Buying WotC Products

[Ashanderai]

I buy mostly non-WotC stuff. In fact, I find that I buy less and less of their stuff over time compared to that of other companies. It usually depends on utility; can I use this or not? Is it original and interesting or not?

Serpent Kingdoms, no; Draconomicon, no (some day maybe); Planar Handbook, no; Epic Level Handbook, no; Manual of the Planes, no; Complete Warrior, yes; Complete Divine, maybe; Oriental Adventures, yes; Unearthed Arcana, yes; Expanded Psionics Handbook, yes; MMIII, yes; Frostburn, maybe; Eberron adventure, no; Libris Mortis, yes; Shining South, no; Serpent Kingdoms, no; Complete Arcane, maybe; etc.

Where as with third party publishers I will buy anything (or almost anything) to do with certain settings: I am buying anything to do with Arcana Unearthed (yep, every last shred I can find), most Malhavoc releases, almost all of the L5R d20 stuff (but not all), Dawnforge, Dragonstar, Fireborn (I think stuff for this setting will stay on my permanent must buy list), Stargate SG-1, almost all of the Babylon 5 stuff, a lot of Green Ronin material, Iron Kingdoms, almost all of the Swashbuckling Adventures/7th Sea material out there, Feng Shui, and the list goes on. (though not much further - I do have a budget with limits that are being overrun).

I just prefer more of the non-WotC material out there that is competing for my dollars; most of it looks more original or just plain more appealing to me than the WotC stuff. They seem to play it safe as far as content goes and I don't always like to choose "safe" or "sure-bet" material.

I wish WotC would do another supplement for oriental settings with less of a Rokugan emphasis. I would LOVE to see more oriental stuff out there besides Rokugan-based material. Oriental settings from third party publishers like Mindshadows, Jade and Steel, and Cathay: Jewel of the East were steps in the right direction, but we need more for those of us who like to run oriental campaigns. After all, how many occidental campaign settings are out there? A high number I am sure; especially compared to the oriental material. I know it is a niche within RPGs, but it deserves more attention than what it has.

 

[caudor]

I buy all D&D related WotC stuff except for minis. I also buy all the Kalamar and Ravenloft stuff (D&D name).

 

[Swiftbrook]

So I was wondering how many people, like me, buy about 90% or more of WotC's products (only D&D, not Star Wars or D20 modern), how many buy only what they think will interest them, and how many people are boycotting WotC, for one reason or another.

You should have made this a poll.


For me, I buy only what will interst me. No FR (I'm a Greyhawker), no monster books past MM1. I like the class books, but have skipped the race and environment books.

Ya, basically I pick and choose. If I had an everfull purse, I'd buy it all.

-Swiftbrook

 

[Christina]

I have the core books and maybe 3-5 other Wotc books. Wotc stuff just doesn't interest me. I think the third-party companies are much more creative. My money (when I have it) generally goes to support Green Ronin, Goodman Games, and Bastion Press. Atlas Games and Necromancer Games' products get my dollar vote, too.

I'm not boycotting Wotc; it's just that I'm not interested in what they are putting out. Other than the nice art, I just haven't been impressed with their books. Folks who just stick with Wotc are missing out on a lot of interesting books.

 

[Creamsteak]

I just had a sort of realization, I almost never buy books for "myself" anymore. I almost exclusively buy books as a player for another game rather than as a DM. As a DM, I really don't use much more than a given setting (or module) and the core books.

I have a fairly small book collection (about 30), but only around 10 books are non-WotC. It's not intentional, but I mostly buy books because of games I join in the forums around here. I wouldn't have bought all the Dragonlance stuff (not WotC) or Draconomicon (WotC) if I hadn't needed them to play in certain games.

I bought Complete Warrior/Complete Divine and will buy the rest of the complete series only because all the other DM's I've played DnD with in the local area have permitted them. I rarely use the options, but I like to understand them and have the extra copy of the book. More as a player/dm aid than anything else. This is also why I follow the rules forum on the boards, so I can predict and find problems and strange things that have cropped up for others. Not really because I care all that much about the rules myself.

 

[dead]

Weirdest. Reason. To. BoyCott. Ever.

You think Malhavoc and S&SS don't have greed, to a degree? Unless they renounce all material possessions and go on a pilgrimage, I suspect they're in the same business as WotC.

Making money.

I like money, I want some. I am greedy.

There are companies MORE despicable than WotC could ever try to be, but we don't try to sling mud here. Keep it civil and all that jazz.

I was joking. That's why I was laughing.

Maybe you should tell Mr. Morrus to keep it civil?

 

[Maliki]

I buy about 25% of what WotC put out, lately others in my group have picked up the slack, Races of Stone, Complete Divine, Complete Warrior, Draconomicon. WotC products make up about half of what I buy. Other than WotC I buy mostly Necromancer modules, and a few PDFs.

 

[Greylock]

My collection of DnD books (and I'll admit it ain't huge) is about 50/50. I like to buy the d20 stuff to pick up ideas, and to look for 'flavor'. But the fact of the matter is, 100% of what I use in game in WotC. And I'll be picking up the Complete Divine soon. My collection is small enough that the purchase may ruin the 50/50 balance ;p.

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

I buy maybe 20% of the books WotC releases for 3.5

I find many of their products to be over produced and overly designed by committee for my tastes. They're dry, in other words.

The books I do buy from them, though, rarely dissappoint me.

 

[Greg K]

The only WOTC DND products that I own are the three core books and Unearthed Arcana. I had a chance to buy several other 3.0 and 3.5 products at 50% off, but passed. Most DND products from WOTC either just do not contain enough material that is useful to me so they don't warrant my purchasing or are just of no interest (adventures and setting specific). However, I continue to checkout new DND products from WOTC.

In contrast, I own the following DND products from third parties: the Psychic's Handbook (GR), the Shaman's Handbook (GR), the Witch's Handbook (GR) and Swashbuckling Adventures (AEG). I intend to pick up several more 3rd party products including various Freeport material (GR), Thieves Quarter (TGM), Redhurst Academy (Human Head Studios), the various clan books for Rokugan/L5R (AEG), and a couple of Mongoose's products. Finally, I intend to check out the Advanced books by Green Ronin.