Subject: Re: WOTC and Price Guides Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1998 21:52:08 -0800 From: "Thomas J. Wallis" To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com HeyHeyHey, I know that its a little late to write an article on this topic, but here's my $0.02: -Contrary to poular belief, WOTC isn't run by people who think along the lines of 'The Boss' in 'Dilbert'. They DO actually send people to tourniments, where, IMHO, the only real trading/buying/selling occurs. I say this because the local card shop here in RI doesn't get as many people in a YEAR that the sanctioned Boston tourneys get every time, let alone a PTQ or something else big -WOTC makes the cards. They wouldn't do anything (intentionally) to discourage game play. Case In Point: Academy decks. We wanted good cards, we got cards that are virtually unbeatable together but pretty crappy on their own. This probably wasn't intentional, but now WOTC will probably do something about this. -If WOTC makes a price guide, it will be the ultimate testimate to a card's true value. The playtesters probably do more playing in a week that I do in a month. They know what's good and what's crap. -However, I think price guides are useless anyway. A card has no value if no one wants it. This is why Cursed Scroll, which is Damn Powerful, will always be woth more than a sorry peice of crap like Fighting Chance or Barrin, Master Wizard. If you're buying a card (which I don't recommend unless its a killer price), it's only worth what you'll pay for it. This is how I got 4 Squadered Resources, A buch for US uncommons/rares, and a mint English Chains of Mephistophles for $20. That was all I had, and that was what he was trying to get rid of. -Another example of this I got out of a really old (pre-Homelands) strategy guide, the first ever printed. It contained an article on trading, and used the example of how the author had a few Beta rares a dealer needed to complete a set. He originally went a pretty even deal, like Beta Time Walk for Unlimited Ancestral, but wound up trading his Beta Kudzu (the last card the dealer needed) for 3 Moxes and a Time Vault (then percieved to be good). Be smart, and there's no limit to how much someone who DIRELY needs your cards will pay for them. -Example number 3: I traded a 2 Paradigm Shifts for a IA Lhurgoyf and a 2 Sacrcomancies -Ex. #4: I then traded the Sarcomancies (the last cards someone needed for a SuiBlack deck) for a Null Brooch and a Vampiric Tutor. -And finally, if WOTC wants to put a Price Guide in their mag, LET 'EM! You don't run the friggin' place!!! Adam ======================================================================== Q. What's worse than finding 1,000 dead babies in a pile? A. Finding the one dead baby on the bottom that's trying to eat its way out! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Giv'n a shout out to anyone else who thinks the commercial for 'Glover' is funny (you know, the classic slapstick routine that is forced to result in a buff guy gettin hit in the groin) or if you saw the Rowan Atkinson special on Comedy Central. Fat Abbot Kicks Ass! 'I'll-a b-busta cap in your-a ass-a tuba, Bitch-a!'