D&D 5th Editon Discussion: 6th thread and counting

[Lictor of Thrax]

I prefer dragonborneo.

On the thread topic, since most DMs will make whatever types of encounters are more straightforward and obvious without regard for Social/Exploration/Combat, what if the roles were mixed? What if, by default, combat encounters required some level of social abilities (coordinating with your partymates, for example), and exploration (varied, complicated battlegrounds, encounter-based traps)?

I like that idea a lot but also think it could be applied more directly to abilities/feats. . . categorizing feats into types (each one being of one of the "three pillars") but allowing each one to effect bleed-over into the other.

A combat pillar feat, something that as a direct action might allow improvement to a attack type, might also allow a bonus to your other pillars when used in coordination with them. So a player using their combat feat might, for example, get a bonus to intimidate checks when using said feat, or might get a bonus to terrain when using said feat on poor terrain.

Conversely, using the feat to speak extra languages as an example. At face value it offers extra languages. Perhaps it could also add enhancement bonuses to attempts to identify creatures who's languages fall within that language type. . . so your brainy linguist might be able to gain tips and tricks (or maybe even just a direct bonus) on how to defeat the beast. Somewhat like how rangers have favored enemies.

Of course, this is just shooting from the hip but I think that in the end, any attempt to really achieve their "three pillars" philosophy will have to focus around making all three pillars interact and actually effect eachother mechanically.