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.

 

[Mark Craddock]

Speaking as a Local Game Store - Meh. It's not big deal.

Speaking as a local game store since 1981, I disagree.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Speaking as a local game store since 1981, I disagree.

Okay. Feel free to. You have a lot of company.

Let's see if we have more common ground in the details: What exactly are you concerned about?

 

[Mark Craddock]

Okay. Feel free to. You have a lot of company.

Let's see if we have more common ground in the details: What exactly are you concerned about?

While sales of the 2024 core books were strong initially, I'm not seeing continuing sales hit my projections. Its basically 5.5 and that makes sense but its a shame. Dragon Delves has dramatically underperformed for us. Since the OGL fiasco Hasbro/WotC has made a lot of mistakes with the DnD brand. After reading about the new brand manager of DnD in one of the recent announcements I wouldn't be surprised to see them laid off at Christmas.

My best-selling RPG in 2025 is Shadowdark. I've sold over 40 copies this year. I'm turning the 2024 PHB about twice a month and a copy of the MM and DMG about once every two months.

Daggerheart was a great seller for us, but we are waiting on restocks. It was my second-best-selling RPG, with 30 copies.

It's hard to compete with reduced D&D Beyond access on new D&D books, even with the 2-week window. I have a second store that we opened in 1991 with similar issues for the D&D brand.

Going back to WotC I don't think they know what to do with the DnD brand. They have Magic pretty well figured out but I don't think they have a clue on what is the proper direction for DnD and I think DnD customers are more willing to boycott WotC than Magic fans.

Critical Roles role in 5E's success cannot be understated. Losing CR is and will continue to hurt WotC.

I've said my piece. Every market is different. Even the markets of my 2 stores. I run DnD camps for 8-12 year olds. The froup from last year just switched to Swords & Wizardry. The group from this year is playing 5.5 but we'll see how long that lasts too.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The froup from last year just switched to Swords & Wizardry.

Someone switching to Swords & Wizardry in 2025 may be the most surprising thing in your post.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

While sales of the 2024 core books were strong initially, I'm not seeing continuing sales hit my projections. Its basically 5.5 and that makes sense but its a shame. Dragon Delves has dramatically underperformed for us.

I can see that being disappointing. They seem to be doing fine for me. I mean, they're not doing as well as "peak" 5e, but better than tail-end 5e, which is what I would expect.

Since the OGL fiasco Hasbro/WotC has made a lot of mistakes with the DnD brand.

They sure have!

After reading about the new brand manager of DnD in one of the recent announcements I wouldn't be surprised to see them laid off at Christmas.

Sadly, nothing new.

My best-selling RPG in 2025 is Shadowdark. I've sold over 40 copies this year.

Shadowdark is great! I haven't sold that many, but it does well.

I'm turning the 2024 PHB about twice a month and a copy of the MM and DMG about once every two months.

I go through a PHB or two a week, and a MM or DMG a month, though the DMG seems to be slowing down.

Daggerheart was a great seller for us, but we are waiting on restocks. It was my second-best-selling RPG, with 30 copies.

I wish I'd gotten anywhere near that many, and I haven't been able to get any more since it came out. Heck, I would like to play it, but I haven't even read it since early in its playtest.

It's hard to compete with reduced D&D Beyond access on new D&D books, even with the 2-week window. I have a second store that we opened in 1991 with similar issues for the D&D brand.

How can you tell? I'm honestly curious - I'm not sure how to tell if DDB affects anything at all.

Going back to WotC I don't think they know what to do with the DnD brand. They have Magic pretty well figured out but I don't think they have a clue on what is the proper direction for DnD and I think DnD customers are more willing to boycott WotC than Magic fans.

I'm not sure that I agree that they have Magic figured out. I think that Magic was the most perfect product, and that they are currently working to slaughter the golden goose. I don't know if I have many D&D players who are boycotting WotC. I've met a few who switched to Pathfinder 2 when the OGL thing happened, and I think that they are happy there. I also have a smaller number of 2014 holdouts (including a fellow that used to run games here) but, for the most part, people seem to dig 2024 rules.

Critical Roles role in 5E's success cannot be understated. Losing CR is and will continue to hurt WotC.

I agree.

I've said my piece. Every market is different. Even the markets of my 2 stores.

True. Though I've always found that my store skews pretty mainstream/average. There are some exceptions, of course!

I run DnD camps for 8-12 year olds.

Fun!

 

[Mark Craddock]

Someone switching to Swords & Wizardry in 2025 may be the most surprising thing in your post.

Out of 9 kids 5 are Necromancers. So I made their group attend Swords & Wizardry Academy. The Parents wanted them to learn 5.5, but the kids felt hampered by the rules. Since I've been teaching them how to DM and 2 have run short campaigns, I felt it was best to run a game they were comfortable with and inspired by.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Out of 9 kids 5 are Necromancers.

Do not turn your back on those kids. Especially if they have shovels.

 

[Mark Craddock]

I wish I'd gotten anywhere near that many, and I haven't been able to get any more since it came out. Heck, I would like to play it, but I haven't even read it since early in its playtest.

How can you tell? I'm honestly curious - I'm not sure how to tell if DDB affects anything at all.

I'm not sure that I agree that they have Magic figured out. I think that Magic was the most perfect product, and that they are currently working to slaughter the golden goose. I don't know if I have many D&D players who are boycotting WotC. I've met a few who switched to Pathfinder 2 when the OGL thing happened, and I think that they are happy there. I also have a smaller number of 2014 holdouts (including a fellow that used to run games here) but, for the most part, people seem to dig 2024 rules.

I work directly with Darrington Press, they are very professional and refreshing to work with. They sent me my Dagghearts 3 weeks early which was great.

I've been tracking sales since they began bundling physical products with Dragonlance. My sales have slowly trended downwards since then. We opened in 1981, and I've been doing this since 1999 (I started shopping here in 1983). It gives me a lot of data to mine. Obviously, the OGL Fiasco didn't help things. Factoring 2023, 2024, and 2025 sales of the DnD segment has slowed considerably, but other RPG sales are up. I've been demoing a lot of alternative games since 2023, and with the release of the 2 Realms books, I will spotlight the setting and 5.5, so we will see how that goes. While our sales for 2025 have exceeded my projections despite the current Administration, I want to assess where my DnD fandom is at, and I've found running in-store events to be a good barometer.

I'm glad your sales don't seem to be as affected.

As for Magic, I've been doom and gloom about it since 2019 and I keep getting proven wrong. With how early they started online preorders for Final Fantasy I really worried how the set would do but I listened to my co-workers and was pleasantly surprised. When you factor Dragonstorm & Foundations selling out its been good for us. Since 2022 our tournament scene has exploded. We average at least 40 a night and had to expand our Commander events to a second night. I don't think it can last forever and I'm still conservative, we survived Fallen Empires, but we have very much become a magic store that sells comics.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I work directly with Darrington Press, they are very professional and refreshing to work with. They sent me my Dagghearts 3 weeks early which was great.

Nice!

I've been tracking sales since they began bundling physical products with Dragonlance. My sales have slowly trended downwards since then.

Mine have too, but I'm not as convinced on cause-and-effect.

We opened in 1981, and I've been doing this since 1999 (I started shopping here in 1983). It gives me a lot of data to mine.

Me too. I've been doing it myself since 1993. (I hope none of that comes off as any attempt at some silly one-upmanship. That's not my intent at all, just friendly sharing!)

Obviously, the OGL Fiasco didn't help things. Factoring 2023, 2024, and 2025 sales of the DnD segment has slowed considerably, but other RPG sales are up. I've been demoing a lot of alternative games since 2023, and with the release of the 2 Realms books, I will spotlight the setting and 5.5, so we will see how that goes.

Yeah, it will be interesting to see.

While our sales for 2025 have exceeded my projections despite the current Administration, I want to assess where my DnD fandom is at, and I've found running in-store events to be a good barometer.

Agreed. I'm still getting tons of new people that started their D&D journey with BG3. It's not quite the CR, Stranger-Things, etc, days, but still strong.

I'm glad your sales don't seem to be as affected.

Thanks!

As for Magic, I've been doom and gloom about it since 2019 and I keep getting proven wrong. With how early they started online preorders for Final Fantasy I really worried how the set would do but I listened to my co-workers and was pleasantly surprised.

I wish I could trust my distributor, who seems to keep stuff for themselves (I guess they sell online or something)? Their website lists FF and Pokemon stuff in-stock, but our reps are told that they are "not allowed to release it". We were severely allocated from our initial orders, or we would have done better with FF. Sure, it still sold shockingly well for its totally silly price-point, though.

When you factor Dragonstorm & Foundations selling out its been good for us. Since 2022 our tournament scene has exploded. We average at least 40 a night and had to expand our Commander events to a second night. I don't think it can last forever and I'm still conservative, we survived Fallen Empires, but we have very much become a magic store that sells comics.

I remember Fallen Empires. Shudder. Our Magic in-store play has trickled off entirely. We've even stopped running prereleases, if you can imagine. I've been through a low-wave like this before with Magic, but it's not looking great. I think that they will continue to kill it, unfortunately.

 

[Mark Craddock]

Nice!


Mine have too, but I'm not as convinced on cause-and-effect.


Me too. I've been doing it myself since 1993. (I hope none of that comes off as any attempt at some silly one-upmanship. That's not my intent at all, just friendly sharing!)


Yeah, it will be interesting to see.



Agreed. I'm still getting tons of new people that started their D&D journey with BG3. It's not quite the CR, Stranger-Things, etc, days, but still strong.


Thanks!


I wish I could trust my distributor, who seems to keep stuff for themselves (I guess they sell online or something)? Their website lists FF and Pokemon stuff in-stock, but our reps are told that they are "not allowed to release it". We were severely allocated from our initial orders, or we would have done better with FF. Sure, it still sold shockingly well for its totally silly price-point, though.


I remember Fallen Empires. Shudder. Our Magic in-store play has trickled off entirely. We've even stopped running prereleases, if you can imagine. I've been through a low-wave like this before with Magic, but it's not looking great. I think that they will continue to kill it, unfortunately.

I didn't take it as one-upmanship; we are comparing notes based on how long we have been at this. Good for you that you've been doing it since 1993.

As for DnD sales today vs the past, our Barnes & Noble does carry DnD, and of course, Amazon is always a source. Shadowdark & Daggerheart are having their moments for us. At the same time, I think your average DnD player can easily decide not to upgrade, and a strong argument can be made that since the PHB, we haven't had a product that wasn't a core book, beginner product, or adventure. I had hoped to have data from the Artificer's book, but I guess I'll have to wait for the 2 Realms books to see how they peform.

When it comes to Magic I order from 3 distributors to cover my needs. Pokemon is just such a lost cause for me at this point. I can't get enough of the product to launch in store play so I just sell what I can when I can get it.

I think the last few years carrying Magic have made experienced retailers come to a crossroads. Go all in and ride the lightning which will eventually burn you, or step back and pursue other product lines. In my case, I've chosen to ride the lightning because our sales are strong on sealed products, our community is healthy, I've always cultivated a diverse and welcoming player base, and we can't keep singles in stock. I have more competition for Magic than DnD, and yet it's DnD that is dropping off for me.