jmbrown
2014-08-29, 06:10 PM
Preface: 2E was my first edition although I didn't play the game until 98-99 when the system was all but dead and books could be had for pennies. 3.0 was the first edition I played when it was new. The OGC "renaissance" and retro-clones of the late-aughts had me experience practically every edition of the game but I still fondly favor 2E and even wrote a retro-clone of it (http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/justen-brown/for-gold-glory/ebook/product-21589647.html).
So now that 5E is out I'm surprised by how many elements from pre-3rd editions are melded into the game. Let's go over the PHB chapter by chapter.
Ability Scores
First and foremost, the limited ability scores really smacked me in the face. In 2E the elusive strength score of 18/00 was peak human and only if you were a fighter. Going back to that system, 20 is the max you can get and instead of magical items giving a bonus they just replace your score with 19. I think this is great. It leaves super powerful monsters (like dragons) super powerful and involves fewer book keeping as you try to keep track of a dozen different bonuses.
I also have some praise for how everything is tied to ability scores. In 2E, your ability scores were checked whenever a saving throw wouldn't make sense to apply. 5E just says "everything is tied to these scores." Want to save against falling flat on your face? Roll dex. Want to see if you recall something? Roll int. It's an elegant system that I've always missed and it keeps the stress off of three specific ability scores (dexterity, constitution, wisdom) from dominating the game. 4E allowed "best of" str/dex and so on but this is better IMO.
Races
Races have changed drastically since the old editions, particularly now that penalties are no longer a thing as established by 4E. I do like how races have ethnicities so you can customize the flavor of your race without having to choose an entirely separate race. I know Pathfinder has a full blown swap-in-and-out of racial abilities but I never really played with that system so I'll keep my opinions focused on D&D.
Classes
3E's classes felt too simple. Unless you were playing a caster (who are always good), there was better options available elsewhere in a prestige class (especially for fighters who are as bare bones as could be). 4E's classes felt too much up front. Instead of playing an interesting archetype I felt like I was playing a video game with a laundry of fighting moves.
5E's classes remind me of 2E's classes with class kits rolled into one. Each class has certain features everyone of that class has access to but then you get your archetype. And most of the archetypes I've read are all viable in their own unique ways. I'm especially impressed with the divination school of wizardry, a school that's largely ignored for as long as I've been playing the game but here the abilities it gives you encourage playing that role.
Customization Options
I'm actually surprised to see ability score requirements make a comeback. I don't have a strong opinion about them, but they do keep people from multi-classing just to reap a specific benefit like good BAB/saves.
I'm not sure how I feel about feats. On one hand I like that feats have more utility than beyond a mere advantage but they replace a permanent ability score bonus. I'll get more of a feel one way or the other the more I play.
Combat
Not much has changed over from previous editions, things are just more streamlined compared to 3E and a little more in line with 2E. However I want to kiss *mwah* whoever fixed multiple attacks. In AD&D you can move in between multiple attacks and they've reinstated that ability. Freaking thank you, that was one of the big things that crippled fighters going from AD&D. The whole concept of a "full attack" was ridiculous and I'm glad it's gone.
Magic
Oh boy, my favorite section of D&D. First off I'm glad magic wasn't neutered like it was in 4E. There are utility spells missing from 3E but they can easily be ported over and I'm sure future splatbooks will expand the list. A couple things stand out to me
-Everyone is basically a spontaneous caster. This is great. I hated checking off individual spells.
-Ritual spells can be cast without using a slot. This is also great. I love being able to use certain utility effects without feeling like I'm wasting a slot. More options are great!
-Some of the spells with negative effects have been reinstated. Literally the first spell I looked at when I got the book was haste. In AD&D it aged you making haste a risky spell. Here it basically causes you to lose a turn when the duration ends which is nowhere near as dramatic but still calls for smart play.
-Some spells have added utility. Identify lets you touch creatures to find out what effects are on them. Teleport has been moved to 7th and replaced with a special teleport function that ties into the game world thus encouraging the DM to make a solid world.
-Some spells require concentration. This prevents multiple effects from stacking up and clogging the battlefield.
I don't have enough experience to say whether or not this new system will reduce the spell bloat of 3E. It's certainly far more interesting than 4E's magic system and it encourages players to cast more spells but also be more resourceful about which ones they're using.
Final Thoughts
I've only played one session so far but the entire group has decided to switch from 3.5E to 5E for now. Everything feels really cut to the bone. We all built 10th level characters up and running in 20 minutes. I'm curious to see how the game will expand in the future as right now there isn't much there and I was hard pressed to pick my spells as a 10th level wizard. There was a slight feeling of constriction but that may be just growing pains. My final opinion is still forming but at the end of the session we all commented on how a big battle involving five 10th level characters and 12 high level monsters didn't devolve into a single moment of rules lawyering or pausing the action to look up a rule. We had the rules learned in practically 2 hours and that's glowing praise as far as I'm concerned.
So now that 5E is out I'm surprised by how many elements from pre-3rd editions are melded into the game. Let's go over the PHB chapter by chapter.
Ability Scores
First and foremost, the limited ability scores really smacked me in the face. In 2E the elusive strength score of 18/00 was peak human and only if you were a fighter. Going back to that system, 20 is the max you can get and instead of magical items giving a bonus they just replace your score with 19. I think this is great. It leaves super powerful monsters (like dragons) super powerful and involves fewer book keeping as you try to keep track of a dozen different bonuses.
I also have some praise for how everything is tied to ability scores. In 2E, your ability scores were checked whenever a saving throw wouldn't make sense to apply. 5E just says "everything is tied to these scores." Want to save against falling flat on your face? Roll dex. Want to see if you recall something? Roll int. It's an elegant system that I've always missed and it keeps the stress off of three specific ability scores (dexterity, constitution, wisdom) from dominating the game. 4E allowed "best of" str/dex and so on but this is better IMO.
Races
Races have changed drastically since the old editions, particularly now that penalties are no longer a thing as established by 4E. I do like how races have ethnicities so you can customize the flavor of your race without having to choose an entirely separate race. I know Pathfinder has a full blown swap-in-and-out of racial abilities but I never really played with that system so I'll keep my opinions focused on D&D.
Classes
3E's classes felt too simple. Unless you were playing a caster (who are always good), there was better options available elsewhere in a prestige class (especially for fighters who are as bare bones as could be). 4E's classes felt too much up front. Instead of playing an interesting archetype I felt like I was playing a video game with a laundry of fighting moves.
5E's classes remind me of 2E's classes with class kits rolled into one. Each class has certain features everyone of that class has access to but then you get your archetype. And most of the archetypes I've read are all viable in their own unique ways. I'm especially impressed with the divination school of wizardry, a school that's largely ignored for as long as I've been playing the game but here the abilities it gives you encourage playing that role.
Customization Options
I'm actually surprised to see ability score requirements make a comeback. I don't have a strong opinion about them, but they do keep people from multi-classing just to reap a specific benefit like good BAB/saves.
I'm not sure how I feel about feats. On one hand I like that feats have more utility than beyond a mere advantage but they replace a permanent ability score bonus. I'll get more of a feel one way or the other the more I play.
Combat
Not much has changed over from previous editions, things are just more streamlined compared to 3E and a little more in line with 2E. However I want to kiss *mwah* whoever fixed multiple attacks. In AD&D you can move in between multiple attacks and they've reinstated that ability. Freaking thank you, that was one of the big things that crippled fighters going from AD&D. The whole concept of a "full attack" was ridiculous and I'm glad it's gone.
Magic
Oh boy, my favorite section of D&D. First off I'm glad magic wasn't neutered like it was in 4E. There are utility spells missing from 3E but they can easily be ported over and I'm sure future splatbooks will expand the list. A couple things stand out to me
-Everyone is basically a spontaneous caster. This is great. I hated checking off individual spells.
-Ritual spells can be cast without using a slot. This is also great. I love being able to use certain utility effects without feeling like I'm wasting a slot. More options are great!
-Some of the spells with negative effects have been reinstated. Literally the first spell I looked at when I got the book was haste. In AD&D it aged you making haste a risky spell. Here it basically causes you to lose a turn when the duration ends which is nowhere near as dramatic but still calls for smart play.
-Some spells have added utility. Identify lets you touch creatures to find out what effects are on them. Teleport has been moved to 7th and replaced with a special teleport function that ties into the game world thus encouraging the DM to make a solid world.
-Some spells require concentration. This prevents multiple effects from stacking up and clogging the battlefield.
I don't have enough experience to say whether or not this new system will reduce the spell bloat of 3E. It's certainly far more interesting than 4E's magic system and it encourages players to cast more spells but also be more resourceful about which ones they're using.
Final Thoughts
I've only played one session so far but the entire group has decided to switch from 3.5E to 5E for now. Everything feels really cut to the bone. We all built 10th level characters up and running in 20 minutes. I'm curious to see how the game will expand in the future as right now there isn't much there and I was hard pressed to pick my spells as a 10th level wizard. There was a slight feeling of constriction but that may be just growing pains. My final opinion is still forming but at the end of the session we all commented on how a big battle involving five 10th level characters and 12 high level monsters didn't devolve into a single moment of rules lawyering or pausing the action to look up a rule. We had the rules learned in practically 2 hours and that's glowing praise as far as I'm concerned.