I find the search function a bit limited. I went to search for “language” and “languages” to try to find out how long it takes to learn a new language as a downtime activity and all I got was a few spells, stat blocks and character/class types. Nothing returned under downtime rules even though it is in both XHtE and (I’m told) the PHB. So I ran a search on “training” and that also came up with nothing relevant even though it’s a subheading under downtime activities. To me, search was the BIG reason to buy into DDB as DM and search needs a bit more depth and nuance, I think.
I haven't read word for word through the section in XGTE yet, but some quick skimming I didn't see ANYthing about learning a language in the text itself.
Scratch what I said before. It was under training and I eventually found it with ctrl+f.i think one of the problems is the search itself is horribly indexed and I'm not sure everything got turned on for Xanathar's to be searched. Like, I couldn't get a compendium search result for the hexblade either. There are also FAR too many duplicate results returned on a search.
I think it's up to the Dm , The thing about D&D That I have noticed is a lot of things have no rules for them. Learning to speak a different language you just sort of get when you start, I would think you have to expose yourself to that language as much as possible. I would just have a player roll a D20 + Intel Mod for every day they are actively trying to learn and if their score evens out to a cretin number ( Elvin would be easy while something like Abyssal would be insanely hard) they would learn how to speak , understand a bit of it but not be fully fluent.
I was talking to someone the other day about this who does programming for a living. I was complaining that the search here is a bit wonky and it can be hard to find what I'm looking for as the difference between a partial and a full word won't return the same, or sometimes any, results. Like, you get different results if you search for "language" over "languages", and often you'll get multiple instances of the same link.
I said, "It doesn't work like Google search does." I then got a lecture on how Google has billions of dollars of infrastructure and incredibly complex algorithms and how making a search engine is actually really, really difficult.
I searched for Improved Pact Weapon, trying to find the invocation. Nope, not even close. It isn't on the Warlock page either. So I had to go into Xanathar's and into Warlock from there. I seriously regret spending the money I did on this horribly designed site. I told myself I shouldn't, because of the history of online D&D products being inferior to anything that fans make themselves. But I did it anyway.
Now I've got a lot of information that isn't easy to access, a character builder that is way worse than the automated character sheet that WOTC forced off of DMsGuild, and a phone app that is coming 'someday'. Well, shame on me.
I said, "It doesn't work like Google search does." I then got a lecture on how Google has billions of dollars of infrastructure and incredibly complex algorithms and how making a search engine is actually really, really difficult.
So, umm, yeah.
That argument might hold sway if:
1) We were searching something the size of the internet. There isn't much to search, the resources to index and search it wouldn't be that much.
2) The sight wasn't owned by AMAZON. If Amazon's search engine worked this bad, they'd go out of business.
Now I've got a lot of information that isn't easy to access, a character builder that is way worse than the automated character sheet that WOTC forced off of DMsGuild, and a phone app that is coming 'someday'. Well, shame on me.
I've invested heavily as well and was wondering whether I should regret it, but I feel confident that the sight will improve. The DDB team is VERY responsive (they can't fix everything quickly, but I'm surprised how quickly the fix the things they can). They communicate well. They own mistakes. The roadmap is clear and (I find) compelling. And the fact is, even without full functionality I have all the books in digital format at a much lower price than I can get the hardcopies locally. (I'd prefer PDFs if that was the only goal, but it nevertheless is convenient and cost effective.) So I don't regret spending the money. I can't wholeheartedly recommend DDB as it stands now but I feel like this is a good long term investment.
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I find the search function a bit limited. I went to search for “language” and “languages” to try to find out how long it takes to learn a new language as a downtime activity and all I got was a few spells, stat blocks and character/class types. Nothing returned under downtime rules even though it is in both XHtE and (I’m told) the PHB. So I ran a search on “training” and that also came up with nothing relevant even though it’s a subheading under downtime activities. To me, search was the BIG reason to buy into DDB as DM and search needs a bit more depth and nuance, I think.
I haven't read word for word through the section in XGTE yet, but some quick skimming I didn't see ANYthing about learning a language in the text itself.
Scratch what I said before. It was under training and I eventually found it with ctrl+f.i think one of the problems is the search itself is horribly indexed and I'm not sure everything got turned on for Xanathar's to be searched. Like, I couldn't get a compendium search result for the hexblade either. There are also FAR too many duplicate results returned on a search.
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Where five friends sit around the table and record themselves playing Dungeons and Dragons
I think it's up to the Dm , The thing about D&D That I have noticed is a lot of things have no rules for them. Learning to speak a different language you just sort of get when you start, I would think you have to expose yourself to that language as much as possible. I would just have a player roll a D20 + Intel Mod for every day they are actively trying to learn and if their score evens out to a cretin number ( Elvin would be easy while something like Abyssal would be insanely hard) they would learn how to speak , understand a bit of it but not be fully fluent.
I was talking to someone the other day about this who does programming for a living. I was complaining that the search here is a bit wonky and it can be hard to find what I'm looking for as the difference between a partial and a full word won't return the same, or sometimes any, results. Like, you get different results if you search for "language" over "languages", and often you'll get multiple instances of the same link.
I said, "It doesn't work like Google search does." I then got a lecture on how Google has billions of dollars of infrastructure and incredibly complex algorithms and how making a search engine is actually really, really difficult.
So, umm, yeah.
I've posted about this as well.
It definitely needs something added.
I searched for Improved Pact Weapon, trying to find the invocation. Nope, not even close. It isn't on the Warlock page either. So I had to go into Xanathar's and into Warlock from there. I seriously regret spending the money I did on this horribly designed site. I told myself I shouldn't, because of the history of online D&D products being inferior to anything that fans make themselves. But I did it anyway.
Now I've got a lot of information that isn't easy to access, a character builder that is way worse than the automated character sheet that WOTC forced off of DMsGuild, and a phone app that is coming 'someday'. Well, shame on me.