Boxed Campaign Settings

[Nemesis Destiny]

I understand and respect the desires of the "no box" crowd; they take up space, they have a bunch of crap not everyone wants, and in the case of UK (and Canada!) more taxes is never fun at the cash register.

That said, just because some don't want tokens and whatnot, doesn't mean everyone is going to run out and buy minis and dungeon tiles (much as some of us would like to). They take up even more space, and cost lots and lots of money to build a decent collection.

Solution: they should sell a bare book, but also the "deluxe edition" box that includes all the goodies.

 

[AlioTheFool]

I understand and respect the desires of the "no box" crowd; they take up space, they have a bunch of crap not everyone wants, and in the case of UK (and Canada!) more taxes is never fun at the cash register.

That said, just because some don't want tokens and whatnot, doesn't mean everyone is going to run out and buy minis and dungeon tiles (much as some of us would like to). They take up even more space, and cost lots and lots of money to build a decent collection.

Solution: they should sell a bare book, but also the "deluxe edition" box that includes all the goodies.

Actually, and it's my own fault for not being as clear as I should have, that's exactly what I want. The boxes are great for those who like them, and I see no reason to take them away from those that do. I would simply like the option to purchase the book on its own without the additional components.

Sorry, for my lack of clarity earlier.

 

[moxcamel]

I understand and respect the desires of the "no box" crowd; they take up space, they have a bunch of crap not everyone wants, and in the case of UK (and Canada!) more taxes is never fun at the cash register.

That said, just because some don't want tokens and whatnot, doesn't mean everyone is going to run out and buy minis and dungeon tiles (much as some of us would like to). They take up even more space, and cost lots and lots of money to build a decent collection.

Solution: they should sell a bare book, but also the "deluxe edition" box that includes all the goodies.

After having voiced my support for the "pro-box" crowd, I do have to admit that boxes do have their downsides, space being chief amongst them. I'm looking at my limited amount of book shelf space (that I have to share with the wife), and realize that I will probably have to (shudder!) break the box down and just keep the books. Or get rid of some books, and that pretty much aint happening.

 

[Shadowslayer]

I like box sets as long as they don't go overboard with them and keep cranking them out like they did in the 2e days.

My ideal box set would have a region, not an entire campaign setting. It would contain

-A Gazetteer style book outlining locations of note, as well as NPC factions and a couple towns/cities laid out. (sort of like a super-sized version of the Hammerfast/Vor Rukoth books.)
-A monster/threats book.
-An adventure.
-Maybe a couple sheets of pogs for new monsters.
-A half size poster map of the region (like the ones they did in the Wilderlands set)
-A battlemap (double sided) that would give some generic terrain particular to the region. (Forest/desert/swamp/what have you)

If they did it this way, I'd think it would be important to keep each box set seperate from the last one. So If I want to place the region of Shadowslayerovia right next to the Nentir Vale, I can....but I don't have to. The new setting could be on the other side of the continent, on an island, or in a different world altogether.

I'd be trying to avoid anything becoming canon I guess is what I mean. I always hated that about the Realms or any other campaign world. Sure the DM is free to make it his own, and they always tell you that....but then he runs the problem of doing more explaining of what's not there, rather than what is. I really like the way they've been basically vague about what's around the Nentir Vale. I hope they keep doing that.

 

[Jhaelen]

I understand why they're doing it, but I prefer hardcover books to box sets. They take up more space and don't age as well.

 

[Shadowslayer]

I understand why they're doing it, but I prefer hardcover books to box sets. They take up more space and don't age as well.

Funny. My favorite box set of all time is still the Wilderlands of High Fantasy done for 3e. The box is long gone, the maps are laminated and in a folder, and the 2 books are on my bookshelf.

My 2e FR box set (not a great product, but a sentimental fave) has all the books and maps from it, plus the books and maps for my old grey box, plus a couple of FR regional sourcebooks. (that 2e FR set had a nice deep box)

I mean, if you're a stickler for keeping the box then yeah....I guess they take up a lot of space. I guess I just liooked at it as buying what's in the box, and not the box itself.

Although I have to say I do like what they did with the Master Tileset boxes. Those I'll be keeping.

 

[hutchback]

The box is long gone, the maps are laminated and in a folder, and the 2 books are on my bookshelf...

I mean, if you're a stickler for keeping the box then yeah....I guess they take up a lot of space. I guess I just liooked at it as buying what's in the box, and not the box itself.

Although I have to say I do like what they did with the Master Tileset boxes. Those I'll be keeping.

Got the monster vault. Sorted the tokens into a Plano Box, put the adventure and map in a binder, and the book on the shelf.

The box? its full of older sets of dungeon tiles.

I love the box sets and plan on buying more.

 

[Scribble]

Love me some boxed sets!

I'm realy liking what they're doing with the boxed sets. Especially all the stuff you get in them.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Please WotC, provide the books to us without all the additional stuff. I don't need tokens or maps. I have enough minis and dungeon tiles.

They do provide you with just the book info without all the additional stuff. It's called the Monster Builder.

 

[AlioTheFool]

They do provide you with just the book info without all the additional stuff. It's called the Monster Builder.

You could make that argument for the two Monster Vault books, but not really for the other stuff coming. I'm actually a fan of fluff anyway, so I want the books over just stat blocks in the Monster Builder. I just don't need or want any of that additional stuff and I don't like having to pay for things I'll never use, like monster tokens.

Speaking of monster tokens, I said above that I have enough minis, but that statement is incomplete and doesn't reflect exactly how I feel. What I should have wrote was: I have enough minis that I'll never need to use a cardboard token, but I do still want more miniatures.

What it really comes down to is that while I really would like to buy certain products on the roadmap this year, I can't justify paying an additional $10 for things like cardboard tokens that I won't have any use for.