D&D (2024) How D&D Beyond Will Handle Access To 2014 Rules

D&D Beyond has announced how the transition to the new 2024 edition will work on the platform, and how legacy access to the 2014 version of D&D will be implemented.

• You will still be able to access the 2014 Basic Rules and core rulebooks.
• You will still be able to make characters using the 2014 Player's Handbook.
• Existing home-brew content will not be impacted.
• These 2014 rules will be accessible and will be marked with a 'legacy' badge: classes, subclasses, species, backgrounds, feats, monsters.
• Tooltips will reflect the 2024 rules.
• Monster stat blocks will be updated to 2024.
• There will be terminology changes (Heroic Inspiration, Species, etc.)

D&D (2024) - Wizards of the Coast Backtracks on D&D Beyond and 2014 Content

Wizards of the Coast posted an overnight update stating that they are not going forward with previously released plans to require those wishing to use some 2014 content on D&D Beyond to use the Homebrew function to manually enter it. Instead, all the content including spells and magic items will...

www.enworld.org

 

[mamba]

I don't think the data entry is simple.

I believe there is a big coding hiccup somewhere.

No way was WOTC going to give everyone free updates and lock out the 2014 version when they could rewrite the new versions and force everyone to buy whole PHB again to get all the new stuff they promoted if it was easy.

I think it is just data entry, if it took coding effort I doubt they would get it done in time / could have switched course as a consequence

This was all about pushing users to buy 2024 by ‘ruining’ their 2014 game, it was not a generous gift but a trojan horse

 

[Ruin Explorer]

yep, they cannot really have that before the books are out and the SRD is timed for shortly after that, so that tracks

Actually it looks like they're saying there will be an equivalent of the 2014 Basic Rules before that now:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/news-announcements/204068-news-clarifications-on-the-2024-d-d-beyond#c1

They're calling it the "Free Rules 2024".

Of course there's an element of FUD they've self-inserted by saying "This post is no longer accurate" and not specifying in which ways! So who knows?

 

[mamba]

I don't think the 2014 Basic Rules will continue to be officially available as a new thing you can add to your Beyond account once the 2024 Basic Rules are available, just like we won't be able to buy the 2014 PHB/DMG/MM once the 2024 ones are fully out

they said the 2014 ones would continue to be available

 

[Ruin Explorer]

they said the 2014 ones would continue to be available

Yeah they've changed their tune - see the post I linked.

 

[Daztur]

Well there we go. Like I said upthread, it was possible that DDB misread the situation, and once it became clear that they had, they corrected course. I don't expect companies to never make mistakes or misunderstand their customers, but I do expect they listen to feedback and react accordingly. Well done WotC!

The fact that this came as a surprise to them shows they REALLY REALLY don't have their finger on the pulse of the community, which is a real failing, especially after their PR blundering last year.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Well there we go. Like I said upthread, it was possible that DDB misread the situation, and once it became clear that they had, they corrected course. I don't expect companies to never make mistakes or misunderstand their customers, but I do expect they listen to feedback and react accordingly. Well done WotC!

What's interesting is this isn't the first time this has happened though.

They've done similar "We refuse to put in even minimal effort" deals before, and they got very negative feedback about it, but totally dismissed that feedback. I think what's making them listen now is the heightened environment because WotC have screwed up enough that people are more likely to actually walk (i.e cancel subs).

 

[mamba]

Yeah they've changed their tune - see the post I linked.

what is the change, the ‘this is no longer accurate’ bit? I agree, it is no longer accurate but to me that does not mean that everything in it is now false.

I expect that their position on the 2014 books still being available in the future has not changed, I see no reason why it would be affected by the latest decision, but we will know in a few weeks

 

[mamba]

What's interesting is this isn't the first time this has happened though.

They've done similar "We refuse to put in even minimal effort" deals before, and they got very negative feedback about it, but totally dismissed that feedback. I think what's making them listen now is the heightened environment because WotC have screwed up enough that people are more likely to actually walk (i.e cancel subs).

it is also a much wider scope, the core books vs something that maybe 5% buy, and in that it still affects a handful of feats only

 

[Ruin Explorer]

it is also a much wider scope, the core books vs something that maybe 5% buy, and in that it still affects a handful of feats only

Either way it's pathetic though - these are a paid products and not a cheap ones, and what they were being asked for with the other books would literally, and I do mean literally, and again, we know this, have been a 1 day of work for 1 employee. They knew it was bollocks which is why they kept going with the false "We'll do it later when we have better tools!" narrative to defend it.

 

[Minigiant]

jeez, they are as bad at this as the ones at WotC, I feel for you

Nah.

Because they don't care when I tell customers "It's not worth my time to do that"