Interest check for D&D 5e 2014 vs 2024

Hey everyone, I haven't been on GP in a while and recently returned. I see lots of different types of games going on. I wanted to see just how many people are still interested in D&D 5e and of those that do which really only want to play the 2024 / 5.5 version vs still good with the 2014 / 5.0 version.

I plan to post a game later this week closer to the end of the week. I find the 5.5/5.24 version of d&d interesting, though haven't invested yet and thus would be limited to the basic rules and what I can find through youtube videos mostly. With that level of investment, I'm tempted to keep it a 5.14 game with some tweeks, but if most people here have moved on from that then I'd have to do some thinking.

We recently started a D&D 2024 Free rules and it started out pretty well. I would suggest that you lookup all of the origin feats and ancestries, which are pretty simple to find and give some additional options. Our game was going pretty well that the DM switched to the full rules after a few weeks. If you start at level 1, you have plenty of time before you need sub classes or additional feats.

My preference is 5e + 5.5e...not unlike how 3.0 and 3.5 worked.

If it got updated in the later revisionary version, you use that. If it didn't get updated/revised the previous material is still usable.

Ie. A 5e race that didn't get revamped would be usable, same goes with a class, a subclass, a feat, a spell, etc.

I like them both...I don't necessarily like the idea of treating 2014 as obsolete in order to play a 5.5e game.

New is always an investment. $$$ and/or time. I set well with 5e like most all that haven't put in that investment. I don't feel that 5.5e has taken enough over say 'Yeah Do It'. It is safe to say 5e is still a valid option over using 5.5e system. The game system 5.5e is still a novelty.

I agree with Sardis, although I will say this:

If you use a 2014 race, I feel like using a 2014 background is the right answer. Backgrounds in 2024 provide stat bonuses, races don't. Using a 2014 race and a 2024 background to double-dip stats is unbalancing.

Also... there are some corner case situations, like using the Eldritch Adept feat from 2014 to grab one of the three Pact invocations (Pact of the Blade, Tome, and Chain are all Invocations in 2024).

And I agree with all of MaJunior's counter points!

I'd add:

When it comes to 2014 races, I say remove the ability increases from the race and gain it through a 2024 background.

If using a 2014 background, work with the GM to make it 2024 compatible.

I am going to keep this post up for a few more days as I see opinions, although I will say I am leaning towards sticking with the original edition for this one, unless something convinces me otherwise. If I do that, nothing from the 2024 version would be available, though I will admit some changes in the 2024 version do seem appealing, like the simplified version of bonus action spell rules, as simply saying only one spell slot per turn is much more easy to understand

I will ask for one exception (even if I'm not in the game):

Are you willing to use the 2024 version of True Strike?

Absolutely, yes. The new true strike is the biggest glow up in 5.5/5.24

I think the 2024 warlock invocation progression is what 5e 2014 always should have been.

Right?! It's actually really good now. It went from the worst spell imaginable to a strong contender for a must-pick.
I like it, overall. I just don't know how I feel about the Pacts being Invocations now.

I think that the 2024 warlock is more viable now. The 2014 version was easy to mess up, and paint you into a corner with. I'm currently playing a 2024 warlock, and while we havent been into combat yet, I'm not as worried about have made a build mistake.

@Ironmonger42, the game version is not the deciding factor for a game. To me, anyway, its the story and the setting. 2024 is shining and new, and that alone has its appeal, but its not the most important ting for me anymore.

My 2 cents: while I'm totally against mixing 2024 with any previous content I'm happy with either:
- still play yet another game with old rules, but be able to pick a neat sub-class from tashas
- play the patched 2024 with all the fixes and choose class that was too weak or edgy in 2014

It was a corporate push to get 5.5 out for the 50th anniversary, and it shows.
Instead a clean break with a full system update, its a sprinkling of tweaks here are there.
The big change was character creation, with background templets to make it easier for new players,
but it feels limiting and forced to experienced players.

Some of the spell changes are interesting, that is really getting into the weeds of how and why the changes were made.

The problem is it's not a clean break, so it's just confusing trying to remember what changed.
Loads of people stay with 2014, and I can relate.
Is it worth re-learning minor detail changes and corporate mandates to streamline character creation for a tiny bit of better balance?

It does Not fix D&D, and in some ways makes it worse. I'm ready to try Pathfinder for that clean break.
It Does give license to homebrew. Cherry-pick the changes you do like.

@Grendar what type of games did you play using 2024 to come up with such opinion? Looks like that's games to not play (and I would like to know what are those games), because if my games both as DM and player 2024 really shines compared to 2014

I will agree as someone who has played D&D for 45 years - the stats and starting feat forced with a background is the thing I hate the most about the new system. Maybe if you are brand new it helps, but just let people pick the background, stat boost, and feat they want.

Someone mentioned Pathfinder 2 as a clean break. I just started in a game of that. It has its own quirks - but has been fun.

Really - the story is the key - the system being 5e or 5.5e - either will work and they are not so different.

Custom background is part of PBP 2024, isn't it? Blame your DM for not letting you use it, not the system.

Technically, custom backgrounds are part of the dungeon Masters guide, not the player's handbook for 2024. As such, eBay dungeon master is the type to only want to run things that are official, trust and backgrounds is not official without the dungeon master thinking it is okay. I personally think it should have been in the player's handbook just like it was in the 2014 version though

@Ironmonger42 what kind of game did you have in mind?
Setting? Type, starting level... that kind of thing?

Custom background in 2024 PHB would be a big help. Some people don't even know a 2024 system came out.
When I go to a game IRL, I pull out both books and ask "which one are we using?" and a couple DMs are shocked there is another book.