What do I need to purchase?

[stewartl42]

Looking to get into 5e. I'm planning on getting an ultimate license, so my players don't need to purchase their own copy.

It's confusing to me as far as what is included.

Do I need to purchase the 5e Class Pack/Monster pack? Or are these included in the Ultimate package? It says Ultimate "Included D&D (R) fifth edition ruleset (5E)" and "Included D&D (R) Fifth Edition Basic Rules and SRD 5 Content". Wouldn't that include classes/Monsters?

I'm planning on running Princes of the Apocalypse. Do I need the Book as well as the module?

Do the players need to purchase any of this stuff if they are going to be leveling/modifying characters while not connected?

[kylania]

The SRD included is basically a "demo" of the rules. It has a lot of them, but is missing a lot. It's enough to add on your own content but it's not really "the game". It does have some monsters and you can easily add your own.

I would highly suggest starting with the Core Class Pack, which is basically the Player's Handbook.

You don't need to buy the POTA module, but if you do EVERYTHING is ready to go for you. All the monsters and story entries and everything. While you could make it yourself, get the product and save you a ton of time. The module has all the text from the book.

If you have Ultimate your players need absolutely nothing, just a demo license really. I did the same for my group. They'll be able to view their characters snapshot while not connected to you but some changes won't be possible if they don't have the Core Class Pack. Best to just start up the game a little before the session so they can pop in and make changes.

So Core Class Pack + POTA would be a great start for you.

[Nylanfs]

Also Welcome to the community! <gives Kylania a look>

[stewartl42]

I would highly suggest starting with the Core Class Pack, which is basically the Player's Handbook.

So, if I wanted to run a homebrew campaign, I would need the Ultimate package, and the Classes and Monsters pack, unless I wanted to enter them myself, right?

What about the DMG, etc?

[Trenloe]

So, if I wanted to run a homebrew campaign, I would need the Ultimate package, and the Classes and Monsters pack, unless I wanted to enter them myself, right?
Correct.


What about the DMG, etc?
If you want content from the DMG easily accessible within FG (like all of the item tables) then you might want to get the DMG. See info here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/store/product.xcp?id=WOTC5EDMG

[Griogre]

Circling back to the original question, the 5E ruleset is the framework, the character sheet and its mechanics but *originally* without *any* WotC data. The Packs and DMG *are* WotC's licensed data.

Over time in addition to the data you can buy as a result of the license agreement Smiteworks has with WotC and the SRD, the 5E ruleset now also comes with *some* of WotC's intellectual property for free with the ruleset. This is:

1) The basic rules which is exactly like the free PDF download from WotC here: https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules (the info was originally sold for $3 but is now free).

2) All the material available through the SRD which is a subset of information available from the packs.

Thus there are layers of information available and depending on your financial situation a very large number of possible buy paths. The simplest, most complete and expensive is as mentioned above is to get the duplicates of all the physical books.

From the DM's point of view, to run an official module the only thing necessary is to get the adventure you want to run though since it contains everything the DM needs: Complete adventure text, maps and monsters.

For homebrew you most need the Monster Pack, then the DMG. With the SRD and basic rules there are also a large amount of complete and incomplete monster information available for free now.

The DMG is an odd duck. From a pure informational stand point you would mostly get it for magic items most of which are duplicated in the SRD. However, *this* is resource that is different from just being a mimic of the information in the physical book. Because all of the charts in the DMG are rollable in the FG module so the rolls are generated and resolved with a click or two. This may make this module *extremely* useful for a DM or have no impact at all. It's going to be more useful for homebrew, and even people who wouldn't usually use the DMG tables, may simply because its just one click to resolve everything.

Finally if you want to be nice to your players you could pick up a Player's Pack, but they can also buy and use either all or part of the Complete Player's pack or just fill things in by hand.

[JohnD]

Ask your players to ante up with a bit of support since it looks like you are talking on the complete burden here. Even $10 or $15 from each with be huge (and appropriate IMO).

[Zacchaeus]

Remember also that there is a subscription option for the ultimate license so you don't have to shell out a big fee up front. This might allow you to purchase some of the other source materials mentioned in the posts above. Personally as a DM I couldn't not have the whole PHB and DMG. Since I mostly only play published adventures I don't really need the MM but of course I have it anyway. :)

[Moepsii]

Iam running games fine with just the Class pack, the SRD update gave tons of monsters and making some espaciley if youre homebrew is easy enough.

[Trenloe]

As an example of manually entering data into FG: this video shows how you can manually enter an NPC in Fantasy Grounds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-POluSDHAc

[PopinFRESH]

...

Do the players need to purchase any of this stuff if they are going to be leveling/modifying characters while not connected?

Hello stewartl42,

Regarding this part of your OP, if the players want to have access to the level of automation and linked data of the class packs while NOT connected to your campaign they would need to purchase whatever content they would like to have access to locally on their own systems.

I would probably suggest that you purchase what you would like to have access to as a DM (IMHO the DMG, PHB (Complete Core Class Pack), and PotA modules are well worth the price) as well as the ultimate sub / license. The modules drastically reduce the amount of time and effort required from you as a DM to get things setup and ready to play, and if you don't already have the books the price is comparable. Doing this will allow your players to connect for the first few sessions and have access to everything you are sharing while you get started and get a feel for the system, if they like it and would like to continue while being able to create / manage their characters and have access to the PHB they can then choose to buy the Complete Core Class Pack (or just their class of choice if thats all the content they want).

If you do the Ultimate Sub for the first month + the Complete Core Class Pack and the campaign you are wanting to run, you'd be able to see if everyone likes it (very good chances you will) for $10 + $50 + $35 = $95. This would give you access to pretty much everything you'd need to run PotA with very little extra work on your part as a DM. Once everyone decides they wish to continue with FG then simply switch to an Ultimate license if you wish, and let the players buy the class packs / PHB Deluxe if they want. (My 2 cents)

Also, welcome to Fantasy Grounds!
-PopinFRESH