Took a look at the sales page, saw a couple of 15% drops but is anything in the sale actually 40% off?
I know they say "up to", which may be anything from 1% - 39%, I just expected the 40% off item to be more prominantly displayed - but I can't find it for looking.
It is madness to buy anything right now, unless you know that your table will continue to play 5e after 6e is released. Why buy a hard copy if you know it is good for only 1 more year of play, or a soft copy that will vanish when 6e comes out?
They won’t “vanish,” they’ll just get archived.
Does that mean that someone who has purchased something today will access to it 12 months from now. When the new PHB comes out (and/or the new DMG and MM), will a purchaser today have access to that product in Dec 2024?
Edit: Or more specifically, if a DM starts up a campaign in Dec 2024, and a player comes to them and says "I want to play a Battlemaster from the 2024 PHB", will that DM have access to the 2014 PHB?
Lemme put it this way, if I can’t still access my 2014 PHB, DMG, & MM in Dec ‘24, I’ma be PISSED with not just a capital P, but allcaps just like that, and so will a whole shedload of other DDB users. I doubt even WotC is stupid enough to make that mistake. They’ll archive the 2014 versions with the “Legacy” tag. They will no longer be for sale, but if you already have access to them then you will keep it. That’s what they did for Volo’s Guide & Mordenkainen’s Tome when MotM came out. If they don’t I’ll be so shocked you’ll be able to knock me over with a wet noodle.
Lemme put it this way, if I can’t still access my 2014 PHB, DMG, & MM in Dec ‘24, I’ma be PISSED with not just a capital P, but allcaps just like that, and so will a whole shedload of other DDB users. I doubt even WotC is stupid enough to make that mistake. They’ll archive the 2014 versions with the “Legacy” tag. They will no longer be for sale, but if you already have access to them then you will keep it. That’s what they did for Volo’s Guide & Mordenkainen’s Tome when MotM came out. If they don’t I’ll be so shocked you’ll be able to knock me over with a wet noodle.
They're going to have to figure out a better way of handling things like the [ monster ] tag, currently that one points to the VGtM/MToF versions regardless if which you have available. Correct fix is probably to show the entry from the most recent book you own, and show the buy icon if you don't own it from any source, but that's significantly more complex than what it currently does.
And with me, there's an extremely high chance of canceling my sub if they don't -- by that time I will be deep into the new campaign, and since it doesn't rely on many of those things, it isn't a loss to me, but it will annoy the hell out of me, since I use the app and use all my stuff there even more than I use DDB online.
Unless they just convert me over to the updated versions. I'm not saying I want that, though -- I would be fine with buying the updated versions, but only so long as I could keep my older ones.
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Took a look at the sales page, saw a couple of 15% drops but is anything in the sale actually 40% off?
I know they say "up to", which may be anything from 1% - 39%, I just expected the 40% off item to be more prominantly displayed - but I can't find it for looking.
It is madness to buy anything right now, unless you know that your table will continue to play 5e after 6e is released. Why buy a hard copy if you know it is good for only 1 more year of play, or a soft copy that will vanish when 6e comes out?
They won’t “vanish,” they’ll just get archived.
Does that mean that someone who has purchased something today will access to it 12 months from now. When the new PHB comes out (and/or the new DMG and MM), will a purchaser today have access to that product in Dec 2024?
Edit: Or more specifically, if a DM starts up a campaign in Dec 2024, and a player comes to them and says "I want to play a Battlemaster from the 2024 PHB", will that DM have access to the 2014 PHB?
Lemme put it this way, if I can’t still access my 2014 PHB, DMG, & MM in Dec ‘24, I’ma be PISSED with not just a capital P, but allcaps just like that, and so will a whole shedload of other DDB users. I doubt even WotC is stupid enough to make that mistake. They’ll archive the 2014 versions with the “Legacy” tag. They will no longer be for sale, but if you already have access to them then you will keep it. That’s what they did for Volo’s Guide & Mordenkainen’s Tome when MotM came out. If they don’t I’ll be so shocked you’ll be able to knock me over with a wet noodle.
Tell me this.
It is Jan 2025. A player new to D&D joins a table that is, I dunno, almost 18 months into a campaign. Let's say that the table is using hard copies. How does that table integrate that new player who has no access to the material that the table is using, other than sharing hard copies?
No offense, but what the heck do hard copies have to do with DDB? And why wouldn’t the table share hardcopies as 6thLyranGuard asks? Plus, do you have any idea how many dirt cheap used copies of the 2014 PHB will be available on the secondhand market by then? Your argument lacks substance.
But here is the thing. I play at a real table. I would say that over half the players at the table, maybe more, use DDB at the table. The DM does not. I am for all intents and purposes the co-DM (I have DM'ed at this particular table 3 of the last 4 weeks), and I use hard copies. There is NO WAY a new player without access to those legacy books is going to be integrated in 2025, unless these people search out and buy hard copies.
Again, why wouldn’t people share their books?!? Back in the day we used to share books all the time.
Further, consider the practical application. Here is a scenario. I am at my FLGS, waiting to DM a game. We have had a player leave, and are back-filling into our campaign. I have to show up, wait for someone who I only know through Discord, to show up. I then hand them my PHB and XGTE, and they create a char out of that material. I really don't care about the time I am wasting before a session to let that person use my books. But there is ZERO chance I let them leave with my books since people flake out.
Why would they need to leave with your books? The character would be created by then, they shouldn’t really need the books anymore until they level up since the basic rules will still be accessible for free online. And if they do need access to those books, they should buy their own used copies on the secondhand market.
Still, I have to ask… what in the heck do hardcopy books have to do with DDB?!? Abso-freaking-lutely nothing. If I bring a new player onboard to D&D, I’ma tell them to make a DDB account for free, to join my campaign for free, and I’ll grant them full time 100% access to all of my purchased content through content sharing. They will have free access to MY digital copies of the ’14PHB, ‘14DMG, ‘14MM, Xanathar’s, Volo’s, Mordenkainen’s, Tasha’s, Eberron, SCAG, Dragonlance, MotM, and whatever the hell else I have purchased licenses to. They will have access to the content whether they can purchase it themselves or not. So if you want to ensure you can share access to those sourcebooks into the future, the best thing you can do is take advantage of this flashsale and purchase licenses to them now before they get archived.
Fair point about used copies (that only extends to the PHB, NOT the low selling books).
But here is the thing. I play at a real table. I would say that over half the players at the table, maybe more, use DDB at the table. The DM does not. I am for all intents and purposes the co-DM (I have DM'ed at this particular table 3 of the last 4 weeks), and I use hard copies. There is NO WAY a new player without access to those legacy books is going to be integrated in 2025, unless these people search out and buy hard copies.
Further, consider the practical application. Here is a scenario. I am at my FLGS, waiting to DM a game. We have had a player leave, and are back-filling into our campaign. I have to show up, wait for someone who I only know through Discord, to show up. I then hand them my PHB and XGTE, and they create a char out of that material. I really don't care about the time I am wasting before a session to let that person use my books. But there is ZERO chance I let them leave with my books since people flake out.
I am not sure why someone needs to take materials home for them if you helped them make the character sheet at the game. Everything a new player will need is on the paper or on DDB.
Uhhh...this website is the portal for ALL D&D players, whether they use D&D Beyond for virtual access or NOT. I stated that neither one of the DM's at the table has a DDB account that supports any or all of those books. Now, if you are happy with wotc cutting those people loose from the D&D community when 6e comes out, that is another conversation. But that is what is looking to happen. I have hard copies. I am not about to pay twice.
So, near as I can tell, you are just going off on some side tangent where you think than whenever WotC gets around to releasing some hypothetical 6e (which is well beyond any near term, and at least five years out), that they are going to somehow suddenly stop creating physical books entirely?
Because that's the only way any of what you just said makes any damn sense.
I mean, let's run this down...
DDB is the Portal for all D&D Players: This is true to a point. THis is the primary and principal site for D&D players to access forums, catch up on news, purchase both physical and digital copies of the books. That is indeed what it is for. It is also a place where folks can use special searchable listings, share certain kinds of homebrew creations, join campaigns and keep character records, and eventually host of features -- that they can choose to pay for if they want to do so. And if they don't want to pay for it, well, it still has forums and news and is a great place to buy physical and digital copies of the books. That covers your they do/they don't "virtual access" thing, whatever the hell that is supposed to mean.
neither one of the DM's at the table has a DDB account: Huh. You know, I am the only DM out of six in my group that has the fancy paid Master Tier account. 5 other folks have DDB accounts they paid for, and a total of 12 of use even bother to check in here. None of which changes a damn thing about how any of us find value in it or not, and none of which means that any of them will be "cut loose".
when 6e comes out: this is like years from now. If you mean the 2024 edition, then you should say the 2024 edition, not "6e" because saying 6e means you are talking about something that is a significant shift in the game as a whole, we already had that conversation, it isn't 6e, and so the soonest that is likely to come is 2030. Possibly 2034. And if you do mean the 2024 version, then there is no evidence that's going to happen -- not even evidence that "is looking to happen". And yes, I know the guy said they are going to monetize people -- that's not evidence of what you describe.
I am not about to pay twice.: This may be part of the crux, and if so, then hey, cool, good for you. No one is saying to you have to pay twice for anything. If you don't want the digital books, fine -- don't buy the digital books. There is no indication that they are going to stop doing printed books -- they are even talking about plans for sending the books to the printer (though now they have to deal with the worst farking distribution channels in the universe). And printed books are still a big seller. None of this means that they are going to "force you" to the digital versions. They are still doing transliteration of the books for other languages, for crying out loud.
Look, I get that you have a massive, intense dislike for everything WotC. But all your points are unfounded supposition presuming a worst case without evidence. You don't want to have an account here, then don't. It isn't an essential requirement. You don't want to pay for an account here, then don't. Now requirement there, either. The stuff you describe all seeks to shrink the market for D&D -- and that's literally the opposite of the whole point of being in business, soyou have an extra hard hill to climb. You don't want to buy the 2024 books, don't buy the 2024 books.
I'm not even sure I will -- and I have essentially rewritten much of 2014 in order to create my next campaign, so there's a chance I will have no reason, myself, as I will be using that setting for at least the next five years, possibly longer. SO why should I stress it? Indeed, since I can't use the big features here, why should I even have a Master tier subscription?
The reason is pretty simple: I find value in it. That value is always subject to change. Telling me that the sky is falling without evidence the sky is falling isn't going to change that value measure.
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Wyrlde: Adventures in the Seven Cities .-=] Lore Book | Patreon | Wyrlde YT [=-. An original Setting for 5e, a whole solar system of adventure. Ongoing updates, exclusies, more. Not Talking About It / Dubbed The Oracle in the Cult of Mythology Nerds
It's not like the old print books are suddenly going to turn into pumpkins the moment the new books are released. Heck, I know of stores where it's possible to still find 2nd edition books on a semi-reliable basis. This whole line of argument is, well, are you familiar with the phrase "borrowing trouble?"
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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.
But here is the thing. I play at a real table. I would say that over half the players at the table, maybe more, use DDB at the table. The DM does not. I am for all intents and purposes the co-DM (I have DM'ed at this particular table 3 of the last 4 weeks), and I use hard copies. There is NO WAY a new player without access to those legacy books is going to be integrated in 2025, unless these people search out and buy hard copies.
Again, why wouldn’t people share their books?!? Back in the day we used to share books all the time.
Further, consider the practical application. Here is a scenario. I am at my FLGS, waiting to DM a game. We have had a player leave, and are back-filling into our campaign. I have to show up, wait for someone who I only know through Discord, to show up. I then hand them my PHB and XGTE, and they create a char out of that material. I really don't care about the time I am wasting before a session to let that person use my books. But there is ZERO chance I let them leave with my books since people flake out.
Why would they need to leave with your books? The character would be created by then, they shouldn’t really need the books anymore until they level up since the basic rules will still be accessible for free online. And if they do need access to those books, they should buy their own used copies on the secondhand market.
Still, I have to ask… what in the heck do hardcopy books have to do with DDB?!? Abso-freaking-lutely nothing. If I bring a new player onboard to D&D, I’ma tell them to make a DDB account for free, to join my campaign for free, and I’ll grant them full time 100% access to all of my purchased content through content sharing. They will have free access to MY digital copies of the ’14PHB, ‘14DMG, ‘14MM, Xanathar’s, Volo’s, Mordenkainen’s, Tasha’s, Eberron, SCAG, Dragonlance, MotM, and whatever the hell else I have purchased licenses to. They will have access to the content whether they can purchase it themselves or not. So if you want to ensure you can share access to those sourcebooks into the future, the best thing you can do is take advantage of this flashsale and purchase licenses to them now before they get archived.
Uhhh...this website is the portal for ALL D&D players, whether they use D&D Beyond for virtual access or NOT. I stated that neither one of the DM's at the table has a DDB account that supports any or all of those books. Now, if you are happy with wotc cutting those people loose from the D&D community when 6e comes out, that is another conversation. But that is what is looking to happen. I have hard copies. I am not about to pay twice.
I don’t understand, who’s getting cut out of what?!? Both old and new copies of the materials will be available for anyone who wants to buy them due to the secondhand market, you’ve acknowledged that yourself. So who’s getting cut out of what?!?
DDB’s mission statement from the beginning is and has always been digital service for D&D. It has nothing to do with physical anything. Your outrage is directed at the wrong target here.
6e hasn’t even been announced, let alone scheduled for any time in the foreseeable future. The 2024 release will be Revised 5th Edition, just like what happened to almost every edition that came before 5e. 2e had a revised edition, I know because I played through the revision. 3e had a 3.5 “revision,” I know because I played through it. Hell, even 4e had a revision. What’s got your undies in such a bunch?
But here is the thing. I play at a real table. I would say that over half the players at the table, maybe more, use DDB at the table. The DM does not. I am for all intents and purposes the co-DM (I have DM'ed at this particular table 3 of the last 4 weeks), and I use hard copies. There is NO WAY a new player without access to those legacy books is going to be integrated in 2025, unless these people search out and buy hard copies.
Again, why wouldn’t people share their books?!? Back in the day we used to share books all the time.
Further, consider the practical application. Here is a scenario. I am at my FLGS, waiting to DM a game. We have had a player leave, and are back-filling into our campaign. I have to show up, wait for someone who I only know through Discord, to show up. I then hand them my PHB and XGTE, and they create a char out of that material. I really don't care about the time I am wasting before a session to let that person use my books. But there is ZERO chance I let them leave with my books since people flake out.
Why would they need to leave with your books? The character would be created by then, they shouldn’t really need the books anymore until they level up since the basic rules will still be accessible for free online. And if they do need access to those books, they should buy their own used copies on the secondhand market.
Still, I have to ask… what in the heck do hardcopy books have to do with DDB?!? Abso-freaking-lutely nothing. If I bring a new player onboard to D&D, I’ma tell them to make a DDB account for free, to join my campaign for free, and I’ll grant them full time 100% access to all of my purchased content through content sharing. They will have free access to MY digital copies of the ’14PHB, ‘14DMG, ‘14MM, Xanathar’s, Volo’s, Mordenkainen’s, Tasha’s, Eberron, SCAG, Dragonlance, MotM, and whatever the hell else I have purchased licenses to. They will have access to the content whether they can purchase it themselves or not. So if you want to ensure you can share access to those sourcebooks into the future, the best thing you can do is take advantage of this flashsale and purchase licenses to them now before they get archived.
Uhhh...this website is the portal for ALL D&D players, whether they use D&D Beyond for virtual access or NOT. I stated that neither one of the DM's at the table has a DDB account that supports any or all of those books. Now, if you are happy with wotc cutting those people loose from the D&D community when 6e comes out, that is another conversation. But that is what is looking to happen. I have hard copies. I am not about to pay twice.
I don’t understand, who’s getting cut out of what?!? Both old and new copies of the materials will be available for anyone who wants to buy them due to the secondhand market, you’ve acknowledged that yourself. So who’s getting cut out of what?!?
DDB’s mission statement from the beginning is and has always been digital service for D&D. It has nothing to do with physical anything. Your outrage is directed at the wrong target here.
6e hasn’t even been announced, let alone scheduled for any time in the foreseeable future. The 2024 release will be Revised 5th Edition, just like what happened to almost every edition that came before 5e. 2e had a revised edition, I know because I played through the revision. 3e had a 3.5 “revision,” I know because I played through it. Hell, even 4e had a revision. What’s got your undies in such a bunch?
Fine, call it 5.5. But it is coming out soon, and like I said earlier, the PHB will likely be easy to find. The XGTE, and others, did not sell nearly as well. And yes, the same numbers were shown by one of the You Tubers heavily invested in this kind of thing. Hard copies of those will be MUCH harder to find. Bottom line, when 6e, or 5.5, or whatever you want to call it, comes out, those that use hard copies are going to have a difficult time integrating new players into a campaign.
But they won’t be discontinuing Xanathar’s Guide, or any of the other books. They’re only going to stop selling the older versions of the core 3 and start selling the newer versions. They won’t discontinue XGtE until they replace it with something else. Your YouTuber is either ignorant of the reality of the situation, or else fear-mongering for clicks.
I agree the flash sale is a little underwhelming, but Thanksgiving is around the corner, so I am waiting until then to get TCSR and MCV4:EC.
While I think it makes no sense to discontinue selling digital legacy books, physical legacy books can be obtained from plenty of third parties. You can support your local game stores or get them even cheaper online. There is absolutely no difficulty in onboarding new players, and the PHB is not even the best way to do it in my opinion. BR/SRD is free and far more digestible for new players. You can even skip character creation altogether and go right into playing using the sample characters WOTC provides online.
If anyone wants to onboard new players with paid stuff, Thanksgiving would be the best time to do it. I personally do not recommend the paid route, but if people want to spend money, go with one of the box sets instead (the old printing of the physical Essentials Kit with a digital code would be my recommendtion for most bang for buck): their booklets are short and easy to read. I would save purchasing the PHB for a new player's second or third campaign.
Making this sale more interesting is that both Wild Beyond the Witchlight and Curse of Strahd just got added to Maps. I bought Strahd at the beginning of the sale and I was surprised to see it added to Maps. If you want to use Maps, Strahd has a ton of basic maps that every DM needs (church, abbey, inn, etc).
Making this sale more interesting is that both Wild Beyond the Witchlight and Curse of Strahd just got added to Maps. I bought Strahd at the beginning of the sale and I was surprised to see it added to Maps. If you want to use Maps, Strahd has a ton of basic maps that every DM needs (church, abbey, inn, etc).
Thanks for sharing this information, I already have CoS, but have been thinking about getting WBtW. With the sale and maps I may just make the purchase. I wish DDB would make this information less of a hunt. I know it is on the site and I can look for it but with all of the tos, sale, and other banners it wouldn't be much for a banner about the maps too.
Yeah I only noticed because I have been waiting to see when Planescape might show up since I pre ordered it. Then this weekend those two popped up. I definitely view it as a plus if it is maps capable.
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Lemme put it this way, if I can’t still access my 2014 PHB, DMG, & MM in Dec ‘24, I’ma be PISSED with not just a capital P, but allcaps just like that, and so will a whole shedload of other DDB users. I doubt even WotC is stupid enough to make that mistake. They’ll archive the 2014 versions with the “Legacy” tag. They will no longer be for sale, but if you already have access to them then you will keep it. That’s what they did for Volo’s Guide & Mordenkainen’s Tome when MotM came out. If they don’t I’ll be so shocked you’ll be able to knock me over with a wet noodle.
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They're going to have to figure out a better way of handling things like the [ monster ] tag, currently that one points to the VGtM/MToF versions regardless if which you have available. Correct fix is probably to show the entry from the most recent book you own, and show the buy icon if you don't own it from any source, but that's significantly more complex than what it currently does.
I'm pretty much the same as IamSposta.
And with me, there's an extremely high chance of canceling my sub if they don't -- by that time I will be deep into the new campaign, and since it doesn't rely on many of those things, it isn't a loss to me, but it will annoy the hell out of me, since I use the app and use all my stuff there even more than I use DDB online.
Unless they just convert me over to the updated versions. I'm not saying I want that, though -- I would be fine with buying the updated versions, but only so long as I could keep my older ones.
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Why wouldn't the table share hard copies?
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.
No offense, but what the heck do hard copies have to do with DDB? And why wouldn’t the table share hardcopies as 6thLyranGuard asks? Plus, do you have any idea how many dirt cheap used copies of the 2014 PHB will be available on the secondhand market by then? Your argument lacks substance.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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Again, why wouldn’t people share their books?!? Back in the day we used to share books all the time.
Why would they need to leave with your books? The character would be created by then, they shouldn’t really need the books anymore until they level up since the basic rules will still be accessible for free online. And if they do need access to those books, they should buy their own used copies on the secondhand market.
Still, I have to ask… what in the heck do hardcopy books have to do with DDB?!? Abso-freaking-lutely nothing. If I bring a new player onboard to D&D, I’ma tell them to make a DDB account for free, to join my campaign for free, and I’ll grant them full time 100% access to all of my purchased content through content sharing. They will have free access to MY digital copies of the ’14PHB, ‘14DMG, ‘14MM, Xanathar’s, Volo’s, Mordenkainen’s, Tasha’s, Eberron, SCAG, Dragonlance, MotM, and whatever the hell else I have purchased licenses to. They will have access to the content whether they can purchase it themselves or not. So if you want to ensure you can share access to those sourcebooks into the future, the best thing you can do is take advantage of this flashsale and purchase licenses to them now before they get archived.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
I am not sure why someone needs to take materials home for them if you helped them make the character sheet at the game. Everything a new player will need is on the paper or on DDB.
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So, near as I can tell, you are just going off on some side tangent where you think than whenever WotC gets around to releasing some hypothetical 6e (which is well beyond any near term, and at least five years out), that they are going to somehow suddenly stop creating physical books entirely?
Because that's the only way any of what you just said makes any damn sense.
I mean, let's run this down...
DDB is the Portal for all D&D Players: This is true to a point. THis is the primary and principal site for D&D players to access forums, catch up on news, purchase both physical and digital copies of the books. That is indeed what it is for. It is also a place where folks can use special searchable listings, share certain kinds of homebrew creations, join campaigns and keep character records, and eventually host of features -- that they can choose to pay for if they want to do so. And if they don't want to pay for it, well, it still has forums and news and is a great place to buy physical and digital copies of the books. That covers your they do/they don't "virtual access" thing, whatever the hell that is supposed to mean.
neither one of the DM's at the table has a DDB account: Huh. You know, I am the only DM out of six in my group that has the fancy paid Master Tier account. 5 other folks have DDB accounts they paid for, and a total of 12 of use even bother to check in here. None of which changes a damn thing about how any of us find value in it or not, and none of which means that any of them will be "cut loose".
when 6e comes out: this is like years from now. If you mean the 2024 edition, then you should say the 2024 edition, not "6e" because saying 6e means you are talking about something that is a significant shift in the game as a whole, we already had that conversation, it isn't 6e, and so the soonest that is likely to come is 2030. Possibly 2034. And if you do mean the 2024 version, then there is no evidence that's going to happen -- not even evidence that "is looking to happen". And yes, I know the guy said they are going to monetize people -- that's not evidence of what you describe.
I am not about to pay twice.: This may be part of the crux, and if so, then hey, cool, good for you. No one is saying to you have to pay twice for anything. If you don't want the digital books, fine -- don't buy the digital books. There is no indication that they are going to stop doing printed books -- they are even talking about plans for sending the books to the printer (though now they have to deal with the worst farking distribution channels in the universe). And printed books are still a big seller. None of this means that they are going to "force you" to the digital versions. They are still doing transliteration of the books for other languages, for crying out loud.
Look, I get that you have a massive, intense dislike for everything WotC. But all your points are unfounded supposition presuming a worst case without evidence. You don't want to have an account here, then don't. It isn't an essential requirement. You don't want to pay for an account here, then don't. Now requirement there, either. The stuff you describe all seeks to shrink the market for D&D -- and that's literally the opposite of the whole point of being in business, soyou have an extra hard hill to climb. You don't want to buy the 2024 books, don't buy the 2024 books.
I'm not even sure I will -- and I have essentially rewritten much of 2014 in order to create my next campaign, so there's a chance I will have no reason, myself, as I will be using that setting for at least the next five years, possibly longer. SO why should I stress it? Indeed, since I can't use the big features here, why should I even have a Master tier subscription?
The reason is pretty simple: I find value in it. That value is always subject to change. Telling me that the sky is falling without evidence the sky is falling isn't going to change that value measure.
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It's not like the old print books are suddenly going to turn into pumpkins the moment the new books are released. Heck, I know of stores where it's possible to still find 2nd edition books on a semi-reliable basis. This whole line of argument is, well, are you familiar with the phrase "borrowing trouble?"
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"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.
I don’t understand, who’s getting cut out of what?!? Both old and new copies of the materials will be available for anyone who wants to buy them due to the secondhand market, you’ve acknowledged that yourself. So who’s getting cut out of what?!?
DDB’s mission statement from the beginning is and has always been digital service for D&D. It has nothing to do with physical anything. Your outrage is directed at the wrong target here.
6e hasn’t even been announced, let alone scheduled for any time in the foreseeable future. The 2024 release will be Revised 5th Edition, just like what happened to almost every edition that came before 5e. 2e had a revised edition, I know because I played through the revision. 3e had a 3.5 “revision,” I know because I played through it. Hell, even 4e had a revision. What’s got your undies in such a bunch?
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But they won’t be discontinuing Xanathar’s Guide, or any of the other books. They’re only going to stop selling the older versions of the core 3 and start selling the newer versions. They won’t discontinue XGtE until they replace it with something else. Your YouTuber is either ignorant of the reality of the situation, or else fear-mongering for clicks.
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I agree the flash sale is a little underwhelming, but Thanksgiving is around the corner, so I am waiting until then to get TCSR and MCV4:EC.
While I think it makes no sense to discontinue selling digital legacy books, physical legacy books can be obtained from plenty of third parties. You can support your local game stores or get them even cheaper online. There is absolutely no difficulty in onboarding new players, and the PHB is not even the best way to do it in my opinion. BR/SRD is free and far more digestible for new players. You can even skip character creation altogether and go right into playing using the sample characters WOTC provides online.
If anyone wants to onboard new players with paid stuff, Thanksgiving would be the best time to do it. I personally do not recommend the paid route, but if people want to spend money, go with one of the box sets instead (the old printing of the physical Essentials Kit with a digital code would be my recommendtion for most bang for buck): their booklets are short and easy to read. I would save purchasing the PHB for a new player's second or third campaign.
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Making this sale more interesting is that both Wild Beyond the Witchlight and Curse of Strahd just got added to Maps. I bought Strahd at the beginning of the sale and I was surprised to see it added to Maps. If you want to use Maps, Strahd has a ton of basic maps that every DM needs (church, abbey, inn, etc).
Thanks for sharing this information, I already have CoS, but have been thinking about getting WBtW. With the sale and maps I may just make the purchase. I wish DDB would make this information less of a hunt. I know it is on the site and I can look for it but with all of the tos, sale, and other banners it wouldn't be much for a banner about the maps too.
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Yeah I only noticed because I have been waiting to see when Planescape might show up since I pre ordered it. Then this weekend those two popped up. I definitely view it as a plus if it is maps capable.