D&D 5E Princes of the Apocalypse Hits the Shelves!

[Hussar]

So I'm gathering this adventure is really, really, good. I'm getting pretty interested. But... urgh, as someone who has never purchased a published adventure before, ~$50 just seems like a lot to me. I mean, that's how much a core rulebook costs. I only considered the rulesbooks worth it because I'd be using them all the time. What makes books like this worthwhile? I'm not being skeptical or anything, I'm just curious what makes them so fun.

I guess it depends on your point of view.

For example, years ago, I bought the World's Largest Dungeon. Cost about 100 dollars by the time I got it shipped here. That's pretty much double the price of a core book. Heck, I bought all three 4e core books for less than that. So, not cheap.

But, I went on to play over 80 sessions with that single module. That book got used weekly for a bit over two years. From that point of view, it was still a steal. Six people's entertainment for about 300 hours for a hundred bucks? Can't possibly beat that.

So, will it stack up to a core book? Probably not. Your core books will get used every session for as long as you play, so, nothing stacks up to those. But, certainly to any other supplement, 50 bucks is still pretty cheap. It's all in how you look at it. Being able to game for the next year is worth how much?

 

[Fralex]

I went on to play over 80 sessions with that single module. That book got used weekly for a bit over two years. From that point of view, it was still a steal. Six people's entertainment for about 300 hours for a hundred bucks? Can't possibly beat that.

Was that one very long adventure/chain of adventures, or a whole bunch of unique adventures going off a central theme? I wish I could play this game that often. As it stands, it seems like books like these are more for people who don't need to take proficiency in whips just to get enough friends in the same place long enough for one session. Sigh... >:

 

[pukunui]

So I'm gathering this adventure is really, really, good. I'm getting pretty interested. But... urgh, as someone who has never purchased a published adventure before, ~$50 just seems like a lot to me. I mean, that's how much a core rulebook costs. I only considered the rulesbooks worth it because I'd be using them all the time. What makes books like this worthwhile? I'm not being skeptical or anything, I'm just curious what makes them so fun.

Well, it's more than just an adventure. It's also something of a campaign setting, with quite a bit of detail on the Dessarin Valley. You could ostensibly base an entire campaign of your own making in that location without ever touching the main adventure presented in the book. It also comes with some supplemental player material, namely new spells and the genasi. Yes, we got those for free in that pdf, but having them in hardcopy is partly what you're paying for here.

So for ~$50, you're getting a mini-campaign setting, mini-rulebook, and mega-adventure all under one cover.

 

[Blackwarder]

To clarify, do you go to a printer or do you mean you print them using your own printer? Is that laminated, I can't tell. And if so, where do you go to get all that for $13?

Warder, where exactly do you get that done? Just some local print shop? Is that laminated and just one big sheet??

Wow, that is impressive, but I don't think kinkos or staples will just charge $13 for that kind of size, I'll have to shop around

I use a local print shop, this map isn't laminated, adding lamination would add another 2-3 bucks...
And just as a reminder I live in Israel, can't help you with recomendations in printing options, sorry

Warder

 

[delericho]

But... urgh, as someone who has never purchased a published adventure before, ~$50 just seems like a lot to me.

It is a lot to spend all at once. But, on the other hand, this one book is comparable to the two Tyranny of Dragons adventures put together, and they were priced at $30 each. And Pathfinder AP volumes are priced at $23 each, so it's only a shade more than two of those, and almost certainly contains more adventure.

(Oddly, I don't think I've seen the actual page count anywhere - someone care to enlighten us?)

Basically, it's one big purchase instead of several smaller ones - and, actually, WotC are able to give more bang for the buck that way.

What makes books like this worthwhile? I'm not being skeptical or anything, I'm just curious what makes them so fun.

A good mega-adventure is absolutely good value for money - as others have said, if you play it through then you're looking at a year's gaming for five people, which is a steal at $50 (or $32.69 at Amazon).

But there's a caveat there: it only applies to a good mega-adventure. A bad or indifferent one will still give you material you can lift for other uses, but probably isn't worth the money - you'd be better off spending it on classic PDFs at dndclassics (because you can lift material from those just as easily).

I don't have PotA, so can't comment on the quality. Initial reaction is very favourable, of course, but I'm wary of initial reactions when it's evident most people can't have read the book thoroughly, never mind played it! So, for now, I'm cautiously optimistic.

 

[pukunui]

(Oddly, I don't think I've seen the actual page count anywhere - someone care to enlighten us?)

It's 256 pages.

 

[delericho]

It's 256 pages.

Thanks!

 

[Reynard]

I guess it depends on your point of view.

For example, years ago, I bought the World's Largest Dungeon. Cost about 100 dollars by the time I got it shipped here. That's pretty much double the price of a core book. Heck, I bought all three 4e core books for less than that. So, not cheap.

But, I went on to play over 80 sessions with that single module. That book got used weekly for a bit over two years. From that point of view, it was still a steal. Six people's entertainment for about 300 hours for a hundred bucks? Can't possibly beat that.

So, will it stack up to a core book? Probably not. Your core books will get used every session for as long as you play, so, nothing stacks up to those. But, certainly to any other supplement, 50 bucks is still pretty cheap. It's all in how you look at it. Being able to game for the next year is worth how much?

My personal metric for "dollars to entertainment" is $5/hour -- roughly the cost of going to a movie. That is the absolute minimum amount of entertainment time, mind you. If I get less than that I tend to feel like a made a bad purchase decision. It is a little more applicable for video games than PGs simply because a video game doesn't involve a bunch of people (or if it does, everyone else probably had to buy it too). That means something like PotA needs to provide at least ten hours of actual play to be "worth it" to me. There are certainly more than 10 hours of play in that book.

 

[Nebulous]

It's 256 pages.

that's huge.

 

[Nebulous]

I use a local print shop, this map isn't laminated, adding lamination would add another 2-3 bucks...
And just as a reminder I live in Israel, can't help you with recomendations in printing options, sorry

Warder

I don't know if our local Kinkos would let us print it for that cheap, even not laminated. Not sure....

Wish I knew the manager there!