Who spends more money on the game? Players or DM's?

[Henry]

I'd say that over the past year, the other players have spent more than me. Now, typically, I buy the miniatures and bring the Battlemat; they bring the books. A lot of the game books I've gotten to look at lately have been because I borrowed them from one of the players. They love picking up the new feats, prestige classes, magic items, etc. and using them in games, hence their increased purchases over the past six months we've been running my rather "open-book" Eberron game.

 

[DestroyYouAlot]

In the group I run for, I'm out-spent by at least half the players, and I outspend the other half, but there's "extenuating circumstances".

As I've mentioned elsewhere, we're all "leftovers" from previous editions, and we range in age from 21 to mid-forties. First off, I'm broke, and I don't mean a little bit - my fiance and I both have bills and credit piled up from ten years before we knew each other, and I have very little disposable income. (I've probably spent $75 on gaming this year, and most of that is old FR supplements off of eBay. I'm WotC's worst nightmare. ) I've got a sizable RPG collection, but at least half of it is left over from when I was a kid and could mail my paycheck directly to TSR on friday. Pete's a vet from OD&D, and has never actually played 2e - he went straight from 1e to Glorantha / BRP, and never looked back until 3e came around. He's also got a wife and kid, and a house to look after, so he's got little need to buy new books and not much money to do it with, either. Ryan just doesn't care, he bought a PHB and dice when I roped him back into the hobby, and the AEG "Wilds" book because he plays a ranger, and that's all he needs.

The other guys a) still live at home (well, Brandon lives at Fort Benning, now, but that's beside the point), and b) run and play multiple game systems, so they all spend tons of cash on books, and Brandon's got enough plastic D&D figs to choke a mule (which is nice for me, as I get to use them).

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

I guess it would depend on the group and the Dm. When im the DM im easily the person who spends the most on games.
With the ecxpetion of this (though my b-day and x-mas will make up for what i havent got yet) year i usually purcahse at least one WOTC book a month, 3-4 non wotc in October.

My group in the last 4 years hasnt purchased more than 10 books while i was DMing.

 

[Wombat]

GMs, hands down.

I have met a few player "completists" (someone who needs every book connected with a given system), but a heck of a lot of GMs with that monkey on their back

Besides, between adventure modules and supplements that realistically only aid the GM, there is more that caters to the Behind The Screens brigade...

 

[cmanos]

the one who outspends is the one with the most money to spend.

In general...the DM spends more money. Then again, powergamers who need every book to get just the right feats to make their uber-L20 character, tend to outspend even the DM.

 

[KB9JMQ]

Before my current group the players I DMed only had PHBs.
My current group includes another couple whom DM so they have about 75% of the books I have and two of the other players have the core books and 3-4 more.
I have nearly all the books, nearly all the D&D Minis, tubs of dice, we game at my house at on a giant dry-erase table I made with a raised area for minis on Tac-Tiles I own. I also provide drinks in a mini-fridge just for gaming.
My group brings snacks all the time and meals occasionaly so I don't see it as I spend more than them. The biggest thing is since we always play at my house I don't have to haul 3 kids with me (they can be at home and play with their toys) or hire a babysitter. I cannot put a price on that convience.

 

[Odhanan]

I'm the one spending the most money on game books and accessories at our game table, but I'm not the only one to DM, so that poll's off to me. In terms of rewards though, I think the DM can be proud of an entertaining session at least as much as the players would be, depending on individual investment in the game.

 

[Goblyn]

I and my group are more casual gamers, and for the most part few buy anything. We play mostly core-only, as they are all brand new to 3e, if not PnP RPGs altogether.

Recently, it has been the players shelling out more than than I(the DM), but it's just been dice and minis.

 

[JoeGKushner]

the one who outspends is the one with the most money to spend.

Not true by a longshot. I've got friends who'll spend $50 bones on a haircut and $100 on a shirt without blinking and balk at a $30 hardcover book.

The most money to spent doesn't necessarily match the priority to spend it on D&D stuff.

 

[DragonLancer]

Just from your groups experiences over the years, who spends more money relevant to your campaigns? DM's or players?

IMX its me, as DM, who sepends the most. But then I have yet to have a player who bought anything other than the PHB (which I'm also thankful for).