Introduce me.

[sabernoir]

Hello all, I'm a somewhat new player to dnd, but have been playing 3.5 for a couple months now. I've heard good things about 5e and love to be shown the ropes, or have them thrown slowly enough I can react. What should I know?

[Foxhound438]

- opportunity attacks work differently. here you get one for something leaving your reach rather than just moving through

- you can split your attacks and move how you like, rather than move then attack or vice versa

- full-round actions aren't a thing anymore

- numbers don't build up really fast like they do in 3.5

- there's less customization in feats, but you kind of get that back with the subclasses.


that's all off the top of my head

[kladams707]

Speaking of ropes, the key principle (which is occasionally broken) by which 5e is rule is known as "bounded accuracy". It keeps the math simple when rolling and trying to figure out results and also makes encounters relatively viable (a horde of kobolds can still take on higher level characters, and a dragon could possibly be defeated by a lower lever party), again with a few exceptions.

Concentration prevents spells from being stacked, as you can only have one spell with that tag at a time ongoing.

There will be circumstances in which the DM (or perhaps a feature/spell) provides advantage or disadvantage. With disadvantage, you roll a d20 twice and take the higher roll. With disadvantage, roll twice and take the lower.

There are fewer class options and skills, but I think you can cover most concepts relatively easily. Feats are now an optional rule in which you choose them in place of an ability score increase (aka ASI, which is now dependent on class level rather than character level). However, many feats are incredibly powerful and you might consider it well worth the sacrifice. And you don't need to max out your main ability score (you are limited to 20 as part of your natural progression) to be a viable character.

There might be a lot of jargon there. Let me know how much of it was just the equivalent of Wingdings for you.

[Demonslayer666]

The basics are the same, but a lot has changed. You shouldn't have any trouble adapting as a player.

Gone: 5' step, BAB, move actions, trained only skills, miss chance, Prestige Classes

Changed: Surprise, spells (slots, preparation, concentration), saves, feats, AOOs, fatigue, resistances, proficiencies

New: Resting, inspiration, advantage/disadvantage, character backgrounds

[Lemiel14n3]

There are fewer class options and skills, but I think you can cover most concepts relatively easily.


I think fewer class options and skills has as much to do with 5e being a new system as it does with it being more streamlined.

[LtPowers]

I think fewer class options and skills has as much to do with 5e being a new system as it does with it being more streamlined.

To a small extent, but there's also a strong implication that they won't be adding classes willy-nilly in splatbooks the way they did in previous editions.

Archetypes are a different story...


Powers &8^]

[DragonSorcererX]

There is no DFA, Dragonwrought Kobold, Dragonspawn of Tiamat, Duskblade, Eberronian Artificer... :smallfrown:

I wish I was intelligent enough to understand 3.P rules...

[CaptainSarathai]

There's vastly more balance compared to what you had in 3.5, but that comes at the expense of fewer character choices.

Character Level is gone (with the exception of Proficiency Bonuses and Cantrip scaling). Everything relies on Class level now.

There is no Multiclass penalty, and you don't have to level them equally any more. You can also MC as many times as you like, and there are no MC feats.

Action Economy is a little different, and yes, 5' Step is gone (now takes an Action, which means no Attacking or Casting in most cases)

No negatives for Racial Mods. Everyone usually gets +2,+1 to particular stats, and then some racial abilities.

Bounded Accuracy means that numbers don't explode off the charts, meaning that you don't need to min-max just to stay competitive. In fact, you no longer need to get scores to a perfect 20.

You choose a Feat OR an Ability Score Increase. When you get that choice is dependent on Class Level (usually 4,8,12,16,19 - Fighters get more, and Humans can get a bonus feat).

Martials and Casters are back to being on an even footing. Casters get fewer spells per day, but their Cantrips can be cast infinitely and are actually useful combat spells. Wizards don't need darts and crossbows any more. Also, anyone can become a Caster. There are Fighter, Monk, and Rogue archetypes which give you magic, and Barbarian has pseudo-magic type stuff going on as well.

[Sariel Vailo]

introducing the sabemoir the new the powerful and hopefully well introduced sabemoir

[Socratov]

In addition to others:

Bards are awesome and maybe one of the strongest classes around... Also, Druids still reign supreme in awesomness...

[sabernoir]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I appreciate you spending your time to help me out.

Quest Completed: "Introduce me."

XP: +500

Rewards: Feelings of satisfaction, maybe?

[ProphetSword]

There will be circumstances in which the DM (or perhaps a feature/spell) provides advantage or disadvantage. With disadvantage, you roll a d20 twice and take the higher roll. With disadvantage, roll twice and take the lower.


kladams707 apparently tried to write this out with Disadvantage, which would require them to roll a d20 twice and take the lowest roll. Otherwise, they would have told you that Advantage would let you roll a d20 twice and take the highest number, not Disadvantage.

kladams707 will do better next time, I'm sure of it. :smallwink:

[Specter]

Basically, you can learn how to play (well) in 1/10 the time it took for you to play 3.5 well.

[Foxhound438]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I appreciate you spending your time to help me out.

Quest Completed: "Introduce me."

XP: +500

Rewards: Feelings of satisfaction, maybe?

Ah. I was hoping for a flametongue...

[NinaWu]

Skills are easier, no more bonus/penalty to actions you simply have advantage or disadvantage. Doesn't have the variety (IMO) of 3.5 but overall is a quicker, simpler game :)