Buying Singles (specific for my deck)
Economics forum
Posted on Oct. 6, 2013, 8:47 p.m. by strateupjee
So I am torn between buying 2 Elspeths for my Orzhov Mid-Range, or buying an assortment of good rares, I feel the 2 Elspeths are what my deck is missing, but quantity over quality? Realistically it will be something like 2 'Speths and a Temple or something, or a Fiendslayer and 3 Lifebanes, I just don't know, opinions?
My deck is: Baron of the Desecrated Fiendslaying Council, for those who want to look before answering.
strateupjee says... #3
I am getting them from a website, I got some store(website?) credit with them and I don't have the cash to buy em xD
October 6, 2013 9:39 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #4
My points still stand. Even though you aren't spending money out of your own pocket, it's best to maximize on what you have available to you. If you can trade for some of the cards you want or need, there's not much sense in buying them.
October 6, 2013 9:40 p.m.
strateupjee says... #5
And it is a very good point, however literally no one at my shop is coming off Elspeth (at any number, be it 1 or a playset), Fiendslayers, or Lifebanes, believe me, I always try to trade first.
October 6, 2013 9:43 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #6
Are there any other shops in the area? When I am actively playing and trading, I make it a point to visit a few different stores every so often to rotate my trade stock and get some new experience.
October 6, 2013 9:46 p.m.
strateupjee says... #7
The next 2 shops nearby are 45 minutes away from me, and I don't have the time to get out there usually, plus a lot of my trade base has been exhausted to build the deck that these cards would be for.
October 6, 2013 9:53 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #8
Fair enough. Well, think about these factors:
- How useful is this card to the deck?
- How expensive is this card? Will you be able to afford other cards, too?
- How hard is it to get this card locally?
- If you end up not needing the card, can it easily be traded or sold to another player or incorporated into another deck?
October 6, 2013 10:14 p.m.
strateupjee says... #9
I'm gonna answer all of those xD
1: I believe it is the one thing I need to put the deck over the top.
2: Very expensive, and no, probably not more than 1 other smaller thing.
3: Impossible, outside of buying it
4: It can very easily be traded, and I may even want to build around it
October 6, 2013 10:36 p.m.
blackmarker90 says... #10
Have you tried trading with people on this website?
October 6, 2013 11:10 p.m.
it sounds like you live in a smallish town/city and your LGS doesnt draw a ton of people. so i would take into account 2 things.
1) elspeth / temple are both in standard for 2 years and from the sound of it a focal point of your deck. the rest you mention are rotating in 1year. so i'd lean towards elspeth route.
2) if you have a small meta and trading is hard, look for trends. I'll always take trades from people even if i dont need the cards, if they will move quickly for things i want.
for example. if someone wants 8 of my cards totally 19.00 in value, i'll trade that all day for a shockland and lifebane zombie which i can move much more quickly later on
October 9, 2013 8:55 a.m.
Bobgalarneau says... #12
When buying, always prioritize the expensive or impossible to find stuff. Even if it looks currently impossible, trading for those lifebane is easier than for the elspeth. The first can be traded for 1 shock or other small stuff. If the elspeth stay high, you wil have to find someone willing to trade it, and interrested in a playset of shocks or alot of the small stuff you have for trade.
October 9, 2013 9:46 a.m.
strateupjee says... #13
Those are my points exactly, no one I know is even considering trading any elspeths, so I figured buy em right? Also they aren't a "focal point" per say, they will just make winning much easier xD
October 9, 2013 10:15 a.m.
Schuesseled says... #14
I would recommend completing your deck, especially if you hope to enter competitive tournaments such as FNM's.
October 9, 2013 9:16 p.m.
strateupjee says... #15
If you take a look at my deck, which I linked in the original post, I have taken it to 2 tournaments so far, and when it works, it works, however adding Elspeth is just the kind of thing it needs to go over the top
Epochalyptik says... #2
It really comes down to what you think you need and how important each lot would be to you. Additionally, you should poke around a few of your local stores and see whether any of the cards you would buy can be traded for.
October 6, 2013 9:37 p.m.