Over the lifespan of D&D 5th edition Wizards of the Coast released dozens of sourcebooks including new races, subclasses, spells, backgrounds, and feats. Allowing access to all features from all sources for every campaign can result in strange character combinations fitting no particular theme and create weird game-stressing results at the table. The expansion of materials leads to players choosing the same optimal selections regardless of the direction a campaign takes (I'm looking at you, Toll the Dead) .
Limiting sources lets you focus a campaign around a theme. For a draconic-focused campaign you might limit sources to the Player's Handbook and Fizban's Treasury of Dragons. For a more gothic horror-focused campaign you might add Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. However not every sourcebook fits in every campaign.
D&D Beyond's Limitations
D&D Beyond doesn't do a good job of limiting sources or identifying where material comes from. If a player owns a particular sourcebook, the options from that sourcebook appear in the character builder even if a DM limits sources in the campaign manager.
The character builder itself has limited functions to filter out Magic: The Gathering and Critical Role content but books it considers "core" sources (I don't know whats included in that category) are always available if a player owns them. Thus, if a player owns Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, all options from that book show up.
Even though the introductions of many of these supplemental D&D books state that their rules are optional and at the DM's discretion, D&D Beyond includes them automatically regardless of what you select in the character builder.
Thus, if we want to limit source material (and I argue we do), it's up to us to communicate clearly to our players how to choose from limited options.
During our session zero we want to clarify which sources are allowed, which sources are not, and how to use D&D Beyond with these limitations in mind. Here's an example list we might offer to players during our session zero of a dragon-themed campaign:
- This campaign uses a limited set of character options from specific sourcebooks. We do not use every option available in D&D Beyond.
- Races for this campaign include those in the Player's Handbook and those in Fizban's Treasury of Dragons.
- Character options and spells for this campaign can be selected from the Player's Handbook,, Xanathar's Guide to Everything, and Fizban's Treasury of Dragons. We also use the "Customizing Your Origin," "Changing Your Skill," "Changing Your Subclass," and the "Optional Class Features" from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (but not its subclasses or most of its spells).
- We'll replace the Players Handbook "conjure" spells with the Tasha's "summon" spells.
- Please note that D&D Beyond doesn't clearly display which options are from which sources. There's no good way to limit sources in D&D Beyond. Thus, pay careful attention to which races, subclasses, spells, and feats you select and ensure they're coming from the sources above.
- When selecting features, look up subclasses, spells, and feats from the sourcebooks above. Don't browse options in the character builder. It displays every option available and doesn't make it clear where a source came from.
- Likewise the "Game Rules" links often show all available sources such as every subclass for a given class. Instead, read the sourcebooks mentioned above under "sources."
- Once you've selected the features you want from the sourcebooks directly, select those options in the character builder.
Here's a potential shorter explanation suitable for a one-page campaign guide:
This campaign uses limited sources. When using D&D Beyond, ensure you browse and select options from the sourcebook directly before choosing options in the character builder. The character builder does not filter out options from other sourcebooks.
Selecting from limited options in D&D Beyond is an arduous process but without a good way to filter sources, we have to work with our players to help them select only the features available in the sources we want for our campaign.
You might ask again if it's worth the trouble to limit sources in your campaign. I argue it is. Limitations fuel creativity. Selecting specific sourcebooks lets every campaign we run feel different from the others, with new and often undervalued options available to players who might otherwise focus on the most optimal options regardless of the theme of the campaign.
With some work on our part and that of our players, we can weave a rich tapestry of unique campaigns we run for years to come.
More Sly Flourish Stuff
This week I posted a couple of YouTube videos on The Idol of Unduluk – Shadowdark Gloaming Session 3 Lazy GM Prep and Choosing Perfect Monsters.
Last Week's Lazy RPG Talk Show Topics
Each week I record an episode of the Lazy RPG Talk Show (also available as a podcast) in which I talk about all things in tabletop RPGs. Here are last week's topics with time stamped links to the YouTube video:
- 2024 Players Handbook Playtest 7
- I Hate Counterspell
- Side Quests and NPC Decks by Inkwell Ideas
- Demiplane Gets 5e Content
- Adventure Pitfalls -- Where Do Our Games Fail to Be Fun?
- The Lazy RPG Talk Show Database
- Baldur's Gate 3 Ability Checks
Patreon Questions and Answers
Also on the Talk Show, I answer questions from Sly Flourish Patreons. Here are last week's questions and answers:
- Does Baldur's Gate 3 Match the D&D Experience?
- Fudging Monster Stats Feels Bad
- Tips for Rules Versus Rulings in OSR Games
- Only Using Half of your Prep Notes
RPG Tips
Each week I think about what I learned in my last RPG session and write them up as D&D tips. Here are this week's tips:
- Build big scenes involving combat, exploration, and roleplaying all mashed together.
- Think about your dungeons in three dimensions. What's above and what's below?
- Throw in lots of extra monsters and let your characters get away with all sorts of shenanigans.
- Let players hurl bad guys off of cliffs.
- Provoke opportunity attacks.
- Are your characters particularly powerful? Throw more monsters at them.
- Avoid stereotypical intelligent creatures. Derro aren't "crazy", they see multiple worlds simultaneously!
Related Articles
- Ask Players to Describe New Character Abilities
- Twenty Things to Do Instead of Checking Social Media
- Focus Your Campaign
Get More from Sly Flourish
Buy Sly Flourish's Books
- Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
- Lazy DM's Companion
- Lazy DM's Workbook
- Forge of Foes
- Fantastic Lairs
- Ruins of the Grendleroot
- Fantastic Adventures
- Fantastic Locations
Have a question or want to contact me? Check out Sly Flourish's Frequently Asked Questions.