Click on a book DDB offers. You can buy access to the tools a la carte. You can, for instance, buy a single class and single race if you just want to build that race, or you can buy access to the tools for all the races and classes in a bundle. The compendium is further down the page. Unfortunately, since I own all the books, I can't tell you exactly how much everything is, but depending on the rulebook you can usually get the tools for around 50-70 percent of the price of the entire package.
Let's try it this way. You've bought a calculus textbook. DDB is offering you the ability to buy a graphing calculator and an ebook copy of the textbook. The fact that the same content in the textbook is programmed into the calculator, i.e. math, doesn't mean you get the calculator for free or that asking for it for free is a reasonable request. In order to use DDB's character builder you have to pay them for their work. Or you can do the work yourself for free. That's your choice.
Yes, it would be awesome if paying for the content in one form guaranteed you got every other form of that content and everything derived from it. It would be great if buying a Beastie Boys tape back in the 1980s gave me FLAC downloads of the songs for free, or buying a VHS of Star Wars guaranteed me a free copy of every new Blu-Ray release of the movie. But that's not really how publishing works.
I am curious what the 28 sources in the Bundle are as I only count 22 in the abstract. Further, I have picked up all but Tortle ($10) and Eberron ($20) which total $30 left to pick up, yet the Bundle in my Marketplace reflects I still have $70 worth of content I could pick up. It doesn't tell me what that content is and I am curious.
Anyone have a content listing for what is actually in the Bundle?
I believe that the Tales from the Yawning Portal adventures are considered separate, don't hold me to it, though.
Ah....yes, that would do it.... 21+7 = 28! Although the $69.30 remaining to purchase $30 of books (at list) remains a mystery.
Did you purchase any of the content using discount codes? The legendary bundle’s price is reduced by the actual amount you spend on included content, not that content’s list price. So if you bought everything in the legendary bundle, but bought most of it with, fo example,25% off codes, you could easily have the entire bundle for less than the bundle’s price. (The bundle is priced at 15% off, I believe)
Yeah, the reason I'm asking isn't to make an apples to apples comparison, we've already done that a lot. I think it would be lame if I have paid for access to content in some form (physical, roll20, FG, w/e) and DDB has this cool character builder but in order to use it you have to buy ACCESS to the same content again in order to use that content to which you already had access with the character builder. (buy or data entry which is even more lame)
Btw, how can you buy just character builder access without buying compendium access? Also, even if you can really can do this I think this is still so far a bad buying experience that this situation is made to be so confusing. Still though, allowing us to buy just character builder access without compendium access (even if it's confusing or hidden) is still better than not allowing it at all.
So taking the DMG pricing as an example it is $30 for compendium & character builder. $20 for only compendium. The sum of the Individual Purchases is $20 ... is that the character builder access only? If so, $20 is the value of the compendium and $20 is also the value of the character builder access. Essentially they cap you at $30 so if you buy both you get the 2nd one half off.
You can use the Character Builder for free. Always.
You can use the Character Builder for free and make a character using any of the rules from the SRD... for Free. $0 spent. No need to "rebuy" content.
You can use the character builder for free, and make a character using the extra rules not in the SRD by paying for just the options you want, only a couple of dollars for each addition, and once you've spent the equivalent of the full DDB PHB it will unlock the entire thing.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
You don't OWN your books on DDB: WotC can change them any time. What do you think will happen when OneD&D comes out?
Lame that the option to bypass the compendium and get only character builder access is so non-obvious.
Lame that $20 per book's access to the character builder is so high. It's a good tool but not that good and definitely not yet. People getting paid for the work they do is all good, just not worth $20 per pre-bought content access imo when there's at least 1 other great character builder out there made by people not requiring they get paid for their work that is at least on par with this tool if not better in some ways. I'm migrating over there currently. DDB fails to retain a paying user. Not to mention the dozens of referrals I have refrained from giving in just the past month or so. (Reminder, I blame wotc)
Yes, lots of other cool things going on though: content purchased registry, free usage with SRD, ability (even if really confusing) to use personal homebrew, cool looking, and more.
For Christmas this year, I treated myself to all the physical books and a lot of the campaigns. It is nice to have all the books. But I still find myself whipping out my iPad to prepare for games when I DM. When I'm running the game, the books all stay home. Same for when I play.
I can't say enough for how cool I think DDB is. There are a lot of tools that I have purchased in the past, but the one that I couldn't do without at my game table is DDB. My group had to level up last night, and it is so nice to see how quickly they can all do it, and I can instantly see what choices they are making. I can read back stories when I'm prepping or look at how they players have set up their characters.
I really wanted the physical books, as I wish I had kept my AD&D books. I would love to flip through them and remember the good times. The best part of digital, I like that my books will stay in great shape for years!
I'm saying for months I'd refer with a reluctant tone and now I stopped even mentioning DDB in part because it is overpriced in the situation I mentioned where you already own access to content in some form. Another part because I found something on par with it for free. It also lets you export your homebrew and distribute it however you want. If you own access to the content already you can import, reusing someone else's data entry. No need to pay a hidden $20 per book to bypass confusing and tedious data entry.
Well, just promise me one thing. If the free alternative is allowing people to violate WOTC's copyright and share content, try not to act surprised when it gets shut down.
Even if it does get cancelled it says a lot that people can and are willing to do the work of creating the tools without requiring to be paid for their work and they do a great job. To me it says the thing that's actually valuable is the content especially if you can trick people into buying access to the same content many times over.
Yes, the content is valuable, and services like yours that give people access to content they didn't actually pay for are certainly popular. It's just not really legal and probably not a good thing to advocate for here. And nobody's tricking anyone into buying the same content many times over. I have a hardcover PHB, I have the compendium of the PHB, and I have the tools on DDB because they're three completely different things. The hardcover will last and is a collectible and I can use it if the power goes off. The compendium allows me to carry around my entire collection on a single device. The tools on DDB help me generate characters and adventures incredibly quickly and easily.
DDB is also potentially "[giving] people access to content they didn't actually pay for" when they allow you to enter in homebrew content exactly like it is in the books without verifying that you have the book. A product only needs to have 1 legal way of using it in order to be legal. That's why you see people selling "water pipes" and brass knuckle shaped "belt buckles". They're not illegal.
I'm saying for months I'd refer with a reluctant tone and now I stopped even mentioning DDB in part because it is overpriced in the situation I mentioned where you already own access to content in some form. Another part because I found something on par with it for free. It also lets you export your homebrew and distribute it however you want. If you own access to the content already you can import, reusing someone else's data entry. No need to pay a hidden $20 per book to bypass confusing and tedious data entry.
Just an FYI, re-using someone's data entry of non SRD material is definitely illegal distribution/content piracy. That got brought up when MPMB's patreon got the C&D. That's why they weren't allowed to provide that data directly and it was delivered on a *wink wink nudge nudge, look over here at this other site that I definitely don't run* basis. I'm guessing you didn't have to prove that you owned the physical books before they let you download that data.
Any legal means of character/campaign/encounter management works on the same basis that DDB does, where you have to manually input materials you already have. For example, I just started using Improved Initiative to tide me over until DDB's encounter builder comes out. But I have to manually input everything there that isn't SRD as well. Calling it work is a bit of an overstatement. It's really just detailed session prep and adds maybe an extra hour to my prep time. It would probably be worse if I sat here and copied every single thing all at once, but the SRD has a lot of content already, so I just add what I need as I need it and it isn't that bad at all.
Well, yeah, I can technically create a copy of Infinity War by typing in the right string of ones and zeroes and nobody could stop me from doing that, but they still shut down public torrents and DMCA Usenet posts carrying the film. You can enter the books into DDB, sure, but if you don't own the books you already got ahold of them through illicit means. You're suggesting your site actively allows sharing of this content, which is a whole other ballgame.
I would like to offer a Thank You to everyone for expressing your opinions regarding pricing and physical vs. digital offerings. The feedback will certainly be reviewed and addressed accordingly.
As we depart this point in the thread's end, I would like to remind everyone that we are all compatriots of the world of Dungeons & Dragons. While passions may run fierce and the debates lengthy, we're all members of the same hobby. Lets remember the interest which brought us all here and links us on D&D Beyond. Treat your fellow player with respect, keep conversations civil and non-abusive, and lets all have an enjoyable time. Things continue to get better, one day at a time.
If you have any further concerns which you feel need to be addressed, you may contact the Moderatorsvia PM, or alternate parties below:
Click on a book DDB offers. You can buy access to the tools a la carte. You can, for instance, buy a single class and single race if you just want to build that race, or you can buy access to the tools for all the races and classes in a bundle. The compendium is further down the page. Unfortunately, since I own all the books, I can't tell you exactly how much everything is, but depending on the rulebook you can usually get the tools for around 50-70 percent of the price of the entire package.
Let's try it this way. You've bought a calculus textbook. DDB is offering you the ability to buy a graphing calculator and an ebook copy of the textbook. The fact that the same content in the textbook is programmed into the calculator, i.e. math, doesn't mean you get the calculator for free or that asking for it for free is a reasonable request. In order to use DDB's character builder you have to pay them for their work. Or you can do the work yourself for free. That's your choice.
Yes, it would be awesome if paying for the content in one form guaranteed you got every other form of that content and everything derived from it. It would be great if buying a Beastie Boys tape back in the 1980s gave me FLAC downloads of the songs for free, or buying a VHS of Star Wars guaranteed me a free copy of every new Blu-Ray release of the movie. But that's not really how publishing works.
Did you purchase any of the content using discount codes? The legendary bundle’s price is reduced by the actual amount you spend on included content, not that content’s list price. So if you bought everything in the legendary bundle, but bought most of it with, fo example,25% off codes, you could easily have the entire bundle for less than the bundle’s price. (The bundle is priced at 15% off, I believe)
Trying to Decide if DDB is for you? A few helpful threads: A Buyer's Guide to DDB; What I/We Bought and Why; How some DMs use DDB; A Newer Thread on Using DDB to Play
Helpful threads on other topics: Homebrew FAQ by IamSposta; Accessing Content by ConalTheGreat;
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You can use the Character Builder for free. Always.
You can use the Character Builder for free and make a character using any of the rules from the SRD... for Free. $0 spent. No need to "rebuy" content.
You can use the character builder for free, and make a character using the extra rules not in the SRD by paying for just the options you want, only a couple of dollars for each addition, and once you've spent the equivalent of the full DDB PHB it will unlock the entire thing.
You don't OWN your books on DDB: WotC can change them any time. What do you think will happen when OneD&D comes out?
So you're saying that you only would've referred people to DDB if nobody had to pay DDB anything so... what have they lost?
For Christmas this year, I treated myself to all the physical books and a lot of the campaigns. It is nice to have all the books. But I still find myself whipping out my iPad to prepare for games when I DM. When I'm running the game, the books all stay home. Same for when I play.
I can't say enough for how cool I think DDB is. There are a lot of tools that I have purchased in the past, but the one that I couldn't do without at my game table is DDB. My group had to level up last night, and it is so nice to see how quickly they can all do it, and I can instantly see what choices they are making. I can read back stories when I'm prepping or look at how they players have set up their characters.
I really wanted the physical books, as I wish I had kept my AD&D books. I would love to flip through them and remember the good times. The best part of digital, I like that my books will stay in great shape for years!
I'm saying for months I'd refer with a reluctant tone and now I stopped even mentioning DDB in part because it is overpriced in the situation I mentioned where you already own access to content in some form. Another part because I found something on par with it for free. It also lets you export your homebrew and distribute it however you want. If you own access to the content already you can import, reusing someone else's data entry. No need to pay a hidden $20 per book to bypass confusing and tedious data entry.
Well, just promise me one thing. If the free alternative is allowing people to violate WOTC's copyright and share content, try not to act surprised when it gets shut down.
Even if it does get cancelled it says a lot that people can and are willing to do the work of creating the tools without requiring to be paid for their work and they do a great job. To me it says the thing that's actually valuable is the content especially if you can trick people into buying access to the same content many times over.
Yes, the content is valuable, and services like yours that give people access to content they didn't actually pay for are certainly popular. It's just not really legal and probably not a good thing to advocate for here. And nobody's tricking anyone into buying the same content many times over. I have a hardcover PHB, I have the compendium of the PHB, and I have the tools on DDB because they're three completely different things. The hardcover will last and is a collectible and I can use it if the power goes off. The compendium allows me to carry around my entire collection on a single device. The tools on DDB help me generate characters and adventures incredibly quickly and easily.
DDB is also potentially "[giving] people access to content they didn't actually pay for" when they allow you to enter in homebrew content exactly like it is in the books without verifying that you have the book. A product only needs to have 1 legal way of using it in order to be legal. That's why you see people selling "water pipes" and brass knuckle shaped "belt buckles". They're not illegal.
Just an FYI, re-using someone's data entry of non SRD material is definitely illegal distribution/content piracy. That got brought up when MPMB's patreon got the C&D. That's why they weren't allowed to provide that data directly and it was delivered on a *wink wink nudge nudge, look over here at this other site that I definitely don't run* basis. I'm guessing you didn't have to prove that you owned the physical books before they let you download that data.
Any legal means of character/campaign/encounter management works on the same basis that DDB does, where you have to manually input materials you already have. For example, I just started using Improved Initiative to tide me over until DDB's encounter builder comes out. But I have to manually input everything there that isn't SRD as well. Calling it work is a bit of an overstatement. It's really just detailed session prep and adds maybe an extra hour to my prep time. It would probably be worse if I sat here and copied every single thing all at once, but the SRD has a lot of content already, so I just add what I need as I need it and it isn't that bad at all.
Well, yeah, I can technically create a copy of Infinity War by typing in the right string of ones and zeroes and nobody could stop me from doing that, but they still shut down public torrents and DMCA Usenet posts carrying the film. You can enter the books into DDB, sure, but if you don't own the books you already got ahold of them through illicit means. You're suggesting your site actively allows sharing of this content, which is a whole other ballgame.
I would like to offer a Thank You to everyone for expressing your opinions regarding pricing and physical vs. digital offerings. The feedback will certainly be reviewed and addressed accordingly.
As we depart this point in the thread's end, I would like to remind everyone that we are all compatriots of the world of Dungeons & Dragons. While passions may run fierce and the debates lengthy, we're all members of the same hobby. Lets remember the interest which brought us all here and links us on D&D Beyond. Treat your fellow player with respect, keep conversations civil and non-abusive, and lets all have an enjoyable time. Things continue to get better, one day at a time.
If you have any further concerns which you feel need to be addressed, you may contact the Moderators via PM, or alternate parties below:
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D&D Beyond
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