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by Da Sarge Why is a Rare card Rare? I received an interesting e-mail the other day from a Daniel Peirano, about last months article : "How much is too much". He says, and I quote, "If WOTC reprinted Ali from Cairo, (as an example), the market would go ballistic. No longer can you trust that a collection will reap any rewards. (Editor's Note : Ali from Cairo is on WotC's Reserved List, and will not be reprinted "in black or white border" now or in the future in "functionally identical form." WotC has created this Reserved List specifically to protect and reassure collectors of Deckmaster cards. - Kevin McLaughlin) Cards that momentarily cost hundreds can drop to thirty or less. Remember the chaos that ensued when Chronicles came out? Many great players, and a few friends, dropped out because they felt cheated and dejected." I would like to thank him for taking the time to read my article and to reply. I started thinking about this for awhile. I have two questions: a) Is this a players game first or a collectors game first? b) Should each individual card be printed in equal amounts? In a very real way, they are only one question... Picture this: You just bought that new box (boosters) of Magic cards (Visions for example); this is a total of 540 cards. You open up the box and find out that of those 540 cards you only get one Desertion. Is this fair? On the other hand you get 10 regeneration's, is this fair? To both I say no. I think it is wrong of WOTC to make a lesser amount of one card then of another. By doing this WOTC has determined for the collector which card is worth more then the other. That's wrong. This is a player's game first. If an equal amount of each card is made, no card is rare. This may seem strange at first, but if no card is rare then it will be up to the players to decide which card has the real value. Since this is supposed to be a player's game first then they should decide what is valuable. In the end it will more then likely be those same cards which would have been called rare, but at least everyone has an equal chance of getting the card. Going back to the e-mail by Daniel Peirano, he also stated that "WOTC should at least change the ratios to even the odds". A statement I fully agree with. The worst thing about this is that it boils down to a money thing for both the player and the collector. As a player, I will buy a card that will help my deck. But there's no way I'll pay to buy a Mox or Lotus. Heck, if I spend more then eight dollars on a card (and that's if the wife ain't looking) I must really want that card. It really kills me to buy a box of cards, and get only one of a certain card, then have to buy it at a higher price then it would to buy two booster packs. I understand that everyone has to make money, but let's make the playing field level for the new guy, not to mention the seasoned player. About a year ago in one of the Duelist Mag. (I can't remember which one but I will find it) they (WOTC) stated that a card takes only 20 cents to make and that they have no influence over the final selling price of the single card. But if WOTC calls a card "rare" before it hits the market, then in a very real way they (WOTC) have determined the price of the card. I think that WOTC might be losing touch with the player on this one. On the outside it looks like the money thing is getting in the way of the player thing. I truly love this game and I hope that I am wrong on this one, but ya know, when a company starts making alot of money they start losing touch with the player. The question is, Has WOTC started to reach that point yet....
That's My View And I'm.......
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