Unstable - Worst Value Ever?
Economics forum
Posted on Dec. 8, 2017, 4:52 a.m. by Aztraeuz
Unstable seems to be a HUGE miss on the value side. Everything that could have given the set value seems to have been nerfed into the ground.
The Foil Basics are at Masterpiece rarity. This means that Island, usually the most expensive, is currently running the same price as a booster box, yet you need to open 3-4 booster boxes to pull a Foil basic of any type. This rarity won't boost sales, I expect it will cause them to drop. Consider the disappointment when somebody opens a Foil Steamflogger Boss knowing that that was their Masterpiece rarity Foil Basic.
Regular Basics aren't used very often by competitive players, which are exactly the players that like to get premium printings of cards. This means, demand won't be as high as it is for real Masterpieces.
You also have the Foil tokens included in every pack. Now you would think that these would hold some value, but the Full Art sides of the tokens aren't Foil at all. We all know that WotC can print double sided Foils, and they even printed double sided Foil Zombie tokens for the Eldrich Moon prerelease packs. Why weren't these made Foil on both sides? This really just lowers demand for them as the side that made them special is just not that special, especially when other Foil tokens are being released as rewards all the time.
Almost the entire set after this is all Bulk. You can build your Cube and that's all you ever need to buy, IF you're even interested in building one.
Where is the value? It is even a HUGE money loss to Draft this product in stores. Am I to be expected to pay $4 a pack for packs that have almost no expected value, and the ONLY possible value is at Masterpiece rarity? $4 a pack is almost twice the price of what you can get the packs for now, and the set just released less than two hours ago.
Where is the value? Why am I expected to purchase this product? Why was such a product made when it is such an insult to anybody that vaguely knows the value of money?
Its almost as if the set is made to be drafted for fun and not used as some sort of lottery ticket!
December 8, 2017 5:42 a.m.
The set is ment to be used as a fun draft. Since theres only one card (Steamflogger Boss) that are tournament legal its no surprise the value is low. What you pay for is a fun draft with friends..
December 8, 2017 6:41 a.m.
CastleSiege says... #5
Where did you read they have Masterpiece rarity? There's one land in every four packs. They should be about as rare as foil Wastes from Oath of the Gatewatch. Still quite a bit rarer than foil basics from most sets, but much more common than Masterpiece cards.
December 8, 2017 6:47 a.m.
I like to think about the unsets as a reward from Wizards to ther fans - see these cards right here, cause you will likely never see them again!
A box of Unstable is a celerabration of your enfranchising; a shrine to what makes Magic fun, rather than financial equation; exciting, rather than a boring EV calculation; simple, where the end result, your pulls or literally; community-building, as the gift of unsets can only be shared with other fellow Magic enthusiasts.
Just as Conspiracy 2 is a Leovold lottery, I urge you enjoy the foil island lottery for what is!
December 8, 2017 8:25 a.m.
Im with you man theres justt not anything that makes the set worth buying or investing. Ill provbably split a box with friends and do a casual draft. Its definitely not the type of set u want to chase packs for, I dont think it was ever meant to be though.
WoTC has some plan, they wouldnt just drop a product that has zero demand for no reason. I think some cards from unstable will spike for the 6 week commander thing. And that to me just seems like bad buisness. Theyre putting value to cards that wouldnt normally have value, only yo knowingly tank the value later on.
December 8, 2017 8:38 a.m.
But, LeaPlath, that's an indecent and very dirty thought. WotC has an obligation to print a product that can be unpacked and made into money, and they should take that obligation seriously. I mean - who the h*ll would have a hobby, they can't earn money on?
Really, what is the next thing you'll suggest? That someone would take all that nicely doublesleeved product out of the folders and start playing with it?
December 8, 2017 9:03 a.m.
Also I think the variants are kinda cute. I'd love to collect the slow zombies in foil ;)
December 8, 2017 11:02 a.m.
Gotta say, as simple as it is, ESZ is one of my fave cards from the set with its "slighty overstated for cost zombie with a downside" and the downside and art working together so well.
December 8, 2017 11:51 a.m.
PhotogenicParasympathetic says... #11
Lol at the guy drafting an Un-set looking for financial value.
December 8, 2017 1:16 p.m.
I honestly can't tell if this is supposed to be serious or an incredibly straight-faced satire of overly value-focused players. Assuming this is serious:
"Why am I expected to purchase this product?"
You are not. This is not a product intended for you because your priorities are completely out of line with the core purpose of an Un-set. This is for players that want to pay money for a weird, ridiculous drafting experience. Not every product exists to serve every kind of player and this one just isn't for you.
December 8, 2017 1:35 p.m.
I drafted last night, which was super fun. It made me want to get a box and do a casual draft. When I saw that unstable boxes were just as expensive as and other regular set I was pretty disappointed. I feel like we shoulnt be paying any more than 75-80 a box for this set.
December 9, 2017 9:35 a.m.
Wait a while is the best solution. They are currently falling.
December 9, 2017 2:15 p.m.
if your buying unstable for monetary value your doing it wrong.
December 31, 2017 7:50 p.m.
Quinnagin27 says... #17
I actually have a Question me being stupid as i am bought one of these boxes and for some reason gave the Flogger a over look why is it worth so much money?
January 7, 2018 5:27 a.m.
Quinnagin27 you mean Steamflogger Boss? Its a dollar.
January 7, 2018 9:20 a.m.
Quinnagin27 says... #19
smackjack On cardkingdom and starcity games there selling the foild ones for $200
Rabid_Wombat says... #2
The value comes with the Unstable set being EDH legal...do your research!!
December 8, 2017 5:40 a.m.