Your WotC spending: More on Minis or Books?

[Aristotle]

Interesting poll...

I buy a good many books, but I have easily spent more cash on WotC minis in the past 6 months than on role playing books from WotC and all other publishers combined.

I just got 3 cases in last night. $340 for 2 cases of archfiends and a case of dragoneye. They compliment the case of harbinger and case of dragoneye I got a couple months ago. And I've got a few cases of Giants of Legend pre-ordered. I am truly addicted to the plastic-crack.

And I really feel the assortment and quality of the minis has *really* improved as the expansions come out. I could never own this many metal minis (to cost prohibitive), and I don't have anywhere near enough time to provide a quality paintjob for that many figs.

 

[Koewn]

Hm. I'm stupid cheap sine the wife went back to school.

I have only the SRD for 3.5, and I make my own minis (100 medium creatures for $7.00, not including spraypaint which depends on how many different colored ones you want). Our battleboard is a checkered tablecloth with vinyl on top, that maybe cost $20...markers were $5..jeez. The only way I'd feel poorer is if I had to game on a Camaro hood sitting on top of a wire spool, while my players sit on milk jug boxes.

Not that they do.....

 

[Epametheus]

I haven't bought any WotC stuff in quite some time, but I only buy books; I've never bought minis.

 

[Pants]

Books definitely, especially since I just got into the minis.
I also find that reading a new book is much more enjoyable than looking at a plastic mini, so hopefully my plastic crack addiction will not eclipse my paper crack addiction any time soon (though I fear for my poor wallet).

 

[Swiftbrook]

Over the past 6 months, I've spent more on minis than books. But, that's not saying a lot. I've bought a few minis, but only one book (complete warrior). I'm a picky spender. I'll be buying only one or two books this year and just those minis that interst me off Ebay (price has gone up 30% with no real change in value).

-Swiftbrook

 

[Zaukrie]

Minis. My kids who are 6 and 8 and play chess can play the skirmish game (pretty well) much easier then D&D 3.5. That game is too overwhelming for young children.

Also, I find it easier to find a couple of guys to skirmish with than to build complicated campaigns. That said, I do plan to buy some of the upcoming books, and there may be times where I'll spend more on books.

 

[mikey6990]

I have bought no WOTC product in the last year, so my answer is obvious, but I would like to ask what is driving folks mini purchases in general and where this is leading.

Is D&D, the RPG, driving mini sales (at least the vast bulk of it), or is the mini game doing so?

Is is good for the D&D game, if that is the driving factor in sales, to have the mini's sell well?

Those are the questions I have and I think DaveMage and Psion have already hit on them. What do good minis sales figure for the future of D&D?

Just some questions..

Mike

 

[Monte At Home]

From what I understand, the miniatures are doing well enough that they pretty much are driving the rpg car over at wizards (i.e., new rules/options that would not work well in conjunction with the miniatures game or with miniatures in general get the boot). I'm not suggesting that's a good thing or a bad thing. Well, OK, it's probably a bad thing for D&D, but not necessarily a bad thing for D&D. It might be a very good thing for WotC, business wise, which is why they'd do it.

 

[MacMathan]

For me it has been minis by about a ration of 5 to 1 cash-wise. My addiction to these little buggers only seems ot increase with each new set.

Many of the other players in my group are also buyin minis so it is really cool to see our groups mini collection grow so fast. As a group we have access to hundreds of minis now.

Bookwise Wizards is still getting a good amount of cash out of me as I have bought the CW, XPH this year so far and I am planning on CDiv, Races of Stone, Libris Mortem and Ebberron as they come out.

 

[Aristotle]

I would have to say that, so long as the mini rules don't hinder the role playing game, that gamers who don't collect the minis should be just as happy as the mini collectors that the minis are selling well.

Most RPGs are written to allow for miniature play, so its fine that the game books give examples for how to use minis in game. I wouldn't be so happy if the game was being held back because of compatibility issues between the two. But I don't think that is whats been happening thus far.

For mini collectors the good sales mean more expansions and more collecting. For gamers the good sales mean a healthy product line that can continue to get good support and an aggressive release schedule. Everyone wins, at least in my opinion. For those of us who collect minis and game it means ...a second mortgage on the house.