5E 2024 Rules

Just a place for me to jot down some stuff, nothing more than that.

General

Big step up on the art. But that of course also increased page size and price.

They now write D20 instead of d20. Also now standardized things by using the term "D20 Test".

They talk about Hit Point Dice but also Hit Dice.

Bonus Action is now written with two capital letters but things like Magic action and Utilize action get just one capital.

They did away with Prepared Spells vs Spells Known. Now everyone prepares spells; some classes get to change the list after a Long Rest, others only minimally when they level up.

Saw this phrasing a few times: "Choose creatures within 30 feet of yourself (which can include you)", does that mean that any time the part between the parentheses is not there, you can't include yourself? In the past the wording was different and the default was that you were always included unless it said "other creatures" or words to that effect.

Chapter 1

You can now fail a save again; 11.

From XGE: If the use of a tool and the use of a skill both apply to a check, and a character is proficient with the tool and the skill, consider allowing the character to make the check with advantage; 14.

Influence, Search, Study specifically called out as Actions; 15.

Finding hidden objects once again is calling out Perception where it should be Investigation; 20. Interesting quote found: “Would an animal notice anything remarkable about this?” If so; Perception, if not, Investigation.

Normal (travel) pace now gives disadvantage on Stealth; 20.

Forced March is gone but with mounts you can now go double speed for an hour and then need a rest; 20.

Being surprised now gives disadvantage on Initiative and nothing more!

Ally's space is no longer difficult terrain; 25.

You can no longer move between attacks? 25. You can but that is only explained in the Glossary!

Knocking Out a Creature is still stupid but a tiny bit less so, they go unconscious, have 1 hp, start a short rest, waking up at end; 29,

Chapter 2

Tying ability scores to backgrounds is criminally stupid and the ability choices made for the backgrounds are completely moronic in many cases; 36.

Decoupled languages from race and background. Not bad, but now everyone starts with the same number, which is so dumb; 37.

Appearance and Personality table is insultingly terrible; 39.

Alignment is as bad as every edition; 39.

Personality Traits by Alignment table, as bad as the previous table; 40.

Chapter 3 - Classes

Very good that all classes now have 4 subclasses.

But absolutely indefensible that they removed a number of Cleric subclasses/domains,

Removing over half of the Wizard subclasses/schools is slightly less bad but certainly from a lore and world building perspective really dumb.

They must release the removed domains and schools as a free web enhancement, at least.

Quite nice that the spell lists are now listed with the class and show which spells are ritual spells, need concentration, or have a material component.

Only going to comment below on class features up to about level 12.

Barbarian

Rage Good changes. No longer limited to melee attacks, Strength attacks with ranged weapons also work. No more needing to get hit. Duration max 10 min. Regain 1 use on Short Rest. Also nice to be able to use Rage to fuel other abilities.

Reckless Attack No longer limited to melee attacks, Strength attacks with ranged weapons also work.

Primal Knowledge Dumb 4th Edition nonsense, at least it's limited to rage.

Feral Instinct No longer interacts with surprise but that's cause surprise was nerfed.

Instinctive Pounce Nice.

Brutal Strike Much more interesting than the Brutal Critical it replaces.

Relentless Rage Made it actually useful.

Berserker

Frenzy got better. Retaliation and Intimidating Presence got swapped around and both are better for it.

Wild Heart

What used to be Totem Warrior; many changes for the better but very unfortunately lost the flavor of having a single animal totem all the way through.

Rage of the Wilds (formerly Totem Spirit) Bear is no longer super overpowered, good. Eagle much more streamlined. Elk and Tiger are gone.

Aspect of the Wilds (formerly Aspect of the Beast) Removed all the existing ones. New ones are meh in most scenarios.

Power of the Wilds (formerly Totemic Attunement) Removed some, renamed some, added some. What's there now is ok and more streamlined.

World Tree

I like it, interesting path.

Zealot

Warrior of the Gods Good change.

Bard

Happened to notice they lost access to hand crossbow.

Bardic Inspiration Now specifically says you roll it after failing a D20 Test.

Jack of All Trades & Expertise Both at 2nd level now.

Song of Rest Removed for some reason?

Font of Inspiration Nice way to regain a use.

Countercharm Now level 7 and actually useful!

Magical Secrets You gain more spells, better spread over levels, it lets you change as well; this got really powerful. Maybe somewhat balanced by that you can't pick from all spell lists, just Bard, Cleric, Druid, and Wizard. And you can't pick cantrips.

Dance

Fun Monk hybrid, I like it a lot.

Glamour

Beguiling Magic Good replacement for Enthralling Performance which wasn't very good.

Mantle of Inspiration, Mantle of Majesty, and Unbreakable Majesty All improved.

Lore

Cutting Words Now specifically mentions succeeds on a roll. Also no one is immune to it anymore.

Magical Discoveries Nerfed a little; spells can only come from the Cleric, Druid, or Wizard spell lists.

Valor

No notes.

Cleric

Divine Order Not very balanced; 99% of players are going to pick Protector.

Channel Divinity Surprisingly you get only 1 back on a Short Rest instead of all, but you do get a max of 4 at high levels.

Divine Spark Nice addition.

Turn Undead Streamlined, as long as you know what the Frightened and Incapacitated conditions do.

Sear Undead Hmm, could go either way on this, the old Destroy Undead was more cinematic and took less admin, as long as you knew the max CR.

Blessed Strikes Nice, bit better balanced than Divine Order.

Domain choice has been moved to 3rd level. But nice to see that all Domains get more spells added to their Prepared Spells at 1st level.

Life

Abilities now specifically say "spell slot’s level" instead of spell level, not an actual change but making it more clear.

Light

Bonus Cantrip Removed, you no longer get the Light cantrip for free.

Radiance of the Dawn Dispels darkness of any level [this was already the case in the 2014 edition, but I'd house rule that].

Warding Flare Now works to save others. Blind creatures are no longer immune...

Improved Warding Flare Big improvement over the old version.

Trickery

Blessing of the Trickster The range upgrade makes it way better.

Invoke Duplicity No concentration needed now!

Cloak of Shadows Removed, but you now already have access to the Invisibility spell.

Trickster’s Transposition The wording could be a bit more clear; can you first move the illusion and then teleport? Cool either way!

Chapter 4

Background feats are a good idea but the feats themselves are more than a mixed bag; 177.

Giving every background the same number of skill and tool proficiencies removes so much flavor, sigh; 177.

No more half-elves or half-orcs!

"Regardless of life span, members of all species reach physical maturity at about the same age." Makes things easier but is a huge change and not very defendable; 177.

Some species can now choose to be M or S size at character creation, nice; 177.

Complete removal of the Ideal, Bond, and Flaw tables (unless I haven't gotten to them yet) is bad, they gave new players at least something; 177.

Chapter 7 - Spells

Guidance Now select 1 skill and get 1d4 for the full minute, good change.

Rules Glossary

Attack You can either equip or unequip one weapon when you make an attack as part of this action. Even includes sheathing and picking up; 361.

Burning Explicitly says how to douse; 362.

Damage Threshold Back from older editions but why the change in it taking all damage if over the threshold instead of just subtracting? 364.

Dead Nice to see this included with all the effects it has, including losing attunement! 365.

Dehydration Good to see it back. Extreme Heat is gone but it was in the DMG before, might turn up there; 365.

Difficult Terrain Nice listing; 366.

Exhaustion Huge change that makes it a lot easier and more useful; 366.

Falling Nice to see a rule for falling into liquid; 367.

Grappled Interesting changes, nothing about ending it or the weird Thunderwave thing from 2014. Good to see rule for dragging along; 367.

Grappling Really much improved, especially how it's now done via Unarmed Attack (see there); 367.

Hide Interesting changes to Stealth, just one successful roll now giving you the Invisible condition; 368. Potential re-rolling for 20 issue.