It's Like Third Edition!
Seriously, this version of the game feels a lot like Third Edition, but much more streamlined. The game still uses the d20 system, where in you use a d20 to determine the results of most actions your character takes.
Most of the stat bonuses that players and DMs had to remember from turn to turn in previous editions are gone. Now there is the advantage/disadvantage system that allows you to roll an d20 using the highest or lowest roll respectively. So instead of getting +2 to hit, you would roll two d20's and use the higher result. If you would have had a penalty you use the lowest result. I find this system much easier to remember and makes the game that much more fast and fun at the table.
Feats also make a return from 3rd and 4th editions as an optional rule. You get them less often (boo) but they are much beefier than before (yay). They tend to give you a whole bunch of stuff at once. For example, if you wanted to make a mage that was really handy with that crossbow they always get stuck with, then you could just take the crossbow expert feat to lay down some serious boltage.
**It's story time**
I think one of the greatest things that has happened to OGL games and Dungeons and Dragons types game in general in recent years is the addition of more story telling mechanics. This is certainly true with Fifth edition.
Both the player's handbook and the starter box comes with a selection of backgrounds for the PC's. These range from sailor to veteran to sage. Mechanically speaking, your background are where most of your skills will come from. Each class gives you a few skills, but thr bulk come from your background. More importantly, your choice of background helps tie your character to the world and ideally offers story hooks for your DM to play off of. Backgrounds offer bonds, flaws, and ideals that show how your character might act in certain situations. If your character behaves in umm... character, then the DM can award you with inspiration. Inspiration allows you to give yourself advantage on any roll of the d20. This adds up to a great system for mechanically rewarding those who role play, and offers guidance for those who don't.
There's a Diet Version
For those of you craving an old school feel, there are plenty of options. Wizards of the Coast released a basic version of the rules for the low, low price of free. This rule set is stripped down, it doesn't have feats, only hase four classes, and each class only has one or two subclasses. Each subclass was picked for its simplicity and old school feel. Although I found a startling lack of acrobat-thief.
For those of you willing to shell out the cash for the Monster Manuel, things get even better. It is very easy to convert old dungeons and adventures to fifth edition, giving you several decades worth of material to play with.
The Downsides
Thankfully, there aren't too many drawbacks, at least for me. If you are using the basic rules humans seem very weak to me. Humans get +1 to all ability scores, which can be nice, but doesn't give you much past a bumps in stats. I could see it being useful if you want to multiclass into something like a paladin/monk/wizard, but other than that it is pretty bland. There is an option to start with a +1 to two ability scores and gain a feat and skills, which seems more interesting/rewarding to me.
There were also many really cool options in the play test that didn't make it into the final product. I hope that one day the arcane archer feat makes it back into the game.
Lastly, if you do not want to create you own adventures or convert old ones, then there isn't much material yet. Although, this should be rectified in time.
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