Is TTRPGing an "Expensive Hobby"

[Malmuria]

"You can play ttrpgs for free, so spending $150 on them is a great value!"
It's relative. Compared to some other hobbies, $150 will not be a lot. But compared to what you actually need to play ttrpgs, $150 is pretty expensive.

We're a hobby that loves its premium collector's editions and its stretch goal add ons and high end DM screens and custom dice sets. Relative to other hobbies maybe that still doesn't add up to that much. Within the context of ttrpgs, however, it's very peripheral and extra.

 

[Andvari]

Overall it's a pretty cheap hobby, I think. However, if you are a massive mini guy / Terrainosaurus Rex, it can get expensive.

 

[Hussar]

"You can play ttrpgs for free, so spending $150 on them is a great value!"
It's relative. Compared to some other hobbies, $150 will not be a lot. But compared to what you actually need to play ttrpgs, $150 is pretty expensive.

We're a hobby that loves its premium collector's editions and its stretch goal add ons and high end DM screens and custom dice sets. Relative to other hobbies maybe that still doesn't add up to that much. Within the context of ttrpgs, however, it's very peripheral and extra.

I mean, sure, there are expensive things out there. I get that. But, heck, even look at what I posted there above. 2 grand gets you every print and digital version of WotC D&D. How long would that last a group of six - 5 players and a DM? Five years, six years of really extensive play? An AP takes what, about 200 hours to play through? Ten AP's, that's 2000 hours. Heck, even if it's only 1000 hours, that's still only 2 dollars an hour spread between SIX people.

There are extremely few hobbies that you can get away with that much entertainment for that price. Yes, there are some that exist. I totally get that. But, as far as describing RPG's as "expensive" or telling people they're "privileged" for thinking RPG gaming isn't expensive? Seriously?

You could up the hourly expenses I listed above to 12 dollars an hour (2 dollars/hour/person) and it would still be ridiculously cheap. And at that point, you have a gaming collection of 12 THOUSAND dollars? I'm sure you could spend that much if you wanted to. Beautiful bespoke gaming table, rental of a location, enough miniatures to build a medium sized house. But, I'm thinking that that sort of thing is pretty rare.

 

[Leatherhead]

By using freely available online tools, you can effectively pay $0 for the hobby, and have a good experience with it. I know this because I am playing in a Starfinder game online with Discord, using online tools including a dice roller and character sheets, and I haven't spent a single dime on that game. (At least not yet, I'm probably going to pick up 2nd Ed when that drops.)

 

[Malmuria]

I mean, sure, there are expensive things out there. I get that. But, heck, even look at what I posted there above. 2 grand gets you every print and digital version of WotC D&D. How long would that last a group of six - 5 players and a DM? Five years, six years of really extensive play? An AP takes what, about 200 hours to play through? Ten AP's, that's 2000 hours. Heck, even if it's only 1000 hours, that's still only 2 dollars an hour spread between SIX people.

There are extremely few hobbies that you can get away with that much entertainment for that price. Yes, there are some that exist. I totally get that. But, as far as describing RPG's as "expensive" or telling people they're "privileged" for thinking RPG gaming isn't expensive? Seriously?

You could up the hourly expenses I listed above to 12 dollars an hour (2 dollars/hour/person) and it would still be ridiculously cheap. And at that point, you have a gaming collection of 12 THOUSAND dollars? I'm sure you could spend that much if you wanted to. Beautiful bespoke gaming table, rental of a location, enough miniatures to build a medium sized house. But, I'm thinking that that sort of thing is pretty rare.

But again it's all relative to what you need to play a ttrpg. What is the baseline for engaging with the hobby at all, and from that baseline how much are you spending? If the baseline is $0, then spending 2 grand is quite expensive. I wouldn't say that people are necessarily privileged for being able to afford to buy some books, especially if they'll use those books in play. But I can't help but notice the difference in approaches at the extremes: on the one hand, a hobby that is based in DIY, in hacking things together and making your own fun (even in the most precarious of circumstances), and on the other hand, consumerist collecting of things that will never hit the table.

I'll also just note that ttrpgs are not a passive medium, in that you don't just buy the books and become entertained. If you actually use them in play, you have to put a lot of effort in bringing those books to life through your games. So the value those books provide is only relative to the effort you put into making them work (and if are talking about 5e that work can be...considerable...)

 

[overgeeked]

There's some expense in getting the initial supplies - rule books, dice, board, minis, etc. - but nothing crazy.

Once you have those initial bits you're good to go for life, other than having to reload on pens and paper now and then.

We’ve talked before about how we’re both on the extreme end of the bell curve for holding on to and still playing AD&D 35 years after it went out-of-print. We are the extremely rare exceptions. We don’t prove the rule. We’re just rare. The vast majority of players keep up with every edition change and chase the shiny player options in the latest splat.

 

[aramis erak]

There's some expense in getting the initial supplies - rule books, dice, board, minis, etc. - but nothing crazy.

Once you have those initial bits you're good to go for life, other than having to reload on pens and paper now and then.

Only if you're luck enough to find a game which works for you and whomever you're playing with.
If you find the particular one you got to have issues you don't know how to fix, it's 50/50 whether the player quits or looks for a different game that works better.
D&D wasn't my go-to game once I started playing Traveller. But there are many things for which Traveller isn't a good fit, either. Which lead me to T2K, Mechwarrior, RuneQuest, Starships & Spacemen, FASA STRPG, WEG Star Wars... and 200 other rpg editions in the last 43 years.

 

[CleverNickName]

Thousands? How?

Well, like I said: multiple copies of books, buying both digital and electronic copies of the same titles, buying everything with the D&D logo printed on the cover, multiple sets of dice, multiple subscriptions, all the minis, all the terrain... heck, Wyrmwood sells a custom wood DM screen that can cost few hundred dollars all by itself. You don't need any of it to play, but you can certainly buy it if you want.

 

[Deset Gled]

There's some expense in getting the initial supplies - rule books, dice, board, minis, etc. - but nothing crazy.

Once you have those initial bits you're good to go for life, other than having to reload on pens and paper now and then.

I think the initial cost is part of what makes people think it's expensive to start. Even if the actual cost is low, there's an up-front cost that can feel imposing. In that sense, starting an RPG hobby is more like starting a video game hobby than a sport or board game hobby.

Consider:

If you want to play a friendly, introductory game of bowling with your friends on a weekend, everybody spends a small fee to rent a lane and shoes. You play a round. Anyone who gets serious eventually buys their own shoes, ball, etc.

If you want to play a friendly, introductory game of basketball/soccer/rugby on a weekend, one person buys a ball. Everyone else shows up at a park. You play a game. Anyone who gets serious buys their own ball, shoes, gear, etc.

If you want to play a friendly, introductory game of D&D with your friends on a weekend, often at least one person buys ~$150 worth of books (PHB, DMG, MM). If people don't want to have to share PHBs, multiple people buy copies. A bunch of people buy dice. The startup cost to try the game out can easily be over $200.

Now, there are ways to get around that initial cost. Sure, you could find a FLGS. If you're lucky. And if they have an open gaming event going on. And if you want to learn to play with a bunch of strangers instead of your friends. But it's hard to be sitting around and say "Let's try this RPG thing that I've heard about" and just get going. Maybe VTTs will be a market force that changes this in the future.

 

[Maxperson]

It can get spendy, I have seen people drop a thousand on custom dice at gencon.

At one convention I almost bought dice made from a brontosaurus bone, but then I realized I'd be spending a lot of money on something I'd never roll.