The advancement type drop down in the character builder is using the wrong term. Milestones are xp based per Chapter 8 in the DMG. They are not story based advancement. The drop down menu should be changed to reflect this.
This also came up on the discord; the term milestone is used to mean two different things even within WotC based publications. The character creator acknowledges this by having both common uses listed, to cover both bases.
The following adventures use 'milestone' to mean level advancement rather than bundles of XP:
Curse of Strahd (especially Death House)
Storm Kings Thunder
Hoard of the Dragon Queen, which interestingly calls it 'Milestone Experience' but treats it as Story-Based Advancement
Many adventures don't even refer to it as one or the other, but it does appear to be that WotC has accept that the majority use the term differently from how it's presented in the Dungeon Master's Guide and as such acknowledge that in their publications. It appears that they either allow or encourage DDB to do the same; I don't think it's going to cause any confusion, after all it'd be more confusing to someone not playing in a story (say playing homebrew or AL) to see 'Story-Based Character Progression' when their DM has told them they're using milestones.
The DMG specifically states milestones are xp-based. The dropdown needs to be changed to reflect that since the DMG is part of the Core rulebooks. I don't care what the adventures use. Especially adventures created by a third party while the rules were still in playtest.
Curse of Strahd and Storm Kings Thunder weren't published by a third party, and were released 2 years after the rules were released, so your argument doesn't apply there.
Well I'm sure the response here will be the same it was on discord, which is that DDB reflects what is written in all the books, not just one of them. You could always either post on the bug sub-forum, or possibly make a zendesk ticket, but I personally don't see the need. The current system matches both what WotC uses in the majority, as do what most players and DM's use.
The terminology is defined in the DMG. That the adventures don't use that terminology is a failing on WotC's part. The dropdown needs to be changed to reflect what the DMG says since it is a Core rulebook.
I mean, you're not going to convince me, I think the term reflecting how players use it and how wotc have moved to using provides a better ux. But you don't need to convince me, it's the DDB Devs and/or wotc you need to bother. Hence my suggestions about the bug sub forum or a zendesk ticket.
Not mine or anyone else's problem either, I'm not entirely sure what the downside is of the majority using the wrong term if everyone understands, especially when WotC uses the term 'wrongly'.
Because it is wrong. The DMG defined what Milestones are (xp rewards, etc.) and what leveling without XP is. They need to stick to the proper terms. People need to read their DMG's.
Fair enough, I've suggested alternate channels where you can get your objection heard. It'll be interesting to see if it's deemed something in need of changing.
The problem is that "non-xp based progression" does not have a convenient term for it. And the milestone rules only list ways to reward players for reaching an action or event marking a significant change or stage in development, which include, but is not limited to the granting of xp.
The advancement type drop down in the character builder is using the wrong term. Milestones are xp based per Chapter 8 in the DMG. They are not story based advancement. The drop down menu should be changed to reflect this.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dmg/running-the-game#Milestones
This also came up on the discord; the term milestone is used to mean two different things even within WotC based publications. The character creator acknowledges this by having both common uses listed, to cover both bases.
The following adventures use 'milestone' to mean level advancement rather than bundles of XP:
Many adventures don't even refer to it as one or the other, but it does appear to be that WotC has accept that the majority use the term differently from how it's presented in the Dungeon Master's Guide and as such acknowledge that in their publications. It appears that they either allow or encourage DDB to do the same; I don't think it's going to cause any confusion, after all it'd be more confusing to someone not playing in a story (say playing homebrew or AL) to see 'Story-Based Character Progression' when their DM has told them they're using milestones.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
The DMG specifically states milestones are xp-based. The dropdown needs to be changed to reflect that since the DMG is part of the Core rulebooks. I don't care what the adventures use. Especially adventures created by a third party while the rules were still in playtest.
Curse of Strahd and Storm Kings Thunder weren't published by a third party, and were released 2 years after the rules were released, so your argument doesn't apply there.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
Still don't care. The DMG is part of the Core rules and should be the standard for terminology.
Well I'm sure the response here will be the same it was on discord, which is that DDB reflects what is written in all the books, not just one of them. You could always either post on the bug sub-forum, or possibly make a zendesk ticket, but I personally don't see the need. The current system matches both what WotC uses in the majority, as do what most players and DM's use.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
The terminology is defined in the DMG. That the adventures don't use that terminology is a failing on WotC's part. The dropdown needs to be changed to reflect what the DMG says since it is a Core rulebook.
I mean, you're not going to convince me, I think the term reflecting how players use it and how wotc have moved to using provides a better ux. But you don't need to convince me, it's the DDB Devs and/or wotc you need to bother. Hence my suggestions about the bug sub forum or a zendesk ticket.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
Your presumption about what DM's use doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what's in the DMG. Milestones are supposed to award XP.
Eh, I'd argue that what DMs and players use is the only thing that matters, not a dogmatic adherence to a single rulebook.
But nonetheless, I'm just disagreeing with you, nothing personal. Also trying to provide some suggestions on where best to get this complaint heard.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
Not my problem some people didn't read the DMG and are misusing the term Milestone as it applies to 5th edition.
Not mine or anyone else's problem either, I'm not entirely sure what the downside is of the majority using the wrong term if everyone understands, especially when WotC uses the term 'wrongly'.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
Because it is wrong. The DMG defined what Milestones are (xp rewards, etc.) and what leveling without XP is. They need to stick to the proper terms. People need to read their DMG's.
Fair enough, I've suggested alternate channels where you can get your objection heard. It'll be interesting to see if it's deemed something in need of changing.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
The problem is that "non-xp based progression" does not have a convenient term for it. And the milestone rules only list ways to reward players for reaching an action or event marking a significant change or stage in development, which include, but is not limited to the granting of xp.
Milestones are still based in xp and should not be used as Story Based Leveling.