What are your "dumbest" TTRPG costs

[GMMichael]

If I reduced my RPG spending any further, I'd be making a profit.

I hope things turn around for you, @MNblockhead !

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

I never really got into painting minis, but I have several hundred pounds of them- lead, pewter, resin, cardboard & plastic- mostly of fantasy, sci-fi characters. Included in that are not just heroes & foes, but things like Dwarven Forge (and other) terrain.

They come from a variety of companies, and some are connected directly to games- some of which I never had any intention of playing.

And most of them are probably still in blister packs.

I don't suppose you've always wanted to own a copy of Absolute Power?

In all seriousness, some of that stuff's probably worth a fair bit even unpainted, especially if it's old and still in blisters. Minis generally appreciate in value rather than dropping, there are a lot of collectors out there. If you've got a better idea what you've got I could at least give you an idea what might be easiest to flog on ebay or minis groups, although I'm a few years out of touch.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I forgot about dice.

I started off with a hard-edged purple set I had to crayon in the colors. (I still have them.)

I bought a couple more sets between 1977 and 1992, but not many. Mostly extra d6s for board games.

But in the early 1990s, Alan & Kathy Hench of Austin were the family that hosted the game group I joined. THEY had the first “bucket o’ dice” I’d ever seen. I vowed to emulate their hospitality.

I currently have 2 such buckets, and have a “private stash” of dice spread out over at least 3 largish dice bags.

 

[MGibster]

I made a concerted effort to avoid making stupid RPG purchases starting a few years ago. It was a practical decision to avoid purchasing RPG books for games I didn't have a reasonable expectation of playing. It hasn't been 100% effective of course, I have several Modiphius Conan books I still haven't played and despite purchasing Call of Cthulhu 7th edition a few years ago I just ran my very first game of it a few weekends ago.

My silliest RPG adjacent purchases have been miniatures these last few years. I've my old west, Fallout, and science fiction miniatures for games but my fantasy miniatures mostly sit unloved and untouched. But I like painting so it's not reall a big waste of money even if I didn't use any of them for RPGs.

 

[jdrakeh]

Roll20. Its very dated interface, steep learning curve, and crap pricing structure all made it a bad investment for me when I was still paying for it. I've since switched over to Owlbear Rodeo for maps and Discord for voice (and dice rolls). It's a much better solution for me.

 

[delericho]

"The Complete Fighter's Handbook". It's a perfectly fine book, and we actually used the hell out of it back in the day, but it was the very first book I bought that wasn't a core rulebook, and it therefore opened a floodgate. There has been a huge amount of money wasted over the years, and it all goes back to that one.

 

[Meech17]

I bought the one "Master's Tome" DM screen from Amazon a long time ago, because I had all these aspirations of covering it in my own notes, and finding cool art to print and put on the player side... And I did none of that.. Once I actually started using it, I also found that it was tool tall.. So while only like $20-25.. I do feel like I wasted a bit there. I ended up purchasing an official D&D branded dungeon style DM screen. Again, also only like $20, but I'm much happier with it. The art is really cool, and it's shorter so I can see better.

I was just thinking that I've been pretty good on books. Having purchased some Kobold Press and LevelUp 5e stuff recently, and then actually using it, so it feels justified..

But then I remember in the manic high of finishing the Fallout TV show I jumped to purchase the 2d20 books since they were on sale.. I'm never going to run that lmao..

Aside from that though I think a lot of my costs are pretty reasonable.. I don't splurge on dice much any more.. I've got a lot but I can't remember the last time I bought a set.. I don't spend a ton on minis or terrain.. Most of my regular expenses are usually dollar store purchases of note cards, or markers..

 

[AnotherGuy]

"The Complete Fighter's Handbook". It's a perfectly fine book, and we actually used the hell out of it back in the day, but it was the very first book I bought that wasn't a core rulebook, and it therefore opened a floodgate. There has been a huge amount of money wasted over the years, and it all goes back to that one.

So unfair to dump on that, as you say perfectly fine excellent book!

 

[payn]

Like 3-4 Reaper Bones Kickstarters where I have painted 3-4 total minis.

 

[AnotherGuy]

For me it's those boxed tile sets - wasteful! I used them a bit, but I'm more of a TotM DM and the times we do use the grid, a player of mine made a massive hexagonal grid and got it laminated. We use erasable coloured-markers.

After that I'd say it is my Mummy the Resurrection. I might have other RPG's I've never played but at least I've read the books, used bits here and there as a source for inspiration. Not saying this is a bad RPG because I honestly do not know, skimmed it once a long time ago.

I have plenty other unused material but I'm not ready to label them wasteful quite yet....I'm getting to them.