If you get a feat, trait, or item to discount an action to a bonus action, e.g. making Disengage a bonus action for a Rogue or Click Heels boots to make Dash a bonus action, PLEASE DO NOT ADD A SEPARATE BUTTON ON THE HOTBAR.
Why can't it replace the existing original place in the UI? Why do I need to see TWO Disengage or Dash buttons now? There's one on the left side with the other role actions and now one on the hotbar. Just overwrite the existing one.
Because you might want to EITHER Dash as a Bonus or as an Action. What if you want to Drink a Potion as a Bonus because everyone can Drink a Potion as a Bonus?
Don't get me wrong. I'm all for UI changes.
What I'd like to see is the following:
Group Mode Button = I click the button, everyone is chained. Any time I do an action in Group Mode, everyone does it. So, if I hit "C" to Stealth or click on the Stealth button, EVERYONE stealths. In combat, Group Mode is auto-disabled.
1. Melee Button. I click on it, a popup window appears with all Melee attack options available. This would include all Special Maneuvers for Fighters, Sneak Attack for Rogues, Lacerate, Topple, Cleave, or whatever they want to include in the game for Melee Attacks. Shove would also be included in this popup. All abilities are listed in alphabetical order. Action moves are in gray color and Bonus Action moves are in blue.
2. Ranged Button. Same as Melee except for Ranged. Also includes throwing options.
3. Spells Button. Same as Melee except all prepared spells are listed in the popup menu based on Cantrips, Level 1, Level 2, etc. One row for each and in alphabetical order from left to right.
4. Movement Button. Same as Melee Button except all the options are movement related including Jump, Stealth, Disengage, Dash, etc.
5. Use Item Button. Same as Melee Button except it pulls up a window of your character's items only - not party. All items are in alphabetical order.
6. Hotbar. Same as now except nothing is auto-added. You decide what you want on the bar. The hotbar's purpose is for all actions/bonus actions that you, the player use most of all so that you can modify the hotbar to fit whatever actions you want to put on it. Use Sneak Attack a ton? Put it on the hotbar. Use Healing Potions a lot? Put it on the hotbar so you don't have to click Use Item and then find it on the list.
7. Hand Toggle. Am I using my main hand for Sneak Attack or my off hand? Flip the toggle to set it before you hit Sneak Attack. Default is to main, naturally. Or, do you want to attack with your off hand first, switch to Off Hand and then attack.
I can't remember if there's anything else, but this kind of UI would make things way more organized and easier to find and use, and you still have the hotbar for those who want to customize their most valuable skills and abilities and such so they don't have to go searching for them. I, for one, would still like this ability, but I certainly don't want to be juggling dozens of spells and abilities at higher levels with the current hotbar situation. I'd like the hotbar to be ONLY for special moves I use most frequently. Maybe Magic Missile might go on the hotbar or Menacing Attack, but I don't want ALL the items and scrolls and abilities all jumbled around in some crazy fashion that I have to wind up going and hunting for them, or spending tons of time constantly rearranging it.
