I downloaded the D&D 5e Basic Rules today and skimmed the 110 pages of content. This is really my first look, since I didn't participate in the play tests with the 175,000 D&D fans (mentioned right up front in the Basic Rules). I admit that I mostly skipped over the details of races and classes. I fall strictly under the category of old edition lover, with my favorite versions being 3.5 and earlier. I currently GM Pathfinder. 4th Edition and the related atrocities committed against Forgotten Realms in the the Spell Plague angered me as a player and I refused to participate in 4th Edition.
Overall, my general impression of 5th Edition Basic Rules is positive. The rules have greatly simplified a number of things, mirroring one of the strengths of Pathfinder and taking it further. The description of many aspects of the game are straightforward and allow multiple interpretations of play to be used. The character sheets are clean and easy to interpret. This is going to be an excellent edition, as far as mechanics are concerned.
There are two aspects of the Basic Rules I still find troubling. First, the Basic Rules are not openly, freely available for full use because there is no license. We don't know what that means yet, but certainly the community does not have any ability to publish the Basic Rules in any form other than the released PDF. This also means third party publishers aren't welcome to the party yet. Second, the basic rules are leaving out major aspects of the game, that presumably will be available in the published books. Classes, races, and feats seem like obvious holes. I've already signed up for the preorders, but a partial ruleset that is only marginally usable within the community isn't playing well compared to the examples of success of Pathfinder, D&D 3.5, and D20.
I, of course, will hold my final conclusions to see how the licensing for the community and third party publishers works out. Unfortunately, my gut tells me that this slow 5th Edition release schedules is aimed at selling the system before the community knows what they are really buying in to, perhaps avoiding the backlash they established in 4th Edition. I find this troubling, since 5th Edition really is a worthy successor to the D&D brand.
Overall, my general impression of 5th Edition Basic Rules is positive. The rules have greatly simplified a number of things, mirroring one of the strengths of Pathfinder and taking it further. The description of many aspects of the game are straightforward and allow multiple interpretations of play to be used. The character sheets are clean and easy to interpret. This is going to be an excellent edition, as far as mechanics are concerned.
There are two aspects of the Basic Rules I still find troubling. First, the Basic Rules are not openly, freely available for full use because there is no license. We don't know what that means yet, but certainly the community does not have any ability to publish the Basic Rules in any form other than the released PDF. This also means third party publishers aren't welcome to the party yet. Second, the basic rules are leaving out major aspects of the game, that presumably will be available in the published books. Classes, races, and feats seem like obvious holes. I've already signed up for the preorders, but a partial ruleset that is only marginally usable within the community isn't playing well compared to the examples of success of Pathfinder, D&D 3.5, and D20.
I, of course, will hold my final conclusions to see how the licensing for the community and third party publishers works out. Unfortunately, my gut tells me that this slow 5th Edition release schedules is aimed at selling the system before the community knows what they are really buying in to, perhaps avoiding the backlash they established in 4th Edition. I find this troubling, since 5th Edition really is a worthy successor to the D&D brand.
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