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.

 

[JEB]

Well, just looking st release timeliness, DCAG seems likely. Xanathar's and Tasha's were just putting the Rules Expansion Set, so those probably have a decent shelf life. The various Seettings may get updated with rules errata to match Monsters of the Multiverse, and they have talked about revisiting a Setting in 2024, perhaps a chance to revamp the rules content.

Agreed, SCAG is by far the most likely to be retired. Adding more weight to the revisit being the Realms, so they have a new version to replace it. Maybe Eberron soon after, or not long after the 2024 turnover.

Wildemount is the interesting one to consider, though. It'll have to become "Legacy" at some point: preferably before 2024, since it has all the obsolete content. But it's also the only official Critical Role setting book... prompts the crazy thought that it will be the 2024 revisit.

 

[Parmandur]

Agreed, SCAG is by far the most likely to be retired. Adding more weight to the revisit being the Realms, so they have a new version to replace it. Maybe Eberron soon after, or not long after the 2024 turnover.

Wildemount is the interesting one to consider, though. It'll have to become "Legacy" at some point: preferably before 2024, since it has all the obsolete content. But it's also the only official Critical Role setting book... prompts the crazy thought that it will be the 2024 revisit.

Well, the flavor in the book is not thst problematic, they might just errata it to match Monsters of the Multiverse. The only Race options not in there were Subraces to PHB Races, which fall under Tasha's rules...

 

[Saracenus]

Hmm. Does any of the MOTM material include bonus action features?

I wouldn't worry about this one, the bonus action musings of Merles was years ago and since then nothing has been heard nor play tested. I sincerely doubt they will kill bonus actions as it would have too broad an impact on the game no matter a single developer's buyers remorse on that bit of the rules.

 

[JEB]

Well, the flavor in the book is not thst problematic, they might just errata it to match Monsters of the Multiverse. The only Race options not in there were Subraces to PHB Races, which fall under Tasha's rules...

Possible, but that's pretty extensive errata, and releasing sections of MOTM effectively for free in an errata document seems like something they'd be reluctant to do. Also, let's be honest, why wouldn't Wizards want to release a revised Wildemount book? No question it'd sell.

That said, the CR folks themselves might not be interested, having just done the updated Tal'dorei book under their own imprint. They might prefer to do their own Wildemount update.

Going to be interesting to see, anyway.

 

[Saracenus]

So, I was looking at races and noticed that legacy races are not done purely by delisting an entire book...

However, the The Tortle Package has also disappeared from the sources page.

Basically if a PC playable race is in Monsters of the Multiverse then they are Legacy-ed out of whatever source book they were originally published in...

These are all of the playable races that will appear in Monsters of the Multiverse -

Aarakocra
Aasimar
Bugbear
Centaur
Changeling
Deep Gnome
Duergar
Eladrin
Fairy
Firbolg
Genasi, Air
Genasi, Earth,
Genasi, Fire
Genasi, Water
Githyanki
Githzerai
Goblin
Goliath
Harengon
Hobgoblin
Kenku
Kobol
Lizardfolk
Minotaur
Orc
Satyr
Sea Elf
Shadar-kai
Shifter
Tabaxi
Tortle
Triton
Yuan-ti

 

[JEB]

Yep, looking through the races list, the following are also "Legacy" now:

• Theros: Satyr
• The Tortle Package: Tortle
• Ravnica: Centaur, minotaur

Also, Wildemount only lists a single race for purchase, the "Orc of Exandria" - you don't get access to any of their versions of EEPC or VGTM races. (The Wildemount specific variants of core races remain, though.)

EDIT: The Tortle Package may not be delisted yet, but since the only rules content in the book is "Legacy" now, I assume it's only a matter of time. I forgot, there are also monsters in the book. Maybe they'll keep it longer for them.

 

[JEB]

One unaddressed question, though: if you buy a complete book with only some Legacy elements from now on, do you still get the Legacy elements, or are you only getting the still-approved elements? I have to assume the former, because the latter is going to create some upset.

 

[Nikosandros]

One unaddressed question, though: if you buy a complete book with only some Legacy elements from now on, do you still get the Legacy elements, or are you only getting the still-approved elements? I have to assume the former, because the latter is going to create some upset.

I also think that you'll get them. I would be extremely surprised otherwise. Books that are all legacy are being phased out from the Marketplace, but if you're able to buy something, you'll get full access to it.

 

[Tag365]

Apparently Fantasy Grounds announced they will also not be selling the products after May 17... I don't think people mentioned this yet.

 

[Nikosandros]

Apparently Fantasy Grounds announced they will also not be selling the products after May 17... I don't think people mentioned this yet.

And on Roll20 as well. They also announced that Radiant Citadel will be postponed until July the 19th.