[Off-Topic] Community Chat Thread

[toctheyounger]

Ya, I admit that I pre-ordered more from this set than I have ever preordered. First time I order sealed product in a couple years too. I just have a way-too-strong emotional connection to Lord of the Rings (like it saved my life when I was 17), so I just want to have it all. I want to draft it. I want to collect it.
And never intend to resell any of it.
Figure I will pick up any missing singles after a few years when I have drafted my boxes.

I actually held off for a similar reason. I spent a bit on some of the pricier singles (Bowmasters and Halfling, Gandalf etc), but I didn't have the money free to buy sealed, and I think if I did I'd want to do the same. Collect it, curate it, keep it secret, keep it safe. And I just needed what money I did spend to be worthwhile. I just can't justify any more decks, I'm spread too thin and I don't have any more bandwidth for passion projects.

[ISBPathfinder]

Isn't the serialized stuff not found in draft boosters or set boosters? It can only in collector boosters.
So not sure that will have any bearing on draft boosters. More like the premium versions of cards will be closer in price to the regular printings than the typical set.

Well two things that I am unsure on. One is speculation and the other I just don't know how wizards works this angle but:

1) Does wizards print more of the collectors stuff if they see a high demand for it? I am aware that there are only so many of the special cards but if you see everyone banging on your doors for the product do you not just push for another 20% total of the product? I have no idea if anyone can actually know on this one or if its fully printed well in advance and set on how much they can make.
2) The hype for the collectors stuff can sometimes trickle down because there is so many people talking about the product. Little Timmy hears everyone talking about how hype this one ring thing is and walks into walmart and sees "Lord of the Rings" magic the gathering. If you aren't well informed it might lead you to buy packs of the wrong thing. There is also some measure of free advertising that comes from this as well that might push those who don't know about the game really to buy it. Also when a young kid asks for packs for his birthday of this set he hears about his parents might screw up and buy the $5 packs instead of the $30 ones. I mean, who sees what looks like the same thing for 6x and says yea lets spring for the expensive one.

[pokken]

So not sure that will have any bearing on draft boosters. More like the premium versions of cards will be closer in price to the regular printings than the typical set.

I think that *when the ring is found* and people dump collector boosters en masse, it'll butcher the value of almost everything. I can't recall if the ring could be in set boosters as well, but same thing.

[toctheyounger]

So not sure that will have any bearing on draft boosters. More like the premium versions of cards will be closer in price to the regular printings than the typical set.

I think that *when the ring is found* and people dump collector boosters en masse, it'll butcher the value of almost everything. I can't recall if the ring could be in set boosters as well, but same thing.

I bet wizards will have curated it's release such that there's plenty of packs cracked before it crops up. I don't know how, but I'm certain they wouldn't leave that much premium product to chance.

[Dunharrow]

Ya, I admit that I pre-ordered more from this set than I have ever preordered. First time I order sealed product in a couple years too. I just have a way-too-strong emotional connection to Lord of the Rings (like it saved my life when I was 17), so I just want to have it all. I want to draft it. I want to collect it.
And never intend to resell any of it.
Figure I will pick up any missing singles after a few years when I have drafted my boxes.

I actually held off for a similar reason. I spent a bit on some of the pricier singles (Bowmasters and Halfling, Gandalf etc), but I didn't have the money free to buy sealed, and I think if I did I'd want to do the same. Collect it, curate it, keep it secret, keep it safe. And I just needed what money I did spend to be worthwhile. I just can't justify any more decks, I'm spread too thin and I don't have any more bandwidth for passion projects.

Yeah... I started a new job a couple months ago and my bank account hasn't been this high since I had the kids lol. This is my one spend on MTG for years to come. It's like my personal gift to myself.
I know I might slot some cards into a couple decks but that I won't build anything new for years to come. And the booster boxes won't get opened until I can start hosting drafts with my old playgroup.

I am doing prerelease tomorrow - first time since pre-pandemic! And last time for many more years to come.

[duducrash]

Pre ordering cards is super weird because 3/4 will drop masively and 1/4 will spike.

Im getting Flame of Anor and a bunch of Mirkwood Bats and 1 bundle. And eventually will pick everything else.

Tomorrow is my fiancé's birthday. And on july we make the first payment (of 360 lmaooooo) on our apartment, so things should be really thight for a while but it is for a good reason

[toctheyounger]

Ya, I admit that I pre-ordered more from this set than I have ever preordered. First time I order sealed product in a couple years too. I just have a way-too-strong emotional connection to Lord of the Rings (like it saved my life when I was 17), so I just want to have it all. I want to draft it. I want to collect it.
And never intend to resell any of it.
Figure I will pick up any missing singles after a few years when I have drafted my boxes.

I actually held off for a similar reason. I spent a bit on some of the pricier singles (Bowmasters and Halfling, Gandalf etc), but I didn't have the money free to buy sealed, and I think if I did I'd want to do the same. Collect it, curate it, keep it secret, keep it safe. And I just needed what money I did spend to be worthwhile. I just can't justify any more decks, I'm spread too thin and I don't have any more bandwidth for passion projects.

Yeah... I started a new job a couple months ago and my bank account hasn't been this high since I had the kids lol. This is my one spend on MTG for years to come. It's like my personal gift to myself.
I know I might slot some cards into a couple decks but that I won't build anything new for years to come. And the booster boxes won't get opened until I can start hosting drafts with my old playgroup.

I am doing prerelease tomorrow - first time since pre-pandemic! And last time for many more years to come.

That's cool man. Enjoy it, I know you will. All monetary talk aside I think wotc have in general done a really great job on this set so I hope you enjoy it as much as you can.

[Hermes_]

Yeah... I started a new job a couple months ago and my bank account hasn't been this high since I had the kids lol. This is my one spend on MTG for years to come. It's like my personal gift to myself.

With my state sending out money, the custom sleeves will be my "Haven't been to the ER due to asthma in over a year" gift to myself ,and i'll also be getting two instead of all of the commander legends decks and a Norin the Wary deck

[DirkGently]

Does anyone know why Dawn of a New Age is so expensive? Seems fine but not top 3 cards in the set. Is it for other formats?

[pokken]

White card draw mythic always hyped at first then they realize they're mediocre. Sad smugglers share music

[DirkGently]

White card draw mythic always hyped at first then they realize they're mediocre. Sad smugglers share music

That's what I'm afraid of, I have 2 now lmao. Really wanna offload one. I'd rather run Palantír of Orthanc in basically any white deck tbh.

[TheGildedGoose]

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[toctheyounger]

White card draw mythic always hyped at first then they realize they're mediocre. Sad smugglers share music

That's what I'm afraid of, I have 2 now lmao. Really wanna offload one. I'd rather run Palantír of Orthanc in basically any white deck tbh.

Huh, I've only just read the Palantir properly. That's like a genuine win condition in my Bruna deck. Makes up for doubling up on monarch.

[RxPhantom]

I'm generally not one for hyperbolic doomsaying, but I think the LotR set is the beginning of a UB takeover of Magic that will eventually see it become an empty vessel for other IPs. Or maybe I'm being a grumpy whiner. Both seem plausible.

[pokken]

I'm generally not one for hyperbolic doomsaying, but I think the LotR set is the beginning of a UB takeover of Magic that will eventually see it become an empty vessel for other IPs. Or maybe I'm being a grumpy whiner. Both seem plausible.

Magics IP is so comically stupid that we should be so lucky to have it replaced with Tolkien. Give me a Corwin Mtg card and I can die happy

[toctheyounger]

Yeah look they've butchered the lore every chance they've had of late. Some IPs do it better, it's not a step down or up, just sideways. I'm ok with the occasional foray.

[DirkGently]

White card draw mythic always hyped at first then they realize they're mediocre. Sad smugglers share music

...aaaand it's lost half it's value in 2 days.

Sometimes I hate being right all the time.

[EonAon]

most times when a new set comes out I mark the cards I want in a list then wait a month or so. The initial time between hype and seeing if playable in things other than fringe is a month. Saves loads of cash and bad trades.

[duducrash]

White card draw mythic always hyped at first then they realize they're mediocre. Sad smugglers share music

...aaaand it's lost half it's value in 2 days.

Sometimes I hate being right all the time.

To be fair the blanket statement "hype card will not hold its value after release" will be right like most of the time

[DirkGently]

To be fair the blanket statement "hype card will not hold its value after release" will be right like most of the time

Sure but just comparing its relative position to the other cards in the set, it went from 2nd down to 7th in 2 days, that's a pretty fast drop.

[JohnWashington]

Thinking of buying a huge stack of You Are Already Deads to autograph and give to people before I beat them.

EDIT: Actually it's better to have them sign the back before the game and before I reveal what the card is.

My usual gimmick is to get especially fun, novel, and/or worthy opponents to sign my playmat. My old one is basically a sharpied out rag with very little

REDACTED

left at this point. Been thinking about restarting the project, but finding a predominantly blank playmat has been kinda difficult.

Did you end up finding one?

Warning issued for spam. Do not post links that do not support the post or relate to MTG. - benjameenbear

[TheAmericanSpirit]

Thinking of buying a huge stack of You Are Already Deads to autograph and give to people before I beat them.

EDIT: Actually it's better to have them sign the back before the game and before I reveal what the card is.

My usual gimmick is to get especially fun, novel, and/or worthy opponents to sign my playmat. My old one is basically a sharpied out rag with very little real estate left at this point. Been thinking about restarting the project, but finding a predominantly blank playmat has been kinda difficult.

Did you end up finding one?

Hey man, why are you trying to stick links to shady websites in my posts? Not cool, my dude.

Not cool.

[TheGildedGoose]

Magic jargon has gone too far this time.

[toctheyounger]

most times when a new set comes out I mark the cards I want in a list then wait a month or so. The initial time between hype and seeing if playable in things other than fringe is a month. Saves loads of cash and bad trades.

I was planning on doing this for the box toppers - maybe not a month but like, a week and a half or so. They're already gone and price spiked to %$#% 2 days post release. Ah well, no tombs or caverns for me.

That said these are a good bet for value so they were never gonna be round too long.

[DirkGently]

This is really funny to me - because of the number of collector boosters being opened (presumably in search of the one of one), for most commander precon cards the regular border is worth more than the full art. I just picked up the cards I wanted most from the precons and all of them were cheaper in full art than regular.

I have to say I really don't understand collectors. Even if the regular border is more common, who in their right mind would pay MORE for it? Maybe there are people who dislike full arts the way I dislike foils? Otherwise I really don't understand.

For those curious, the ones I couldn't wait on:

• Cirdan the Shipwright
• Lobelia, Defender of Bag End
• Shelob, Dread Weaver
• The Black Gate
• Grima, Saruman's Footman
• Gilraen, Dunedain Protector
• Lord of the Nazgul
• Rampaging War Mammoth

Cirdan seems bad but really funny to play so I think I'll give him a shot. Will likely be very uncharacteristic of my typical decks - lots of fatties and ramp. But it's the ridiculous mind games I'm interested in.

Lobelia looks like eggs meets Gonti, Lord of Luxury which sounds like a fun mashup.

Shelob is a fixed Geth, Lord of the Vault - I love Geth in theory, but in practice it's basically impossible to play without horribly monopolizing the clock. Once you're rolling with 80 mana the decision tree gets absolutely absurd, and you can't even plan very far ahead because you're always revealing new cards that can change your previous best line. I'm hoping Shelob will be a less obnoxious Geth (but still obnoxious, it's still MBC after all)

The Black Gate is a land that I'd put into a lot of decks, especially with all the legendary payoffs they're making these days. Probably the most versatile precon card here.

Grima is a free-to-activate Chaos Wand, and I love chaos wand. Solid voltron option too. Not totally sure where to take the deck but I love the card.

Gilraen looks like a card that fits into lots of places. And I love ability counters, even mediocre ones. Not an awful commander but not great. Probably more of a 99 card.

Lord of the Nazgul isn't a commander I plan to play, but he looks like the most powerful commander between LTR and LTC imo (and currently the most popular in LTC), so I'd still like to have it available. And the price is currently pretty reasonable, I could see it going higher.

Rampaging War Mammoth is just a solid utility piece. Decent uncounterable artifact obliteration with a cantrip, and a fat body in the grave for various nefarious purposes.

For the other cards I want, I'm willing to roll the dice and wait for the price to drop.