In addition to the added physical bells and whistles, this new version changes some things about the original story, specifically about the Vistani and Esmerelda. I am not interested in a debate over those specific things.
My concern is whether or not digital versions of the adventures we have purchased previously on DDB will be changed to reflect any future ret-conning by WotC, or will we have the option of having our "Original" version of books?
Again, this is not specifically about CoS, but the potential precedent being set. Who knows what major things they might decide to change in the future. If I cannot trust that the content I paid for a year ago is the content I will have a year from now (not including errata) then I'm not sure I want to spend my money on DDB.
Now, before the pitchforks come for me, yes, I understand the reasons for the changes to CoS. Again, I'm not debating those. My concern is the precedent for any content changes that we might not want in our own copies that we paid for.
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"Orcs are savage raiders and pillagers with stooped postures, low foreheads, and piggish faces with prominent lower canines that resemble tusks." MM p245 (original printing) You don't OWN your books on DDB: WotC can change them any time. What do you think will happen when OneD&D comes out?
The beauty of an online live resource is that it can be easily updated. All erratas so far have been updated in here so I’m guessing the same is true for this one! :)
edit// this book doesn’t seem to contain any further errata from a few weeks back, so beyond will not change (as the changes have been implemented for a while!).
The changes aren't Errata, technically. The books purchased aren't "living documents subject to change" like Wayfinders/Wayfarers was. So I would expect to have the option of which version I want.
Unfortunately, I doubt my expectation would be met and they'd either force the changes or have us purchase the new version if we want it. Neither is the right way but still, wouldn't be the first time they ignored what was right over what was profitable.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
The changes aren't Errata, technically. The books purchased aren't "living documents subject to change" like Wayfinders/Wayfarers was. So I would expect to have the option of which version I want.
Unfortunately, I doubt my expectation would be met and they'd either force the changes or have us purchase the new version if we want it. Neither is the right way but still, wouldn't be the first time they ignored what was right over what was profitable.
It’s described as an errata! :) New books have these changes, changed can be found and applied to those with the older books. Not really another way around that is there?
The only money grab is the boxing and extras (the errata’d CoS is the one published in hardback as well), the book itself is 99.9% the original with changes that in no way impact the story.
Can’t see how there is an issue really! Unless you bought CoS specifically for the questionable racism and poor take on a disabled character.
The changes aren't Errata, technically. The books purchased aren't "living documents subject to change" like Wayfinders/Wayfarers was. So I would expect to have the option of which version I want.
Unfortunately, I doubt my expectation would be met and they'd either force the changes or have us purchase the new version if we want it. Neither is the right way but still, wouldn't be the first time they ignored what was right over what was profitable.
It’s described as an errata! :) New books have these changes, changed can be found and applied to those with the older books. Not really another way around that is there?
The only money grab is the boxing and extras (the errata’d CoS is the one published in hardback as well), the book itself is 99.9% the original with changes that in no way impact the story.
Can’t see how there is an issue really! Unless you bought CoS specifically for the questionable racism and poor take on a disabled character.
Some people's "errata" is other people's "story changes".
And I also said in my OP that this isn't about this specific book, but the precedent. I paid for X, and if WotC makes changes to the story of X, I expect to still have what I paid for.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Orcs are savage raiders and pillagers with stooped postures, low foreheads, and piggish faces with prominent lower canines that resemble tusks." MM p245 (original printing) You don't OWN your books on DDB: WotC can change them any time. What do you think will happen when OneD&D comes out?
D&D Beyond has an obligation to provide the most accurate and up to date version of any content WotC releases, including any and all errata. This has occurred several times in the past from a purely mechanical standpoint with rules errata, but Curse of Strahd isn't the first time narrative changes have been made. The Tyranny of Dragons special edition errata'd some sections of the adventure to improve the way they flowed, and Curse of Strahd/Tomb of Annihilation have done likewise to improve the narratives by removing some problematic elements.
Ultimately, one of the key selling points of DDB is that you always have the latest, most up to date version of the product. DDB will always honour that.
It’s already been happening for quite a while. When the Tyranny of Dragons hardcover came out, DDB updated the books. When the CoS & ToA changes came out over a month ago, DDB updated them. The precedent has already been set of treating all changes the same and updating the books all along (including “story changes”) for almost a year now.
It’s really no different from other errata, whether it is mechanics or not. Someone who bought a book that had a change to a spell or class ability could make the same argument that they want to “still have what they paid for” but that’s not what DDB is selling. All along they have marketed that they offer the latest & greatest versions of all products. Whether it is clarifying confusing wording, fixing unbalanced Healing Spirit, or removing racist drunk Vistani, WotC is presenting this as the latest and greatest version, so that it what DDB is including.
I paid for X, and if WotC makes changes to the story of X, I expect to still have what I paid for.
This seems to be a misunderstanding about what "X" is. Fortunately, the seller provides detailed documents summarising the products and services you're paying for.
X is not a discrete textual product locked forever in time, it is the service as defined by the Terms of Sale and Terms of Service, which note that "toolkits and other functionality on D&D Beyond are provided as-is, and are subject to changes and further development."
I would suggest aligning your expectations with the ToS because they're unlikely to be changed to reflect your expectation.
Now, before the pitchforks come for me, yes, I understand the reasons for the changes to CoS. Again, I'm not debating those. My concern is the precedent for any content changes that we might not want in our own copies that we paid for.
I think if you want a fixed, unchanging version of something, you're pretty much always going to have to pick print over digital.
Even with, say, DriveThruRPG, when the PDFs are updated, the PDFs are updated. You don't have any older copies unless you downloaded them or the publisher decides to make them part of the package (which you can't even tell before you buy). Most of what I have only has the most recent printing (one randomly has the 4th, 7th and 8th printings of a book though).
I honestly think this is unlikely to be a major issue, going forward. Making sweeping changes to products is high-effort, and zero reward. WotC has shown the opposite tendency in 5E. They minimize changes, generally speaking. Very little qualifies as errata. So worrying about them say, editing an adventure so it has a different ending or something seems to be a bit silly to me.
I'm not minding the changes. WOTC and dndbeyond at the end of the day are businesses. They are interested in attracting more people to stay in business. Prior to 5e it is likely that due to the size of this hobby at that time, there would not have been such an outcry nor motivation to try to get out ahead of the curve. I'm not going to complain that I have more people with whom to play.
Now that Dungeons and Dragons is vogue, hip, groovy, and "in"; the game has to cast a wide net that attracts people from all walks of life. Isn't this what we wanted? Our hobby is no longer fringe.
Some object and look at it as an invasion of our private little hobby. This is a side effect of being popular.
As always, everything in any book is optional. No one is taking the ball out of the DM's court.
WOTC and dndbeyond I'm sure will respond to feedback, sales and results.
So WotC is releasing an updated boxed-set version of Curse of Strahd. https://www.ign.com/articles/dnd-curse-of-strahd-revamped-reveal-unboxing
In addition to the added physical bells and whistles, this new version changes some things about the original story, specifically about the Vistani and Esmerelda. I am not interested in a debate over those specific things.
My concern is whether or not digital versions of the adventures we have purchased previously on DDB will be changed to reflect any future ret-conning by WotC, or will we have the option of having our "Original" version of books?
Again, this is not specifically about CoS, but the potential precedent being set. Who knows what major things they might decide to change in the future. If I cannot trust that the content I paid for a year ago is the content I will have a year from now (not including errata) then I'm not sure I want to spend my money on DDB.
Now, before the pitchforks come for me, yes, I understand the reasons for the changes to CoS. Again, I'm not debating those. My concern is the precedent for any content changes that we might not want in our own copies that we paid for.
"Orcs are savage raiders and pillagers with stooped postures, low foreheads, and piggish faces with prominent lower canines that resemble tusks." MM p245 (original printing)
You don't OWN your books on DDB: WotC can change them any time. What do you think will happen when OneD&D comes out?
The beauty of an online live resource is that it can be easily updated. All erratas so far have been updated in here so I’m guessing the same is true for this one! :)
edit// this book doesn’t seem to contain any further errata from a few weeks back, so beyond will not change (as the changes have been implemented for a while!).
The changes aren't Errata, technically. The books purchased aren't "living documents subject to change" like Wayfinders/Wayfarers was. So I would expect to have the option of which version I want.
Unfortunately, I doubt my expectation would be met and they'd either force the changes or have us purchase the new version if we want it. Neither is the right way but still, wouldn't be the first time they ignored what was right over what was profitable.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/dungeons-dragons-discussion/rules-game-mechanics/72107-diversity-and-dungeons-dragons-errata-2020
It’s described as an errata! :) New books have these changes, changed can be found and applied to those with the older books. Not really another way around that is there?
The only money grab is the boxing and extras (the errata’d CoS is the one published in hardback as well), the book itself is 99.9% the original with changes that in no way impact the story.
Can’t see how there is an issue really! Unless you bought CoS specifically for the questionable racism and poor take on a disabled character.
Some people's "errata" is other people's "story changes".
And I also said in my OP that this isn't about this specific book, but the precedent. I paid for X, and if WotC makes changes to the story of X, I expect to still have what I paid for.
"Orcs are savage raiders and pillagers with stooped postures, low foreheads, and piggish faces with prominent lower canines that resemble tusks." MM p245 (original printing)
You don't OWN your books on DDB: WotC can change them any time. What do you think will happen when OneD&D comes out?
D&D Beyond has an obligation to provide the most accurate and up to date version of any content WotC releases, including any and all errata. This has occurred several times in the past from a purely mechanical standpoint with rules errata, but Curse of Strahd isn't the first time narrative changes have been made. The Tyranny of Dragons special edition errata'd some sections of the adventure to improve the way they flowed, and Curse of Strahd/Tomb of Annihilation have done likewise to improve the narratives by removing some problematic elements.
Ultimately, one of the key selling points of DDB is that you always have the latest, most up to date version of the product. DDB will always honour that.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
I have no issues with the Dragon adventure books with what changes were completed here.
It’s already been happening for quite a while. When the Tyranny of Dragons hardcover came out, DDB updated the books. When the CoS & ToA changes came out over a month ago, DDB updated them. The precedent has already been set of treating all changes the same and updating the books all along (including “story changes”) for almost a year now.
It’s really no different from other errata, whether it is mechanics or not. Someone who bought a book that had a change to a spell or class ability could make the same argument that they want to “still have what they paid for” but that’s not what DDB is selling. All along they have marketed that they offer the latest & greatest versions of all products. Whether it is clarifying confusing wording, fixing unbalanced Healing Spirit, or removing racist drunk Vistani, WotC is presenting this as the latest and greatest version, so that it what DDB is including.
This seems to be a misunderstanding about what "X" is. Fortunately, the seller provides detailed documents summarising the products and services you're paying for.
X is not a discrete textual product locked forever in time, it is the service as defined by the Terms of Sale and Terms of Service, which note that "toolkits and other functionality on D&D Beyond are provided as-is, and are subject to changes and further development."
I would suggest aligning your expectations with the ToS because they're unlikely to be changed to reflect your expectation.
I think if you want a fixed, unchanging version of something, you're pretty much always going to have to pick print over digital.
Even with, say, DriveThruRPG, when the PDFs are updated, the PDFs are updated. You don't have any older copies unless you downloaded them or the publisher decides to make them part of the package (which you can't even tell before you buy). Most of what I have only has the most recent printing (one randomly has the 4th, 7th and 8th printings of a book though).
I honestly think this is unlikely to be a major issue, going forward. Making sweeping changes to products is high-effort, and zero reward. WotC has shown the opposite tendency in 5E. They minimize changes, generally speaking. Very little qualifies as errata. So worrying about them say, editing an adventure so it has a different ending or something seems to be a bit silly to me.
I'm not minding the changes. WOTC and dndbeyond at the end of the day are businesses. They are interested in attracting more people to stay in business. Prior to 5e it is likely that due to the size of this hobby at that time, there would not have been such an outcry nor motivation to try to get out ahead of the curve. I'm not going to complain that I have more people with whom to play.
Now that Dungeons and Dragons is vogue, hip, groovy, and "in"; the game has to cast a wide net that attracts people from all walks of life. Isn't this what we wanted? Our hobby is no longer fringe.
Some object and look at it as an invasion of our private little hobby. This is a side effect of being popular.
As always, everything in any book is optional. No one is taking the ball out of the DM's court.
WOTC and dndbeyond I'm sure will respond to feedback, sales and results.