I'm curious what you all think of this hypothetical. Let's say I already own the digital copy of Tasha's Cauldron (without the functionality). I bought the compendium only for $19.99. Then I decide I want to buy the DnD Beyond functionality. That's going to cost me at LEAST $29.99. The bundle is my cheapest option.
That is NOT how Beyond's pricing system works. You are NOT going to pay another $29.99 for getting the functionality. Whatever amount you have purchased for piecemeal content for a book will count towards that book's future full purchase. If you already paid $19.99 for the compendium content and want to get the full functionality later, you only need to spend another $10.00 on the book.
That's good to know. Judging by your response, it looks like we agree that it would be ridiculous. It looks like DnD Beyond agrees based on the discount policy you described. Please take a second to think about why DnD Beyond would lower the price of the book for people who already own the compendium.
That's not an option for people with physical prints of the book. There's no way for the value of the purchase to match the price. Digital or physical, DDB or WotC, it does not matter. The company's business model is irrelevant to the user experience. It is just as silly for physical owners as it would be for compendium owners, for the exact same reason.
They are selling a product for a price that we have established is unfair. If that's what they have to do to keep from going bankrupt, that's fine. But people come to forums to express their complaints, and they're bombarded with responses pretending it's completely fair. And it's embarrassingly easy to show why that's wrong.
I do not think we agreed on anything?
User experience does not matter if the users are not customers, or if it simply is not profitable enough to sell the digital tools on its own. As I have already mentioned, it is not worth it to cater to every customer nor fulfill every demand. There is a huge demand for Beyond to localize their service for multiple languages, but it simply is not feasible for Beyond to do so and those consumers are out of luck. For consumers who only want the digital tools, they are out of luck too, and Beyond and Wizards have deemed that product not worth selling and those customers are not worth catering to.
DnD Beyond is selling a product that you cannot buy on it's own. You have to buy another product that you may already own. It is that simple, and it's as dumb as it sounds. Just take the L.
It is not dumb. I cannot buy preorder perks on Beyond on its own for example. There are plenty of customers who missed the preorders and say they are willing to get the preorder perks by paying for it. Sometimes businesses just deem that some products are not worth selling on its own.
The first words of my reply to Erik Soong were "I agree that from a business perspective, they've priced everything reasonably". None of my messages are trying to prove that Beyond is making a poor business decision.
We’ve already covered everything in your message. Your justification of DDB’s business practices is “that’s what’s best for them”. That has nothing to do with fairness or value.
I’ll ask again, why would DnD Beyond would lower the price of the book for people who already own the compendium?
If not with other books, I believe that this book should in fact have a code due to how critical is to the actual gameplay of DnD.
It's actually not critical in the slightest. The "how to play" rules are available for free in the Basic Rules. The PHB/MM/DMG just give some extra options - they're not critical or even necessary for playing D&D.
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Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Neither DnD Beyond or the PHB and the rest of the physical books are "critical" to the actual gameplay of D&D. What I don't understand about people who recently bought in on all the physical books and then decide they'd rather D&D Beyond ... in physical retail there is this thing called "returns".
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
D&D beyond needs a way to let people get the digital version of the player handbook if they bought the physical copy before discovering D&D beyond. Especially since a lot of the character generator option don’t show up unless you bought the digital version of the player handbook. This lack of a code in the physical version of the book for D&D beyond is definitely something that makes the website and the app unusable. The player handbook is expensive and people shouldn’t have to buy another copy to use D&D beyond. This is something that was poorly planned.
I totally agree. I have physical copies of the books, and really don’t want to have to buy them again. The thing is, the solution to this problem is more complex. Everyone arguing against codes states the problems, really. So although it would be great if we had codes on books, that happening right now would create more problems. Hopefully we will have codes sometime in the future, but they just couldn’t happen right now.
D&D beyond needs a way to let people get the digital version of the player handbook if they bought the physical copy before discovering D&D beyond. Especially since a lot of the character generator option don’t show up unless you bought the digital version of the player handbook. This lack of a code in the physical version of the book for D&D beyond is definitely something that makes the website and the app unusable. The player handbook is expensive and people shouldn’t have to buy another copy to use D&D beyond. This is something that was poorly planned.
I totally agree. I have physical copies of the books, and really don’t want to have to buy them again. The thing is, the solution to this problem is more complex. Everyone arguing against codes states the problems, really. So although it would be great if we had codes on books, that happening right now would create more problems. Hopefully we will have codes sometime in the future, but they just couldn’t happen right now.
Since WotC bought DDB, WotC has been selling bundles on their online store for new books that include both physical and a digital code. It cost more than just 1, but less than the 2 separate, and has been letting you access the digital book a few weeks before release date.
If you already have the physical book and don't want to buy the whole digital book, you don't have to to use the options. You can buy just the character options or use homebrew to add them in yourself for free.
I feel like a possible solution is making more sealed physical products that include the players handbook/DM guide/etc along with other physical items, and have codes in those.
I got started on D&Dbeyond when I got a box called an essential starter kit or something like that, it had a little pre-built campaign called Dragon of ice-spire peak, it came with a little dm screen and a book with the basic rules, some item cards and npc statblocks, And it had a code that unlocked digital versions of all the items and monsters in Dndbeyond. That product was meant to be kind of a basic bare-bones thing, but WotC could easily include codes for relevant sourcebooks in bigger campaign products like that Curse of Strahd ReVamped box.
I'm particularly eager for physical products to unlock the digital DM's guide, since it apparently has rules about vehicular combat on things like boats that aren't mentioned in basic rules that i'd really like to be able to read on my phone.
I know this is an old post, but i am new here. If you buy the Essentials kit you get a the digital version of the kit for free with a code and an other code for 50% off on the digital players handbook. Also the 3 extra adventures of the essentials kit that go up to lvl 17 for free on the website. So it is doable and they already do it, if you dont have the Essentials kit adventure its very well worth the price for the things you get and the discount for the players handbook too.
I know this is an old post, but i am new here. If you buy the Essentials kit you get a the digital version of the kit for free with a code and an other code for 50% off on the digital players handbook. Also the 3 extra adventures of the essentials kit that go up to lvl 17 for free on the website. So it is doable and they already do it, if you dont have the Essentials kit adventure its very well worth the price for the things you get and the discount for the players handbook too.
Just quick heads up, but NOT all Essential Kit boxes come with the code. Only the old printings of the box sets comes with a Beyond code. New printings of the boxed Essential Kit DO NOT come with the code. If the box does not say anything about a digital code, then it is the new printing and it DOES NOT contain the code.
You can still find old Essential Kits at some Target locations, at least in my area, but keep in mind it is getting harder and harder to find, so a bit of traveling around may be necessary. Check LGSs too, since they might have some in stock.
I know this is an old post, but i am new here. If you buy the Essentials kit you get a the digital version of the kit for free with a code and an other code for 50% off on the digital players handbook. Also the 3 extra adventures of the essentials kit that go up to lvl 17 for free on the website. So it is doable and they already do it, if you dont have the Essentials kit adventure its very well worth the price for the things you get and the discount for the players handbook too.
Just quick heads up, but NOT all Essential Kit boxes come with the code. Only the old printings of the box sets comes with a Beyond code. New printings of the boxed Essential Kit DO NOT come with the code. If the box does not say anything about a digital code, then it is the new printing and it DOES NOT contain the code.
You can still find old Essential Kits at some Target locations, at least in my area, but keep in mind it is getting harder and harder to find, so a bit of traveling around may be necessary. Check LGSs too, since they might have some in stock.
I had no idea about that. I got my in Greece from a store that sells tabletops etc.
I have two player handbooks, as a DM its good to have a few to hand out around the table. Would be great if the books we bought before DND beyond even started would be added here.
Where? It literally doesn't give you anything try playing a cleric with no domain because they don't give you the option to pick one
Clerics do not get their Domains until level 3.
If you are using the old PHB with the old Cleric, for ease, just enable all content toggles in the character builder. Make sure the toggles are to the right and are in bright red. If it is to the left and greyed out, then the content is no enabled. I believe the old Cleric get their Domains at level 1.
And keep in mind Beyond does NOT give away PHB content for free. If you have not purchased anything on Beyond, then you will only have access to limited options in the Basic Rules, Standard Reference Document, and Free Rules.
I do not think we agreed on anything?
User experience does not matter if the users are not customers, or if it simply is not profitable enough to sell the digital tools on its own. As I have already mentioned, it is not worth it to cater to every customer nor fulfill every demand. There is a huge demand for Beyond to localize their service for multiple languages, but it simply is not feasible for Beyond to do so and those consumers are out of luck. For consumers who only want the digital tools, they are out of luck too, and Beyond and Wizards have deemed that product not worth selling and those customers are not worth catering to.
It is not dumb. I cannot buy preorder perks on Beyond on its own for example. There are plenty of customers who missed the preorders and say they are willing to get the preorder perks by paying for it. Sometimes businesses just deem that some products are not worth selling on its own.
Check Licenses and Resync Entitlements: < https://www.dndbeyond.com/account/licenses >
Running the Game by Matt Colville; Introduction: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8 >
D&D with High School Students by Bill Allen; Season 1 Episode 1: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52NJTUDokyk&t >
We’ve already covered everything in your message. Your justification of DDB’s business practices is “that’s what’s best for them”. That has nothing to do with fairness or value.
I’ll ask again, why would DnD Beyond would lower the price of the book for people who already own the compendium?
Now that WotC owns DnD beyond, this is actually possible
This code from physical items will NEVER happen. Get over it.
If not with other books, I believe that this book should in fact have a code due to how critical is to the actual gameplay of DnD.
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someone help me
It's actually not critical in the slightest. The "how to play" rules are available for free in the Basic Rules. The PHB/MM/DMG just give some extra options - they're not critical or even necessary for playing D&D.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Neither DnD Beyond or the PHB and the rest of the physical books are "critical" to the actual gameplay of D&D. What I don't understand about people who recently bought in on all the physical books and then decide they'd rather D&D Beyond ... in physical retail there is this thing called "returns".
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
yep, was just looking through my book for a code or something but no luck.
Correct - there isn't one in there.
I totally agree. I have physical copies of the books, and really don’t want to have to buy them again. The thing is, the solution to this problem is more complex. Everyone arguing against codes states the problems, really. So although it would be great if we had codes on books, that happening right now would create more problems. Hopefully we will have codes sometime in the future, but they just couldn’t happen right now.
Since WotC bought DDB, WotC has been selling bundles on their online store for new books that include both physical and a digital code. It cost more than just 1, but less than the 2 separate, and has been letting you access the digital book a few weeks before release date.
If you already have the physical book and don't want to buy the whole digital book, you don't have to to use the options. You can buy just the character options or use homebrew to add them in yourself for free.
I feel like a possible solution is making more sealed physical products that include the players handbook/DM guide/etc along with other physical items, and have codes in those.
I got started on D&Dbeyond when I got a box called an essential starter kit or something like that, it had a little pre-built campaign called Dragon of ice-spire peak, it came with a little dm screen and a book with the basic rules, some item cards and npc statblocks, And it had a code that unlocked digital versions of all the items and monsters in Dndbeyond.
That product was meant to be kind of a basic bare-bones thing, but WotC could easily include codes for relevant sourcebooks in bigger campaign products like that Curse of Strahd ReVamped box.
I'm particularly eager for physical products to unlock the digital DM's guide, since it apparently has rules about vehicular combat on things like boats that aren't mentioned in basic rules that i'd really like to be able to read on my phone.
I know this is an old post, but i am new here. If you buy the Essentials kit you get a the digital version of the kit for free with a code and an other code for 50% off on the digital players handbook. Also the 3 extra adventures of the essentials kit that go up to lvl 17 for free on the website. So it is doable and they already do it, if you dont have the Essentials kit adventure its very well worth the price for the things you get and the discount for the players handbook too.
Just quick heads up, but NOT all Essential Kit boxes come with the code. Only the old printings of the box sets comes with a Beyond code. New printings of the boxed Essential Kit DO NOT come with the code. If the box does not say anything about a digital code, then it is the new printing and it DOES NOT contain the code.
You can still find old Essential Kits at some Target locations, at least in my area, but keep in mind it is getting harder and harder to find, so a bit of traveling around may be necessary. Check LGSs too, since they might have some in stock.
Check Licenses and Resync Entitlements: < https://www.dndbeyond.com/account/licenses >
Running the Game by Matt Colville; Introduction: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8 >
D&D with High School Students by Bill Allen; Season 1 Episode 1: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52NJTUDokyk&t >
I had no idea about that. I got my in Greece from a store that sells tabletops etc.
I have two player handbooks, as a DM its good to have a few to hand out around the table. Would be great if the books we bought before DND beyond even started would be added here.
Where? It literally doesn't give you anything try playing a cleric with no domain because they don't give you the option to pick one
Clerics do not get their Domains until level 3.
If you are using the old PHB with the old Cleric, for ease, just enable all content toggles in the character builder. Make sure the toggles are to the right and are in bright red. If it is to the left and greyed out, then the content is no enabled. I believe the old Cleric get their Domains at level 1.
And keep in mind Beyond does NOT give away PHB content for free. If you have not purchased anything on Beyond, then you will only have access to limited options in the Basic Rules, Standard Reference Document, and Free Rules.
Check Licenses and Resync Entitlements: < https://www.dndbeyond.com/account/licenses >
Running the Game by Matt Colville; Introduction: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8 >
D&D with High School Students by Bill Allen; Season 1 Episode 1: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52NJTUDokyk&t >