FGU Standard - is it still useful?

[Minty23185Fresh]

I belong to another gaming group that does not use Fantasy Grounds. They want a more “minis in a 3D world” view than FG provides. They use D&D Beyond as their game manager.

D&D Beyond allows collective sharing of content. Each of the other players owns some book or books and shares their individual content with all the other players. And it matters not whether they do or do not attend every session.

The point being, WotC is allowing a collective sharing of there content (managed by D&D Beyond). And this has been this way for some time (prior to DDB’s acquisition by WotC).

So there’s hope!

[Moon Wizard]

So, on DDB, you're saying that someone with all the content can join your group for one session, and then your group has all the books forever? That seems like a bit of a loophole...

Regards,
JPG

[kronovan]

So, on DDB, you're saying that someone with all the content can join your group for one session, and then your group has all the books forever? That seems like a bit of a loophole...

Not exactly, but as long as you're a member of a D&DB host's group, you have access to all their digital content. I still have access to all the books for 2 campaigns I haven't played in for well over a year -including homebrewed content. That's because the 2 DM's don't feel a need to terminate my membership due to the generous sharing terms. Last time I checked, it was about 60 books I can access. IMO it's worth SmiteWorks keeping in mind, that D&DB via the Beyond 20 browser extension, makes it the VTT client for 2 of the bestselling VTTs. After installing that extension every roll you need to make can be done from your D&DB character sheet. About a year ago I concluded playing in an Eberron campaign where the DM didn't own a single book for their VTT - only needed the VTT for hosting and some image sharing. Meanwhile, with us players exclusively playing and managing our PCs from D&DB, as members of his group we had ever book we could ever want. In my other D&DB campaign with lots of homebrew, the DM wanted to do much more with maps, so he bought a full featured VTT for $50 that had an impressive array of LOS and lighting features.

Otherwise, comparing FGU to D&DB is like comparing apples to oranges. I personally don't see where it satisfies the need for playing with 3d Minis, because other than Beyond20's ability to connect it to 3rd party VTTs, it doesn't have any VTT capabilities. Unless that reference was to using D&DB to support playing IRL around a table. Which gets a "you don't say, no kidding!" from me, considering that's what it was designed for in the 1st place. D&DB does also have a quality Discord integration BOT(called AVRAE), which is a terrific tool for DMs and players that want to run things TOTM. That said, if D&D 5e isn't your cup of tea, D&DB won't do anything to scratch your TTRPG itch.

[Minty23185Fresh]

Otherwise, comparing FGU to D&DB is like comparing apples to oranges.

Agreed.

I personally don't see where it satisfies the need for playing with 3d Minis, because other than Beyond20's ability to connect it to 3rd party VTTs, it doesn't have any VTT capabilities.

Sorry I wasn’t very concise. I wasn’t trying to imply that. “Talespire” is the software they’re using for minis on 3D maps. Personally I despise it, but I want to play with that group of individuals.

[kronovan]

Sorry I wasn’t very concise. I wasn’t trying to imply that. “Talespire” is the software they’re using for minis on 3D maps. Personally I despise it, but I want to play with that group of individuals.

OK cool, I now see what you were saying. I can see where 3D VTT tools like Talespire or Tabletop Simulator could be good fits for groups that are also heavily invested in D&DB and want 3D minis and terrain. Were my players and I more into map encounters and 3D, I'd probably use the AVRAE BOT to support making rolls from the D&DB PC sheet and keep all voicechat and dice roll results in Discord. That way if players wanted to take a break from 3D map encounters, they could always do some quality TOTM in Discord.