Dhampir and Other Species To Be Included in Astarion's Book of Hungers

The dhampir will be among several playable species included in the digital exclusive Astarion's Book of Hungers, which is currently only available as part of a $159.99 "Ultimate Bundle." Announced today during a panel on the upcoming Forgotten Realms content at Gen Con, the dhampir will make its return in the upcoming "digital DLC" for the Forgotten Realms books. An Ultimate Bundle was also put up for pre-order on D&D Beyond, which includes 8 species. Assumably, the dhampir and seven other species will appear in Astarion's Book of Hungers and perhaps split with one other unnamed DLC that's also included in the bundle. A third DLC, Netheril's Fall, is an adventure of unspecified length.

The fact that the dhampir and other species content will be included as "digital DLC" is interesting for several reasons. D&D previously made three species - the grung, locathah, and tortle - available exclusively as digital content. However, all three were released to benefit charity, with the tortle eventually making its way into Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse. So, while this wouldn't be the first time that D&D made player-facing content exclusive digitally, the intent (charity versus "Digital DLC") is certainly different. Additionally, it's unclear whether these digital DLCs will be available to purchase separately or if they'll only be available via the Ultimate Bundle, which includes physical and digital copies of the Forgotten Realms books, plus the three DLC packets.

 

[Dire Bare]

THANKS! I was having a hell of a time finding that on the DDB website!!!

EDIT: But . . . WOW. $127 for both digital books? And the info on the page implies the DLC bonuses (other than the animated map) only come with the "Ultimate" print/digital bundle . . . although I know it's been reported on the DDB boards that the digital bundle will also come with the DLC . . .

But I think I'm going to wait before pre-ordering . . .

It looks like the digital "Heroes of Faerun" is $30 and "Adventures in Faerun" is $40 digital . . . so the two together should be $70 or less. $127?!?!?! So, we're paying $57 for the 3 DLC, the digital map of Faerun, a digital dice set, and the BG3 digital map pack. Wow.

I'm hoping that pricing is in error, as it kinda forces you to upgrade for only $30 more for the physical books, screwing over your FLGS . . . . dammit, I'm back to being annoyed again . . .

 

[Dire Bare]

“Trust me, it’s gonna be free, and only contain a few adventurers”

- Everyone but me

I'm not sure if I responded to you on this thread or the other one . . . but I think I said earlier, "they are free, with the bundle" . . . but now I realize I was incorrect.

I got a little obsessed tonight (instead of going to bed) and did the math . . .

The "Dallabad Oasis" (an animated battle map) and the "Atlas of Faerun" (a digital map of Faerun) seem to come with any pre-order, print, digital, or both for either or both of the books . . . okay, that's cool . . .

However, the three DLC expansions, the digital dice set, and the digital map back (themed around BG3?) are costing you between $25 and $57 depending on which bundle you go for, digital-only or print/digital.

This is all VERY confusing between the DDB store pages and the info shared at Gencon and on the DDB forums. If each of the DLC expansions are meaty enough to warrant $19 each digital . . . I can live with that, but they better be MEATY. And the confusion over it all is not cool . . . WotC really needs to stop dropping the ball on these sorts of things . . .

 

[Nikosandros]

I'm not sure if I responded to you on this thread or the other one . . . but I think I said earlier, "they are free, with the bundle" . . . but now I realize I was incorrect.

I got a little obsessed tonight (instead of going to bed) and did the math . . .

The "Dallabad Oasis" (an animated battle map) and the "Atlas of Faerun" (a digital map of Faerun) seem to come with any pre-order, print, digital, or both for either or both of the books . . . okay, that's cool . . .

However, the three DLC expansions, the digital dice set, and the digital map back (themed around BG3?) are costing you between $25 and $57 depending on which bundle you go for, digital-only or print/digital.

This is all VERY confusing between the DDB store pages and the info shared at Gencon and on the DDB forums. If each of the DLC expansions are meaty enough to warrant $19 each digital . . . I can live with that, but they better be MEATY. And the confusion over it all is not cool . . . WotC really needs to stop dropping the ball on these sorts of things . . .

Yes, they do tend to create confusion with this bundles and what they include exactly. When the 2024 core books were up for pre-order, it was initially unclear what each bundle (digital, print + digital) would include and how they would handle the print bundles outside the US. They eventually clarified everything, but it took quite a bit of time.

 

[Clint_L]

Well, one of my players is currently playing a Dhampir using the existing rules, so I don't see a huge need to spend that much money for an updated version.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

The pure digital bundle is a bit expensive.

 

[TravDoc42]

Any ideas on who the other seven species are going to be? The title for this thread suggests something predatory.

Are the 8 species all in this one expansion? I could see them dividing the species between them, maybe putting the shadovar in the Netheril supplement, and who knows what else in the mystery one.

 

[Corinnguard]

That certainly puts a ... dhampir on it.

I am rolling a Wisdom save to see if that pun does me in. It's too early in the morning to be looking at a pun.

 

[Nord Ronnoc]

Link?

As stated in the OP, all I can find is the "Ultimate" print/digital bundle. I cannot find a digital only bundle at all.

Here you go.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

What species? They can't be new PC species because WotC would rather to show a playtest in UA and they shouldn't be ones that appeared in Moderkainen's Monsters of the Multiverse.

maybe those PC species to be linked to Astarion or any other "creature of the night"?

Aren't those to appear in a paper-printed sourcebook?

Possible PC species:

The kenders are too linked to Krynn but they dare to travel to other wildspaces by spelljammers.

Owlins (Stryxhaven), Leonin and Satyrs (Theros), Verdan (Acquisition Incorporated), Feral tielfling (Sword Coast's guide), Localaths, and Grungs.

An update of the PC species from Ravnica (loxodon, simic hybrid and vedalken) is possible but I have got my doubts, altought loxodon appeared in D&D.

Maybe the PC species are new, and if these needed some changed after the feedback the digital content could be rewritten. Then they wouldn't need a previous UA article.

 

[ysil69]

You can get a digital bundle with the expansions for about $126 USD.

No where does the digital bundle say it includes the expansions. You may be right, but people might want to hang on until there's clarity.

The ultimate bundle says "buy now and recieve..."

The digital bundle says "Buy the ultimate bundle to recieve..."