So on DND Beyond, I made a Fighter 2/Bard 5, and was (correctly) limited to 8 known spells, with NO option to Click and LEARN any more spells. I helped a friend make a Wizard 7, and he could Click and LEARN an UNLIMITED number of Spells! Like, literally know EVERY spell at 1st through 4th Level without being capped! Anyone know why???
Because wizards can add spells to their spellbooks "out of progression" through copying written spells they find in the world. DDB allows this through not putting a cap on the number of spells a wizard knows, since there is technically no such cap. Thusly, a wizard player on DDB has to follow the honor system and add only the spells they're entitled to add to their spellbook.
Just wish there was something like an "Override" option for other classes to be able to do the same. Honestly, I am very surprised there isn't that option already actually.
Why would it be?!? It’s RAW for a Wizard to be able to do that, it’s absolutely against RAW for a Bard to do it.
It’s also against RAW for a bard to be able to switch out known spells outside of level-up, but the character sheet allows it, presumably because it’s a common thing for DMs to be flexible about and very easy to implement on a technical level. Similar things could be said about known spells. Giving characters new spells seems like an extremely common bespoke reward.
D&D Beyond’s refusal to open up even the most basic things to homebrew is getting really old, and it’s increasingly frustrating to me as the (literal) years drag on.
Why would it be?!? It’s RAW for a Wizard to be able to do that, it’s absolutely against RAW for a Bard to do it.
It’s also against RAW for a bard to be able to switch out known spells outside of level-up, but the character sheet allows it, presumably because it’s a common thing for DMs to be flexible about and very easy to implement on a technical level. Similar things could be said about known spells. Giving characters new spells seems like an extremely common bespoke reward.
D&D Beyond’s refusal to open up even the most basic things to homebrew is getting really old, and it’s increasingly frustrating to me as the (literal) years drag on.
I get the impression that the reason the sheet allows swaps other than at level-ups is because programming it to prevent that would be a bigger pain in the ass.
Why would it be?!? It’s RAW for a Wizard to be able to do that, it’s absolutely against RAW for a Bard to do it.
It’s also against RAW for a bard to be able to switch out known spells outside of level-up, but the character sheet allows it, presumably because it’s a common thing for DMs to be flexible about and very easy to implement on a technical level. Similar things could be said about known spells. Giving characters new spells seems like an extremely common bespoke reward.
D&D Beyond’s refusal to open up even the most basic things to homebrew is getting really old, and it’s increasingly frustrating to me as the (literal) years drag on.
I get the impression that the reason the sheet allows swaps other than at level-ups is because programming it to prevent that would be a bigger pain in the ass.
This, it would also make "trying out" spell lists in a theory craft space difficult.
I am curious what SagaTympana wants in this specific instance. Is it the power for a player (PC? DM?) to lock in spells for the lifetime of the character sheet?
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
I got the impression they want to be able to override max spells known as adding extra spells is a common reward DMs give to PCs. It would be handy, even if the only way to do it would be with a Feat. (Currently feats don’t have the “Consumes Spell Slot,” “Counts as Known,” or “Always Prepared” dropdowns.)
I got the impression they want to be able to override max spells known as adding extra spells is a common reward DMs give to PCs. It would be handy, even if the only way to do it would be with a Feat. (Currently feats don’t have the “Consumes Spell Slot,” “Counts as Known,” or “Always Prepared” dropdowns.)
So yeah, the "reward" is something added on top of the base class feature. Feats sound right to me. Also good if the character ever moves to another table so the DM can assess what's on spec vs what's hot rodded. I'm hoping the discussed integration of Dark Gifts (which if home-brewed would allow, along with the Theros gifts, things like boons and what not) may make DDB more amenable. Homebrew class feature variants that could engage spellslots and or spells known would be "next level" but I don't see that happening any time soon.
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Homebrew class features can already engage spell slots and spells known in as much as designating a spell to either require a spell slot to cast (or not), or count towards spells known/prepared (or not). But being able to directly edit the numbers of slots and/or known/prepared spells would be nice.
I’ve been writing a subclass that uses Pact Magic style progression (capped at 4th-level like the other 1/3 casters), but they get up to 6 slots (instead of 4) that recharge on a long rest (instead of short) and they Prepare spells like divine casters. Can’t do any of that here.
Why would it be?!? It’s RAW for a Wizard to be able to do that, it’s absolutely against RAW for a Bard to do it.
It’s also against RAW for a bard to be able to switch out known spells outside of level-up, but the character sheet allows it, presumably because it’s a common thing for DMs to be flexible about and very easy to implement on a technical level. Similar things could be said about known spells. Giving characters new spells seems like an extremely common bespoke reward.
D&D Beyond’s refusal to open up even the most basic things to homebrew is getting really old, and it’s increasingly frustrating to me as the (literal) years drag on.
People make mistakes when they're selecting things on occasion. A player shouldn't be punished because they accidentally selected Locate Creature when they meant to click on Dominate Person. So the character creator doesn't lock you in on selections.
Maybe I am wrong about the design philosophy, or maybe I am correct and it should change, but it does seem a little odd to say 'as the years drag on'. It seems to imply you've been waiting on it, but did they commit to changing how they build out the functionality over time in this way?
They have been saying for years that they want their homebrew tools to be less shit, yes.
A lot of people find the homebrew tools on DDB extremely frustrating, unintuitive, and difficult to use. They avoid homebrew as hard as they can as a result, because using the existing tools is such a ferocious hassle. Even for people who have most of a clue like myself, having to jigger up a custom homebrew feat every time I want to do anything cool or give players in my game any kind of perk can be an annoying time-killer, given how long it takes to do.
Why would it be?!? It’s RAW for a Wizard to be able to do that, it’s absolutely against RAW for a Bard to do it.
And yet, you can add arbitrary bonuses to ability scores, saving throws, skills, senses, movement speed, or AC. You can add new weapon, skill, armor, language, tool, and skill proficiencies. You can add more feats and brand new custom skills. All of that is completely outside of the features granted by your race, class, and background and it isn't explicitly RAW. It's all based on DM-discretion and other things like spell selections, spellcasting ability score, and spell slots absolutely should be as well.
Why would it be?!? It’s RAW for a Wizard to be able to do that, it’s absolutely against RAW for a Bard to do it.
And yet, you can add arbitrary bonuses to ability scores, saving throws, skills, senses, movement speed, or AC. You can add new weapon, skill, armor, language, tool, and skill proficiencies. You can add more feats and brand new custom skills. All of that is completely outside of the features granted by your race, class, and background and it isn't explicitly RAW. It's all based on DM-discretion and other things like spell selections, spellcasting ability score, and spell slots absolutely should be as well.
But in those cases it's far less likely that you would accidentally add more than you're allowed to have. I'm not sure how you would include the ability to add more spells than your normal limit while also making it clear that you aren't adding them in the normal way.
Why would it be?!? It’s RAW for a Wizard to be able to do that, it’s absolutely against RAW for a Bard to do it.
And yet, you can add arbitrary bonuses to ability scores, saving throws, skills, senses, movement speed, or AC. You can add new weapon, skill, armor, language, tool, and skill proficiencies. You can add more feats and brand new custom skills. All of that is completely outside of the features granted by your race, class, and background and it isn't explicitly RAW. It's all based on DM-discretion and other things like spell selections, spellcasting ability score, and spell slots absolutely should be as well.
But in those cases it's far less likely that you would accidentally add more than you're allowed to have. I'm not sure how you would include the ability to add more spells than your normal limit while also making it clear that you aren't adding them in the normal way.
That's extremely simple. They already did this exact warning for artificer infusions.
Why would it be?!? It’s RAW for a Wizard to be able to do that, it’s absolutely against RAW for a Bard to do it.
It’s also against RAW for a bard to be able to switch out known spells outside of level-up, but the character sheet allows it, presumably because it’s a common thing for DMs to be flexible about and very easy to implement on a technical level. Similar things could be said about known spells. Giving characters new spells seems like an extremely common bespoke reward.
D&D Beyond’s refusal to open up even the most basic things to homebrew is getting really old, and it’s increasingly frustrating to me as the (literal) years drag on.
Homebrew nothing.
Not every character starts at 1st. If you, before even the first play session, decide you picked the wrong spells and want to come into the campaign with different ones, should you have to scrap the character entirely and rebuild them from scratch?
Is it also convenient for campaigns with such homebrew rules? Sure. However the above answer is simpler.
What are you even talking about? The character builder is available at any level (indeed, it’s how you level up).
A lot of people find the homebrew tools on DDB extremely frustrating, unintuitive, and difficult to use. They avoid homebrew as hard as they can as a result, because using the existing tools is such a ferocious hassle. Even for people who have most of a clue like myself, having to jigger up a custom homebrew feat every time I want to do anything cool or give players in my game any kind of perk can be an annoying time-killer, given how long it takes to do.
Of course they avoid homebrew.
The fact that you can literally sit there and homebrew official versions of classes, no reprocussions honestly if I were on D&D Beyond is a bloody slap in the face. Making it easier to NOT use the official content, which is how they make money? I can talk about how I've sat here and bought EVERY piece of content, but over the course of 3+ years I've spent a thousand dollars. Lot of money, but how much is a developer making on this website?
Looking at the fact that there are over 7 million registered members. If you assume ALL of them spent one dollar, so 7 million dollars. Assuming a dev team of 20(which I think is a high number to be honest?), making 50k a year, thats a million a year in payroll for four years. That doesn't count licensing, server costs, etc.
I don't think the money they take in is that high, and considering that one person can buy all the content, and share content with what is it, 30 people? Homebrew isn't the name of the game. They'll develop homebrew tools as needed to work within the official constraints within 5e.
If these things don't sit well with you, leave, but it's worth noting that even as a consistent, paying customer over the course of my time here, I have not paid one persons monthly salary. I mention this because this is how I rationalize where the systems are and where things are going. I don't care about container management, a lot of people do and apparently thats a big thing on the radar. Cool, lets get it done, but I also see it being done because it makes a quality of life fix to something that works within the current system. Why sit there and develop out all these robust homebrew tools when it will literally do ZERO for them when something like Strixhaven comes out?
I don't think the money they take in is that high, and considering that one person can buy all the content, and share content with what is it, 30 people?
The current limits are:
12 players + DM / Campaign
Content Shared with up to 5 campaigns per Master Tier subscription.
So currently, with the Legendary Bundle and a Master sub one person can singlehandedly provide access to 100% of all currently published content with themselves and up to 60 additional people. (When content sharing was with a maximum of only 3 campaigns it was themselves and up to 36 others.
However, with a Master sub comes ♾ PCs. Technically, as long as they create a character and join another campaign and anyone there has a Master tier and activates content sharing, they can for use that access to even more people. Theoretically, if at least 1/60 of the global population (7,875,000,000 people / 60 = 131,250,000 master subs) has a master sub, *6 degrees of Kevin Bacon separation = a theoretical possibility that one legendary bundle could be shared with… everyone. The entire known population of this entire universe.
And, if other sentient beings come to earth from other planets (or dimensions), provided they have money and legal rights as customers, them too. So, I guess, theoretically the entire population (known and unknown) of this (and every other) “universe.”
If I remember correctly, I think the limit is just 12 players (11 normal players + GM), so that means we can share our stuff with 55 other people right now. If you want to share more without buying more Legendary bundles, each secondary master tier account can share with 50 additional people.
So for a thousand bucks right now, you can get a Legendary Bundle and share it with 55 other people for three years, or share it with 155 people for one year. One person spending a grand can basically save a community over $124,000 (155 * $800), potentially more. If those 155 players are all super hardworking GMs who do not mind managing their players' characters during level up and are each managing 2 campaigns with 5 players each, that is saving the community a whopping $1,364,000 (155 * 11 * $800).
So on DND Beyond, I made a Fighter 2/Bard 5, and was (correctly) limited to 8 known spells, with NO option to Click and LEARN any more spells. I helped a friend make a Wizard 7, and he could Click and LEARN an UNLIMITED number of Spells! Like, literally know EVERY spell at 1st through 4th Level without being capped! Anyone know why???
Because wizards can add spells to their spellbooks "out of progression" through copying written spells they find in the world. DDB allows this through not putting a cap on the number of spells a wizard knows, since there is technically no such cap. Thusly, a wizard player on DDB has to follow the honor system and add only the spells they're entitled to add to their spellbook.
Please do not contact or message me.
That makes sense.
Just wish there was something like an "Override" option for other classes to be able to do the same. Honestly, I am very surprised there isn't that option already actually.
Why would it be?!? It’s RAW for a Wizard to be able to do that, it’s absolutely against RAW for a Bard to do it.
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It’s also against RAW for a bard to be able to switch out known spells outside of level-up, but the character sheet allows it, presumably because it’s a common thing for DMs to be flexible about and very easy to implement on a technical level. Similar things could be said about known spells. Giving characters new spells seems like an extremely common bespoke reward.
D&D Beyond’s refusal to open up even the most basic things to homebrew is getting really old, and it’s increasingly frustrating to me as the (literal) years drag on.
I get the impression that the reason the sheet allows swaps other than at level-ups is because programming it to prevent that would be a bigger pain in the ass.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
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This, it would also make "trying out" spell lists in a theory craft space difficult.
I am curious what SagaTympana wants in this specific instance. Is it the power for a player (PC? DM?) to lock in spells for the lifetime of the character sheet?
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
I got the impression they want to be able to override max spells known as adding extra spells is a common reward DMs give to PCs. It would be handy, even if the only way to do it would be with a Feat. (Currently feats don’t have the “Consumes Spell Slot,” “Counts as Known,” or “Always Prepared” dropdowns.)
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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Content Troubleshooting
So yeah, the "reward" is something added on top of the base class feature. Feats sound right to me. Also good if the character ever moves to another table so the DM can assess what's on spec vs what's hot rodded. I'm hoping the discussed integration of Dark Gifts (which if home-brewed would allow, along with the Theros gifts, things like boons and what not) may make DDB more amenable. Homebrew class feature variants that could engage spellslots and or spells known would be "next level" but I don't see that happening any time soon.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Homebrew class features can already engage spell slots and spells known in as much as designating a spell to either require a spell slot to cast (or not), or count towards spells known/prepared (or not). But being able to directly edit the numbers of slots and/or known/prepared spells would be nice.
I’ve been writing a subclass that uses Pact Magic style progression (capped at 4th-level like the other 1/3 casters), but they get up to 6 slots (instead of 4) that recharge on a long rest (instead of short) and they Prepare spells like divine casters. Can’t do any of that here.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
People make mistakes when they're selecting things on occasion. A player shouldn't be punished because they accidentally selected Locate Creature when they meant to click on Dominate Person. So the character creator doesn't lock you in on selections.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
They have been saying for years that they want their homebrew tools to be less shit, yes.
A lot of people find the homebrew tools on DDB extremely frustrating, unintuitive, and difficult to use. They avoid homebrew as hard as they can as a result, because using the existing tools is such a ferocious hassle. Even for people who have most of a clue like myself, having to jigger up a custom homebrew feat every time I want to do anything cool or give players in my game any kind of perk can be an annoying time-killer, given how long it takes to do.
Please do not contact or message me.
And yet, you can add arbitrary bonuses to ability scores, saving throws, skills, senses, movement speed, or AC. You can add new weapon, skill, armor, language, tool, and skill proficiencies. You can add more feats and brand new custom skills. All of that is completely outside of the features granted by your race, class, and background and it isn't explicitly RAW. It's all based on DM-discretion and other things like spell selections, spellcasting ability score, and spell slots absolutely should be as well.
But in those cases it's far less likely that you would accidentally add more than you're allowed to have. I'm not sure how you would include the ability to add more spells than your normal limit while also making it clear that you aren't adding them in the normal way.
That's extremely simple. They already did this exact warning for artificer infusions.
What are you even talking about? The character builder is available at any level (indeed, it’s how you level up).
Of course they avoid homebrew.
The fact that you can literally sit there and homebrew official versions of classes, no reprocussions honestly if I were on D&D Beyond is a bloody slap in the face. Making it easier to NOT use the official content, which is how they make money? I can talk about how I've sat here and bought EVERY piece of content, but over the course of 3+ years I've spent a thousand dollars. Lot of money, but how much is a developer making on this website?
Looking at the fact that there are over 7 million registered members. If you assume ALL of them spent one dollar, so 7 million dollars. Assuming a dev team of 20(which I think is a high number to be honest?), making 50k a year, thats a million a year in payroll for four years. That doesn't count licensing, server costs, etc.
I don't think the money they take in is that high, and considering that one person can buy all the content, and share content with what is it, 30 people? Homebrew isn't the name of the game. They'll develop homebrew tools as needed to work within the official constraints within 5e.
If these things don't sit well with you, leave, but it's worth noting that even as a consistent, paying customer over the course of my time here, I have not paid one persons monthly salary. I mention this because this is how I rationalize where the systems are and where things are going. I don't care about container management, a lot of people do and apparently thats a big thing on the radar. Cool, lets get it done, but I also see it being done because it makes a quality of life fix to something that works within the current system. Why sit there and develop out all these robust homebrew tools when it will literally do ZERO for them when something like Strixhaven comes out?
The current limits are:
So currently, with the Legendary Bundle and a Master sub one person can singlehandedly provide access to 100% of all currently published content with themselves and up to 60 additional people. (When content sharing was with a maximum of only 3 campaigns it was themselves and up to 36 others.
However, with a Master sub comes ♾ PCs. Technically, as long as they create a character and join another campaign and anyone there has a Master tier and activates content sharing, they can for use that access to even more people. Theoretically, if at least 1/60 of the global population (7,875,000,000 people / 60 = 131,250,000 master subs) has a master sub, *6 degrees of
Kevin Baconseparation = a theoretical possibility that one legendary bundle could be shared with… everyone. The entire known population of this entire universe.And, if other sentient beings come to earth from other planets (or dimensions), provided they have money and legal rights as customers, them too. So, I guess, theoretically the entire population (known and unknown) of this (and every other) “universe.”
So, like, literally ev-ver-rey-one.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
If I remember correctly, I think the limit is just 12 players (11 normal players + GM), so that means we can share our stuff with 55 other people right now. If you want to share more without buying more Legendary bundles, each secondary master tier account can share with 50 additional people.
So for a thousand bucks right now, you can get a Legendary Bundle and share it with 55 other people for three years, or share it with 155 people for one year. One person spending a grand can basically save a community over $124,000 (155 * $800), potentially more. If those 155 players are all super hardworking GMs who do not mind managing their players' characters during level up and are each managing 2 campaigns with 5 players each, that is saving the community a whopping $1,364,000 (155 * 11 * $800).
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