D&D 5E Player's Handbook Binding

[Xenu]

You are definitely welcome! That looks really sweet! What kind of covers did you get? I printed my cover pages and then just had the printer put a clear plastic cover as the front page and a heavy black cardstock for the back page. I initially tried to get my covers printed at OfficeMax which they did... until I went to pick them up and they said they couldn't give them to me because of the "(R)" trademark designation. *GRUMBLE*

...and yeah, it's pretty nice to be able to let the thing lie flat. The separation also rocks. The guys in my group are always asking for "the spellbook".

 

[Nilonym]

The covers are some kind of glossy cardstock. Very nice actually. I'll ask my print shop for the exact spec. I also used heavy black cardstock for the back. My only wish is that the PNGs were 300 dpi instead of 90. I don't have software that can open SVG so I wasn't able to render them out at higher res.

I hadn't even thought about the ®. This unquestionably falls into the personal use category. I used a local print shop instead of a big chain so they didn't bat an eye.

Have you considered doing something similar for the DMG or MM? It feels strange to take a perfectly good book, rip it apart, and rebind it, but seriously, it's just so much better this way.

 

[guachi]

Hmm... Hmm... I think I like your idea.

I have a ton of pdfs I've purchased from dndclassics. I can print them in color at work and eventually I'm going to to bind them because of how useful it is to have a paper copy that lays flat easily.

Of course, with a wrecked Player's Handbook I already have a paper copy. Do any of you have opinions on comb binding, which I was going to choose for the pdfs, and spiral binding, which you've done in the picture?

EDIT: Apparently I'm blind. Where did you guys get the images from that you used?

 

[Xenu]

The covers are some kind of glossy cardstock. Very nice actually. I'll ask my print shop for the exact spec. I also used heavy black cardstock for the back. My only wish is that the PNGs were 300 dpi instead of 90. I don't have software that can open SVG so I wasn't able to render them out at higher res.

I hadn't even thought about the ®. This unquestionably falls into the personal use category. I used a local print shop instead of a big chain so they didn't bat an eye.

Have you considered doing something similar for the DMG or MM? It feels strange to take a perfectly good book, rip it apart, and rebind it, but seriously, it's just so much better this way.

I wish I could have improved the resolution -- but that was really governed by the original images I snagged.

I agree about the personal use thing. It wasn't like I was printing more than one copy of each page for some sort of mass counterfeiting operation.

I've not considered doing this to the DMG or MM. I really reference the PH more than the MM. Not sure what kind of use the DMG will be getting.

 

[Xenu]

EDIT: Apparently I'm blind. Where did you guys get the images from that you used?

I scoured Google images and DeviantArt for those images. If I had access to even higher resolutions of each one, I'm sure I could redo the image files at a higher DPI.

Additionally, the original SVGs I used can be opened by the Open Source program Inkscape.... so just about anyone else could do the same thing.

 

[painted_klown]

Seeing these reports really makes me paranoid about picking up the physical copies of the new D&D books. I am SUPER excited to jump an and start playing, but not being experienced, I will need to use all of these books rather heavily. I am just worried that I will plunk down my money, and end up with a bad copy.

I guess the real issues are "How widespread are the binding & printing issues?" and have WOTC taken steps to improve quality control in light of all the bad copies going out?

Also, is this an issue with ONLY the PHB? Do issues extend to the MM and DMG as well?

 

[wedgeski]

I guess the real issues are "How widespread are the binding & printing issues?" and have WOTC taken steps to improve quality control in light of all the bad copies going out?

If you're really worried about (what I'm sure is) a very minor problem, then finding a game store that stocks the books and having a fondle before you buy them (so to speak) should ease your worries. FWIW, I have two copies of everything, reasonably well used by now, and they're holding up perfectly.

At some point you're going to have to stop dipping your toe in the water and dive in.

 

[Queer Venger]

I wonder if the PHB now entering its 2nd print run will fix some of these binding issues? My PHB is holding up great, but then again I take good care of my books around the game table.

 

[Nilonym]

I wouldn't worry too much. My son has a PHB from a later print run and it's holding up fine. My MM has held up after heavy use as well. WotC has stated the problem was isolated to the first PH print run, and that certainly gels with my experience.

 

[painted_klown]

Thanks for the info all.

Does the inside of PHB tell you what printing they are on?

Maybe this was an issue confined to a batch of 1st printing only? From the sound of it, I think should be pretty safe though.