Since they're different products aiming at different markets, they're not comparable.
Roll 20 is a VTT (Virtual Table Top). D&D Beyond is a digital resource for use at the table. While some level of automation is apparently planned, the draw of DDB, at least for me, is as a quick reference for everything at the table while I'm running or playing in a game. I can keep all my books at home and use a laptop to run a game through one interface and legal copies of materials as well as my own homebrew.
There's been some talk about campaign management and a combat/initiative tracking feature and some other things that will come down the line, but that's not a concern for me right now. If that was the primary draw, I could've invested in R20/FG a long time ago.
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"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."
I would like to use a VTT and I would hope that D&D Beyond offers an API for digital character sheet integration in any VTT that players want to use.
That's the plan!
Will there be an announcement about the VTT API for digital character sheet integration before the August 15th release? Any word on what functionality the API will offer if the VTT developers choose to use it? This is great news!
The exact details of integration with Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds has not been revealed to the public yet, but more details will be coming.
I'm planning on playing on Tale Spire personally. It is a 3D VTT with virtual minis and dice, and map editor import tool support. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNrYa6jY95g I would like to request D&D Beyond VTT API support for Hit Point and Temporary Hit Point management. Short and long rest activation. Sight distance and movement speed integration for fog of war systems and available space distance indicators. Maybe character sheet syncing with the VTT UI for health status and condition indicators like charmed or blinded so other players can see. Spell cast information would also be amazing. Depending on the VTT and how D&D Beyond DM tools are designed maybe have Gold and Inventory management as well.
The primary focus will be integration with other WotC partners, but I'll throw this out to staff and get a general feel for thoughts.
They have a subreddit and discord too! https://www.reddit.com/r/talespire/ The developers are most active on the discord server, and there is usually one on all the times.
The exact details of integration with Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds has not been revealed to the public yet, but more details will be coming.
So, I could have my games characters/books on here, and still use it with Roll20? Neat
Yeah I"m a little confused on how this part will work. If I buy the books on DDB and create characters I can then import them into R20 and all of my content will be recognized? As an example I don't have any purchased content on R20 but I do on DDB and I make a character with the green flame blade spell, will my character on R20 have that spell and it will function correctly? Currently you have to sort of build your own macro or whatever for any spells, abilities, items etc. that aren't in the compendium.
The exact details of integration with Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds has not been revealed to the public yet, but more details will be coming.
So, I could have my games characters/books on here, and still use it with Roll20? Neat
Yeah I"m a little confused on how this part will work. If I buy the books on DDB and create characters I can then import them into R20 and all of my content will be recognized? As an example I don't have any purchased content on R20 but I do on DDB and I make a character with the green flame blade spell, will my character on R20 have that spell and it will function correctly? Currently you have to sort of build your own macro or whatever for any spells, abilities, items etc. that aren't in the compendium.
;)
We'll know the full extent of the integration once more details are revealed, but that sounds pretty accurate for a start.
Should we expect details with launch? Or at least during Founders week? I own everything on Fantasy Grounds already. I will snag the 3 core books here just for the on the go character creation but might grab more if I knew how it will interact with products I'm already invested in.
With the announcement of the release date and subscription prices, I've been considering this for my future games.
Is there a Virtual Tabletop for online play, or is it more a tool for storing characters/looking up spells, that kind of thing.
Any other pros/cons would be appreciated.
Since they're different products aiming at different markets, they're not comparable.
Roll 20 is a VTT (Virtual Table Top). D&D Beyond is a digital resource for use at the table. While some level of automation is apparently planned, the draw of DDB, at least for me, is as a quick reference for everything at the table while I'm running or playing in a game. I can keep all my books at home and use a laptop to run a game through one interface and legal copies of materials as well as my own homebrew.
There's been some talk about campaign management and a combat/initiative tracking feature and some other things that will come down the line, but that's not a concern for me right now. If that was the primary draw, I could've invested in R20/FG a long time ago.
"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."
― Oscar Wilde.
I would like to use a VTT and I would hope that D&D Beyond offers an API for digital character sheet integration in any VTT that players want to use.
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The exact details of integration with Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds has not been revealed to the public yet, but more details will be coming.
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https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=53906.0
It looks super fancy. :)
The primary focus will be integration with other WotC partners, but I'll throw this out to staff and get a general feel for thoughts.
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Check out the upcoming full 3D VTT, TaleSpire! [official website] [subreddit] [discord]
Tale Spire is the only VTT-like thing I'm interested in so I really hope they get a final product offered up soon.
"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."
― Oscar Wilde.
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Should we expect details with launch? Or at least during Founders week? I own everything on Fantasy Grounds already. I will snag the 3 core books here just for the on the go character creation but might grab more if I knew how it will interact with products I'm already invested in.
Probably not. Think of it as there being a phase 4, 5, 6, and 7 after launch. From here on out we're going to get surprised by more and more features.
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I can't wait! Hopefully when I wake up.
MM