D&D 5E Will you pay $50.00 for the "standard" PHB?

[Mistwell]

It's only partially about the amount of money, and more the perceived value.[remainder of argument cut for ease of reading]

So it sounds to me like you're saying you wouldn't buy a game you want to buy, based on principal? (I am not judging that, just trying to clarify it).

 

[Halivar]

Yes, I'm a whore for D&D.

Did you roll on the appropriate table to determine subtype?

 

[Agamon]

"Will I?" I'd have to say no, because I don't think that's what's being offered, so I don't think I'll actually have the opportunity.

Now, "Would I, hypothetically"? Maybe. Not sight unseen.

 

[Mistwell]

I have my doubts the original price was $15 for the PH (though it was for the DMG). When I bought mine in 1981, it was only $11 (maybe 11.99) and that was not a particularly discounted outlet.

Right but that's not how you judge inflation for a book. You go by first publication date. It's impossible to be perfectly able to keep up with inflation, because once the book is on a shelf it's already out of date because inflation occurred in the shipment time. The initial price and initial publication date is the one you judge it by. That's what represents their cost of the book, R&D, and it's when most of the sales take place. Later ones are simply reprintings, and often don't reflect the actual book price at release.

But even if it were $11.99 (which is not a price I remember, but maybe it's the right one), then by 1977 to 2014 dollars that would be $46.28 today.

 

[Jester David]

So it sounds to me like you're saying you wouldn't buy a game you want to buy, based on principal? (I am not judging that, just trying to clarify it).

If a company is charging 25% more for something but not increasing the value I'm hesitant to buy. Even if it is something I want.
If Rocksteady games comes out and says "we're charging $75 for Batman: Arkham Knight instead ofthe usual $60" I will want to see reviews first praising it as excellent (and looong) and/or wait for a sale.

I'm not averse to paying $50 for games, although it is a little steep. I've bought a couple hardcover RPGs at that price. However, most were single volume products, so it was a one time $50 fee and they were much smaller companies able to sell a fraction of the copies as WotC.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Absolutely.

I don't care one whit about what other games are priced as. If I wanted those games, I'd buy those games. But I'm buying D&D 5E because I want D&D 5E.

It's like asking me why I'm buying Hellmann's mayonaise when I could get a generic brand of mayonaise for cheaper? If they're both mayonaise, then it shouldn't matter, right? Hellman's should lower their price to match the other brand.

Yeah, no. That's not how it works, and I understand that. Am I paying extra partially for the brand of Hellmann's and D&D? Yup. But I'm also paying extra because I just happen to enjoy Hellmann's and D&D more than the other types available. Hell, I already own plenty of other RPGs, so my price point on them is Zero. But I'm not playing those "free" RPGs because I don't want to play those "free" RPGs. Sorry DMMike.

 

[Kobold Stew]

If the book is a big, thick 450-page tome with dozens of optional rules, a tactical combat module, a craptonne of subclasses and feats, and the like it will be worth $50. And it will hurt my wallet and I will have to live on Ramen at GenCon, but I will buy it.

If it's the standard 330-odd-pages then, no, the print runs WotC can generate should keep the price far below that and it feels like a cash grab. So no.

It's only partially about the amount of money, and more the perceived value. Let's face it, most of us here wouldn't bat an eye and being asked to drop $50 on a video game, because we know those start at $60.
But we've gotten used to $40 books, and now the price is jumping up by 25%.

I find it really hard to believe this position is mirrored widely.

* 40 okay, 50 no (especially given that online retailers will offer discounts)
* unless it's big big big
* from someone who can afford to travel to GenCon and chooses to do so (even if you have to eat ramen)?

That seems like an awfully silly abnegation over ten bucks that you clearly have to spend.

 

[Jester David]

I find it really hard to believe this position is mirrored widely.

* 40 okay, 50 no (especially given that online retailers will offer discounts)
* unless it's big big big
* from someone who can afford to travel to GenCon and chooses to do so (even if you have to eat ramen)?

That seems like an awfully silly abnegation over ten bucks that you clearly have to spend.

Spending $40 is already tight. I'm getting myself into debt already for the trip, so it's a question of more debt or less. If I'm feeling taken advantage of, it' seas ire to opt for "less".
Especially since I'm Canadian and WotC likes to charge us more for funsies.

And it's worth noting that the "discounted" price online is the cover price of 4e.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

Maybe.

But in comparison to the $70 price of the 4E PHB I&II combo, it seems like a bargain to me.

 

[delericho]

$50 for a 320-page hardbound color book is not hugely overpriced. Remember that $35 in 2003 - the year and price of the 3.5E PHB - is $44.49 today.

According to the RPGnet reviews I've found, the 3.5e books were $30 each in 2003, or $38 in today's money. I'll verify on the covers when I get home tonight.