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.

 

[Stormonu]

What does 5 gallons of gas a canned drink and a candy bar/bag of chips cost where your at? Here in Central Texas you're gonna need more than a $20 bill, same for a couple of combo meals at any fast-food chain. Getting out of a coffee shop for a single person will more than kill a $10 bill. Pepperidge Farm may remember when $20 was enough for a few weeks of "walkin' around money" , but inflation says that just isn't how it is now.

This new set is not something that interests me, I would spend the money on a PHB and dice, but I can see how it would get people into the game that may not want to reach out to strangers to learn to play. It is a way for a few friends with no experience to jump in with a pretty flat learning curve, and considering modern videogames that you will never actually own are about $80 now $50 is well within the budget.

Let's not forget the basic rules and a dice rolling app are still free along with many an adventure on the DM's Guild. This kit is a convenient way to fast track a group new to the game, not a super cheap bare bones option.

Why do you need 5 gallons of gas for a snack? Ya'll do something in Texas we here in Mississippi don't know about? Even so, where I am at, you can do gas + drink + food item for a little less than $20. Moreover, you can do a night of game snacks for less than $10 and a fast-food meal for about $15.

 

[payn]

Why do you need 5 gallons of gas for a snack? Ya'll do something in Texas we here in Mississippi don't know about? Even so, where I am at, you can do gas + drink + food item for a little less than $20. Moreover, you can do a night of game snacks for less than $10 and a fast-food meal for about $15.

Wait, gas and a snack for less than 20 dollars? Do you put 1-3 gallons of gas in your tank at any fill up?

 

[CellarHeroes]

What does 5 gallons of gas a canned drink and a candy bar/bag of chips cost where your at? Here in Central Texas you're gonna need more than a $20 bill, same for a couple of combo meals at any fast-food chain. Getting out of a coffee shop for a single person will more than kill a $10 bill. Pepperidge Farm may remember when $20 was enough for a few weeks of "walkin' around money" , but inflation says that just isn't how it is now.

Yup...it's a regional thing. Here in "rural" Iowa, I can walk out of a gas station with 5 gallons of gas, a Mountain Dew, and a Whatchamacallit with change back from a $20.
A couple of combo meals for $15 (had to look this one up). Coffee from any of the four coffee shops in my town will still give change for a $5 bill...most expensive being $3.50.

So, yeah, I'll cringe when I see all of that unnecessary bloat for $50.

 

[abazaba]

Try a single character model for a GW game.

IMHO, the prices that Games Workshop has for any single product whatsoever - miniatures, rulebooks or 'codexes', boxed sets etc. - are priced at the high-end of the market, not the 'beginner-looking-to-try-out-a-game-and-see-if-I-like-it' price range.

 

[Stormonu]

Wait, gas and a snack for less than 20 dollars? Do you put 1-3 gallons of gas in your tank at any fill up?

Nope, fully fill the tank when needed. Gas around here is $2.45 a gallon currently, so 5 gallons is $12.25, plus $2.50 coke plus $2 chips/candy = ~$16.75.

 

[payn]

Nope, fully fill the tank when needed. Gas around here is $2.45 a gallon currently, so 5 gallons is $12.25, plus $2.50 coke plus $2 chips/candy = ~$16.75.

Its not something they are doing in Texas im afraid to say. It's something thats happening in Mississippi thats not going on just about anywhere else.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I won't mention the Red box or B/X sets as they've already been mentioned, but I will mention another starter boxed set. The Classic Black boxed set in 1994. It retailed for $20 ($44 today). It included a large fold out poster map, rulebook, a bunch of carboard punchout minis, DM screen, dice, and minis.

 

[kayakingpoodle]

Why do you need 5 gallons of gas for a snack? Ya'll do something in Texas we here in Mississippi don't know about? Even so, where I am at, you can do gas + drink + food item for a little less than $20. Moreover, you can do a night of game snacks for less than $10 and a fast-food meal for about $15.

Well we need 5 gallons to get to the store and back home, we have counties the size of some states lol. I too fill up rather than buy a few gallons at a time, but with a near 50 gallon tank I felt 5 gallons might be a better metric since other than motorcycles 5 gallons will fit in most any vehicle on the road with a fuel tank.

 

[kayakingpoodle]

Yup...it's a regional thing. Here in "rural" Iowa, I can walk out of a gas station with 5 gallons of gas, a Mountain Dew, and a Whatchamacallit with change back from a $20.
A couple of combo meals for $15 (had to look this one up). Coffee from any of the four coffee shops in my town will still give change for a $5 bill...most expensive being $3.50.

So, yeah, I'll cringe when I see all of that unnecessary bloat for $50.

Check with a few of the local people in the age group being referenced and see what $50 means to them when it comes to games and entertainment it may surprise you

 

[abazaba]

Well, I only ever fill up the tank up to $20 USD anyway, so none of these price hikes have any impact on me.