D&D 5E Kobold Press' Tome of Beasts Joins D&D Beyond

Tome of Beasts is the latest third party book to appear on D&D Beyond. The book, first published by Kobold Press in 2016, contains over 400 monsters for D&D 5E.

You can pick it up on DDB for $39.99.

Whether you need dungeon vermin or world-shaking villains, Tome of Beasts 1 has it. This book presents foes suitable for any campaign setting—from tiny drakes and peculiar spiders to demon lords and ancient dragons.

These monsters have been designed so that GMs can use them in their favorite settings for fantasy adventure. This monstrous tome contains:

• More than 400 new monsters for use with the D&D Beyond Encounters tool.
• Updated with errata, streamlined mechanics, and new monster art from the original Tome of Beasts.
• Expansive tables that organize creatures by challenge rating, creature type, and terrain.[/callout[

 

[timbannock]

They have increased support for Roll20, FantasyGrounds and even began support for Foundry.

That's the opposite of turning Beyond into a one-stop shop. They do own one of the shops. They also work with three others.

Good point! I should have said something more to the effect of them making DDB the dominant sales channel, as opposed to the only one. But yes, they are clearly monetizing D&D across a great many channels, which is good for the industry at large.

Unrelated to that quote: I suspect DMsGuild somehow moving over to DDB is really the only other big move they need to make, at this point, right?

 

[bedir than]

Good point! I should have said something more to the effect of them making DDB the dominant sales channel, as opposed to the only one. But yes, they are clearly monetizing D&D across a great many channels, which is good for the industry at large.

Unrelated to that quote: I suspect DMsGuild somehow moving over to DDB is really the only other big move they need to make, at this point, right?

Considering that Roll20 owns DMsGuild I find that unlikely.

 

[timbannock]

Considering that Roll20 owns DMsGuild I find that unlikely.

Could be, though in this industry, there's always a price tag, and if anyone can match it, that would be WOTC.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Not to mention DMSGUILD.....which they don't own.

Weeeeeell, sort of. They don't own the software, but last time I checked, they have the right to turn off DMs Guild any time they want and cause all that content to vanish.

And content published on DMs Guild can't be published elsewhere without their express permission, so if something happens to the store or content there, it can't resurface with a new coat of paint unless someone is very confident in their legal team.

 

[Clint_L]

All these moves (integrated maps, third party content, etc.) are great for the consumer - DDB is dirt cheap and saves me hours of prep each week. It's also good for those 3PP who manage to get their stuff on DDB. However, being great for the individual consumer right now might be worse for the 5e ecosystem in the long run, as it certainly does centralize more and more power with WotC.

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about the issue. Right now, I won't play complicated TTRPGs that don't have a digital interface, such as DDB or Demiplane. For me, the convenience and time saving is way too valuable. But as more players adopt a similar stance, and I suspect that younger players in particular prefer digital alternatives, it will likely reduce diversity in the marketplace. That's generally bad.

 

[darjr]

DnDBeyond has an article about a monster from TBI

Jokes That Kill: The Grim Jester from Tome of Beasts 1

What happens when a dying jokester makes an evil death god laugh? You get the grim jester, an Undead who relishes in grisly deaths. Preview this monster...

www.dndbeyond.com

 

[timbannock]

All these moves (integrated maps, third party content, etc.) are great for the consumer - DDB is dirt cheap and saves me hours of prep each week. It's also good for those 3PP who manage to get their stuff on DDB. However, being great for the individual consumer right now might be worse for the 5e ecosystem in the long run, as it certainly does centralize more and more power with WotC.

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about the issue. Right now, I won't play complicated TTRPGs that don't have a digital interface, such as DDB or Demiplane. For me, the convenience and time saving is way too valuable. But as more players adopt a similar stance, and I suspect that younger players in particular prefer digital alternatives, it will likely reduce diversity in the marketplace. That's generally bad.

Absolutely.

I can't get over the "your renting it, you don't own it" nature of these things, though. DDB died for me when WOTC pulled the OGL stuff, and because of that, I'm hesitant to pull the trigger on anything Demiplane, even though they are by all measures that I can tell a better group of people (and obviously not trying to exert control over a system).

Right now, the only digital tool setup I can easily recommend and use without hesitation are the ones that are free or come with a one-time purchase price, usually included as part of some other (physical) product. Tales of Xadia has this: you buy the core book (PDF and/or Physical) and you get access to the digital version plus their digital tools. Shadowdark has shadowdarklings.net for characters. Lancer seems like it has its own tool thing that doesn't require a subscription.

 

[Clint_L]

Absolutely.

I can't get over the "your renting it, you don't own it" nature of these things, though.

I have come to see this as a feature, not a flaw of modern life.

I eventually realized that, for me, the need to own stuff was driven by a "just in case" mentality that was costing me a lot of money and space. I used to have tons of books, CDs, DVDs and other stuff filling my house. I spent tens of thousands of dollars, often on things that got used once, or not at all.

I still buy the occasional thing, if I have a strong need for a physical copy, or it is important for me to have access to it no matter what. But now I think it is better to rent most stuff rather than own it. Most stuff depreciates drastically once you buy it, it wears out, and you have to store it and pack it around. If I die, my kid has to deal with it. It's inherently wasteful. And I spend a lot to get access to way less.

Whereas by renting (streaming, etc.) I have more access, when I need it, save a ton of money, always get the latest material, and don't have to look after it or worry about leaving it behind for someone else to deal with. It's freeing. And economical. And better for the environment.

So what would happen if DDB went offline or something? Well, I'd still have all my purchases on my devices, so I wouldn't lose access to any of the material. I'd lose a really useful interface, but there are others. However, there is also a good chance I'll have already moved on.

I think our addiction to stuff is an existential problem for humans. I think much of the time, we're better off renting than owning, and our planet is better off.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think our addiction to stuff is an existential problem for humans. I think much of the time, we're better off renting than owning, and our planet is better off.

It was a big moment for me when I finally realized I didn't need 20 years of books I'd previously read on hand in case of ... something. And that for the most part, I just wanted book content, not the physical objects themselves. So now I get 99% of my books in Kindle format and only buy physical books when I know it's going to have a long term value of some sort to me. (I'm a Hitchhikers Guide superfan, so the big new coffee table book of Douglas Adams' notes, yes, I got that.)

 

[Marc Radle]

It was a big moment for me when I finally realized I didn't need 20 years of books I'd previously read on hand in case of ... something. And that for the most part, I just wanted book content, not the physical objects themselves. So now I get 99% of my books in Kindle format and only buy physical books when I know it's going to have a long term value of some sort to me. (I'm a Hitchhikers Guide superfan, so the big new coffee table book of Douglas Adams' notes, yes, I got that.)

Wait …. LOVE those books!
What big new coffee table book with Adams’ notes????