If I'm starting a campaign right now, can I buy the new books and easily have players convert/rebuild their characters for the 2024 edition? Will premade campaigns (e.f. Phandelver and beyond) be compatible too? Or will I have to convert all the monsters too?
Again: one of the goals of this... thing is for it to be compatable with 5e's extent library so everything people have made should still be viable.
So basically when 6e happens, DNDbeyond will no longer support 5e character creation?
No. People will rant and holler and sky-is-falling Doom Prophecize this because they're fishing for an excuse to be furious at Wizards for trying to sell books, but no.
At worst, the 2014 books will go Legacy. Frankly I don't know if this will be the case, but if you currently have access to the 2014 books you will not lose that access. We have no Official Announcement about how this will work yet, but I very strongly suspect that character creation will have a toggle - when you click "Create Character", the first choice you get will be "create a 2014 Core Rules Character" or "Create a 2024 Core Rules Character". It's kinna the only logical way to do it.
To be honest, there is anxiousness over the what happens to DDB when the 2024 Core goes online. Obviously what's on here won't be sunsetted with the release of the new PHB, since the other two core volumes are each months out. Hosting legacy content seems the most reasonable outcome of all this as WotC retires the 2014 print run, whether they do it all at once or over time, that's unclear too. It's unclear because WotC has yet to say anything officially in writing about what will happen to the "legacy" DDB. I think Crawford or someone of his weight said something to the effect of "your DDB content is going nowhere" at PAX or one of the bigger cons, but I don't think there's anything put here on the site in terms of a FAQ by DDB staff. I doubt we'll see it till at least the PHB's drop, though I'll be happy to be surprised with more advanced word. It would frankly help their market and be a step forward as a more player centered vendor, rather than letting the community continue to be a mix of confusion, rumor and speculation (which is what the legacy theory is, speculation based on past sunsetted books).
I just don't want to have the new stuff completely over write the old material and then making it a pain to find any of the old material that we still use.
If I'm starting a campaign right now, can I buy the new books and easily have players convert/rebuild their characters for the 2024 edition? Will premade campaigns (e.f. Phandelver and beyond) be compatible too? Or will I have to convert all the monsters too?
They've said they are taking a rebalancing pass at the monsters. But the idea is to make them better reflect the existing CR. So an Adult red dragon will still be a CR 17, but they'll give it more powers to better make that 17 mean what it should. A goblin will still be a CR 1/4; just their powers may be changed. So its more like, changing what a CR 1/4 or a CR 17 means in terms of how tough a monster is.
Ideally, this means you should be able to keep using the adventure as written -- as it refers to Monster Manual monsters. It just means that some monsters, particularly higher level ones, will be more challenging than they currently are. Which, imo, could be a good thing, if it means you don't have cases where parties just steamroll encounters that are supposed to be challenging, since the CRs are a bit off currently.
Kinda, makes it seem like we will get a new Basic Rules set after the SRD 5.2 hits. Just seems like we will use the new rules set with older stat blocks and content. I really don't see a separate character generation tool being done. just an integration of the rules into the current tools. So how older subclasses and other resources will integrate will be interesting.
Kinda, makes it seem like we will get a new Basic Rules set after the SRD 5.2 hits. Just seems like we will use the new rules set with older stat blocks and content. I really don't see a separate character generation tool being done. just an integration of the rules into the current tools. So how older subclasses and other resources will integrate will be interesting.
But, and here’s the thing. Building a character in the new rules will be different from how one could build a character given the depth of their knowledge of how the game works in the 5e.
Form what I got from the released videos of how character development works, trying to incorporate the new building rules into what currently exists is ok, new builds will be built different, but still work.
however, if you are running the new stuff, adding 5e characters and content will take some work for the DM to figure out.
Now, question was, how will the character development process work, will there be an option to choose which character development tool you want to use?
Here is something. Assuming the 2024 PHB is free, will those who purchased the others be allowed to upgrade their DMG and MM for a nominal fee? Or is the plan to charge us full price? A nominal fee would ensure better adoption for sure, not convinced its worth the bundled price othwise.
Here is something. Assuming the 2024 PHB is free, will those who purchased the others be allowed to upgrade their DMG and MM for a nominal fee? Or is the plan to charge us full price? A nominal fee would ensure better adoption for sure, not convinced its worth the bundled price othwise.
Maybe I am not understanding what you are saying. The 2024 PH, DMG, and MM are definitely not free, they are full priced products for everyone. There is no discount for owning older material.
Here is something. Assuming the 2024 PHB is free, will those who purchased the others be allowed to upgrade their DMG and MM for a nominal fee? Or is the plan to charge us full price? A nominal fee would ensure better adoption for sure, not convinced its worth the bundled price othwise.
The only free official published things are the BR/SRD and EEPC. No books are ever free. Digital version of Acquisition Inc. was free for a limited amount of time as a promotion on Beyond like years ago, but generally speaking, if you want access to a book, someone (either you or the GM) will have to pay for it. The PHB has never been free to my knowledge, and neither will the new one.
I’m curious to see what they’ve come up with for the 2024 edition, but what I’m wary about is that they’re consolidating it down to 4 subclasses for each of the 12 core classes. 5E already had less options than PF and certain builds and multiclass combinations are already overused, because they’re objectively the best (even though I prefer cohesive character concepts myself over min-maxing that makes no sense). With even less options, all characters are going to start looking the same. While not all subclasses are good, I still like having all the options and I don’t want to lose those. Especially since some of my favorites won’t be included (ex. Echo Knight). So I sincerely hope that they don’t change it to where you can only see 2024 subclasses on Beyond under the class pages once the update is out. I also spent good money to get the various subclasses. I want them there on Beyond, not having to Google them.
I’m curious to see what they’ve come up with for the 2024 edition, but what I’m wary about is that they’re consolidating it down to 4 subclasses for each of the 12 core classes. 5E already had less options than PF and certain builds and multiclass combinations are already overused, because they’re objectively the best (even though I prefer cohesive character concepts myself over min-maxing that makes no sense). With even less options, all characters are going to start looking the same. While not all subclasses are good, I still like having all the options and I don’t want to lose those. Especially since some of my favorites won’t be included (ex. Echo Knight). So I sincerely hope that they don’t change it to where you can only see 2024 subclasses on Beyond under the class pages once the update is out. I also spent good money to get the various subclasses. I want them there on Beyond, not having to Google them.
They haven't consolidated any subclasses at all. What they've done is updated a limited selection of old ones, as well as added a few new ones. They will continue to release updated subclasses as well new new ones. This is a base, not a totality.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
So basically when 6e happens, DNDbeyond will no longer support 5e character creation?
This isn't a 6th edition, either; folks are gonna call it what they're gonna call it: 5.5e, 5th edition revised/remastered/remixed, whatever, but this is still 5th Edition.
That's a significant part of the problem. They need to name it. If you say 5e - everyone is going to think you're referring to what they're now calling 2014 (which is actually 2014 - 2024 content). There needs to be an easy way to distinguish what version of the game you're playing. The easiest method would be to call it 5.5e (or 5.1, whatever). But calling it 2024 doesn't work. Only 2 books are coming out in 2024, the third in 2025 (then others will follow). Are people supposed to say "I play 5e - 2014 version"?
Seems to me it would benefit everyone (including their marketing) to put a name on it, and might as well follow the naming convention that's been used since 2nd edition.
Also, I must say that i'm extremely disappointed in DnDBeyond/WOTC for how LITTLE information we're actually being given as to how exactly this will be rolled out. Those of us running campaigns kind of need to know.
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Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
That's a significant part of the problem. They need to name it. If you say 5e - everyone is going to think you're referring to what they're now calling 2014 (which is actually 2014 - 2024 content). There needs to be an easy way to distinguish what version of the game you're playing. The easiest method would be to call it 5.5e (or 5.1, whatever). But calling it 2024 doesn't work. Only 2 books are coming out in 2024, the third in 2025 (then others will follow). Are people supposed to say "I play 5e - 2014 version"?
Seems to me it would benefit everyone (including their marketing) to put a name on it, and might as well follow the naming convention that's been used since 2nd edition.
Also, I must say that i'm extremely disappointed in DnDBeyond/WOTC for how LITTLE information we're actually being given as to how exactly this will be rolled out. Those of us running campaigns kind of need to know.
While I would prefer something like 5.X, 2024 works for me just fine, 5e14 and 5e24 are plenty descriptive and short enough to reference them. I also think 2024 is as good as any year to use and to me the best to use for a couple of reasons the PHB is the first and arguably most important book of any edition which is being released in 2024 and 2024 is the 50th anniversary of D&D.
I also agree more information on how they are going to handle the the two rule sets in the tools here would help a lot.
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CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
Are all the players running 2014 characters? If yes, then you can run 2014 rules. If no, then you need to run 2024 rules.
The 2024 rules can handle a mix of player characters built with the 2014 rules and the 2024 rules. But not the reverse.
I am skeptical on this, outside of (perhaps) Adventurers League. I mean.. who, exactly, would police it? No campaigns are going to get raided or literally simply spontaneously implode.
Are all the players running 2014 characters? If yes, then you can run 2014 rules. If no, then you need to run 2024 rules.
The 2024 rules can handle a mix of player characters built with the 2014 rules and the 2024 rules. But not the reverse.
I am skeptical on this, outside of (perhaps) Adventurers League. I mean.. who, exactly, would police it? No campaigns are going to get raided or literally simply spontaneously implode.
Imagine two players in the same campaign, both playing the same character class. Both use concepts that worked in 2014, but only one works in 2024. So the DM allows one to continue using 2014 version of the class, while the other redoes their character to the 2024 method.
The 2024 character is now considerably stronger in a fight than the 2014 character (they moved some abilties to lower levels, added more abilities and options, etc.). Every character class I've seen thus far has gotten stronger and more versatile in the 2024 version. Now what started as two equal characters, has one obviously stronger than the other. And how do you run the fights? Does the DM use 2014 rules (which benefit the 2014 character designed with those rules in mind), or does the DM use 2024 rules (which could break the 2014 character's fighting tactics while wildly benefiting the 2024 character).
By backwards compatible, it sound like they mean adventures written for 2014 can still be used since those are descriptions of scenes and plots, but if any character uses 2024, then all must or the group will become wildly unbalanced.
A 2014 Battlemaster became a battlemaster because they got maneuvers and no one else does. But all 2024 fighters, paladins, rogues, etc. get those simply by picking up ANY weapon. It greatly takes away from the advantage that playing the 2014 battlemaster offered. How would you feel playing a 2014 Battlemaster when now everyone you fight and half your party now gets the equivalent of meneuvers for free. What about the dual weapon build that now finds that all you need to do is pick up the right weapon and you can get a free 2nd attack without having to have gone thru the hoops that your character did to get that? What about the Swashbuckler who now sees that the 2024 rogues in the party get free advantage (and therefore sneak) simply because they're using a shortsword? Some 2024 characters will now get an extra attack over and above that similar 2014 characters get (because the 2014 character was built around certain choices that might not be easily changed to gain the same benefit).
All i'm saying is that characters are not compatible between 2014 and 2024. The 2024 versions are clearly stronger, so the vast majority of DMs are going to (rightfully) say, either everyone must use 2014 versions or everyone must use 2024 versions.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that's not how 2024 version should be. I just think that saying it's "backwards compatible" gives the wrong idea - because it really isn't compatible.
Are all the players running 2014 characters? If yes, then you can run 2014 rules. If no, then you need to run 2024 rules.
The 2024 rules can handle a mix of player characters built with the 2014 rules and the 2024 rules. But not the reverse.
I am skeptical on this, outside of (perhaps) Adventurers League. I mean.. who, exactly, would police it? No campaigns are going to get raided or literally simply spontaneously implode.
Imagine two players in the same campaign, both playing the same character class. Both use concepts that worked in 2014, but only one works in 2024. So the DM allows one to continue using 2014 version of the class, while the other redoes their character to the 2024 method.
The 2024 character is now considerably stronger in a fight than the 2014 character (they moved some abilties to lower levels, added more abilities and options, etc.). Every character class I've seen thus far has gotten stronger and more versatile in the 2024 version. Now what started as two equal characters, has one obviously stronger than the other. And how do you run the fights? Does the DM use 2014 rules (which benefit the 2014 character designed with those rules in mind), or does the DM use 2024 rules (which could break the 2014 character's fighting tactics while wildly benefiting the 2024 character).
By backwards compatible, it sound like they mean adventures written for 2014 can still be used since those are descriptions of scenes and plots, but if any character uses 2024, then all must or the group will become wildly unbalanced.
A 2014 Battlemaster became a battlemaster because they got maneuvers and no one else does. But all 2024 fighters, paladins, rogues, etc. get those simply by picking up ANY weapon. It greatly takes away from the advantage that playing the 2014 battlemaster offered. How would you feel playing a 2014 Battlemaster when now everyone you fight and half your party now gets the equivalent of meneuvers for free. What about the dual weapon build that now finds that all you need to do is pick up the right weapon and you can get a free 2nd attack without having to have gone thru the hoops that your character did to get that? What about the Swashbuckler who now sees that the 2024 rogues in the party get free advantage (and therefore sneak) simply because they're using a shortsword? Some 2024 characters will now get an extra attack over and above that similar 2014 characters get (because the 2014 character was built around certain choices that might not be easily changed to gain the same benefit).
All i'm saying is that characters are not compatible between 2014 and 2024. The 2024 versions are clearly stronger, so the vast majority of DMs are going to (rightfully) say, either everyone must use 2014 versions or everyone must use 2024 versions.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that's not how 2024 version should be. I just think that saying it's "backwards compatible" gives the wrong idea - because it really isn't compatible.
Imagine this campaign has a live DM. Imagine this live DM actually decides what rules to use and what will and what will not work in their campaign.
Now imagine a set of rules, that, by design, do not explode our outright fail at anything not strictly RAW.
Plus it is not that common in a normal campaign for new characters to simply 'wander in.'
"Just pick up the right weapon" sounds like the same old hoops, actually. Do you get the extra attack without needing to use a bonus attack for it now or something?
afaik 5e still will be acessible, and you expected still be able to play 5e after 5.5 go live (likely there will be no official 5.0 content after -only 5.5, and some third party where deals was done pre transfer on 5.5 perhaps)
though trusting wotc word for long term isn't thing i would do
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Again: one of the goals of this... thing is for it to be compatable with 5e's extent library so everything people have made should still be viable.
To be honest, there is anxiousness over the what happens to DDB when the 2024 Core goes online. Obviously what's on here won't be sunsetted with the release of the new PHB, since the other two core volumes are each months out. Hosting legacy content seems the most reasonable outcome of all this as WotC retires the 2014 print run, whether they do it all at once or over time, that's unclear too. It's unclear because WotC has yet to say anything officially in writing about what will happen to the "legacy" DDB. I think Crawford or someone of his weight said something to the effect of "your DDB content is going nowhere" at PAX or one of the bigger cons, but I don't think there's anything put here on the site in terms of a FAQ by DDB staff. I doubt we'll see it till at least the PHB's drop, though I'll be happy to be surprised with more advanced word. It would frankly help their market and be a step forward as a more player centered vendor, rather than letting the community continue to be a mix of confusion, rumor and speculation (which is what the legacy theory is, speculation based on past sunsetted books).
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Makes you wonder if they are going to update the Basic Rules to include the new 2024 rules...
TO DEFEND: THIS IS THE PACT.
BUT WHEN LIFE LOSES ITS VALUE,
AND IS TAKEN FOR NAUGHT-
THEN THE PACT IS, TO AVENGE.
I just don't want to have the new stuff completely over write the old material and then making it a pain to find any of the old material that we still use.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1717-2024-core-rulebooks-to-expand-the-srd
Should answer that.
They've said they are taking a rebalancing pass at the monsters. But the idea is to make them better reflect the existing CR. So an Adult red dragon will still be a CR 17, but they'll give it more powers to better make that 17 mean what it should. A goblin will still be a CR 1/4; just their powers may be changed. So its more like, changing what a CR 1/4 or a CR 17 means in terms of how tough a monster is.
Ideally, this means you should be able to keep using the adventure as written -- as it refers to Monster Manual monsters. It just means that some monsters, particularly higher level ones, will be more challenging than they currently are. Which, imo, could be a good thing, if it means you don't have cases where parties just steamroll encounters that are supposed to be challenging, since the CRs are a bit off currently.
Kinda, makes it seem like we will get a new Basic Rules set after the SRD 5.2 hits. Just seems like we will use the new rules set with older stat blocks and content. I really don't see a separate character generation tool being done. just an integration of the rules into the current tools. So how older subclasses and other resources will integrate will be interesting.
TO DEFEND: THIS IS THE PACT.
BUT WHEN LIFE LOSES ITS VALUE,
AND IS TAKEN FOR NAUGHT-
THEN THE PACT IS, TO AVENGE.
But, and here’s the thing. Building a character in the new rules will be different from how one could build a character given the depth of their knowledge of how the game works in the 5e.
Form what I got from the released videos of how character development works, trying to incorporate the new building rules into what currently exists is ok, new builds will be built different, but still work.
however, if you are running the new stuff, adding 5e characters and content will take some work for the DM to figure out.
Now, question was, how will the character development process work, will there be an option to choose which character development tool you want to use?
Here is something. Assuming the 2024 PHB is free, will those who purchased the others be allowed to upgrade their DMG and MM for a nominal fee? Or is the plan to charge us full price? A nominal fee would ensure better adoption for sure, not convinced its worth the bundled price othwise.
Maybe I am not understanding what you are saying. The 2024 PH, DMG, and MM are definitely not free, they are full priced products for everyone. There is no discount for owning older material.
The only free official published things are the BR/SRD and EEPC. No books are ever free. Digital version of Acquisition Inc. was free for a limited amount of time as a promotion on Beyond like years ago, but generally speaking, if you want access to a book, someone (either you or the GM) will have to pay for it. The PHB has never been free to my knowledge, and neither will the new one.
Check Licenses and Resync Entitlements: < https://www.dndbeyond.com/account/licenses >
Running the Game by Matt Colville; Introduction: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8 >
D&D with High School Students by Bill Allen; Season 1 Episode 1: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52NJTUDokyk&t >
Here is how I am currently understanding it:
Are all the players running 2014 characters?
If yes, then you can run 2014 rules.
If no, then you need to run 2024 rules.
The 2024 rules can handle a mix of player characters built with the 2014 rules and the 2024 rules. But not the reverse.
I’m curious to see what they’ve come up with for the 2024 edition, but what I’m wary about is that they’re consolidating it down to 4 subclasses for each of the 12 core classes. 5E already had less options than PF and certain builds and multiclass combinations are already overused, because they’re objectively the best (even though I prefer cohesive character concepts myself over min-maxing that makes no sense). With even less options, all characters are going to start looking the same. While not all subclasses are good, I still like having all the options and I don’t want to lose those. Especially since some of my favorites won’t be included (ex. Echo Knight). So I sincerely hope that they don’t change it to where you can only see 2024 subclasses on Beyond under the class pages once the update is out. I also spent good money to get the various subclasses. I want them there on Beyond, not having to Google them.
They haven't consolidated any subclasses at all. What they've done is updated a limited selection of old ones, as well as added a few new ones. They will continue to release updated subclasses as well new new ones. This is a base, not a totality.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
That's a significant part of the problem. They need to name it. If you say 5e - everyone is going to think you're referring to what they're now calling 2014 (which is actually 2014 - 2024 content). There needs to be an easy way to distinguish what version of the game you're playing. The easiest method would be to call it 5.5e (or 5.1, whatever). But calling it 2024 doesn't work. Only 2 books are coming out in 2024, the third in 2025 (then others will follow). Are people supposed to say "I play 5e - 2014 version"?
Seems to me it would benefit everyone (including their marketing) to put a name on it, and might as well follow the naming convention that's been used since 2nd edition.
Also, I must say that i'm extremely disappointed in DnDBeyond/WOTC for how LITTLE information we're actually being given as to how exactly this will be rolled out. Those of us running campaigns kind of need to know.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
While I would prefer something like 5.X, 2024 works for me just fine, 5e14 and 5e24 are plenty descriptive and short enough to reference them. I also think 2024 is as good as any year to use and to me the best to use for a couple of reasons the PHB is the first and arguably most important book of any edition which is being released in 2024 and 2024 is the 50th anniversary of D&D.
I also agree more information on how they are going to handle the the two rule sets in the tools here would help a lot.
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
I am skeptical on this, outside of (perhaps) Adventurers League. I mean.. who, exactly, would police it? No campaigns are going to get raided or literally simply spontaneously implode.
Imagine two players in the same campaign, both playing the same character class. Both use concepts that worked in 2014, but only one works in 2024. So the DM allows one to continue using 2014 version of the class, while the other redoes their character to the 2024 method.
The 2024 character is now considerably stronger in a fight than the 2014 character (they moved some abilties to lower levels, added more abilities and options, etc.). Every character class I've seen thus far has gotten stronger and more versatile in the 2024 version. Now what started as two equal characters, has one obviously stronger than the other. And how do you run the fights? Does the DM use 2014 rules (which benefit the 2014 character designed with those rules in mind), or does the DM use 2024 rules (which could break the 2014 character's fighting tactics while wildly benefiting the 2024 character).
By backwards compatible, it sound like they mean adventures written for 2014 can still be used since those are descriptions of scenes and plots, but if any character uses 2024, then all must or the group will become wildly unbalanced.
A 2014 Battlemaster became a battlemaster because they got maneuvers and no one else does. But all 2024 fighters, paladins, rogues, etc. get those simply by picking up ANY weapon. It greatly takes away from the advantage that playing the 2014 battlemaster offered. How would you feel playing a 2014 Battlemaster when now everyone you fight and half your party now gets the equivalent of meneuvers for free. What about the dual weapon build that now finds that all you need to do is pick up the right weapon and you can get a free 2nd attack without having to have gone thru the hoops that your character did to get that? What about the Swashbuckler who now sees that the 2024 rogues in the party get free advantage (and therefore sneak) simply because they're using a shortsword? Some 2024 characters will now get an extra attack over and above that similar 2014 characters get (because the 2014 character was built around certain choices that might not be easily changed to gain the same benefit).
All i'm saying is that characters are not compatible between 2014 and 2024. The 2024 versions are clearly stronger, so the vast majority of DMs are going to (rightfully) say, either everyone must use 2014 versions or everyone must use 2024 versions.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that's not how 2024 version should be. I just think that saying it's "backwards compatible" gives the wrong idea - because it really isn't compatible.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
Imagine this campaign has a live DM. Imagine this live DM actually decides what rules to use and what will and what will not work in their campaign.
Now imagine a set of rules, that, by design, do not explode our outright fail at anything not strictly RAW.
Plus it is not that common in a normal campaign for new characters to simply 'wander in.'
"Just pick up the right weapon" sounds like the same old hoops, actually. Do you get the extra attack without needing to use a bonus attack for it now or something?
afaik 5e still will be acessible, and you expected still be able to play 5e after 5.5 go live (likely there will be no official 5.0 content after -only 5.5, and some third party where deals was done pre transfer on 5.5 perhaps)
though trusting wotc word for long term isn't thing i would do