D&D 5E Book of Many Things pre order up.

[Parmandur]

TBoMT deck seems priced in line with other products of its type.

I was not aware that the deck included a side booklet. How I missed this in the product description is beyond me, oops. I've used the Deck of Many Things a lot in campaigns to varying results, usually bad, so this might actually be worth the money, as you said I'll wait a few months until the price drops and maybe buy it then.

"The Deck of Many Things Card Reference Guide (80-page hardcover)—Deck guidebook showcasing each card in the expanded deck and a variety of ways the deck can be used"

Yeah, the hardcover is full of D&D game stuff (Monsters, maps, items, etc.) thst tie yo the deck thematically, and the booklet is more focused on things you can do with the cards for fun and entertainment.

They get major kudos for product originality here, at the very least.

 

[R_J_K75]

the high cost of WotC books means that they are gouging

I don't think they are gouging, I'm sure they are suffering the same as everyone with inflation, supply chain, etc. while trying to turn a profit. Im not even saying that the price is unreasonable just that at the moment I'm not playing 5E and with the rising cost of everything I'm being more selective of what I buy between RPGs and other hobbies with my disposable income. I considered buying the Planescape slip case but decided that its likely something I would't use much if at all.

so the cost of books, print or digital, is basically a rounding error. The entertainment to cost ratio on them is fantastic.

Yeah I have books I bout 25-30 years ago that still get pulled out and used regularly

 

[R_J_K75]

They get major kudos for product originality here, at the very least.

I agree. I was under the impression that the deck was just a prop for the table, so I admit my judgement may have been a little hasty. Considering the previous descriptions of the deck says that the deck contains between 13-22 cards, 66 cards in this supplement seems like quite an expansion.

 

[SkidAce]

It's comparable to a fancy box of chocolates with elaborate packaging. You don't buy that for yourself, you buy yourself a bar of Fruit and Nut.

Wut?
...
I mean of course ....

 

[mamba]

Why would you doubt that? Christmas and birthday gifts for teens seems to be a huge part of their model. They put out a splashy release every year in November or December (this, Dragonlance board game book combo, Strixhaven, Tash's, Eberron, Ravnica, Xanathar's, Volo's, SCAG, tye DMG...)

I am not doubting that they sell books that are being used as xmas gifts, and the likelihood for the one released in November might even be higher than for ones released at another time of the year.

I just doubt that one book a year is specifically made to be an xmas gift, as the post I replied to said ((" This product is designed to be A CHRISTMAS GIFT."), rather than all books being xmas gifts for some, with the November release maybe being a bit more expensive with that in mind - like this year's Planescape set, or last year's Dragonlance bundle with the board game, while the adventure was available separately too.

I don't doubt that they count on it being sold as xmas presents, I just don't think it was specifically designed to be one.

 

[mamba]

. The point here seems to be to make the deck more than am in-game prompt: the side booklet has tables tonhelpnuse the cards to build an Adventure and Dungeon procedurally, for example

Wait, they have a leaflet with the deck, rather than having this in the book? Seems like an odd choice, on the other hand it might explain why they bundle it (or how it ends up being $40 for a card deck...)

EDIT: where do you get the 'build an adventure procedurally' from? I am not seeing that in the description

 

[R_J_K75]

I just doubt that one book a year is specifically made to be an xmas gift, as the post I replied to said ((" This product is designed to be A CHRISTMAS GIFT.")

I was taken aback at this too, as well as being told I missed the point. I don't doubt they some will be bought as CHRISTMAS GIFTS (has to be capitalized), and they may even sell more copies than if it were released at another time of the year.

 

[Parmandur]

Wait, they have a leaflet with the deck, rather than having this in the book? Seems like an odd choice, on the other hand it might explain why they bundle it (or how it ends up being $40 for a card deck...)

EDIT: where do you get the 'build an adventure procedurally' from? I am not seeing that in the description

Sorry, getting all these threads confused about different threads, that comes from their GenCon presentation, the hardcover ha all the D&D info, bit the 80 page softcover jas info on how tonphysically use the cards. major points:

• 50+ magic items (more than any book since the DMG)
• 30+ new Monsters
• locations and maps for many of the 66 cards
• fluff about the cosmic Fates behind the cards
• advice on ways to use the stuff in a game

a system to use the cards to build a whole Adventure procedurally

 

[Parmandur]

Wait, they have a leaflet with the deck, rather than having this in the book? Seems like an odd choice, on the other hand it might explain why they bundle it (or how it ends up being $40 for a card deck...)

EDIT: where do you get the 'build an adventure procedurally' from? I am not seeing that in the description

I haven't watched this video, but I was following Ted's tweets when he was at this presentation:

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This thing turned up into my campaign. It killed one character, and screwed up at least another player. By the end of the session, I had laid out a series of quests to undo the damage. By next session, I chalked the whole thing to a shared dream, and had the whole carnival disappear from town. I'm reluctant to let this deck into my game again .

I think we've all made this mistake. Now, I think the deck has to be the focal point of an adventure, or even a whole campaign, because of its potential to badly derail proceedings.