I have been an active/avid user of dndbeyond since launch. Overall, I am a big fan--I have most of the content and have the DM subscription so I am able to share it with my group. But today I wanted to highlight the most frustrating part of this entire website and its framework: the search functionality.
To be clear, the search function works rather well if you have the exact names of spells, feats, class features, or items. What it does not handle so well are the game rules and the subsections of the rulebooks. For this example, I will be focusing on the search for "Underwater Combat", a relatively niche rule, but one that is no less important.
What spurred this was my group discussing Underwater Combat. One of us has recently taken the DM reins, and as a newbie, is still learning the ropes. While a more experienced user knows where to find the information (End of Chapter 9, PHB), it can be hard to find it if you don't already know what Sourcebook the information comes from.
When I search "Underwater Combat" i do not see it among the first few results. First are two monsters, then two backgrounds. Certainly, the monsters are Sahuagin which commonly would be encountered underwater, and the backgrounds are sailing/sea oriented. The following two results are both from Adventure Modules--also, neat, but wholly irrelevant. Finally, we get to the 7th result--which is not the "Underwater Combat" section I was looking for, but is the "Underwater" section from the DMG. Luckily, this contains a hyperlink to the "Underwater Combat" section of the PHB that I was looking for.
However, if I keep scrolling there is still no sign of the actual section/heading for the exact text i typed into the search window. It cycles back on itself. It includes the same backgrounds, just from the specific source books this time instead of the Background section, and brings in more Adventure Modules where "underwater" may be relevant. I think you get my point. Trying searching this yourself.
Is the search function being improved? Is it something the team is working on? Or is it "in a good place" already and the focus has moved to other things? Does it work by exact text? Single word matching? I dont know. What I do know, is that it is most often the worst way to find a rule.
Both the search and filtering options of this site are inefficient and lack features that were standard 10 years ago. And I've been saying so for a year.
I was hoping the mega menu update back in February would address some of these missing features and poor functionality issues, but alas that was only a controversial header aesthetic redesign that as a mobile user I never even see.
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I have been an active/avid user of dndbeyond since launch. Overall, I am a big fan--I have most of the content and have the DM subscription so I am able to share it with my group. But today I wanted to highlight the most frustrating part of this entire website and its framework: the search functionality.
To be clear, the search function works rather well if you have the exact names of spells, feats, class features, or items. What it does not handle so well are the game rules and the subsections of the rulebooks. For this example, I will be focusing on the search for "Underwater Combat", a relatively niche rule, but one that is no less important.
What spurred this was my group discussing Underwater Combat. One of us has recently taken the DM reins, and as a newbie, is still learning the ropes. While a more experienced user knows where to find the information (End of Chapter 9, PHB), it can be hard to find it if you don't already know what Sourcebook the information comes from.
When I search "Underwater Combat" i do not see it among the first few results. First are two monsters, then two backgrounds. Certainly, the monsters are Sahuagin which commonly would be encountered underwater, and the backgrounds are sailing/sea oriented. The following two results are both from Adventure Modules--also, neat, but wholly irrelevant. Finally, we get to the 7th result--which is not the "Underwater Combat" section I was looking for, but is the "Underwater" section from the DMG. Luckily, this contains a hyperlink to the "Underwater Combat" section of the PHB that I was looking for.
However, if I keep scrolling there is still no sign of the actual section/heading for the exact text i typed into the search window. It cycles back on itself. It includes the same backgrounds, just from the specific source books this time instead of the Background section, and brings in more Adventure Modules where "underwater" may be relevant. I think you get my point. Trying searching this yourself.
Is the search function being improved? Is it something the team is working on? Or is it "in a good place" already and the focus has moved to other things? Does it work by exact text? Single word matching? I dont know. What I do know, is that it is most often the worst way to find a rule.
Both the search and filtering options of this site are inefficient and lack features that were standard 10 years ago. And I've been saying so for a year.
I was hoping the mega menu update back in February would address some of these missing features and poor functionality issues, but alas that was only a controversial header aesthetic redesign that as a mobile user I never even see.