CotB had an opportunity to try a few sessions of fifth-edition Dungeons & Dragons. It proved to be a great time that allowed us to focus on the story and our characters. Not only that, it felt like our characters could really do interesting things, even at dreaded first level!
We can absolutely see why people are turning to it, and it’s especially great for people looking for something to do during the pandemic. It’s fun and easy to learn. It’s entertaining and an opportunity to socialize. We’ve had the luck to try every edition of D&D, so we’ve had a little experience with it. But what are the best features of D&D for 5th edition? We have a few things to point out.
The Best Features of D&D 5th Edition
- More character races – Yep, there are the standards — Humans, Elves and Dwarves. Then there are the more obscure races — Gnomes, Halflings, Half-Elves and Half-Orcs. Add to that the (relative newbies) Tieflings and Dragonborn, and players can make themselves stand out.
- New class options – While we don’t mind the basic group of classes — Cleric, Magic-User, Fighter and Thief — D&D is a high-fantasy setting, so “crazy” classes are welcome. With 5th Edition, there’s an incredible set of options for the players. Not only a nice selection of classes, but also numerous options within those classes.
- Simpler mechanics – Overall, the game is getting easier and easier to understand. That makes it easier and easier for new players to give it a try and for those players to enjoy it casually rather than having to pour over the rulebooks. A lower threshold to start playing is a good thing. (And this comes from CotB, who actually loved the complexity of 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons!)
- That fun advantage/disadvantage mechanic – Liking the mechanics is one thing, but without a doubt, one of the best features of D&D 5th edition are the Advantage/Disadvantage rolls! For these rolls, you get to use more dice, and more dice is always great. The simple explanation, is that if a player is awarded an advantage, he rolls two d20s and takes the best result. For disadvantage situations, he rolls two d20s and takes the lower result. It’s a nice way to provide a bonus to players!
- Abilities/powers to use in a pinch – A change that started in 4th edition, the addition of special combat abilities is really nice. For some characters, they can zap their enemies even if they’re out of “real” spells. For others character classes, there are special skills that make combat more than hacking and slashing. There are so many options that they allow for fairly unique character paths. Maaaaybe not as unique as the Feat options for third edition, but still pretty darn nice.
And there you have it, in the opinion of the longtime players of Dungeons & Dragons, you have the best features of D&D fifth edition! What are your favorite parts? This list only comes from that of a player who has only played a few sessions. Maybe you like the way monsters are built? Or perhaps the ease of being a Dungeon Master? Let us know.
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