They should do a higher teir sub, say $10-20 a month and get access to everything. I would be down for this 100%. Or come up with a way to "import" the books i have already bought and paid more for. But paying $80 for the PHB to use in both places is way to much, and frankly annoying.
The cost of buying the PHB + DMG + MM is about $90. You can buy parts of the books a la cart, and each time you buy a portion of a book it goes towards the overall cost, so once you've paid the equivalent of the total book cost, you unlock the entire book. In this way you could buy $10 to $20 worth of book parts each month and unlock them in less than a year. By comparison, if you just paid a $10 to $20/month subscription, after 5 to 9 months you're paying more than the cost to buy those three books. Eventually you are throwing money away.
As for "importing" the books you already own, DDB is owned by Curse, which is owned by Twitch. They did not sell you your hardcopy books, WotC did. WotC does not own DDB.
As someone who bought the legendary bundle, I have no problem with (re)purchasing the content in a different media - however the last couple of sentences have a minor flaw in them. I bought my hard copy PHB from Amazon. Who own Twitch/Curse. Which owns DDB. And I will still continue to buy the source books in both mediums (but the adventure paths only on DDB). Because they are different mediums and (hard) work goes into both which should be recognised/paid for.
I bought my hard copy PHB from Amazon. Who own Twitch/Curse. Which owns DDB.
TL;DR: You can already buy the PHB in both physical and digital formats (from Amazon + DDB) for only $8 more than the physical version alone from your FLGS.
While you are technically correct, it is unlikely WotC would allow Amazon (as a reseller) to offer such a bundle/discount because Amazon is acting as a reseller much as any brick & mortar FLGS is acting a reseller. Amazon already massively discounts the books, which the FLGSs can't compete with. This is why the books come out earlier in stores than on Amazon, it is an olive branch to the B&M stores from WotC. Given the massive discount Amazon already gives, if Amazon also provided an additional discount on DDB purchases (which also already cost less than a print copy from an FLGS), the FLGSs would be up in arms. They would have no way to offer the same discount, and would be at an even greater disadvantage. Let's be honest, if someone could get a physical and digital copy from Amazon/DDB for less than the cost of the physical copy from an FLGS, they will choose Amazon/DDB.
Let's also consider this:
If you buy your PHB from Amazon right now, you can get it for about $28 USD. The cost of the PHB on DDB is $29.99 (assuming no discount). So total for both is about $58 USD.
The MSRP of the PHB (ie. the price listed on the back of the book) is $49.95 USD>
That's a difference of $8.00. In other other words, right now anyone who has neither the PHB hardcover or digital version from DDB can buy BOTH for only $8 more than buying the hardcover version alone in their local B&M store. Unless you really need to save $8, why wouldn't you order the hardcover from Amazon, and the digital from DDB?
And if you think Amazon/Curse could/should offer a discount on the digital version for having purchased the hardcover from Amazon, how much are you expecting??? At least $8 I assume. More than than that?
It seems to me the people complaining about the cost on DDB either (A) bought their physical copy from a B&M store, and feel burned, or; (B) don't believe that "digital" versions of "real world" things have "real value".
"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?
I bought my hard copy PHB from Amazon. Who own Twitch/Curse. Which owns DDB.
TL;DR: You can already buy the PHB in both physical and digital formats (from Amazon + DDB) for only $8 more than the physical version alone from your FLGS.
But why would I pay anything when I can just pirate the PDF of the PHB and shoplift a copy from my FLGS and pay 0 dollars?
Oh morals? WELL CLEARLY CAPITALISM NEVER CARED ABOUT MORALITY IN THE FIRST PLACE! Kappa
I bought my hard copy PHB from Amazon. Who own Twitch/Curse. Which owns DDB.
TL;DR: You can already buy the PHB in both physical and digital formats (from Amazon + DDB) for only $8 more than the physical version alone from your FLGS.
But why would I pay anything when I can just pirate the PDF of the PHB and shoplift a copy from my FLGS and pay 0 dollars?
Oh morals? WELL CLEARLY CAPITALISM NEVER CARED ABOUT MORALITY IN THE FIRST PLACE! Kappa
My point is that to the people complaining they should get a discount on the digital version if they buy from Amazon (because Amazon owns curse)... you kind of already are getting a discount.
If you buy the physical book from Amazon, and the digital copy from DDB, it works out to getting a digital copy of the PHB for only $8, since that's the difference between buying both from Amazon/DDB vs buying only a physical copy in the store.
And, no, capitalism isn't about "morality", never has been, never will be.
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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?
My only issue with digital content is that it would be nice if WOTC included an identifier in the books (possibly restricted to direct sale or game store copies) that would reduce the price of any digital versions purchased by the amount owed to WOTC for the material. In other words, WOTC makes their money once, and what you pay for digital copies is for the work of converting it to that medium (I own the key books physically, the bundle here, and the bundle on Fantasy Grounds).
It is a non trivial exercise to convert the books and adventures, and you should have to pay for that work.
My only issue with digital content is that it would be nice if WOTC included an identifier in the books (possibly restricted to direct sale or game store copies) that would reduce the price of any digital versions purchased by the amount owed to WOTC for the material. In other words, WOTC makes their money once, and what you pay for digital copies is for the work of converting it to that medium (I own the key books physically, the bundle here, and the bundle on Fantasy Grounds).
It is a non trivial exercise to convert the books and adventures, and you should have to pay for that work.
Considering the cost of the digital version is almost half the cost of the physical version, what makes you think that isn't already reflected in the digital price? Cost of labour to produce, plus profit for Curse.
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?
My only issue with digital content is that it would be nice if WOTC included an identifier in the books (possibly restricted to direct sale or game store copies) that would reduce the price of any digital versions purchased by the amount owed to WOTC for the material. In other words, WOTC makes their money once, and what you pay for digital copies is for the work of converting it to that medium (I own the key books physically, the bundle here, and the bundle on Fantasy Grounds).
It is a non trivial exercise to convert the books and adventures, and you should have to pay for that work.
Considering the cost of the digital version is almost half the cost of the physical version, what makes you think that isn't already reflected in the digital price? Cost of labour to produce, plus profit for Curse.
Because if WOTC was doing it, it would be something that was reflected everywhere you could get digital content. For example, Roll20 is full retail book cost for everything. So with a purchase at a game store (or ordered directly from WOTC), you would have a coupon code that you could enter here, Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, etc. If the registrations matched up (maybe DCI linked), you would get a discount that would be matched by the digital publisher not paying royalties to WOTC for the sale.
That's a pretty subjective question. In short, it's cheaper to do an annual subscription, than it is to do it monthly, so yes, it's worth it financially.
Longer answer: I use DDB almost daily, with a regular campaign that I run as a Play-by-Post in addition to organizing information/characters for in person games and building my own homebrewed campaign setting. I was a Beta tester for the website and a (rather poor) Alpha tester for the app. I have not purchased the Legendary Bundle, yet, but I hope to build up to that eventually. I get a lot of "worth" out of this platform that does not easily translate into money. For me, the cost is absolutely worth what I currently get out of it, and the DDB team is actively working to improve what's here and add even more features to the tool set. What this site is "worth" to you, however, only you can decide.
Do you foresee yourself using the parts of the website that you have to pay to access on a long term basis, or do you simply want to have them available for a month or so before you won't need them anymore? Are you happy with what is currently offered, or do you want/hope for something more? Are you financially able to purchase an annual subscription? There are many questions along these lines I could ask, but I think you get the point.
At the end of the day, if you have the finances and like what the subscription gets you, I think that annual subscription is worth it. If you're on the fence or your budget doesn't account for the cost of an annual subscription, maybe the monthly (or even free) subscription is right for you.
Check out the full details for the two subscription tiers for D&D Beyond at at launch, including updates to the way that campaign content sharing works for Master Tier subscribers!
Hi all! I was trying to look up the details of my subscription to check how many people I can share my content with, but the link from the post at the start of this thread leads to a 403 error. Is there an updated link we should follow to find this? Thanks in advance!
Check out the full details for the two subscription tiers for D&D Beyond at at launch, including updates to the way that campaign content sharing works for Master Tier subscribers!
Hi all! I was trying to look up the details of my subscription to check how many people I can share my content with, but the link from the post at the start of this thread leads to a 403 error. Is there an updated link we should follow to find this? Thanks in advance!
Check out the full details for the two subscription tiers for D&D Beyond at at launch, including updates to the way that campaign content sharing works for Master Tier subscribers!
Hi all! I was trying to look up the details of my subscription to check how many people I can share my content with, but the link from the post at the start of this thread leads to a 403 error. Is there an updated link we should follow to find this? Thanks in advance!
Thanks for the response filcat; however, as I'm already a subscriber and logged in, the Subscriptions page only shows me what kind of subscription I currently have, with no details beyond what it costs and a button I can click to cancel it.
I did eventually find the answer I was looking for in a specific FAQ question, but there doesn't seem to be a page I can access while logged in as a subscriber with the benefits of the different subscription tiers. Is there such a page? And if so, could the link in the OP be updated, since this thread is pinned and much easier to find?
I just subscribed to Master Tier and my son created a campaign. He doesn’t want to use it because we can see the level, class and race of his NPC’s. so he relies on my purchased content.
But how can he do that AND access my purchased content?
The player slots are not meant to be used for NPCs. He can however create the NPCs with your shared content and then take them out the campaign. This way they will remain secrets to the players.
He can use the campaign link to create characters in the campaign (using your unlocked content), then remove them from the campaign, so he still has access to them on his account, but they're not visible in the campaign.
Even though those characters were created using content that he only has access to via the campaign, they can still exist on his account and he will still have access to them - they are restricted from certain functions though, such as gaining features when levelling up. He can always add them back to the campaign temporarily if he wants to make changes to them.
He can use the campaign link to create characters in the campaign (using your unlocked content), then remove them from the campaign, so he still has access to them on his account, but they're not visible in the campaign.
Even though those characters were created using content that he only has access to via the campaign, they can still exist on his account and he will still have access to them - they are restricted from certain functions though, such as gaining features when levelling up. He can always add them back to the campaign temporarily if he wants to make changes to them.
Thank you. For now I guess he’d have to ask players not t look while he is creating and then remove as you mention. I can see other players who are secretive about even their class and race wanting to be able to make it fully private too.
Are there any plans to allow us to hide even this info? Consider it a feature request from me and my group for sure.
I haven't read the whole thread, but I just signed up to D&D Beyond and I have question re Character Builder.
Obviously in 4e the CB ended up a beautiful piece of software design super friendly to use and a real master piece. In 5e for some reason it seems a complete minefield.
Orc Pub is now gone, or going, and has basic content.
I am subscribed to Fantasy Grounds as we are running one campaign using that. The character creation is onerous but I only have one character so all good.
But I am also running a campaign with 12 year old boys, 5 to 7 of them depending who turns up, and its quite a bit of work.
So I have signed up for D&D Beyond, to create the 7 PC's and wish to use only the Players Handbook, but wish to use the players handbook.
But it doesn't seem to work property so I need some help, and have a couple of questions:
1. Why cant I find all the feats and sub class options in the CB ie. Only Life Cleric, no other options.
2. Or is this not covered in my basic subscription (although the page re subs and such doesn't say anything about restricted use)
3. Can I pay an advanced subscription to get it.
4. If not, can someone direct me to a site where I can pay a sub and get an easy CB to make up 7 characters just using the Players Handbook.
Basically its quite frustrating.
I don't really care about the cost at all.
I just want a system where you can easily find, and easily sign up to a CB in 5e, that you can then pay for, and works simple to use, like the one in 4e.
Or have I just missed the boat completely on all of this, and not up with the play, as I thought I had done a decent amount of research.
Signed
"Confused D&D Players of 40 years"
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TL;DR: You can already buy the PHB in both physical and digital formats (from Amazon + DDB) for only $8 more than the physical version alone from your FLGS.
While you are technically correct, it is unlikely WotC would allow Amazon (as a reseller) to offer such a bundle/discount because Amazon is acting as a reseller much as any brick & mortar FLGS is acting a reseller. Amazon already massively discounts the books, which the FLGSs can't compete with. This is why the books come out earlier in stores than on Amazon, it is an olive branch to the B&M stores from WotC. Given the massive discount Amazon already gives, if Amazon also provided an additional discount on DDB purchases (which also already cost less than a print copy from an FLGS), the FLGSs would be up in arms. They would have no way to offer the same discount, and would be at an even greater disadvantage. Let's be honest, if someone could get a physical and digital copy from Amazon/DDB for less than the cost of the physical copy from an FLGS, they will choose Amazon/DDB.
Let's also consider this:
If you buy your PHB from Amazon right now, you can get it for about $28 USD. The cost of the PHB on DDB is $29.99 (assuming no discount). So total for both is about $58 USD.
The MSRP of the PHB (ie. the price listed on the back of the book) is $49.95 USD>
That's a difference of $8.00. In other other words, right now anyone who has neither the PHB hardcover or digital version from DDB can buy BOTH for only $8 more than buying the hardcover version alone in their local B&M store. Unless you really need to save $8, why wouldn't you order the hardcover from Amazon, and the digital from DDB?
And if you think Amazon/Curse could/should offer a discount on the digital version for having purchased the hardcover from Amazon, how much are you expecting??? At least $8 I assume. More than than that?
It seems to me the people complaining about the cost on DDB either (A) bought their physical copy from a B&M store, and feel burned, or; (B) don't believe that "digital" versions of "real world" things have "real value".
"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?
Oh morals? WELL CLEARLY CAPITALISM NEVER CARED ABOUT MORALITY IN THE FIRST PLACE!
Kappa
"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?
My only issue with digital content is that it would be nice if WOTC included an identifier in the books (possibly restricted to direct sale or game store copies) that would reduce the price of any digital versions purchased by the amount owed to WOTC for the material. In other words, WOTC makes their money once, and what you pay for digital copies is for the work of converting it to that medium (I own the key books physically, the bundle here, and the bundle on Fantasy Grounds).
It is a non trivial exercise to convert the books and adventures, and you should have to pay for that work.
"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?
Because if WOTC was doing it, it would be something that was reflected everywhere you could get digital content. For example, Roll20 is full retail book cost for everything. So with a purchase at a game store (or ordered directly from WOTC), you would have a coupon code that you could enter here, Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, etc. If the registrations matched up (maybe DCI linked), you would get a discount that would be matched by the digital publisher not paying royalties to WOTC for the sale.
Cool thx ✌🏻
That's a pretty subjective question. In short, it's cheaper to do an annual subscription, than it is to do it monthly, so yes, it's worth it financially.
Longer answer: I use DDB almost daily, with a regular campaign that I run as a Play-by-Post in addition to organizing information/characters for in person games and building my own homebrewed campaign setting. I was a Beta tester for the website and a (rather poor) Alpha tester for the app. I have not purchased the Legendary Bundle, yet, but I hope to build up to that eventually. I get a lot of "worth" out of this platform that does not easily translate into money. For me, the cost is absolutely worth what I currently get out of it, and the DDB team is actively working to improve what's here and add even more features to the tool set. What this site is "worth" to you, however, only you can decide.
Do you foresee yourself using the parts of the website that you have to pay to access on a long term basis, or do you simply want to have them available for a month or so before you won't need them anymore? Are you happy with what is currently offered, or do you want/hope for something more? Are you financially able to purchase an annual subscription? There are many questions along these lines I could ask, but I think you get the point.
At the end of the day, if you have the finances and like what the subscription gets you, I think that annual subscription is worth it. If you're on the fence or your budget doesn't account for the cost of an annual subscription, maybe the monthly (or even free) subscription is right for you.
Hi all! I was trying to look up the details of my subscription to check how many people I can share my content with, but the link from the post at the start of this thread leads to a 403 error. Is there an updated link we should follow to find this? Thanks in advance!
The details are on the Subscriptions page.
Thanks for the response filcat; however, as I'm already a subscriber and logged in, the Subscriptions page only shows me what kind of subscription I currently have, with no details beyond what it costs and a button I can click to cancel it.
I did eventually find the answer I was looking for in a specific FAQ question, but there doesn't seem to be a page I can access while logged in as a subscriber with the benefits of the different subscription tiers. Is there such a page? And if so, could the link in the OP be updated, since this thread is pinned and much easier to find?
I just subscribed to Master Tier and my son created a campaign. He doesn’t want to use it because we can see the level, class and race of his NPC’s. so he relies on my purchased content.
Can the campaigns hide non-active characters?
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D&D Beyond FoundersNo - but if the DM uses the character creation tools to make NPCs, they don't have to add them to the campaign.
Pun-loving nerd | Faith Elisabeth Lilley | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
But how can he do that AND access my purchased content?
The player slots are not meant to be used for NPCs. He can however create the NPCs with your shared content and then take them out the campaign. This way they will remain secrets to the players.
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D&D Beyond FoundersHe can use the campaign link to create characters in the campaign (using your unlocked content), then remove them from the campaign, so he still has access to them on his account, but they're not visible in the campaign.
Even though those characters were created using content that he only has access to via the campaign, they can still exist on his account and he will still have access to them - they are restricted from certain functions though, such as gaining features when levelling up. He can always add them back to the campaign temporarily if he wants to make changes to them.
Pun-loving nerd | Faith Elisabeth Lilley | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
Thank you. For now I guess he’d have to ask players not t look while he is creating and then remove as you mention. I can see other players who are secretive about even their class and race wanting to be able to make it fully private too.
Are there any plans to allow us to hide even this info? Consider it a feature request from me and my group for sure.
Thanks again!
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D&D Beyond FoundersThere are definitely plans to expand the campaign features & tools in the future - it's a medium term objective I believe.
Pun-loving nerd | Faith Elisabeth Lilley | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
Hi Guys,
I haven't read the whole thread, but I just signed up to D&D Beyond and I have question re Character Builder.
Obviously in 4e the CB ended up a beautiful piece of software design super friendly to use and a real master piece. In 5e for some reason it seems a complete minefield.
Orc Pub is now gone, or going, and has basic content.
I am subscribed to Fantasy Grounds as we are running one campaign using that. The character creation is onerous but I only have one character so all good.
But I am also running a campaign with 12 year old boys, 5 to 7 of them depending who turns up, and its quite a bit of work.
So I have signed up for D&D Beyond, to create the 7 PC's and wish to use only the Players Handbook, but wish to use the players handbook.
But it doesn't seem to work property so I need some help, and have a couple of questions:
1. Why cant I find all the feats and sub class options in the CB ie. Only Life Cleric, no other options.
2. Or is this not covered in my basic subscription (although the page re subs and such doesn't say anything about restricted use)
3. Can I pay an advanced subscription to get it.
4. If not, can someone direct me to a site where I can pay a sub and get an easy CB to make up 7 characters just using the Players Handbook.
Basically its quite frustrating.
I don't really care about the cost at all.
I just want a system where you can easily find, and easily sign up to a CB in 5e, that you can then pay for, and works simple to use, like the one in 4e.
Or have I just missed the boat completely on all of this, and not up with the play, as I thought I had done a decent amount of research.
Signed
"Confused D&D Players of 40 years"