I am a month old into actually playing dnd and have a big enough interest for it to be a long term hobby/game I could play, but since I am broke and I don't have a job especially with it hard in my town, it feels like I could only manage to buy a book around once every 3-6 months from returning cans and bottles, I'm worried that by the time I get the books I want, a new edition might come out and I would have to buy them again, I need help understanding whether or not I "lose" my books or much like a app, I'll always have them but it will change each edition
If the interest is about the core rules of play you don't and won't need to pay a single cent to play 5th edition or One D&D. The basic rules of 5th edition are free and One D&D basic rules will also be free.
If you mean the additional and completely optional books, then yes, if you want them, you'll need to buy them.
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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.
I presume you mean if you purchase things here? I can tell you that the current practice here at DDB is that when "books" are purchased but later go out of print (for example, Volo's), those who purchased it before it went out of print still have access to it here.
Books that are updated (errata/rule clarifications) are updated here. So, for example, when WOTC messed up and allowed racist depictions of the Hadozee race make it to print in Spelljammer, and then realized their error, the problematic artwork and lore descriptions disappeared from the digital sources here. actually, originally all of the Hadozee art in Spelljammer source here initially, while they evaluated each item. Some of it was restored.
There has been no official word about what will happen to current 5e sources here when One D&D becomes official. (New corebooks are expected out next year). Given how they've handled out of print books in the past, and given that WOTC has said that One D&D will be compatible with 5e, I do not expect them to turn off access to the 5e books when the new One D&D books come out. At the same time, I don't expect them to update the 5e Players Handbook to One D&D; I'm guessing that I would need to buy the new PHB if I wanted access to those things.
Keep in mind, however, that I don't work for DDB. I'm just a long-time customer. So I have no insider knowledge about plans, and I can't promise anything, I can only guess based on what I've experienced and seen.
One thing about a game like D&D is that you really only need one person in a group that has the books- things get tougher if you're trying to use the DDB character generator, but if money's an issue (or even if it isn't) you definitely shouldn't feel obligated to purchase anything. If your group gives you a hard time over that, they're not nice people and you shouldn't hang out with them.
Also, if you're just trying to make a character, you can purchase parts of a book, like a subclass, some feats, or spells and magic items. This is much cheaper than purchasing the whole book, and any piecemeal purchase you make get deducted from the book's cost if you buy it at a later point.
Also also, DDB periodically does sales, so it might be worth your while to hold off on buying anything from the site until one happens in order to save some money.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I see what you mean by only one person getting the books, earlier I did get 3 irl friends into dnd too and planned on getting the books myself since out of the friend group I know how to go through the app and the website so I began teaching them how to use dnd beyond, that and if I buy all the books myself and they want a certain subclass, item or spell during a campaign I could go to their character and give it to them, knowing how to do it that way saved me from getting a subscription to share the stuff compared to just editing it into their character, hoping I get spelljammer next so I can deal with the obsession over the astral plane.
I am a month old into actually playing dnd and have a big enough interest for it to be a long term hobby/game I could play, but since I am broke and I don't have a job especially with it hard in my town, it feels like I could only manage to buy a book around once every 3-6 months from returning cans and bottles, I'm worried that by the time I get the books I want, a new edition might come out and I would have to buy them again, I need help understanding whether or not I "lose" my books or much like a app, I'll always have them but it will change each edition
As mentioned, the Basic Rules / SRD are completely free. You can also borrow the books from anyone in your campaign (whether physically, or digitally via DDB) and access the material that way.
I won't comment on your personal situation other than to say, it's okay to prioritize necessities over a game. Don't feel you have to keep up with every release in order to enjoy D&D!
Honestly, a book every three to six months is fine unless you're going mad on how often you play.
The most important books to get are the Player's Handbook and the Monster Manual. If you're going down the published adventure route, then after that you'll only need an adventure book about once every 6 months afterwards, assuming a-session-a-week frequency. Obviously, shorter adventures will require buying more often. If you're homebrewing your adventures, it's even better - you can stop there, or get Monsters of the Multiverse when you want to expand your monster rosta.
Personally, I don't see a need to get more than one book per six months. Even then...you can go a year or two without much need to buy one. My last book was Spelljammer, which has been read but not used, and that arrived in September. The next book I'm looking at getting is Bigby's Glory of Giants, which isn't necessary (I just really liked the dragon version). You don't need everything and you don't need to get stuff all the time.
Just note that as mentioned by others, the PHB and MM will be replaced sometime next year. You can use the Basic Rules instead of the PHB. There are many free monsters from the MM on DDBeyond, but I don't know how many are there and how likely you are to get all the monsters you need. All adventures and supplements should work with the new books coming out next year.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
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I am a month old into actually playing dnd and have a big enough interest for it to be a long term hobby/game I could play, but since I am broke and I don't have a job especially with it hard in my town, it feels like I could only manage to buy a book around once every 3-6 months from returning cans and bottles, I'm worried that by the time I get the books I want, a new edition might come out and I would have to buy them again, I need help understanding whether or not I "lose" my books or much like a app, I'll always have them but it will change each edition
If the interest is about the core rules of play you don't and won't need to pay a single cent to play 5th edition or One D&D. The basic rules of 5th edition are free and One D&D basic rules will also be free.
If you mean the additional and completely optional books, then yes, if you want them, you'll need to buy them.
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.
I presume you mean if you purchase things here? I can tell you that the current practice here at DDB is that when "books" are purchased but later go out of print (for example, Volo's), those who purchased it before it went out of print still have access to it here.
Books that are updated (errata/rule clarifications) are updated here. So, for example, when WOTC messed up and allowed racist depictions of the Hadozee race make it to print in Spelljammer, and then realized their error, the problematic artwork and lore descriptions disappeared from the digital sources here. actually, originally all of the Hadozee art in Spelljammer source here initially, while they evaluated each item. Some of it was restored.
There has been no official word about what will happen to current 5e sources here when One D&D becomes official. (New corebooks are expected out next year). Given how they've handled out of print books in the past, and given that WOTC has said that One D&D will be compatible with 5e, I do not expect them to turn off access to the 5e books when the new One D&D books come out. At the same time, I don't expect them to update the 5e Players Handbook to One D&D; I'm guessing that I would need to buy the new PHB if I wanted access to those things.
Keep in mind, however, that I don't work for DDB. I'm just a long-time customer. So I have no insider knowledge about plans, and I can't promise anything, I can only guess based on what I've experienced and seen.
Trying to Decide if DDB is for you? A few helpful threads: A Buyer's Guide to DDB; What I/We Bought and Why; How some DMs use DDB; A Newer Thread on Using DDB to Play
Helpful threads on other topics: Homebrew FAQ by IamSposta; Accessing Content by ConalTheGreat;
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One thing about a game like D&D is that you really only need one person in a group that has the books- things get tougher if you're trying to use the DDB character generator, but if money's an issue (or even if it isn't) you definitely shouldn't feel obligated to purchase anything. If your group gives you a hard time over that, they're not nice people and you shouldn't hang out with them.
Also, if you're just trying to make a character, you can purchase parts of a book, like a subclass, some feats, or spells and magic items. This is much cheaper than purchasing the whole book, and any piecemeal purchase you make get deducted from the book's cost if you buy it at a later point.
Also also, DDB periodically does sales, so it might be worth your while to hold off on buying anything from the site until one happens in order to save some money.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I see what you mean by only one person getting the books, earlier I did get 3 irl friends into dnd too and planned on getting the books myself since out of the friend group I know how to go through the app and the website so I began teaching them how to use dnd beyond, that and if I buy all the books myself and they want a certain subclass, item or spell during a campaign I could go to their character and give it to them, knowing how to do it that way saved me from getting a subscription to share the stuff compared to just editing it into their character, hoping I get spelljammer next so I can deal with the obsession over the astral plane.
As mentioned, the Basic Rules / SRD are completely free. You can also borrow the books from anyone in your campaign (whether physically, or digitally via DDB) and access the material that way.
I won't comment on your personal situation other than to say, it's okay to prioritize necessities over a game. Don't feel you have to keep up with every release in order to enjoy D&D!
Honestly, a book every three to six months is fine unless you're going mad on how often you play.
The most important books to get are the Player's Handbook and the Monster Manual. If you're going down the published adventure route, then after that you'll only need an adventure book about once every 6 months afterwards, assuming a-session-a-week frequency. Obviously, shorter adventures will require buying more often. If you're homebrewing your adventures, it's even better - you can stop there, or get Monsters of the Multiverse when you want to expand your monster rosta.
Personally, I don't see a need to get more than one book per six months. Even then...you can go a year or two without much need to buy one. My last book was Spelljammer, which has been read but not used, and that arrived in September. The next book I'm looking at getting is Bigby's Glory of Giants, which isn't necessary (I just really liked the dragon version). You don't need everything and you don't need to get stuff all the time.
Just note that as mentioned by others, the PHB and MM will be replaced sometime next year. You can use the Basic Rules instead of the PHB. There are many free monsters from the MM on DDBeyond, but I don't know how many are there and how likely you are to get all the monsters you need. All adventures and supplements should work with the new books coming out next year.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.