So, speaking as someone who is currently running 3 D&D Next games, started playing with 3E in 2000ish, and ran a five year 4E game (and for several years, had 2-3 4E games at the same time)....
1) Note: 4E is my favorite published edition of D&D (NEXT is my new favorite, but it's not out yet, so, yeah). I love the tactical combat, and I am a lazy, lazy, LAZY, DM. I routinely don't bother prepping till my players are pulling their chairs out to sit down. Laaaazy.
If you guys want details about the games, feel free to PM me, but one is a game with a group of kids (primarily 11-12 year olds), the other a group of coworkers (mid to late 20s).
Kids Group - Paladin, Druid, Wizard, Sorcerer, Monk, Cleric, Ranger
Coworkers Group - Barbarian, Rogue, <redacted>, Bard, Cleric, Monk
Anyway, some thoughts so far.
1) DM'ing is a cross between 3.5 & 4E. Prep is minimal. I routinely still don't prep till game starts. Thankfully, they have kept the ease of DM'ing from 4E for the most part. Now, they do have spells occasionally listed and not fully described, but the current reason I've heard for not having the full description out for the spells is that the spells aren't done being changed - which makes sense, I've gone through multiple separate spells documents already. They are erring on the side of "buff spells / fire and forget spells", and in many cases, put notes as to what the spells do int the monster entry. My understanding is that the current plan is to have all abilities listed out under a monster, so the DM won't have to scurry to a book.
The fluff of the monster is fun, in that they give enough fluff to make the abilities they have on the monster make sense. Which is pretty cool.
I actually prefer DM'ing 5th as opposed to 4th, because I think it's actually easier. I reserve the right to modify this as we get higher level, admittedly.
Combat - classes have roles, if the players choose them. In my coworker game, the players went away from those options - but in my other game (with the kids), they've all embraced their roles. That group is also terrified of me as a DM, and think I exist to destroy all of their characters over and over again. In related news, we have three healers in that group.
(Cleric / Druid / Paladin). The Paladin also went a protective route. So, the idea of roles are very much present in each class, however one doesn't have to choose them. This is more because you have many of the "classes" from 4E all rolled into a single class, with the option of which path to choose.
Tactical Combat - If I can be bothered to fish my map out of my car (I mentioned I'm lazy, right), it plays pretty much like 4E combat with my coworkers. The kids play it like they played 4E combat, but as you can imagine, its far more...creative then normal 4E anyway, sooo, not sure if they're a good example.
(Kicking the Vampire in the Groin was a power I had to come up with for them, to put it in perspective).
Creation of Monsters: IIRC, there is a level based table for AC / attack / damage. Prof bonus basically is the atk by level (plus attribute), and AC is really what armor they're getting or 12 + prof bonus of the level of the creature. Damage by level is the only specific part they give in a table.
Here's the thing that really sticks out to me - this is the best edition for growing the pie that I've played. The kids sort of liked PF, they liked 4E, they love NEXT. For folks who've never rolled a d20 before, this is a fantastic game, and I'm convinced that is their target audience, more so than anything.
TL;DR - as an avowed 4E fan/DM, 5E has me pretty hooked. Which is nice, because I was worried that DM'ing would be 3E all over again.
Neon, Pemerton, if you have any more detailed questions, feel free to PM me.
