Core Rules Alternative Cover Gift Set

Original covers online: $96. This set: $170. It is hard to justify spending that much for something we already have, or could get much cheaper with the normal covers.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Not sure I could or want to justify it, but I absolutely love the new DM screen art. The abstract pattern just looks darn cool.

 

[Jester David]

The question is this: will my children and their children take as much pleasure in owning the limited edition alternate cover slipcase set as I will? I hope so because it's coming out of their college fund.

Well, $170 for the set...

Let's see. You go to classes for 8 months of the year and each of your five classes has 80 hours. For 650 hours of class time per year.
At the current rate of tuition in a might be $6000-$7000, unless they're going someplace prestigious. That's roughly a cost of $10/hour.

A $170 gift set is 170hours of schooling. That's just over a week of classes out of their entire 32 months of schooling, or 0.65% of their entire tuition for a four year bachelor's degree.
And that's assuming your kids are going to school right away, because that cost is going up faster than inflation.

If the set is a meaningful dip into the college fund, you really need to start investing more...

 

[Gorath99]

Wow. Those are gorgeous. Not sure I could justify the price, but I guess that is a moot point, since I've never actually seen any of these limited editions in any game stores around here.

 

[Mercule]

I'm torn.

On the one hand, those books are bloody gorgeous. These are pretty much the only "special edition" covers I've liked. And I really like 'em.

On the other hand, that's pretty pricey. I'm at a point in my life where I don't mind treating myself, but that's still pretty high. At least if you compare to the Amazon discount price. If you compare it to retail ($50 per book + $15 for the screen), then it's pretty much just $5 for the slip case. That's not bad at all. Still, I don't typically pay full retail for books.

On the other, other hand, I've largely moved to digital product in an effort to get my bookshelf out of the way and be able to travel light, so it's probably a moot point.

 

[delericho]

They do look nice.

But it's a "no" from me.

 

[Inchoroi]

Meh.

I'd only buy them a second time, new covers or not, if they were digest sized and softcover. Would make my life so much easier.

 

[BMaC]

Well, $170 for the set...

Let's see. You go to classes for 8 months of the year and each of your five classes has 80 hours. For 650 hours of class time per year.
At the current rate of tuition in a might be $6000-$7000, unless they're going someplace prestigious. That's roughly a cost of $10/hour.

A $170 gift set is 170hours of schooling. That's just over a week of classes out of their entire 32 months of schooling, or 0.65% of their entire tuition for a four year bachelor's degree.
And that's assuming your kids are going to school right away, because that cost is going up faster than inflation.

If the set is a meaningful dip into the college fund, you really need to start investing more...

Your numbers are North American. Where I live $170 represents about 6.5% of tuition for a year of university. So it's win-win, I get the alternate boxed set and my children avoid crippling debt.

 

[Istbor]

I am happy to see so many saying no. Good... Good...

 

[DEFCON 1]

I'd get D&D Beyond before alternate covers.

 

[Warpiglet]

Wicked cool...however, I am not sure I could do this vis a vis more minis or terrain...

Going back to AD&D 1e, I really enjoyed some of the black and white art. As I get older, I realize that where there is less, the mind fills in more. I really like the design of the new covers, a lot.

Would like the monsters in the MM to have some of that feel too, particularly the devils and demons...