While there might be an uproar here about Divine Smite or there about Wild Shape, in nearly every regard, I think that the 2024 revision to the Player's Handbook has been a successful one.
We've seen, overall, a better balance between the power of different classes and character builds, and a lot of fun new ideas added to the game.
But we need to talk about Backgrounds.
In 2014 D&D, a Background was about 90% an aesthetic choice. This is a Role-Playing game, though, and a character's backstory and vibe are, I think, important things to consider. The vibe of a Fighter could be very different if they're a Soldier or an Entertainer.
Of the three big choices you make when you create a character, Background in the 2014 rules fell far behind Class and Species (then called Race). This was particularly true before Tasha's Cauldron of Everything came out, when racial bonuses to ability scores would play a strong role in determining what class you might play as a given race (or vice versa). For example, a Dragonborn in 2014 got a +2 bonus to Strength and a +1 bonus to Charisma. These are excellent bonuses for a Paladin, but not so great for a Monk. Thus, you tended to see a lot of Dragonborn Paladins. Indeed, I, at least, often felt pushed to avoid building character concepts I liked because, for example, a Tiefling Cleric wasn't going to get any real benefit from their +2 to Charisma or +1 to Intelligence.
Thus, when Tasha's came out, it was a fantastic relief - suddenly, you could make exactly the character you wanted to. Sure, some species abilities were suited a bit more toward certain character concepts (species with natural weapons seemed really better for Strength-based characters) but it worked out overall pretty well.
A Dwarf Warlock, an Elf Barbarian, etc. - all of these were now perfectly reasonable.
Backgrounds, of course, in the 2014 version of the game, were one of the three "big choices" you made upon character creation, but in practice, Backgrounds were sort of just a flavor choice - they had skills attached to them, as well as some starting equipment and money, and then a feature that I think about 5% of any tables ever actually used - like the Acolyte's ability to find lodging with members of their church.
In 2024, Backgrounds have been seriously pushed forward as an important character choice. They're still not going to be nearly as impactful as your class, but it's arguable that they're at least close to the importance of your species.
And honestly, I applaud this.
Backgrounds, as before, give you two skill proficiencies and some starting gear (most of which is more flavorful than functional) but there were two giant additions to them:
The first is just a pure boon (or almost is) - in place of those oft-ignored Background features from 2014, you now get an Origin Feat from them. That's huge, and I'd argue fun. There's a bit of an asterisk here, as some origin feats are a lot more powerful than others (I think on most characters I'd be happier to get Tough than Crafter) but honestly, I think if this were it, I'd be pretty satisfied with the system.
The second thing, though, is that you now get your ability score bonuses that used to come from your species via your background - the old classic +2/+1 or +1/+1/+1. But the background determines which three ability scores you can choose from for these bonuses.
And that re-creates the old problem.
Back in 2014, if you wanted to play a Tiefling Cleric, for example, and you were using Point Buy or the Standard Array, or just didn't roll any particularly high ability scores, there was no way for you to start with a +3 to Wisdom. Generally, I try to give any brand-new character a +3 to their most important stat. Maybe that's not strictly necessary (and in a world of new general feats, I'm no longer going to assume every character is hitting 20 in their main stat at level 8) but it didn't feel great that a Hill Dwarf or Wood Elf Cleric had a leg up.
As an example of how this would disadvantage me, my... either longest or second-longest-running character (I have been playing my Wizard for a good while now, though probably fewer sessions, as we have had to cancel a lot), my Eldritch Knight Fighter, had the Sage background, because after he was trained as a guard (and thus a Fighter) he was taken in by a powerful archmage as a protege and taught the basics of arcane magic. But, built using the 2024 rules, his Sage background would only allow him to boost his Constitution, Intelligence and WIsdom. Naturally, Con and Int would be good for him, but it would mean that with the 14 or whatever I rolled in Strength, I'd be a bit behind on getting that maxed out, compared with taking something like a Soldier, Guard, or Farmer.
The thing is, being a Sage was pretty central to his character - he had a bit of a chip on his shoulder about not being a full Wizard, but overall that academic environment was pretty key to his identity, in a way that wouldn't really be covered by the "Guard" background for his short stint in that line of work. Really, primarily, the nature of his training as a fighter was very academic and kind of scientific in nature, studying historical forms and working with other Eldritch Knights and masters-of-arms to refine his technique and discipline.
Now, sure, I could take the feat. Indeed, it would even let him be a little more Eldritch-Knight-y at levels 1 and 2 (though we started at level 3 in that campaign) and thus have the core basics - Green-Flame Blade, Booming Blade, and the Shield spell - to start.
But the way these backgrounds work, they kind of funnel people into particular classes, or rather, you're going to feel pushed to pick up certain backgrounds based on which class you're playing. As I've written before, we're going to see an absolute influx of Sailor Monks. Meanwhile, though, my speculative Circle of the Sea Druid is going to be sitting on a somewhat useless Tavern Brawler feat for a character who would primarily focus on spellcasting.
So, what's the solution?
The first possibility could be revealed to us as early as November. The Dungeon Master's Guide will be coming out then, and within it, I've seen rumors (somewhere, I can't recall) that there will be rules for customizing backgrounds, which could be as open and free as just "pick you ability bonuses, your origin feat, and your skill proficiencies," which would basically put this whole issue to bed.
And while I think this is probably the right solution, there is a little part of me that likes the notion that a background should carry some more mechanical heft to it while still wanting to allow people freedom to pick the background that fits their character concept without hamstringing themselves.
The possible solution in that scenario?
Well, basically, more backgrounds.
Over the course of 5E, we've had tons of backgrounds that are fairly similar to ones that have come before. A Marine is somewhere between a Soldier and a Sailor. A Cloistered Scholar is pretty similar to a Sage. A Knight kind of gives you Noble-like vibes, but with a different kind of angle.
Already, in the PHB, we have the Sage and Scribe backgrounds. The Sage gives us Arcana and History, proficiency in Calligrapher's Supplies (and the supplies themselves,) as well as the Magic Initiate (Wizard) origin feat and potential boosts in Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom. The Scribe - admittedly not as explicitly a student of the arcane, gives us Investigation and Perception, the Skilled Feat, Calligrapher's Supplies as well (I mean, if anyone should get it...) and potential boosts to Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom.
Still a bit SOL on a Strength boost for my character, but the point is that you could have a background like "Librarian" where you might have gotten strong from lifting heavy books.
If we could be inundated with backgrounds that have tons of different angles on various character concepts, it might be ok.
I mean, to be sure, there's an argument that there should just be custom backgrounds all the way - if neither Sage, Scribe, nor any other background that fits your concept has the right feat you want.
Again, this could all be moot when the DMG comes out in November, but I do wonder, if it doesn't, if this will prompt some future "customize your background" rule in a big rules-expansion book.
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