I'm not trying to be difficult, but do attendees still have to pay if they don't eat anything?
As well, isn't WOTC paying for the pizza?
I'm not trying to be difficult, but do attendees still have to pay if they don't eat anything?
I'm not trying to be difficult, but do attendees still have to pay if they don't eat anything?
I was just wondering if there is usually a cost to join in the D&D Encounters sessions being run at various locations.
I called a relatively local gaming shop that I've heard about, but have never gone to before. I asked about D&D Encounters, which apparently a session is being run tomorrow. However, there is apparently a $5 charge to play.
In the past, the D&D promo events I've attended have all been free so I was surprised. Are other shops doing this as well?
Maybe I'm naive, but I thought the purpose of these events was to promote foot traffic into these gaming stores and hopefully get people to buy their items.
Stores I game in, I do try to buy items from. However if I'm having to pay to play at these stores as well, it makes me feel like I'm already reimbursing them and I might as well just order my next gaming item on Amazon and save myself a few dollars.
For the record, we don't charge for Encounters at our store, but we don't nomally charge for the gaming space anyway....
- Remember, you set the ground rules for entry each week. Setting a nominal fee for play, providing purchase incentives, and adding additional perks with a buy-in are all ways in which you can show players that the D&D Encounters experience is valuable and worthwhile - certainly worth a bit of investment on their part
We aren't charging for the Encounters, which we are starting Wednesday 3/24, but let me tell you:
So yeah, a store might be perfectly justified in charging a fee to play.
- If I weren't "volunteering," my time would cost the store over $12/hour, including insurance and benefits. Luckily, I've "volunteered."
- If Wednesday were a big Magic night, we could be filling those seats at $6-10/player instead. Luckily, Wednesday is already our regular D&D night.
- Not all the necessary materials are actually provided by Wizards. To run the Encounters well, the DM needs access to the both the Forgotten Realms Campaign and Player's Guide. Exactly who should eat the cost of those books? Not me. The Campaign Guide is the most expensive regular 4E book in print.
- Electricity and Air Conditioning is not free of cost.
- Who is paying for the copy of Character Builder in store? Currently, I am.
When you run a business, when you have to meet insurance and payroll and rent, then you can talk to me about what should and shouldn't be free.
Smeelbo