D&D 5E Question for folks who use D&D Beyond: How well does it work with the new rules?

[Belen]

Does anyone know why D&DB defaults to referencing the free rules instead of the PHB in spots when printing out character sheets even when you have the 2024 PHB, DMG and MM?

It is because they built it that way in the database. The free rules are listed separately from the PHB even if you own the PHB.

Basically, bad design.

 

[R_J_K75]

Basically, bad design.

Yes it is

 

[AlViking]

This is second hand, but one of the players in my game who is trying his hand at DMing for the first time, decided to use DNDB to make pre-gens and was very confused by it and started asking me about weapon mastery and stuff (we play 2014) and why it seemed more complicated and some class stuff was different than how we played. We quickly discovered that as a total newbie to DNDB and the distinctions between 2014 and 2024 in general, he was failing to recognize how to toggle between versions.

This is probably 100% user error and a use case of 1, but at least one unexperienced person found it confusing and ended up with a mix of 2014 vs. 2024 stuff.

I really wish there was an options page that covered everything that I used DndBeyond to set limits on what I see no matter what I'm doing. You can limit what you see for a particular campaign if you go into content sharing. I don't know if that affects the options you see as DM when you are creating characters for the campaign.

 

[R_J_K75]

I don't know if that affects the options you see as DM when you are creating characters for the campaign.

I think the only place you can do this is in the campaign page under content sharing

 

[AlViking]

That was what I was thinking too, but it's annoying as some of that stuff on the character sheets prints out so small that if we need to read it out of the PHB it doesn't make it easy to find. Further I dont know a way to print out the free rules so what's the point of listing page numbers for it.

I always export the pdf to a file and then summarize the details I need to know and replace the text for actions. So one example

Not only is it now on the first page, I can actually read it. If I were designing the export I would just redesign it so the pdf could increase the report area as needed. Sadly they didn't consult me.

 

[R_J_K75]

I always export the pdf to a file and then summarize the details I need to know and replace the text for actions. So one example
View attachment 400501

Not only is it now on the first page, I can actually read it. If I were designing the export I would just redesign it so the pdf could increase the report area as needed. Sadly they didn't consult me.

I wouldnt even know where to begin to do this

 

[AlViking]

I think the only place you can do this is in the campaign page under content sharing

That was what I was trying to say. If I limit to the 2014 rules in my campaign sharing I don't know if it limits to 2014 rules when I'm creating a character for that campaign. I'd play around with it but I've maxed out the number of campaigns.

 

[Nikosandros]

I think the only place you can do this is in the campaign page under content sharing

Unless they changed things recently, limiting something under content sharing, only precluded other participants in a campaign from reading a specific source, but all the rules options remain available for characters.

 

[AlViking]

I wouldnt even know where to begin to do this

I'm just editing the pdf after it's exported. I do have to understand what my character can do to come up with the text and every time I level I have to copy/paste/edit the text. Or maybe I'm not understanding what the issue is.

 

[Belen]

I really wish there was an options page that covered everything that I used DndBeyond to set limits on what I see no matter what I'm doing. You can limit what you see for a particular campaign if you go into content sharing. I don't know if that affects the options you see as DM when you are creating characters for the campaign.

Do not get me started on how bad search design is now that we have 5.5 and that horrible glossary.

The glossary does not even pop until the 4th or 5th result and then you get the whole thing. You have to control+f to find the term you want, if you’re lucky. It is fine if you have a direct link in the spell etc but otherwise the glossary on DDB is garbage.

I have had to start bookmarking everything in a DDB tab.