8th Edition is...

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TheCasualOblivion

Guest
Portal 4th Edition

I sat down and really looked at the card list, and I really can't say it any other way. 8th Edition=Portal 4th Edition.

Looking at decklists, 8th edition has basically the same impact on the game as Portal did, a couple of old power cards and big piles of nothing.

Does anyone really by 8th edition? I wonder how much it sells compared to the expansions.
 

Killer Joe

New member
We've had this discussion before but I can't remember in what section or when. But 8th Ed. is supposed to be the new "Starter" or "Portal" or whatever. It's supposed to be "dumbed down" as an entry level game.

Also, try drafting or playing "Sealed" with 8th Ed it's so much fun, talk about yer BASICS! :eek:

What maybe some people are remembering is what Revised/4th Ed and such were to the game back in the day but with the introduction of "BLOCK" sets the need for the 'base sets' is merely,...well, basic. To have a permanant place for "staple" cards like Naturalize, Mana Leak, Dark Banishing, Shock and Wrath of God (although I would think that by now WoG would be gone, it's really out of flavor (casting costwise) with todays Block spells. They can't (but do sometimes) keep reprinting these spells in block sets. Remember when Counterspell was in every other block set AND in the base set as well.

Counterspell:
Ice Age
Mirage (no)
Tempest
Urza's Saga (no)
Mercadian Masques
Then they got smart and gave up a spot in a block to make room for another spell (maybe a weaker counterspell?)
 
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TheCasualOblivion

Guest
I'm not familiar with 7th edition, but earlier post revised/4th ed. basic sets weren't as much dumbed down as powered down.

5th edition replaced a lot of staple 4th edition cards with toilet paper from Fallen Empires and Ice Age block. While 5th edition gives 8th edition a run for weakest core set, it was far from dumbed down.

6th edition was an improvement from 5th edition, and added some better cards to the core set. They simplified a few things, but it was more about making the set cleaner than dumbing it down to the level of Portal.

As I said before, I'm unfamiliar with 7th edition so I don't know exactly where it fits in all of this.

I have no problem with them keeping a basic set around to keep some of the core cards like Wrath of God and Shock in the current game. Its just that 8th edition is so full of crap that its barely worth buying. I remember when Wrath of God and Birds of Paradise were $5 cards. That was back when people actually bought the basic set.
 
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Nightstalkers

Guest
Selling wise... I've noticed the places around here trying to sell the stuff off cheaper than anything else they have.

Which is kinda depressing really because these "core" sets are supposed to be the meat and bones... or just the base cards to throw in.
 
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orgg

Guest
The core set has two reasons for existence:

1. An introductory set for the beginners of Magic. This is why it is, without a doubt, "Portal 8th edition," following Portal 1, 2, and 3, Starter, Starter 2000, 6th and 7th. Both Sixth and Seventh edition have the beginners in mind; personally, I belive seventh edition was the best basic set we've had since the change to 'beginner friendly.' This in itself is NOT a bad thing. The base set isn't ment to sell bookoodles of boxes. It sells half as well as the other sets, and is on sale much longer.

2. Keep 'staple' cards easily accessable. Staples come in three flavors: Tournament, which has a huge impact on Type Two, and Casual, which could be seen as 'RandD Pet Cards.' The former wants 'geddon and WoG in the base set. The latter is the reason Zur's Weirding and MaRo are in the set. The third is 'Skill Tester,' of which some are still Casual-centric cards. A burgeoning player may belive that Aladdin's Ring is a great card. He'd be wrong, but it is a FUN card.


Core sets arn't ment for experienced players' consumption... but they are fun for limited enviroments. They usually don't require as much skill, but the toned down thought can be quite relaxing.
 

Ferret

Moderator
Staff member
Dunno. I haven't bought any cards from basic sets since Fifth Edition (Okay, I bought two boosters from VIth, but when I saw that Goblin Warrens was a rare in that set, I said enough). If you have enough cards from the basic sets from Fifth or earlier and you've kept up pretty well w/ the expansion sets there really is no need to even give the basic sets a second glance.

-Ferret

"I refuse to buy from basics until they reprint Scryb Sprites!"
 

Killer Joe

New member
orgg said:
The core set has two reasons for existence:

1. An introductory set for the beginners of Magic. This is why it is, without a doubt, "Portal 8th edition," following Portal 1, 2, and 3, Starter, Starter 2000, 6th and 7th. Both Sixth and Seventh edition have the beginners in mind; personally, I belive seventh edition was the best basic set we've had since the change to 'beginner friendly.' This in itself is NOT a bad thing. The base set isn't ment to sell bookoodles of boxes. It sells half as well as the other sets, and is on sale much longer.

2. Keep 'staple' cards easily accessable. Staples come in three flavors: Tournament, which has a huge impact on Type Two, and Casual, which could be seen as 'RandD Pet Cards.' The former wants 'geddon and WoG in the base set. The latter is the reason Zur's Weirding and MaRo are in the set. The third is 'Skill Tester,' of which some are still Casual-centric cards. A burgeoning player may belive that Aladdin's Ring is a great card. He'd be wrong, but it is a FUN card.


Core sets arn't ment for experienced players' consumption... but they are fun for limited enviroments. They usually don't require as much skill, but the toned down thought can be quite relaxing.
Agreed.

As for purchasing; I make an effort to purchase at least one box of boosters of the current core set and I don't buy it for "Power Cards", I get them specifically FOR the chaff cards like I mentioned above. Okay, WoG in not chaff, but you get the point.

Also, I can't promte this enough; playing core sets in a limited environment is just plain 'ol FUN!!! :D :D :D
 
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