paizo.com - Iron Kingdoms: Monsternomicon Volume II -- The Iron Kingdoms and Beyond (OGL) Print Edition

Guennarr (Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; GameMastery Superscriber; Planet Stories Subscriber), Wed, Jul 11, 2007, 05:14 AM

Which book price is feasable and when does a book grow overpriced?

Monsternomicon Vol. II consists of 240 pages in b/w and costs 39.99 $$.
Monsternomicon Vol. I had the same page count and was also b/w - its price: 29.99 $$.
The Witchfire trilogy of the same company consists of 320 pages in b/w - price: 34.99 $$.
The two campaign setting books each cost as much as vol. II, but offer more than 400 pages of the same high quality (in other words: offer almost twice as much content for the same price).
Five Fingers: Port of Deceit, the last publication before Monsternomicon Vol. II seems to have set a new price standard: 34.99 $$ for 208 pages in b/w!?!

So which price is still o.k. for you and which price is just too much?

I understand that high quality full colour books justify higher prices. But 240 pages in b/w? The content quality might be great, but I don't see a reason for a 33% price increase in comparision to vol. I (apart from raising the profit margin).

What is your opinion?

Greetings,
Günther

The Last Rogue, Wed, Jul 11, 2007, 07:39 AM

Is it OGL?

Heathansson, Wed, Jul 11, 2007, 07:45 AM

They're a smaller company, and I doubt their margin is that big on their probably limited (when compared to a larger company) print run. They're not going to be able experience economy of scale the way a larger company is. So yes, expect to shell out a few more doucats for the material.

Guennarr (Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; GameMastery Superscriber; Planet Stories Subscriber), Wed, Jul 11, 2007, 03:39 PM

The Last Rogue wrote:

Is it OGL?

The OGL licence is included in the book. I don't know to which parts of the book it refers, though.

Guennarr (Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; GameMastery Superscriber; Planet Stories Subscriber), Wed, Jul 11, 2007, 03:41 PM

Heathansson wrote:

They're a smaller company, and I doubt their margin is that big on their probably limited (when compared to a larger company) print run. They're not going to be able experience economy of scale the way a larger company is. So yes, expect to shell out a few more doucats for the material.

I recall people saying that Privateer Press was one of the most successful companies out there, lately.

I still wonder why they would have to increase their book prices *this* dramatically... Were the economies of scale that much more favourable earlier? Why do other companies manage to keep their book prices stable?