I'm looking for legit sources of old D&D content because I want more detailed information for my campaign about places like the Abyss, etc. I'm not looking for stuff that's in competition with D&D Beyond. I'm happy with this site for 5e stuff. I've tried the official Wizards of the Coast D&D site, but all they have for source books is the current 5e stuff too. I've seen that you can buy some of the old books on Amazon or Ebay, but they're like $200 to $700+ to buy, lol. I just want the information and not looking for a collectors item. Anyone know a good safe website to get PDF for stuff like this?
Selling things that are registered trademarked items is a violation of the copyright laws. Hasbro holds the license for Dungeons and Dragons. If they won't sell you stuff, if WotC won't either, if you can't find what you're looking for from Amazon or on D&D Beyond, any other source who sells you anything remotely like D&D can be sued, and so can you if you buy it.
I doubt anyone would be that picky. Minor violations of the copyright laws happen constantly. Even the folks at D&D Beyond say you can use public information, so long as it's only shared in private.
Selling things that are registered trademarked items is a violation of the copyright laws. Hasbro holds the license for Dungeons and Dragons. If they won't sell you stuff, if WotC won't either, if you can't find what you're looking for from Amazon or on D&D Beyond, any other source who sells you anything remotely like D&D can be sued, and so can you if you buy it.
Unless they're licensed to sell it. Which, as far as I can determine, DMs Guild is. They appear to have a special license with WotC.
From their about us link, DMs Guild is a subsidiary of OneBookShelf (parent company of DriveThroughRPG) in a partnership with WotC, not a part of WotC.
1.) DMsGuild's prior edition D&D reprints are authorized reprints. Largely PDF, but some are available in softcover. It's not piracy it's literally a legit deal.
2.) Bad scans and poor resolution does happen. It's a good idea to read the reviews of the items you're interested in. They'll usually address overall quality. Moreover, whoever's running the DMsGuild prior edition scans do try to make improvements on scans that didn't work out well. When something you've purchased has improved, you're entitled to a copy of the improved version.
3.) I don't know if the prices for the reprints are a "steal", but they're reasonable.
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Half Price Books does sell physical copies, but there seems to be a buyer beware as to the condition of the works and it's scattershot. If you absolutely want a physical copy HPB is a fair option but their supplies have the limitations of being a secondary market (and a lot of the prices I don't think are all that fair, cheaper than auction sites, sure but my eyes didn't get a "deal gleam" -- I semi collect RPGs and have been aggressively collecting an out of print title the past four months instead of going to movies). However DMsGuild is the only legitimate shop that has a comprehensive collection of prior editions of D&D (I can't think of anything that isn't available).
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
My personal preference is physical copies over digital. OP mentioned looking at auction sites and seeing some ridiculous prices on there, so I just threw that out as an alternative possibility. But yeah, HPB is a crap shoot at best.
I've bought lots of 1e stuff from DriveThru/DM's Guild. Yes, it's all perfectly legal. So far, most of the PDFs have been pretty good and the printed stuff has generally been exceptional (I find their binding/printing quality superior to some of my 5e D&D books, although the pages aren't quite as pleasant to the touch).
The AD&D stuff is mostly clean, PDF-wise, although Deities and Demigods, at least when I got it, was kind of rough. I've bought 2 modules, both of them are clearly scans, but decent in quality. I did not hardcopy print the modules (for reference, they were T1 and D2), but just have the PDFs. For the books, other they Deities and Demigods, which was only available as PDF, I have both the hardcover or softcover of DMG, FF, MM, and PHB, as well as the PDF. FF is a little scan-looking, but the main 3 books look excellent.
Overall I have been super-happy with the DM's Guild/Drive Through RPG print quality. They do a nice job.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Check your local comic book shops. Especially ones that host AL or PFS. There are several in my area that carry physical copies of older editions
Oh yeah, the first thing I tried was local shops, but it was a crap shoot on what they had. I did find a few things that I bought at a local store like the "Lords of Darkness" accessory written by Ed Greenwood and the "AD&D Adventure Pack I". They were $30 each. I didn't find the source books I need though.
For the record I did buy my first thing from the DMs Guild site. I bought Fiendish Codex I, Hordes of the Abyss PDF from 3.5e. It was $15, but it's a great PDF that looks like actual pages. No complaints from me.
I have a lot that I want to get so this approach will probably cost me a lot less than trying to find the physical copies, lol.
I would expect PDFs of 3.0 and later products to be produced directly from the layout files WotC used to originally print the books, and thus be the same quality as production books. Scans are for where the product wasn't laid out in publishing software, or the electronic files have been lost.
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Hi all.
I'm looking for legit sources of old D&D content because I want more detailed information for my campaign about places like the Abyss, etc. I'm not looking for stuff that's in competition with D&D Beyond. I'm happy with this site for 5e stuff. I've tried the official Wizards of the Coast D&D site, but all they have for source books is the current 5e stuff too. I've seen that you can buy some of the old books on Amazon or Ebay, but they're like $200 to $700+ to buy, lol. I just want the information and not looking for a collectors item. Anyone know a good safe website to get PDF for stuff like this?
https://www.dmsguild.com/
I did see them as I was searching for stuff. They're legit? No issues?
No issues legally. I don't know how good the pdf are.
No Gaming is Better than Bad Gaming.
Worth a try. Thanks for the replies :)
Selling things that are registered trademarked items is a violation of the copyright laws. Hasbro holds the license for Dungeons and Dragons. If they won't sell you stuff, if WotC won't either, if you can't find what you're looking for from Amazon or on D&D Beyond, any other source who sells you anything remotely like D&D can be sued, and so can you if you buy it.
I doubt anyone would be that picky. Minor violations of the copyright laws happen constantly. Even the folks at D&D Beyond say you can use public information, so long as it's only shared in private.
<Insert clever signature here>
Unless they're licensed to sell it. Which, as far as I can determine, DMs Guild is. They appear to have a special license with WotC.
From their about us link, DMs Guild is a subsidiary of OneBookShelf (parent company of DriveThroughRPG) in a partnership with WotC, not a part of WotC.
That’s why DMs Guild even has different legal requirements separate from self publishing according to the SRD.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
1.) DMsGuild's prior edition D&D reprints are authorized reprints. Largely PDF, but some are available in softcover. It's not piracy it's literally a legit deal.
2.) Bad scans and poor resolution does happen. It's a good idea to read the reviews of the items you're interested in. They'll usually address overall quality. Moreover, whoever's running the DMsGuild prior edition scans do try to make improvements on scans that didn't work out well. When something you've purchased has improved, you're entitled to a copy of the improved version.
3.) I don't know if the prices for the reprints are a "steal", but they're reasonable.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Another alternative: Half-Price Books. Or your country's equivalent.
Half Price Books does sell physical copies, but there seems to be a buyer beware as to the condition of the works and it's scattershot. If you absolutely want a physical copy HPB is a fair option but their supplies have the limitations of being a secondary market (and a lot of the prices I don't think are all that fair, cheaper than auction sites, sure but my eyes didn't get a "deal gleam" -- I semi collect RPGs and have been aggressively collecting an out of print title the past four months instead of going to movies). However DMsGuild is the only legitimate shop that has a comprehensive collection of prior editions of D&D (I can't think of anything that isn't available).
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
My personal preference is physical copies over digital. OP mentioned looking at auction sites and seeing some ridiculous prices on there, so I just threw that out as an alternative possibility. But yeah, HPB is a crap shoot at best.
Check your local comic book shops. Especially ones that host AL or PFS. There are several in my area that carry physical copies of older editions
I've bought lots of 1e stuff from DriveThru/DM's Guild. Yes, it's all perfectly legal. So far, most of the PDFs have been pretty good and the printed stuff has generally been exceptional (I find their binding/printing quality superior to some of my 5e D&D books, although the pages aren't quite as pleasant to the touch).
The AD&D stuff is mostly clean, PDF-wise, although Deities and Demigods, at least when I got it, was kind of rough. I've bought 2 modules, both of them are clearly scans, but decent in quality. I did not hardcopy print the modules (for reference, they were T1 and D2), but just have the PDFs. For the books, other they Deities and Demigods, which was only available as PDF, I have both the hardcover or softcover of DMG, FF, MM, and PHB, as well as the PDF. FF is a little scan-looking, but the main 3 books look excellent.
Overall I have been super-happy with the DM's Guild/Drive Through RPG print quality. They do a nice job.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I got the PDF for The Village of Homlett, and it was a good scan.
There was a licensing notice on the last page. Didn't read it all, but it appears they have the ability to sell the scans.
Kat Jordan
DragonFly270
Oh yeah, the first thing I tried was local shops, but it was a crap shoot on what they had. I did find a few things that I bought at a local store like the "Lords of Darkness" accessory written by Ed Greenwood and the "AD&D Adventure Pack I". They were $30 each. I didn't find the source books I need though.
For the record I did buy my first thing from the DMs Guild site. I bought Fiendish Codex I, Hordes of the Abyss PDF from 3.5e. It was $15, but it's a great PDF that looks like actual pages. No complaints from me.
I have a lot that I want to get so this approach will probably cost me a lot less than trying to find the physical copies, lol.
Thanks for all the help everyone :)
I would expect PDFs of 3.0 and later products to be produced directly from the layout files WotC used to originally print the books, and thus be the same quality as production books. Scans are for where the product wasn't laid out in publishing software, or the electronic files have been lost.