Scrying The 4e Crystal Ball - DMs Fork Over $100
A user at EN World recently got hold of the Wizards of the Coast summer catalog including the listings for the forthcoming 4e core books. First of all, the gift set is actually MORE expensive than buying the books individually. Come on, Wizards, you could give the DMs who commit to changing editions a bit of a break. Over $100 for the core books??? I started this hobby on $15! I guess that makes me a grognard. Hell. I suppose it's not exactly unexpected, but I have to wish that Wizards, at least during the period when they're trying to convert old players, would offer something to make that conversion less expensive.
Information on the new edition right now is very difficult to confirm, as hints from designers are being denied fairly quickly. Even things as simple as the early glimpse from the Races and Classes book have already been given the "no longer true" line from wizards. The wizard's implements are no longer tied to specific types of spells as originally reported based on a reader internationally who had gotten his hands on the book. Supposedly the changes only affect a few small items in the book, but it makes me wonder if the Races and Classes book is worth getting at all. It's bad enough that Wizards wants us to PAY for a preview.
At least the Design & Development articles on Dungeons & Dragons Insider are still free for the time being. A recent article gave us some details on magic items. In the new edition, as things stand now (and it is clear that things ARE still being changed), magic items have a level corresponding to the level for which they're appropriate. I was, I admit, astonished to learn that a flying carpet is an 18th level item. Either power levels are radically different in the new addition or a flying carpet is a LOT better of a magic item than I think it is. I'm not adverse to the idea of a level structure for magic items, and it was something that they did for 3.5 (in the Magic Item Compendium), so we'll see how it goes as more information is released.
At any rate, with the Races and Classes book being released this month, we're sure to get some more substantive information soon.
[via EN World]
Faerie Dragon
Posted to Roleplaying Games on 6 December 2007
· Comments (5)
Other stuff like this: 4e, d&d, rpg, wizards of the coast
I'm not sure that $.10 constitutes a substantial difference in the gift set price.
34.95
x 3
------
104.85
Gift set price: 104.95
Lighten up.
What does the gift pack come with that buying the books individually doesn't? If the answer is nothing, then it seems like having the set be even 1 cent more expensive then buying the books individually makes the endeavor runs contrary to the reason for even having a compilation set. I mean, in most cases (at least in the books and DVDs I purchase) you usually get a pretty noticeable discount for your investment in an entire line. Now, I haven't seen the catalog or anything, but I'm just saying, this stuff ain't cheep.
Preach it brother! I cut my teeth on OD&D and from there bought into 2nd, 3rd, and 3.5 editions. After all this time (and money spent), I've decided that a game with a core system that requires more than one book is going to be a total money pit. And in my opinion, "special editions" are nothing but scams.
My point was that generally when you buy a collected set you get a discount, the idea that you should pay MORE for a collected set is a little ridiculous, even if it is only 10 cents.
It fails to reward consumers who buy into the new edition by buying all three books immediately. Furthermore, most consumers will assume that the compilation is a better deal (after all, it almost always is) which means that they will end up paying more for something that Wizards ought to be giving them a discount on.
10 cents doesn't sound like a lot. When you multiply it by the sorts of numbers wizards deals in, it becomes a lot of money that they've essentially fleeced from players.
I have to disagree with you.
Most box sets in the publishing world are not discounted but priced at the books contained. The slip case is viewed as a marketing promotion to entice purchasing the set.
That said, it costs Wizards more than .10 to create and pack-out the slip case.