DDB sourcebooks/adventures are $29.99 while the Spelljammer product is $49.99. At first, I thought this had to do with the set having three books, but I discovered each is only 64 pages with a total page count of 192 between all three. This is the size of Xanathar's Guide to Everthing but chopped up into three parts. Also, the pre-order extras are the same (dice & sheet cosmetics).
If there's something I overlooked, please let me know because it seems like we're paying more for the same?
On a completely unrelated note, and not inferring anything, did you notice this interesting post? About DnDB joining WotC. I guess at these prices you might as well purchase a hard copy, though I am sure that was not their intent.
I truly hope this isn’t foreshadowing of things to come with that acquisition.
if DDB wants to make more money, give us more for our purchase that justifies the added value. I probably wouldn’t mind so much were that the case instead of more money for the same amount of content/work.
I dont know but maybe the pricing isnt their fault. Maybe they are forced to charge that much because they have to pay more for the product themselves or something, then there is all the work they do to make into a digital product also.
I am very new still though so its just my opinion.
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I am a complete nerd who loves role-playing all his favourite characters inspired by various forms of nerdy media, including but not limited to science fiction, science fantasy, anime and manga. I love elves, high fantasy stories and magical cat boys. I also like broken worlds and cyberpunk.
I don't know if people have noticed, but prices for everything have increased over the past year. I agree that they have not increased quite this much, but still, this is some thing I expected to happen sooner rather than later.
Maybe it is because they look at the hard copy for reference. And since paper prices shot up like crazy These got Mode expensive, too. You know, there might be something not malicious behind this.
Anyone who thinks DDB can set its own prices for books freely, without input from Wizards, is high. I guarantee Wizards has more control of book prices on this service than DDB does.
The **** of it is that I agree with the three-smaller-book idea. It makes a lot of sense for dead tree editions where you want to compartmentalize information for players, and where keeping a smaller, lighter, easier to flip through book for things like a bestiary could be helpful. The fact that it makes zero sense for DDB and isn't even being sold as a three-book set here but instead as a single collected omnibus just means DDB users are getting the sharp end of the stick on this one, which ****in' sucks after we got the sharp end of the stick on M3, too.
If the metric they’re using to set the price is based on the physical product, then, “Oooof!”
Wotc is making this product in an expensive fashion. They’re breaking up standard-sized content into three parts, hardback’ ing them, adding a poster map, gm screen, and a box. Add the increased cost of shipping and logistics which increases the physical cost but not all of it translates into justifiable markup on its digital counterpart, in my opinion.
I thought it was that price because it is three books in one. Unlike most every other thing they offer..? Just throwing that out there.
The threw "books" together contain a little over half the content of one of the other books. Imagine I took the PHB, threw half of it out, split the rest into three volumes, and then charged twice what the PHB was going for. Would you buy it?
The idea of three volumes makes sense. It even makes sense that it would cost more (separate bindings is not as cheap as individual ones, the utility is higher as well), but it's ridiculous that they're charging $50 on DDB for it and (so ove heard, but haven't seen) $70 for physical copies. Personally, I think normal price is reasonable, at least for physical copies. You get less content, sure, but that's counteracted by the fact that they're in separate bindings etc.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Meaning just because there is no physical product, the electronic form still has expenses to cover.
Great.
Who in this thread said it should be a freebie?
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I thought it was that price because it is three books in one. Unlike most every other thing they offer..? Just throwing that out there.
The threw "books" together contain a little over half the content of one of the other books. Imagine I took the PHB, threw half of it out, split the rest into three volumes, and then charged twice what the PHB was going for. Would you buy it?
The idea of three volumes makes sense. It even makes sense that it would cost more (separate bindings is not as cheap as individual ones, the utility is higher as well), but it's ridiculous that they're charging $50 on DDB for it and (so ove heard, but haven't seen) $70 for physical copies. Personally, I think normal price is reasonable, at least for physical copies. You get less content, sure, but that's counteracted by the fact that they're in separate bindings etc.
Don't get me wrong, I agree fully with you and yeah, it's pricey. I wouldn't buy it anyways, never liked Spelljammer, wish it was Darksun.
Fifty bucks isn't that much, folks. Its a dinner for two or a tank of gas these days. Inflation is a thing and writers and designers need to pay bills.
It's guaranteed that whatever price point research they've done holds more water than whatever stink you could raise here on the forums, so you're just shouting into the void here. Improve your day by moving on to something else.
Fifty bucks isn't that much, folks. Its a dinner for two or a tank of gas these days. Inflation is a thing and writers and designers need to pay bills.
It's guaranteed that whatever price point research they've done holds more water than whatever stink you could raise here on the forums, so you're just shouting into the void here. Improve your day by moving on to something else.
No stink being made. The point of the inquiry is to discuss the reason a standard offering is at a premium price. If the product was Core Set sized or even SCAG for each, that would mean more work and consequently a higher price. Or, if it’s kept the same but DDB exclusive battle maps or something to that effect was included, it would have added value. Being that there was no formal price increase announcement, the degree of the increase, and the acquisition occurring, I find it to be curious. If possible, I’d like to find out why. That’s all.
The print version of the Spelljammer release has an MSRP of $70, as opposed to the "traditional" MSRP price of $50 for previous books. The print version of Spelljammer is (will be) 3 books in a slipcase + a Spelljammer DM screen. On DDB, the Compendium+Tool set for a typical D&D Book is $30, or $20 below MSRP of the print books. Spelljammer Compendium+Tool set is $50, also $20 below the MSRP of print books. So I can see a certain logic to it.
That said, part of the justification for the higher price for Spelljammer is the DM screen, which presumably is not included in the DDB content. (Unless the info on the screen is not also in the books, and is provided somehow here??).
My guess is that WOTC is dictating the price. The good news is that it is that the current sale applies to preorders, so it can be had for $40 at the moment.
DDB sourcebooks/adventures are $29.99 while the Spelljammer product is $49.99. At first, I thought this had to do with the set having three books, but I discovered each is only 64 pages with a total page count of 192 between all three. This is the size of Xanathar's Guide to Everthing but chopped up into three parts. Also, the pre-order extras are the same (dice & sheet cosmetics).
If there's something I overlooked, please let me know because it seems like we're paying more for the same?
hardback the physical copy is $69.99 so this is about in line with the discount for other book on DnD Beyond. It seems WOTC have just increased the price of this material overall.
Yeah, I think the price is set in relation to the physical products MSRP. This product is more expensive because of the production, also contains a DMs screen (which I think WotC screens go for like $20?) which to date has not had a DDB equivalent and a cool poster map. So there's a lot of value actually in this boxed set ... that doesn't really translate well into the digital product.
I think this is an experiment, and I imagine as WotC explores further "products in new formats" you'll see some varied shots in the dark. I'll pay the physical price as it seems a good deal physically, but this doesn't translate into a digital buy for me too.
I mean Curse of Strahd Revamped goes for $100, but I think DBB just does the content in that as the regular "updated" CoS now. Shrug.
The physical product appears to be $69.99, which isn't for the number of pages -- it's because a boxed set is more expensive, and three bound volumes are more expensive than one. This becomes much more visible for the electronic version.
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...am I missing something?
DDB sourcebooks/adventures are $29.99 while the Spelljammer product is $49.99. At first, I thought this had to do with the set having three books, but I discovered each is only 64 pages with a total page count of 192 between all three. This is the size of Xanathar's Guide to Everthing but chopped up into three parts. Also, the pre-order extras are the same (dice & sheet cosmetics).
If there's something I overlooked, please let me know because it seems like we're paying more for the same?
On a completely unrelated note, and not inferring anything, did you notice this interesting post? About DnDB joining WotC. I guess at these prices you might as well purchase a hard copy, though I am sure that was not their intent.
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
I truly hope this isn’t foreshadowing of things to come with that acquisition.
if DDB wants to make more money, give us more for our purchase that justifies the added value. I probably wouldn’t mind so much were that the case instead of more money for the same amount of content/work.
I dont know but maybe the pricing isnt their fault. Maybe they are forced to charge that much because they have to pay more for the product themselves or something, then there is all the work they do to make into a digital product also.
I am very new still though so its just my opinion.
I am a complete nerd who loves role-playing all his favourite characters inspired by various forms of nerdy media, including but not limited to science fiction, science fantasy, anime and manga. I love elves, high fantasy stories and magical cat boys. I also like broken worlds and cyberpunk.
I don't know if people have noticed, but prices for everything have increased over the past year. I agree that they have not increased quite this much, but still, this is some thing I expected to happen sooner rather than later.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Maybe it is because they look at the hard copy for reference. And since paper prices shot up like crazy These got Mode expensive, too. You know, there might be something not malicious behind this.
Anyone who thinks DDB can set its own prices for books freely, without input from Wizards, is high. I guarantee Wizards has more control of book prices on this service than DDB does.
The **** of it is that I agree with the three-smaller-book idea. It makes a lot of sense for dead tree editions where you want to compartmentalize information for players, and where keeping a smaller, lighter, easier to flip through book for things like a bestiary could be helpful. The fact that it makes zero sense for DDB and isn't even being sold as a three-book set here but instead as a single collected omnibus just means DDB users are getting the sharp end of the stick on this one, which ****in' sucks after we got the sharp end of the stick on M3, too.
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If the metric they’re using to set the price is based on the physical product, then, “Oooof!”
Wotc is making this product in an expensive fashion. They’re breaking up standard-sized content into three parts, hardback’ ing them, adding a poster map, gm screen, and a box. Add the increased cost of shipping and logistics which increases the physical cost but not all of it translates into justifiable markup on its digital counterpart, in my opinion.
I thought it was that price because it is three books in one. Unlike most every other thing they offer..? Just throwing that out there.
The threw "books" together contain a little over half the content of one of the other books. Imagine I took the PHB, threw half of it out, split the rest into three volumes, and then charged twice what the PHB was going for. Would you buy it?
The idea of three volumes makes sense. It even makes sense that it would cost more (separate bindings is not as cheap as individual ones, the utility is higher as well), but it's ridiculous that they're charging $50 on DDB for it and (so ove heard, but haven't seen) $70 for physical copies. Personally, I think normal price is reasonable, at least for physical copies. You get less content, sure, but that's counteracted by the fact that they're in separate bindings etc.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Servers gotta serve.
Meaning just because there is no physical product, the electronic form still has expenses to cover.
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Great.
Who in this thread said it should be a freebie?
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Don't get me wrong, I agree fully with you and yeah, it's pricey. I wouldn't buy it anyways, never liked Spelljammer, wish it was Darksun.
Fifty bucks isn't that much, folks. Its a dinner for two or a tank of gas these days. Inflation is a thing and writers and designers need to pay bills.
It's guaranteed that whatever price point research they've done holds more water than whatever stink you could raise here on the forums, so you're just shouting into the void here. Improve your day by moving on to something else.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
No stink being made. The point of the inquiry is to discuss the reason a standard offering is at a premium price. If the product was Core Set sized or even SCAG for each, that would mean more work and consequently a higher price. Or, if it’s kept the same but DDB exclusive battle maps or something to that effect was included, it would have added value. Being that there was no formal price increase announcement, the degree of the increase, and the acquisition occurring, I find it to be curious. If possible, I’d like to find out why. That’s all.
The print version of the Spelljammer release has an MSRP of $70, as opposed to the "traditional" MSRP price of $50 for previous books. The print version of Spelljammer is (will be) 3 books in a slipcase + a Spelljammer DM screen. On DDB, the Compendium+Tool set for a typical D&D Book is $30, or $20 below MSRP of the print books. Spelljammer Compendium+Tool set is $50, also $20 below the MSRP of print books. So I can see a certain logic to it.
That said, part of the justification for the higher price for Spelljammer is the DM screen, which presumably is not included in the DDB content. (Unless the info on the screen is not also in the books, and is provided somehow here??).
My guess is that WOTC is dictating the price. The good news is that it is that the current sale applies to preorders, so it can be had for $40 at the moment.
Trying to Decide if DDB is for you? A few helpful threads: A Buyer's Guide to DDB; What I/We Bought and Why; How some DMs use DDB; A Newer Thread on Using DDB to Play
Helpful threads on other topics: Homebrew FAQ by IamSposta; Accessing Content by ConalTheGreat;
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hardback the physical copy is $69.99 so this is about in line with the discount for other book on DnD Beyond. It seems WOTC have just increased the price of this material overall.
Yeah, I think the price is set in relation to the physical products MSRP. This product is more expensive because of the production, also contains a DMs screen (which I think WotC screens go for like $20?) which to date has not had a DDB equivalent and a cool poster map. So there's a lot of value actually in this boxed set ... that doesn't really translate well into the digital product.
I think this is an experiment, and I imagine as WotC explores further "products in new formats" you'll see some varied shots in the dark. I'll pay the physical price as it seems a good deal physically, but this doesn't translate into a digital buy for me too.
I mean Curse of Strahd Revamped goes for $100, but I think DBB just does the content in that as the regular "updated" CoS now. Shrug.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Well, it does come with a DM screen and a double sided fold out map. Tasha's didn't have that. See? There's your price difference. :)
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https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
The physical product appears to be $69.99, which isn't for the number of pages -- it's because a boxed set is more expensive, and three bound volumes are more expensive than one. This becomes much more visible for the electronic version.