A Few More Tidbits About D&D Beyond From The Developer

Adam Bradford, the senior product manager of upcoming D&D digital toolset D&D Beyond has answered a few questions about the product over at the Tribality website. You can read the full interview at the link below, but here are the highlights. Nothing major, but a few bits like filtering content, roadmap features like initiative trackers, color-coded tabs, etc.


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  • Alpha testing is finished.
  • Beta testing emails go out "very soon".
  • The software has table with colour codes (see images above and below) to make it easy to tell where you are.
  • Adam has played D&D for 20 years.
  • Additional features later will include "encounter builder, combat/ initiative tracker, dice rolling and automation, stream integration, and much more".
  • There will be easy ways to filter content - for example "Want to see every spell that requires a Charisma saving throw in the game? Or every healing spell? Every spell that does force damage?"
  • Their license does not restrict them on delivery mechanisms. They "are fully aware of the offline capability concerns and are working to mitigate those concerns". A few days ago, WotC's Greg Tito confirmed "D&D Beyond will work without an internet connection. That's a big deal for the devs!"
  • You an read the full interview here.


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Why are you always so negative when it comes to anything to do with WotC? I don't think I've ever seen you post a positive comment when it comes to WotC.

You call it negativity, I call it my personal opinion and since this is a discussion forum then I will give it.

Most discussions on these forums are not what you might label "positive" because those discussions are rather boring and don't get very far. As I've said before, I don't do positive just for the sake of positive.

If I don't mention something on the forums then it's a good idea to assume that I like it. I'm also not a fan of what Wizards is currently doing so I'm going to voice my concerns.

Get over it!
 

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There are multiple ways to do so. One is to get it as a class feature (e.g. Lore bard or Knowledge cleric). Another is to multi-class as a bard, ranger, or rogue. And a third is to take the Skilled feat, which gives you proficiency in three skills and/or tools.

Those are work arounds because of an issue with the actual rules. The Skilled Feat you have a point, however Feats are an optional rule.

Also, any half-way decent software for making D&D characters needs a way to override the rules, because that happens in real games all the time. For example I could easily see a DM saying "You guys kick back for a year before the next adventure. In that time, you get to add proficiency in a skill based on what you do during the year." I could also easily see a book along the lines of tome of clear thought, but instead of giving you a stat boost it gives you a skill proficiency.

Valid point. HeroLab lets you do this - create an adjustment on the character. Or you can probably use the Editor to produce a downtime project that through eval scripts handles this. But at some level the tool needs to be able to deal with house rules, or at least common ones.
 

There are multiple ways to do so. One is to get it as a class feature (e.g. Lore bard or Knowledge cleric). Another is to multi-class as a bard, ranger, or rogue. And a third is to take the Skilled feat, which gives you proficiency in three skills and/or tools.

Also, any half-way decent software for making D&D characters needs a way to override the rules, because that happens in real games all the time. For example I could easily see a DM saying "You guys kick back for a year before the next adventure. In that time, you get to add proficiency in a skill based on what you do during the year." I could also easily see a book along the lines of tome of clear thought, but instead of giving you a stat boost it gives you a skill proficiency.

The DMG specifically mentions training (page 231) as a possible alternative to treasure earned as a reward. It is easy enough to imagine a character telling the princess that instead of your weight in silver, you want the royal apothecary to teach you herbalism, or the royal chirurgeon to train you in basic medicine. The same training might be available from the hedge witch from the village threatened by orcs.

You don't need a rule to tell you that your character can learn a skill. If there isn't a rule that says you can't do a thing, then the only question is how the DM and player want to work out doing that thing. If there is a rule that says you can't do it... then first you need to persuade your group to ignore that rule, then the DM and player can work out how the thing gets done. This is a fantasy role playing game, not your tax return.
 

If I don't mention something on the forums then it's a good idea to assume that I like it.
No, assuming your opinion of something based on you not giving any comment about it at all is not a "good idea'.

You are putting people in a position where you are expecting them to behave in a way that is particularly common as a way to seriously upset someone when you ask them to assume your silence is your certified seal of approval.

In fact, you even put people in a position that if they do assume you like something because you haven't said anything about it, that they might comment on their assumption by saying "Corpsetaker like it" in regard to some thing, when the reality is that you don't like it at all, you just hadn't yet posted your negative opinion.

That's just not a good way to communicate at all.
 

I'm warming up to the Curse idea. I will probably subscribe for the first year and see what I think.

If they can just build a good looking front end for all the homebrew content, I think that's valuable. I'm sure it would be easier and look better than trying to layout and design a unique pdf for drivethru/dms guild.
 






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