My recent calculations tell me
that the new edition of D&D would set me back about 250 quid if I buy all the "necessary" books.
Then I'd need all the minis to go with them. Can't play D&D without minis now, oh no.
Bah. Although it does mean I'm single-handedly keeping my game shop open, and the club that goes with it.
( Invisible Wizard - 9th Level Pissant, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 19:06, 3 replies)

Or you could
get the d20 rules for free (www.d20srd.org) or download one of the 'clones' for free (eg OSRIC (1st edition AD&D) , Swords & Wizardry (the original 1974 rules) , Labyrinth Lord (Basic))
(apeloverage committed the vile act of onanism on, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 19:59, closed)

great link

(mr-lizard Hell's teeth man!, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 20:01, closed)

Or buy the new redbox
Which can last you through to level 5-6 and it's 20USD.
(CactusZack Shaved his coin purse on, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 20:21, closed)

I downloaded PDFs of all the source books for my housemates and I to use
And we use pryed-off old computer keys as figures, and scraps of cardboard with letters on for monsters. D&D is fun but there's no way I'd have started playing if I'd had to actually buy all the stuff. The only thing I paid for was a set of dice, and that alone set me back 20 bucks.

(Yeah, yeah, I know, I should support the company. But when we started playing I was an unemployed student. Maybe I'll buy the source books at some future point. PDFs are annoying as hell to flip back and forth through.)
(oball needs Satan more than he needs me, Tue 5 Oct 2010, 0:51, closed)

250?
DMG 1, (2 is good, but not necessary)
MM 1, 2, 3
PHB 1 (or rules compendium)
Use the trial of the character generator for class/power/feat info until level 3

I make that 5 books, ~£100

Even the full core set is 8 (DMG1+2, MM1,2+3, PHB1,2+3), so ~160

If you play rather than DM, that can be shortened to the PHB for your class, and the rule compendium is that isnt PHB1.


That said, I have sent back a ton more money than that (the minis look good, and they look even better on ebay auctions, and working it out as 75p a mini doesn't seem to bad... Especially since you're putting on some early bids due to holiday and will probably win only 1 or 2 of the 5 auctions at best...), and have a D&D insider subscription.
( Tedium Alduce me to interlow myself., Tue 5 Oct 2010, 10:19, closed)