Currently you can make changes to unpublished homebrew, but once it's published you can no longer do that. The only option is to make a copy of it and make changes to the copy. This has the unfortunate side effect of creating a new page with a different URL and ruining forum links and the like. I understand that this was necessary with the old approval system, but since homebrew is now instantly approved, I'd like to see the ability to just make changes and have them take effect on the same page after the copyright check.
We strongly encourage homebrew authors to fully test their homebrew prior to publishing, however we also acknowledge that there will be a need to create new versions of homebrew.
To do this, do not use the "create homebrew" and copy the existing homebrew.
On the page for your existing public homebrew, there is a link CREATE NEW VERSION (see image below). Click on this and you will create a new version that is linked to the existing version.
To explain, there is a very good reason why we do not allow published homebrew to be edited - users may have added it to their collection and be using it. We can't have a situation where that homebrew might suddenly and unexpectedly change, without the user wanting it to.
Imagine a user is using a homebrew race for their rogue, liking that it has +2 dex and then the homebrew author decides it should be +1 dex and +1 cha instead. That could make a big difference for the character using it.
While the established method that you describe works super wonderfully Stormknight, it does begin to crumble when it comes to subraces. :( In order to change a subrace you have to Create New Version of the existing race, then manually re-enter the subraces, with any changes you wanted to make to the one subrace you were looking to change. Usually I find Creating a New Version very simple and great to use, but the subrace issue is a tad exhausting.
(I apologize if this has been fixed, I last updated a race with subraces when the sheet revamp occurred in July and have avoided subraces since-- So I might be out of date!)
Stormknight, I was referring to create new version as making a copy, as that is essentially what it does. You say you want it fully tested before publishing, but without publishing there is no way to share it with people outside your group to get feedback.
I understand not wanting to change something that someone might be using without telling them, but if I make a new version, do people with it in their collection get notified and asked which version they want?
Is it possible to submit a ticket for spelling corrections?
You should create a new version of your homebrew using the provided button to make any changes you wish to make to it. When you publish that, it will replace your previously published version.
You can make a new version which will then go over the top of the old, broken version. People will still be able to access the old version through the version history, but the new version will be the one people see when searching.
While the established method that you describe works super wonderfully Stormknight, it does begin to crumble when it comes to subraces. :( In order to change a subrace you have to Create New Version of the existing race, then manually re-enter the subraces, with any changes you wanted to make to the one subrace you were looking to change. Usually I find Creating a New Version very simple and great to use, but the subrace issue is a tad exhausting.
(I apologize if this has been fixed, I last updated a race with subraces when the sheet revamp occurred in July and have avoided subraces since-- So I might be out of date!)
This precisely. I've spent an hour trying to fix a spelling mistake that was on a homebrew race, but the subraces didn't get changed and updating the version of the subraces didn't work because they were still subraces of the original version. I was wondering why I wasn't able to share it with the community until I unchecked the subraces box, but this is it. Everything else on D&D Beyond works incredibly well, but this specific part is horrible.
EDIT: Even worse, updating the new version of the subrace on the new version of the main race doesn't replace or allow me to delete the old subrace.
EDIT 2: And now I have several versions of each subrace and only the old main race because for some reason it created two of one of the subraces and after publishing them neither exist so I can't publish the main race.
I understand the necessary evil of not being able to change your published homebrew.
I have two thoughts on the issue:
When new versions are published, could a notification be sent to users who have added it? Similar to forum notifications. Just so they know there is a version with fixed spelling or perhaps more balanced spellcasting. (Not that I've ever had to update homebrew for those issues...)
Can you let us hide published homebrew from our creations list? We can remove it from our collection, but not our creations. I homebrewed two spells a while back that I recently changed to race features. I was a newbie and the spells weren't balanced. I made newer, better versions of them to publish, but I no longer need them to be in my creations list. Maybe give a "hide" link for published homebrew and add a "hidden" search filter similar to "deleted"?
Maybe at some point DDB could do a purge of old versions of stuff that people aren’t using? If people are using v 1.2 and 1.8, not nobody is using v1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.6, and 1.7 could we just delete those versions that nobody is using?
I understand the necessary evil of not being able to change your published homebrew.
I have two thoughts on the issue:
When new versions are published, could a notification be sent to users who have added it? Similar to forum notifications. Just so they know there is a version with fixed spelling or perhaps more balanced spellcasting. (Not that I've ever had to update homebrew for those issues...)
Can you let us hide published homebrew from our creations list? We can remove it from our collection, but not our creations. I homebrewed two spells a while back that I recently changed to race features. I was a newbie and the spells weren't balanced. I made newer, better versions of them to publish, but I no longer need them to be in my creations list. Maybe give a "hide" link for published homebrew and add a "hidden" search filter similar to "deleted"?
Or this! ^ Those features/options would be great too!
Is there any possibility of allowing us to access the edit page of other people's homebrew. I've often wanted to look at someone's homebrew to look at how they did it.
Maybe at some point DDB could do a purge of old versions of stuff that people aren’t using? If people are using v 1.2 and 1.8, not nobody is using v1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.6, and 1.7 could we just delete those versions that nobody is using?
I like this idea, too. Being able to delete published homebrew that no one has added to their collections. That avoids the issue they're trying to prevent.
I still don't see how to edit my homebrew spell after hitting the Create New Version button - nothing apparently happens, it just makes a new version exactly the same as the old with 0 differences, but I can't edit it because it is published.
I still don't see how to edit my homebrew spell after hitting the Create New Version button - nothing apparently happens, it just makes a new version exactly the same as the old with 0 differences, but I can't edit it because it is published.
You can edit the new version and then publish that and it will overwrite the old version. It will however also leave a ghost of the old version in your homebrewer that will occasionally haunt your future homebrew attempts for-ever.
Thanks, found it. It's weird that when you make a new version literally nothing visual happens. I ended up making like three new versions before I realized there was no feedback.
wait so if i want to update the creation, I have to duplicate it then republish it and it will replace the old one?
Mostly. You will still need to manually remove the old version from your collection so there aren’t 2 different versions there. And there are some other issues as well, but basically yeah.
Currently you can make changes to unpublished homebrew, but once it's published you can no longer do that. The only option is to make a copy of it and make changes to the copy. This has the unfortunate side effect of creating a new page with a different URL and ruining forum links and the like. I understand that this was necessary with the old approval system, but since homebrew is now instantly approved, I'd like to see the ability to just make changes and have them take effect on the same page after the copyright check.
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D&D Beyond FoundersWe strongly encourage homebrew authors to fully test their homebrew prior to publishing, however we also acknowledge that there will be a need to create new versions of homebrew.
To do this, do not use the "create homebrew" and copy the existing homebrew.
On the page for your existing public homebrew, there is a link CREATE NEW VERSION (see image below). Click on this and you will create a new version that is linked to the existing version.
To explain, there is a very good reason why we do not allow published homebrew to be edited - users may have added it to their collection and be using it. We can't have a situation where that homebrew might suddenly and unexpectedly change, without the user wanting it to.
Imagine a user is using a homebrew race for their rogue, liking that it has +2 dex and then the homebrew author decides it should be +1 dex and +1 cha instead. That could make a big difference for the character using it.
Pun-loving nerd | Faith Elisabeth Lilley | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
While the established method that you describe works super wonderfully Stormknight, it does begin to crumble when it comes to subraces. :( In order to change a subrace you have to Create New Version of the existing race, then manually re-enter the subraces, with any changes you wanted to make to the one subrace you were looking to change. Usually I find Creating a New Version very simple and great to use, but the subrace issue is a tad exhausting.
(I apologize if this has been fixed, I last updated a race with subraces when the sheet revamp occurred in July and have avoided subraces since-- So I might be out of date!)
Stormknight, I was referring to create new version as making a copy, as that is essentially what it does. You say you want it fully tested before publishing, but without publishing there is no way to share it with people outside your group to get feedback.
I understand not wanting to change something that someone might be using without telling them, but if I make a new version, do people with it in their collection get notified and asked which version they want?
Is it possible to submit a ticket for spelling corrections?
You should create a new version of your homebrew using the provided button to make any changes you wish to make to it. When you publish that, it will replace your previously published version.
You can make a new version which will then go over the top of the old, broken version. People will still be able to access the old version through the version history, but the new version will be the one people see when searching.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
This precisely. I've spent an hour trying to fix a spelling mistake that was on a homebrew race, but the subraces didn't get changed and updating the version of the subraces didn't work because they were still subraces of the original version. I was wondering why I wasn't able to share it with the community until I unchecked the subraces box, but this is it. Everything else on D&D Beyond works incredibly well, but this specific part is horrible.
EDIT: Even worse, updating the new version of the subrace on the new version of the main race doesn't replace or allow me to delete the old subrace.
EDIT 2: And now I have several versions of each subrace and only the old main race because for some reason it created two of one of the subraces and after publishing them neither exist so I can't publish the main race.
I understand the necessary evil of not being able to change your published homebrew.
I have two thoughts on the issue:
When new versions are published, could a notification be sent to users who have added it? Similar to forum notifications. Just so they know there is a version with fixed spelling or perhaps more balanced spellcasting. (Not that I've ever had to update homebrew for those issues...)
Can you let us hide published homebrew from our creations list? We can remove it from our collection, but not our creations. I homebrewed two spells a while back that I recently changed to race features. I was a newbie and the spells weren't balanced. I made newer, better versions of them to publish, but I no longer need them to be in my creations list. Maybe give a "hide" link for published homebrew and add a "hidden" search filter similar to "deleted"?
Maybe at some point DDB could do a purge of old versions of stuff that people aren’t using? If people are using v 1.2 and 1.8, not nobody is using v1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.6, and 1.7 could we just delete those versions that nobody is using?
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Or this! ^ Those features/options would be great too!
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Is there any possibility of allowing us to access the edit page of other people's homebrew. I've often wanted to look at someone's homebrew to look at how they did it.
I like this idea, too. Being able to delete published homebrew that no one has added to their collections. That avoids the issue they're trying to prevent.
I still don't see how to edit my homebrew spell after hitting the Create New Version button - nothing apparently happens, it just makes a new version exactly the same as the old with 0 differences, but I can't edit it because it is published.
You can edit the new version and then publish that and it will overwrite the old version. It will however also leave a ghost of the old version in your homebrewer that will occasionally haunt your future homebrew attempts for-ever.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Thanks, found it. It's weird that when you make a new version literally nothing visual happens. I ended up making like three new versions before I realized there was no feedback.
wait so if i want to update the creation, I have to duplicate it then republish it and it will replace the old one?
Mostly. You will still need to manually remove the old version from your collection so there aren’t 2 different versions there. And there are some other issues as well, but basically yeah.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
cheers. Guess I'll test my homebrews then worry about the updating, who knows they may be perfect