I just wanted to know if it was possible to import here all of the physical manuals I already own to include them in my campaigns, without having to pay for them again.
I also apologise if this has been answered already but I couldn't find it.
Not in the sense of "enter a code and get a digital copy for free".
You can enter the character builder elements and statblocks(eg subclasses, races, spells, etc) as homebrew - just don't publish them, which you don't need to do anyway - and get it free that way. I'd consider whether it's worth it though - for lore heavy/character builder and statblock-lite books, it may well be worth it. For content heavy books (eg the PHB where you have tons of stuff to do), then it will almost certainly be worth just buying it. By the time you've added it all in, you'd have been better off working for that time and spending the money on the book instead.
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well... this is a huge deterrent on starting an online campaign honestly, I spent thousands of euros in paper manuals.
to take my campaings digital I would have to spend the same amount or go without some of the resources...
Unfortunately, that's the business model WotC has gone for. It is possible to buy digital+physical bundles at a discount (they charge $10 more to get the digital with the physical - whether it's worth it or not depends on how much you can get the physical for elsewhere), but that obviously doesn't help with past purchases.
There is some free stuff, but you'd have to add anything not in the Basic Rules either by buying the DDB copy of the books or by homebrewing - but homebrewing does take time and might not be worth it.
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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.
To be fair, when the PHB, MM, and DMG came out, D&D Beyond was not owned by Wizards of the Coast. Therefore at that time it would have been impossible for DNDB to make money/support itself if you were just able to get the digital version of the books for free because you had purchased them from WotC (through online, bookstores, etc). There's also nothing that was printed in the books, like a code or whatever, that would have given a free digital code to the purchaser either.
Since WotC bought DNDB we see the digital/physical bundles that people have been wanting. They can do that now because WotC owns DNDB so the entire company makes money off of those purchases. The reason that you can't do that with physical books purchased at other bookstores (for the most part) is because that would require having a one-time use code included with the book, which would mean the books would need to be sealed before purchase. Part of the selling points of the books in bookstores is for people to be able to flip through, see the art, read the text, and get a feel for if they want it. If it is sealed to protect the code it would diminish its accessibility on shelves and potentially lower purchases and interest.
So not to be a corporate boot-licking shill, but in this instance I think it is unfair to blame "WotC business model" for the inability to bring physical books created before the purchase of D&D Beyond into your digital library for free. It is simply the nature of how WotC and D&D Beyond existed as separate companies for the majority of the past decade.
They could do it. They always could, it's just easier now. They've just decided that rather than doing it for free, they'll add a charge. That's their business model. Others do it where they just charge for the physical book and offer the PDF and character creator for free. That's their model. Those are the decisions of the respective companies - and customers choose where to spend their money. Most of us here seem to consider it's still worth spending money on DDB.
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Hi everyone
I just wanted to know if it was possible to import here all of the physical manuals I already own to include them in my campaigns, without having to pay for them again.
I also apologise if this has been answered already but I couldn't find it.
Not in the sense of "enter a code and get a digital copy for free".
You can enter the character builder elements and statblocks(eg subclasses, races, spells, etc) as homebrew - just don't publish them, which you don't need to do anyway - and get it free that way. I'd consider whether it's worth it though - for lore heavy/character builder and statblock-lite books, it may well be worth it. For content heavy books (eg the PHB where you have tons of stuff to do), then it will almost certainly be worth just buying it. By the time you've added it all in, you'd have been better off working for that time and spending the money on the book instead.
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.
well... this is a huge deterrent on starting an online campaign honestly, I spent thousands of euros in paper manuals.
to take my campaings digital I would have to spend the same amount or go without some of the resources...
You can always use the homebrew features to create anything you have in paper form. It just takes time.
Unfortunately, that's the business model WotC has gone for. It is possible to buy digital+physical bundles at a discount (they charge $10 more to get the digital with the physical - whether it's worth it or not depends on how much you can get the physical for elsewhere), but that obviously doesn't help with past purchases.
There is some free stuff, but you'd have to add anything not in the Basic Rules either by buying the DDB copy of the books or by homebrewing - but homebrewing does take time and might not be worth it.
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.
To be fair, when the PHB, MM, and DMG came out, D&D Beyond was not owned by Wizards of the Coast. Therefore at that time it would have been impossible for DNDB to make money/support itself if you were just able to get the digital version of the books for free because you had purchased them from WotC (through online, bookstores, etc). There's also nothing that was printed in the books, like a code or whatever, that would have given a free digital code to the purchaser either.
Since WotC bought DNDB we see the digital/physical bundles that people have been wanting. They can do that now because WotC owns DNDB so the entire company makes money off of those purchases. The reason that you can't do that with physical books purchased at other bookstores (for the most part) is because that would require having a one-time use code included with the book, which would mean the books would need to be sealed before purchase. Part of the selling points of the books in bookstores is for people to be able to flip through, see the art, read the text, and get a feel for if they want it. If it is sealed to protect the code it would diminish its accessibility on shelves and potentially lower purchases and interest.
So not to be a corporate boot-licking shill, but in this instance I think it is unfair to blame "WotC business model" for the inability to bring physical books created before the purchase of D&D Beyond into your digital library for free. It is simply the nature of how WotC and D&D Beyond existed as separate companies for the majority of the past decade.
They could do it. They always could, it's just easier now. They've just decided that rather than doing it for free, they'll add a charge. That's their business model. Others do it where they just charge for the physical book and offer the PDF and character creator for free. That's their model. Those are the decisions of the respective companies - and customers choose where to spend their money. Most of us here seem to consider it's still worth spending money on DDB.
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.