Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set Price Point Revealed

The new Heroes of the Borderlands D&D boxed set will be significantly more expensive than past Starter Sets. Pre-order pages up on D&D Beyond and Amazon confirm that the new Starter Set, made to introduce the new version of 5th Edition rules to newcomers, will cost $49.99. Previous starter sets, such as the Essentials Kit or the Dragons at Stormwreck Isle, had much lower price points ranging from $19.99 to $24.99.

One reason for the price increase is that the new Starter Set will contain many more components than previous Starter Sets. A trailer (seen below) shows off many of the cards, tokens, and handouts that are included in the boxed set in addition to the standard quickstart guide and character sheets. Per Amazon, the new Starter Set will contain 3 adventure booklets, 8 character class boards featuring iconic D&D classes, 1 quick-start guide, a reference booklet, 5 in-world immersive handouts (including a tavern menu and shop catalogs), 9 double-sided poster maps, a combat tracker, 11 dice, 210 game cards (including spells, magic items, and equipment), and 273 tokens (including monsters, terrain, and resources).

One twist for this new boxed set is that it will include tiles that will add a modularity to character creation. Players will choose their background and class and then build a character sheet using corresponding tiles.

Hasbro also previously stated that the Starter Set was produced in China, so the increased price could be impacted by the current tariffs imposed by the US on foreign-made goods.


The new Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set will be released on September 16th, 2025.

 

[Imaro]

So I am curious as to how often a table of completely inexperienced people get into TTRPG. It's a larger topic than for here. But what I mean is, how common is it for a given table of say 5 complete gaming virgins to decide to buy an intro product or perhaps receive one as a gift and start playing? Because I have to think that overwhelmingly, someone who is already in the hobby brings pepeople.

I think this box set can also serve the experienced/semi-experienced DM who is trying to get new people into the game. I have a player in my game who started a game of his own on an alternate day with a group of inexperienced friends and I think this would have been great for him to kick off a campaign with.

I also think the difference between knowing something and knowing how to teach it well to people gets downplayed in our hobby... knowing how to play DnD doesn't necessarily mean you know or are good at teaching it to others....

 

[abazaba]

If - as some people claim - 'Lost Mine of Phandalver' is somehow the best 'adventure' WotC has ever produced, then the rest must be really really crappy. I played through the module, and was not impressed.

 

[payn]

Lost Mine got me to come back to D&D.

The module the 2014 Star Set came with, Lost Mines of Phandelver, is rock solid and a stone cold classic thst is very replayable. The dice are also actually quite nice (the latter Essentials Kot dice are my wife'sgo to set of choice). The rest is pretty basic. So, for #19.99, it was quite a great deal.

This is a different animal, more like the Paizo beginners box.

Well, now I have heard folks actually like the cheaper starters.

 

[bedir than]

Yes, the original Starter Set was a great product and the adventure is outstanding. I was less enthused about Dragons of Stormwreck Isle and even less about the Stranger Things starter set.

Stranger Things was a solid gimmick, but it takes the term railroad to an extreme. I never touched it after running the first half (dungeon crawl).

I never ran Essentials, but enjoyed it as a read

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

If - as some people claim - 'Lost Mine of Phandalver' is somehow the best 'adventure' WotC has ever produced, then the rest must be really really crappy. I played through the module, and was not impressed.

Or people's tastes vary and you might like one of the other adventures more.

 

[Professor Murder]

If - as some people claim - 'Lost Mine of Phandalver' is somehow the best 'adventure' WotC has ever produced, then the rest must be really really crappy. I played through the module, and was not impressed.

It's a good example of how any game analysis is goin to be through the lens of one's own preferences. There can't ever be an objectively best adventure. For me, Lot Mines is likely the best starter experience I have seen for DnD period. But that is because it has features and elements I think a starter should have. Subjective.

 

[The Soloist]

At $69 Cnd, it’s not a product I will buy. I’m not the target audience anyway. For a group of new players or a family game, it works, when compared to the time and money investissement of the three core books. Same choice as in 1981. Do I spend a fraction of the cost on D&D to sample the game or do I invest in AD&D core books and risk wasting money? If I was 15 again, I would buy the starter every time.

 

[Mark Craddock]

The digital+physical bundle only being an extra $5 is surprisingly nice

Not for local game stores.

 

[bedir than]

Not for local game stores.

Charging full price for both items wouldn't help stores either. It would slow down the growth of the game.

 

[John R Davis]

This is pretty cheep. Gloomhaven costs three times as much.

Actually. That's a good comparison. Jaws of the Lion is about the same price. That too is jammed pack, as is Fairlight Heroquest. I own both and think them worth it