So, I'm not entirely sure this is the right place for this, but it probably is. If not just move this to where it belongs.
For the last few years I have had very mixed feelings about the way the game was going from a collector's perspective and almost all of it had to do with the introduction of Mythic Rarity. I think I start by pointing out what problems I have with mythics before moving on to why I think M15 breaks the mold in this respect (because what I dislike about mythics is somewhat different from many others).
The problem with Mythics
The biggest problem I see with the mythic rarity is one of variance. In older sets, you could by 3-4 packs and you usually did okay. Because all the rares were evenly distributed, it meant that, while you had cheap rares, there was a good number of $3-$7 (usually around 1/4 - 1/3 of the rares in the set fell here) cards around, and a small number of rares that were greater than $10 (speaking only in terms of current sets, once a set is out of print all bets are off). The problem I've had with Mythic is that while the set as a whole tends to follow the same rules for value, you end up with 2-3 cards of over $20 value, between 1 and 5 rares in the $3 - $7 range and the rest aren't worth the paper they're printed on. The other thing this creates is prices that move much more quickly because there is no great stabilizer for them (having all the cards equally accessible). So, the card that's $25 while it's seeing play with some small changes in the format (nothing really drastic even) goes to being a $2 card and 2 more jump up to half it's value leaving any collector in a rough spot (Armada Wurm is a perfect recent example). This variance in turn created other issues. #1. At this point there's no reason to buy 3-4 packs at a time, as the odds of getting value are negligible. #2 It has made box mapping a profitable endeavor and compounded the problem with buying individual packs. That said, while before it would make sense to buy a few packs here and there. Anymore it's not worth buying anything less than a box and in many cases if you want to balance your odds you need to buy at least a case. All of these problems come from variance though and in the end the EV for a case still remains about the same. (These things also bother me as a player because they create a large divide between the player-base based on what they can afford rather than how they play, but that's an entirely separate issue.)
Why I love M15
So, Why then do I say that M15 breaks the mold? It still has mythics. The reason is that the mythics in M15 are mostly not the tournament staples. They're the big splashy things that people enjoy and feel mythic, whether or not they are. There are still a few that I judge to be solid, but really it's just 3 that are going to be played and even then I don't think they're going to define a format as we've seen mythics do in the past (JTMS, Titams, Nykthos, Liliana of the Veil, Baneslayer Angel, Batterskull, Elspeth 1.0, Olivia Voldaren, Geist of St. Traft, Vengevine, etc.) They're more in terms with Massacre Wurm. A good card with a role to play. On the other hand, the rares got important pieces for every archetype (although it looks like they're all somewhat under value at the moment) I suspect this change will help shift the FV on M15 back towards an environment where you can reasonably open 4-6 packs and be happy with what you got. This will also make less profitable to box map which will also help the player base drastically.
Edit: One of those things was not like the others. One of those things must die alone.
I agree, for the most part. I think the issue is a combination of lazy design (fillers, for drafts, for newer players - although this is a core set, so I guess new players can have their simple rares) the outshine affect. For example, wouldn't you like a a handful of rubies? But what if your options were a handful of rubies or a handful of diamonds? What the intelligent person chose? The diamonds, of course (sell 3 diamonds for a handful of rubies & have the best of both worlds).
There are still amazing cards printed at rare that fly high above some of the mythics, like Stoneforge Mystic or Boros Reckoner, while there are mythics that feel like a let down, such as the overly-hyped Skaab Ruinator.
I mean that decks went from: pick 3 good colors to play mono-color primarily due to 1 card. Look at the top decks in current standard and you immediately see Devotion Black, Devotion Blue and Devotion Green. Devotion Red and Devotion white were even things (although they kept mostly to tier 2). I pick 3 random tournaments and in each one more than 50% of the top 8 is running Nykthos devotion of some form. I'd say that fits warping (drastically changing in a short time) the format.
My point was simply that a lot of the power cards for standard are moved to rare from mythic. And I don't think anyone is arguing against that point. This should in turn make M15 a lot more profitable in small numbers of packs and make it less profitable for individuals who are trying to box map, which both seem like really good things.
I agree that it's nice to have some value among the rares. I would be happier with no mythic rarity for sure.
The last booster box i bought was innistrad and I got no value. no planeswalkers, no snapcasters, no Olivia Valdaren. At this point I had already stopped buying booster packs and since then I have given up on booster boxes. Outside of drafting I just can't see why I would want to buy packs, it usually just leads to frustration and loss of money. mythic rarity and box mapping seem to have contributed to increased variance in booster boxes, and in turn my frustration.
There are still amazing cards printed at rare that fly high above some of the mythics, like Stoneforge Mystic or Boros Reckoner, while there are mythics that feel like a let down, such as the overly-hyped Skaab Ruinator.
For me, having mythics that feel like a letdown leads to more variance. In my poor innistrad booster box i got all worthless mythics. in sets where most of the money is in the mythics, the duds seem worse. you only get a small number of mythics in your booster box. If you only get 4 or 5 mythics per box its easy to strike out. I would rather all the mythics be powerful or none be powerful(all the value in rares).
For the last few years I have had very mixed feelings about the way the game was going from a collector's perspective and almost all of it had to do with the introduction of Mythic Rarity. I think I start by pointing out what problems I have with mythics before moving on to why I think M15 breaks the mold in this respect (because what I dislike about mythics is somewhat different from many others).
The problem with Mythics
The biggest problem I see with the mythic rarity is one of variance. In older sets, you could by 3-4 packs and you usually did okay. Because all the rares were evenly distributed, it meant that, while you had cheap rares, there was a good number of $3-$7 (usually around 1/4 - 1/3 of the rares in the set fell here) cards around, and a small number of rares that were greater than $10 (speaking only in terms of current sets, once a set is out of print all bets are off). The problem I've had with Mythic is that while the set as a whole tends to follow the same rules for value, you end up with 2-3 cards of over $20 value, between 1 and 5 rares in the $3 - $7 range and the rest aren't worth the paper they're printed on. The other thing this creates is prices that move much more quickly because there is no great stabilizer for them (having all the cards equally accessible). So, the card that's $25 while it's seeing play with some small changes in the format (nothing really drastic even) goes to being a $2 card and 2 more jump up to half it's value leaving any collector in a rough spot (Armada Wurm is a perfect recent example). This variance in turn created other issues. #1. At this point there's no reason to buy 3-4 packs at a time, as the odds of getting value are negligible. #2 It has made box mapping a profitable endeavor and compounded the problem with buying individual packs. That said, while before it would make sense to buy a few packs here and there. Anymore it's not worth buying anything less than a box and in many cases if you want to balance your odds you need to buy at least a case. All of these problems come from variance though and in the end the EV for a case still remains about the same. (These things also bother me as a player because they create a large divide between the player-base based on what they can afford rather than how they play, but that's an entirely separate issue.)
Why I love M15
So, Why then do I say that M15 breaks the mold? It still has mythics. The reason is that the mythics in M15 are mostly not the tournament staples. They're the big splashy things that people enjoy and feel mythic, whether or not they are. There are still a few that I judge to be solid, but really it's just 3 that are going to be played and even then I don't think they're going to define a format as we've seen mythics do in the past (JTMS, Titams,
Nykthos, Liliana of the Veil, Baneslayer Angel, Batterskull, Elspeth 1.0, Olivia Voldaren, Geist of St. Traft, Vengevine, etc.) They're more in terms with Massacre Wurm. A good card with a role to play. On the other hand, the rares got important pieces for every archetype (although it looks like they're all somewhat under value at the moment) I suspect this change will help shift the FV on M15 back towards an environment where you can reasonably open 4-6 packs and be happy with what you got. This will also make less profitable to box map which will also help the player base drastically.Edit: One of those things was not like the others. One of those things must die alone.
If you hate the deck, I'm probably playing it!
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=409478
If you hate the deck, I'm probably playing it!
There are still amazing cards printed at rare that fly high above some of the mythics, like Stoneforge Mystic or Boros Reckoner, while there are mythics that feel like a let down, such as the overly-hyped Skaab Ruinator.
how is it format warping? you don't see everyone trying to run it or force everyone else to maindeck answers against it.
I buy HP and Damaged cards!
Only EDH:
Sigarda, Host of Herons: Enchantress' Enchantments
Jenara, Asura of War: ETB Value Town
Purphoros, God of the Forge: Global Punishment
Xenagos, God of Revels: Ramp, Sneak, & Heavy Hitters
Ghave, Guru of Spores: Dies_to_Doom_Blade's stax list
Edric, Spymaster of Trest: Donald's list
My point was simply that a lot of the power cards for standard are moved to rare from mythic. And I don't think anyone is arguing against that point. This should in turn make M15 a lot more profitable in small numbers of packs and make it less profitable for individuals who are trying to box map, which both seem like really good things.
If you hate the deck, I'm probably playing it!
The last booster box i bought was innistrad and I got no value. no planeswalkers, no snapcasters, no Olivia Valdaren. At this point I had already stopped buying booster packs and since then I have given up on booster boxes. Outside of drafting I just can't see why I would want to buy packs, it usually just leads to frustration and loss of money. mythic rarity and box mapping seem to have contributed to increased variance in booster boxes, and in turn my frustration.
For me, having mythics that feel like a letdown leads to more variance. In my poor innistrad booster box i got all worthless mythics. in sets where most of the money is in the mythics, the duds seem worse. you only get a small number of mythics in your booster box. If you only get 4 or 5 mythics per box its easy to strike out. I would rather all the mythics be powerful or none be powerful(all the value in rares).