Forgotten Realms Books to Have Several Digital DLCs, Including One Featuring Asterion

Wizards of the Coast plans to release several "digital DLCs" alongside the upcoming Forgotten Realms rulebooks. This week, Game Informer released a pair of articles about the upcoming Forgotten Realms rulebooks. Tucked away in the article is the announcement that the upcoming releases will include several "digital DLCs" that expand on the new setting. One example was Asterion's Book of Hungers, which focuses on urban vampire adventures featuring the character from Baldur's Gate 3.

No other details were made available about the upcoming releases, such as whether the new supplements will be paid DLC or free to D&D Beyond subscribers. Wizards has released several digital-only supplements alongside their various books, ranging from mini-bestiaries to supplementary adventures, but all were free to D&D Beyond subscribers or available as pre-order bonuses.

Since the Forgotten Realms books aren't currently available for pre-order, it's hard to say whether this is a new strategy or simply a continuation of current works. The fact that Wizards commissioned art specifically for Asterion's Book of Hungers and the usage of the phrase "digital DLC" suggests that this might be a new monetization scheme for the company, albeit one that makes sense given the growing use of D&D Beyond's marketplace.

 

[TiQuinn]

“Astarion’s Book of Hungers is one of several digital DLCs that will further expand the new setting, in this case with a specific genre focus on urban vampire adventures.”

As a Ravenloft (and fantasy horror) fan, this peaks my interest.

 

[TheSword]

So Cubicle 7 have been releasing small 16-20 page pdf only releases for the last 5 years for WFRP 4e and I must say they have been brilliant.

They’ve usually been a mix of a bit of a theme, some mechanics, a few stat blocks and some locations. Or a short adventure with similar.

Examples include Blood and Bramble which expanded the rules and background for hedge witches. Or The Warband of Bayl of the Many Eyes which had rules for Nurgle followers and a faction with details that could be slotted into a campaign.

I think they’re a great way to expand on ideas in a book bot for inspiration and as an example to GMs of how to do this themselves for other areas.

It’s a great idea.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Privateer Press started doing this for Iron Kingdoms Requiem 5E. It was pretty neat and I purchased a good number of them to add additional subclasses and what not.

Unfortunately, they are a bit of a pain to "somewhat" get now as Steamforged Games has been REALLY slow on the draw with bringing them back ever since Warmachine was handed off to them.

Im interested to see how these play out.

Yeah, that's the challenge with these digital-only exclusives. Digital content can and does vanish, sometimes forever, often for obscure corporate reasons.

Most of the 3E-era web stuff is gone from the D&D site and the Dragon+ material -- the stuff that preceded it being all advertorial material -- is gone now as well.

 

[Professor Murder]

Well, there's a voice role that's paying dividends. Cheers to the actor!

I somehow doubt he gets a cut.

 

[Baron Opal II]

I somehow doubt he gets a cut.

Probably not.
But, it's net him a number of live appearances of which I'm sure he's compensated for.

 

[GarrettKP]

I wonder if the other supplements will be BG3 characters.

 

[Piperken]

Sounds like a masquerade to me.

Darling...

 

[Charlaquin]

We no longer live in a world where it makes economic sense to have 30 page soft cover supplements, if it ever did. It would be nice if they had a print on demand option, although that's something you can always do yourself with a little bit of work.

If it comes down to a digital version or no supplement at all, I think digital version is the better choice.

We also live in a world where digital purchases don’t actually legally grant you ownership of the product you bought, just a license to access it.

If buying isn’t owning, then piracy isn’t stealing, and I have no intention of buying D&D “books” I can’t own.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I wonder if the other supplements will be BG3 characters.

Could be based around other characters that fit a particular theme.

Still if Karlach got Baldur's Gate the Heroes of Faerun, and Asterion gets say Neverwinter or Westgate for his Vampire DLC (just a guess), what locations/Themes/Characters could you see for other DLCs?

Thay/Evil Wizards/Szass Tam maybe, Waterdeep/Megadungeons/Gale, Shadowheart/Moon/Spelljamming, Wyll/Frontier & Nature/The Shaar, Drizzt or Minthara/Underdark, Lae'zel/Outer Planes, Nazram World Walker/Old Empires.

Also has it occurred to anyone that the subclasses in the UAs could be for the DLCs? Like horror UA for Asterions Book of Hunger.

 

[AlViking]

We also live in a world where digital purchases don’t actually legally grant you ownership of the product you bought, just a license to access it.

If buying isn’t owning, then piracy isn’t stealing, and I have no intention of buying D&D “books” I can’t own.

Piracy is still theft as far as I'm concerned and the people that really get hurt are the people who's job it is to create content. If you want to keep a digital copy of something you spend money on it's not hard, it may just be slightly time consuming.

As far as digital rights of ownership I don't see that as a subject for this forum.