With Ravnica Allegiance coming out I'm curious what's the most effective way to build a collection for a new expantion? What do you plan to do when Allegiance comes out? My goal is to have at least 1 of every card from the expansion while aiming to eventually obtain a play-set (4) overtime.
If I'm looking for play-sets of an entire set I'll buy three booster boxes. Then I trade away extra rares and mythics for ones I didn't pull. After that I just buy singles of whatever else I need. Probably not the most efficient way to go about it, but cracking packs is fun.
Often times online you can find entire play-sets of commons and uncommons for @ $80 US. Then you're left with the expensive cards to flesh out. But I find this method more spendy than I prefer.
I haven't bought packs in years. I buy a playset of the commons/uncommons from a given set, I've been doing this since Zendikar in 2009, this gives me the basics, sure a lot is chaff, but those that aren't that's it, I have my play set. This costs around £25-£30 the other £40 I could have spent on a booster box is used to get the rares/mythics I want, occasionally I'll spend slightly more than that £40, but the point is I've removed the random experience from my card purchasing.
Unless you enjoy drafting, booster packs are just a gamble that isn't worth it, even with 36 packs you have no guarantee of obtaining a complete common/uncommon playset.
I'm a complete set collector as well. Since I want every card and not just singles, I have more reason to crack packs. It is more fun to open them as part of Limited events, and my LGS has good prices and prize support for those, so it's easy to play a lot. They also have a good deal on boxes prerelease weekend, which gets me the buy a box promo. With that, a bundle and the planeswalker decks, I don't need to buy and more packs.
Since I have a lot of duplicates and am interested in a lot of stuff, I do well trading. I'd also buy singles to fill a few gaps. If I don't have much from a set I might choose that for prize packs or pick-your-own-packs Limited events. For each method I sometimes look back a few sets.
The most efficient way is to simply but all of a playset of all the commons and uncommons (several auction sites do this pretty regularly). Then just buy playsets of all the Rares and Mythics. The latter can get expensive, so be prepared for that.
I open enough packs anyway that I rarely need to buy common and uncommon singles, let alone sets, but by the time I have a couple dozen rares I reach the point of diminishing returns
I buy a play set of Commons and uncommon and play sets of the staple rares/mythics. I make no effort to get bulk rares unless I have a specific build for them.
I just buy the full playset from my local LGS. Usually i can acquire ~ $300 in store credit between sets to help offset some of the cost of each preorder
I acquired a lot of newer cards (as in Guilds of Ravnica, Dominaria and M19) by using prize wall tickets at GP Montreal last fall. Got the common/uncommon stuff I needed and a lot of the rares I needed and was able to trade for a lot of the rest using stuff I didn't need
If GPs aren't an option for you, drafting and prize packs are probably your best bet. I find people in my area just leave their unwanted cards just lying around after drafts or FNMs
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Thoughts?
Then draft.
Then draft.
That's about it though.
Deal with it.
I would draft a whole bunch though. and then trade.
Often times online you can find entire play-sets of commons and uncommons for @ $80 US. Then you're left with the expensive cards to flesh out. But I find this method more spendy than I prefer.
Unless you enjoy drafting, booster packs are just a gamble that isn't worth it, even with 36 packs you have no guarantee of obtaining a complete common/uncommon playset.
Since I have a lot of duplicates and am interested in a lot of stuff, I do well trading. I'd also buy singles to fill a few gaps. If I don't have much from a set I might choose that for prize packs or pick-your-own-packs Limited events. For each method I sometimes look back a few sets.
Checklists help keep track when buying or trading for missing cards. I have some printouts in a small binder to go with my trade binder.
I maintain an extensive collection of checklist files: https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/other-magic-products/third-party-products/805324-checklists-for-everything-from-alpha-to-ravnica
Vintage: Dredge | Legacy: Burn, Goblins, Soldier | Standard: Mono-Red Aggro
Commander: Nicol Bolas, Sliver Overlord, Rafiq
Casual: Selesnya Saproling Smackdown, Izzet Labs, Rebel
Played since June 2004, mostly inactive June 2011 to March 2018
Other usernames include AlanFromRochester, homerthebeerbaron
MTG checklists from Alpha to Ravnica Allegiance - https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/other-magic-products/third-party-products/805324-checklists-for-everything-from-alpha-to-ravnica
Vintage: Dredge | Legacy: Burn, Goblins, Soldier | Standard: Mono-Red Aggro
Commander: Nicol Bolas, Sliver Overlord, Rafiq
Casual: Selesnya Saproling Smackdown, Izzet Labs, Rebel
Played since June 2004, mostly inactive June 2011 to March 2018
Other usernames include AlanFromRochester, homerthebeerbaron
MTG checklists from Alpha to Ravnica Allegiance - https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/other-magic-products/third-party-products/805324-checklists-for-everything-from-alpha-to-ravnica
If GPs aren't an option for you, drafting and prize packs are probably your best bet. I find people in my area just leave their unwanted cards just lying around after drafts or FNMs