I get it. Critical Role is popular and sells subscriptions. So you feel like you should publish Matt Mercer home-brew in an attempt to convince more people to pay for your services. It's irritating that real, actual game designers like Keith Baker publish real, actual play tested and vetted content (on DM's guild) but that doesn't make it on your site. I understand DM's Guild stuff is inaccessible due to licensing issues so that's a side point anyway.
But can you at least more clearly label it when you publish home-brew? Currently if I look in the list for, say, Paladin subclasses it clearly labels UA...but the home-brew stuff just looks like official content in the list. If you have to publish Matt Mercer home-brew, please at least make it more obvious that it is home-brew.
To copy and paste directly from all CR subclasses:
THIS IS UNOFFICIAL MATERIAL
These game mechanics are usable in your campaign if your DM allows them but not refined by final game design and editing. They aren’t officially part of the Dungeons & Dragons game and aren’t permitted in D&D Adventurers League events unless otherwise stated. To use this content, toggle the Critical Role content on in the character builder.
I get it. Critical Role is popular and sells subscriptions. So you feel like you should publish Matt Mercer home-brew in an attempt to convince more people to pay for your services. It's irritating that real, actual game designers like Keith Baker publish real, actual play tested and vetted content (on DM's guild) but that doesn't make it on your site. I understand DM's Guild stuff is inaccessible due to licensing issues so that's a side point anyway.
But can you at least more clearly label it when you publish home-brew? Currently if I look in the list for, say, Paladin subclasses it clearly labels UA...but the home-brew stuff just looks like official content in the list. If you have to publish Matt Mercer home-brew, please at least make it more obvious that it is home-brew.
Matt Mercer’s homebrews are only available if the “Critical Role Content” toggle has been switched on (red, to the right), otherwise it is screened out. In other words, it is automatically blocked unless the user specifically turns it on as available content.
To copy and paste directly from all CR subclasses:
THIS IS UNOFFICIAL MATERIAL
These game mechanics are usable in your campaign if your DM allows them but not refined by final game design and editing. They aren’t officially part of the Dungeons & Dragons game and aren’t permitted in D&D Adventurers League events unless otherwise stated. To use this content, toggle the Critical Role content on in the character builder.
Looks labeled to me?
So when you are on the Paladin page, and you find the Oath, yes 100% it's labeled. When you are in the character builder and toggle Critical Role content, it doesn't flag. This doesn't sound like a big deal but remember you have to toggle Critical Role content if you want Explorers Guide to Wildemount, which is a official book released by Wizards.
So I think they have a somewhat valid complaint here.
So when you are on the Paladin page, and you find the Oath, yes 100% it's labeled. When you are in the character builder and toggle Critical Role content, it doesn't flag. This doesn't sound like a big deal but remember you have to toggle Critical Role content if you want Explorers Guide to Wildemount, which is a official book released by Wizards.
So I think they have a somewhat valid complaint here.
Ah. I see what you mean. This is something that does need addressing in some capacity. D&DB have introduced a critical role content toggle, but it now includes both official and unofficial content.
The homebrew toggle isn't what this is for. It serves a different purpose in the context of D&DB, and you're not loading up Mercer's homebrews.
An option to either require both crirtcal role and noncore D&D content to show the unpublished, or removing the critical role tab to put it respectively into core/noncore based on if it has been published, seems to be in order?
It would be third party, but we don't have a third party toggle. It's certainly not a D&DB homebrew.
Non core is where the runeterra content went, IIRC?
No. Runeterra was also not “noncore” Runeterra was “partnered content.” Noncore are official WotC publications that were made for Extra Life. (Published for charity by WotC, but not “official” content.)
The other is when you're just looking at the class, the sidebar shows "(UA)" as a clearly labeled thing. But it doesn't show this home-brew as home-brew (and yes, it's home-brew...WotC published and playtested CR content is one thing, this is...something else entirely). The paragraph when you get to it clarifies, but frankly it's still not obvious enough IMO (and honestly, I'd rather they make an entirely different section for "partnered content" and not add it into the real stuff at all).
I get it. Critical Role is popular and sells subscriptions. So you feel like you should publish Matt Mercer home-brew in an attempt to convince more people to pay for your services. It's irritating that real, actual game designers like Keith Baker publish real, actual play tested and vetted content (on DM's guild) but that doesn't make it on your site. I understand DM's Guild stuff is inaccessible due to licensing issues so that's a side point anyway.
But can you at least more clearly label it when you publish home-brew? Currently if I look in the list for, say, Paladin subclasses it clearly labels UA...but the home-brew stuff just looks like official content in the list. If you have to publish Matt Mercer home-brew, please at least make it more obvious that it is home-brew.
To copy and paste directly from all CR subclasses:
THIS IS UNOFFICIAL MATERIAL
These game mechanics are usable in your campaign if your DM allows them but not refined by final game design and editing. They aren’t officially part of the Dungeons & Dragons game and aren’t permitted in D&D Adventurers League events unless otherwise stated. To use this content, toggle the Critical Role content on in the character builder.
Looks labeled to me?
Matt Mercer’s homebrews are only available if the “Critical Role Content” toggle has been switched on (red, to the right), otherwise it is screened out. In other words, it is automatically blocked unless the user specifically turns it on as available content.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
So when you are on the Paladin page, and you find the Oath, yes 100% it's labeled. When you are in the character builder and toggle Critical Role content, it doesn't flag. This doesn't sound like a big deal but remember you have to toggle Critical Role content if you want Explorers Guide to Wildemount, which is a official book released by Wizards.
So I think they have a somewhat valid complaint here.
Ah. I see what you mean. This is something that does need addressing in some capacity. D&DB have introduced a critical role content toggle, but it now includes both official and unofficial content.
The homebrew toggle isn't what this is for. It serves a different purpose in the context of D&DB, and you're not loading up Mercer's homebrews.
An option to either require both crirtcal role and noncore D&D content to show the unpublished, or removing the critical role tab to put it respectively into core/noncore based on if it has been published, seems to be in order?
It isn’t “non-core” though.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
It would be third party, but we don't have a third party toggle. It's certainly not a D&DB homebrew.
Non core is where the runeterra content went, IIRC?
No. Runeterra was also not “noncore” Runeterra was “partnered content.” Noncore are official WotC publications that were made for Extra Life. (Published for charity by WotC, but not “official” content.)
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Then my memory fails me. Exact same proposal as before, just swap Noncore for whatever term the devs see most fit. Third Party?
I'm assuming they don't have a partnership agreement with Mercer for the newest subclasses.
DDB is an official sponsor of Critical Role. It might be part of that sponsorship agreement.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Spideycloned definitely hit one of the issues.
The other is when you're just looking at the class, the sidebar shows "(UA)" as a clearly labeled thing. But it doesn't show this home-brew as home-brew (and yes, it's home-brew...WotC published and playtested CR content is one thing, this is...something else entirely). The paragraph when you get to it clarifies, but frankly it's still not obvious enough IMO (and honestly, I'd rather they make an entirely different section for "partnered content" and not add it into the real stuff at all).
I'd add a screenshot to show what I mean, but that's not working too well so just go here and look to the left: https://www.dndbeyond.com/classes/paladin