D&D 5E Seeking information and inspiration

[Greenfield]

I'm a long time D&D player (like since Chainmail and Eldritch Wizardry), and have been playing 3.5 for a while now. I've played in a 4e campaign (up until about 10h level, when we all realized that it wasn't going to get any better), and I've dabbled in 5e, but not all that much.

I've recently been approached by an Enworlder about joining a 5e campaign, and I'm looking for some advice.

He's described his campaign as detail oriented and combat heavy. Personally I'm more of a rope-player than a hack-n-slasher, but I'm willing to take a combat machine for a whirl. I've asked him what sort of character the party needs, in terms of class and level, but haven't heard back, so I'm afraid that I'm lacking some direction here.

I currently have the PHB, DMG and MM for 5e. What other books am I likely to need if I'm joining a campaign that's already in progress. I'm going to presume that they've moved beyond the basics.

Any general advice on favorite classes to play for a predominantly dungeon-crawl, combat heavy game? Any design traps to avoid?

<Tangent> When I began 4e I decided to try to approach it fresh, to try and abandon any preconceived ideas of the system. I decided to start with the simplest class to play, which I thought would be a Fighter. Silly me, I thought a fighter's job was to fight, as in, to hit things with pointy metal objects and make them die. Little did I know that in 4e the Fighter's job was to stand and get hit, that his "powers" were largely focused on forcing people to hit him instead of hitting the Rangers and Rogues (whose job is to hit things with pointy metal objects and make them die).</Tangent>

I include the tangent to remind myself that, however much I know about D&D, when entering a new version I have to accept that everything I know might be wrong.

So with that in mind, help me oh gurus of Enworld: You're my only hope.

 

[iserith]

I'm a long time D&D player (like since Chainmail and Eldritch Wizardry), and have been playing 3.5 for a while now. I've played in a 4e campaign (up until about 10h level, when we all realized that it wasn't going to get any better), and I've dabbled in 5e, but not all that much.

I've recently been approached by an Enworlder about joining a 5e campaign, and I'm looking for some advice.

He's described his campaign as detail oriented and combat heavy. Personally I'm more of a rope-player than a hack-n-slasher, but I'm willing to take a combat machine for a whirl. I've asked him what sort of character the party needs, in terms of class and level, but haven't heard back, so I'm afraid that I'm lacking some direction here.

Roleplaying is just playing a role - you, the player, making decisions for your character. So there's plenty of roleplaying in a combat-heavy game. Dramatic situations like battles are great opportunities to say something about who your character is through both words and deeds.

I currently have the PHB, DMG and MM for 5e. What other books am I likely to need if I'm joining a campaign that's already in progress. I'm going to presume that they've moved beyond the basics.

Just the PHB is fine, really. Make sure to ask which sources are permitted for character creation and what optional rules are house rules there are in the campaign.

Any general advice on favorite classes to play for a predominantly dungeon-crawl, combat heavy game? Any design traps to avoid?

A race with darkvision will be useful in a dungeon. Rogues are also good. Everyone welcomes a rogue in a dungeon. (Unless it's one of the jerks who tries to steal treasure.)

In include the tangent to remind myself that, however much I know about D&D, when entering a new version I have to accept that everything I know might be wrong.

This is very wise. A lot of people play every edition of D&D more or less the same and then complain when the game doesn't work as well as it should. That's because they drag their preconceived notions from one game into another. It's best in my view to compartmentalize what you know of other editions when trying a new one.

 

[TheNoremac42]

Pretty much all you really need is the PHB and some basic information that would be common knowledge in the DM's world. The DMG and MM are just bonus points. A couple things I learned is that (1) the Beast Master ranger archetype is almost useless, (2) spells like Goodberry and Create Food and Water will virtually erase your party's sustenance problems, (3) there are no Surprise rounds - only the Surprised condition, and (4) having darkvision in dark (not dim) areas doesn't mean you don't have disadvantage.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I'm a long time D&D player (like since Chainmail and Eldritch Wizardry), and have been playing 3.5 for a while now. I've recently been approached by an Enworlder about joining a 5e campaign, and I'm looking for some advice.

He's described his campaign as detail oriented and combat heavy. Personally I'm more of a rope-player than a hack-n-slasher, but I'm willing to take a combat machine for a whirl.

I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunity to use ropes, too.

I've asked him what sort of character the party needs, in terms of class and level, but haven't heard back, so I'm afraid that I'm lacking some direction here.

The old stand-by 'needs' are still there, but there are a few more ways to fill them. If they 'need a cleric,' a Druid or Bard might do just as well. If they 'need a rogue,' (in the old trap-finding/lockpicking sense), the right Background might suffice.

I currently have the PHB, DMG and MM for 5e. What other books am I likely to need if I'm joining a campaign that's already in progress. I'm going to presume that they've moved beyond the basics.

There's not really a lot of beyond the basics to move to, so don't sweat it. If the DM has introduced anything beyond the PH - UA articles or SCAG (the only dead-tree WotC supplement with any crunch so far) are about it, unless he's really outre and lets in stuff from DMsG - he should tell you about it up-front.

Any general advice on favorite classes to play for a predominantly dungeon-crawl, combat heavy game?

A heavy-armor class - Paladin, War or Life Cleric - Variant Human with the Heavy-Armor feat that gives resistance has seemed like a stand-out in low-level combat-heavy sessions I've run.

I include the tangent to remind myself that, however much I know about D&D, when entering a new version I have to accept that everything I know might be wrong.

It's not like 4e where failure to approach it with an open mind would mess up your experience and give you a false impression of the game. Everything you know from back in the day is still at least relevant and probably not outright contradicted.

There are a few subtleties, most of which 3e will have prepared you for. You don't have to avoid melee as assiduously as a caster anymore, managing daily spells is easier, restrictions are fewer; DMs can punt to a skill check rather than judging all actions based on how you desribe them like in the early TSR era; stuff like that. At worst you might find yourself trying a little too hard. Mostly, 5e feels very much like the classic D&D we're used to, maybe on 'easy mode' (after 1st level) compared to 3e.

 

[ccs]

Coming from 3.5 you might find the skill system a bit simplistic.
And it might take you awhile to get used to making saving throws based on all 6 ability scores.
Dex adds to ranged damage now.
Moving is not an action. You can move & make all your attacks/do other stuff.
You're fully healed after a long rest.

The fighters job in this edition? Hit things with weapons.

 

[CydKnight]

I would sit down with the DM and get a brief description of the campaign and see if he has any stipulations for character creation like a whether you are allowed use all rules as written or if not, which ones will not be permitted. Aside from that I wouldn't overthink it too much. Just choose something that you think would be fun to play in the adventure setting the DM described to you and create away. The only thing I would try to avoid, if anything, would be getting pressured (by the DM, other players, or yourself) into playing a character that you don't feel excited to play.

 

[aco175]

A lot of people say that 5e is what they wanted 4e to be and that it it more focused that 3e. I like it fine and my group had no problems crossing over. You will not have any problems. The magic items are a bit weak compared to earlier editions, but this is designed this way to prevent needing them and having to have them to hit things.

I like the thief class for a basic class, although it does not get a 2nd attack like fighter types. We have not played with feats and have had no problems or think we are missing out. I have played a halfling and found the re-roll 1s to be a great power.

 

[hastur_nz]

Hopefully you know what level your PC should be ;-) Honestly, that's all you need to know...

If you are joining an existing group, just pick whatever takes your fancy from the PHB. There are no truly terrible choices in there, and you'd have to assume that the group already has some sort of balance in classes, so whatever you bring will be all good. The key is playing a character that you will find interesting.

And in my experience, 5e is way more forgiving in terms of 'balanced party' than 3e or 4e were; you can literally all be some kind of sword-swinger and be fine, it's not completely mandatory to save a spell caster, a healer, a skill monkey and a tank, in order to function well day to day.

 

[Quickleaf]

All the Enworlders I've met so far have been great So I'm sure you'll have a good game.

Sounds like an old school dungeon crawl. I'm partial to playing Rogues when it comes to dungeon crawls; in 5e the Thief sub-class is really useful because it opens up new uses of Cunning Action (which lets you do awesome stuff as a bonus action). If your DM is into old school play, running a Rogue (Thief) can open up a lot of doors. Ah...pun intended

You might also want to consider – if your DM is allowing anything from Unearthed Arcana (free online PDF playtest material from WotC) – to pick up the Tunnel Fighter Fighting Style (available to all classes which get the Fighting Style feature like Fighters, Paladins, and Rangers). Really useful for dungeon crawls.

 

[Paolo]

If going into an unknown situation, healer is always useful. Druid can heal and also can take care of himself.