TechnicleeCan you mix 2014 and 2024 5e rules at one table?
Most 2014 and 2024 fifth edition material runs together at one table, because both versions share the same d20 core. Ability scores, Advantage, Cover, Critical Hits and the Proficiency Bonus work the same way in both. Problems start where a rule exists in both versions with different text, such as grappling or surprise. Pick one version of each of those rules for the whole group. Then build each character from one rule set, start to finish.
The parts both versions share
Both versions use the same six abilities and the same modifiers. You roll a d20, add your modifier and compare the total with a DC or an Armor Class. Advantage and Disadvantage work the same way. You roll two d20s and keep the higher or the lower, and extra sources of Advantage still add only one die.
The Proficiency Bonus starts at +2 at level 1 and reaches +6 at level 17 in both versions. A Critical Hit rolls the attack’s damage dice twice in both. Half Cover gives +2 to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and Three-Quarters Cover gives +5. An Opportunity Attack still triggers when a creature you can see leaves your reach.
Because this core is shared, a 2014 adventure, map or monster uses the same numbers a 2024 game reads. The friction comes from the rules below.
Rules you need to pick one version of
These rules appear in both SRDs with different mechanics. If half the table uses one version and half uses the other, the same action gives two results. Choose one column for each row and use it for everyone.
| Rule | 2014 (SRD 5.1) | 2024 (SRD 5.2.1) |
|---|---|---|
| Grappling and shoving | Contested Strength (Athletics) check | Target makes a Strength or Dexterity saving throw |
| Surprise | Surprised creatures lose their first turn | Surprised creatures have Disadvantage on Initiative |
| Exhaustion | Six levels with a different effect at each | Each level takes 2 off D20 Tests and 5 feet off Speed |
| Inspiration | Gives Advantage on one roll | Lets you reroll any die |
| Hiding | Stealth check contested by Perception | DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check; the total becomes the DC to find you |
| Help | Advantage on an ally’s next check for the task | You choose one of your own skill or tool proficiencies to help with |
| Knocking a creature out | 0 Hit Points and stable | 1 Hit Point and a Short Rest |
| Casting two spells in a turn | A Bonus Action spell limits your action to a cantrip | You can expend one spell slot per turn |
The 2024 rules call ability checks, attack rolls and saving throws D20 Tests. If you pick the 2024 Exhaustion rule, the penalty applies to all three.
Build each character from one rule set
Character creation needs the most care. In 2014, your race gives your ability score increases. In 2024, your background gives them. A character built with a 2014 race and a 2024 background gets both sets of increases. A character with a 2024 species and a 2014 background gets neither.
The same goes for feats. Every 2024 background gives an Origin feat, so every 2024 character starts with one. In 2014, feats were an optional rule taken in place of an Ability Score Improvement.
Classes also changed shape. A 2014 Cleric chooses a domain at level 1, and a 2024 Cleric chooses a subclass at level 3. A 2024 Fighter, Barbarian, Paladin, Ranger or Rogue gets Weapon Mastery at level 1, a feature that is new in 2024. Take a class from one version, from level 1 up, and keep its features together.
Neither SRD covers a party where one player uses a 2014 class and another uses a 2024 class. If your group allows that, keep each character inside one version. Expect the 2024 characters to have extra options, such as weapon mastery.
Spells with the same name can work differently
Many spells appear in both SRDs under the same name with new numbers. Cure Wounds is a clear example. The 2014 version heals 1d8 plus your spellcasting ability modifier and adds 1d8 for each slot level above 1st. The 2024 version heals 2d8 plus your modifier and adds 2d8 for each slot level above 1.
Decide which version the group uses. The simplest rule is that each caster uses the spell text from their own class’s version. A group can also pick one version of every spell for the whole table.
Monsters from either version can join a fight
A 2014 stat block has every number you need to run it next to 2024 characters. It lists Armor Class, Hit Points, attack bonuses, damage and saving throws. A 2024 stat block also lists Initiative, and a 2014 monster rolls a Dexterity check for Initiative.
Read a 2014 monster’s traits against the rules your group picked. The 2014 Bugbear’s Surprise Attack trait, for example, deals extra damage when it surprises a creature. That trait still works under 2024 rules, but surprise itself now means Disadvantage on Initiative. Balancing 2014 monsters against 2024 characters is outside the SRD, so judge encounter difficulty by eye.
What the official SRD FAQ says
The official SRD FAQ says you can mix SRD 5.2 content with older material. It also says you need to check compatibility yourself, because the mechanics can differ. Both SRDs are under the same Creative Commons licence, so you can use either one, or both.
How to set up a mixed table
- List the rules your group uses that exist in both versions.
- Choose one version of each rule for the whole group.
- Write the choices on one page and share it before the first session.
- Build each character with one version’s origin rules.
- Take each class from one version, from level 1 up.
- Decide which version of each shared spell the group uses.
Both SRDs are free to download at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd, so every player can read the version the group picked.
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.