Cost of D&D Editions, then and now

[billd91]

Very cool. Could you add in a DMG type book for Pathfinder, for comparison of "three books"? I would argue that the 3E DMG wasn't really needed either, but a 3-core set seems like the right method of comparison across editions.

I don't think that would make for a valid comparison. It's less important to compare the specific number of volumes than the volumes that contain roughly equivalent content and purpose. The PF Core Rulebook contains most of the rule material of the 3.5 DMG including encounter design, experience and treasure awards, magic items, NPC design, and environmental rules.

And I don't think I would argue that the DMG was not really needed in 3e considering the content it had.

 

[delericho]

Very cool. Could you add in a DMG type book for Pathfinder, for comparison of "three books"?

I'm really reluctant to do so, because the Pathfinder GMG is very definitely an optional book, more akin to the 3.5e DMGII than anything else. The PF Core Rulebook really does do double-duty as the combined PHB/DMG.

Still, if you really want that data: the GMG was published in 2010 and cost $40 ($42.91 today). That takes Pathfinder's total to approx $140.

(You might also be interested in looking here for my thoughts on why PF seems comparitively lower-priced compared to D&D. Or not - that's very much speculation on my part. )

I would argue that the 3E DMG wasn't really needed either, but a 3-core set seems like the right method of comparison across editions.

I don't think that's valid, though - the 3e DMG had the tables for XP, the rules for NPCs (including the NPC classes), and the magic item descriptions. Indeed, some of that material doesn't appear even in the SRD, so without the book there's no (legal) source for the data. (And, incidentally, all of that information appears in the PF Core Rulebook.)

If you want me to nominate an 'unnecessary' DMG, I'd be inclined to go for the 2nd Ed one (though that has magic items) or the 4e one (though that has Skill Challenges and Page 42).

 

[Scorpio616]

Though how complete was the GM's material in the PF rulebook? There have been many so called complete RPG books that were really a gimped half system with the book BLOATED with fluff with the rest of the rules tucked into a Player's Companion, GM's Companion and sprinkled across a dozen faction / class books.

 

[Mark CMG]

1st Edition: The Monster Manual was $9.95 in 1977 (Dragon 11). The PHB was published in 1978 (an advert appears in Dragon 18) but no price has been confirmed. The DMG was $15 in 1979 (Dragon 33, Sage Advice). This equates to $38.41 for the MM and $48.33 for the DMG today.

(My best guess for the PHB price would be $10, the same as the MM, which would be $35.88 today. This would give a total of approx $123 for the set. But please note that this is a guess!)

PHB was $10 when it first came out, IIRC, as you surmise.

 

[JEB]

Just to note, the MSRP is plenty important when it comes to purchases by casual gamers and anyone new to D&D - because they're most likely to discover the book in a physical store. Online purchases offer better deals, but in general, online buyers were already looking for that product in the first place. (That may change if online retailers get better at re-creating the "impulse buy", however.)

While there are physical stores that offer discounts on books, most don't, and those that can rarely discount as heavily as online retailers. So the MSRP should not be dismissed.

(Maybe you'd see near-online prices at big-box retailers... but I'd be shocked to see the PHB in Wal-Mart or Tesco.)

 

[MerricB]

Very cool. Could you add in a DMG type book for Pathfinder, for comparison of "three books"? I would argue that the 3E DMG wasn't really needed either, but a 3-core set seems like the right method of comparison across editions.

Given that the 3E DMG had the magic items in it, and they were slightly important for game balance, I wouldn't have wanted to run 3E without it!

In contrast, the GMG has nothing in it that you require for running a Pathfinder game. It's really a late addition to the line and rather superfluous.

 

[Mistwell]

OK I finally found a reliable source for MSRP on the AD&D 1e books. This is the original order form from Dungeon Hobby Shop in 1981 (owned and run by TSR at the time):

I have no reason to believe those prices in 1981 were different on first publication date (and I got prior confirmation the $15 DMG price was accurate for it's first publication date). So, let's use these numbers, and run them from their first publication date (which are MM 1977, PHB 1978, DMG 1979), using the Government inflation calculator:

MM 1977 $12 = $46.32.
PHB 1978 $12 = $43.05.
DMG 1979 $15 = $48.33.

So that adds up to: $137.70 in 2014 dollars. An average of $45.90 each.

I am guessing that, had WOTC decided to release the books one-per-year like TSR originally did (2014, 2015, 2016), that $4.05 difference would disappear with the additional inflation.

 

[Mercurius]

While that's true, you can never be certain of getting a discount nor can you be certain how much of a discount you will receive. As such, any attempt to do a comparison based on a discounted price is a fool's game - you're trying to do a comparison with a moving target.

The MSRP is really the only fixed value that allows a comparison to even be made. Using the MSRP instead of the "real price" may reduce the value of the comparison, but without it there's no comparison to be made.

Look, I get what you are saying and love your study but the simple fact of the matter is that the MSRP means significantly less in the Age of Amazon than it did in the Age of Waldenbooks. This is true of more than just D&D books, but just about all items. In fact, many manufacturers artificially inflate their MSRPs because they know they'll be discounted.

Anyhow, I think the Age of Internet editions - 3E and beyond - should be viewed with a big asterisk, especially once you get to 4E (and presumably 5E) when a huge percentage of sales came from online. So while your study accurately represents the cost of cover price for different editions, it doesn't accurately represent the price people actually pay, nor the start-up cost of the edition.

 

[JEB]

Look, I get what you are saying and love your study but the simple fact of the matter is that the MSRP means significantly less in the Age of Amazon than it did in the Age of Waldenbooks. This is true of more than just D&D books, but just about all items. In fact, many manufacturers artificially inflate their MSRPs because they know they'll be discounted.

Anyhow, I think the Age of Internet editions - 3E and beyond - should be viewed with a big asterisk, especially once you get to 4E (and presumably 5E) when a huge percentage of sales came from online. So while your study accurately represents the cost of cover price for different editions, it doesn't accurately represent the price people actually pay, nor the start-up cost of the edition.

Yes, it's true that gamers will not likely be paying $50 for the D&D 5th Edition Player's Handbook. But gamers already know that D&D exists, and already know where to look online. By contrast, physical stores - at least those that stock items like a D&D Player's Handbook - usually sell their goods at the MSRP, or near to it. Which means people with only a passing interest in D&D, or totally new to the game, will be faced with that $50 price tag. And that's surely going to discourage interest, which is bad for D&D and bad for RPGs in the long term.

 

[Zardnaar]

Look, I get what you are saying and love your study but the simple fact of the matter is that the MSRP means significantly less in the Age of Amazon than it did in the Age of Waldenbooks. This is true of more than just D&D books, but just about all items. In fact, many manufacturers artificially inflate their MSRPs because they know they'll be discounted.

Anyhow, I think the Age of Internet editions - 3E and beyond - should be viewed with a big asterisk, especially once you get to 4E (and presumably 5E) when a huge percentage of sales came from online. So while your study accurately represents the cost of cover price for different editions, it doesn't accurately represent the price people actually pay, nor the start-up cost of the edition.

Helps to compare apples with apples as not all of us live in countries where you can get discounts. To get free shipping here for example I have to spend $125 on product from Amazon so I can't buy a PHB for $37.