How much stuff do your players buy?
There's two types of players in my group.
One group buys almost every book. Almost all players in that group are former DMs.
The other group hardly ever buys books. They eventually accumulate several of them, because they make good presents
All players have their own dice and minis, though.
One group buys almost every book. Almost all players in that group are former DMs.
The other group hardly ever buys books. They eventually accumulate several of them, because they make good presents
All players have their own dice and minis, though.
Dragonbait
Explorer
I am a GM and a player. I blow a lot of money on games and miniatures.
In my main group, there are 7 people. When we played 3E: I buy all the books, minis, etc. (I have a spending problem, I think) 2 buy an assortment of books (10+) and the occasional miniature. 1 of the players have the core rules and 1 to 3 other books. 2 of the players just have the Player's Handbook. One of the players has a folder with the SRD and a plethora of information. THe 4E books and Keep on the Shadowfell were the first D&D products he has ever purchased.
4E has come out, and all but one has the Player's Handbook. The one that does not will be purchasing the book soon
In my main group, there are 7 people. When we played 3E: I buy all the books, minis, etc. (I have a spending problem, I think) 2 buy an assortment of books (10+) and the occasional miniature. 1 of the players have the core rules and 1 to 3 other books. 2 of the players just have the Player's Handbook. One of the players has a folder with the SRD and a plethora of information. THe 4E books and Keep on the Shadowfell were the first D&D products he has ever purchased.
4E has come out, and all but one has the Player's Handbook. The one that does not will be purchasing the book soon
IME, most players buy the bare minimum they can to run what they like.
The guys in my current game group who are just players buy the PHB and maybe a splatbook or two, like CompWar for guys who prefer warrior types, arcanist players pick up CompArc & CompMage, or the like- not all of them.
Those of us who also DM will buy a broader selection, but generally still close to the minimum of what they need. Usually, that means selections from a single setting- like FR- or something that has good mechanics of which they've been informed- like AU/AE, Midnight 2Ed, or the like.
Me?
I'm the "librarian." Lots of games on my shelves, plus lots of supplements for each game.
The guys in my current game group who are just players buy the PHB and maybe a splatbook or two, like CompWar for guys who prefer warrior types, arcanist players pick up CompArc & CompMage, or the like- not all of them.
Those of us who also DM will buy a broader selection, but generally still close to the minimum of what they need. Usually, that means selections from a single setting- like FR- or something that has good mechanics of which they've been informed- like AU/AE, Midnight 2Ed, or the like.
Me?
I'm the "librarian." Lots of games on my shelves, plus lots of supplements for each game.
SavageRobby
First Post
My players typically only buy the rulebook, if even that. (I have five extra copies of the rulebook, so they don't have to if they don't want to.) They are supposed to supply their own dice, and some bring over their own drinks.
Other than that, I usually supply rulebooks, setting books, modules, terrain, minis, extra dice, init cards, adventure cards, item cards and pencils. Our other DM supplies his setting materials and modules, and usually I supply the rest. (Always makes for an interesting pregame packing session. )
Usually whoever hosts (we play at one of 3 locations) has sodas, coffee and food/snacks available (and folks often bring these as well, especially on wine/truffle nights).
Note: We don't play D&D, we play Savage Worlds, so the rulebook is only $10. When we played 3x, though, only some of the players bought a PHB. I'm not sure what we'd do if we decided to play another system - at least one that wasn't already on my shelf.
Other than that, I usually supply rulebooks, setting books, modules, terrain, minis, extra dice, init cards, adventure cards, item cards and pencils. Our other DM supplies his setting materials and modules, and usually I supply the rest. (Always makes for an interesting pregame packing session.
)Usually whoever hosts (we play at one of 3 locations) has sodas, coffee and food/snacks available (and folks often bring these as well, especially on wine/truffle nights).
Note: We don't play D&D, we play Savage Worlds, so the rulebook is only $10. When we played 3x, though, only some of the players bought a PHB. I'm not sure what we'd do if we decided to play another system - at least one that wasn't already on my shelf.
(Psi)SeveredHead
Adventurer
My group is so DM-heavy that many DMs buy stuff for their own games.
However, PCs rarely buy stuff... and that just happens to be the way I like it. (Much of the stuff I buy as a DM is solely for campaign building. I don't care if the book has 20 PrCs in it, I might like one that I might consider asking another DM to use.) I don't want to be pressured to put something in my game just because a player spend $40 on a splatbook.
However, PCs rarely buy stuff... and that just happens to be the way I like it. (Much of the stuff I buy as a DM is solely for campaign building. I don't care if the book has 20 PrCs in it, I might like one that I might consider asking another DM to use.) I don't want to be pressured to put something in my game just because a player spend $40 on a splatbook.
theredrobedwizard
Explorer
Wow. People have groups where the players don't even buy their own dice? Wow. Just... wow.
For the record, we're playing 4e. We have three couples and four singles in two groups (with some overlap). At this point, everyone has bought the PHB. About half are planning on buying the 4e FR Player's Guide, and all four players with martial characters (out of both groups) are planning on picking up Martial Power. When I informed them about the forthcoming Power Cards, there was a collective "Woo!" shouted round the table.
Then again, after totaling up the combined MSRPs of all the gaming books/boxed sets our group owns (not including minis/dice/battle mats/etc), we came up with a figure somewhere around $15,000. This is going back to 1st edition, with an average in our group of 29. [If we included gaming accoutrements, the figure is quite a bit higher; somewhere in the $20k-$25k range.]
So, yeah. I really can't fathom the idea of a group of players where only the DM owns books and some people don't even own their own dice.
-TRRW
(edit: For the record, we all have salaries strictly in the Lower Middle Class range; so it's not like we're all trust-fund kids with too much money. We just don't spend money on booze or cigarettes or drugs or any of the other things that rob us of precious gaming moneys.)
For the record, we're playing 4e. We have three couples and four singles in two groups (with some overlap). At this point, everyone has bought the PHB. About half are planning on buying the 4e FR Player's Guide, and all four players with martial characters (out of both groups) are planning on picking up Martial Power. When I informed them about the forthcoming Power Cards, there was a collective "Woo!" shouted round the table.
Then again, after totaling up the combined MSRPs of all the gaming books/boxed sets our group owns (not including minis/dice/battle mats/etc), we came up with a figure somewhere around $15,000. This is going back to 1st edition, with an average in our group of 29. [If we included gaming accoutrements, the figure is quite a bit higher; somewhere in the $20k-$25k range.]
So, yeah. I really can't fathom the idea of a group of players where only the DM owns books and some people don't even own their own dice.
-TRRW
(edit: For the record, we all have salaries strictly in the Lower Middle Class range; so it's not like we're all trust-fund kids with too much money. We just don't spend money on booze or cigarettes or drugs or any of the other things that rob us of precious gaming moneys.)
I DM, and own the majority of the 3.5 books... and I expect I'll end up owning the majority of the 4E books as well.
Of the other folks I play with... the ones who DM regularly tend to have the majority of the books, or have ready access to em (since the majority have been college students, this includes anything the gaming club has, or things other members have).
Among the people who just play and don't DM, I'd say the vast majority have had their own dice. Maybe half have had their own PHBs, while a growing number over the last year used the SRD for character creation, leveling, and looking up PHB spells.
Very few have anything beyond the PHB... but those who do tended to have the majority of the 3.5 books. These were folks who, at least when I gamed with them, did not DM.
Only one person I've played with has a significant number of minis... he, however, has what I can only refer to as a metric crapton. And plenty of other mini-oriented stuff. Personally, I don't have anything for minis or battlemats - either I'm gaming with the guy who has everything, a group that doesn't tend to use minis, or we're playing online. I could see picking up a battlemat if I was in a group that wanted to use one, but I'm more likely to use coins, dice, and bottlecaps than invest in minis.
Of the other folks I play with... the ones who DM regularly tend to have the majority of the books, or have ready access to em (since the majority have been college students, this includes anything the gaming club has, or things other members have).
Among the people who just play and don't DM, I'd say the vast majority have had their own dice. Maybe half have had their own PHBs, while a growing number over the last year used the SRD for character creation, leveling, and looking up PHB spells.
Very few have anything beyond the PHB... but those who do tended to have the majority of the 3.5 books. These were folks who, at least when I gamed with them, did not DM.
Only one person I've played with has a significant number of minis... he, however, has what I can only refer to as a metric crapton. And plenty of other mini-oriented stuff. Personally, I don't have anything for minis or battlemats - either I'm gaming with the guy who has everything, a group that doesn't tend to use minis, or we're playing online. I could see picking up a battlemat if I was in a group that wanted to use one, but I'm more likely to use coins, dice, and bottlecaps than invest in minis.
Mark
CreativeMountainGames.com
A lot but we all have other groups we game with at various times. For our own game, everyone owns the core books and a few other bits and pieces, including minis and whatnot. It's a quality group and people regularly take turns either treating on the pizza and such like that.
