Gameplay: Rocket Tag!

After twenty or so sessions of play, I can definitely say that 5e features a lot of rocket tag combat. The term describes combats where the first team to hit generally wins. Of course, as with any format that uses randomization, sometimes a few lucky rolls can turn the tables. But in that absence of that, a DM wishing to avoid a TPK will have to constuct a convincing out to save an unlucky party, particularly at lower levels.

Generally speaking, this makes 5e more like 3e. In 3e, damage values climbed rapidly compared to hit points. In 4e, damage and hit point values scaled closer together. Part of how the damage out-stripped hit points in 3e was the bonus scale, where the attack bonus curve eclipsed the AC curve. However, for saving throws and their DCs, the bonus of saving throws eventually eclipsed the DCs, particularly for spell casters. Also, the way save DCs were calculated meant that most casters wouldn't cast their lower level spells. 4e flattened the bonus curves and normalized them. 5e flattened the curves even further. Barring magical intervention, your attack will cap +11. A character proficient in heavy armor using a shield will cap at AC 20. A spell caster's saving throw DC will cap at 19. The saving throw bonus will cap at +11, like attacks. The highest level monsters released so far are Tiamat and the Tarrasque, both with AC 25.

There a benefits and drawbacks to rocket tagging. Generally, it keeps combat shorter and encourages pro-active tactics, but it heightens the importance of a good initiative score and, failing that, being able to overwhelm your opponents. Non-rocket tag combats, however, allow for longer and more tactical encounters. They also emphasize more defensive strategies.

Ultimately, its more of a subjective preference that an objective statement of value. A more simulationist stance would prefer rocket tag, since most fights really are decided by who hits first. From a gamist perspective, something that allows a more tactical approach offers the players more options. From a narrativist perspective, it really matters how much the combat and narrative are tied together, and whether a shorter or longer fight makes a more interesting narrative.

A good system to illustrate a narrativist take is FATE. FATE's conflict resolution is technically rocket-tag, but you can opt to remain in a conflict by taking consequences that are as much mechanical effects as they are character traits and story hooks.

I've come to find I'm not much a simulationist and more of a gamist, but as time has gone on my preference is increasingly for narrativist. So I find the rocket tag by turns irksome (for example, when I get rocket tagged out of the battle before getting to take a turn) and a boon (for example, when we manage to quickly and efficiently end a combat and get to move onto the next part of the story).