Thoughts From Playing and Reading 5e

5e has always been the titan of the ttrpg space. For years and years, it was synonymous with ttrpgs. Despite this, I had never really looked into the system. I knew about it only in the periphery. Second hand accounts from others who had played the system for years. The first game I actually got to play was Pf2. I never read about 5e let alone played it… Till now.

I have been fortunate enough to be a player in a 5e game. We are still going at it and I still have a lot to learn about 5e. However, I have enough to be able to get some initial thoughts out.

In this kinda review kinda look back I try to see what 5e is good at, how it compares to my preferred system: pf2 and what challenges the system faces.

Generic Heroic Fantasy

5e is a generic heroic fantasy system.

Generic in that the system can be used in just about any fantasy setting. If there is magic and dragons then it likely would work just fine in 5e. The only caveat would be that the world should be high magic. A low magic world could also be done, however, it would require the gm to limit player options.

Heroic in that the player characters are the heroes of the story and will be very strong in relation to only the most threatening of foes. Characters are hardy and the group can expect to see few if any pc deaths. Especially at higher levels.

The Past and Current King

After looking into the system and with my knowledge about other systems, I can confidently say that 5e does indeed deserve to be the king of games. The system is easy enough for a person who has never played before to be able to jump in and game with perhaps half an hour of instruction. Even a group of players who has never played before could piece together how to play.

The game also grows with the player. After a few sessions, players will reach level 3 and gain access to their sub class. Granting them even more abilities. Soon after, players get to choose feats. All the while, they are likely to be gaining magic items to further enhance their characters abilities.

The game is also extremely forgiving. Player Characters are resilient and hard to kill if the GM is balancing encounters using the given guidelines. This ensures that starting groups get to feel powerful and heroic. Even at early levels when characters are most vulnerable.

The game also has its famous bounded accuracy. Essentially, the numbers that you will be adding together in the game tend to be limited. This simplifies the amount of mental math that the players have to do making the game run smoother at the table.

As for character options, beginner players get a good list of character classes to choose from. These classes then also include many subclass options. Allowing for the system to grow without having to create entirely new classes. Advanced players can also multiclass. Granting them the ability to create specialized characters that are the best at their specific niche.

Compared to Pf2

Pf2 is better at a lot of things. However, compared to 5e the system is much more niche. It requires much more investment than 5e. After GMing for a while I believe most players want to:

• Feel powerful and important.
• Have impact in the game.
• Track as little as possible.

Pf2 can do all these things, but 5e allows players to get that feeling easier.

5e classes tend to be designed to be self sufficient. They have their niche and are naturally good at that niche without any outside help. Pf2 classes also have niches, however they tend to require outside support to really shine. The extra level of teamwork required in Pf2 can make for very cool moments at the table, but for a more casual group, 5e will just be easier.

Spell casters in 5e have a wide range of spells that allow them to tackle all sorts of things as well as letting them deal significant damage. Pf2 spells are the same, however, pf2 has the 4 degrees of success. Most spells in pf2 are balanced such that creatures will be successful on their save. These spells still have impact should they be used in the correct tactical manner. However one complaint I get from my players all the time is that since most creates are able to successfully save, the spell does not feel impactful.

Compare this to dnd, spells are balanced so most creatures will FAIL their saves. The actual numerical impact is likely similar in both systems, however the 5e caster feels much more powerful.

Both pf2 and 5e have plenty of spells and abilities, however in the case of 5e, the number of abilities is generally smaller. In 5e players will have a small list of go to actions they can take over and over again in any fight and still be fairly effective. Pf2 purposefully encourages characters to grow “horizontal”. Meaning you get a wide range of abilities that might be more or less effective in different situations. This tends to lead to more tactical depth, but will result in analysis paralysis for more casual players as well as just forgetting abilities.

The Good

5e is a very good entrance into the hobby. Accessible and expansive, the system can be taught without much effort.

The system can tackle old school dungeon crawl style games as well as more social or skill oriented games.

5e has a long history of support. Both third party and official. For players and GMs. Players who prefer this system can always rest easy knowing that at any point in the year they can look for something new to supplement their game and find it.

Problems

Even at the early levels. The titanic gap between marshal and caster characters is felt. I have not reached the higher levels of 5e play, but I know that it will only get worst. While most players will still have a good time simply playing their characters, a player that cares about doing well in combat should avoid the marshal classes or take special care when building one.

Character creation is incredibly limited when compared to pf2. This is of course by design. Players can just pick a class and they are good to go. Ensuring that players dont get overwhelmed. However, players seeking strange or more unique character ideas might feel stifled.

Thats it really! At least from the system side. The real problem with 5e is…

The 500lb Wizard in the Room

Hasbro / WotC will go down in history as one of the greatest business blunders of all time. It is a little tiring to bring up at this point but I have a clear memory of how things used to be before the OGL Scandal vs how they progressed after and how they are now.

In one fell swoop, the consensus was broken. Where once it was a very hard thing to try and get groups to play anything that isn’t 5e, it has now become much easier. Where once it was assumed that every supplement for any game would have a 5e version, now that isn’t the case. Creators have moved on from 5e in a big way. Many of them creating their own games. Games that are starting to come out now.

Hasbro has of course gone back on the OGL. They have even, in my mind at least, atoned for their mistake by releasing 5e into the creative commons. Making the system one of the most free and generous systems for third party creators to make content for. Despite this, creators are not supporting the system nearly as much as they where before the OGL.

Hasbro themselves have all but admitted that they themselves would not be releasing as much support for the system too. The DnD arm of the company has lost all of its upper leadership. They have also recently announced they will be moving to a “franchise” model. Exactly what this means is not clear, however one thing is for certain: they are not announcing new books. Any new books that come out are likely to be third party creators who acquire the license from WotC.

Conclusion

I kinda wish I had gotten into 5e long ago. Sadly I never really got a chance. Playing this game at its height would have been really cool. Tons of players to play with, tons of support to play all types of games. New support coming out every month. It must have been really cool.

Even so, I am happy that I get to play it now. The game is good. Its well known. Its still the easiest game to get players for. The only problem is that it is clearly in decline. I have heard it said that before the OGL, perhaps about 60 - 70% of all tables playing an rpg where playing 5e. Today, that number is likely around 30 - 40%. Compared to the less than single digit percentage that most other games have, that is still a super majority. However, over time, as more and more high profile creators make new games and 5e’s official support wains, this number is bound to get smaller and smaller.

Even so, its hard to imagine that it would ever be hard to find players for 5e. Even years into the future I still think there will always be a high number of 5e players. Will it always be the biggest system? That remains to be seen. However, if you are looking to run a fantasy game, you really cant go wrong with 5e. Give it a spin.