2 hours ago, TylerTT said:

Maybe they have better arguments for the $40 box that I’m not seeing.

Yes: $40 is more than $20.

EDIT: Okay, non-jerk answer -- it's likely either wanting to give people thinking of only getting the starter a look at two of the randomized decks to entice them into buying more, or the desire to have the box have a bigger footprint on the shelf.

The rules imply that the preconstructed decks are designed to give a good introduction to playing the game, but lack complexities. I'm sure they're legal and as balanced as any, but they might be simplistic. I imagine that progression would be:

• Quickstart
• Pregen with the full rules
• Unique decks with full rules.

On ‎8‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 2:19 PM, DailyRich said:

Yes: $40 is more than $20.

EDIT: Okay, non-jerk answer -- it's likely either wanting to give people thinking of only getting the starter a look at two of the randomized decks to entice them into buying more, or the desire to have the box have a bigger footprint on the shelf.

Ooh good point! Hadn't tought of that.

My theory is that's it's to convince the people who go; "Oh I don't want no glorified trainer deck and I'll just use dice and other tokens to keep track so I don't need a starter. I'll just spend all my cash on deck packs."

A better box might be nice, but as the core selling-point of the game seems to be the idea that you are playing with a deck that is uniquely your own, I think providing the random decks in a starter set is of utmost importance. Otherwise, you risk people having a bad first impression if they only have simplified pre-constructed decks that were designed primarily as teaching tools.

3 hours ago, uhhsam said:

A better box might be nice, but as the core selling-point of the game seems to be the idea that you are playing with a deck that is uniquely your own, I think providing the random decks in a starter set is of utmost importance. Otherwise, you risk people having a bad first impression if they only have simplified pre-constructed decks that were designed primarily as teaching tools.

This'll be the first every card game where that doesn't happen.

And boy did FFG double down there, we get not 1 playable deck but 2.

Somebody sell me on the $40 box though. Counters are easy, rules are online. Why not spend $20 on two decks and save half my money?

34 minutes ago, gamblertuba said:

Somebody sell me on the $40 box though. Counters are easy, rules are online. Why not spend $20 on two decks and save half my money?

You can do that. The box is for people just getting in and wanting to learn and try it out.

I personally think that having no starter with seperate sold tokens etc. would have been better. It is easier to get fresh blood in, if you tell them that they only have to spend 10$ and bring some dice (like Magic does with beginner decks).

No. It is better to have a ready out of the box game. Needing dice or anything stops people hopping on as much. Not everyone has spare dice lying around.

I like tokens. There is also stun cards and something cards as well. And chains charts if you use that.

And the keys....

I'd say the price tag is indeed a bit high. I would't have said 20$ but let's say 30$ Because it takes to me less to produce and pack clone decks than procedurally designed ones (BUT I MAY BE WRONG). That said, game components sold separately won't please everyone but you could display them along the decks, people won't say a thing if you tell them : "buy two unique decks for 20 and these components for 5/10$ and you're ready to go."

That said, people like simple things and will prefer a box full of everything needed. What I don't like with FFG core boxes is that it is too big for nothing. At a time of History when people want to spare Earth resources, it's a shame that FFG keeps making big boxes with thermoforming taking much more room than the actual game content.

But well... I'm not against this price tag, but feel a bit stolen by the two pre-constructed non unique decks.... So I'll see if I jump in with a starter or not. Maybe I'll do to keep it simple tough but you're right it can be discussed.

I’m surprised they didn’t go with something more akin to either the Destiny two player starter or the single player starters.

A unique deck, plus tokens, status and chain cards for one player would have been great for $15.

Maybe they were worried that from a visual/marketing/packaging point of view this wouldn’t be sufficiently distinct from the regular deck packs?

Or I suppose they wanted to provide the ‘fixed’ decks to ensure that people’s first experience of the game was guaranteed to be balanced. But a product without unique decks wouldn’t showcase the actual game. And that’s how you end up with the core set product in its current form.

The only change I’d have definitely wanted was it to be in a longbox, which could store a few decks. But you need space for the token sheets, so there’s probably a production reason why the longbox wasn’t possible

4 hours ago, jonboyjon1990 said:

I’m surprised they didn’t go with something more akin to either the Destiny two player starter or the single player starters.

You get 6 keys and 2 decks, I think the starter box is as close as you'll get to a two player starter.

I would have preferred the current starter set to be priced at $30 or $35. Since two of the decks are fixed, people won't buy multiples of the starter set just for cheap decks, but lowers that initial price point closer to impulse purchase level.

12 minutes ago, Xelto said:

I would have preferred the current starter set to be priced at $30 or $35. Since two of the decks are fixed, people won't buy multiples of the starter set just for cheap decks, but lowers that initial price point closer to impulse purchase level.

Okay, so asuming you already own a starter. 30$ would get you 3 deck packs. Why would you buy a starter that gives you only 2 decks (and 2 decks you already have?)

Even at 25$ I'd be like, I'll just buy 2 decks and spend the 5$ on snacks and drinks.

Just now, Robin Graves said:

Okay, so asuming you already own a starter. 30$ would get you 3 deck packs. Why would you buy a starter that gives you only 2 decks (and 2 decks you already have?)

Even at 25$ I'd be like, I'll just buy 2 decks and spend the 5$ on snacks and drinks.

Yeah, that's the point. You get one starter when you begin, then only buy single packs after that. A $35 price is close to that 'don't think about it, just do it' point for most people than $40, so you get more impulse starters. Once started, if they want to continue, it's $10 a deck.

1 minute ago, Xelto said:

Yeah, that's the point. You get one starter when you begin, then only buy single packs after that. A $35 price is close to that 'don't think about it, just do it' point for most people than $40, so you get more impulse starters. Once started, if they want to continue, it's $10 a deck.

Oh I see, I tought you were talking about people buying multiple starters. Like at my LGS when L5R came out they had a special deal and we all bought 3 starter sets each.

A point everybody seems to be missing over the price is the fact that this is the first Starter Box of a card game FFG releases in a long time that doesn't require you to buy it 3 times. Once this settled in I am perfectly happy to support this trend.

EDIT: Just noticed above that a similar idea has been stated. However, I want to reinforce the statement for obvious reasons.

I’m not comparing this to the LCG model. I’m comparing it to other TCGs where a $40 base set is ludicrous.

55 minutes ago, TylerTT said:

I’m not comparing this to the LCG model. I’m comparing it to other TCGs where a $40 base set is ludicrous.

They probably went like: "IT's 10 bucks per decks, it has 4 decks, so 40$ and they get the tokens and stuff for "free".

The way I see it, it's everything two players need to get started, kinda like that 4th edition gift box from MtG.*

* Yes, I'm old and that was the first thing that popped in my head.