On Equipment:
- Playing Cards are now an item instead of the more generic Gaming Set.
- Potions of Healing are described as being red.
- Spellbook is not described as a magic focus, but this might just be a difference between the full game and the basic game.
- Tinderbox now specifies that lighting more challenging fires takes 1 minute, instead of at least as long as a torch (1 action).
- Torch specifies it deals 1 fire damage if you hit someone with it (and it’s burning, obviously).
- All of the Mounts, Tack & Harness, Food, Drink and Lodging tables are new.
On Weapons (and Armour):
- Splint Mail reduces your speed by 10 feet if your Strength is lower than 15. (Previously, it just reduced speed by 5 feet).
- Javelins can be used in melee or thrown.
- There are minor adjustments to the weights of weapons. E.g. Clubs, Handaxes, Javelins, and Light Hammers weigh less.
- Quite a few weapons aren’t listed in the starter set; e.g. Sling, Flail and Pike.
On Spells:
- Warding Bond is a new 2nd level cleric spell
- Revivify and Spirit Guardians are new 3rd level cleric spells
- There is no Read Magic in the starter set cantrips for Wizards!
- Misty Step is a new 2nd level wizard spell
- DC to resist spells is 8+proficiency modifier+spellcasting ability modifier rather than 10+spellcasting ability modifier (the latter was retained in the How to Play document, despite being replaced in the Classes document)
- It’s Wizard, not Mage!
On Magic Items:
- Boots of Striding and Springing give a flat speed of 30 feet if you are normally slower, in addition to other effects that were in the playtest.
- +1 armour never rusts nor deteriorates.
- You can identify items by concentrating on them during a short rest.
- Potions can be identified by a taste test. (In the playtest, this might not have worked).
- You can end your attunement to an item with a short rest. In the playtest, it instead required 10 minutes.
- Likewise, attuning to an item takes a short rest rather than 10 minutes.
Further changes are listed here (Starter Set Fighter) and here (Wilderness Map Changes)
very interesting the armour vs strength thingie