If we assume that the most popular TRPG is D&D 5e, a full set of "core" hardback rulebooks is ~$120 on Amazon...

>>TL;DR you're a cheap bastard
I probably should've mentioned that, yeah, it seems I wasn't clear enough

Players don't need the MM and the DMG, only one person needs to pick up the PHB (more is good though), and you might want something like SCAG for more player options but it isn't necessary. Volo's guide to monsters is nice for some more monster info for DM's but also isnt necessary

If your average group size (4+1 dm) all chips in for books, including SCAG and Volo's it's only something around $40 per person. That's fucking cheap compared to a lot of hobbies

Play games without expansions.

There are literally hundreds of them.

>does nobody ever just print a proper, self-contained system in one book and go "Yup, OK, looks good, let's try making another one that has nothing to do with this one"?
Most systems are self contained in one book. The issue is that people besides you LIKE expansions. They see a thing they enjoy, they want more of the same thing

This.

Indie games are generally more self contained because they don't need to keep a constant revenue stream that you need if you want to sustain yourself on it. Expansions happen if a game is popular, but it's generally released a year+ later in that case and is significant. Free versions of these big games also exist, you really don't need supplements and The Map is Not the Territory, the game is what you do at the table and you don't need supplements or dmgs or even a mm to run D&D.
Quick start rules, PHB as players get bored of the few options and as you're ready to dive in with more rules (you may have played the starting set adventure which comes with physical quick rules), MM depends on your style (you can just get the pdf and that's enough for some), DMG if you want some dm tips though there are other books for that like the 4e dmg.

I do think keeping track of it all is a problem with other games like 4e where you have a rules compendium which has the most updated rules (I think?) while PHB1 is possible to run the game with but it isn't all you need in the PHB-style books department. The new math introduced in MM3 would be confusing to someone who knew nothing about it, and even then it should be adjusted further. But, beginners guides exist for almost all these complex games. And beginner's rules is still possible to use and you won't be impacted too much, like you could literally just run the attached for a few months, there are no classes but you have 6 different premade characters that only take 2 pages each and describe everything they can do, and it even separates class features from racials so you could as you get the hang of it choose race and class among those.

Focus on the playing, don't be autistic about the rules, books cost a fair amount each but for spending so much time on the hobby and being completely able to not buy them, I think it's entirely ok.

First of all, if you think roleplaying is an expensive hobby you're naive and frankly, most likely underage. It seems expensive to you because you get an allowance, not a paycheck.
Secondly, you don't actually have to buy every single book you want. There's this thing called the internet, oh wait, you're literally here. If your conscience is hurting, remind yourself you can support the books you like, and not the bad ones either now or later when you've gotten some cash flow.
Thirdly, you don't have to own every book yourself. Share the load with your gamegroup.

wow so if you bought the 5e DMG ($35), PHB ($30), and MM ($35) on amazon that would cost you $100. Let's just say you have the other shit free. Wow you just saved a whole $20 compared to the OP estimate of $120. Boy based oldfags sure are experts in saving money.
>BACK IN MUH DAY

>the minimum is barely any money at all, so why is any full system so pricey?
I feel you've answered your own question here. Like in so many other fields, the minimum is what you need to technically do something, but it's more enjoyable the more time/effort/moneys you put in it. Wanna build a computer and play vidya? Sure, you can buy a premade dell computer for mcdonalds money, and it will technically be able to do what you want, but if you're serious you'll aim a little higher. The same thing with cars, LARPing, shootan, fucking birdwatching, whatever. Most hobbies really, there are exceptions of course.

Apart from expansions, many of these games also don't have errata or any sort of post-launch support except for that one fanatical guy on the developer's shitty forums who constantly shows off his "fixes" and homebrews.

I don't like to be nickle-and-dimed for my splatbooks, but I also don't want to even bother with a one-off system that nobody has heard of and likely won't ever get more content.

...

t. GURPS-fag

You know, I expected to get this, but it's also true of Shadowrun, GURPS, 7th Sea, Legend of the Five Rings, and others, to the extent that I don't think this problem is D&D exclusive at all.

Back in my day, all you needed was an internet connection and you could play for free. Damn shame we live in the dark ages, disconnected from each other! And even then, $120 for a hobby that entertains me for hundreds of hours? Do I look like a burgomaster?

Now excuse me while I go spend $1000 for a gaming PC w/ a few games and another $3000 to learn ceramics.

I can't think of many hobbies that are cheaper than a one time $120 between a group of people unless you want to push a hoop with a stick or something

>playing pencil and paper games over the internet
Honestly, unless you have literally no other way of gaming I don't see the point
the immediacy of the face-to-face experience, for me, is a big part of the appeal

I'll split the cost of a hoop with you, if you bring the stick.

Them's fighting words on Veeky Forums, these aspies are so obnoxious most of them have to roleplay over roll20 and skype and shit. it's also the source of many of the worst stories, that could only happen if nobody in the group actually knew anyone else before.

OP, did you know that you can play both of those games for abso-friggin'-lutely free?

Like you noticed, there is a free PDF version of 5e, and PF's rulebooks are entirely optional and hardly every used: everybody uses the online SRDs instead.

Methinks you are pretending to be retarded, to troll people.

because buying minis that can get kicked out of canon/rendered useless by other minis at any time is a better idea, not counting just how damn expensive they are and painting is especially if you mess up or just arent a good painter.

>not automatically pirating everything you need

Been playing D&D/PF for years and the only thing I've ever bought is a cheap set of dice. This is one of the cheapest hobbies around.

I can't even imagine how much money I've saved over the years.

Do you think I'm made of money? Sticks don't just grow on trees

Not really
like I've said a couple times now I'm just a cheap cunt. And pirating the 5e books is way better than using the free version

So, what makes Pathfinder a better system than D&D?
I know it's derived from D&D, but how does it improve on the (pick your version of the base game)?

It's just thinly veiled 3.5 made to be able to publish new materials after WotC dropped support

Is this what it's like to watch the Gellar Fields slowly collapse?

1. Go to 5e general thread
2. Look at those URLs in the OP instead of scrolling past them to shitpost
3. Download all the books for free
4. When you can spare the cash, buy some books to support WotC
Other than that, you're spending maybe 20$ on a basic set of dice, plus writing implements and paper.

Even when you're not a pirate, roleplaying is a relatively cheap hobby. Considering how much enjoyment will be facilitated by the content of those books, it's worth the cost many times over.

Pathfinder is Basically 3.5, but in the same way that 3.5 cleaned up a bunch of balance issues for 3.0, PF cleans up some imbalances in 3.5 to make it an all around easier game to get into, understand and balance. It has its own set of problems obviously, but it improves some things like a less restrictive skill system, reduces the number of levels where characters get nothing from leveling up and adds or removes a few features here or there.

>Play savage worlds, where core in its entirety costs 30$ physical.
>Errata up to date, all but the newest stuff is already included in recent publishing runs
>Devs literally pay a man to fanatically make up house rules and provide dev approved judgement calls on the shitty dev forums.
>Game includes advice on doing that yourself if you don't care for our lord and savior clint's opinions.
>Oh hey there are also myriad splat books for about the same price as core including international shipping.

It's almost like any competent dev team that could give two shits about art or marketing don't need to overcharge for their imaginary games of pretend.

You can't keep selling the same one book indefinitely, and you need to keep selling something in order to eat and pay your mortgage.

Sure, you could try to release something entirely new and independent from your existing products, but your existing products have already proven to be popular.

That image is always used by some system war troll. It usually has no actual bearing on the discussion and is only posted because D&D is being mentioned.