So If I buy the dungeon master book 4 months before the next big update... Were there be any benefit to buying them aside from having the books for the next 4 months until the new one is needed?
Well, the new one is unlikely to be "needed" in that they'll take down the previous books from the site altogether, going by their past handling of content they've determined to be "outdated" (VGtM and MToF); most likely buying the current Core 3 ahead of the new release means you'll continue to have access to them after they become Legacy content and are taken off the market, and will be able to content share them if you're in a group where that's enabled.
If you're asking whether they'll discount the 2024 Core set for owners of the 2014 Core set? Unknown, but does not seem strongly likely. The new books are new books. You pay new book price for a new book. It's one reason the new material is seeing a staggered release, so you don't have to drop three books' worth of price all at once.
If you're asking if there's any benefit to owning the older content? It's more content you own, or at least content you have access to. We do not know if the 2014 Core set will be relegated to Legacy and pulled off the market the way Ace says, but it's an entirely plausible assumption to make. In which case owning the 2014 Core set means being able to retain access after the books become unavailable for general purchase. Whether that's valuable to you or not is entirely a You decision.
Note that very, very little has been said about the 2024 Core set release. 'Very little' as in effectively nothing. DDB has been pretty much entirely silent on the matter. The only clues we have are how previous content refreshes have been handled, i.e. M3 replacing Tome of Foes and Volo's Guide to DM Headaches. People are assuming the same procedure will be followed, but side books are side books. It's not out of the realm of possibility that DDB handles the Core Three differently because they're the Core Three.
So, some pros to buying core books like the DMG now:
If you decide you don't like 2024e, you can still play 2014e.
If you join a table that's playing 2014e, it'll be useful.
You'll be able to use 2014e subclasses and races in 2024e games (the DMG has one or two of each, I believe).
If you have FOMO, it's worth noting that you most likely won't be able to buy them on DDB once 2024e releases (the current sale hints at that - everything only has small discounts, apart from the core rules that have 50% off, it's been like that for the last few sales, and suggests they're trying to wring out those last few sales before taking them off the "shelf").
It's possible that there'll be useful content in the 2014e books that's still useful in 2024e but was not included so they could get the page count down.
Cons:
There's like a 90% chance that it'll be effectively obsolete after November unless you have a current table going or you're going to be proactive in finding 2014e tables.
DMG is not really all that needed anyway - it's worth having, but I wouldn't see the need for a specific six month stretch. I'd probably crack it open once or in that time for like one section. As a result, if I weren't planning on using it after the update...I wouldn't bother at this point.
Potential confusion between the two sets of rules ("to resolve this, we can use this rule..." "No, we can't, that was changed in 2024e, it's handled this way now..." "Oops").
Tidiness. If you wait, you'll only have the 2024e on your list, so you don't have to worry about clutter or even opening the wrong one by accident.
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This leaves me with the question would I need it to run normal adventures like Phandelver and Below? Since that book specifically mentioned needing it. I thought I would absolutely need it. Is this true?
This leaves me with the question would I need it to run normal adventures like Phandelver and Below? Since that book specifically mentioned needing it. I thought I would absolutely need it. Is this true?
No.
You need to know the rules (PHB, but even the Basic Rules should be enough for most things), but beyond that, DMG generally helps. I haven't looked through TSO yet, but I've only ever seen the DMG referred to once in punished adventures. The DMG mostly just gives some extra stuff that's mostly useful for homebrew adventures.
If it's just about running one adventure, I wouldn't bother. Someone at your table probably has it if you really need it, and you probably won't.
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Most are in the Basic Rules anyway. There might be some in the adventure that are in the DMG but not in BR or PHB? I'd have to check, but I don't think it's common.
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A search in DnDB for the magic items listed only returns results for the adventure, not the Dungeon Masters Guide
its a real stretch if the adventure is specifying a need for the dungeon masters guide, it might even be an abandonment of truth, or others might even say it’s a scam to say you need the DMG to run Phan & Below…
A search in DnDB for the magic items listed only returns results for the adventure, not the Dungeon Masters Guide
its a real stretch if the adventure is specifying a need for the dungeon masters guide, it might even be an abandonment of truth, or others might even say it’s a scam to say you need the DMG to run Phan & Below…
The DDB site search function seems to be powered by wild magic, searching the site with google et al tends to yield better results if you are in a hurry.
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I didn't realise that. Still, freebies can be taken away - I'm sure the Open Sea Paladin was also available once upon a time.
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My guess is that the 2014 books, while still usable, will get the Legacy Content tag and no longer be purchasable. So if you want the original text for posterity and don't already own a copy it's probably wise to pick one up now.
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So If I buy the dungeon master book 4 months before the next big update... Were there be any benefit to buying them aside from having the books for the next 4 months until the new one is needed?
Thanks!
Well, the new one is unlikely to be "needed" in that they'll take down the previous books from the site altogether, going by their past handling of content they've determined to be "outdated" (VGtM and MToF); most likely buying the current Core 3 ahead of the new release means you'll continue to have access to them after they become Legacy content and are taken off the market, and will be able to content share them if you're in a group where that's enabled.
If you're asking whether they'll discount the 2024 Core set for owners of the 2014 Core set? Unknown, but does not seem strongly likely. The new books are new books. You pay new book price for a new book. It's one reason the new material is seeing a staggered release, so you don't have to drop three books' worth of price all at once.
If you're asking if there's any benefit to owning the older content? It's more content you own, or at least content you have access to. We do not know if the 2014 Core set will be relegated to Legacy and pulled off the market the way Ace says, but it's an entirely plausible assumption to make. In which case owning the 2014 Core set means being able to retain access after the books become unavailable for general purchase. Whether that's valuable to you or not is entirely a You decision.
Note that very, very little has been said about the 2024 Core set release. 'Very little' as in effectively nothing. DDB has been pretty much entirely silent on the matter. The only clues we have are how previous content refreshes have been handled, i.e. M3 replacing Tome of Foes and Volo's Guide to DM Headaches. People are assuming the same procedure will be followed, but side books are side books. It's not out of the realm of possibility that DDB handles the Core Three differently because they're the Core Three.
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So, some pros to buying core books like the DMG now:
Cons:
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.
I appreciate everyones reply!
This leaves me with the question would I need it to run normal adventures like Phandelver and Below? Since that book specifically mentioned needing it. I thought I would absolutely need it. Is this true?
No.
You need to know the rules (PHB, but even the Basic Rules should be enough for most things), but beyond that, DMG generally helps. I haven't looked through TSO yet, but I've only ever seen the DMG referred to once in punished adventures. The DMG mostly just gives some extra stuff that's mostly useful for homebrew adventures.
If it's just about running one adventure, I wouldn't bother. Someone at your table probably has it if you really need it, and you probably won't.
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.
I thought that perhaps it’s needed for the magic items that the players loot. Is that not the case?
Most are in the Basic Rules anyway. There might be some in the adventure that are in the DMG but not in BR or PHB? I'd have to check, but I don't think it's common.
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.
A search in DnDB for the magic items listed only returns results for the adventure, not the Dungeon Masters Guide
its a real stretch if the adventure is specifying a need for the dungeon masters guide, it might even be an abandonment of truth, or others might even say it’s a scam to say you need the DMG to run Phan & Below…
Thanks for this!
The DDB site search function seems to be powered by wild magic, searching the site with google et al tends to yield better results if you are in a hurry.
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
Worth mentioning that both the Eladrin and Aasimar variants are free on DDB. But Death Domain cleric and Oathbreaker paladin are subclasses you'd get.
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I didn't realise that. Still, freebies can be taken away - I'm sure the Open Sea Paladin was also available once upon a time.
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.
My guess is that the 2014 books, while still usable, will get the Legacy Content tag and no longer be purchasable. So if you want the original text for posterity and don't already own a copy it's probably wise to pick one up now.