It also depends on how you want to use DDB. What you “need” to purchase here depends on what you want to do with the service. You might find the buyers guide linked in my signature of help as you determine if DDB is for you. NOTE: the newly released Tactical Maps Reincarnated are NOT part of the Legendary bundle, and thus not part of EVERYTHING in the guide. The guide was written before the maps release, and I haven’t gotten around to updating it yet.
If you mean you want to be able to use backgrounds, etc. in the character builder, you can home-brew just about everything. (Races, subclasses, backgrounds, feats.). But that does take time, patience, and a certain knack with tech. You can also purchase piecemeal with you know exactly what you want for a character. But it's also fine if you decide the tools here aren't worth the cost. Happy gaming!
D&D Beyond is a separate company, Curse Software, not Wizards of the Coast. Curse just licenses the content from WotC. So they [b]pay[/b] WotC a licensing fee and then [b]develop[/b] the online framework. The only things that are free are the things that WotC has made freely available online. If you choose to purchase the D&D Beyond version of a book, you're paying Curse for all that work and the related expenses, which is what enables Curse to keep developing a quality online interface for D&D Beyond. If the hardcover came with a free online version, it would have said that. It's reasonable that you may be disappointed to find out that you still have to pay for D&D Beyond even after you've bought the hardcover book, but it does not suck that the company making D&D Beyond actually gets compensated and continues to make the D&D Beyond product ecosystem even better. As others have said, you can always use the Homebrew system to input whatever features from the Player's Handbook you like.
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Do you HAVE to repurchase the handbooks if you want their contents?
I have the DM's Guide, the Monster Manual, the Player's Handbook, and Xanathar's Guide to Everything.
However, I only have the physical versions, and I am very confused about all of this.
You can't redeem a digital book in DDB with the hardcover purchase. If you want to access the digital content, you have to purchase it in Marketplace.
There is no obligation, though. You decide at your convenience.
It also depends on how you want to use DDB. What you “need” to purchase here depends on what you want to do with the service. You might find the buyers guide linked in my signature of help as you determine if DDB is for you. NOTE: the newly released Tactical Maps Reincarnated are NOT part of the Legendary bundle, and thus not part of EVERYTHING in the guide. The guide was written before the maps release, and I haven’t gotten around to updating it yet.
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;
Check your entitlements here. | Support Ticket LInk
Well, that sucks.
I want to be able to access backgrounds and stuff like that from the Player's Handbook, but I guess I can't.
It's alright.
If you mean you want to be able to use backgrounds, etc. in the character builder, you can home-brew just about everything. (Races, subclasses, backgrounds, feats.). But that does take time, patience, and a certain knack with tech. You can also purchase piecemeal with you know exactly what you want for a character. But it's also fine if you decide the tools here aren't worth the cost. Happy gaming!
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;
Check your entitlements here. | Support Ticket LInk
D&D Beyond is a separate company, Curse Software, not Wizards of the Coast. Curse just licenses the content from WotC. So they [b]pay[/b] WotC a licensing fee and then [b]develop[/b] the online framework. The only things that are free are the things that WotC has made freely available online. If you choose to purchase the D&D Beyond version of a book, you're paying Curse for all that work and the related expenses, which is what enables Curse to keep developing a quality online interface for D&D Beyond. If the hardcover came with a free online version, it would have said that. It's reasonable that you may be disappointed to find out that you still have to pay for D&D Beyond even after you've bought the hardcover book, but it does not suck that the company making D&D Beyond actually gets compensated and continues to make the D&D Beyond product ecosystem even better. As others have said, you can always use the Homebrew system to input whatever features from the Player's Handbook you like.