Pathfinder 1E Stop thinking of Pathfinder as magazine issues

[DragonBelow]

I keep hearing people complaining about how expensive Pathfinder is, "who is going to pay $20 bucks for a magazine?", guys, it's not a magazine it's an adventure book, much like: Red Hand of Doom (128 pages / $24.95), or Shattered Gates of Slaughterdale (160 pages / $19.95), Night of Disolution (96 pages / $19.99), Crypt of the Devil Lich (96 pages / $24.95), The Scaly God (80 pages at $18.99). The prices are in the same ballpark as other publishers, and people don't complain about them.

Why is Pathfinder an even better value than those mentioned above? well, if you buy it, it means you're probably interested in whole adventure path, and if that is the case, you should be able to recognize that subscribing is even a better idea, not only you would get the products at a discounted rate ($13.99) but you also get them in PDF format, AFAIK, no other publisher does this, except RPGOBjects, everyone else tries to milk you twice.

I think Goodman Games does offer a subcription service, but no discounts, the subscription is basically to ensure you get stuff as it is released.

Now compared, to Dungeon magazine, it is obviously more expensive, but Dungeon magazine has always been a bargain, nobody compares prices between Dungeon Magazine and say Dungeon Crawl Classics.

 

[Treebore]

I keep hearing people complaining about how expensive Pathfinder is, "who is going to pay $20 bucks for a magazine?", guys, it's not a magazine it's an adventure book, much like: Red Hand of Doom (128 pages / $24.95), or Shattered Gates of Slaughterdale (160 pages / $19.95), Night of Disolution (96 pages / $19.99), Crypt of the Devil Lich (96 pages / $24.95), The Scaly God (80 pages at $18.99). The prices are in the same ballpark as other publishers, and people don't complain about them.

Why is Pathfinder an even better value than those mentioned above? well, if you buy it, it means you're probably interested in whole adventure path, and if that is the case, you should be able to recognize that subscribing is even a better idea, not only you would get the products at a discounted rate ($13.99) but you also get them in PDF format, AFAIK, no other publisher does this, except RPGOBjects, everyone else tries to milk you twice.

I think Goodman Games does offer a subcription service, but no discounts, the subscription is basicly to ensure you get stuff as it is released.

Now compared, to Dungeon magazine, it is obviously more expensive, but Dungeon magazine has always been a bargain, nobody compares prices between Dungeon Magazine and say Dungeon Crawl Classics.

I agree. Plus Erik even said (inferred?) that they can't do a magazine format for legal reasons with WOTC, and that the magazines were such a bargain because advertising helped pay costs.

Plus Paizo has always described Pathfinder as a BOOK. Roughly half AP, the other half Dragon mag type material for their new setting and for additional material for the AP.

I do wish the sub price could be cheaper, or at least be free shipping ($4.00). Maybe if the product maintains good sale levels they will be able to give better sub pricing down the road.

 

[Glyfair]

I keep hearing people complaining about how expensive Pathfinder is, "who is going to pay $20 bucks for a magazine?", guys, it's not a magazine it's an adventure book, much like: Red Hand of Doom (128 pages / $24.95), or Shattered Gates of Slaughterdale (160 pages / $19.95), Night of Disolution (96 pages / $19.99), Crypt of the Devil Lich (96 pages / $24.95), The Scaly God (80 pages at $18.99). The prices are in the same ballpark as other publishers, and people don't complain about them.

Except none of those publishers are producing a series of the modules on a monthly basis. None of them are half adventure, half "articles." Realistically, this is a hybrid. The first six "issues" contain the first adventure, for a cost of $120, which doesn't compare to the above adventures, either.

This is certainly a hybrid, and will be compared to adventure series and to magazines. It is not purely either.

However, looking at this, it does lend credence to Monte's comment that many at WotC considered Dungeon too good a value. Look at what we got in a years for of the magazine for a fraction of the price. Subscription was an even better value since shipping costs were included.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I don't think of it as a magazine. I know that Paizo have been marketing it as a book. While it is true that you can get it for $13.99 per issue if you subscribe, you still pay $4 (or $5 if you are outside the US) shipping and handling. This means that it costs you at least $17.99 per issue.

I personally think that is still reasonably good value for money. However some people that previously bought Dungeon will naturally compare Pathfinder to Dungeon since Paizo released as a product to partially fill the void left by Dragon and Dungeon. The fact that Dungeon and Pathfinder are also both made by Paizo means it more likely that people will compare the 2 products.

My main concern is that it is going to be difficult to get people to continue to subscribe to Pathfinder when the issues will likely come out quicker than most groups can play through them.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Treebore]

Except none of those publishers are producing a series of the modules on a monthly basis. None of them are half adventure, half "articles." Realistically, this is a hybrid. The first six "issues" contain the first adventure, for a cost of $120, which doesn't compare to the above adventures, either.

This is certainly a hybrid, and will be compared to adventure series and to magazines. It is not purely either.

However, looking at this, it does lend credence to Monte's comment that many at WotC considered Dungeon too good a value. Look at what we got in a years for of the magazine for a fraction of the price. Subscription was an even better value since shipping costs were included.

Yeah, I got 3 years of Dungeon for (I think) about $120.00, shipping included. So the book series, Pathfinder, is going to cost me 4 to 6 times as much over the same 3 year period.
The only thing that makes this increased cost easier to take is the free pdf copy for subscribing. Thats about $14.00 of added value going by comparing it to other similiar pdf products.

So taking that into account, since I like having the pdf, the overall cost is only 2 to 3 times higher. Ad free, with substantially more content (page count-96).

So its looking like a good deal, just not as great as Dungeon was. Which wasn't ad free.

What was/is the average page count of content for Dungeon and Dragon?

 

[Glyfair]

YThe only thing that makes this increased cost easier to take is the free pdf copy for subscribing. Thats about $14.00 of added value going by comparing it to other similiar pdf products.

That depends on how you count "value." Perhaps the cost of buying both would be that, but I don't consider the PDF to have the full value when you already have a print copy.

There are things a print copy is better for, and things a PDF are better for. However, there is a huge amount of overlap, so I don't consider that you are actually getting the full additonal value from the PDF, at least I wouldn't.

 

[Hussar]

Hundred (ish) pages. But that included ads. And comics.

 

[Treebore]

I don't think of it as a magazine. I know that Paizo have been marketing it as a book. While it is true that you can get it for $13.99 per issue if you subscribe, you still pay $4 (or $5 if you are outside the US) shipping and handling. This means that it costs you at least $17.99 per issue.

I personally think that is still reasonably good value for money. However some people that previously bought Dungeon will naturally compare Pathfinder to Dungeon since Paizo released as a product to partially fill the void left by Dragon and Dungeon. The fact that Dungeon and Pathfinder are also both made by Paizo means it more likely that people will compare the 2 products.

My main concern is that it is going to be difficult to get people to continue to subscribe to Pathfinder when the issues will likely come out quicker than most groups can play through them.

Olaf the Stout

I don't know how many buy Dungeon on that basis. I don't. I have many issues of Dungeon where I have yet to use anything from them. Plus I don't use the AP's as an AP, just piece meal. Even so I have used only one segment of one AP since they started coming out.

Dungeon is primarily my source of inspiration for where to take my campaign next. Plus its just an good read every month.

I am also finding yet another boon for me using C&C. It is taking them so long to level up I get to use 3 to 4 times as many adventure modules as I did under 3E advancment. Now that they are at the 9th to 10th level XP range I am hoping to get to use 6 to 8 adventures for each level.

I am going to miss the value and quality of Dungeon greatly, but I am glad PAizo is sticking around to keep giving me alternative products of the same quality, if not at such a great price.

 

[Treebore]

That depends on how you count "value." Perhaps the cost of buying both would be that, but I don't consider the PDF to have the full value when you already have a print copy.

There are things a print copy is better for, and things a PDF are better for. However, there is a huge amount of overlap, so I don't consider that you are actually getting the full additonal value from the PDF, at least I wouldn't.

I agree. Which is why I put "since I like the pdf" in there. If you don't like it, it doesn't improve the value of the deal for you. I like it, so its a "value added" for me.

 

[Treebore]

Hundred (ish) pages. But that included ads. And comics.

Yeah, I knew that, roughly. Which is why I asked for page count of actual content. Meaning the adventures and other articles, not the ads or about 3 pages of comics.