DeathFromAbove said:
Some of the peoples around here don't want that stuff.
And, personally, I don't think that D&D 4E isn't pricey.
Well, I guess it's just me. I'm "used to" having to pay $40-60 for a single rulebook, and boardgames/PC games/XBox games are closer to $50-$70 nowadays. So, near $100 for 3e, with all the stuff it includes, seems the right price.
Granted, if you don't want to use most of the stuff in the box, then you probably won't get as great a value for your money. It isn't worth it for your needs. I'm just pointing out that the price is justified by the contents. If you are going to use (or attempt to use) the tools they give you, then it seems well worth it.
What about at a $62 price, like Amazon is posting? Is that more worthwhile for you? I'm sure you can find some other places selling it near as cheap as Amazon too. If those are still too high, then you might want to wait until people parcel it out on Ebay and just buy the pieces you want, although expect the total cost to come close to what you'd pay for the entire box.
Regardless, it has no impact on how good a game 3e will be, nor whether of not the list price is reasonable for what it provides.