Happens to everyone at some point. I took a break from Standard after Time Spiral was released and play a single T2 game until Innistrad was legal. Some seasons just don't gel for everyone. It's why this game is so great however, because there are so many other options to enjoy even if the one you're used to disappoints.
There was a time when "only scrubs" used playmats... I actually got scoffed at by a pro player once when I whipped out my playmat at a GP 10+ years ago. But now they are the norm, and totally have function. We have some shops in town that are just gross, and some where the tables they have have some kind of "wood grain" that nicks sleeves.
Personally I like having a space where I can say "here is my play area." In tight spaces it's actually pretty nice to have that dividing line.
Won't do it. I want prices on the cards as I'm looking at them, and they damn well better be honored when I go to buy. There's a shop south of me that leaves all cards unmarked and looks up a price when you request it, and I was appalled at the gouging the owner did when I was standing around.
If he knows you know something about value, he'll go straight off TCG low-mid. If he knows you're a casual, he'll go to SCG and add a couple of bucks. Needless to say I won't go back, even for the larger events he holds. It's wholly dishonest.
I absolutely don't condone what your example of an owner did, but most shops that know a thing or two about Magic will check prices before selling unless Magic is not the only thing they sell. The game is such a horribly swingy market, that they are helping both parties by keeping up to date. Sure you save a couple of bucks here and there... but keeping the prices "real time" also means people aren't paying too much for things that dropped. Not every LGS owner is a dink and some generally will give people deals and make sure they can move cards that might otherwise sit collecting dust in the case because they are marked too high thanks to last month's big tournament.
I don't mind purchasing a couple of boxes for this purpose each set, but ONLY if I'm getting a good deal. It's a no brainer that you likely won't get your money back at $100 a box, but if I can land $80-90 I'm usually pretty happy and glad I've got a full trade binder.
However I would warn against anyone buying a box "just because" they want to pull a profit.
Played a RTR sealed event for release, and managed to squeek out a game three nailbiter against a guy who had Consuming Abortion and the Skeleton he could bounce and replay. I had enough defense and a Assemble the Legion to block any relevant attackers my way, and he could also. I was basically depending on Extort triggers from two weenies to peck him down. I knew exactly how many lands were left in my deck, and nervously waited for a moment when I had enough Assemble tokens to make a difference and get through his wall of dudes. It was slowly happening, but not without leaving myself open to an attack from his monsters. He made his final mill activation, and my last land was the second from the top, leaving me with one card to draw. Next turn I would be able to put him down to ONE LIFE thanks to my tokens if I went all in. I topdecked a Sorcery that allowed me to do something completely pointless to get the Extort trigger to win me the game. We both marveled that I was able to pull it off with zero cards in my library.
At the Beginning of your upkeep, you gain 2 life.
Whenever you gain life, you pay pay 1.
If you do, draw a card and each opponent loses 1 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Oloro is in the command zone, you gain 2 life.
Preordered Thundermaw at $10, Giest at $10, Resto Angel at $3, Dungeon Giests at a quarter (right before they jumped to $5), and two boxes of MMA for MSRP.
As an angel collector, I'm actually amped that I've got a year without any in a set (possibly). Gives me time to catch up with the angel clogged couple of years we've just had.
I have a cube, but I only play it with my trusted playgroups. It's a Modern era mostly cube, which is what I'll likely keep it as.
I would never bring it out at a shop where there would be strangers around. I always make a little caveat that "there are expensive cards in here, please treat them as you would expect."
Usually I will talk after the game, but I prefer to let the new player initiate the conversation. This avoids ending up wasting any time on the ones who don't want to listen; they never start a conversation.
This is the best advice I think. If someone needs and WANTS advice, they'll almost always ask, esp if you're friendly to one another during the match. If you're stone faced, rude, wearing a hoodie with sunglasses and your Ipod... well I'm guessing they won't bother asking you for help at the end.
My parents were board gamers, and I grew up one as well. While they don't know how to play Magic, it instilled a love of games in my family early on. I play, my wife plays, my step brother plays with his wife (learned seperate from me), and two of my neices play (learned themselves). As for other table top gaming, it's pretty much everyone in the family.
Gifts Ungiven. You can build so many interesting decks with it, and we've seen several that were tournament viable. Watching pros play that deck during CHK Standard taught me more about how to play Magic than anything else.
When someone operates on a strong "moral" compass and expects me and my family to live by their belief structure... I sure as heck am going to make sure she practices what she preaches just as she would the same if the roles were reversed... that reminds me...
Personally I like having a space where I can say "here is my play area." In tight spaces it's actually pretty nice to have that dividing line.
I absolutely don't condone what your example of an owner did, but most shops that know a thing or two about Magic will check prices before selling unless Magic is not the only thing they sell. The game is such a horribly swingy market, that they are helping both parties by keeping up to date. Sure you save a couple of bucks here and there... but keeping the prices "real time" also means people aren't paying too much for things that dropped. Not every LGS owner is a dink and some generally will give people deals and make sure they can move cards that might otherwise sit collecting dust in the case because they are marked too high thanks to last month's big tournament.
People play magic because they love the game, not because it's convenient.
Sometimes you see decklists up by Day 2, but I don't think I've ever seen Day 1.
However I would warn against anyone buying a box "just because" they want to pull a profit.
From Chris Kluwe's twitter feed
TEXT:
Olora, Ageless Ascetic 3WUB
Legendary Creature - Giant Soldier
At the Beginning of your upkeep, you gain 2 life.
Whenever you gain life, you pay pay 1.
If you do, draw a card and each opponent loses 1 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Oloro is in the command zone, you gain 2 life.
4/5
EDIT - forgot to include the box picture.
I would never bring it out at a shop where there would be strangers around. I always make a little caveat that "there are expensive cards in here, please treat them as you would expect."
This is the best advice I think. If someone needs and WANTS advice, they'll almost always ask, esp if you're friendly to one another during the match. If you're stone faced, rude, wearing a hoodie with sunglasses and your Ipod... well I'm guessing they won't bother asking you for help at the end.