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

[LordEntrails]

Oh, another reason I use digital copies of my PHB and MM while I type things up on my computer is that even with limited handling both my PHB and MM have pages falling out. My PHB completely fell apart only a few months after I bought it.....

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EDIT: Also, it is kinda hard to tell my players to buy a PHB when mine fell apart and I present the PHB to them in three separate folders.
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FYI, WotC will replace these for you free of charge. Just go to Wizards.com and find their customer support pages. Not sure what is required, but I hear it is pretty convenient.

As I buy WotC stuff only in digital form, I haven't had this issue, but that is what has been mentioned about a dozen times in various places on this forum.

 

[MNblockhead]

Yeah WotC does it to itself, they gave the PDF monopoly to pirates.

With official digital material available through multiple VTT companies and the upcoming DnD Beyond, will you pay for any of those or continue to download pirated PDFs because you need a PDF?

Personally, I find PDFs to be rather outdated technology only marginally better than paper. Referring to PDFs on a small screen like a smart phone is not fun. Searching in most PDF software is not great, it is hard to navigate search results and little to no contextual information is given with the search results. Book marks are nice, but I can put tabs in my paper copy as easy as I can book mark a PDF. The main advantage of PDF over print is portability (and price is you are not paying for them).

DnD Beyond is not impressing me with its character sheet, but I do like the universal search for all SRD content. Works great on mobile devices and the search results are grouped in a logical manner and a several-line snipped of text surrounding each search hit is provided. When all official content is available, I may subscribe. My main concern is whether the value will be worth the subscription cost and the fact that you have to be on-line to take advantage of it—though they state they have plans for off-line access as well.

When DnD Beyond is available offline, it obviates most of the issues given by those who claim to need PDFs. The only objection remaining will be they don't want to pay what it costs. Stealing is cheaper, especially when the chances of getting caught and punished are so low.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

I decided many years ago that if a game has no PDF suppport then I'm not playing or supporting that game. There have been one or two exceptions since that time (Most notably the FFG STAR WARS game) but for the most part yeah.

5E had thier basic rules as a PDF so that's not too bad.

This is my view: RPG's are NOT like a boardgame where the onus is typically on ONE person to own the core game so that everyone can play.

If youre sitting down to play / invest time in a game anywhere from 2 - 4+ hours per session, you should at least at some point make the effort to SUPPORT the company who's game your playing by buying the book. Everyone wants to come to the party and drink but no one wants to pitch in for beer, especially table top RPGamers, who are notoriously cheap and self serving. It's a HOBBY not a NECCESSITY. If you want your hobby to continue being viable? Support your hobby. Don't just look around and try to justify your stealing or cheapness by saying "well everyone else is doing thier part so I dont have to..."

If you purchase a $50 - $70 core rulebook that supports a weekly or bi-weekly game ultimately in 52 weeks that book will have more than paid for itself. I've NEVER understood or respected arguments to the contrary.

 

[GameOgre]

Everyone we play with owns a copy of the players handbook.

 

[Arnwolf666]

Support your hobby if you want them to make you products.

 

[cheeseguy]

I decided many years ago that if a game has no PDF suppport then I'm not playing or supporting that game. There have been one or two exceptions since that time (Most notably the FFG STAR WARS game) but for the most part yeah.

5E had thier basic rules as a PDF so that's not too bad.

This is my view: RPG's are NOT like a boardgame where the onus is typically on ONE person to own the core game so that everyone can play.

If youre sitting down to play / invest time in a game anywhere from 2 - 4+ hours per session, you should at least at some point make the effort to SUPPORT the company who's game your playing by buying the book. Everyone wants to come to the party and drink but no one wants to pitch in for beer, especially table top RPGamers, who are notoriously cheap and self serving. It's a HOBBY not a NECCESSITY. If you want your hobby to continue being viable? Support your hobby. Don't just look around and try to justify your stealing or cheapness by saying "well everyone else is doing thier part so I dont have to..."

If you purchase a $50 - $70 core rulebook that supports a weekly or bi-weekly game ultimately in 52 weeks that book will have more than paid for itself. I've NEVER understood or respected arguments to the contrary.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

Sent from my Z963VL using EN World mobile app

 

[Saeviomagy]

I own the books, and also use digital resources. I find that digital resources can be good for looking up specific rules on the spot, but that the books are superior for actually playing the game.

 

[jasper]

It has nothing to do with newbs. I have a dislike of electronics used during play. Leads to distractions. I don't care if you own every book in minty fresh condition.

....

and back in 1985. Gyor get out of bathroom. it is your turn. make out with your girlfriend after we leave for the night.
Jester David shut off HBO it you have already seen "Empire strikes back" 41 times. "but this be 42!" whines jester.
Jasper put down the xbabies comic.
Morrus put down your Biology book! "but I have to study for my pop test on Monday. Mr. Sanders always gives pop tests on Mondays with an odd number."
....
I say I say I do believe ccs rolled an 1 on his insight roll.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

I think that in some cases that using Electronic tools to facilitate your game and using pirated materials are two different things. I dont run 5E, but in the game that I do run using electronic tools to facilitate my game in the form of the ability to quickly access rules material is a BOON and not a distraction. I find that extremes at either end (ALL ELECTRONICS ALL THE TIME!!!! or No electronics at all because...REASONS) and are simply games that I'm glad I'm not part of.

I know that as a GM setting up / prepping my games (even when I'm using pre-written adventures, which if I'm being honest I'm doing mostly these days) having electronic versions and access to PDF's are invaluable to me. Between HERO LAB and having access to an SRD online from my phone, tablet or desktop it's made it amazingly easy to prep for my games. I could honestly say that I dont know if I'd still be playing my preferred RPG's without these tools.

I'm also going to go on record and say that any issue with electronic distractions and players is more likely an issue with the player than the electronics. Even before the advent of smartphones, there were people reading at the table, knitting and sewing at the table, fumbling about with dice and/or painting miniatures. I've had ALL of those players at one point or another. As long as they're aware enough of the situation going on at the present, I've got no problem with it. It's when you havent been paying attention and I have to repeat myself because of it? That's when we are going to have an issue. Premptive micromanaging or control of other people is something I'm not a big fan of as a gamer or a human being though. You usually get one or two chances, after that you probably wont be invited back to our table.

 

[schnee]

Everyone at our table owns the PHB.

DMs also own DMG and Monster Manual.

We have 3 DMs, so we trade off on buying other stuff, like supplements or campaigns.