From my DM perspective, it looked more profitable for WoTC to give the opportunity to use which ruleset you want to use on DDB, so you can catch monthly fees from both 2014 and 2024 players. If the concern is: will people buy 2024 products? If the products are good, they will. The products will be good, right? So don't worry, dear shareholders.
My last concern before deciding if I keep using DDB for my games (rather than going back to pen and paper): will the encounter builder be backward compatible also? Will it be possible to use 2014 stats block? I didn't find the answer, sorry if it has been said somewhere already.
Considering that we already had a stance of Legacy things on monsters and the encounter builder (different from spells and items, which we do not had a stance of those things being legacy), is way more likely that the encounter builder will stay the same with the release of the new monster manual, probably just adding a "legacy" tag on 2014 monsters.
If not, well... we can do all this again until they learn.
I expect that the monsters in the encounter builder will be fine. As I understand it, the issue was that they were going to overwrite the 2014 spells and magic items with the 2024 ones. This would mean that anything 2014 (be it a character reference or a monster statblock) would still link to the same spell or magic item, which would now be the 2024 version.
However, since they are now going to make it so the 2014 and 2024 spells and magic items both exist in the system separately, then I would imagine that anything that currently links to a 2014 spell or magic item (including 2014 monster statblocks) should still link to that same bit of code. Only the 2024 characters and monsters should point to the 2024 bits of code.
Unless I'm misunderstanding something, that ought to be how it works going forward.
I can live with the minor relabeling / renaming of things.
I expect that the monsters in the encounter builder will be fine. As I understand it, the issue was that they were going to overwrite the 2014 spells and magic items with the 2024 ones. This would mean that anything 2014 (be it a character reference or a monster statblock) would still link to the same spell or magic item, which would now be the 2024 version.
Plus the original changelog mentioned the replacement of magic items, noting most of them would be later in the DMG. With no mentions of monsters and the fact that I'd be really surprised if after this they thought "Let's replace your monsters!" was a good idea I have to agree I wouldn't expect the monsters to be deleted, just legacy'd.
However, since they are now going to make it so the 2014 and 2024 spells and magic items both exist in the system separately, then I would imagine that anything that currently links to a 2014 spell or magic item (including 2014 monster statblocks) should still link to that same bit of code. Only the 2024 characters and monsters should point to the 2024 bits of code.
Unless I'm misunderstanding something, that ought to be how it works going forward.
I'm not sure about the direct links though. Tooltips were not mentioned in the new post. Also if you link something like apprentice wizard it links to the legacy Volo's appr wiz instead of the Monsters of the Multiverse appr wiz. To my knowledge there's no way to denote the source with such links. (If there is an someone knows it, please tell me!) So it might be a limitation to only point to one thing.
I would also like to add myself to the large list of people who will not be continuing with my subscription if I cannot use the character builder from 5e. I do not want to play with the new 5.5e changes to classes. It is a very simple thing to just have a little drop down menu during character creation that says "Would you like to build using the rules from 5e (2014), or the new ruleset from 5.5e (2024). If I cannot do this, I might just switch to pathfinder for future campaigns.
I would also like to add myself to the large list of people who will not be continuing with my subscription if I cannot use the character builder from 5e. I do not want to play with the new 5.5e changes to classes. It is a very simple thing to just have a little drop down menu during character creation that says "Would you like to build using the rules from 5e (2014), or the new ruleset from 5.5e (2024). If I cannot do this, I might just switch to pathfinder for future campaigns.
In case you missed it, DDB is reversing course. Definitely be on the lookout in case anything beyond what's stated there changes, but this is a great sign that we should keep our current functionality.
Hey Sarah, is there any chance you can get someone who is upper level management for DNDBeyond reach out to an independent YouTube channel to do a longer form video so they can address this topic? I think it would benefit everyone to understand why the decision was made in the first place and what will happen now that the decision has changed.
Very appreciative of this course reversal! I was dreading the huge amounts of homebrewing I would need to complete my current campaigns (we're not planning to switch to 2024 rules until the DMG and MM are out).
Thank you so much DDB team! The whole reason I love this app is that I don't have to faff around digging through compendiums to find what my spells/magic items do, it's all right there neat and tidy. I will probably move to 5.5e in the future but not now when we're mid-campaign!
Thank you for listening to and honouring the community's wishes!
I am not going to praise them for doing the bare minimum. The announcement made, without this consideration is just another sign of how disgustingly out of touch with the community this company is. 2024 is already wildly out of touch, the way it is being managed even more so. It's just embarrassing how wrong they are getting it.
I'm primarily grateful to the community that spoke out and helped motivate WotC to do what was obviously the sensible and decent thing all along.
I'm sorry for all the people in the trenches at WotC negatively affected by the company's poor decisions and the ensuing blowback.
I do not have high hopes that the decisionmakers will learn any lessons this time, because this keeps happening at a frightening rate, it's quite the goodwill-torching spiral we've been in for far too long. I am far more sceptical about using dndbeyond and spending money here than I was a week ago.
While I'm happy this is where we appear to have landed, I remain worried that this is how it is now: Instead of being able to relax and focus on the fun game and exciting new products, the community needs to constantly be watching out for short-sighted, harmful decisions by WotC that will require pushback so they might be rectified. That is not the kind of engagement with the brand we enjoy, and it can't be the one WotC wants.
Instead of making people excited for the 2024 version of the game, this sort of thing makes them apprehensive, the same as the whole Youtube blurring business sucked a lot of excitement out of the PHB reveal. WotCs interests align with the community's in many ways, at the least mid- and long-term, so it would be great to see the company start to act in its own (and our) interest.
There is something fundamentally wrong with the decisionmaking processes in this company.
Assuming the announcement means we can carry on playing with 2014 rules, tooltips working, the toolset working as it does now, etc, etc, then well done to the overwhelming majority of people (Or 'vocal minority') for making their voices heard and forcing change.
This is our hobby. Corporate greed is disgusting. I look forward to us banding together again to fight whatever tomfoolery these clowns come up with next.
Considering that we already had a stance of Legacy things on monsters and the encounter builder (different from spells and items, which we do not had a stance of those things being legacy), is way more likely that the encounter builder will stay the same with the release of the new monster manual, probably just adding a "legacy" tag on 2014 monsters.
If not, well... we can do all this again until they learn.
This is welcome news!
I expect that the monsters in the encounter builder will be fine. As I understand it, the issue was that they were going to overwrite the 2014 spells and magic items with the 2024 ones. This would mean that anything 2014 (be it a character reference or a monster statblock) would still link to the same spell or magic item, which would now be the 2024 version.
However, since they are now going to make it so the 2014 and 2024 spells and magic items both exist in the system separately, then I would imagine that anything that currently links to a 2014 spell or magic item (including 2014 monster statblocks) should still link to that same bit of code. Only the 2024 characters and monsters should point to the 2024 bits of code.
Unless I'm misunderstanding something, that ought to be how it works going forward.
I can live with the minor relabeling / renaming of things.
Plus the original changelog mentioned the replacement of magic items, noting most of them would be later in the DMG. With no mentions of monsters and the fact that I'd be really surprised if after this they thought "Let's replace your monsters!" was a good idea I have to agree I wouldn't expect the monsters to be deleted, just legacy'd.
I'm not sure about the direct links though. Tooltips were not mentioned in the new post. Also if you link something like apprentice wizard it links to the legacy Volo's appr wiz instead of the Monsters of the Multiverse appr wiz. To my knowledge there's no way to denote the source with such links. (If there is an someone knows it, please tell me!) So it might be a limitation to only point to one thing.
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny
Eggo Lass, Bone and Oblivion | Tendilius Mondhaven Paxaramus, Drakkenheim
Karl Erikson, No Guts No Glory | Chipper, Curse of Strahd
Silverwood Group 1 | Silverwood Group 2
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 51, 10/23/25, Viva La Vida
Thank you so much, team, for your incredible efforts, dedication, and passion!
I would also like to add myself to the large list of people who will not be continuing with my subscription if I cannot use the character builder from 5e. I do not want to play with the new 5.5e changes to classes. It is a very simple thing to just have a little drop down menu during character creation that says "Would you like to build using the rules from 5e (2014), or the new ruleset from 5.5e (2024). If I cannot do this, I might just switch to pathfinder for future campaigns.
In case you missed it, DDB is reversing course. Definitely be on the lookout in case anything beyond what's stated there changes, but this is a great sign that we should keep our current functionality.
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny
Eggo Lass, Bone and Oblivion | Tendilius Mondhaven Paxaramus, Drakkenheim
Karl Erikson, No Guts No Glory | Chipper, Curse of Strahd
Silverwood Group 1 | Silverwood Group 2
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 51, 10/23/25, Viva La Vida
They have changed their mind and I am happy to say, I will renew my subscription on my next billing period and continue using this service
Adding my voice to those saying thank you for fixing this.
I know it wasn’t you personally, but as the messenger, you’re the one I’ll say thank you to. Please pass along my gratitude.
Hey Sarah, is there any chance you can get someone who is upper level management for DNDBeyond reach out to an independent YouTube channel to do a longer form video so they can address this topic? I think it would benefit everyone to understand why the decision was made in the first place and what will happen now that the decision has changed.
We truly appreciate the teams willingness to listen to feedback.
Appreciate you for keeping people in this thread updated! Also really happy the team is willing to listen to player feedback
Very appreciative of this course reversal! I was dreading the huge amounts of homebrewing I would need to complete my current campaigns (we're not planning to switch to 2024 rules until the DMG and MM are out).
Thank you so much DDB team! The whole reason I love this app is that I don't have to faff around digging through compendiums to find what my spells/magic items do, it's all right there neat and tidy. I will probably move to 5.5e in the future but not now when we're mid-campaign!
Thank you for listening to and honouring the community's wishes!
I am not going to praise them for doing the bare minimum. The announcement made, without this consideration is just another sign of how disgustingly out of touch with the community this company is. 2024 is already wildly out of touch, the way it is being managed even more so. It's just embarrassing how wrong they are getting it.
Well done!
I'm glad the decision has been reversed.
I'm primarily grateful to the community that spoke out and helped motivate WotC to do what was obviously the sensible and decent thing all along.
I'm sorry for all the people in the trenches at WotC negatively affected by the company's poor decisions and the ensuing blowback.
I do not have high hopes that the decisionmakers will learn any lessons this time, because this keeps happening at a frightening rate, it's quite the goodwill-torching spiral we've been in for far too long. I am far more sceptical about using dndbeyond and spending money here than I was a week ago.
While I'm happy this is where we appear to have landed, I remain worried that this is how it is now: Instead of being able to relax and focus on the fun game and exciting new products, the community needs to constantly be watching out for short-sighted, harmful decisions by WotC that will require pushback so they might be rectified. That is not the kind of engagement with the brand we enjoy, and it can't be the one WotC wants.
Instead of making people excited for the 2024 version of the game, this sort of thing makes them apprehensive, the same as the whole Youtube blurring business sucked a lot of excitement out of the PHB reveal. WotCs interests align with the community's in many ways, at the least mid- and long-term, so it would be great to see the company start to act in its own (and our) interest.
There is something fundamentally wrong with the decisionmaking processes in this company.
Once again, this community comes through.
If only they'd listened to us about a la carte purchases, too.
Thank you.
Assuming the announcement means we can carry on playing with 2014 rules, tooltips working, the toolset working as it does now, etc, etc, then well done to the overwhelming majority of people (Or 'vocal minority') for making their voices heard and forcing change.
This is our hobby. Corporate greed is disgusting. I look forward to us banding together again to fight whatever tomfoolery these clowns come up with next.
Thank you.
Fair is fair, we complained but you listened. Now lets work together community and developer to improve this game and have fun.
Thanks.
Life's hard - get a helmet!