D&D 5E D&D Beyond Will Delist Two Books On May 17th

D&D Beyond will be permanently removing Volo’s Guide to Monsters and Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes on May 17th in favor of the upcoming Monsters of the Multiverse book, which largely compiles and updates that material.

As per the D&D Beyond FAQ for Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse:

Can I still buy Volo’s Guide to Monsters or Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes on D&D Beyond?
Starting on May 16, you can acquire the streamlined and up-to-date creatures and character race options, as well as a plethora of exciting new content, by purchasing Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse. On May 17, Volo's Guide to Monsters and Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes will be discontinued from our digital marketplace.

If you already own these two books you will still have access to your purchases and any characters or encounters you built with them. They won’t be removed from your purchased sourcebooks. Therefore, if you want the "fluff" and tables in those two tomes in D&D Beyond, you need to purchase them soon.

This is the first time books have been wholesale delisted from the D&D Beyond Platform rather than updated (much like physical book reprints are with errata and changes).

There’s no word from WotC on whether physical books will be discontinued and be allowed to sell out.

 

[Micah Sweet]

The only catch with Level Up is that it's not a Pathfinder, which was basically just a continuation of 3.5 with some rules tweaks - Level Up intentionally diverges from 5E towards something more complex. Which is absolutely fine, but also automatically more niche; I'd be surprised if it ever reaches Pathfinder levels of popularity. (But hey, I could be wrong, could be a huge untapped market.)

As long as it remains popular enough for Morrus to keep making it, and as long as they don't start shifting their format to match WotC's like I expect a lot of 3rd party publishers will do, I'm good.

 

[SkidAce]

It will be interesting if a new(ish) player picks up an "old" book (cause they are still on the shelves) , then signs up for D&D Beyond, and can't add that book to their account

 

[MonsterEnvy]

It will be interesting if a new(ish) player picks up an "old" book (cause they are still on the shelves) , then signs up for D&D Beyond, and can't add that book to their account

Well buying the physical has never added the Digital to the Beyond Account (Though that might change).

 

[SkidAce]

Well buying the physical has never added the Digital to the Beyond Account (Though that might change).

I know..my point is previously any book they bought they could add. Now they won't be able to.

 

[Umbran]

FWIW - Free advice: Post a short, one sentence, pithy retort with a dash of wit, and slow walk away from this.

Otherwise, be prepared to walk through fire. Not recommended.

Mod Note:
Free advice: the lean to the snarky and confrontational, if it continues, will inevitably lead to people getting booted from the discussion.

Specifically, this passive-aggressive potshot at third parties does not actually hide the insult. It isn't clever, and will not protect you when the red text comes out again.

Everyone - be respectful, or go find something better to do with your time.

 

[Parmandur]

I would agree on "as far as they can push it"... but I also think making feats core and altering backgrounds to include them - as looks likely from the Strixhaven and Dragonlance material - is just enough, when combined with other likely lesser changes, to count as "structural" change (and therefore a 5.5).

"structural" implies load-bearing, and so far none of the load-bearing rules have been touched.

 

[JEB]

"structural" implies load-bearing, and so far none of the load-bearing rules have been touched.

2014 5E's level advancement is built around the idea that PCs get ASIs every four levels (or so), and that feats are an alternative option, and also not one that you get at first level (excepting the optional Variant Human). If 2024 edition makes feats available for all characters at level 1, and ASIs become a secondary option at higher levels (or just plain disappear), that has serious implications for level advancement, to include making characters that are more complex and likely more powerful. It's compatible, sure, but only by house-ruling 2014 edition do you get older-style PCs on par.

 

[Parmandur]

2014 5E's level advancement is built around the idea that PCs get ASIs every four levels (or so), and that feats are an alternative option, and also not one that you get at first level (excepting the optional Variant Human). If 2024 edition makes feats available for all characters at level 1, and ASIs become a secondary option at higher levels (or just plain disappear), that has serious implications for level advancement, to include making characters that are more complex and likely more powerful. It's compatible, sure, but only by house-ruling 2014 edition do you get older-style PCs on par.

There is bo indication that ASI's are changing.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Congratulations, you have described "compatible".

Fully compatible is "it's works at all tables unless the DM has a specific house rule changing it."

See the difference?

By that definition, the 2024 PHB will be fully compatible with the 2014 PHB. Absolutely nothing they've previewd, hinted at, tested, or otherwise indicated towards, is more different from stock 5e than existing bits of 5e are from other existing bits of 5e. And that will still be the case, in 2025.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

There is bo indication that ASI's are changing.

Not only that, what they describe would require no houseruling. You can have PCs with a mix of bonus feats at level 1 and no bonus feats at level 1, and it's fine.

Those bonus feats at level 1 are already an optional variant rule in 5e, and have been since Theros, as well.

As for ASIs becoming the secondary option...okay? I've had 1 player who preffered ASIs over feats, in my games. There were no issues resulting from his character having all ASIs and no feats, and everyone else being the exact opposite.

It's a lot of fuss over nothing.