I subscribed just over a month ago and transitioned my play-by-forum campaign over to it quite quickly. Since then, I haven't once had cause to open any of my physical 5E D&D books and my productivity as a DM has shot up as a result. WoTC should have done this themselves years ago. The 4E character builder tools and online compendium were a big step forward, but I still found it more convenient to look stuff up in the physical books occasionally. With Beyond I just don't need the physical copies.
I know there have been a lot of complaints about needing to re-buy the physical copies as digital. My solution is to go fully digital. I might keep my old physical books, but if I do, it will only be for sentimental reasons at this point.
I agree for almost every circumstance. For creating monsters, the physical DMG is vastly superior, and, during live games, if you only have one computer, especially if it's slow, it's helpful to also have a physical PHB. Other than that, D&D Beyond wins every time.
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
I was just thinking about this weekend. I lug a backpack with every 5e book I own, DM a whole session without pulling one of them out, then lug it back home.
I agree for almost every circumstance. For creating monsters, the physical DMG is vastly superior, and, during live games, if you only have one computer, especially if it's slow, it's helpful to also have a physical PHB. Other than that, D&D Beyond wins every time.
The monster creator could definitely be improved. I feel there are a lot of ways they could automate things, or at least not require them. For example, I was porting an NPC over to a homebrew monster so i can eventually hand him off to the PCs for combat. I have no idea what his CR is or really even how to figure it out.
I subscribed just over a month ago and transitioned my play-by-forum campaign over to it quite quickly. Since then, I haven't once had cause to open any of my physical 5E D&D books and my productivity as a DM has shot up as a result. WoTC should have done this themselves years ago. The 4E character builder tools and online compendium were a big step forward, but I still found it more convenient to look stuff up in the physical books occasionally. With Beyond I just don't need the physical copies.
I know there have been a lot of complaints about needing to re-buy the physical copies as digital. My solution is to go fully digital. I might keep my old physical books, but if I do, it will only be for sentimental reasons at this point.
"Print is dead." --Egon, Ghostbusters (1984)
Well said! Thanks for the feedback!
I agree for almost every circumstance. For creating monsters, the physical DMG is vastly superior, and, during live games, if you only have one computer, especially if it's slow, it's helpful to also have a physical PHB. Other than that, D&D Beyond wins every time.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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I was just thinking about this weekend. I lug a backpack with every 5e book I own, DM a whole session without pulling one of them out, then lug it back home.
I might just leave them at home next session.
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