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.

 

[Remathilis]

I think I’m more… intrigued? I felt like I knew a good amount on what to expect for the two hardcovers but I have very little idea of what to expect for the DLCs.

I love vampire stuff, so I'm interested in all the new toys and monster stats. I'm also interested in the Lorwyn/fey stuff. Not sure about Nethril, that might be a skip.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I love vampire stuff, so I'm interested in all the new toys and monster stats. I'm also interested in the Lorwyn/fey stuff. Not sure about Nethril, that might be a skip.

I wouldn't skip Netheril, its a very interesting setting and will likely also explore time travel rules.

 

[Parmandur]

I think I’m more… intrigued? I felt like I knew a good amount on what to expect for the two hardcovers but I have very little idea of what to expect for the DLCs.

I'm just salty the content won't be in a physical book, not that I'm against digital as such.

 

[Kurotowa]

Not gonna lie, more excited about this than the actual books (as good as they are).

After hearing what's in the main books, I put off buying them unless and until there's the prospect of an actual Forgotten Realms campaign. But like you, I'm intrigued by the idea of player facing vampire stuff. (Yes, I was in a Vampire LARP in college, why do you ask?) So I'm definitely paying attention to what people say about it.

Could be good, could be meh, but I'm provisionally interested.

 

[TravDoc42]

I wonder if that rat king concept art they showed last year will be for a monster in Astarion's Book of Hungers, or if they just scrapped it? I can kinda see a rat monster fitting in Baldur's Gate, but it doesn't seem very vampiric.

 

[GarrettKP]

I wonder if that rat king concept art they showed last year will be for a monster in Astarion's Book of Hungers, or if they just scrapped it? I can kinda see a rat monster fitting in Baldur's Gate, but it doesn't seem very vampiric.

I’d bet they just scrapped it.

 

[Weiley31]

I love vampire stuff, so I'm interested in all the new toys and monster stats. I'm also interested in the Lorwyn/fey stuff. Not sure about Nethril, that might be a skip.

I wouldn't skip Netheril, its a very interesting setting and will likely also explore time travel rules.

Need that Icewind Dale follow up after the party gets zapped back to the past TMNT: Turtles in Time style.

 

[Reynard]

I am honestly curious how folks feel about these digital only books from WotC, available (I surmise) only on D&D Beyond. Is this a positive development?

 

[Scribe]

I am honestly curious how folks feel about these digital only books from WotC, available (I surmise) only on D&D Beyond. Is this a positive development?

Speaking only for myself, 'digital only' may as well not exist. If it's platform locked its even worse.

 

[Charlaquin]

I am honestly curious how folks feel about these digital only books from WotC, available (I surmise) only on D&D Beyond. Is this a positive development?

I for one am appalled by it, but I seem to be in the minority, at least around here. A lot of people seem to think digital-only is somehow the only financially viable way the material in these books could ever reasonably be published. Which seems like an insane thing to believe IMO, but that was the tact several people took to defend it when I expressed my concerns over it.