I started getting into DnD last year, starting with 3.5 and picked up some cheaper books on auction. Later in the year, the playgroup split and I started a new group, this time with 5E.
I picked up all of my 5E books until what was than current (which at the time was Storm Kings Thunder) over the course of 4 months on Amazon, usually purchasing used. Starting with Tales from the Yawning Portal, I began pre-ordering off of Amazon, usually around 30 bucks per book. I think I also paid 30 for Strahd, but the rest of the books averaged 15 to 20 dollars.
After checking on the price of a Players Handbook for someone in my playgroup who wanted their own copy, it seems now, even used PhB copies are running at the 30 dollar range, along with almost all the other books except for the two in the Dragons questline, which remain around 15 used. Core rulebooks used run around 30 to 35, with most quest books running around 30.
Is there a reason for the used market price increase? I would guess a jump in popularity in the game, but still, a 10 dollar increase seems pretty substantial in around half a years time. Did I just get lucky filling my backlog of books?
Also, is it strange that Amazon usually prices their new books at 30, but Tomb of Annilhilation is at 45, with Xanathars Guide to Everything still at that 30 dollar price point?
(Also, I know many believe in supporting their local game store and purchasing their books there, but our local game store does not carry DnD, and the nearest one that does is close to 50 miles out, and our group never plays at the game store, instead playing either at my home or one of their homes)
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I use summon instrument to summon my kettle drum, hold it overhead like Donkey Kong, and chuck it at the nearest kobold.
I actually agree with you that the jump is due to an increase in popularity. WotC seems to really be publicizing DnD and it seems to be gaining a lot of steam. With how heavily they advertised the Stream of Annihilation and the (anecdotal) return of players for 5e, I bet demand is up!
The used gaming book market constantly fluctuates. In general, sellers raise prices when they see people buying, and lower prices when frequency of purchases slows down, while buyers generally operate in reverse, unless they feel impatient or desperate for some reason.
There will, of course, always manage to be some outliers - like how I re-built my collection of AD&D 2nd edition books getting all the hardcover rule books and full player's guide line for under $200 a few years ago, and how someone always seems to have a $200+ price tag on a fair condition D&D Rules Cyclopedia.
I started getting into DnD last year, starting with 3.5 and picked up some cheaper books on auction. Later in the year, the playgroup split and I started a new group, this time with 5E.
I picked up all of my 5E books until what was than current (which at the time was Storm Kings Thunder) over the course of 4 months on Amazon, usually purchasing used. Starting with Tales from the Yawning Portal, I began pre-ordering off of Amazon, usually around 30 bucks per book. I think I also paid 30 for Strahd, but the rest of the books averaged 15 to 20 dollars.
After checking on the price of a Players Handbook for someone in my playgroup who wanted their own copy, it seems now, even used PhB copies are running at the 30 dollar range, along with almost all the other books except for the two in the Dragons questline, which remain around 15 used. Core rulebooks used run around 30 to 35, with most quest books running around 30.
Is there a reason for the used market price increase? I would guess a jump in popularity in the game, but still, a 10 dollar increase seems pretty substantial in around half a years time. Did I just get lucky filling my backlog of books?
Also, is it strange that Amazon usually prices their new books at 30, but Tomb of Annilhilation is at 45, with Xanathars Guide to Everything still at that 30 dollar price point?
(Also, I know many believe in supporting their local game store and purchasing their books there, but our local game store does not carry DnD, and the nearest one that does is close to 50 miles out, and our group never plays at the game store, instead playing either at my home or one of their homes)
I use summon instrument to summon my kettle drum, hold it overhead like Donkey Kong, and chuck it at the nearest kobold.
I actually agree with you that the jump is due to an increase in popularity. WotC seems to really be publicizing DnD and it seems to be gaining a lot of steam. With how heavily they advertised the Stream of Annihilation and the (anecdotal) return of players for 5e, I bet demand is up!
The used gaming book market constantly fluctuates. In general, sellers raise prices when they see people buying, and lower prices when frequency of purchases slows down, while buyers generally operate in reverse, unless they feel impatient or desperate for some reason.
There will, of course, always manage to be some outliers - like how I re-built my collection of AD&D 2nd edition books getting all the hardcover rule books and full player's guide line for under $200 a few years ago, and how someone always seems to have a $200+ price tag on a fair condition D&D Rules Cyclopedia.
Wow, the 3.5 PHB is at 80 bucks over at amazon.