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D&D 5E To own 5E books or not to own 5E books that is the Question
- Thread starter The_Gunslinger658
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LordEntrails
Hero
If you want the game to survive, if you want WotC to release more new material, if you think you might ever want a career, job or even a part time gig in the RPG industry, then you need to support those in the industry by buying some of what they sell.
Does a player need the PHB to play? No, the Basic Rules or SRD are enough.
Should there be at least one purchased PHB at the table? Of course. Does it need to be the DM? No. Why should the DM invoke the costs and trouble of carrying it around?
My solution was to buy Fantasy Grounds and the PHB there (and supported financially by my players). Every single player in my campaign can access the PHB all at the same time, we only need one copy. Even at full cost, $50? for the PHB digitally that can be used this way is a good deal.
Does a player need the PHB to play? No, the Basic Rules or SRD are enough.
Should there be at least one purchased PHB at the table? Of course. Does it need to be the DM? No. Why should the DM invoke the costs and trouble of carrying it around?
My solution was to buy Fantasy Grounds and the PHB there (and supported financially by my players). Every single player in my campaign can access the PHB all at the same time, we only need one copy. Even at full cost, $50? for the PHB digitally that can be used this way is a good deal.
I would love to support WotC by buying their stuff and on the other hand it has been so long since there has been something worthwhile to buy.
Now in comparison Kobold Press has been knocking it out of the park recently.
Greenstone.Walker
Adventurer
I have 2 issues with pdf copies of books.
First - Buy the books! Pay money to Wizards - it encourages them to keep making books. I know you are a student and don't have a lot of money. Hey, you know who does have money? Me! I work for a living. I own two copies of a lot of the books so I can loan them to you (because when I was a poor student, people loaned me their books, now I'm paying it forward).
Second - If you are going to use pdfs, learn to bookmark. It annoys the heck out of me when you spend two minutes looking up every single thing on your tiny-screen smartphone. Or maybe, you know, print the pages relating to your class and race?
First - Buy the books! Pay money to Wizards - it encourages them to keep making books. I know you are a student and don't have a lot of money. Hey, you know who does have money? Me! I work for a living. I own two copies of a lot of the books so I can loan them to you (because when I was a poor student, people loaned me their books, now I'm paying it forward).
Second - If you are going to use pdfs, learn to bookmark. It annoys the heck out of me when you spend two minutes looking up every single thing on your tiny-screen smartphone. Or maybe, you know, print the pages relating to your class and race?
GlassJaw
Hero
I'm a huge proponent of having access to the book, above and beyond the SRD or Basic rules. Preferably that means buying it but I'm realistic and know that pirated stuff exists. I also understand that's it's incredibly convenient to have a digital copy.
Bottom line is I want my players to read the book. It shows that they are invested in making the game run smoothly and appreciate the amount of work I (the DM) put into the game. Know how your character works and the basics of combat.
Bottom line is I want my players to read the book. It shows that they are invested in making the game run smoothly and appreciate the amount of work I (the DM) put into the game. Know how your character works and the basics of combat.
Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
I buy all the books (barring adventures). Something 4e "cured" me of, but 5e has lured me back with it's quite reasonable release schedule.
I have no problems if someone wants to try out the game and borrows books to do so, but I run multi-year campaigns and you level up between sessions, so everyone will have the books eventually. I strongly encourage everyone to buy the books to support our hobby, but that's because those I run for can do so - if I was running for teens or college students I don't know if I'd have the same push.
I have no problems if someone wants to try out the game and borrows books to do so, but I run multi-year campaigns and you level up between sessions, so everyone will have the books eventually. I strongly encourage everyone to buy the books to support our hobby, but that's because those I run for can do so - if I was running for teens or college students I don't know if I'd have the same push.
MNblockhead
A Title Much Cooler Than Anything on the Old Site
I don't think that everyone at the table needs a PHB, but it helps to have more than one. My table is a mix, I have some players who own the PHB and create and manage their own character sheets and I have other who I created and update their characters in Hero Lab and print them new character sheets from Herolab when they level up. I also bought most of the Gale Force 9 spell card sets that I make available to my players—though most find the Hero Lab spell summary sheets to be more convenient.
While use of pirated material is discouraged, I do have some sympathy for people who own the books but want a digital format that they can pull up and search on a tablet or smartphone. As for those who can't afford it, again, we have multiple players at the table with the PHB who can share. I don't require or shame anyone who doesn't have a copy.
One reason I may subscribe to DnD Beyond is the ability to give my players access to the material and for me to have easy access to their character sheets. At least I hope it works out that way.
While use of pirated material is discouraged, I do have some sympathy for people who own the books but want a digital format that they can pull up and search on a tablet or smartphone. As for those who can't afford it, again, we have multiple players at the table with the PHB who can share. I don't require or shame anyone who doesn't have a copy.
One reason I may subscribe to DnD Beyond is the ability to give my players access to the material and for me to have easy access to their character sheets. At least I hope it works out that way.
happyhermit
Adventurer
I started with Basic decades ago, the idea of it being assumed that everyone has a copy of the rules has always been odd. I don't see it all that different from boardgames, no problem with one person buying and everyone playing it. To cut down on rule reference problems I am more likely to recommend "spell" cards for their class than another PHB at the table, but we rarely reference the books, the players especially.
With Wotc's strategy re
dfs I assume copies of the core books are illegal unless explained otherwise, some of the people I play with take a pretty dim view of stealing someone's work.
With Wotc's strategy re
dfs I assume copies of the core books are illegal unless explained otherwise, some of the people I play with take a pretty dim view of stealing someone's work.
ccs
41st lv DM
● Tell them that in order to advance to lv.10+ they must have a physical copy of the PHB.
Anyone who doesn't no longer advances.
● Anounce that you'll be running all your games "old school style, circa about 1985" starting ____. Wich means that in addition to a higher lethality, that the use of phones, tablets, laptops etc during your game are now banned. Because that's not how we played it back then.
Anyone who doesn't no longer advances.
● Anounce that you'll be running all your games "old school style, circa about 1985" starting ____. Wich means that in addition to a higher lethality, that the use of phones, tablets, laptops etc during your game are now banned. Because that's not how we played it back then.
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