Pay to play? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Pay to play? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rerednaw
10-04-06, 05:19 PM I just started Living Greyhawk and heard about Xen'drik recently. I have been reading up on it and while the setting is interesting, it sure seems that many of the benefits come to those who pay $.

Are there to be player rewards equivalent to those who say, cannot afford to go to Gencon or have the inside connections for Winter Fantasy 2007?

Do you folks think that a 28 point buy is available as an exclusive reward (as opposed to 25 if you don't spend money above the investment in books) is fair to a given gaming group as a whole? Are there plans to make this and other rewards a standard reward (say after so many playing/gm points?)

Of course I cannot fault the marketing...gaming companies are in this for the money after all.

As for me, I'm probably going to Gencon. It's been on my to do list for years and I've never gone. :D
Errean
10-05-06, 09:51 AM Since the addition of campaign cards to D&D Campaigns (Legacy of the Green Regent, if I'm not mistaken), there have been unique promotional cards only offered at the major cons. I personally received the first two for Mark of Heros from Gen Con Indy in 2004.

Yes, it's an instentive to attend the major cons but I don't think it's meant to give attending players an advantage over those that are able to make it. It's more of a thank you to those that can make it to the cons because major story events occur at these conventions and it's those players that come to them that help push the story forward, or in this case, start it out on the right foot.

The 3 additional stat points from Adventuring Prodigy is less of an impact, I feel, on game play than the promo cards from Mark of Heros. After all, in Mark, the only way to be Dragonmarked was to have one of those six cards and to get all of them, you had to go to a lot of conventions. The 3 points from AP shouldn't make or break too many characters and only give you a slight boost over the other players at the table. And if none of the players that you're playing with can go to the cons, then there should be less of a problem as they will all be on the level with the point buy they make their characters with.
Rewth
10-05-06, 01:14 PM also bear in mind that the adventuring prodigy creation card has a fairly heft cost... 3 of your action points. at first level thats ALL of them, unless you have heroic spirit. so while its a nice bump to your character, its pretty well balanced. my personal preference is that i'd rather have the action points.
Grantor
10-05-06, 02:06 PM You also need to buy a Player's Handbook to play. And the Eberron Campaign Setting. Dice are a requirement. Miniatures are a great aid.

And for all of those secondary source feats and prestige classes you need to buy the book (or at least bring a photo-copy, so SOMEONE you know bought the book).

Just like the golfer who rents equipment never seems to do as well on the course as the bloke that bought the top-of-the-line kit, paying more for your hobby has a direct impact on performance. This does NOT mean that you have more fun, however. That's a factor that cannot be measured in money and the responcibility for that lies in your hands, as well as those you choose to play with.
DBlizzard
10-05-06, 04:16 PM also bear in mind that the adventuring prodigy creation card has a fairly heft cost... 3 of your action points. at first level thats ALL of them, unless you have heroic spirit.

Well, if you have Adventuring Prodigy, there is a very good chance you have at least one general card, so you will probably have one action point at first level. That being said, which would you prefer; 3 action points per session, or 3 addtional character creation points? IMO, it's a tough call.
Marcia_S
10-05-06, 06:30 PM There are plenty of options that are terrific that don't require ANY cards - Gnoll, Dragonmarked, evil, warmage, Aasimar, and so on. And using these ultra-special creation cards really limits your action point pool. You really have to WANT to play a Drow or have a 28 point build to even consider using them.

It may be that it's rewarding those who can make it to the "big" cons, but it's a big commitment, in time, money, and energy, to go to those cons. People that make that kind of investment should have something unique to show for it. These cards are a tiny reward when compared to what people did to get them. Just for comparison, I took one week of vacation (worth about $1250 in pay), drove 1200 miles each way, GMed 8 slots, and spent nearly $800 in travelling expenses. The 6 cards I got, if I were to buy them on e-Bay would cost no more than $200. I certainly didn't go to Gen Con for the cards, but they're a nice "thank you" for those who went and supported the RPGA.

Marcia

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rerednaw 10-04-06, 05:19 PM	I just started Living Greyhawk and heard about Xen'drik recently. I have been reading up on it and while the setting is interesting, it sure seems that many of the benefits come to those who pay $. Are there to be player rewards equivalent to those who say, cannot afford to go to Gencon or have the inside connections for Winter Fantasy 2007? Do you folks think that a 28 point buy is available as an exclusive reward (as opposed to 25 if you don't spend money above the investment in books) is fair to a given gaming group as a whole? Are there plans to make this and other rewards a standard reward (say after so many playing/gm points?) Of course I cannot fault the marketing...gaming companies are in this for the money after all. As for me, I'm probably going to Gencon. It's been on my to do list for years and I've never gone. :D
Errean 10-05-06, 09:51 AM	Since the addition of campaign cards to D&D Campaigns (Legacy of the Green Regent, if I'm not mistaken), there have been unique promotional cards only offered at the major cons. I personally received the first two for Mark of Heros from Gen Con Indy in 2004. Yes, it's an instentive to attend the major cons but I don't think it's meant to give attending players an advantage over those that are able to make it. It's more of a thank you to those that can make it to the cons because major story events occur at these conventions and it's those players that come to them that help push the story forward, or in this case, start it out on the right foot. The 3 additional stat points from Adventuring Prodigy is less of an impact, I feel, on game play than the promo cards from Mark of Heros. After all, in Mark, the only way to be Dragonmarked was to have one of those six cards and to get all of them, you had to go to a lot of conventions. The 3 points from AP shouldn't make or break too many characters and only give you a slight boost over the other players at the table. And if none of the players that you're playing with can go to the cons, then there should be less of a problem as they will all be on the level with the point buy they make their characters with.
Rewth 10-05-06, 01:14 PM	also bear in mind that the adventuring prodigy creation card has a fairly heft cost... 3 of your action points. at first level thats ALL of them, unless you have heroic spirit. so while its a nice bump to your character, its pretty well balanced. my personal preference is that i'd rather have the action points.
Grantor 10-05-06, 02:06 PM	You also need to buy a Player's Handbook to play. And the Eberron Campaign Setting. Dice are a requirement. Miniatures are a great aid. And for all of those secondary source feats and prestige classes you need to buy the book (or at least bring a photo-copy, so SOMEONE you know bought the book). Just like the golfer who rents equipment never seems to do as well on the course as the bloke that bought the top-of-the-line kit, paying more for your hobby has a direct impact on performance. This does NOT mean that you have more fun, however. That's a factor that cannot be measured in money and the responcibility for that lies in your hands, as well as those you choose to play with.
DBlizzard 10-05-06, 04:16 PM	also bear in mind that the adventuring prodigy creation card has a fairly heft cost... 3 of your action points. at first level thats ALL of them, unless you have heroic spirit. Well, if you have Adventuring Prodigy, there is a very good chance you have at least one general card, so you will probably have one action point at first level. That being said, which would you prefer; 3 action points per session, or 3 addtional character creation points? IMO, it's a tough call.
Marcia_S 10-05-06, 06:30 PM	There are plenty of options that are terrific that don't require ANY cards - Gnoll, Dragonmarked, evil, warmage, Aasimar, and so on. And using these ultra-special creation cards really limits your action point pool. You really have to WANT to play a Drow or have a 28 point build to even consider using them. It may be that it's rewarding those who can make it to the "big" cons, but it's a big commitment, in time, money, and energy, to go to those cons. People that make that kind of investment should have something unique to show for it. These cards are a tiny reward when compared to what people did to get them. Just for comparison, I took one week of vacation (worth about $1250 in pay), drove 1200 miles each way, GMed 8 slots, and spent nearly $800 in travelling expenses. The 6 cards I got, if I were to buy them on e-Bay would cost no more than $200. I certainly didn't go to Gen Con for the cards, but they're a nice "thank you" for those who went and supported the RPGA. Marcia