

New Mechanic: the Power of Friendship

It is possible to, as an immediate action, supply some or all of your Resolve to an ally in need of extra points to successfully use their Resolve.

New Mechanic: Morale Boost

It is possible for certain feats, powers, or even equipment to restore Resolve to allies, or even grant temporary Resolve over and above the usual maximum. This is particularly common for support characters.

While Inspired, characters regenerate 25% of their max Resolve per round, to a maximum of 100%.

New Attribute: Mana

Mana is used to power Metamagic abilities and ritual casting.

Mana is calculated as 1 per magical power you have + Wisdom modifier (if we're using Wisdom, otherwise I dunno)

Uses of metamagic available to all casters:

• Still Spell: 1 mana, removes the somatic component of a spell, allowing it to be cast without gestures.
• Silent Spell: 1 mana, removes the verbal component of a spell, allowing it to be cast without speaking.
• Enlarge Spell: For each 1 mana, can either double range or increase the area of effect of a circle/burst by 1, a cone by 2, or a line by 5.

Uses requiring feats:

• Chain Spell: add one target per 1 mana to a targeted spell
• Empower Spell: 1 mana, increases the numerical effects of a spell (such as damage or healing) by 50%, stackable once/rank
• Energy Substitution: 1 mana, change energy type of a spell (e.g. fire to cold)
• Energy Admixture: 1 mana, add an energy type to a spell (e.g. fire to fire/cold)
• Careful Spell: 1 mana per square, remove a square from the area of effect of a spell to avoid affecting allies within that square.
• Animate Spell: 1 mana, allows a caster to move a normally immovable ongoing spell (such as a wall of fire) each round while concentrating.
• Sustain Spell: 1 mana per round, allows a caster to maintain an ongoing spell without having to concentrate normally.
• Peculiar Element: 3 mana, replaces energy type with unique type nobody has resistance to.
• Contingent Spell: 1 mana, pre-casts a spell, reserving the Mana, automatically casting upon a given trigger or condition. 3 mana for super-powers, 5 mana for epic.
• Divine Spell: 1 mana, infuses a spell with divine energy equivalent to Channel Divinity.
• Twin Spell: you can dual-wield spells, but the offhand spell costs 1/3/5 mana each cast and consumes a swift action.
• Quicken Spell: 3 mana, converts std action spell to swift.
• Shadow Spell: 2 mana, spell does not appear to magical detection.
• Proxy Spell: 1 mana, spell's origin is a willing ally within range.