I'm totally confused. The Old D&D Site (Version 4?) It was like $9 Bucks a month and you got access to everything. Is this one not going to do that? Like I want to subscribe & get everything while my subscription is active. I DONT Want to subscribe and then have to pay for this & that on top of my subscription.
I read that they are launching a Subscription but its a bit confusing on how its gonna work. Like if I subscribe do I still have to buy the things to get access to say the Tortoise people?
Is subscription necessary? No
Do you get content from subscribing? No, only infinite character slots and no add in purchased content pages
Do you need to buy official content? Yes-ish, but you have a series of tools (with still expanding development as we speak) that make everything integrated and all the information much more easily accessible.
You can already use all the tools without spending a penny, you are just limited to the Basic Rules and Homebrew stuff in that case. Also as long as you do not make it public, you can create Homebrew versions of anything that is in the published manuals, with homebrew subclasses becoming available soon.
So, again, do you have to pay for the manuals? Yes and no, up to you really, depending on what you want to get out of Beyond.
Been playing since '79. Own every version. Already bought my three core rule books for 5th ed. Was excited about this online option, until you say I have to buy the book that is currently on my lap, a second time, to use your service. Yeah, keep emulating Games Workshop. Screw your bread and butter. Guess it's pencil and paper for me. Been good enough for 40 years. Oh wait, there are free apps out there. Guess I don't need you. Would have bought the stuff I don't already own from you here. But now I won't. Because you decided to start the relationship by strong arming me into re-purchasing what I already have. I can't participate in my own fleecing.
First off, I really love the character creation tool and the really nice UI. However, owning all the rulebooks, I wish there were a way for me to use that content without having to spend another $150 to buy content I already own. If there were some way to get to that content without doubling my spending, it would be greatly appreciated!
Public Mod Note
(Stormknight):
post moved here - please read this thread :)
Wizards sells horses (rule content).You sell saddles (play accessories/tools). Wizards made it legally required that anyone who makes saddles pay a licensing fee. You paid them for the right to make saddles. So have other companies.
Some of us already own horses we bought from wizards.
Some of us already bought horses from roll20 or Fantasy Grounds.
But, while on your track, we can only ride if we bought our horses & saddles from you.
I understand that this is all what wizards has forced on you, but it’s crippling for all licensees.
You need a better deal. Wizards needs to develop a strategy in which their physical books can be paired with digital services so people like you can just sell a service.
For officially sanctioned products, you guys are getting screwed
Wizards sells horses (rule content).You sell saddles (play accessories/tools). Wizards made it legally required that anyone who makes saddles pay a licensing fee. You paid them for the right to make saddles. So have other companies.
Some of us already own horses we bought from wizards.
Some of us already bought horses from roll20 or Fantasy Grounds.
But, while on your track, we can only ride if we bought our horses & saddles from you.
I understand that this is all what wizards has forced on you, but it’s crippling for all licensees.
You need a better deal. Wizards needs to develop a strategy in which their physical books can be paired with digital services so people like you can just sell a service.
For officially sanctioned products, you guys are getting screwed
Just out of curiosity: how is what DDB does different from Roll20 or Fantasy Grounds? they are also not allowing you to unlock on their platform the books you might own in physical form, as well as they are not mutually exchangeable, as you would need to buy content from one or the other depending on which you want to use (unless I am missing something big-time). It sounds to me like they are also "when on my track, you can only ride if you bought your horses & saddles from me" kind of deal, to use your words.
Again, I might be wrong, so I'd be happy if you could clear my understanding.
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Oh, no, absolutely. They are all the same in that regard. Wizards has screwed all of them over equally. If wizards had only gotten in bed with one of them, it would’ve been a more reasonable investment on the part of the consumer but, as it stands, Consumers are being asked to buy the same product once for table top, and once again for each of these platforms not knowing whether or not one of them will put the other out of business but in the next few months and their money will be entirely wasted. Wizards profits no matter what while the more licensees there are the less value each licensees product has
No criticism in the comparison. Frankly, I wish that the business models were better here because I would love to get use out of this website.
I realise my original post was moved and it might not have been as clear given the question was in the title (maybe add title to post in future mods?). So I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. I already own many 'physical' books, I don't care about having a digital copy of the book I just want to be able to use the resources I already have with the online tools. And I'm not going to re-purchase those books in digital format. That was my point. I have no idea where this idea of me wanting an eBook came from.
...the more licensees there are the less value each licensees product has
I don't think that is actually true. Perhaps you could elaborate upon why you think it is?
I say this because I look at the currently offered licensed products and I see two that have no value to me and my group because we don't use a virtual table-top to play our games, and I don't wish to expand my playing to include a group I do use a virtual table-top with, and one that has enough value for me and my group that it has entirely replaced my purchase and use of the more expensive and less functional hard-copy books from Wizards of the Coast. And then there is the eBook style licensed product that has been mentioned as coming along soon, which has its value determined entirely independently of these other licensed options - it's value to me will be determined based on what it does or does not do, which the other existing licensed products have no bearing upon.
Procles: So should those people that purchased the Digital copy get a physical copy for free? Who do I tell that too? Amazon, Walmart, FLGS ? (WOTC is just the publisher, they do not sell directly so it can't be them).
Gibuss: Well, in order to use the resources that were built by DDB on their own with proper license, you have to get the stuff from them. Sorry, I don't get to take the Grayhound bus just because I have a pass from city bus. However, you are always welcome to create your own tool for personal use.
I would suggest that both of you go read the very first post. from the link in my signature. May help you understand how this works.
This doesn't need to be hard. If you buy something on HumbleBundle.com, you own it on Steam. This is not new.
If one buys a book on DM'S Guild, they should get keys have access to that content on DnD Beyond, Fantasy Grounds, & Roll 20. If you want a physical version as well, they've got the bundle for that. Wizards strictly controls these licensees. There's no reason these things can not be centralized and integrated.
Obviously, this is not a DnDBeyond problem, it's a Wizard's business model & support problem.
This doesn't need to be hard. If you buy something on HumbleBundle.com, you own it on Steam. This is not new.
If one buys a book on DM'S Guild, they should get keys have access to that content on DnD Beyond, Fantasy Grounds, & Roll 20. If you want a physical version as well, they've got the bundle for that. Wizards strictly controls these licensees. There's no reason these things can not be centralized and integrated.
Obviously, this is not a DnDBeyond problem, it's a Wizard's business model & support problem.
Honestly, I don't think that analogy works very well. HumbleBundle sells Steam codes. Steam has many partnerships like that. But when you buy a game on Humble, or on Steam, or from someone who sells you a license for use on Steam, you won't have access to that game on Origin, Uplay, or other PC store platforms. DnD Beyond is an official digital toolset, but it's also a platform that provides its own tools, advantages, and disadvantages over other platforms. Other platforms can issue you a license for their platform, but they have developed it to work in their own unique way.
For example, you can buy Mass Effect on Steam if you want the Steam overlay, quick access to your Steam friends list, and Steam achievements. Or you can buy Mass Effect on EA Origin because of the integrated Twitch Streaming, or because you use Origin's "Origin Access" subscription. But buy a Steam code from HumbleBundle isn't going to let you play Mass Effect on Origin.
There is a way to make this work the way some are requesting.
If there was a single provider for the digital content, whose sole purpose was to provide an API to look up compendium data, OAuth could be used to authorize that data across multiple services, allowing the "horses" to be sold using the existing models (book by book, component by component), and the end services (FG, Roll20, DDB) would only be responsible for the "saddles", i.e. the interface and tooling. They could sell licenses for premium versions of the product, but wouldn't get a cut of the WOTC content.
Just bought all the core rulebooks to d&d 3 weeks ago, and I tell my friends about this site and I now come to find out that we would have to buy the rule books all over again.... what a shame.
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Thanks for the clarification.
Been playing since '79. Own every version. Already bought my three core rule books for 5th ed. Was excited about this online option, until you say I have to buy the book that is currently on my lap, a second time, to use your service. Yeah, keep emulating Games Workshop. Screw your bread and butter. Guess it's pencil and paper for me. Been good enough for 40 years. Oh wait, there are free apps out there. Guess I don't need you. Would have bought the stuff I don't already own from you here. But now I won't. Because you decided to start the relationship by strong arming me into re-purchasing what I already have. I can't participate in my own fleecing.
I think the title is pretty much self explanatory.
I'm never going to repurchase an online version of a book I already own.
I don't want a digital copy so any future books will also be physical copies.
Thanks.
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ModeratorNo, it is not possible to unlock the digital content with the physical purchase.
Shame. Don't think this will be useful to me then.
Best of luck.
How to add Tooltips
First off, I really love the character creation tool and the really nice UI. However, owning all the rulebooks, I wish there were a way for me to use that content without having to spend another $150 to buy content I already own. If there were some way to get to that content without doubling my spending, it would be greatly appreciated!
Wizards sells horses (rule content).You sell saddles (play accessories/tools). Wizards made it legally required that anyone who makes saddles pay a licensing fee. You paid them for the right to make saddles. So have other companies.
Some of us already own horses we bought from wizards.
Some of us already bought horses from roll20 or Fantasy Grounds.
But, while on your track, we can only ride if we bought our horses & saddles from you.
I understand that this is all what wizards has forced on you, but it’s crippling for all licensees.
You need a better deal. Wizards needs to develop a strategy in which their physical books can be paired with digital services so people like you can just sell a service.
For officially sanctioned products, you guys are getting screwed
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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!"🔊
It sounds to me like they are also "when on my track, you can only ride if you bought your horses & saddles from me" kind of deal, to use your words.
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Oh, no, absolutely. They are all the same in that regard. Wizards has screwed all of them over equally. If wizards had only gotten in bed with one of them, it would’ve been a more reasonable investment on the part of the consumer but, as it stands, Consumers are being asked to buy the same product once for table top, and once again for each of these platforms not knowing whether or not one of them will put the other out of business but in the next few months and their money will be entirely wasted. Wizards profits no matter what while the more licensees there are the less value each licensees product has
No criticism in the comparison. Frankly, I wish that the business models were better here because I would love to get use out of this website.
I realise my original post was moved and it might not have been as clear given the question was in the title (maybe add title to post in future mods?). So I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. I already own many 'physical' books, I don't care about having a digital copy of the book I just want to be able to use the resources I already have with the online tools. And I'm not going to re-purchase those books in digital format. That was my point. I have no idea where this idea of me wanting an eBook came from.
Procles: So should those people that purchased the Digital copy get a physical copy for free? Who do I tell that too? Amazon, Walmart, FLGS ? (WOTC is just the publisher, they do not sell directly so it can't be them).
Gibuss: Well, in order to use the resources that were built by DDB on their own with proper license, you have to get the stuff from them. Sorry, I don't get to take the Grayhound bus just because I have a pass from city bus. However, you are always welcome to create your own tool for personal use.
I would suggest that both of you go read the very first post. from the link in my signature. May help you understand how this works.
I just want to tell everyone "happy gaming" and actually mean it. Whatever your game is, just have fun with it, it is after all, just a game.
This doesn't need to be hard. If you buy something on HumbleBundle.com, you own it on Steam. This is not new.
If one buys a book on DM'S Guild, they should get keys have access to that content on DnD Beyond, Fantasy Grounds, & Roll 20. If you want a physical version as well, they've got the bundle for that. Wizards strictly controls these licensees. There's no reason these things can not be centralized and integrated.
Obviously, this is not a DnDBeyond problem, it's a Wizard's business model & support problem.
There is a way to make this work the way some are requesting.
If there was a single provider for the digital content, whose sole purpose was to provide an API to look up compendium data, OAuth could be used to authorize that data across multiple services, allowing the "horses" to be sold using the existing models (book by book, component by component), and the end services (FG, Roll20, DDB) would only be responsible for the "saddles", i.e. the interface and tooling. They could sell licenses for premium versions of the product, but wouldn't get a cut of the WOTC content.
Just bought all the core rulebooks to d&d 3 weeks ago, and I tell my friends about this site and I now come to find out that we would have to buy the rule books all over again.... what a shame.