Long time AD&D player looking to move into 5th Edition and thinking of going all (mostly) digital via DDB. Simple question: the Player's Handbook (in hardcover) is a lovely book - is all that artwork in the full version if purchased via DDB? I understand all the cross linking, character creation and "offline via mobile app" pieces, I just want to see what the PHB "looks like".
There seem to be no real "reviews" of the core book sets on youtube which is interesting in and of itself.
Thanks in advance!
JB
PS: will probably pick up the hardcover anyway, just curious.
I can confirm that the Player Handbook and all the other books have all the artwork in it. It's the same book but with to option to scroll, click the reference links and in my opinion way easier to use.
Long time AD&D player looking to move into 5th Edition and thinking of going all (mostly) digital via DDB. Simple question: the Player's Handbook (in hardcover) is a lovely book - is all that artwork in the full version if purchased via DDB? I understand all the cross linking, character creation and "offline via mobile app" pieces, I just want to see what the PHB "looks like".
There seem to be no real "reviews" of the core book sets on youtube which is interesting in and of itself.
Thanks in advance!
JB
PS: will probably pick up the hardcover anyway, just curious.
You can never replace the feel of the D&D books, the richness of the art, the weight, the quality of the paper. But yeah for convenient searching online is better.
@GregCa - there are many, many reviews of the core rule books on youtube, but none of the "D&D Beyond versions" of the core rulebooks. At least not that I could find :-)
@EvilDutchRebel great - thanks! I am a big fan of dead tree rulebooks but I am thinking of going full digital to get into 5th Edition. Offline reading in the mobile app is a big plus.
@Omortis I would highly reccomend it. If you are looking to play online on like Roll20 you have a chrome extention called Beyond20 and it allowes you to just click on your sheet and the roll is transfered to Roll20. If you are a Discord user you can also use the bot called Avrae that you can link your character to and can do rolls there and even combat and combat trackers.
If you want to use it for your homegame it's very easy to just have it on your phone/tablet or laptop and adjust everything pretty easy. Pretty soon subscribers to dndbeyond will get virtual dice for your sheets which will make life so much easier!
To be honest, I think dndbeyond is the future of D&D, there will always be people who want the books and I will buy them aswel when I have money to burn, but being the cheaper option and having so much to work with, dndbeyond will rule all.
@GregCa - there are many, many reviews of the core rule books on youtube, but none of the "D&D Beyond versions" of the core rulebooks. At least not that I could find :-)
Oh I see, so yeah the artwork is there its just in a different form e.g. different place, different size, since the web layout is different.
I was rash enough to buy the 5th Edition PHB in physical and digital form. The DND Beyond app has little to no artwork, if you plan on accessing it mostly through there. Shouldn't be a problem if you're reading it with other formats though.
I'm not sure what you mean by “wiki-style listing with bare info,” but the mobile app’s books include the complete text and every piece of art in the proper place within that text (you can even expand the image itself and zoom in and stuff).
Yes, we’re talking about the same app. I’m not sure what you mean by “character art” here, but every image that’s in the physical books is reproduced in the mobile app.
The only thing I can think of is that you’re overestimating how much art is in the physical books. If an image is in a physical book, it’s in the digital book too.
When I click on any of the equipment listed, I get a listing without any pictures apart from the icon. I don't have that navigation bar on the bottom either. I don't have anything in digital but the PHB, but I also posted a pic from the introduction. I double-checked and there appears to be one picture per chapter, but it often repeats (i.e. five of the same picture over five definitely different chapters) in a way that doesn't look like a glitch.
Are you using a paid version? Or are on a tablet? I'm using free on Android. I'm just trying to figure out why we're having such different experiences.
Individual equipment don't have artwork, even in the Player's Handbook because they don't exist as individual listings, only as a table in the PHB with surrounding art. Said art is reproduced in DDB as closely to original formatting as possible (due to how screen sizes vary, as well as zoom, stuff can shift about). But if there's some art in the book, it'll be present in the digital versions.
When I click on any of the equipment listed, I get a listing without any pictures apart from the icon. I don't have that navigation bar on the bottom either. I don't have anything in digital but the PHB, but I also posted a pic from the introduction. I double-checked and there appears to be one picture per chapter, but it often repeats (i.e. five of the same picture over five definitely different chapters) in a way that doesn't look like a glitch.
Are you using a paid version? Or are on a tablet? I'm using free on Android. I'm just trying to figure out why we're having such different experiences.
You say you are using the "free" version. The mobile app itself is always free. Do you mean you haven't purchased any content on D&D Beyond? Although that seems inconsistent with your first image. If you haven't purchased any content at DDB, there isn't likely to be a lot of artwork.
@SagaTympana cool - thanks for the screenshots. This is mainly what I was looking for. As it happens, in the two days since I posted this question I have been using the Basic Rules set while reading through The Lost Mines and the art and presentation in both are excellent.
Based on what I've seen so far I think I will get the PHB in digital format. The presentation in the mobile app is well done (esp. on a tablet) so my offline concerns have been allayed as well.
The art of the turbaned fighter in combat with goblins isn't there. Or at least I can't find it. If it's there I'd appreciate anyone who has a link post it.
Hello All,
Long time AD&D player looking to move into 5th Edition and thinking of going all (mostly) digital via DDB. Simple question: the Player's Handbook (in hardcover) is a lovely book - is all that artwork in the full version if purchased via DDB? I understand all the cross linking, character creation and "offline via mobile app" pieces, I just want to see what the PHB "looks like".
There seem to be no real "reviews" of the core book sets on youtube which is interesting in and of itself.
Thanks in advance!
JB
PS: will probably pick up the hardcover anyway, just curious.
I can confirm that the Player Handbook and all the other books have all the artwork in it.
It's the same book but with to option to scroll, click the reference links and in my opinion way easier to use.
Your search skills need work :-) .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwiWst_Bv9g
You can never replace the feel of the D&D books, the richness of the art, the weight, the quality of the paper. But yeah for convenient searching online is better.
@GregCa - there are many, many reviews of the core rule books on youtube, but none of the "D&D Beyond versions" of the core rulebooks. At least not that I could find :-)
@EvilDutchRebel great - thanks! I am a big fan of dead tree rulebooks but I am thinking of going full digital to get into 5th Edition. Offline reading in the mobile app is a big plus.
@Omortis I would highly reccomend it. If you are looking to play online on like Roll20 you have a chrome extention called Beyond20 and it allowes you to just click on your sheet and the roll is transfered to Roll20. If you are a Discord user you can also use the bot called Avrae that you can link your character to and can do rolls there and even combat and combat trackers.
If you want to use it for your homegame it's very easy to just have it on your phone/tablet or laptop and adjust everything pretty easy. Pretty soon subscribers to dndbeyond will get virtual dice for your sheets which will make life so much easier!
To be honest, I think dndbeyond is the future of D&D, there will always be people who want the books and I will buy them aswel when I have money to burn, but being the cheaper option and having so much to work with, dndbeyond will rule all.
Oh I see, so yeah the artwork is there its just in a different form e.g. different place, different size, since the web layout is different.
I was rash enough to buy the 5th Edition PHB in physical and digital form. The DND Beyond app has little to no artwork, if you plan on accessing it mostly through there. Shouldn't be a problem if you're reading it with other formats though.
If your mean the mobile app, it has all the artwork, same as the browser version and the physical book.
It does? All I see when I open it is a Wiki-style listing with bare info.
I'm not sure what you mean by “wiki-style listing with bare info,” but the mobile app’s books include the complete text and every piece of art in the proper place within that text (you can even expand the image itself and zoom in and stuff).
Are we talking about the same app? The only art I get is character art.
https://i.imgur.com/7Dybubp.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/iioZjFT.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Xdy3sYC.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Ps0JQHx.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/KnfU14v.jpg
Yes, we’re talking about the same app. I’m not sure what you mean by “character art” here, but every image that’s in the physical books is reproduced in the mobile app.
Here’s one from the equipment chapter in the PHB: https://m.imgur.com/K3OXTEV
And here’s one from chapter 1 of the DMG: https://m.imgur.com/DIeP7Mk
And Xanathar’s Guide: https://m.imgur.com/WPPj9Uc
The only thing I can think of is that you’re overestimating how much art is in the physical books. If an image is in a physical book, it’s in the digital book too.
Character Art like the Kobold I posted.
When I click on any of the equipment listed, I get a listing without any pictures apart from the icon. I don't have that navigation bar on the bottom either. I don't have anything in digital but the PHB, but I also posted a pic from the introduction. I double-checked and there appears to be one picture per chapter, but it often repeats (i.e. five of the same picture over five definitely different chapters) in a way that doesn't look like a glitch.
Are you using a paid version? Or are on a tablet? I'm using free on Android. I'm just trying to figure out why we're having such different experiences.
Individual equipment don't have artwork, even in the Player's Handbook because they don't exist as individual listings, only as a table in the PHB with surrounding art. Said art is reproduced in DDB as closely to original formatting as possible (due to how screen sizes vary, as well as zoom, stuff can shift about). But if there's some art in the book, it'll be present in the digital versions.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
You say you are using the "free" version. The mobile app itself is always free. Do you mean you haven't purchased any content on D&D Beyond? Although that seems inconsistent with your first image. If you haven't purchased any content at DDB, there isn't likely to be a lot of artwork.
Do you mean you aren't a subscriber?
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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@SagaTympana cool - thanks for the screenshots. This is mainly what I was looking for. As it happens, in the two days since I posted this question I have been using the Basic Rules set while reading through The Lost Mines and the art and presentation in both are excellent.
Based on what I've seen so far I think I will get the PHB in digital format. The presentation in the mobile app is well done (esp. on a tablet) so my offline concerns have been allayed as well.
Thanks for all the feedback, everyone!
JB
The art of the turbaned fighter in combat with goblins isn't there. Or at least I can't find it. If it's there I'd appreciate anyone who has a link post it.
i just pick up my desktop PC and monitor and craddle them...way heavier than a book.
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