D&D 5E D&D Beyond: No More À La Carte Purchases But US Customers Can Buy Physical Books

WotC has announced some changes to D&D Beyond's marketplace. These include physical products (for US customers), the removal of à la carte purchases, and various navigational changes.

You can no longer buy individual feats, subclasses, etc. -- you'll need to buy the whole book. The full list of changes includes:

• US shoppers can now buy physical books
• More info on product listings, including previews
• UI improvements to makee finding your purchased content and redeeming keys easier
• No more à la carte purchases (though your previous ones still count)

 

[Micah Sweet]

Fine. So why aren't we also mad at everyone else for not doing it?

Because you get mad when these things affect you, personally. That's humanity for you.

 

[Micah Sweet]

You're not, but you are (apparently) making an argument that WotC is in the wrong for not providing a la carte material, and I am curious why only WotC is held to this standard?

Because they used to offer it, some people used and appreciated it, and now they don't and haven't provided a reason why.

 

[Micah Sweet]

But D&D isn't a competitive game. It is a collaborative storytelling game and not every player even needs to buy things. I am having the hardest time with this fear of Pay to Win in D&D. Everything is optional. Even the revised Core books. People only ever have to buy what they want.

MTG decks require specific cards to be owned and used. It's not a good comparison. The random D&D Miniatures Game boosters are also not technically for the TTRPG.

The closest thing Wizards got to that for RPGs was when Wizards tried their hand at selling "boosters" of the Gamma World RPG game cards, where the only way to get certain powers was randomly from the boosters. I think they learned their lesson there. Some people don't even know that existed.

Now I also doubt they will randomize "loot boxes" of items in their future Digital efforts, but they are more likely to keep with Subscription models that could potentially grant cosmetics that would otherwise cost more if bought on their own. I can see how some people hate subscription models. I can also see how some people love them (look how many people buy seasonal battle passes and similar things because they find them valuable).

Any kind of sales model will have fans and detractors. People spend differently. That is the nature of the market, and companies are always trying to find the best way to get that money. My recommendation? Make it high quality and fun, but make it optional, not necessary. A mimic dice bag isn't necessary. But there are people who like them.

I wouldn't call D&D a collaborative storytelling game. Seems reductive to me.

 

[FrogReaver]

Is it a digital fries?

Does it matter?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

It also seems that PayPal is no longer accepted.

This is indeed a problem...

 

[Reynard]

What other company owns their own digital marketplace, with a built-in electronic character builder as the main feature, for which a la carte purchases would actually be useful?

If any other company offered that, and then withdrew it, I think we would see complaints tendered about that also.

Why is that relevant? Kobold could sell a PDF of just their monk for $2 or whatever.

 

[Nikosandros]

In pre-orders, and not with physical books though from them, right?

I'm basing my answer on the European D&D store. I doubt that it offered more than the US one, but I can't 100% guarantee it, because I never checked.

On the European store, the situation has not changed, because physical books not bundled with the digital copy are still not available. All the books that can be pre-ordered are also available after the came out. In addition, you can get the PHB, DMG, MM, Tasha, Xanathar, Fizban and MoM.

 

[SkidAce]

I also want to know why no Paypal.

 

[Nikosandros]

This is indeed a problem...

Yes, I relied a lot on PayPal. I've asked on the DDB forums if it is a "bug" or an intended change. I'll report if I get an answer.

 

[bedir than]

I wouldn't call D&D a collaborative storytelling game. Seems reductive to me.

From the PHB preface, the earliest pages with content

Playing D&D is an exercise in collaborative creation. You and your friends create epic stories filled with tension and memorable drama. You create silly in-jokes that make you laugh years later. The dice will be cruel to you, but you will soldier on. Your collective creativity will build stories that you will tell again and again, ranging from the utterly absurd to the stuff of legend.