I'm preparing the campaign pitch document for my unfortunate players and as I arrived at the third option I got the dumbest idea for a mechanic that is suitable for #DnD not at all: build requisition.

Before I get into it, let me just preface that it really is just an idea that popped into my head five minutes before I started writing this thread. Partially I just want to record it somewhere, but also maybe somebody more attuned to the math of the game could turn it into sth.

It could go like this:
Characters receive a "budget" (I think the idea would work best when there's some organisation providing requisition) based on the difficulty of the mission ahead of them. D-rank task gets you less requisition, A-rank gets you more.

The points can be used to:
a) buy a character level, at incremental costs of course
b) buy specialised (magical) equipment, cost depending on rarity and type
c) buy feats, as one-time perks
d) buy intel about mission, like enemy types? idk

Other than taking on more difficult missions, requisition could be increased by investigating the job beforehand and presenting evidence that it's harder than the rating suggests, or presents a challenge requiring a specific solution.

Admittedly, this system could be a total hassle to manage without the help of some software, and would be either very meta-mathematical, or requiring some highly tailored narrative premise (my idea was a monster-hunting organisation providing equipment and training).

Also: for all the "none at all" time that I spend playing or running D&D, I sure keep thinking of new ways to tinker with it and make it do things it was never supposed to do.

Why I won't just find another system, I have no idea. I'm sure there is a few that do these things.