D&D (2024) D&D Player’s Handbook (2024)

[Henadic Theologian]

$60, which is the current cost of RPG hamebpoks (the Origins of D&D book is more of a coffee table book, though it could be used to game).

60$ American! Clearly CEO Chris Cocks has chosen the Thief subclass for his Rogue class.

 

[Parmandur]

60$ American! Clearly CEO Chris Cocks has chosen the Thief subclass for his Rogue class.

Not really, that's the same as say the new Pathfinder books, or any other raimilar large hardcover. $50 MSRP from 2014 is $65 in 2024 dollars adjusted for inflation, so that's actually cheaper than the core books cost 10 years ago in real terms. And most people are going to buy at the Amazon or Target price, for that matter.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Not really, that's the same as say the new Pathfinder books, or any other raimilar large hardcover. $50 MSRP from 2014 is $65 in 2024 dollars adjusted for inflation, so that's actually cheaper than the core books cost 10 years ago in real terms. And most people are going to buy at the Amazon or Target price, for that matter.

Yes really, those are small publushers that can't take advantage of economies of scale or the host of advantages Hasbro can provide in keeping costs done. Look at D&D profits, they didn't have to spike price like that, they just got greedy.

Well if I do get it, I'll either wait till I'm richer or its on sale for a reasonable price.

 

[Parmandur]

Yes really, those are small publushers that can't take advantage of economies of scale or the host of advantages Hasbro can provide in keeping costs done. Look at D&D profits, they didn't have to spike price like that, they just got greedy.

Well if I do get it, I'll either wait till I'm richer or its on sale for a reasonable price.

Amazon or other vig retailers will have it at a lower price basically immediately.

As stated, though, the MSRP for 2024 D&D books is lower than it was a decade ago: WotC increased their prices behind inflation.

 

[Reynard]

Yes really, those are small publushers that can't take advantage of economies of scale or the host of advantages Hasbro can provide in keeping costs done. Look at D&D profits, they didn't have to spike price like that, they just got greedy.

Well if I do get it, I'll either wait till I'm richer or its on sale for a reasonable price.

What do you think a book of that size and scope should cost, and why do you think that?

 

[Clint_L]

Adjusted for inflation, that's cheaper than the the PHB was in 1978. Significantly. Calling someone a "thief" for charging sixty bucks for a newly released, hard cover, coffee table-style book is absurd. WotC always has to be painted as the villain for some folks.

As an art book alone it's worth that.

 

[Kurotowa]

Adjusted for inflation, that's cheaper than the the PHB was in 1978. Significantly. Calling someone a "thief" for charging sixty bucks for a newly released, hard cover, coffee table-style book is absurd. WotC always has to be painted as the villain for some folks.

I mean, I can see why some people get touchy. Not to get into too much of a socialist rant, but wages have stagnated even as inflation has increased prices. So the rising cost of expensive luxuries like video games or TTRPG books really pinches. But the creators who made those things need to be paid a fair wage, and there are fixed costs in producing these things that they don't have control over. Which means I understand when a book costs more than the previous one did, even if I don't enjoy it.

 

[Echohawk]

Adjusted for inflation, that's cheaper than the the PHB was in 1978. Significantly.

While I don't think the price for the upcoming PHB is unreasonable, this statement is not true.

Here are the prices of seven different Player's Handbooks, adjusted for inflation using this calculator.

• Players Handbook (June 1978): $9.95 --> $47.07
• Player's Handbook (April 1989): $20.00 --> $50.11
• Player's Handbook (May 1995): $25.00 --> $50.66
• Player's Handbook (August 2000): $19.95 --> $35.61
• Player's Handbook v.3.5 (July 2003): $29.95 --> $50.23
• Player's Handbook (June 2008): $34.95 --> $49.26
• Player's Handbook (August 2014): $49.95 --> $64.77

Those are the initial cover prices adjusted to January 2024. You can probably add another dollar or so to predict a September 2024 figure. Note that some PHBs had price increases during their print runs. And, of course, those prices are for various numbers of pages and qualities of productions.

However, on a strict inflationary price comparison, the 2024 Player's Handbook compares favorably in price only to the 2014 Player's Handbook.

 

[Parmandur]

While I don't think the price for the upcoming PHB is unreasonable, this statement is not true.

Here are the prices of seven different Player's Handbooks, adjusted for inflation using this calculator.

• Players Handbook (June 1978): $9.95 --> $47.07
• Player's Handbook (April 1989): $20.00 --> $50.11
• Player's Handbook (May 1995): $25.00 --> $50.66
• Player's Handbook (August 2000): $19.95 --> $35.61
• Player's Handbook v.3.5 (July 2003): $29.95 --> $50.23
• Player's Handbook (June 2008): $34.95 --> $49.26
• Player's Handbook (August 2014): $49.95 --> $64.77

Those are the initial cover prices adjusted to January 2024. You can probably add another dollar or so to predict a September 2024 figure. Note that some PHBs had price increases during their print runs. And, of course, those prices are for various numbers of pages and qualities of productions.

However, on a strict inflationary price comparison, the 2024 Player's Handbook compares favorably in price only to the 2014 Player's Handbook.

True, but another point of consideration is that in real terms, with Amazon and Target and other such discount book retailers means that the 2014 and 2024 books are procurable at an actually cheaper rate than those older books.

 

[Echohawk]

True, but another point of consideration is that in real terms, with Amazon and Target and other such discount book retailers means that the 2014 and 2024 books are procurable at an actually cheaper rate than those older books.

As I said, I don't think the price is unreasonable. Any number of factors (retail discounts, number of pages, color printing) make the 2024 price reasonable in comparison to the 1978 price. But it is not the case that the price is significantly cheaper than that of the 1978 Player's Handbook adjusted for inflation.​