MTG Salvation

I made 2 bets - Ghost Quarter and Ghostly Prison. The one has solidly met my 52 week estimate, and Ghostly Prison has been slowly rising until today.

I've played this game for 8 months now. How anyone can not see these spikes coming is beyond me. The only ones that surprise me are the cards I did not know existed, like Chalice of the Void. That card was new to me, unfortunately. Do wish I had more than 4 Worship.

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Quote from Equinox2793 »

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Quote from Equinox2793 »

AND...... ghost quarter is now $2-3 dollar uncommon when it was $.50 a week ago. It's being bought out as we speak. Thanks eldrazi!

I bought a big load at CFB for 20 cents each like three weeks back. Hard to believe anyone didn't see this one coming.

I have my two playsets but it certainly is alarming.

That's what I don't get - how is it alarming? It's one of Modern's best cards, a staple in a ton of decks (Tron, Eldrazi, Merfolk, Hatebears, Kiki-Chord, etc.), and one of the most accessible ways to beat the new format boogeyman. Plus it's less than a dollar.

True I guess. I have always been of the opinion that Ghost Quarter is better than Tectonic Edge since I have been playing in this format.

Quote from Equinox2793 »

AND...... ghost quarter is now $2-3 dollar uncommon when it was $.50 a week ago. It's being bought out as we speak. Thanks eldrazi!

I'm pretty sure Ghost Quarter was in the $1-2 range a week ago; might have even been two weeks ago. I remember because I was trying to get another one so I didn't have to split them between my decks, and was surprised by how much they were. I figured people thought Tron was going to be big after the banning and were trying to stock up on them.

So while the Pro Tour did cause an increase, it was on the rise even beforehand.

Quote from Lord Seth »

Quote from Equinox2793 »

AND...... ghost quarter is now $2-3 dollar uncommon when it was $.50 a week ago. It's being bought out as we speak. Thanks eldrazi!

I'm pretty sure Ghost Quarter was in the $1-2 range a week ago; might have even been two weeks ago. I remember because I was trying to get another one so I didn't have to split them between my decks, and was surprised by how much they were. I figured people thought Tron was going to be big after the banning and were trying to stock up on them.

So while the Pro Tour did cause an increase, it was on the rise even beforehand.

I agree, I was seeing them $2.oo-2.50 last week. I was going to pick up an extra play set but decided it wasn't worth it.

Out of curiosity, what's the deal with Flagstones of Trokair? I understand it's played in some Death & Taxes, but what's with the 150% spike? I should have gotten one for my commander deck when it was at 10. =P

Quote from OutOfBasics »

Out of curiosity, what's the deal with Flagstones of Trokair? I understand it's played in some Death & Taxes, but what's with the 150% spike? I should have gotten one for my commander deck when it was at 10. =P

Hype around Boom//Bust and "OMG WE CAN NEXT LEVEL ELDRAZI AND TRON"

Quote from Joban8 »

I said this about a year ago and, judging by the reactions, you'd think that I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. There's way too much money tied up in the secondary market; it is less plausible that some kind of collusion doesn't exist. Hasbro is in the money making business and MTG is in the money printing business. It may not even be an intentional relationship, but I'd be astonished to find no traces of "insider trading", especially considering how niche of a market it is. If I had any vested interest in/decision-making powers at SCG, TCGplayer, etc, I'd pay some WoTC grunt a pretty penny for leaked information....

Painting this as a conspiracy is looking too much into it. It's simple really -- Wizards has done a poor job reprinting cards. The players have realized this and it has caused them to lose faith in the ability for Wizards to inject reliable supplies of staples into Modern. This loss of faith has translated into mass buyouts which has created a self-fulfilling prophecy in the secondary market.

That's why I compared this to a bank run. Except in this case it's a mass frenzy to pull all cards out of the secondary market in fear of the lack of reprints.

Quote from Surging Chaos »

Quote from Joban8 »

I said this about a year ago and, judging by the reactions, you'd think that I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. There's way too much money tied up in the secondary market; it is less plausible that some kind of collusion doesn't exist. Hasbro is in the money making business and MTG is in the money printing business. It may not even be an intentional relationship, but I'd be astonished to find no traces of "insider trading", especially considering how niche of a market it is. If I had any vested interest in/decision-making powers at SCG, TCGplayer, etc, I'd pay some WoTC grunt a pretty penny for leaked information....

Painting this as a conspiracy is looking too much into it. It's simple really -- Wizards has done a poor job reprinting cards. The players have realized this and it has caused them to lose faith in the ability for Wizards to inject reliable supplies of staples into Modern. This loss of faith has translated into mass buyouts which has created a self-fulfilling prophecy in the secondary market.

That's why I compared this to a bank run. Except in this case it's a mass frenzy to pull all cards out of the secondary market in fear of the lack of reprints.

Yep didn't take long after the full spoiler of MM15 for everybody smart in the secondary card market to realize Wizards hates reprinting anything and will only do it for maximum profits hence concluding buyouts are easy money almost every time and a safe investment.

Incoming price spike for Magus of the Tabernacle. Yesterday, TCGPlayer had over 140 sellers with copies. Down to less than 50 today with only a few having 4 or more for sale as of this writing. Starcitygames is already sold out, as is AbuGames (and I didn't bother checking the rest). Sweet in the red white boom/bust, flagstones prison deck. Glad I got my million-billion copies for next to nothing a while ago (ok, maybe not a million-billion but enough to make a little profit once the price goes up). You've been warned!

I think the cards like Painter's Servant, etc that people are buying up as a potential answer to Eldrazi are like trying to put a bandaid on an axe wound.

But, that being said, for those of you looking for another unicorn to save us from the Eldrazi menace that you can spec on; Marble Titan.

And gross negligence to the format is somehow better than collusion?

Hello. just want to ask since I asked here a few pages back about selling my playset of Scalding Tarn.

I did not find anyone willing to buy them in cash.. but i did find someone who would trade two future sight Tarmogoyf for them. Is this a good deal? I have no use for the goyfs.. but they might be easier to sell for cash than the tarns, so I'm thinking of trading..

@ElAzar

Thanks for the advice. I guess you have a good point there.
I'll go ahead with the trade then. Would just stick the two goyf in a binder while I try to find a buyer for them.

Quote from DeadPresident2910 »

I think the cards like Painter's Servant, etc that people are buying up as a potential answer to Eldrazi are like trying to put a bandaid on an axe wound.

But, that being said, for those of you looking for another unicorn to save us from the Eldrazi menace that you can spec on; Marble Titan.

Painter's servant is fine on curve, since when I use it I don't expect it to last past turn 4. marble titan is basically unplayable since it takes too much mana to even get to, let alone have enough toughness to save itself.

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Quote from DeadPresident2910 »

I think the cards like Painter's Servant, etc that people are buying up as a potential answer to Eldrazi are like trying to put a bandaid on an axe wound.

But, that being said, for those of you looking for another unicorn to save us from the Eldrazi menace that you can spec on; Marble Titan.

Painter's servant is fine on curve, since when I use it I don't expect it to last past turn 4. That is basically unplayable since it takes too much mana to even get to, let alone it doesn't have enough toughness to save itself.

Except if Painter's Servant doesn't land on 2 it becomes irrelevant. The fact that Marble Titan is basically unplayable didn't stop people from buying up Magus of the Tabernacle, same CMC but a 2/4 instead. I'm not making claims as to how effective it would be to actually address Eldrazi, just that people will think it's an option and will panic buy it in all likelihood. Someone else has already said it, but if people are thinking Painter's Servant is an answer it shows what a bad state the meta is in to address Eldrazi in the first place.

P.S Pilfering this from the Ban List Discussions thread that other people brought up; Ya'll might want to look into Vesuva since it'll offer an effective 8 copies of Eldrazi Temple, that might be a thing that catches on.

Quote from Chagryn »

Incoming price spike for Magus of the Tabernacle. Yesterday, TCGPlayer had over 140 sellers with copies. Down to less than 50 today with only a few having 4 or more for sale as of this writing. Starcitygames is already sold out, as is AbuGames (and I didn't bother checking the rest). Sweet in the red white boom/bust, flagstones prison deck. Glad I got my million-billion copies for next to nothing a while ago (ok, maybe not a million-billion but enough to make a little profit once the price goes up). You've been warned!

I bought all the bulk (8 or more) I could from TCGplayer 3 weeks ago. Wound up with 24, which is decent enough.
Spikes are easy to predict

I don't think Tabby is effective Eldrazi hate, but he's part of a deck, at least.

What's everyone's thoughts on buying Atarka's Command right now? I know it's used in burn and zoo, but it should drop a little from rotation, right?

Quote from Daeyel »

You're an idiot if you sell to a store. Find your local facebook group and sell it there for $5 less than going rate.

I am getting rid of my Eye of Ugin, and doing so for buylist credit ($24). My reasoning:

1. I got them at 409 on Puca Trade on 12/24
2. If I sell them not only is it a bigger hassle (don't like using Ebay and Paypal, never used TCG), but if I get cash it will probably not be saved for further MTG purchases (which is how I have built my staples up). Whereas I have had a decent chunk of credit with one online retailer that I have earmarked for the remaining enemy fetches when they get reprinted, but I dipped into it a bit a while back and this will shore that up.
3. I know I will not get screwed by the shop. Other methods have protections, but they are a hassle too.

The reason I am selling them is that I like playing Processor Eldrazi and not the turbo builds that are so present. The way I see it:

• If Wizards bans Eye of Ugin I got out of them at the right time. The turbo deck is slowed down and the Processor builds I like are not hit too hard since they generally play Eye as a 2x. The deck I like has a better chance of being a player.
• If wizards bans Eldrazi Temple (by itself or in conjunction with Eye) then the Processor build is pretty hosed. They are much more critical than Eye, since they don't really play the Eldrazi that get dropped turn 1-2 with Eye.
• If Wizards bans neither land then the turbo deck remains in the meta, and the slower Processor builds really can't survive. I have no interest in playing turbo-midrange beatdown, no matter how good it is.

It is basically win/win/win for me. I suppose if they really got really wack and didn't ban a land, but banned like Mimic and Reality Smasher, or something, then I would loose as the Processor deck would not be as overshadowed the turbo version, but I will have ditched two great lands that really should be in my deck. I don't see that as a potentiality, however.

Quote from DeadPresident2910 »

Let's not beat around the bush though, it's clear that SCG (possibly other stores) and WotC have a collusion-esque relationship. Whether they're privy to information like what will get printed in the next set/what could get banned beforehand is up to speculation, but that they benefit from and manipulate the market to take advantage of these kinds of panic decisions shouldn't be up for debate.

Well, if it was not off topic and not already well worn territory in this thread I could easily debate that. Simply put- what you see as market manipulation is, I believe, simply SCG finding the top price that people feel the card is worth and inventory management. If you sell out of a luxury good too fast you are not selling it at the right price.

Why in the world is Liliana, Heretical Healer more than 10 dollars? Who uses it?

Quote from Underused Cards »

Why in the world is Liliana, Heretical Healer more than 10 dollars? Who uses it?

It's still in standard and being run in one of the most popular decks currently - modern isn't the only thing that drives value.

Quote from DrWorm »

If you sell out of a luxury good too fast you are not selling it at the right price.

People put forward this argument all the time, but it really holds no substance. Literally every single product you buy is a luxury good. Dismissing something as a luxury and saying that's why it should carry a high price is flawed thinking.

Is Kolaghan's Command worth keeping around or should I sell now while prices are still relatively high? Thanks!!!

A luxury good is something that is not needed for basic human to live and emotionally thrive, so no "literally" everything is not a luxury good. I am going beyond biologica maintenance here too, so I am including play and abstract problem solving as basic human needs. While some of the things that mtg supplies fall in that category, mtg is not specifically a basic human need in the sense that nutrition and shelter are.

I make the distinction between luxury goods and basic needs because I am largely an economic liberal in favor of regulating markets that provide the things we need. Those markets have a lot more oversight, and therefore you can't say simply that price is determined by the highest price consumers will pay. I am not making a judgement about whether it is a good or bad thing that free market prices of unregulated goods are set by the highest some are willing to pay, just saying that is a fact. Shaking your fist at SCG is quite misplaced. It would be more to the point to hang out at your shop and shake your fist at all the players that buy cards that you think are overpriced.