WotC_Shoe: A tiny, tiny hint on new weapons post-PHB

[The_Fan]

I hope they keep the stupid weapons like spiked chains and double axes in splat books and away from the phb. That way I'll never have to look at them.

Bah! I say go the other way! Make the gyrspike core!

 

[Desdichado]

See the difference? The price is justified in WotC's opinion, and I won't dispute that the material, if you used most of it, would be worth it - I'm sure the time/research investment for their writers justifies the price. However the low utility of that format doesn't justify my buying it.

No, I understand, I was just curious what you're solution was. Which I think you explained below: more focused books.

I actually didn't mind Unearthed Arcana because it was clear from the get-go that it'd be mostly full of junk, and anyway, I got more use, or at least amusement out of it than many 3E books.

I guess I enjoy seeing stuff I don't necessarily intend to use more than you; I've never felt particularly bothered by that.

I guess I get utility from reading some stuff, not just from using it in game.

 

[Fifth Element]

I wonder if this a ploy to sell more books or if I should be worried that 4E will be shipped rather unfinished.

If by "ploy" you mean "business plan", then I'd have to go with ploy. They'll trick us into buying every book yet!

 

[fnwc]

500 pages would have been fine

For most of us hard core gamers, maybe. But I think someone who might casually want to play D&D is going to balk at buying a game where the player guide is 500 pages.

 

[The Little Raven]

For most of us hard core gamers, maybe. But I think someone who might casually want to play D&D is going to balk at buying a game where the player guide is 500 pages.

Not to mention the fact that with the print quality they claim to be shooting for, a 500-page book would cost $50 or more, and the same "this is a ploy to make us buy more books" crowd would probably be complaining about them jacking up the price of the PHB to an "unreasonable price."

 

[Kwalish Kid]

That's kind of a limited view of "capitalism."

WOTC wants to make money selling books. They can do that by getting more customers, or by selling more books to each customer.

The more books I have to buy to just play 4e without having my character (comparatively) suck, the less likely I am to buy ANY.

Companies with business models that keep consumers buying their product will out perform companies that do not.

I suspect that the number of "take my toys and run home" customers like yourself are fairly small, especially given the general consumer culture of North America and Europe. Besides, by the time that you realize that you need/want the extra supplements, you have already made the purchase.

Given the way the market rewards success, you are unlikely to find too many other competing products that are produced in a different manner.

 

[The Little Raven]

I guess I get utility from reading some stuff, not just from using it in game.

I've got tons of stuff that has never seen the light of day in one of my games, but almost all of it has helped influence and guide my design philosophies.

 

[Relique du Madde]

For most of us hard core gamers, maybe. But I think someone who might casually want to play D&D is going to balk at buying a game where the player guide is 500 pages.

Not to mention the fact that with the print quality they claim to be shooting for, a 500-page book would cost $50 or more, and the same "this is a ploy to make us buy more books" crowd would probably be complaining about them jacking up the price of the PHB to an "unreasonable price."

Thats funny considering how many people will end up buying all 3 core books, and how much it will end up costing them.

 

[Lackhand]

Thats funny considering how many people will end up buying all 3 core books, and how much it will end up costing them.

But not idle, first time players.

It's the initial buy-in cost with which we must concern ourselves; it's bad enough for the DM!

 

[Relique du Madde]

True. Unfortunately, first time players also are unlikely to buy splat books unless they pick one up and see something cool in it that they want to play (or use); but that usually happens after several weeks (or months of playing).