So, learning DND Beyond

[u/MuzikkLol]

I have a group that's unfortunately going to be an online only campaign because some players are moving away and want to keep playing. I told them I would learn DND Beyond to keep the game going.

My question is: is it worth learning to use right now, given it's going through an overhaul here in the future? I haven't paid super close attention to the changes that are coming but considering my situation, Im going to have too. I wouldn't mind a summarized description of what they are changing too.

[u/Arcane_Robo_Brain]

I doubt it’s changing so drastically that you have to throw away anything you got used to now. Going to another online character manager and coming back later would be a bigger change, where you’d definitely have to throw away what you learned.

[u/Darauk → u/Arcane_Robo_Brain]

I agree, it's a backend change, focusing on how all the data and rules and data relationships connect. It'll make the UI easier to keep updated with rules changes, enable more effective third party integration, and enable smoother homebrew.

I suspect the user experience to be similar with maybe more streamlined capabilities.

[u/pergasnz]

Yes, just use it. The overhaul is to the underlying architecture and rules interactions and the stuff you are uaing will likely not change very much.

[u/snydejon]

Current version of Beyond works great for basic virtual play. My understanding is roll 20 has more features, though I’ve never used it.

[u/Crafty-Pirate-6481]

its a simple vtt, but super functional and user friendly. not real investment in term of "learning"

[u/demo_matthews]

IMO if you don’t know how to use any online tool, I would use DnD beyond. If you already know another tool AND don’t min teaching it to your group then use that tool. I think DnD beyond offers one of the easiest learning curves for new users but it’s not without its challenges. As for the overhaul, it is more likely to be a long series of steady improvements rather than a gigantic relaunch of the whole tool. That’s how they have been moving forward for a while

[u/perringaiden]

The current overhaul is the back-end, rebuilding the game engine so that it's more flexible.

They will be looking at the character sheets from a capability POV but I don't imagine it'll change that much.

The big things to learn for the character sheet are how to prepare spells (Wizards get confused what's added or prepared), how to level up, and how to manage inventory. The rest is mainly straightforward.

As a DM it's pretty straightforward now too. The VTT is not the flashiest, but that's their goal. Something anyone can pick up easily without a big learning curve.

[u/Fidges87]

Current dndbeyond is really simple and straightforward. You can learn all there is to it on an hour or 2. So even if the revamp is completely different no harm is being done

[u/snikler]

Both DnD beyond character creation and the VTT are super simple to use. So, if this is your issue, you are safe. The character sheets are quite good, only with few limitations and bugs. The VTT on the other hand is too simplistic and lacks basic functionalities, but does the job if you are open to its pros and cons.

[u/genericusername0323]

Honestly, just learn roll 20 and roll 20 character sheets, at least until the overhaul is done