TechnicleeWhat changed between 2014 and 2024 5e?
The 2024 fifth edition rules keep the core of the game. You still roll a d20, add a modifier and try to reach a target number. Your background now sets your ability score increases and gives you a feat, and every class picks its subclass at level 3. Weapons have mastery properties, and grappling, surprise, Exhaustion and inspiration all use new rules. Each rule below comes from the free System Reference Document (SRD), version 5.1 for 2014 and version 5.2.1 for 2024.
The changes side by side
| Rule | 2014 (SRD 5.1) | 2024 (SRD 5.2.1) |
|---|---|---|
| Ability score increases | Come from your race | Come from your background |
| Race | Called race; gives ability increases and languages | Called species; gives size, Speed and special traits |
| Feats | Optional rule, taken in place of an Ability Score Improvement | Every background gives an Origin feat |
| Subclass | Chosen at level 1, 2 or 3, depending on class | Chosen at level 3 by every class |
| Weapon mastery | None | Eight mastery properties, unlocked by class features |
| Two-weapon fighting | A general combat rule | Part of the Light weapon property |
| Inspiration | Spend it for Advantage on one roll | Spend Heroic Inspiration to reroll any die |
| Surprise | You lose your first turn | You have Disadvantage on Initiative |
| Exhaustion | Six levels, each with its own effect | Each level takes 2 off D20 Tests and 5 feet off Speed |
| Grappling | Contested Athletics check | Target makes a Strength or Dexterity saving throw |
| Two spells in a turn | A Bonus Action spell limits your action to a cantrip | You can expend one spell slot per turn |
Backgrounds now set your ability scores
In 2014, your race gave your ability score increases. A dwarf got +2 Constitution and an elf got +2 Dexterity. Your background gave you two skills, often a tool, and sometimes languages.
In 2024, the background does that job. Each background lists three ability scores. You add 2 to one and 1 to another, or 1 to all three, and none of them can go above 20. The background also gives you an Origin feat, two skill proficiencies, one tool proficiency and a choice between an equipment package and 50 GP. The SRD 5.2.1 includes four backgrounds: Acolyte, Criminal, Sage and Soldier.
Race is now called species. A species sets your creature type, size, Speed and special traits. Ability score increases and languages now come from other steps. Every character knows Common plus two languages they choose or roll. The SRD species are Dragonborn, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Goliath, Halfling, Human, Orc and Tiefling.
Every character gets a feat at level 1
Feats were an optional rule in 2014. If your group used that rule, you could take a feat in place of an Ability Score Improvement. In 2024, every character starts with the Origin feat from their background, and the Ability Score Improvement is itself a feat.
Feats now sit in four categories: Origin, General, Fighting Style and Epic Boon. The SRD Origin feats are Alert, Magic Initiate, Savage Attacker and Skilled. The General feats in the SRD need level 4 or higher, and Epic Boons need level 19.
Every class picks its subclass at level 3
In 2014 the level depended on your class. The Cleric, Sorcerer and Warlock chose at level 1, and the Druid and Wizard chose at level 2. In 2024, all twelve classes choose at level 3. The SRD 5.2.1 gives one subclass for each class, such as the Champion for the Fighter and the Evoker for the Wizard.
Weapons gained mastery properties
Every weapon in the 2024 Weapons table has a mastery property. There are eight of them: Cleave, Graze, Nick, Push, Sap, Slow, Topple and Vex. You can use a weapon’s mastery property only when a feature unlocks it for you. In the SRD, the Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger and Rogue each get the Weapon Mastery feature at level 1.
Two-weapon fighting moved into the Light property. When you attack with a Light weapon as part of the Attack action, you can make one extra attack with a different Light weapon. That extra attack uses your Bonus Action. The Nick mastery property lets you make that extra attack as part of the Attack action, which keeps your Bonus Action free.
Actions have new names and set jobs
The 2024 rules list twelve main actions: Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Help, Hide, Influence, Magic, Ready, Search, Study and Utilize. Several of them are new or renamed.
| 2014 | 2024 | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Cast a Spell | Magic | Covers casting a spell, using a magic item or using a magical feature |
| Use an Object | Utilize | New name for the same job |
| Search | Search and Study | Search is a Wisdom check; Study is an Intelligence check |
| None | Influence | A Charisma or Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to change a creature’s attitude |
| Help | Help | To help an ability check, you choose one of your own skill or tool proficiencies |
| Hide | Hide | A DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check while Heavily Obscured or behind Three-Quarters or Total Cover |
The Attack action now lets you equip or unequip one weapon with each attack you make. Spellcasting has a simpler limit too. In 2014, casting a spell as a Bonus Action limited the rest of your turn to a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action. In 2024, you can expend only one spell slot per turn.
Inspiration, surprise, Exhaustion and grappling use new rules
Heroic Inspiration replaces inspiration. In 2014, you spent inspiration to gain Advantage on an attack roll, saving throw or ability check. In 2024, you spend Heroic Inspiration to reroll any die right after you roll it, and you use the new roll. Human characters start each day with it.
Surprise now affects Initiative. A surprised creature has Disadvantage on its Initiative roll. In 2014, a surprised creature skipped its move and action on its first turn. It also had to wait until that turn ended to take a reaction.
Exhaustion is now a flat penalty. In 2014 it had six levels, each with its own effect, from Disadvantage on ability checks at level 1 to death at level 6. In 2024, each level reduces your D20 Tests by 2 and your Speed by 5 feet. A D20 Test is the 2024 name for any ability check, attack roll or saving throw. You still die at level 6, and a Long Rest removes one level.
Grappling now uses a saving throw. In 2014 you made a Strength (Athletics) check against the target’s Athletics or Acrobatics check. In 2024, you grapple with an Unarmed Strike. The target makes a Strength or Dexterity saving throw against a DC of 8 plus your Strength modifier and Proficiency Bonus. A Grappled creature also has Disadvantage on attack rolls against any target other than the grappler.
Smaller changes worth knowing
When you knock a creature out with a melee attack, it now drops to 1 Hit Point and starts a Short Rest. In 2014 it dropped to 0 Hit Points and was stable. You can also choose to fail a saving throw without rolling, and the Concentration save DC tops out at 30.
If you have proficiency with both the tool and the skill used for a check, you have Advantage on it. Hit Dice are now called Hit Point Dice.
Monster stat blocks show Initiative, and their attacks read “Melee Attack Roll: +4” in place of “Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit”. Several monsters have new names, such as the Goblin Warrior, which was the Goblin, and the Tough, which was the Thug.
Rules outside the SRD are left out
The 2024 core books hold more subclasses, backgrounds, feats, spells and monsters than the SRD 5.2.1 does. This summary covers rules in the two free SRDs only, so it leaves the rest out. If your group owns the full books, check those changes there.
How to check a 2014 character against the 2024 rules
- Move your ability score increases from your race to your background.
- Take the Origin feat your background gives.
- Use the 2024 species entry for your size, Speed and traits.
- Choose two languages on top of Common.
- Move your subclass choice to level 3 if your class picked earlier.
- Note your weapons’ mastery properties if your class has Weapon Mastery.
- Read the 2024 version of each spell on your list before you play.
The SRD 5.2.1 is free to download at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd, and its Rules Glossary holds most of the rules above.
This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 (“SRD 5.2.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.