D&D 5E D&D Beyond Will Delist Two Books On May 17th

D&D Beyond will be permanently removing Volo’s Guide to Monsters and Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes on May 17th in favor of the upcoming Monsters of the Multiverse book, which largely compiles and updates that material.

As per the D&D Beyond FAQ for Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse:

Can I still buy Volo’s Guide to Monsters or Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes on D&D Beyond?
Starting on May 16, you can acquire the streamlined and up-to-date creatures and character race options, as well as a plethora of exciting new content, by purchasing Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse. On May 17, Volo's Guide to Monsters and Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes will be discontinued from our digital marketplace.

If you already own these two books you will still have access to your purchases and any characters or encounters you built with them. They won’t be removed from your purchased sourcebooks. Therefore, if you want the "fluff" and tables in those two tomes in D&D Beyond, you need to purchase them soon.

This is the first time books have been wholesale delisted from the D&D Beyond Platform rather than updated (much like physical book reprints are with errata and changes).

There’s no word from WotC on whether physical books will be discontinued and be allowed to sell out.

 

[Parmandur]

Is there actually a quote somewhere that elaborates what the D&D team was thinking about for the new revised rules? I can't even remember where it was first mentioned.

You can find a summary and a link to the original here:

50th Anniversary in 2024
They've begun work on new versions of the core rulebooks. Recent surveys tie into that. They're still making plans, but expect more surveys. More will be said next year.

They will be completely compatible!

"The Future of D&D" (New Core Books in 2024!)

The online D&D Celebration event, which has been running all weekend, comes to a close with The Future of D&D, a panel featuring WotC's Ray Winninger, Liz Schuh, Chris Perkins, and Jeremy Crawford, hosted by Elle Osili-Wood. D&D is exploring the multiverse Revisiting classic settings. 1st of...

www.enworld.org

 

[Micah Sweet]

What else are you expecting—the anniversary edition to be exactly the same? Because that was never in the cards. Races are going to have floating ASIs, short rest abilities are getting moved to PB per long rest, backgrounds will give feats at 1st level, some classes (likely ranger, monk, and fighter), spells, feats, etc. are getting revised. It's going to be like the change from 1e to 2e (though likely less to the engine).

They can of course change what they like. I'm not buying it though. No point. If there are any good ideas in there people will talk about them and then I can just use them then.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

You can find a summary and a link to the original here:

50th Anniversary in 2024
They've begun work on new versions of the core rulebooks. Recent surveys tie into that. They're still making plans, but expect more surveys. More will be said next year.

They will be completely compatible!

"The Future of D&D" (New Core Books in 2024!)

The online D&D Celebration event, which has been running all weekend, comes to a close with The Future of D&D, a panel featuring WotC's Ray Winninger, Liz Schuh, Chris Perkins, and Jeremy Crawford, hosted by Elle Osili-Wood. D&D is exploring the multiverse Revisiting classic settings. 1st of...

www.enworld.org

Thanks! Found the video;


"Completely Compatible" sounds pretty definitive, but I don't really understand if an old PHB still works entirely if there is a new revised one. Unless the changes are entirely in format and not in rules. I haven't completed the surveys they refer to so can't comment on that.

 

[Parmandur]

Thanks! Found the video;


"Completely Compatible" sounds pretty definitive, but I don't really understand if an old PHB still works entirely if there is a new revised one. Unless the changes are entirely in format and not in rules. I haven't completed the surveys they refer to so can't comment on that.

Well, I think it's at least incontrovertible that they would include the changes made in Tasha's and Monsters of the Multiverse as "completely compatible." As it is, you can mix and match older 5E material with them at the same table, and nothing will explode. If they stick that standard, should be fine.

 

[Micah Sweet]

So you think they will just take things away and not add anything?

Yes, in the name of "simplification". Also, that way no one can complain about humanoids being depicted as monsters. Easiest way to avoid controversy is to remove anything that might be seen as controversial.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Well, I think it's at least incontrovertible that they would include the changes made in Tasha's and Monsters of the Multiverse as "completely compatible." As it is, you can mix and match older 5E material with them at the same table, and nothing will explode. If they stick that standard, should be fine.

Ah, so instead of replacing old rules it's really just adding rules from Tasha's... yeah that makes sense.

Kind of makes a boring revision IMO. But I'm of the view that making sweeping changes is not good business sense, so will be avoided like the plague.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

They can of course change what they like. I'm not buying it though. No point. If there are any good ideas in there people will talk about them and then I can just use them then.

So you’re against a revision?

 

[Parmandur]

Ah, so instead of replacing old rules it's really just adding rules from Tasha's... yeah that makes sense.

Kind of makes a boring revision IMO. But I'm of the view that making sweeping changes is not good business sense, so will be avoided like the plague.

Well, it could include replacing a bunch of the old rules...and as long as someone could walk up to the table with a 2014 character and paly, or bring a bunch of 2024 characters to Princes of the Apocalypse...they can be completely compatible changes.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Yes, in the name of "simplification". Also, that way no one can complain about humanoids being depicted as monsters. Easiest way to avoid controversy is to remove anything that might be seen as controversial.

We already know that’s not going to be the case. They are not going to shorten the book. Humanoids will be said to be any alignment, unless they are in a certain role or group then it will say Typically in front. Some creatures that used to be humanoids will be changed to different types like Gnolls which are monstrosities now.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Ah, so instead of replacing old rules it's really just adding rules from Tasha's... yeah that makes sense.

Kind of makes a boring revision IMO. But I'm of the view that making sweeping changes is not good business sense, so will be avoided like the plague.

No not necessarily. The changes they make to some things could be entirely different from Tasha’s.