D&D 5E Which 5e innovations do you like the most?

[Li Shenron]

- the new action economy and simplified combat

- the replacement rules for AoO/OA (i.e. how the game deals with spellcasting in melee, ranged weapons in melee, and moving in threatened areas)

- Saving Throws with all ability scores

- capped ability scores

- the Fighter's Combat Superiority and Expertise Dice

- the Background concept and traits

(for me, Adv/Disadvantage and bounded accuracy are still under scrutiny... I want to know if they still work on the long run...)

 

[FJammet]

Flattening accuracy and defenses. You can argue how much that is an "innovation", but it's something I quite like so far.

I liked the idea of increasing the importance of ability scores, and decoupling skills from particular ability scores. I'm unsure about the future of that particular idea.

It's not any one new thing, but I like that sorcerers, wizards, and warlocks are noticeably different. I hope rangers, paladins, fighters, and the like get the same treatment.

This, exactly.

 

[Animal]

Advantage/Disadvantage mechanics
Base class + background/specialty is a brilliant chargen system. doesn't rule out 3e style customizability for advanced players (you can always create custom ones!), but is VERY noob friendly. might need some tweaking though.

 

[Pickles JG]

1) Integrating backgounds/specialties/fighting styles with a la carte feat & skill picks (backgrounds themselves are hardly innovative as they were eg in Runequest in 1981)

2) Combat advantage in principle but not sure in practice. I like the idea of always adding the number on my sheet to my rolls but
a) They have already got a few penalties & bonuses (cover & bless for eg)
b) It is a very heavy handed bonus. It averages to +3.75 but in the middle range of needing to roll 8-12 it more like +5. Disadvantage is similarly crippling if you already needed a large number to hit, & very harsh in the middle range. The mechanism seems to be driving the results.

 

[billd91]

Backgrounds

Advantage/Disadvantage

Combat Superiority Die

Stat caps

 

[Raith5]

While I still love 4th ed mechanics, I think the back ground/specialization set up is a great way to customize a PC and the lower power level starting position of 1st level PC is also welcome (though just a touch more hp may be in order).

 

[JRRNeiklot]

I'll let you know when I find one.

 

[Stalker0]

Adv/Disadv for me

 

[mlund]

Combat Expertise: Parry, Deadly Strike
Advantage/Disadvantage
Flatter Attack Mods + Armor Class
Hit Dice
Accuracy separated from weapon type
Racial weapon damage die increases
Background traits

- Marty Lund

 

[Tony Vargas]

Which 5e innovations do you like the most?

When they come up with at least two, I'll try to pick one...

But, I do like the CS fighter, I just don't find taking the 3.5 fighter (excellent design that it is), and migrating it from the BAB scaling-attack-bonus-based paradigm to a 'bounded accuracy' scaling-damage-based paradigm that innovative.