I have a few questions about subscriptions and what books to buy. I'm not Going to be the DM but I am the one most able to buy books and a master tier subscription. Would My Dm be able to easily run a campaign without buying the DM's Guide or Monster Manual? (not sure if he has them but I'm pretty sure he doesn't) Also, I've been told by a not-so-reliable source that a subscription can only give two people in your campaign access to your books, which would be bad since including the DM and me there are six people. The last question is in case this group doesn't do well and ends up disbanding, should I still continue to buy the books and master tier subscription? I already have the Player's Handbook and Xanathar's Guide to Everything, and being new to online D&D I'm not sure If I should be getting more books or what's normal for players to have when joining a group.
So summary: Should a Non-DM buy the DM's Guide or Monster Manual? Can a single master tier subscription give five people access to the books? What books are expected or preferred to be owned when joining a D&D group?
If one person has the Master subscription, then all purchases (or individual books) can be shared with everybody else in a particular campaign. You can have more up to possibly 15(?) players in a single campaign, and they can all see the shared content.
Sharing is done by everybody creating characters in the same campaign - the DM can create the campaign, even though YOU (as a player) have the master subscription that can share books.
If you are only going to be a player, then it isn't worth buying any of the adventure books.
If you buy a Master Tier sub, and use it to turn on content sharing for the campaign, then any books you AND anyone else in the campaign purchase will be shared with everyone in the campaign (up to 12 players in the campaign; the “only two people” thing is definitely wrong). This means the DM and the players would have access to anything you have purchased.
The DM probably doesn’t need the DMG to run a campaign. (In my opinion, the main reason to buy it for a campaign would be the magic items, which can be purchased either as a bundle or as individual items for less than the cost of the whole book) The Monster Manual would definitely be handy. With that, the Player’s Handbook and Xanathar’s, you’ve got a good base to start with. Given that you are uncertain about the group staying together, I would suggest you only buy other resources you really want for yourself, regardless of what happens to the group.
If folks want player options (races, subclasses, etc.) from other books, they can always buy just those things (a race here, a subclass there), generally for $1.99 an item: they don’t need the entire book to access those things.
You might find the Buyer’s Guide linked in my signature helpful.
Yeah, I like to be generous, but it has limits. I got a hero tier subscription so I could use the encounter builder and combat tracker, but I wasn't willing to pay for a master tier sub just to share content with my three VERY well off players (I already paid for the adventure, so why should I pay for more?). I told them they could pay for a sub to get access to all the player options I have unlocked, but they are perfectly content to use the free content from the basic rules. We've been playing for over two years, and they still aren't interested in paying for other options.
My point is that it's nice of you to be generous, but it's not essential for the other players. I do understand unlocking content for your DM is a great way to show appreciation and may be worth your generosity,
How about this situation: My friend is master tier and has purchased all the books and has shared them with me. If I subscribe to Master Tier, can I then be the DM of a campaign using the books that have been shared to me?
The sub only allows a campaign to share all the books owned by people in that campaign. If person A in the RotFM campaign, which you're a part of, has all the books and you have a Master Sub, then you get access to those books in that campaign. You don't actually have the books though, so if you go into a WBtWL campaign and nobody has any books, there are no books to share - so person B in WBtWL doesn't get access to Person A's books.
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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.
How about this situation: My friend is master tier and has purchased all the books and has shared them with me. If I subscribe to Master Tier, can I then be the DM of a campaign using the books that have been shared to me?
In addition to Linklite's answer, please see my sig for highly detailed threads about books and subscriptions.
How about this situation: My friend is master tier and has purchased all the books and has shared them with me. If I subscribe to Master Tier, can I then be the DM of a campaign using the books that have been shared to me?
Only if your friend is in the campaign you are DMing and has shared the books with that campaign. You share books with CAMPAIGNs, not people.
I have a few questions about subscriptions and what books to buy. I'm not Going to be the DM but I am the one most able to buy books and a master tier subscription. Would My Dm be able to easily run a campaign without buying the DM's Guide or Monster Manual? (not sure if he has them but I'm pretty sure he doesn't) Also, I've been told by a not-so-reliable source that a subscription can only give two people in your campaign access to your books, which would be bad since including the DM and me there are six people. The last question is in case this group doesn't do well and ends up disbanding, should I still continue to buy the books and master tier subscription? I already have the Player's Handbook and Xanathar's Guide to Everything, and being new to online D&D I'm not sure If I should be getting more books or what's normal for players to have when joining a group.
So summary: Should a Non-DM buy the DM's Guide or Monster Manual? Can a single master tier subscription give five people access to the books? What books are expected or preferred to be owned when joining a D&D group?
If one person has the Master subscription, then all purchases (or individual books) can be shared with everybody else in a particular campaign. You can have more up to possibly 15(?) players in a single campaign, and they can all see the shared content.
Sharing is done by everybody creating characters in the same campaign - the DM can create the campaign, even though YOU (as a player) have the master subscription that can share books.
If you are only going to be a player, then it isn't worth buying any of the adventure books.
If you buy a Master Tier sub, and use it to turn on content sharing for the campaign, then any books you AND anyone else in the campaign purchase will be shared with everyone in the campaign (up to 12 players in the campaign; the “only two people” thing is definitely wrong). This means the DM and the players would have access to anything you have purchased.
The DM probably doesn’t need the DMG to run a campaign. (In my opinion, the main reason to buy it for a campaign would be the magic items, which can be purchased either as a bundle or as individual items for less than the cost of the whole book) The Monster Manual would definitely be handy. With that, the Player’s Handbook and Xanathar’s, you’ve got a good base to start with. Given that you are uncertain about the group staying together, I would suggest you only buy other resources you really want for yourself, regardless of what happens to the group.
If folks want player options (races, subclasses, etc.) from other books, they can always buy just those things (a race here, a subclass there), generally for $1.99 an item: they don’t need the entire book to access those things.
You might find the Buyer’s Guide linked in my signature helpful.
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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Yeah, I like to be generous, but it has limits. I got a hero tier subscription so I could use the encounter builder and combat tracker, but I wasn't willing to pay for a master tier sub just to share content with my three VERY well off players (I already paid for the adventure, so why should I pay for more?). I told them they could pay for a sub to get access to all the player options I have unlocked, but they are perfectly content to use the free content from the basic rules. We've been playing for over two years, and they still aren't interested in paying for other options.
My point is that it's nice of you to be generous, but it's not essential for the other players. I do understand unlocking content for your DM is a great way to show appreciation and may be worth your generosity,
How about this situation: My friend is master tier and has purchased all the books and has shared them with me. If I subscribe to Master Tier, can I then be the DM of a campaign using the books that have been shared to me?
No.
The sub only allows a campaign to share all the books owned by people in that campaign. If person A in the RotFM campaign, which you're a part of, has all the books and you have a Master Sub, then you get access to those books in that campaign. You don't actually have the books though, so if you go into a WBtWL campaign and nobody has any books, there are no books to share - so person B in WBtWL doesn't get access to Person A's books.
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.
In addition to Linklite's answer, please see my sig for highly detailed threads about books and subscriptions.
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Only if your friend is in the campaign you are DMing and has shared the books with that campaign. You share books with CAMPAIGNs, not people.
I know this comment was from years ago, but I hope you found a better group.
thanks for you concern. The Dm ended up buying books as time went on. and The campaign has been great.