D&D General Is D&D Beyond Exclusivity Bad for D&D?

[DEFCON 1]

Seems to me the discussion can be distilled down to one's perspective and what that person thinks of as the "baseline" or "foundation" of what they are acquiring in Dungeons & Dragons material.

For some people it looks as though the foundational line of what is D&D is the core D&D books... and any extra stuff one is given (for joining DDB for example) is just an "extra gift" one can get. A little extra thing WotC gives you for saying "thanks for using DDB". It's nothing everyone is meant to have, it's not anything every person "deserves" to get, it's not a problem or a big deal if one doesn't get it (because it's nothing special)... it's just "extra".

For other people, they might feel that everything D&D related is foundational and the baseline, and if a person doesn't go along with the very specific method one needs to acquire said baseline material... then they are being punished for it. So for instance if you do not sign up for DDB... then you are being punished for that by not being given every single bit of D&D that is out there that you should be getting. All D&D material should be available to everyone easily because it is all the default. And if you can't acquire the default by most standard methods, then WotC is being crappy to you and not being a good steward of Dungeons & Dragons.

I have my own view on this, and which way of the two ways I look at it... but I do not fault anyone for looking at it the other way.

 

[SothFan]

that person thinks of as the "baseline" or "foundation" of what they are acquiring

I think you are missing something, "software as service" model. If something is exclusive on a website, then when the website disappears or changes to the new thing, you have lost your purchase. So maybe your breakdown should also be "buying" or "renting".

 

[AlViking]

I think you are all missing something from his video. If I remember, he prefers the main books +1 model.

So having to buy another book means he feels scammed, even though many buy books just to read and never use. (That is how video people with shelves of books describe a majority of the books.)

His products are as "The Lazy Dungeon Master". So part of being lazy is not only buying fewer books, but reading fewer books to get the content you seek. So he is cheap AND lazy both.

How this relates to exclusivity I forgot.

Unless playing an artificer is somehow central to the play described in the book, I don't see what the issue is. If you don't have the FoE book, you won't be playing an artificer. Fortunately there are a dozen other options if you have the PHB. Even if you do have the FoE book there's no guarantee anyone will play an artificer. It's just a nice benefit if you do.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I think you are missing something, "software as service" model. If something is exclusive on a website, then when the website disappears or changes to the new thing, you have lost your purchase. So maybe your breakdown should also be "buying" or "renting".

My comment was not really about the purchasing method or ownership of material... it was merely about how much of something is considered "the thing" to the person looking at it. Can you add "extras" to your thing (which is great if it happens, but not a big deal if it doesn't)... or is the entire package the thing and any parts you don't get means you are being punished or forsaken for it?

Whether or not the "thing" is bought as a permanent item, or just "rented" and could eventually go away... that's a different discussion from what my comment was focused on. It's certainly a valid and fair point on its own and worth arguing its merits separately, but it doesn't really fit into my either/or.

 

[Umbran]

So he is cheap AND lazy both.

How this relates to exclusivity I forgot.

Mod Note:

How it relates to exclusivity is perhaps less important than how it relates to you directly insulting someone.

Maybe check the site rules (Rule #1 - Keep it civil) and don't throw stones in the future. Thanks.

 

[SothFan]

Mod Note:

How it relates to exclusivity is perhaps less important than how it relates to you directly insulting someone.

Maybe check the site rules (Rule #1 - Keep it civil) and don't throw stones in the future. Thanks.

I am confused. It was in agreeance with his video. $130 for 1 class and having to then look in 3 places seems silly. How was that an insult or throwing a stone.

Is it normal to have a new product in a new system require a product from an obsolete system, to use the new product?

I though his video was good at explaining his position an even did the thumb up for it.

 

[Umbran]

I am confused. It was in agreeance with his video.

Mod Note:
When a moderator tells you to check the rules, it behooves you to ACTUALLY check the rules.

If you had, you'd also have learned that moderators will not entertain argument about moderation in-thread. Moderation is not an invitation to have a public discussion - it is a time to listen up before you get into more serious trouble.

"Don't insult people. For instance, don't call them cheap and lazy," should not be confusing.

 

[rabirin]

Unless playing an artificer is somehow central to the play described in the book, I don't see what the issue is. If you don't have the FoE book, you won't be playing an artificer. Fortunately there are a dozen other options if you have the PHB. Even if you do have the FoE book there's no guarantee anyone will play an artificer. It's just a nice benefit if you do.

Being able to play the Artificer subclass you paid for without buying another different book is apparently important enough for people who buy the book in DDB, but not for people who pay the exact same price (if not more) for a physical copy.

 

[AlViking]

Being able to play the Artificer subclass you paid for without buying another different book is apparently important enough for people who buy the book in DDB, but not for people who pay the exact same price (if not more) for a physical copy.

But unless I'm missing something (entirely possible, I don't have the book) you aren't paying specifically for that one subclass. So 1 page or so can't be used. You still get the other 250 or so pages of content.

 

[SothFan]

When did ethics come into the conversation?

If you are not the same one who complained on Youtube about $140 payment requiring 3 books to play a new artificer class on a "Lazy RPG Talk Show" and author of "Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master", who has cheap products and prefers cheap gaming materials from publishers other than yourself; then I apologize for calling you cheap and lazy.

If you are, then I appreciate your insight from that video on the artificer and your review of the new game show by Hasbro for Ravenloft.