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Advantage/Disadvantage is fantastic because it simply eliminates the long list of modifiers and we are (currently) reduced only to Ability Scores and Cover.

Also page 16, second paragraph of 'Selling Loot' - THANK YOU MIKE MEARLES!

The big winner for me is Advantage & Disadvantage.  It took a minute to get used to, but the idea has really grown on me.  The Hit Dice healing also seems pretty good.

Beyond that, I'll need to get some play time in to say.  There are several things I really dislike from the read through, but that's not what this thread is about.

For me, it's definitely the elimination of skills and the three-save model. I just beat Planescape: Torment, and that game really showed me just how superfluous skills really are. Even though you could only be a fighter, thief, or mage and the only options your had were spells and ability scores, I was surprised how unique my character could feel based on just those options.

And perhaps most importantly: this will be the easiest edition yet to bring in new players. 1st ed was counter-intuitive and restrictive, 3rd ed was unforgiving complex, and 4th ed felt like a wargame (never looked into second edition). Accessibility is one of the most undervalued assets of a gaming system, and I'm glad to see 5th ed feels rock-solid in this context.  

I want to preface this with that I am reguarly telling people, that I am a 4E Player and you cant make me go back. I've played 2nd Ed some and played 3rd edition till 4th came out. One of the core design goals I remember reading for 4E was that tehy wanted to make it more fun to play. 3rd edition had embraced structure in the rules and 4th sought to make those rules more fun and less  biased and powergame-y.

With all that said. I am absolutely loving just about everything I have seen so far with the direction they are going with Next. The Classic Heroic adventure stylings of 1st-2nd edition with a more refined game-play structure of 3rd and 4th.

Things I like:

Advantage/Disadvantage - Simple and very utilitarian. Combined with Simple DC's that can be assigned by the DM or used in a contested roll its a very simple solution to numerous modifiers.

The fact that the bonuses a character recieves as it levels appear to be very slow (and thus making the gaining of those bonuses more pronounced) you dont need alot of modifiers and your target DC's, AC's etc do not need to have an ever upward power escalation (half level bonus etc) to 'remain competative' etc..

Equipment matters! Money! Matters!! As much as I like 4E if I had one true big complaint, it is that the magic item system disillusions you to the significance of magic items. Aquiring Gold in 4E is almost a non-treasure. The significance of having gold to pay for misc items like healers potions and kits, caltrops and ball barrings. Tracking ammo! (I never thought I'd be almost giddy to care about tracking ammo, because it would make getting arrows off of corposes all the more significant or possible timely).

Once again, as a 4E Player I'm a little surprized I'm saying this but I like the power curve. characters are not super-stars or billionairs compared to commmoners. The more classic 1st/2nd ed. power curve is actually welcome I think while learning from 3rd and 4th a that value of At-Will, Encounter, Daily Power structure. Wizards no longer have to break out their crossbow cause they ran out of spells and fighters get assorted augments to their attack ability such as Cleave or the ability to make multiple attacks.

Race, Class, Theme and Background. The value of htis concept I think is one of my favorite  of all. You no longer have to cram everything into a single class or race. I envision that things like Multi-Classing will be almost unnessiary under this structure. The suggestion earlier that a Fighter with Guardian will play different that a Fighter with Slayer or one with the Healer or even the Magic User theme provided that most themes do not have too many class/race limits.  I also like how Background complement everything else. Combined with I assume is a the fifth customizing axis of chosable feats (vs those supplied via class, race, theme or background), players hopefully will have enough of a variety of choices to make for diverse characters.

I think my only complaints so far is that I dont like Vanican Magic concept.  I like the idea of the wizard having a portfolio of prepared spells and can cast any of its prepared spells if it has an available spell slot of hte appropriate level. Prehaps give wizards a larger pool of preparable spells but fewer spells per day to help highlight wizards flexability and/or make wizards as a class gifted at casting ritualized spells (reduced cost, cast time or enhanced duration, whatever).

Oh. And Has anyone noticed that the Adventurers Kit only has 9.5gp and 27lbs worth of stuff in it for a cost of 10gp and 40lbs!?

(sorry for the long post)

The effects of the Magic items were at the end of the Adventure.

As far as Flanking Goes, since the basic game assumes no grid and doesnt push the idea of tactical positioning I'm not surprized its not in their.

The rules do make mention of facing, that opens the window to perhaps have an enemy being flaked either grants advantage to enemies on one side if them . OR they can have themselves have disadvantage on any of its attacks as they split their attention both facings but, do not grant advantage to their enemies. This is easily in the realm of DM adjudication as a situational benefit.