D&D 5E The Official Poll! What THREE things do you like most about D&D 5th Edition?

[Lidgar]

I have to say I'm surprised that the Magic System hasn't garnered more love; in my estimation, the new magic system in conjunction with the bounded accuracy (which in my mind the proficiency bonus is a component of) are the two things most responsible for reigning in the power acceleration to levels we haven't seen since 1e days. I also didn't see the advantage system as being super important to 5e's awesomeness, but it has a lot of love here I can see - good deal.

Right there with you Henry. The magic system, coupled with bounded accuracy and the rules light approach, seals the deal.

 

[Mr. Flibble]

I have to say I'm surprised that the Magic System hasn't garnered more love; in my estimation, the new magic system in conjunction with the bounded accuracy (which in my mind the proficiency bonus is a component of) are the two things most responsible for reigning in the power acceleration to levels we haven't seen since 1e days. I also didn't see the advantage system as being super important to 5e's awesomeness, but it has a lot of love here I can see - good deal.

I don't regard the magic system as a major innovation, although it is a nice synthesis of the pre-4E system with the better ideas from 4E.

 

[raphaelus]

Yeah, Its a list of good things. Its a matter of choosing the ones that pop. Published adventures doesn't get selected as much as at least I went thinking of evaluating the system; I'm guessing others thought similar. They're neat though!

To me, the simplicity is *very* closely related to the proficiency bonus. The big variety of plus and minuses in another popular system is what made me chose this one as a new comer to the hobby.

 

[Patrick McGill]

I went with backgrounds, inspiration, and advantage disadvantage.

I didn't choose old school feel, because using DMG variants and Unearthed Arcana variants I recreated the feel of how friends and I played during 1e and 2e (including tailoring the barbarian to be much closer to the 1e version)

I didn't choose Rulings not rules/DM empowerment. With regards to rulings not rules, that is how I ran 3e. For instance, in one of the early 3e issues of Dragon, Tweet and Reynolds discussed the philosophy behind the 3e skill system including "the commoner standard", and what Easy, Difficult, etc. meant. I just used that article and the 3.0 DMG "DMs Best Friend" with modifiers ranging from 0 to 20 and ignored all of the sample skill DCs in the PHB. I also don't use many non-core combat feats that I felt anyone should be able to do (e.g., the one about throwing sand in the eyes). As for DM empowerment, anyone reading the 3.0 DMG knows it is stressed several times- many DMs did not read it or ignored it.

I'd be very interested in hearing about what changes you made to the Barbarian. I have fond memories of the UA Barbarian of yore.

 

[EdL]

Backgrounds, Bounded Accuracy and Simplicity. But it was hard, HARD, to choose only three! And I haven't even had the chance to play 5E yet!

 

[Pjack]

My top two choices weren't on the list, so I picked the closest things I could find.

1. The attention paid to race & gender inclusiveness, in both the artwork and in the text. I picked "Art Direction".

2. The "fiction first" philosophy; rules are there to support the things we collaboratively imagine happening in the game world, rather than rules dictating what the game world is like. I picked "Rulings not Rules".

3. I picked "Speed of Play" as my third choice, but I see that as basically being the same option as "Simplicity/Light Rules".

My fourth choice also isn't on the list; it's the way character alignment isn't a straitjacket, and players are encouraged to shape an actual personality for their character through Traits, Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws. I suppose "Inspiration Mechanic" would be the closest pick.

 

[UnadvisedGoose445]

I find myself in a place that doesn't seem as common (or perhaps more commonly touted) on these boards. I wasn't alive when the first few renditions of the game were made, and my introduction to D&D (and table top roleplaying as a whole) came with 4e. I loved it, and I still do.

But then came 5e, and something just felt so very right about it. Everything just seemed to "fit" into what I had always imagined D&D to be, but it also felt accessible, and mostly fun.

Of my personal 3, I chose the magic system (Traditional Vancian casting, as far as my understanding went, seemed crazy, and odd. Why would I forget how to cast fireball if I still have the arcane reserves to cast spells at that level?), bounded accuracy (I like a hoard of goblins still being nothing to scoff at at higher levels, in huge contrast to 4e), and magic items not being required. I came from the character builder, where we basically just "went to the magic item shop" and picked out what we wanted. The way magic items are handled in 5e just makes them feel much more special.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Wow, hard to limit it to just 3!

 

[Shiroiken]

Difficult to limit to just 3. It was nearly "all of the above" except "I like nothing about D&D 5th edition".

Agreed. When I saw it was pick 3, I thought "that's somewhat of a cop-out," but after seeing the list I thought "crap... only three?" Shows how great 5E has been

 

[werecorpse]

I voted for bounded accuracy, simplicity and magic items not required. But either rulings not rules and speed of play could have replaced the last one.