Yeah, totally agree about the spell concentration thing. It took me a while to figure that one out. I will never waste my concentration slot on Blur again!
I also at first underestimated the importance of the background choice (outlander, urchin, acolyte, etc.) because that is not a re-spec option later on. Many classes do not get to choose a lot of skills, and those backgrounds can be really useful if you pick the right one. Roleplay be damned, now I always choose a background with Sleight of Hand so that I don't have to keep a thief in my party at all times.
Dual wield hand crossbows ... the ability to do a ranged attack as a bonus action is so powerful, especially at lower levels. And, you don't lose the shield bonus while doing it!
I miss having wands. I'd love to get a wand that works as a bonus action, so I won't need to carry dual hand crossbows all the time.
