**EDIT: This is a necro'd thread from 2 years ago. I necro'd it with post #91. You can go there if you want to see the update and more recent discussion. What follows in this post is my original unedited post.**
I am a logical person. I believe that you can think rationally and intelligently about almost anything and come up with a good solution. If you don't want to read the entire post, I thought long and hard and realized that the positives of continuing to play don't outweigh the negatives.
Some background: I am a 34 year-old married physician with 5 children ages 8, 6, 5, 2 and 10 months. I started playing Magic at age 30 and have spent around $15,000 on cards which are now worth about $30,000 according to the link in my signature. I am an obsessive person and have become overly obsessed with Magic. My wife hates Magic (probably more because of my obsession and my having $30,000 worth of cards than an inherent dislike of the game) and would love for me to quit but respects that I love playing. My oldest 4 kids are all boys and my oldest 3 will play with me but are more into video games currently. I have always been a gamer, mostly video games and then D&D and now Magic (I rarely play the others now).
Here is the conversation that prompted my self-reflection that led to my decision. This happened on Cockatrice.
Opponent (when I was countering everything and beating him down with Delver) - "Nice f***ing God hand"
Me (later when I was losing after drawing my 6th land in a row and watching his Liliana tick up) - "That God hand isn't looking so good now."
Opponent - "That's because my deck is better."
Me - "You're at a place in your life where you enjoy trash talking over the internet about a card game to someone you don't know?"
Opponent - *leaves the game*
Although I thought I'd come up with a pretty good comeback, it didn't feel good. It started to make me realize how often I don't feel better after competing in Magic tournaments. If I play someone who is a jerk, I don't enjoy it, win or lose. If I lose, I don't really enjoy it. If I play someone who is nice and I win, I feel bad.
Then I started thinking about other things.
When I lived in a large city, there were lots of Magic tournaments. There were constant EDH games to get into, 4-5 Standard tournaments per week, 3-4 Limited tournaments per week, 2 Legacy tournaments per week, even 2 Vintage tournaments per year. I always felt kind of blah about the tournament, even if I'd done well (which I typically did not, except in Legacy). Regardless, it was only a few hours wasted and a short drive to be back at home. Now I live in a small town where there is a decent amount of EDH, weekly Standard and monthly Modern. I don't really get to play the formats I love (Legacy and Vintage) except on Cockatrice, which is too often a miserable experience.
I have a huge collection and was working towards getting a complete Legacy and Vintage collection. Why keep this when there isn't anyone around to play with?
I had two reasons for this:
1. I planned to travel to tournaments (Leg/Vin Championships, SCG Open, Legacy Grand Prix, Bazaar of Moxen) at some point in the future. Honestly, however, I would prefer to spend my vacation time and money on something else because I would more than likely not win the tournament (or even top 8) and instead of a few hours, I'd have wasted an entire weekend and lots of money. Plus, when was I really going to do this? My life isn't going to slow down until I'm retired.
2. I hoped my boys(kids?) would get into it and go to tournaments with me. The problem here is that that might not actually be that good for them. Getting into a nerdy game as a kid might not really be what's best for them. When I got into the game I was already a solid adult and it has changed me for the worse. What would it do to a kid trying to figure out who they are? Also, if I am so obsessed with the game that it takes me away from them, they might just learn to hate it as much as my wife.
So if I am questioning whether this is good for my kids, shouldn't I question whether it is good for me? I feel that everyone needs a hobby and I love to play Magic but does it really improve me? The way I gauge that is to think about being 20 years in the future and imagine if I will wish I'd play more Magic. The answer is "heck no!" In high school and college I was very athletic and played nerd games. As I have gotten older and responsibilities have mounted, I've left behind most of the athletics and only play Magic in my reduced free time.
Then it hit me: I'M WASTING MY TIME and there are few things more precious than time. I should be spending my time eating, sleeping, working, developing meaningful relationships or improving myself. If my hobby also does one of these, then it is never a waste of time.
My dad got me a Fender Stratocaster for my birthday recently so I'll be learning to play that, playing basketball with my kids, trying to improve my business/clinic and lifting weights more regularly as my hobbies now.
If you see any of yourself in what I have said here, I implore you to think about if quitting Magic is what's best for you. May you find a hobby that you find enjoyable and enriching.
So what am I doing with the cards? My wife and I discussed this. I initially was going to sell them because it is a lot of money and I really shouldn't have access to them. Then I realized that there is a chance I would regret that some day (as I have talked to many people that did just that and did regret it later) and that they may go up even more in value and I don't really need the money right now. I have instead decided to put them into bins and put them into storage, ALL OF THEM. I will think about selling them again in a year when I see what prices have done and how I feel about that decision at that time.
Thanks for reading if you got to here. I will probably check comments on this thread until they stop and then I will leave this site as well. I thought about trying to get banned but that shouldn't be necessary.
I am a logical person. I believe that you can think rationally and intelligently about almost anything and come up with a good solution. If you don't want to read the entire post, I thought long and hard and realized that the positives of continuing to play don't outweigh the negatives.
Some background: I am a 34 year-old married physician with 5 children ages 8, 6, 5, 2 and 10 months. I started playing Magic at age 30 and have spent around $15,000 on cards which are now worth about $30,000 according to the link in my signature. I am an obsessive person and have become overly obsessed with Magic. My wife hates Magic (probably more because of my obsession and my having $30,000 worth of cards than an inherent dislike of the game) and would love for me to quit but respects that I love playing. My oldest 4 kids are all boys and my oldest 3 will play with me but are more into video games currently. I have always been a gamer, mostly video games and then D&D and now Magic (I rarely play the others now).
Here is the conversation that prompted my self-reflection that led to my decision. This happened on Cockatrice.
Opponent (when I was countering everything and beating him down with Delver) - "Nice f***ing God hand"
Me (later when I was losing after drawing my 6th land in a row and watching his Liliana tick up) - "That God hand isn't looking so good now."
Opponent - "That's because my deck is better."
Me - "You're at a place in your life where you enjoy trash talking over the internet about a card game to someone you don't know?"
Opponent - *leaves the game*
Although I thought I'd come up with a pretty good comeback, it didn't feel good. It started to make me realize how often I don't feel better after competing in Magic tournaments. If I play someone who is a jerk, I don't enjoy it, win or lose. If I lose, I don't really enjoy it. If I play someone who is nice and I win, I feel bad.
Then I started thinking about other things.
When I lived in a large city, there were lots of Magic tournaments. There were constant EDH games to get into, 4-5 Standard tournaments per week, 3-4 Limited tournaments per week, 2 Legacy tournaments per week, even 2 Vintage tournaments per year. I always felt kind of blah about the tournament, even if I'd done well (which I typically did not, except in Legacy). Regardless, it was only a few hours wasted and a short drive to be back at home. Now I live in a small town where there is a decent amount of EDH, weekly Standard and monthly Modern. I don't really get to play the formats I love (Legacy and Vintage) except on Cockatrice, which is too often a miserable experience.
I have a huge collection and was working towards getting a complete Legacy and Vintage collection. Why keep this when there isn't anyone around to play with?
I had two reasons for this:
1. I planned to travel to tournaments (Leg/Vin Championships, SCG Open, Legacy Grand Prix, Bazaar of Moxen) at some point in the future. Honestly, however, I would prefer to spend my vacation time and money on something else because I would more than likely not win the tournament (or even top 8) and instead of a few hours, I'd have wasted an entire weekend and lots of money. Plus, when was I really going to do this? My life isn't going to slow down until I'm retired.
2. I hoped my boys(kids?) would get into it and go to tournaments with me. The problem here is that that might not actually be that good for them. Getting into a nerdy game as a kid might not really be what's best for them. When I got into the game I was already a solid adult and it has changed me for the worse. What would it do to a kid trying to figure out who they are? Also, if I am so obsessed with the game that it takes me away from them, they might just learn to hate it as much as my wife.
So if I am questioning whether this is good for my kids, shouldn't I question whether it is good for me? I feel that everyone needs a hobby and I love to play Magic but does it really improve me? The way I gauge that is to think about being 20 years in the future and imagine if I will wish I'd play more Magic. The answer is "heck no!" In high school and college I was very athletic and played nerd games. As I have gotten older and responsibilities have mounted, I've left behind most of the athletics and only play Magic in my reduced free time.
Then it hit me: I'M WASTING MY TIME and there are few things more precious than time. I should be spending my time eating, sleeping, working, developing meaningful relationships or improving myself. If my hobby also does one of these, then it is never a waste of time.
My dad got me a Fender Stratocaster for my birthday recently so I'll be learning to play that, playing basketball with my kids, trying to improve my business/clinic and lifting weights more regularly as my hobbies now.
If you see any of yourself in what I have said here, I implore you to think about if quitting Magic is what's best for you. May you find a hobby that you find enjoyable and enriching.
So what am I doing with the cards? My wife and I discussed this. I initially was going to sell them because it is a lot of money and I really shouldn't have access to them. Then I realized that there is a chance I would regret that some day (as I have talked to many people that did just that and did regret it later) and that they may go up even more in value and I don't really need the money right now. I have instead decided to put them into bins and put them into storage, ALL OF THEM. I will think about selling them again in a year when I see what prices have done and how I feel about that decision at that time.
Thanks for reading if you got to here. I will probably check comments on this thread until they stop and then I will leave this site as well. I thought about trying to get banned but that shouldn't be necessary.
Even though this post is directly referring to your thoughts and upcoming decision to quit playing a card game, this really kind of bummed me out about life in general D:
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
3WWU, 2GWW, and 4RWW! These were the mana costs chosen to summon the perfect little angel! But Professor Avacyn accidentally added an extra ingredient to the concoction! Chemical x Thus, the Powerpuff Girls were born! Using their ultra super powers, Gisela, Bruna, and Sigarda have dedicated their lives to fighting crime and the forces of evil!
I came to the exact same conclusion after playing for 6 years. I finally called it quits for competitive Magic when Theros came out.
I was out of shape, broke and very competitive. All my free time was spent formulating new deck strategies and techs.
Then it hit me that this is not what I want to continue doing. It felt that I was wasting a lot of my potential for a "hobby" that costs a lot of money without even improving my life.
Now, the only time I devote to Magic is playing casual Commander with my friends. Having a lot of free time because of it, I started doing some things that have tangible benefits for self-improvement.
I couldn't be any happier
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong."
- H. L. Mencken
So you want to quit and/or are concerned about the amount of money invested in cards, but are worried you'll come back some day and regret selling all the cards and will have to start over again. If you actually have 30 grand(can I just say damn!) in cards and want to quit or take a break, unload some and do something nice for yourself or the family with that nice chunk of change. Instead of putting all the cards into storage, I would suggest keeping your favorite EDH deck, favorite two Legacy decks, and sell what's left.
At some point you WILL want to play again. This way you could recoup some of your investment, but if you ever feel like getting back into the game you can. Plus with two decks for legacy, you can still either lend a deck out to someone or be able switch it up sometimes if one deck starts to feel stale.
Casual Cube EDH: UR Niv-Mizzet's Madness BGW Ghave's Garden WUBRG Karona's Chaos
Retired: Too damn many to count Vintage: URWelder WUBRG Dredge Kitchen Table: B Zombies in Your Head
Personally, I'd suggest slowing down on Magic instead of just quitting it. It's true that Cockatrice (and MTGO) can lead to some of the worse player interactions, but you obviously love the game and I'm sure you can still find joy in playing it with others.
It's often tempting to quit your hobbies in order to focus on the serious stuff, but you need something to chill out once in a while.
If I were you, I'd simply be more casual about MTG. Leave Cockatrice aside, and only play a few paper games when you feel like it.
If you can't take something halfway then you need to decide to dedicate it all to it or quit. Obviously quitting is right here because with Magic unless you are a pro or in the business somehow you should not be dedicating everything to a game.
I have been kinda thinking the same thing lately. A lot people in my play group have left, and then I mainly play at the shops here, but its not like I am really making any friends. I also have been getting quite upset with the costs and price spikes on the cards, I am just a college student so I don't have a lot money to spare. I have been working own my card game because I am getting sick of it. If I do quit or try to limit myself I might keep a couple pauper decks. At least its a an affordable format and can still be fun.
So I'm guessing that you're likely a primary care physician in a private practice setting (?). I can't say that I understand the type of lifestyle you're going through at the moment, but as someone who went through almost a year in a family medicine residency, I'd have to empathize with your decision here. I can't imagine being competitive with such a game in the midst of such a career let alone raising a family at the same time.
is anyone else going to say this? Many hobbies do not make youbetter. Hobbies are a way for you to relax, take a break from your regular life, and have fun. If your post said anything about not having fun with magic anymore, then quit. But please do not let one negative player affect your decision on how you spend your free time.
I can see where you are coming from man, and I feel very much the same way, its time to move on with life for a while, perhaps one day I'll be back again, but for now, as you have stated the negatives out weigh the possitive.
I don't play magic a whole lot anymore either. It really costs a lot, especially when you're a university student. My hobbies now are mostly fitness related, lifting weights and karate training. I still read about magic and check this site but I don't really play anymore.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Standard
none
Modern UBG B/U/G control BBB MBC WUR Control WWW Prison RRR Goblins
Legacy BBB Pox UBG B/U/G Control UWU StoneBlade UW Miracle Control
I am a logical person. I believe that you can think rationally and intelligently about almost anything and come up with a good solution. If you don't want to read the entire post, I thought long and hard and realized that the positives of continuing to play don't outweigh the negatives.
Some background: I am a 34 year-old married physician with 5 children ages 8, 6, 5, 2 and 10 months. I started playing Magic at age 30 and have spent around $15,000 on cards which are now worth about $30,000 according to the link in my signature. I am an obsessive person and have become overly obsessed with Magic. My wife hates Magic (probably more because of my obsession and my having $30,000 worth of cards than an inherent dislike of the game) and would love for me to quit but respects that I love playing. My oldest 4 kids are all boys and my oldest 3 will play with me but are more into video games currently. I have always been a gamer, mostly video games and then D&D and now Magic (I rarely play the others now).
Here is the conversation that prompted my self-reflection that led to my decision. This happened on Cockatrice.
Opponent (when I was countering everything and beating him down with Delver) - "Nice f***ing God hand"
Me (later when I was losing after drawing my 6th land in a row and watching his Liliana tick up) - "That God hand isn't looking so good now."
Opponent - "That's because my deck is better."
Me - "You're at a place in your life where you enjoy trash talking over the internet about a card game to someone you don't know?"
Opponent - *leaves the game*
Although I thought I'd come up with a pretty good comeback, it didn't feel good. It started to make me realize how often I don't feel better after competing in Magic tournaments. If I play someone who is a jerk, I don't enjoy it, win or lose. If I lose, I don't really enjoy it. If I play someone who is nice and I win, I feel bad.
Then I started thinking about other things.
When I lived in a large city, there were lots of Magic tournaments. There were constant EDH games to get into, 4-5 Standard tournaments per week, 3-4 Limited tournaments per week, 2 Legacy tournaments per week, even 2 Vintage tournaments per year. I always felt kind of blah about the tournament, even if I'd done well (which I typically did not, except in Legacy). Regardless, it was only a few hours wasted and a short drive to be back at home. Now I live in a small town where there is a decent amount of EDH, weekly Standard and monthly Modern. I don't really get to play the formats I love (Legacy and Vintage) except on Cockatrice, which is too often a miserable experience.
I have a huge collection and was working towards getting a complete Legacy and Vintage collection. Why keep this when there isn't anyone around to play with?
I had two reasons for this:
1. I planned to travel to tournaments (Leg/Vin Championships, SCG Open, Legacy Grand Prix, Bazaar of Moxen) at some point in the future. Honestly, however, I would prefer to spend my vacation time and money on something else because I would more than likely not win the tournament (or even top 8) and instead of a few hours, I'd have wasted an entire weekend and lots of money. Plus, when was I really going to do this? My life isn't going to slow down until I'm retired.
2. I hoped my boys(kids?) would get into it and go to tournaments with me. The problem here is that that might not actually be that good for them. Getting into a nerdy game as a kid might not really be what's best for them. When I got into the game I was already a solid adult and it has changed me for the worse. What would it do to a kid trying to figure out who they are? Also, if I am so obsessed with the game that it takes me away from them, they might just learn to hate it as much as my wife.
So if I am questioning whether this is good for my kids, shouldn't I question whether it is good for me? I feel that everyone needs a hobby and I love to play Magic but does it really improve me? The way I gauge that is to think about being 20 years in the future and imagine if I will wish I'd play more Magic. The answer is "heck no!" In high school and college I was very athletic and played nerd games. As I have gotten older and responsibilities have mounted, I've left behind most of the athletics and only play Magic in my reduced free time.
Then it hit me: I'M WASTING MY TIME and there are few things more precious than time. I should be spending my time eating, sleeping, working, developing meaningful relationships or improving myself. If my hobby also does one of these, then it is never a waste of time.
My dad got me a Fender Stratocaster for my birthday recently so I'll be learning to play that, playing basketball with my kids, trying to improve my business/clinic and lifting weights more regularly as my hobbies now.
If you see any of yourself in what I have said here, I implore you to think about if quitting Magic is what's best for you. May you find a hobby that you find enjoyable and enriching.
So what am I doing with the cards? My wife and I discussed this. I initially was going to sell them because it is a lot of money and I really shouldn't have access to them. Then I realized that there is a chance I would regret that some day (as I have talked to many people that did just that and did regret it later) and that they may go up even more in value and I don't really need the money right now. I have instead decided to put them into bins and put them into storage, ALL OF THEM. I will think about selling them again in a year when I see what prices have done and how I feel about that decision at that time.
Thanks for reading if you got to here. I will probably check comments on this thread until they stop and then I will leave this site as well. I thought about trying to get banned but that shouldn't be necessary.
Thanks for posting. Interesting read....none of which I will say will surely sway anything you do..however it did spark a conservation in my own head (yes, thats not unusual lol)..
I'm a bit older than you, but like you am fairly compulsive about most things I end up doing and have done some many 'hobbies' over the years most of which have been 'outdoorsy'. I never had any nerdy friends or even played nerdy games growing up, magic came about with my son's interest (once he got bored of pokemon- thank god!) and encouraged me to play with him....once I did I was amazed and hooked at the same time (he was 11 at the time, now 13)...we have since traveled to GP's, PTQ, states, gpt's etc.. in nearly each and every format. Neither of us have won anything significant, but with this game are so many elements of life and life lessons- including the negative ones. Especially in the competitive environments and learning How to lose and win....sometimes gracefully, sometimes not so gracefully:).
I can absolutely relate to you feeling and stories of 'how you feel about playing competitively' and often coming away from an event just not feeling good about either myself or my play....its really quite amazing to ride the self esteem roller coaster of MTG- each and every time I experience this I'm reminded just how much ego is vested into competition and constantly trying to guard against this each with with a better deck/sideboard/event/format etc.. no matter how many times I have learned this lesson, I too can't seem to completely overcome it...I know its not just me now, but for the longest time I knew it was, now I see it in every LBS/event I go to. I have found more recently I do have away to give back, and I go out of way to help new mtg players in anyway I can (just being friendly is a start!) but I'll talk with them about what they are trying to do, offer some tips, give them cards or sleeves...this has been quite a gift in return, as I found giving back, nearly all of the other 'self-infected' stuff just goes away...and I have now even seen my son start to do the same..hmmmm!
At the end of the day- for me is getting the chance and opportunity to play this wonderful game with my amazing son and we get to learn, talk, brew, struggle, win or lose together...priceless....Our next adventure may be planning a way to get to a GP in a foreign country...well see.
....anywho sorry for the all ramblings, good luck and have fun with you next adventure.
First and foremost, thanks for posting this. You've been blessed with lots of income to toss at cardboard. You have a wife and kids. All of that is awesome. I'd honestly invest time with my family and building fun memories. Pro tip: If you're not having fun or feeling satisfied...walk away.
I sold a lot of my collection and downsized last summer. It was a liberating move. As for Cockatrice, I've noticed the same thing. Hell, all "nerdy" things (Call of Duty, League of Legends, competitive hobbies) are just filled with douchebags nowadays. Seriously, a competitive atmosphere morphs the current cohort of players into jerks. Teach your kids to enjoy hobbies like Magic because it is a game, not a tool one uses to put others down.
Overall it seems that you're a "life-first, hobby-second" kind of person. I'm the same way (I'm in fantastic shape, have a wonderful gf, and have done well academically). If the game is running into your life too much (too much fun, too much frustration, financially, lack of time to play, on your mind often, etc) make the necessary adjustment. I would personally cut down the collection and invest the $$$ for the kids' future college expenses or something.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
That which nourishes me, destroys me
10th at SCG: Syracuse (2014), GP:NJ Last-Chance Grinder Winner (2014):: Former Legacy Mod
I mean, hell, we're all on a forum for something that most people would describe as a "children's card game"...do what makes you happy. You are never too old to enjoy yourself.
I suggest you build a Cube and keep at least 1 Commander deck. Sell the rest. That's what I did.
I don't play much these days, but it's nice to know that my cube is available to play if the opportunity ever comes up.
I still liked the game, but wasn't a fan of the thousands of dollars worth of cards sitting on my shelf that were never used.
...But I would still be a little bummed out if I got rid of it all.
edit: Since you already have Legacy decks build, I would keep at least 1 Legacy deck as well. Unlike Standard, it should hold up nicely over the years with some tweaks. If you have a weekend where nothing is going on and you want to go play some Legacy, then do it. (Hm... maybe I should build a Legacy deck.)
I feel you and although I only have 1 young child, I am nearly in the same situation. I have probably spent about $10,000 worth of cards in 10 years that are worth at least $20,000 right now. I'm not sure exactly how to get the best money for them, although I have some ideas.
One of the main things that has been getting to me is this. I hope this doesn't come off as whining too much because that's not what I'm trying to do. I used to go to many PTQs and other tournaments. I got to a point where I would be able to top 8 one out of every two tournaments that I would go to and also always top 4 at my FNM (32 players). While I really didn't have a play test partner, I had a friend who would travel with me and in general do most things that a play test partner would do. He also had a one in two shot of top 8ing a PTQ, so between us, we'd usually do well. He quit playing 3 years ago when life priorities and job responsibilities got in the way.
Ever since, I have had trouble, especially on the competitive scene. Many of the metagames in all competitive formats have not really had a "top" deck as much as in the past. Combo seems nerfed a bit in some formats. My 2nd love, Control, at least in the form I'm accustomed to, has been nerfed a bit. People like a lot of choices being available, but it has been tough for me. The past 5 (big) tournaments I've gone to, I've been X-3 or X-4 in. The players who I've seen winning and top 8ing are players who I believe I can beat, but haven't had the chance to. The last Open Los Angeles that I went to, I was questioning myself being there the whole time. Sure enough, I was 5-4 drop and 4-3 drop. I am starting to question going to these tournaments, despite somewhat enjoying seeing the odd 100 players that I usually see at these things (who I know).
With the recent card spikes and speculation of reprints, I feel like there is almost no choice but to sell some cards. Especially as my love for the game is waning. Just as an example, my 4 Thoughtseize that I bought for $20 each were at $60 at one point. I kept them and it was reprinted, dropping it down to probably sub-$20. While a good 75% of the cards I have spiked recently, it still hurts for that to happen and logically if I think about it, it is as if I just ripped up $160 in cash. At this point in my life, I will admit that I cannot afford to do that. And once again, I apologize if this comes off as whining.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
I'm amazed with how many people here are sympathizing with you, and agreeing with you (myself included).
There is something parasitic about this game over time. It starts to change the way you think, you live, and the way spend money. I can't spend $10 on a meal without thinking "hmm, that could be better invested in a Birthing Pod". It starts to creep into every aspect of your life. I've never "quit" Magic, but I've taken numerous breaks. I don't play competitively anymore, and even though I was psyched about playing Modern about 3 months ago, that all ended with the great price hike of 2014. Magic can be mentally and emotionally exhausting. Constantly feeling like you need more, and you aren't good enough. There was a time, when the game was young to me, when I didn't worry about being the best. I could go 2/2 with a homebrew at FNM and feel completely satisfied. I truly miss those days; I miss when I was excited to play Magic. I love this game, I really do, and that's why I'm posting this now. I know the nearly every format's current metagame, ever spoiler, and every strategy. There is nothing I know more about than Magic (which in itself is depressing). But when it comes to playing, actually sitting down across from somebody and touching the cards, something is just missing.
On the subject of keeping the cards, a little anecdote (positive) at the school I worked at we had a magic club, one of the students got into magic and his step father who had played in the early years and then quit puled his cards out of storage and gave them to the student - they were to be played with not traded or sold. It was awesome, there was stuff the guys had never seen or would have ever gotten to play with, or against, it was really positive for the student that he was trusted and a great gift and bonding experience with his step dad. You never know, in the future one of your kids might decide to give it a try as their own hobby; some of your old cards could make a great gift.
Best of luck in whatever decisions you make and thannkyou for the honesty of your post.
Quitting IS good! What's horrible is 'wasting' time without realization. You know you're not having a good time, you MUST quit. You have come to the only correct logical conclusion. If you were having fun, it wouldn't be wasted time (that's not a logical argument... but let it slide).
There are literally tons of people who are not having fun, but they grind on. It's ridiculous. I smile and have genuine fun. Even losing is 'fun' (I love the tension it creates, I don't get that from any other game!) Video games did give me this tension but now all the games are 'carebear - push you forward types'.
When the fun stops, I'll quit and I pray I have the realization that it's not fun anymore (and before my wife tells me to, meaning her intuition is much better than mine).
Tramd dawg, you're a physician. You likely don't lack for money, keep the cards - 5 years from now when you want to introduce your kids to this game, you will want to have them around. Especially since you have a lot of vintage/legacy cards, you're not losing out on much anyway. I hardly play much mtg myself and I'd categorize myself more of a collector than a player these days but I'm keeping my cards Actually playing the game though, well that's for whenever I have the time/feel the urge.
I agree, I am still young (22 atm) and in college. I have stopped spending so much on packs with random chance and decks that probably have nothing good in them. I can't understand what your life is like right now seeing as we are at very different points, but to see that this is what obsession brings will have me strongly consider cutting back. If anything I will game more (Video game wise) as it is my first passion, life related even as I am studying to be a game designer. But Magic, I will still purchase cards from time to time. Their are cards that, despite being a hefty sum (50 dollars hefty not power nine hefty mind you) I will still purchase certain cards simply to have in my collection and to use on occasion. The Eldrazi trio for example, as well as others. But other than that I have not gotten into competitive play, and thanks to some self reflection and posts like this I probably won't. Maybe a game shop sometimes, but nothing big or serious. So as long as it remains fun for me then I shall game on. But when it dies for me then I shall cease.
If you are not having fun, then don't play the game is a motto I'll live by. The cockatrice conversation you post is indeed cringe worthy, but I'm not sure that's indicative of all aspects of Magic. Maybe just indicative of cockatrice and online play.
From my perspective, I am having a lot of fun. I've made some great friends through playing Magic and am going to continue. If I ever am not happy with the game, then yeah, I'll leave. It is just a game.
This is something I actually went through with online gaming. I played World of Warcraft. If I was at home I was on the game, if I wasnt at home I was thinking or talking about it. I was a heroic raider,once the raid started I ignored everyone in the house unless there was an emergency. It strained my marriage and got in the way of doing things with my family because I had to plan it around a game. I actually took up magic instead and dropped wow completely. I only play magic on Friday nights and only if there is nothing else going on at home. I have 1 standard deck and 1 modern deck. I can totally sympathize with giving up a hobby that isnt helping your life. Hobbies should be relaxing and an escape, not another job. I do suggest finding another outlet, something you can do with your kids, I play magic with my kids. If you try to go cold turkey with nothing else you will likely go stir crazy.
Too much of anything is a bad thing. Personally, I'm not in your situation, but I would seriously consider cutting back on magic and investing more time and money into my family instead of my hobbies. I don't know your income though, and it may be perfectly reasonable for you to have $30,000 in cards (for me that would be 3/4 of a years salary). However, if your wife is upset that relationship should probably come first, and your relationship with your kids. I wouldn't worry about bonding over a "nerdy" game like magic. What matters is that you spend time with them
No matter what you do, best of luck in your efforts!
I am a logical person. I believe that you can think rationally and intelligently about almost anything and come up with a good solution. If you don't want to read the entire post, I thought long and hard and realized that the positives of continuing to play don't outweigh the negatives.
Some background: I am a 34 year-old married physician with 5 children ages 8, 6, 5, 2 and 10 months. I started playing Magic at age 30 and have spent around $15,000 on cards which are now worth about $30,000 according to the link in my signature. I am an obsessive person and have become overly obsessed with Magic. My wife hates Magic (probably more because of my obsession and my having $30,000 worth of cards than an inherent dislike of the game) and would love for me to quit but respects that I love playing. My oldest 4 kids are all boys and my oldest 3 will play with me but are more into video games currently. I have always been a gamer, mostly video games and then D&D and now Magic (I rarely play the others now).
Here is the conversation that prompted my self-reflection that led to my decision. This happened on Cockatrice.
Opponent (when I was countering everything and beating him down with Delver) - "Nice f***ing God hand"
Me (later when I was losing after drawing my 6th land in a row and watching his Liliana tick up) - "That God hand isn't looking so good now."
Opponent - "That's because my deck is better."
Me - "You're at a place in your life where you enjoy trash talking over the internet about a card game to someone you don't know?"
Opponent - *leaves the game*
Although I thought I'd come up with a pretty good comeback, it didn't feel good. It started to make me realize how often I don't feel better after competing in Magic tournaments. If I play someone who is a jerk, I don't enjoy it, win or lose. If I lose, I don't really enjoy it. If I play someone who is nice and I win, I feel bad.
Then I started thinking about other things.
When I lived in a large city, there were lots of Magic tournaments. There were constant EDH games to get into, 4-5 Standard tournaments per week, 3-4 Limited tournaments per week, 2 Legacy tournaments per week, even 2 Vintage tournaments per year. I always felt kind of blah about the tournament, even if I'd done well (which I typically did not, except in Legacy). Regardless, it was only a few hours wasted and a short drive to be back at home. Now I live in a small town where there is a decent amount of EDH, weekly Standard and monthly Modern. I don't really get to play the formats I love (Legacy and Vintage) except on Cockatrice, which is too often a miserable experience.
I have a huge collection and was working towards getting a complete Legacy and Vintage collection. Why keep this when there isn't anyone around to play with?
I had two reasons for this:
1. I planned to travel to tournaments (Leg/Vin Championships, SCG Open, Legacy Grand Prix, Bazaar of Moxen) at some point in the future. Honestly, however, I would prefer to spend my vacation time and money on something else because I would more than likely not win the tournament (or even top 8) and instead of a few hours, I'd have wasted an entire weekend and lots of money. Plus, when was I really going to do this? My life isn't going to slow down until I'm retired.
2. I hoped my boys(kids?) would get into it and go to tournaments with me. The problem here is that that might not actually be that good for them. Getting into a nerdy game as a kid might not really be what's best for them. When I got into the game I was already a solid adult and it has changed me for the worse. What would it do to a kid trying to figure out who they are? Also, if I am so obsessed with the game that it takes me away from them, they might just learn to hate it as much as my wife.
So if I am questioning whether this is good for my kids, shouldn't I question whether it is good for me? I feel that everyone needs a hobby and I love to play Magic but does it really improve me? The way I gauge that is to think about being 20 years in the future and imagine if I will wish I'd play more Magic. The answer is "heck no!" In high school and college I was very athletic and played nerd games. As I have gotten older and responsibilities have mounted, I've left behind most of the athletics and only play Magic in my reduced free time.
Then it hit me: I'M WASTING MY TIME and there are few things more precious than time. I should be spending my time eating, sleeping, working, developing meaningful relationships or improving myself. If my hobby also does one of these, then it is never a waste of time.
My dad got me a Fender Stratocaster for my birthday recently so I'll be learning to play that, playing basketball with my kids, trying to improve my business/clinic and lifting weights more regularly as my hobbies now.
If you see any of yourself in what I have said here, I implore you to think about if quitting Magic is what's best for you. May you find a hobby that you find enjoyable and enriching.
So what am I doing with the cards? My wife and I discussed this. I initially was going to sell them because it is a lot of money and I really shouldn't have access to them. Then I realized that there is a chance I would regret that some day (as I have talked to many people that did just that and did regret it later) and that they may go up even more in value and I don't really need the money right now. I have instead decided to put them into bins and put them into storage, ALL OF THEM. I will think about selling them again in a year when I see what prices have done and how I feel about that decision at that time.
Thanks for reading if you got to here. I will probably check comments on this thread until they stop and then I will leave this site as well. I thought about trying to get banned but that shouldn't be necessary.
Standard: UWR
Modern: RDW, Twin
Legacy: I am 3 Candelabra of Tawnos from being able to build almost any tier 1 or 1.5 deck. Here are the ones I care about right now:
-Aggro: UWR/RUB/WUB/RUG/UR Delver; Affinity; Burn
-Control: Stoneblade; UWr Miracles; UB Tezzeret
-Combo: Hive Mind; Combo Elves; Omni Tell; T.E.S.
Vintage: Grixis Painter
EDH: Rith, the Awakener
Even though this post is directly referring to your thoughts and upcoming decision to quit playing a card game, this really kind of bummed me out about life in general D:
I came to the exact same conclusion after playing for 6 years. I finally called it quits for competitive Magic when Theros came out.
I was out of shape, broke and very competitive. All my free time was spent formulating new deck strategies and techs.
Then it hit me that this is not what I want to continue doing. It felt that I was wasting a lot of my potential for a "hobby" that costs a lot of money without even improving my life.
Now, the only time I devote to Magic is playing casual Commander with my friends. Having a lot of free time because of it, I started doing some things that have tangible benefits for self-improvement.
I couldn't be any happier
- H. L. Mencken
French Duel Commander
WBR Kaalia of the Vast WBR
RUG Maelstrom Wanderer RUG
At some point you WILL want to play again. This way you could recoup some of your investment, but if you ever feel like getting back into the game you can. Plus with two decks for legacy, you can still either lend a deck out to someone or be able switch it up sometimes if one deck starts to feel stale.
EDH:
UR Niv-Mizzet's Madness
BGW Ghave's Garden
WUBRG Karona's Chaos
Retired: Too damn many to count
Vintage:
URWelder
WUBRG Dredge
Kitchen Table:
B Zombies in Your Head
It's often tempting to quit your hobbies in order to focus on the serious stuff, but you need something to chill out once in a while.
If I were you, I'd simply be more casual about MTG. Leave Cockatrice aside, and only play a few paper games when you feel like it.
I loathe creatures! Praise Prison and Land Destruction!
My Peasant Cube (looking for feedback)
Currently Playing:
Multiplayer EDH Lists (click italics for a link to the thread!)
[Primer] Lord of Tresserhorn - Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do[Primer] Roon of the Hidden Realm - Rhino Blink
5 Color Tribal Guide (Slivers, Atogs, Allies, Spirits)
Also Playing (most decklists can be found on my profile)
MarathGeistKamahlGrenzoBolasThassaGitrog
PiratesZurVial Smasher&ThrasiosYennettJhoira(cEDH)Strix(Pauper)
Legacy: Maverick
Modern:
Melira PodRIP 1/19/15GWHatebearsRIP Karn EDH
none
Modern
UBG B/U/G control
BBB MBC
WUR Control
WWW Prison
RRR Goblins
Legacy
BBB Pox
UBG B/U/G Control
UWU StoneBlade
UW Miracle Control
Thanks for posting. Interesting read....none of which I will say will surely sway anything you do..however it did spark a conservation in my own head (yes, thats not unusual lol)..
I'm a bit older than you, but like you am fairly compulsive about most things I end up doing and have done some many 'hobbies' over the years most of which have been 'outdoorsy'. I never had any nerdy friends or even played nerdy games growing up, magic came about with my son's interest (once he got bored of pokemon- thank god!) and encouraged me to play with him....once I did I was amazed and hooked at the same time (he was 11 at the time, now 13)...we have since traveled to GP's, PTQ, states, gpt's etc.. in nearly each and every format. Neither of us have won anything significant, but with this game are so many elements of life and life lessons- including the negative ones. Especially in the competitive environments and learning How to lose and win....sometimes gracefully, sometimes not so gracefully:).
I can absolutely relate to you feeling and stories of 'how you feel about playing competitively' and often coming away from an event just not feeling good about either myself or my play....its really quite amazing to ride the self esteem roller coaster of MTG- each and every time I experience this I'm reminded just how much ego is vested into competition and constantly trying to guard against this each with with a better deck/sideboard/event/format etc.. no matter how many times I have learned this lesson, I too can't seem to completely overcome it...I know its not just me now, but for the longest time I knew it was, now I see it in every LBS/event I go to. I have found more recently I do have away to give back, and I go out of way to help new mtg players in anyway I can (just being friendly is a start!) but I'll talk with them about what they are trying to do, offer some tips, give them cards or sleeves...this has been quite a gift in return, as I found giving back, nearly all of the other 'self-infected' stuff just goes away...and I have now even seen my son start to do the same..hmmmm!
At the end of the day- for me is getting the chance and opportunity to play this wonderful game with my amazing son and we get to learn, talk, brew, struggle, win or lose together...priceless....Our next adventure may be planning a way to get to a GP in a foreign country...well see.
....anywho sorry for the all ramblings, good luck and have fun with you next adventure.
I guess that the discussion of magic related stuff and being a spectator is fun enough
- H. L. Mencken
French Duel Commander
WBR Kaalia of the Vast WBR
RUG Maelstrom Wanderer RUG
First and foremost, thanks for posting this. You've been blessed with lots of income to toss at cardboard. You have a wife and kids. All of that is awesome. I'd honestly invest time with my family and building fun memories. Pro tip: If you're not having fun or feeling satisfied...walk away.
I sold a lot of my collection and downsized last summer. It was a liberating move. As for Cockatrice, I've noticed the same thing. Hell, all "nerdy" things (Call of Duty, League of Legends, competitive hobbies) are just filled with douchebags nowadays. Seriously, a competitive atmosphere morphs the current cohort of players into jerks. Teach your kids to enjoy hobbies like Magic because it is a game, not a tool one uses to put others down.
Overall it seems that you're a "life-first, hobby-second" kind of person. I'm the same way (I'm in fantastic shape, have a wonderful gf, and have done well academically). If the game is running into your life too much (too much fun, too much frustration, financially, lack of time to play, on your mind often, etc) make the necessary adjustment. I would personally cut down the collection and invest the $$$ for the kids' future college expenses or something.
10th at SCG: Syracuse (2014), GP:NJ Last-Chance Grinder Winner (2014):: Former Legacy Mod
I don't play much these days, but it's nice to know that my cube is available to play if the opportunity ever comes up.
I still liked the game, but wasn't a fan of the thousands of dollars worth of cards sitting on my shelf that were never used.
...But I would still be a little bummed out if I got rid of it all.
edit: Since you already have Legacy decks build, I would keep at least 1 Legacy deck as well. Unlike Standard, it should hold up nicely over the years with some tweaks. If you have a weekend where nothing is going on and you want to go play some Legacy, then do it. (Hm... maybe I should build a Legacy deck.)
Thread | Draft
One of the main things that has been getting to me is this. I hope this doesn't come off as whining too much because that's not what I'm trying to do. I used to go to many PTQs and other tournaments. I got to a point where I would be able to top 8 one out of every two tournaments that I would go to and also always top 4 at my FNM (32 players). While I really didn't have a play test partner, I had a friend who would travel with me and in general do most things that a play test partner would do. He also had a one in two shot of top 8ing a PTQ, so between us, we'd usually do well. He quit playing 3 years ago when life priorities and job responsibilities got in the way.
Ever since, I have had trouble, especially on the competitive scene. Many of the metagames in all competitive formats have not really had a "top" deck as much as in the past. Combo seems nerfed a bit in some formats. My 2nd love, Control, at least in the form I'm accustomed to, has been nerfed a bit. People like a lot of choices being available, but it has been tough for me. The past 5 (big) tournaments I've gone to, I've been X-3 or X-4 in. The players who I've seen winning and top 8ing are players who I believe I can beat, but haven't had the chance to. The last Open Los Angeles that I went to, I was questioning myself being there the whole time. Sure enough, I was 5-4 drop and 4-3 drop. I am starting to question going to these tournaments, despite somewhat enjoying seeing the odd 100 players that I usually see at these things (who I know).
With the recent card spikes and speculation of reprints, I feel like there is almost no choice but to sell some cards. Especially as my love for the game is waning. Just as an example, my 4 Thoughtseize that I bought for $20 each were at $60 at one point. I kept them and it was reprinted, dropping it down to probably sub-$20. While a good 75% of the cards I have spiked recently, it still hurts for that to happen and logically if I think about it, it is as if I just ripped up $160 in cash. At this point in my life, I will admit that I cannot afford to do that. And once again, I apologize if this comes off as whining.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)There is something parasitic about this game over time. It starts to change the way you think, you live, and the way spend money. I can't spend $10 on a meal without thinking "hmm, that could be better invested in a Birthing Pod". It starts to creep into every aspect of your life. I've never "quit" Magic, but I've taken numerous breaks. I don't play competitively anymore, and even though I was psyched about playing Modern about 3 months ago, that all ended with the great price hike of 2014. Magic can be mentally and emotionally exhausting. Constantly feeling like you need more, and you aren't good enough. There was a time, when the game was young to me, when I didn't worry about being the best. I could go 2/2 with a homebrew at FNM and feel completely satisfied. I truly miss those days; I miss when I was excited to play Magic. I love this game, I really do, and that's why I'm posting this now. I know the nearly every format's current metagame, ever spoiler, and every strategy. There is nothing I know more about than Magic (which in itself is depressing). But when it comes to playing, actually sitting down across from somebody and touching the cards, something is just missing.
PucaTrade Invite. Sign up and enjoy the first 500 points ($5) free!
Best of luck in whatever decisions you make and thannkyou for the honesty of your post.
There are literally tons of people who are not having fun, but they grind on. It's ridiculous. I smile and have genuine fun. Even losing is 'fun' (I love the tension it creates, I don't get that from any other game!) Video games did give me this tension but now all the games are 'carebear - push you forward types'.
When the fun stops, I'll quit and I pray I have the realization that it's not fun anymore (and before my wife tells me to, meaning her intuition is much better than mine).
From my perspective, I am having a lot of fun. I've made some great friends through playing Magic and am going to continue. If I ever am not happy with the game, then yeah, I'll leave. It is just a game.
How To Keep Your FOIL Cards From Curling: http://youtu.be/QTmubrS8VnI
The Best Deck Boxes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEwgLph_Pjk
The Best Binders: http://youtu.be/H5IauASYWjk
No matter what you do, best of luck in your efforts!
Soldier Primer
Sig by ol MISAKA lo
My Trades