D&D 5E Dragonix's Deadly Denizens Volume II is NOW AVAILABLE at DrivethruRPG!

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'll push back a little bit on the "fairness" of the author's cut on DriveThru vs the DMsGuild.

You do get a "better" cut on DriveThru products, as there is no licensing fee for creating OGL products and DriveThru only takes a cut because they are hosting your sales as a retailer. You get a smaller cut on the DMsGuild, as DriveThru (OneBookShelf) still needs their retailer cut . . . but now you ARE paying a licensing fee to WotC in order to use their IP.

It's a fair deal, IMO.

If you wanted to create and sell products using WotC's IP before the Guild, well, you couldn't do so legally. Now you can, as long as WotC gets their cut.

If you are doing something that uses the Forgotten Realms or something that requires using the IP (including the three MME books), sure. But there are tons of creators who are putting their content on DMs Guild without any of that, because they seem to think audiences won't find them on DTRPG. At that point, it's just a "sprinkled with pseudo-official pixie dust" tax being taken by WotC.

That's not WotC's fault -- it's a mix of the customers and creators -- but it still sucks.

 

[Dire Bare]

If you are doing something that uses the Forgotten Realms or something that requires using the IP (including the three MME books), sure. But there are tons of creators who are putting their content on DMs Guild without any of that, because they seem to think audiences won't find them on DTRPG. At that point, it's just a "sprinkled with pseudo-official pixie dust" tax being taken by WotC.

That's not WotC's fault -- it's a mix of the customers and creators -- but it still sucks.

If a creator puts a product on the Guild rather than on DriveThru when the OGL will work just fine for them . . . that's on them. There's no "unfairness" about it. If a creator wants that pixie dust and is willing to pay for it (or well, take a reduced cut), that's on them.

Is it "pixie dust" though? I do seem to remember creators feeling that they can get a higher visibility and sales on the DMsGuild marketplace . . . but that's highly subjective and product dependent. I don't think it's just "pixie dust", however. But, without hard data to make a fair comparison . . . .

Dragonix actually seems like he's just about to make a great test case for this! His new book is very similar in content and style to his Monster Manual Expanded series on the Guild that remain top sellers there. But . . . even then, they aren't one-to-one comparable. His existing MME series required WotC licensing because he was very purposefully updating classic monsters from the game's history. And that is exactly what a lot of his fans wanted!

His new book seems to be mostly new monsters, not conversions and updates. He doesn't need WotC's licensing for this one, he has a built-up fanbase that will hopefully follow him over to DriveThru . . . similar but not the same. Will fans who purchased 3 books of mostly conversions want a new book with new monsters? Will they find him over on the other marketplace? Would his new book have been possible without his first finding success on the DMsGuild?

I wish Dragonix all the luck with the new book, it looks super cool!

But as to which marketplace is "better" or more "fair" . . . that depends on the creator and the product. I'm sure some folks are using the "wrong" store for their wants and needs regarding their products, but "tons"?!?! Eh, I don't buy it.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm sure some folks are using the "wrong" store for their wants and needs regarding their products, but "tons"?!?! Eh, I don't buy it.

Trawl through DMs Guild some time, just clicking on random titles, and figure out what the WotC IP is. I know I've bought quite a few adventures that I discovered could have been released under the Basic D&D rules.

But yes, it's on them, and "fair" was the wrong word to use.

In any case, everyone should step outside of the walled garden of the DMs Guild sometimes and check out what's in the wider expanses of DTRPG. There's a ton of great quality work out there, especially if you're looking for something dramatically more creative.

In any case, back on topic, this book look good, and the cover monster on the front looks especially frightening.

 

[Nixlord]

DDD July 2023 Volume II Issue Art Preview #1: And I'm back right to it with July's first art preview, the three-headed giant from Serbian mythology, the Balachko! This fearsome giant has the heads of a frost, fire, and cloud giant! Its frost giant head can breathe a cone of freezing wind while its fire giant head can spit a glob of explosive fire. The cloud giant head, well, can cast spells.

 

[mamba]

In any case, back on topic, this book look good, and the cover monster on the front looks especially frightening.

reminds me of the cover of the first MME with the Beholder shooting different rays, now it is multiple heads instead

 

[mamba]

Dragonix actually seems like he's just about to make a great test case for this! His new book is very similar in content and style to his Monster Manual Expanded series on the Guild that remain top sellers there. But . . . even then, they aren't one-to-one comparable. His existing MME series required WotC licensing because he was very purposefully updating classic monsters from the game's history. And that is exactly what a lot of his fans wanted!

So far the experiment seems to be working out

Beating Forbidden Lands Book of Beasts, so congrats.

 

[Nixlord]

DDD Volume II July 2023 Issue Art Preview #2: Here's a new type series I'll be doing similar to how I did drakes: Chromatic Wyverns! They are basically wyverns but share the features of their chromatic counterparts: breath weapons, frightful presence, etc. While their deadly stingers won't give you poison damage, they will instead get you poisoned for 1 minute. And while poisoned, you get vulnerability to their energy type of damage. First up will be the White Wyvern!

 

[Zaukrie]

There's a volume 2? I admit, I'd like more low to mid tier monsters.....but this looks interesting.

 

[Nixlord]

There's a volume 2? I admit, I'd like more low to mid tier monsters.....but this looks interesting.

The first book was all of the creatures created from my Patreon's monthly bestiary's first 15 months, plus a few more. So just to set expectations, don't expect Volume II to come out until mid-2024.

 

[Zaukrie]

The first book was all of the creatures created from my Patreon's monthly bestiary's first 15 months, plus a few more. So just to set expectations, don't expect Volume II to come up until mid-2024.

Ah, that "july" in the "name" for the art preview threw me off......