I think it's because so many people are picking up UWR delver in legacy right now. I think it's been undervalued since it rotated from standard as well, I mean, D&T, Esper, UWR Delver, Affinity, Maverick, Junk, and Bant all run it. There may be some speculation going on, but I think the price increase is mostly people realizing it's real value.
SCG speculators at work again, in my opinion. It will steadily decrease in the next few weeks or months. I highly doubt Modern is ready for SFM, but I can a time in the future that it will, but then it will probably be reprinted.
Is it wise to invest in RTR cards that are played in modern now or what for the rotation and a possible price drop?
(abrupt decay, deathrite shaman, shocklands.)
Wait for rotation and the inevitable (though possibly very short lived) price drop.
Is it wise to invest in RTR cards that are played in modern now or what for the rotation and a possible price drop?
(abrupt decay, deathrite shaman, shocklands.)
Deathrite Shaman isn't played in Standard and won't drop much if at all. You should get it.
What do you all think about speculation? Specifically, how it affects Magic as a game and a hobby. I bring this up because cards like Bitterblossom have remained $15 or so almost solely on players hoarding them in two-year anticipation of a Modern unban. Another example is Karn, who went from $20 to $40 almost overnight because RG Tron promises to be a contender next season.
Personally, I dislike speculation, even if I have done it before (I bought a criminal number of Blazing Shoals the morning of PT Philly, the instant I saw that deck on the twittersphere; made a killing). But I try to avoid it now because I think it hurts the game, and the format, when prices shoot up. I also dislike the idea that a few companies can theoretically corner the MTG market to advance their own profits at player expense.
Sure, there's a "it will happen anyway so why not benefit me" argument to be made. We also have to admit that there is a financial side of the game and we have to be prepared for its benefits (anyone can just go online and buy any deck to start playing tomorrow...) and its dangers (...if you are willing to spend the money). But I'm wondering if there are better justifications in favor of speculation.
What do you all think about speculation? Specifically, how it affects Magic as a game and a hobby. I bring this up because cards like Bitterblossom have remained $15 or so almost solely on players hoarding them in two-year anticipation of a Modern unban. Another example is Karn, who went from $20 to $40 almost overnight because RG Tron promises to be a contender next season.
Personally, I dislike speculation, even if I have done it before (I bought a criminal number of Blazing Shoals the morning of PT Philly, the instant I saw that deck on the twittersphere; made a killing). But I try to avoid it now because I think it hurts the game, and the format, when prices shoot up. I also dislike the idea that a few companies can theoretically corner the MTG market to advance their own profits at player expense.
Sure, there's a "it will happen anyway so why not benefit me" argument to be made. We also have to admit that there is a financial side of the game and we have to be prepared for its benefits (anyone can just go online and buy any deck to start playing tomorrow...) and its dangers (...if you are willing to spend the money). But I'm wondering if there are better justifications in favor of speculation.
I have to agree that despite having benefited from it in the past I too am not a fan of speculation. In the past speculating didn't seem like too big of a deal, a few people would buy a couple copies of a card and we would see a few dollar increase in price (unless the card really broke out, such ass winning a PT, then it'd skyrocket of course). Nowadays it seems like even the slightest inclination that a card might do well causes people to go running to TCG and buying out the entire stock. Disrupting shoal is a great example of this. Travis Woo designed a fun looking mono u deck, LSV recorded a video with it and tweeted about how fun it was and all the sudden a card that was selling for $1.50 went up to $10.00. This kind of buying out and hoarding is absolutely not healthy for the secondary market or the game in general. One of the main reasons I feel this way is price memory. Many of these spikes, like disrupting shoal, are undue and just a quick fingered reaction by "speculators" however they effect the price of the cards in question indefinitely even if the obsession with said card is short lived.
> and thats why I don't play with blue cards. Red... burns? Cool, I'll take 4. Price increase? Thats fine... now its worth 5 bucks.
Edit: I do laugh at how the prices usually reflect the players personallity. Black, Win at all costs... Including money. Blue? I'm an educated man, I don't mind paying for winning cards. Red? I want my spells at dirt cheap mana wise. And money wise.
What do you all think about speculation? Specifically, how it affects Magic as a game and a hobby. I bring this up because cards like Bitterblossom have remained $15 or so almost solely on players hoarding them in two-year anticipation of a Modern unban. Another example is Karn, who went from $20 to $40 almost overnight because RG Tron promises to be a contender next season.
Personally, I dislike speculation, even if I have done it before (I bought a criminal number of Blazing Shoals the morning of PT Philly, the instant I saw that deck on the twittersphere; made a killing). But I try to avoid it now because I think it hurts the game, and the format, when prices shoot up. I also dislike the idea that a few companies can theoretically corner the MTG market to advance their own profits at player expense.
Sure, there's a "it will happen anyway so why not benefit me" argument to be made. We also have to admit that there is a financial side of the game and we have to be prepared for its benefits (anyone can just go online and buy any deck to start playing tomorrow...) and its dangers (...if you are willing to spend the money). But I'm wondering if there are better justifications in favor of speculation.
Really depends on how its being done. I know people who buy up certain cards on the cheap in hopes of them rising to get more expensive cards they need/want. Those people dont bother me. Its the stores or people with deep pockets buying up all copies of certain cards creating an artificial spike locally.
> and thats why I don't play with blue cards. Red... burns? Cool, I'll take 4. Price increase? Thats fine... now its worth 5 bucks.
Edit: I do laugh at how the prices usually reflect the players personallity. Black, Win at all costs... Including money. Blue? I'm an educated man, I don't mind paying for winning cards. Red? I want my spells at dirt cheap mana wise. And money wise.
Goyf is the only expensive "Pure" green card in modern. And also, for a very long time it was known as "the best blue creature" since it was mostly used in legacy blue tempo decks.
Goyf is the only expensive "Pure" green card in modern. And also, for a very long time it was known as "the best blue creature" since it was mostly used in legacy blue tempo decks.
True. But I thought that the reason why it was known as "the best blue creature" is because green didn't used to be playable, while blue was the best color. So when green gets the best beater of all time, it is so good that it could be blue.
What do you all think about speculation? Specifically, how it affects Magic as a game and a hobby. I bring this up because cards like Bitterblossom have remained $15 or so almost solely on players hoarding them in two-year anticipation of a Modern unban. Another example is Karn, who went from $20 to $40 almost overnight because RG Tron promises to be a contender next season.
Personally, I dislike speculation, even if I have done it before (I bought a criminal number of Blazing Shoals the morning of PT Philly, the instant I saw that deck on the twittersphere; made a killing). But I try to avoid it now because I think it hurts the game, and the format, when prices shoot up. I also dislike the idea that a few companies can theoretically corner the MTG market to advance their own profits at player expense.
Sure, there's a "it will happen anyway so why not benefit me" argument to be made. We also have to admit that there is a financial side of the game and we have to be prepared for its benefits (anyone can just go online and buy any deck to start playing tomorrow...) and its dangers (...if you are willing to spend the money). But I'm wondering if there are better justifications in favor of speculation.
People who speculate on MTG cards are... well I'm sorry but in my mind they are losers. Why would anyone waste time trying to make money mtg at a rate of a couple hundred bucks a quarter? My time is worth far more than that.
These "speculators" need to get a job that pays enough so that you would never waste your valuable time "speculating" on magic cards. This is a hobby that costs money, like many other hobbies. You don't expect to get your money back from you hobbies, you expect to have fun with the hobby.
For example, another hobby of mine is my car. I spent embarrassing amounts of money upgrading and customizing my car. I also spend tons of time cleaning and waxing it. I do not expect to sell my car and get back the money I put into it. I expect to enjoy the car and to enjoy the work I put into making it look nice.
Magic is the same, but on a much smaller scale. Get a good job, and the money you spend on MTG is pretty much meaningless compared to the fun it can provide you.
From the price spikes in magic cards I feel like the time to money ratio is disgusting. A markup of 1000% on shoals in a week or so??? That is a crazy return if you can offload them
I don't see how having your hobby pay for itself can be a bad thing. Poor comparisons aside, MtG is growing, more people want in on modern and the season is coming up. Speculators or not a number of these prices would have eventually gone up to meet the growing demand, and of the demand isn't there a number of people are going to get burned, not every spec target is a winner. I bought a number of jace, architect of thought to play standard when they were $8 and then a few to trade off when I believed they would peak. When Jace and others went up I said screw standard and traded my inflated standard cards into modern and legacy staples. From there I've been able to trade into more staples and expand my collection, it's worked for me so far, so I plan on speculating more, and why shouldn't I? Because somebody gets upset that I can expand my collection and have money to spend on my other hobbies as well?
To me it seems that the people who are upset at speculators are upset that the speculators can get their hobby to pay for itself but they can't .
People who speculate on MTG cards are... well I'm sorry but in my mind they are losers. Why would anyone waste time trying to make money mtg at a rate of a couple hundred bucks a quarter? My time is worth far more than that.
These "speculators" need to get a job that pays enough so that you would never waste your valuable time "speculating" on magic cards. This is a hobby that costs money, like many other hobbies. You don't expect to get your money back from you hobbies, you expect to have fun with the hobby.
For example, another hobby of mine is my car. I spent embarrassing amounts of money upgrading and customizing my car. I also spend tons of time cleaning and waxing it. I do not expect to sell my car and get back the money I put into it. I expect to enjoy the car and to enjoy the work I put into making it look nice.
Magic is the same, but on a much smaller scale. Get a good job, and the money you spend on MTG is pretty much meaningless compared to the fun it can provide you.
I certainly will get a good laugh when all of the hoarders of fetchlands will just be sitting on them when fetchlands gets reprinted. The question isn't "if they will get reprinted," the question is simply "when will they get reprinted.
To me it seems that the people who are upset at speculators are upset that the speculators can get their hobby to pay for itself but they can't .
I understand if that is how it appears to you, but let me explain why I feel the way I do about speculators.
In 2007 my wife and I started looking to buy a home. We weren't interested in trying to "flip" it, as was extremely popular at the time. We just wanted a nice place to live and not just throw away money on rent.
We stated our price range and were shown various houses and apartments. I was appalled at the condition of these places. There was no way that these places could be worth $175k! But the realtors kept assuring me that yes, this is the nature of things, and that the housing market is only going to keep going up because "land is finite".
I said hell no, something is wrong with the system. I didn't know what it was, but I knew that it was way off from what I was shown and the "value" I was told they were worth. I did think it was odd that they never cared to see my W2 at the bank when we inquired about a loan. We kept renting.
Do you remember what happened that later that year, and the years that followed? The market crashed. There were speculators, basically, that were manipulating the market to grab cash. People were duped into believing they could afford houses well above their standard of living, and it was partly their fault because they didn't second-guess it. They wanted to believe that the banks were right. The "stock" got handed off to other people who thought they were good investments. When it crashed, it was a big game of hot-potato with stocks and mortgages.
So what's happening now? Let's consider how much it costs, real world, to make Magic cards. WotC pays for the R&D, the materials, the work of printing, the packaging, etc. Did it really cost WotC upwards of $100 to design and print Tarmogoyfs? Seriously, now.
The market is being managed under the idea that artificial inflation is a good thing. And maybe it is, to a degree. But let's be realistic about the value of some of these pieces of cardboard. So if someone comes along that can offer the same product with somewhat equal quality, what happens to the market? Can people really afford these prices? I'm sure some can, sure, but just as the majority of the people who went under due to the weight of their mortgage during the housing bubble, there are people playing right now, paying for these cards at these prices, that are essentially not being fiscally responsible.
I am at well above the poverty line, and I will be debt free at retirement at the age of 42 in just under nine years. I am a minority in the world, and I can't reasonably afford the prices of staple cards in this game. So what is the financial outlook for people who aren't in the minority, like myself? And what effect will the future of those consumers of Magic product mean for the game itself?
At some point someone will come along with an equal product, quality wise (like the recent Chinese counterfeiters), and what will WotC and the secondary market do? That's a big game of hot-potato with the cards, except there will be no government assistance for Magic the Gathering. That will be people who own our LGS eating the debt and trying to figure out how to get their business to survive. That's a whole lot of speculators, who will then claim they were just "players trying to make their hobby pay for itself", getting very upset at something that will then be out of their control.
It's not a question of if it will happen, it's when, because Magic cards are not that difficult to make. Maybe WotC has already recognized this, and thus the reasoning behind MM and this recently announced Modern Event Deck. Maybe they're trying to ease down the prices. But they are racing against time, racing against when the counterfeits will start flooding the market.
EDIT - I like to do more than just point out what I see as problems. I like to provide solutions.
It is possible that WotC could start reprinting cards to drive down the prices of Vintage, Legacy, and Modern staples. They would have to do some insane guestimating to figure out how many, exactly, to print and distribute. If they distribute too much, the secondary market and LGS's take the brunt of the hit. They could forewarn the LGS's, but then the LGS's would likely hold a fire sale to minimize losses. That means handing off the hot potato to the players, who would likely be very, very unhappy at that point. If they print too little, then it would have a negligible effect on the market, and they're still in the race with high-quality counterfeiters.
But there is an alternative, where the LGS's, WotC, and players are relatively happy. Special events could be held, and gold-bordered (non-playable in sanctioned events) staples could be offered as alternative prizes for attendance, winnings, and various special challenges. Attendance would be the only way to get these cards, initially (I'm sure some would hit Ebay quickly after the initial distribution), which would be good for both the LGS's and WotC. Players would get to choose their prizes, based on their preference, and allow players to play how they wish.
There is the problem that some LGS's may try to make a quick buck and just sell off this special product immediately rather than offer them as prizes. Of course, I for one know that I would be much more likely to attend a LGS where I could possibly get these staples just for attending and playing than one that does not offer this special bonus to me. That, and the LGS would be risking adverse consequences from WotC.
I have a huge dislike over speculators because they are the number two reason why modern isn't as big as it can be right now.
Wizards having a hard time getting out more staples of cards, especially older cards is the biggest reason; although they're working better on that.
But speculators are driving up the price on anything that even slightly does okay once or twice, like the disrupting shoal deck. IMO the deck has zero chance right now in the modern meta, but that didn't stop speculators from turning a relatively cheap deck into something even more expensive right away.
Speculators do not care whatsoever about what happens to the game as long as they can make money. As long as they got money off the cards, then they couldn't care less if the barrier for entry into modern was $1,000 or more for even the cheapest decks. They basically are a cancer to the game, and one that seems like its been growing a lot recently. Speculation artificially increases the prices of modern cards that did not have to jump up in price. By forcing cards to go up, it makes it even more expensive to buy into the format, and that isn't helpful for anyone that actually wants to PLAY it.
I would be very happy if all of these expensive modern cards(coming from someone with R/G Tron and Scapeshift) got massive reprints. I don't want this game to become as bad with reprints and yugioh, but I surely wouldn't mind to see these people lose hard on these cards they're hoarding and artificially increasing in price; it serves them right.
I have a huge dislike over speculators because they are the number two reason why modern isn't as big as it can be right now.
Wizards having a hard time getting out more staples of cards, especially older cards is the biggest reason; although they're working better on that.
But speculators are driving up the price on anything that even slightly does okay once or twice, like the disrupting shoal deck. IMO the deck has zero chance right now in the modern meta, but that didn't stop speculators from turning a relatively cheap deck into something even more expensive right away.
Speculators do not care whatsoever about what happens to the game as long as they can make money. As long as they got money off the cards, then they couldn't care less if the barrier for entry into modern was $1,000 or more for even the cheapest decks. They basically are a cancer to the game, and one that seems like its been growing a lot recently. Speculation artificially increases the prices of modern cards that did not have to jump up in price. By forcing cards to go up, it makes it even more expensive to buy into the format, and that isn't helpful for anyone that actually wants to PLAY it.
I would be very happy if all of these expensive modern cards(coming from someone with R/G Tron and Scapeshift) got massive reprints. I don't want this game to become as bad with reprints and yugioh, but I surely wouldn't mind to see these people lose hard on these cards they're hoarding and artificially increasing in price; it serves them right.
If you can't beat them, join them. Anyone who is serious about modern will buy the cards anyway, and if they aren't maybe they should stick to standard!
Can I have some opinions on Mutavault? Channel Fireball is offering $32.50 ea store credit which seems enticing.
Mutavault's current price is due to Standard, not Modern. There are a few decks that want Mutavault in Modern, but not many. And they happen to be Tier 1.5/2 decks as well. So if you don't have any immediate need for them, my suggestion is to sell them.
Mutavault's current price is due to Standard, not Modern. There are a few decks that want Mutavault in Modern, but not many. And they happen to be Tier 1.5/2 decks as well. So if you don't have any immediate need for them, my suggestion is to sell them.
hmmm... i might do that... i have an extra mutavault coming in a trade. I might trade it in to them and get some stuff...
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Be a lemming hunter. Don't be a lemming. Really, all you had to do was explain to him the popularity metric, not give him the lemming hunter manifesto...
Originally posted by MemoryLapse and DotMatrix
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I think it's because so many people are picking up UWR delver in legacy right now. I think it's been undervalued since it rotated from standard as well, I mean, D&T, Esper, UWR Delver, Affinity, Maverick, Junk, and Bant all run it. There may be some speculation going on, but I think the price increase is mostly people realizing it's real value.
Wait for rotation and the inevitable (though possibly very short lived) price drop.
Deathrite Shaman isn't played in Standard and won't drop much if at all. You should get it.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
Personally, I dislike speculation, even if I have done it before (I bought a criminal number of Blazing Shoals the morning of PT Philly, the instant I saw that deck on the twittersphere; made a killing). But I try to avoid it now because I think it hurts the game, and the format, when prices shoot up. I also dislike the idea that a few companies can theoretically corner the MTG market to advance their own profits at player expense.
Sure, there's a "it will happen anyway so why not benefit me" argument to be made. We also have to admit that there is a financial side of the game and we have to be prepared for its benefits (anyone can just go online and buy any deck to start playing tomorrow...) and its dangers (...if you are willing to spend the money). But I'm wondering if there are better justifications in favor of speculation.
Loathe it. Collectors and speculators are a cancer on this game. Or at least a hemorrhoid.
I have to agree that despite having benefited from it in the past I too am not a fan of speculation. In the past speculating didn't seem like too big of a deal, a few people would buy a couple copies of a card and we would see a few dollar increase in price (unless the card really broke out, such ass winning a PT, then it'd skyrocket of course). Nowadays it seems like even the slightest inclination that a card might do well causes people to go running to TCG and buying out the entire stock. Disrupting shoal is a great example of this. Travis Woo designed a fun looking mono u deck, LSV recorded a video with it and tweeted about how fun it was and all the sudden a card that was selling for $1.50 went up to $10.00. This kind of buying out and hoarding is absolutely not healthy for the secondary market or the game in general. One of the main reasons I feel this way is price memory. Many of these spikes, like disrupting shoal, are undue and just a quick fingered reaction by "speculators" however they effect the price of the cards in question indefinitely even if the obsession with said card is short lived.
Edit: I do laugh at how the prices usually reflect the players personallity. Black, Win at all costs... Including money. Blue? I'm an educated man, I don't mind paying for winning cards. Red? I want my spells at dirt cheap mana wise. And money wise.
Really depends on how its being done. I know people who buy up certain cards on the cheap in hopes of them rising to get more expensive cards they need/want. Those people dont bother me. Its the stores or people with deep pockets buying up all copies of certain cards creating an artificial spike locally.
Green and the price of Goyf?
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
Goyf is the only expensive "Pure" green card in modern. And also, for a very long time it was known as "the best blue creature" since it was mostly used in legacy blue tempo decks.
True. But I thought that the reason why it was known as "the best blue creature" is because green didn't used to be playable, while blue was the best color. So when green gets the best beater of all time, it is so good that it could be blue.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
People who speculate on MTG cards are... well I'm sorry but in my mind they are losers. Why would anyone waste time trying to make money mtg at a rate of a couple hundred bucks a quarter? My time is worth far more than that.
These "speculators" need to get a job that pays enough so that you would never waste your valuable time "speculating" on magic cards. This is a hobby that costs money, like many other hobbies. You don't expect to get your money back from you hobbies, you expect to have fun with the hobby.
For example, another hobby of mine is my car. I spent embarrassing amounts of money upgrading and customizing my car. I also spend tons of time cleaning and waxing it. I do not expect to sell my car and get back the money I put into it. I expect to enjoy the car and to enjoy the work I put into making it look nice.
Magic is the same, but on a much smaller scale. Get a good job, and the money you spend on MTG is pretty much meaningless compared to the fun it can provide you.
To me it seems that the people who are upset at speculators are upset that the speculators can get their hobby to pay for itself but they can't .
I certainly will get a good laugh when all of the hoarders of fetchlands will just be sitting on them when fetchlands gets reprinted. The question isn't "if they will get reprinted," the question is simply "when will they get reprinted.
I understand if that is how it appears to you, but let me explain why I feel the way I do about speculators.
In 2007 my wife and I started looking to buy a home. We weren't interested in trying to "flip" it, as was extremely popular at the time. We just wanted a nice place to live and not just throw away money on rent.
We stated our price range and were shown various houses and apartments. I was appalled at the condition of these places. There was no way that these places could be worth $175k! But the realtors kept assuring me that yes, this is the nature of things, and that the housing market is only going to keep going up because "land is finite".
I said hell no, something is wrong with the system. I didn't know what it was, but I knew that it was way off from what I was shown and the "value" I was told they were worth. I did think it was odd that they never cared to see my W2 at the bank when we inquired about a loan. We kept renting.
Do you remember what happened that later that year, and the years that followed? The market crashed. There were speculators, basically, that were manipulating the market to grab cash. People were duped into believing they could afford houses well above their standard of living, and it was partly their fault because they didn't second-guess it. They wanted to believe that the banks were right. The "stock" got handed off to other people who thought they were good investments. When it crashed, it was a big game of hot-potato with stocks and mortgages.
So what's happening now? Let's consider how much it costs, real world, to make Magic cards. WotC pays for the R&D, the materials, the work of printing, the packaging, etc. Did it really cost WotC upwards of $100 to design and print Tarmogoyfs? Seriously, now.
The market is being managed under the idea that artificial inflation is a good thing. And maybe it is, to a degree. But let's be realistic about the value of some of these pieces of cardboard. So if someone comes along that can offer the same product with somewhat equal quality, what happens to the market? Can people really afford these prices? I'm sure some can, sure, but just as the majority of the people who went under due to the weight of their mortgage during the housing bubble, there are people playing right now, paying for these cards at these prices, that are essentially not being fiscally responsible.
I am at well above the poverty line, and I will be debt free at retirement at the age of 42 in just under nine years. I am a minority in the world, and I can't reasonably afford the prices of staple cards in this game. So what is the financial outlook for people who aren't in the minority, like myself? And what effect will the future of those consumers of Magic product mean for the game itself?
At some point someone will come along with an equal product, quality wise (like the recent Chinese counterfeiters), and what will WotC and the secondary market do? That's a big game of hot-potato with the cards, except there will be no government assistance for Magic the Gathering. That will be people who own our LGS eating the debt and trying to figure out how to get their business to survive. That's a whole lot of speculators, who will then claim they were just "players trying to make their hobby pay for itself", getting very upset at something that will then be out of their control.
It's not a question of if it will happen, it's when, because Magic cards are not that difficult to make. Maybe WotC has already recognized this, and thus the reasoning behind MM and this recently announced Modern Event Deck. Maybe they're trying to ease down the prices. But they are racing against time, racing against when the counterfeits will start flooding the market.
EDIT - I like to do more than just point out what I see as problems. I like to provide solutions.
It is possible that WotC could start reprinting cards to drive down the prices of Vintage, Legacy, and Modern staples. They would have to do some insane guestimating to figure out how many, exactly, to print and distribute. If they distribute too much, the secondary market and LGS's take the brunt of the hit. They could forewarn the LGS's, but then the LGS's would likely hold a fire sale to minimize losses. That means handing off the hot potato to the players, who would likely be very, very unhappy at that point. If they print too little, then it would have a negligible effect on the market, and they're still in the race with high-quality counterfeiters.
But there is an alternative, where the LGS's, WotC, and players are relatively happy. Special events could be held, and gold-bordered (non-playable in sanctioned events) staples could be offered as alternative prizes for attendance, winnings, and various special challenges. Attendance would be the only way to get these cards, initially (I'm sure some would hit Ebay quickly after the initial distribution), which would be good for both the LGS's and WotC. Players would get to choose their prizes, based on their preference, and allow players to play how they wish.
There is the problem that some LGS's may try to make a quick buck and just sell off this special product immediately rather than offer them as prizes. Of course, I for one know that I would be much more likely to attend a LGS where I could possibly get these staples just for attending and playing than one that does not offer this special bonus to me. That, and the LGS would be risking adverse consequences from WotC.
Lantern Control
(with videos)
Uc Tron
Netdecking explained
Netdecking explained, Part 2
On speculators and counterfeits
On Interaction
Every single competitive deck in existence is designed to limit the opponent's ability to interact in a meaningful way.
Record number of exclamation points on SCG homepage: 71 (6 January, 2018)
"I don't want to believe, I want to know."
-Carl Sagan
Wizards having a hard time getting out more staples of cards, especially older cards is the biggest reason; although they're working better on that.
But speculators are driving up the price on anything that even slightly does okay once or twice, like the disrupting shoal deck. IMO the deck has zero chance right now in the modern meta, but that didn't stop speculators from turning a relatively cheap deck into something even more expensive right away.
Speculators do not care whatsoever about what happens to the game as long as they can make money. As long as they got money off the cards, then they couldn't care less if the barrier for entry into modern was $1,000 or more for even the cheapest decks. They basically are a cancer to the game, and one that seems like its been growing a lot recently. Speculation artificially increases the prices of modern cards that did not have to jump up in price. By forcing cards to go up, it makes it even more expensive to buy into the format, and that isn't helpful for anyone that actually wants to PLAY it.
I would be very happy if all of these expensive modern cards(coming from someone with R/G Tron and Scapeshift) got massive reprints. I don't want this game to become as bad with reprints and yugioh, but I surely wouldn't mind to see these people lose hard on these cards they're hoarding and artificially increasing in price; it serves them right.
If you can't beat them, join them. Anyone who is serious about modern will buy the cards anyway, and if they aren't maybe they should stick to standard!
Fist of Suns
Wut. That's gotta be some kind of record. Haven't seen that happen since Blazing Shoal at PT Philly.
6 hours ago it was $2.50.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
WBB/W TokensWB
WUBAd NauseamWUB
- Commander
WG Captain Sisay's LegendsWG
Mutavault's current price is due to Standard, not Modern. There are a few decks that want Mutavault in Modern, but not many. And they happen to be Tier 1.5/2 decks as well. So if you don't have any immediate need for them, my suggestion is to sell them.
hmmm... i might do that... i have an extra mutavault coming in a trade. I might trade it in to them and get some stuff...
Be a lemming hunter. Don't be a lemming.
Really, all you had to do was explain to him the popularity metric, not give him the lemming hunter manifesto...
Originally posted by MemoryLapse and DotMatrix