jgerman said:
So how exactly does free RPG day work? Is a store only likely to have one copy of each game to give away?
Stores order Free RPG Day stuff by the box. Each box has about 142 items in it, but no more than 12 of any one item (six or three of items from smaller companies, maybe only one if it's really nice like the Q-Workshop dice).
WOTC was a Gold sponsor, so each box was supposed to have 12 copies of the module, 12 copies of the tile, and 12 copies of the miniature. (The two boxes our two stores got had only 11 copies each of the miniature, but this may have been a fluke).
Every store can decide for themselves how many copies each person who shows up will get. At our two stores the limit is 3 items per person, (one each of 3 different items, so the early-birds don't get all the best stuff) per store. So you could go to one of our two stores early Saturday and get the module, the tile, and the mini from WOTC, and then go to our other store and get 3 things from other companies (I liked Traveller from Mongoose and the D&D 3.5 Pathfinder module from Paizo best, but I'm going to have a hard time picking, because I'm limited just like anyone else.) Stores are not supposed to sell these items or release them early.
Presumably they will do this every year so if your favorite local gaming store didn't participate this year than you've got a year to persuade them to do so next year.
