D&D 5E To own 5E books or not to own 5E books that is the Question

[The_Gunslinger658]

Ok I DM two groups, in both groups, only one player in each group owns an actual copy of the 5E books, the other players either use the SRD or pirated PDF's copies for their respective games. I understand people have financial difficulties and what not, but I think they can least support WoTC a tiny bit and buy the PHB. Do you other guys find the same problem of owner the actual books prevalent in your groups?

Personally, I think players should have an actual copy of the books, not just pirated pdf's or the SRD, support your game companies, if not they will go away without it.

Scott

 

[Tony Vargas]

"...’tis nobler in the mind to.." Buy the Books.

 

[Shasarak]

Personally, I think players should have an actual copy of the books, not just pirated pdf's or the SRD, support your game companies, if not they will go away without it.

Scott

I thought that WotC eliminated pirate pdfs already by not selling pdfs.

That is how it works, right?

 

[BoldItalic]

Explain to your players that you will be working from the Third Printing of the PHB but don't tell them what's different. Let them worry about it.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'm a "Mr. Librarian" type.ot only do I usually buy the books for the games I play, if it is something I plan on playing often, I'll buy additional copies of important ones that will see a lot of use, like the PHB fo loan out as needed.

I'm OK with SRDs, pdfs, and other electronic resources, but not of pirated material. So far, there haven't been any confrontations about that.

 

[Ezequielramone]

I'd really support original books. I want my players to have it. But sadly those are really expensives in my country. I. Can buy them on Amazon but not all my players can afford it. So I have the book. 3 of 5 players have the original phb. Still at the table we use a pdf print in order to keep safe our copies. Only transporting books could damage them.

 

[Shiroiken]

There is nothing wrong with letting players just use the SRD if they just want to use those options. If they want to use PHB options, they should spring for the PHB. The only other player book is SCAG, so I'm not really sure what the issue is. The players shouldn't need to own the APs, only the DM if they plan to use it. The only other potential things I can think of is 3PP, like the Thule campaign setting. I suppose VGtM, if they wanted to play a race from there and you allow them, but I'm not huge on making players to buy monster books (or other DM books for that matter).

 

[machineelf]

Tell them that the Player's Handbook is only $30 on Amazon. And that's an incredible value for playing a super fun game with friends once a week for a year or more. I've played with my current group for over two years now. That $30 investment is well worth it. I mean, geeze, $30 is just one meal and drinks at a decent restaurant. Surely they can pony up that much for a game that will bring hundreds of hours of fun.

Tell them not to steal. Yes, it's unfortunate that WOTC doesn't have a good digital option at the moment, but people put a lot of hard work into making those books and making a great game. Those people have to put food on their tables and pay their bills. I don't allow people who steal the books to play at my table. Now if they buy the books and then want to use PDFs for ease at the table, that's fine. But just getting out of paying anything for the books doesn't fly with me.

That's just me, and I would explain this as gently and nicely as I could to my players. But I make it pretty clear that if they want to play in my game, they will have to legally purchase some form of the PHB or share with a neighbor until they can save enough to purchase one.

 

[fjw70]

As others have said, using the SRD isn't a problem but pirated books are. My current group doesn't have this issue. Everyone at least had a PHB.

My 4e group from a dpfew years ago there was a lot of pirating the DDI character builder (and the PHB before thenCB was available). I didn't like it but I was not their mother.

 

[KarinsDad]

My group doesn't have this problem since I immediately bought 7 players out of 8 their own PHBs when the game came out (myself included, the 8th player was my wife who wouldn't read a PHB if it bit her, so she borrowed my PHB or my daughter's once in a blue moon if necessary).

My problem is that my players rarely read their PHBs. Some player will be using some ability or spell and we'll find out 5 gaming sessions later that they are doing the mechanics incorrectly. When I was DM at the table, I didn't have time to triple check new stuff (and of course at my age, mistakes creep in a bit more anyway).