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.

 

[DarkCrisis]

A lot of people about to learn what us older gamers have already experienced and learned when it comes to “backwards compatible” updates/ editions.

 

[Sacrosanct]

A lot of people about to learn what us older gamers have already experienced and learned when it comes to “backwards compatible” updates/ editions.

Yeah, a lot of people are criticizing WoTC for this, especially many in the older crowd. I guess all those people are forgetting it's always been this way, from the moment Gary said, "If you want to play real D&D, you must play AD&D, no other version counts!" So everyone who had OD&D was pretty much told to upgrade if they wanted to play the "current version".

So yep, same as it ever was.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

A lot of people about to learn what us older gamers have already experienced and learned when it comes to “backwards compatible” updates/ editions.

I laugh that one of the main people arguing with me that WotC would never lie about back compatible started after 3.5 (although seems to not remember the game will remain the same from the 4e ads)

 

[Remathilis]

just like if I went to a 3.5 game and made a sorcerer with 3.0 haste I think the DM would 98% of the time tell me "Oh they updated that, here is the new one" not "Well Wotc said it was compatible so go ahead and use the more powerful one"

That is functionally errata. Not much different than updating spells from the Elemental Evil books to Xanathar. Because now the standard you're using is "the SCAG bladesinger and Tasha one aren't exactly the same, so they are from incompatible editions."

 

[GMforPowergamers]

That is functionally errata.

oh man... that is a reach. it's one I will admit I am ashamed I didn't see coming.

Okay. so if the day the 2024 PHB comes out they relase a 100pg booklet to adapt the 2014 book to 2024 and just call it errata, you STILL wont be playing a character made useing the 2014 phb... you will be useing the 2014 PHB and the update document to make it into the 2024 phb.

still not playing the 2014 boo and 2024 book at the same table just taking more steps to get to the 2024 book

Not much different than updating spells from the Elemental Evil books to Xanathar. Because now the standard you're using is "the SCAG bladesinger and Tasha one aren't exactly the same, so they are from incompatible editions."

and again... you wont be useing the 2014 book you will be updating to the 2024 book... just with the steps of making a character from the 2014 book then updating it to the 2024 one.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Yeah, a lot of people are criticizing WoTC for this, especially many in the older crowd. I guess all those people are forgetting it's always been this way, from the moment Gary said, "If you want to play real D&D, you must play AD&D, no other version counts!" So everyone who had OD&D was pretty much told to upgrade if they wanted to play the "current version".

So yep, same as it ever was.

I wonder if people argued back then "No I can take my character class dwarf to any AD&D table and play it next to a dwarven cleric"

 

[Sacrosanct]

I wonder if people argued back then "No I can take my character class dwarf to any AD&D table and play it next to a dwarven cleric"

Well, we intermixed B/X and 1e all the time for modules, but only rarely for PCs. But Gary was pretty clear "you are only playing D&D if you're playing 1e" in his comments. Of course, a lot of that had to do with the Arneson drama going on (and the whole reason for basic D&D to begin with).

 

[doctorbadwolf]

You get unlimited casting of Nondetection, which is superior to the MOTM deep gnome, but the once-per-day casting of Disguise Self is completely wasted. Better to choose a feat that doesn't overlap with existing racial traits.

In any case, I didn't say it was an incompatibility, I said it was a suboptimal choice. And also one the designers clearly don't intend you to take anymore, since otherwise they wouldn't have merged half those features into the base race.

(As a sidenote, I'd be surprised if racial feats survive into 2024 edition, considering the above change.)

“This ability allows you to cast nondetection on yourself at will, without needing a material component. You can also cast each of the following spells once with this ability: blindness/deafness, blur, and disguise self. You regain the ability to cast these spells when you finish a long rest.”

Nothing in this feat is “wasted”. Being able to cast any one of these spells an extra time per day is decent, all three plus making non-detection at-will is very good.

And you presented it as evidence that the new content won’t be compatible with the old.

As for racial feats “surviving”, of course they will. They already haven’t been making more of them, but they aren’t going to remove content from one of their main game expansion books. Because it isn’t a new edition.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

As for racial feats “surviving”, of course they will. They already haven’t been making more of them, but they aren’t going to remove content from one of their main game expansion books. Because it isn’t a new edition.

interesting idea... isn't this thread about them removing old content so you can no longer buy it?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

none at all

Then you’re trying not to see it.

I know the spin and the intent... I see no evidence that it is working

Absurd.

new monster format, new race rules, new class add ons and surveys that show they are looking into deeper changes... so still no

The Tasha’s “race rules” are new in the sense of additional, sure. They’re also 100% compatible with the 2014 PHB. As are the class add-ons (they literally wouldn’t work otherwise), and new monster format…you gotta be kidding me. You think that is a sign of incompatible design? Seriously?

And some surveys that don’t in any way indicate any planned changes to the general rules of the game, or any incompatible changes to anything.

actually they are great examples FOR ME... things that a race got in the old books that now needs a feat. so if I bring an old Deep Gnome and you bring a new one I get +1 feat over you (and according to the fighter threads 1 feat is equal in power to 5th level spell slots)

This is nonsensical, but I’ll try to parse it. You think that the PHB Deep Gnome has more than the MotM one? They can both take Svirfneblin Magic, and benefit quite a lot from doing so.

What on Earth are you talking about?