D&D 5E When I cracked open D&D Next, I never expected that...

[Afrodyte]

...two of my most interesting character builds thus far are a human fighter and a human sorcerer.

In previous editions, I stuck to bards and rogues because I didn't want to sacrifice my character concept in order to be mechanically effective (not the same as optimized).

With the addition of backgrounds and tool proficiencies, as well as making skills simpler and more flexible, I actually want to play fighters, clerics, and sorcerers! I avoided these classes like the plague in previous editions because they were so inept at capturing what my characters actually knew and could do. I've only had the PHB for a couple of days, but I'm already coming up with great concepts that can actually be rendered with the mechanics as they are written. I don't have to buy a supplement, house rule it, or beg a DM to create these characters according to how I envision them.

Granted, I get excited about every new edition of D&D, but this time I can truly say that it's the best edition thus far at allowing me to create the kinds of characters I like to play. The characters I like to play are not usually based in popular epic fantasy stories or conventional fantasy gaming. They come from all over the place. Being able to build first-level versions of characters from other media that I love is probably the biggest draw for me.

So yeah, I wanna play.

 

[SigmaOne]

For me, 5e will always be known as the edition that made diviners cool. Diviners! I didn't know that could be done!

 

[Gamgee]

I was surprised to see how much the monk changed for the better. Much derided and laughed at my table, now respected and even thought of as pretty darn interesting. I also enjoy how feats work now.

 

[Evenglare]

I absolutely LOVE the bender style monks (way of the 4 elements) and Green Knight paladins. By far my favorite things about 5e. Runners up are also Eldritch Knight being in core, and having spell and wild shape druids have distinct roles.

 

[Andor]

Am I the only person who thinks of Rokugani Dragon Clan tattooed monks before Avatar benders when seeing that class?

 

[Evenglare]

You probably aren't but there are probably very very few of you. Seeing as how expansive avatar is to the main stream vs how narrow a scope a game like L5R isd. Personally? I love L5R and have all their books, and I even have a player that plays a Dragon Clan Tatooed monk, but I honestly never even thought of it until you mentioned it lol. Also it's clear that they were inspired by benders, back in 4th edition when Elemetal was still going to be a power source, they explicitly said they wanted to create a bender like class. Of course that never materialized, but I imagine that these monks were the realization of that dream. Of course I don't know 100% but I haven't really heard them reference L5R in such a way.

 

[Gamgee]

I also got a feeling the monk was influenced by the Diablo 3 monk just a little. I don't know why. I liked how Blizzard designed the monk even if I don't enjoy playing it. I just got a feeling they really went all out on making monks "cool" and succeeded on every level.

 

[seebs]

For me, 5e will always be known as the edition that made diviners cool. Diviners! I didn't know that could be done!

... I feel I should point out that, since before the 3E PHB was even out, I've been running diviner-spec wizards in 3E, 3.5E, and Pathfinder, and they have been amazing.

See, that bonus slot? It turns out you can always find a use for divination spells.

 

[ExploderWizard]

For me, 5e will always be known as the edition that made diviners cool. Diviners! I didn't know that could be done!

Where I come from we kill those red robed bastards along with all other servants of The Master.

 

[SkidAce]

Am I the only person who thinks of Rokugani Dragon Clan tattooed monks before Avatar benders when seeing that class?

Nope...I'm with you.