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

 

[Remathilis]

Either way, it wouldn't affect 5e 3pp, which I very much do like and use. As it stands, most 3pp will feel forced to follow in WotC's footsteps with 5.5, making that creative space less friendly to me, since I don't like the changes they made.

I don't think this will be enough of a factor since:

1. Everyone and their brother now has opted for their own unique home system already.
2. You use Level Up, which would be conversion to it regardless

The bones of 5e didn't change significantly so that it's incompatible, and you already were going to need to convert classes, subclasses, species, spells, monsters and such to LU anyway. It shouldn't matter if that conversion is from 5e, 5.5, TotV, MCDM, or whatever variant Cubicle 7 is using. It all has to go in the meat grinder to get Level Upped anyway.

 

[Remathilis]

No one expects everyone to feel the same way about this. I would have preferred either of the choices you don't like.

I love it when you tell me my opinion is wrong.

 

[mamba]

I love it when you tell me my opinion is wrong.

he did not do that, he said he would have made a different choice

 

[SpellObjectEnthusiast]

I would have preferred they either do a simply re-print of 5.0 (with new art, etc if people want it), or a proper new edition that makes the game the way they want it. Either way, it wouldn't affect 5e 3pp, which I very much do like and use. As it stands, most 3pp will feel forced to follow in WotC's footsteps with 5.5, making that creative space less friendly to me, since I don't like the changes they made.

A particular 3PP that I enjoy is planning to fully update their offerings to 5.5 and publish new products for 5.5 in the future - which means essentially I won't be able to use anything else they put out. Which sucks for me.

 

[mamba]

A particular 3PP that I enjoy is planning to fully update their offerings to 5.5 and publish new products for 5.5 in the future - which means essentially I won't be able to use anything else they put out. Which sucks for me.

depending on what they publish, you can definitely still use it with 2014, subclasses may be the only thing that does not transfer over 1:1 but adventures, monsters, setting supplements would

 

[Micah Sweet]

I don't think this will be enough of a factor since:

1. Everyone and their brother now has opted for their own unique home system already.
2. You use Level Up, which would be conversion to it regardless

The bones of 5e didn't change significantly so that it's incompatible, and you already were going to need to convert classes, subclasses, species, spells, monsters and such to LU anyway. It shouldn't matter if that conversion is from 5e, 5.5, TotV, MCDM, or whatever variant Cubicle 7 is using. It all has to go in the meat grinder to get Level Upped anyway.

I suppose we'll just have to see. The rule changes made in 5.5 are simply less palatable to me than the ones Level Up made.

 

[Stormonu]

A particular 3PP that I enjoy is planning to fully update their offerings to 5.5 and publish new products for 5.5 in the future - which means essentially I won't be able to use anything else they put out. Which sucks for me.

Back in 3E days, everyone producer switched to using 3.5, but 90% or more of that worked fine in 3.0 game. Same happened with 1E and post UA stuff as well as 2E and post Skills & Powers, there was very little affected overall. Monster stat blocks are self-contained, adventures still follow the same basic outline. The main nuance is in PC power and if WotC has any sense the changes are to make the play experience for players more satisfying and should be easily ignorable if not welcome at the table.

Don't be tricked into the mindset it's unusable. Just treat anything coming down the pipe as if WotC had done another ...Everything book, and that you're not using that particular component. I'm not buying into 2024, but I suspect I'll still be picking up campaign books, adventures and monster books. The only thing I might pass on is player-focused books, like another ...Everything book.

 

[Imaro]

I don't like WotC 5e's creative direction lately, and I like the decisions made for 5.5 less. I would have preferred they either do a simply re-print of 5.0 (with new art, etc if people want it), or a proper new edition that makes the game the way they want it. Either way, it wouldn't affect 5e 3pp, which I very much do like and use. As it stands, most 3pp will feel forced to follow in WotC's footsteps with 5.5, making that creative space less friendly to me, since I don't like the changes they made.

My opinion of 5e is more nuanced than, "I don't like it".

So you, who don't play 5e, would have preferred a reprint (of a rules set you don't play) or that a company you don't like the creative direction of make a new game the way said company wants to... and in which of these scenarios would you have actually purchased the rules or been a customer of said company? If it's neither then it really isn't more nuanced than you don't like 5e.

EDIT: I guess the real question is why WotC or fans of 5e would want either of those things?

 

[Micah Sweet]

So you, who don't play 5e, would have preferred a reprint (of a rules set you don't play) or that a company you don't like the creative direction of make a new game the way said company wants to... and in which of these scenarios would you have actually purchased the rules or been a customer of said company? If it's neither then it really isn't more nuanced than you don't like 5e.

I don't see 5e as wholly WotC's game, but they do have a controlling interest in the 5e community, so I can't ignore what they do even if I don't play their version of 5e.

 

[Imaro]

I don't see 5e as wholly WotC's game, but they do have a controlling interest in the 5e community, so I can't ignore what they do even if I don't play their version of 5e.

D&D 5e is owned by WotC. It's not an opinion, it's a fact. You do not play 5e you play Level Up... correct? So shouldn't you be championing for LU to either stick to the 5e 2014 rules or create a new game?