Getting Players to Buy Books/Dice

[PencilBoy99]

The people I play with don't like to buy books, dice, etc. They expect that somehow I will provide them with what they need. This seems to be a more modern attitude, since up until the past couple of years it was normal for most players to buy at least the core book for a game.

I would think this would be a show-stopper for DCC - since players need access to all of the table lookups. Is there a workaround?

[Ravenheart87]

Yes, use reference sheets, print out the spells. You might find some useful downloads on the People them with Monsters blog and some nice tools at Purple Sorcerer Games.

[PencilBoy99]

Yes, use reference sheets, print out the spells. You might find some useful downloads on the People them with Monsters blog and some nice tools at Purple Sorcerer Games.

Thank you.

Just curious, is this normal now or do I just have an odd group of players?

[DM Cojo]

I didn't have this issue, thankfully. Within 1-2 sessions of playing, 4 of my players bought the book and dice. Guess I am just lucky!

[Zargon]

This is a great question. I have noticed the same ennui when it comes to players providing their own material. It seems that storytellers always have had to provide the bulk of the work, and I'm perfectly happy with that role. But I too would like to see players attend to their own books and dice. I would even add that players should find, purchase and paint miniatures to represent their PCs.

We do use a few print outs, yet we are far from sufficient in that area. I usually prompt the group to buy their own copy of the book as I extend the 5 lb tome across the table...

[finarvyn]

I have a mix of players. Some are really enthusiastic role-players and others more there for the social experience. My players tend to buy their own dice, but not always copies of the rules.

Actually, for me that's kind of a good thing because I discourage the "rules lawyer" and if they don't have the rules they can't look for "loopholes" in them.

[IronWolf]

For my online game everyone has the books. So it has never been an issue there.

My home group played DCC for about 2 or 3 months. In that case the judge had the book and I had two copies of the book - one for passing around the table.

[Gameogre]

If one of my players spent $1 freely and of there own will on a rpg game that DIDN'T get drunk or eaten I would shoot them in the head scream out" alien invasion" and live the rest of my life knowing I was the Last of Us.

Twenty years ago I thought one of my players once bought his own players handbook and was filled with happiness until a nearby DM accosted me outside of a classroom and demanded his players handbook back that one of MY players had swiped.

That was the last time I ever even saw one of these damn dirty apes holding a book I didn't buy.

As far as dice goes. I probably buy $200 worth of dice a year(every year) and currently own 2 sets of dice. The only thing I go through faster than dice are Pencils. I really just have no clue what the heck happens to pencils. Those ten ton gorillas can hardly hold a pencil much less write with one. I buy pencils every time I buy groceries but it never fails...every time I need to work on the game it takes 30 minutes to track down a pencil. I almost suspect one of my players is eating them.Just flat out swallowing them hole or something. At least if one of them ever was hospitalized for lead poisoning I wouldn't be surprised.

[PencilBoy99]

If one of my players spent $1 freely and of there own will on a rpg game that DIDN'T get drunk or eaten I would shoot them in the head scream out" alien invasion" and live the rest of my life knowing I was the Last of Us.

Twenty years ago I thought one of my players once bought his own players handbook and was filled with happiness until a nearby DM accosted me outside of a classroom and demanded his players handbook back that one of MY players had swiped.

That was the last time I ever even saw one of these damn dirty apes holding a book I didn't buy.

As far as dice goes. I probably buy $200 worth of dice a year(every year) and currently own 2 sets of dice. The only thing I go through faster than dice are Pencils. I really just have no clue what the heck happens to pencils. Those ten ton gorillas can hardly hold a pencil much less write with one. I buy pencils every time I buy groceries but it never fails...every time I need to work on the game it takes 30 minutes to track down a pencil. I almost suspect one of my players is eating them.Just flat out swallowing them hole or something. At least if one of them ever was hospitalized for lead poisoning I wouldn't be surprised.

[Rostranor]

When we first started I had the core bookswith me at the table. One for the players and one for me. I also had the pdf version on my iPad. Within one or two sessions most everyone had the Crawlers Companion App. I would say within a couple months of that once people were more comfortable with the game, enjoyed it, and were certain we were going to keep playing others began buying the books. I would say at this point just over half of the group have the books at the table and I am guessing that after this Christmas those numbers will bump again.

[ThickSkullAdv]

How it works in my game:

I had the PC's print out the People Them With Monster reference sheets, and bookmark their Crit and Fumble tables so they can find them quickly during game play. I let them borrow my book, and I use the PDF version of rulebook on my laptop. I also create bookmarks for the most popularly used spells for their PCs so i can get to them quickly, during game play. I've also created a custom DM screen using resources from the website which the PCs use for things like Turn Unholy, Equipment and Armor lists. They all own dice, but I've had friends use the Crawler in the past in the odd chance there were no dice around.

And of course all the PC's are generated using the Purple Sorcerer tools in advance.

That said...

I've told them all they should go out and buy the rulebook for Christmas, or at the very least the PDF files.

UPDATE: I just encouraged 2 of the holdouts to buy the PDF during the Black Friday sales, and they agreed. For as many hours as we've played, ponying up the $13 bucks or so was the least they could do.

[Skyscraper]

One book per gaming group seems fine to me. We had two books at our table during this campaign I've been running for the last year, and it's one too many. We don't like to look up rules unless it's necessary during a game session, it slows down the game too much, so we do it as little as possible.

However, you need to print out reference sheets and spells.

Reference sheets are useful whether everyone has the book or not, they're much quicker to use during a game anyway. You can find them as note above.

For the spells, I ask the spellcaster to print out or photocopy their spells. Or write them down. It's also much quicker than having to wait while the player fumbles through he book when he has to cast something.

The book typically sees use about only once per game session, except when levelling up.

Sky

[MrHemlocks]

I have been running a Call of Cthulhu game for seven years and not one player has bought the core rule book or any gaming material! Same for DCC. Been running it for 1.5 years and no one has any of the books or dice.

What really burns my butt is that most have not even read the rules on how to play either game yet. Seems like all they want is free entertainment...at my cost

I am almost about to call it stops and not run anymore games. If not for my children, that I encourage to play to help promote creativity, I would never pick up another RPG again.

I will be starting something new. After the first of the year. All players will need a print copy or PDF of the game and have to make up their own characters if they wish to play. This goes for my Call of Cthulhu ( 7e ), DCC and The One Ring. Might seem a little harsh but enough is enough. I start posting messages at the gaming store around the 1st of the year and hope to get players that are more supportive.

[Arijuna]

I ran a one off, and one player brought a brand new set of Game Science dice. Afterwards, when I asked if anyone wanted to play again sometime... the answer was a resounding "Yes". They requested it to be a regular game. I anticipate seeing at least one rulebook in the next couple of sessions, if not two.

It's a great time to convince players to buy one. My FLGS has everything 20% off, and Goodman Games is selling the PDF for half off ($12.50), and two of the limited edition covers for $29.99 each.

[Gameogre]

We played Friday night,the last I saw of my lucky 24 sider was when one of my players stood on top of his chair beating his chest(being in character) and the chair broke under him.He then smashed down onto the table flipping it up and sending my dice,empty pizza(yeah like these neanderthals would let a slice of pizza sit in the box for 15 seconds)soda,cheese puffs,adventure,cell phones and papers raining down across the room.

I only lost a 24 sider on that one....Thank the Gods I insisted on playing at one of the players caves. If that had been the wife's antique chair It would have been bad.

Still....one more 24 sider left before I'm out. Time for some more dice.

[Skyscraper]

We played Friday night,the last I saw of my lucky 24 sider was when one of my players stood on top of his chair beating his chest(being in character) and the chair broke under him.He then smashed down onto the table flipping it up and sending my dice,empty pizza(yeah like these neanderthals would let a slice of pizza sit in the box for 15 seconds)soda,cheese puffs,adventure,cell phones and papers raining down across the room.

I only lost a 24 sider on that one....Thank the Gods I insisted on playing at one of the players caves. If that had been the wife's antique chair It would have been bad.

Still....one more 24 sider left before I'm out. Time for some more dice.

Haha

[maxinstuff]

I guess you can all me 'modern' then because I see no reason anyone but he GM needs to own the book.....

Everyone has their pet system, If I was expected to buy the books for every game my group plays I would be BROKE.

[Skyscraper]

I guess you can all me 'modern' then because I see no reason anyone but he GM needs to own the book.....

No, no, i agree.

I think that we live in a society where we consume way too much stuff. We can minize that. A single book per group is enough. I'd rather buy different books and adventures, then less but the same copy of the same thing.

[Monster]

I was once the guy who had everything for every game. both 2nd ed, 3.0/3.5 pretty much cured me of that. Just when I got everything for 2nd ed, 3.0 came out, then they made 3.5 and burnt me for tons of cash.

I also feel that $50 for a book is a bit much for an untested product. Once we played it a while 1 more member grabbed a book.

[atlascott]

I like to think that players want to reward the makers of a good product.

I encourage players to buy rules for themselves, not because I will not lend them my book, but because $20 or $30 is a drop in the bucket when it is divided over 50 hours of game play (or more).

Most of my guys have th3eir own dice, and at least on has indicated that he is going to buy the rules himself, so...