Player's Handbook Races Booklets(?) - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Player's Handbook Races Booklets(?)

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Obvious_Ninja
Mar 10, 2011 21:24:39 So to be fair I do know what happened to teh series. WotC decided that this series wasn't viable, something about the distributors or Flgs not liking the format. I know they had the Dragonborn and Tiefling books and were supposed to come out with a Humans book. Did the info on the Humans ever come out in Dragon or Dungeon?

I really ask for a couple of reasons. One, I really liked the series and wanted it to go on. I was curious if anyone else liked it too. Two, Piazo (yes, I know, i'm making the comparison yet again) is putting out their race books in the same 32page format and it seems to work for them...
#2
MalakLightfoot
Mar 10, 2011 22:06:43
So to be fair I do know what happened to teh series. WotC decided that this series wasn't viable, something about the distributors or Flgs not liking the format. I know they had the Dragonborn and Tiefling books and were supposed to come out with a Humans book. Did the info on the Humans ever come out in Dragon or Dungeon?

There were probably several factors that lead to the poor sales of the two released books that resulted in the cancellation of the line. The books had no spine, so they had to be faced out in order to see what they were. Books that flimsy do not lend themselves to being faced out on a bookshelf. As such, big box retailers probably ordered light (or, if the original order sold out, probably did not reorder), which meant that FLGSs needed to carry most of the sales. The original print run probably did not account for this.

While there is wisdom in printing Tiefling and Dragonborn first, as they are the races with the least history, they are also the races with the least history, which makes them niche of niche of niche. Maybe the two factors were a wash, maybe they should have started with Elves instead.

I really ask for a couple of reasons. One, I really liked the series and wanted it to go on. I was curious if anyone else liked it too. Two, Piazo (yes, I know, i'm making the comparison yet again) is putting out their race books in the same 32page format and it seems to work for them...

We'll see how Paizo's line does. Several things are going to work in Paizo's favor here. The print run is going to be smaller, so not as many need to be sold in order to make a profit. The main focus of distribution is going to be the FLGS, which will better be able to display and upsell it. Paizo will also be selling via PDF, which reduces the overhead costs, and is money directly into Paizo's pocket instead of feeding the distribution chain. PDFs are also a market that is currently untapped by Wizards (over piracy concerns, for better or worse).

#3
Damon_Tor
Mar 10, 2011 22:29:29 IMO, they should include this kind of info in joint books: Dragonborn, Tieflings, and Humans could have been "Player Races: Empire Builders" or something. You could combine elves, drow, and eladrin into an elf-people book, Half-Elves, Hlf-Orcs, and Shifters into a half-breed book, etc.
#4
lokiare
Mar 11, 2011 3:48:18
IMO, they should include this kind of info in joint books: Dragonborn, Tieflings, and Humans could have been "Player Races: Empire Builders" or something. You could combine elves, drow, and eladrin into an elf-people book, Half-Elves, Hlf-Orcs, and Shifters into a half-breed book, etc.

It should be called "Players Options: Heroes of the Empire", otherwise its not in the new format...
#5
Obvious_Ninja
Mar 11, 2011 21:01:18 A "Races of Stone" or "Races of Destiny" style like they did in 3rd Ed would be nice. I'd love to see this kind of product return.
#6
Houndstooth
Mar 13, 2011 5:37:57 Im fine with them simply putting the content into articals for DDI, but it seems like they are simply not putting out anything.
As a side note Id also like to see this done with the God in a section called Followers of ____ highlighting the followers, zealots and practices of worship of each god, but again this can be done online as long as they do it.
#7
Herid_Fel
Mar 13, 2011 11:26:04 Given that we have had two Wolfstone articles, it wouldn't surprise me if some of the content that had been going into that PHB: Humans book ended up in Dragon.
#8
Gallard
Mar 13, 2011 21:35:04 i purchased and enjoyed both the tiefling and dragonborn booklets, and was also saddened by the line's cancellation.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Obvious_Ninja Mar 10, 2011 21:24:39	So to be fair I do know what happened to teh series. WotC decided that this series wasn't viable, something about the distributors or Flgs not liking the format. I know they had the Dragonborn and Tiefling books and were supposed to come out with a Humans book. Did the info on the Humans ever come out in Dragon or Dungeon? I really ask for a couple of reasons. One, I really liked the series and wanted it to go on. I was curious if anyone else liked it too. Two, Piazo (yes, I know, i'm making the comparison yet again) is putting out their race books in the same 32page format and it seems to work for them...
#2 MalakLightfoot Mar 10, 2011 22:06:43	So to be fair I do know what happened to teh series. WotC decided that this series wasn't viable, something about the distributors or Flgs not liking the format. I know they had the Dragonborn and Tiefling books and were supposed to come out with a Humans book. Did the info on the Humans ever come out in Dragon or Dungeon? There were probably several factors that lead to the poor sales of the two released books that resulted in the cancellation of the line. The books had no spine, so they had to be faced out in order to see what they were. Books that flimsy do not lend themselves to being faced out on a bookshelf. As such, big box retailers probably ordered light (or, if the original order sold out, probably did not reorder), which meant that FLGSs needed to carry most of the sales. The original print run probably did not account for this. While there is wisdom in printing Tiefling and Dragonborn first, as they are the races with the least history, they are also the races with the least history, which makes them niche of niche of niche. Maybe the two factors were a wash, maybe they should have started with Elves instead. I really ask for a couple of reasons. One, I really liked the series and wanted it to go on. I was curious if anyone else liked it too. Two, Piazo (yes, I know, i'm making the comparison yet again) is putting out their race books in the same 32page format and it seems to work for them... We'll see how Paizo's line does. Several things are going to work in Paizo's favor here. The print run is going to be smaller, so not as many need to be sold in order to make a profit. The main focus of distribution is going to be the FLGS, which will better be able to display and upsell it. Paizo will also be selling via PDF, which reduces the overhead costs, and is money directly into Paizo's pocket instead of feeding the distribution chain. PDFs are also a market that is currently untapped by Wizards (over piracy concerns, for better or worse).
#3 Damon_Tor Mar 10, 2011 22:29:29	IMO, they should include this kind of info in joint books: Dragonborn, Tieflings, and Humans could have been "Player Races: Empire Builders" or something. You could combine elves, drow, and eladrin into an elf-people book, Half-Elves, Hlf-Orcs, and Shifters into a half-breed book, etc.
#4 lokiare Mar 11, 2011 3:48:18	IMO, they should include this kind of info in joint books: Dragonborn, Tieflings, and Humans could have been "Player Races: Empire Builders" or something. You could combine elves, drow, and eladrin into an elf-people book, Half-Elves, Hlf-Orcs, and Shifters into a half-breed book, etc. It should be called "Players Options: Heroes of the Empire", otherwise its not in the new format...
#5 Obvious_Ninja Mar 11, 2011 21:01:18	A "Races of Stone" or "Races of Destiny" style like they did in 3rd Ed would be nice. I'd love to see this kind of product return.
#6 Houndstooth Mar 13, 2011 5:37:57	Im fine with them simply putting the content into articals for DDI, but it seems like they are simply not putting out anything. As a side note Id also like to see this done with the God in a section called Followers of ____ highlighting the followers, zealots and practices of worship of each god, but again this can be done online as long as they do it.
#7 Herid_Fel Mar 13, 2011 11:26:04	Given that we have had two Wolfstone articles, it wouldn't surprise me if some of the content that had been going into that PHB: Humans book ended up in Dragon.
#8 Gallard Mar 13, 2011 21:35:04	i purchased and enjoyed both the tiefling and dragonborn booklets, and was also saddened by the line's cancellation.