Magic, is it worth the pennies?

[NeuroDeus]

Just as I am writing this i got this question flying in my mind.

"Is Magic worth all the cares I give it."

Here are some points I always wanted to outline...

1. Asking a non-player about what he thinks about the game (he was mildly interested, but shudder at the thought of spending money on it) he said "It's just a business game. Just like Uno or Risk. It's just some guy's fantasy turned into colored cardboard and became popular because of the good art."

2. Asking an old player about what he thinks about the game overall he said "I just cannot stop the urge to buy more cards, build more decks and fondle my good cards. Every penny is worth the cards, I just love the game".

How about you?...

 

[nodnarb24]

I haven't bought much cards lately but if I was did by some I'd say, "I have nothing else to spend my money on," and that is the pathetic truth.

 

[Nyx]

I think it's a little more than just business. Read some interviews with Richard Garfield, he's a nut who loves games of all kinds. I mean, he used a custom printed magic card to propose to his wife! I think it's safe to say this is a bit more than a business to him. Even in the interviews you can see how much he gives the players the benefit of the doubt. He assumes we all love the game's themes and story and that only a very small number of players are obsessed with crushing others using unbeatable combos. Now WotC as a corporation may very well see it as just a source of income. I'd be stunned to hear Garfield ever speak of magic that way.

As far as cost goes, I've made quite a bit of money on magic over the years. Until recently, I'd earned more money selling cards than I'd spent buying them. Now I buy about $200 per month because I an afford it. As soon as I cannot, I'll stop. Once I finish collecting my complete set I'll cut way, way back. I do know that I've always gotten my money's worth of enjoyment out of what I spend on my cards. Especially when I compare their price to the a movie, or a fancy dinner in terms of dollars per hour of enjoyment. And most people have spent a lot less than me.

 

[rYaNsPVT]

...and WOTC/distributors/resellers dictates if it's worth something...

like, there are common/uncommon cards that are priced as rares(Blastoderm, Overrun, Zuran Orb, Rancor, etc., at least in our neighborhood) and some rares are priced like crap

but i'd say, the art shud be the one to dictate the price... especially rebecca guay art, Ron Spencer, and Richard-Kane Ferguson, well, DiTerilizzi is also a rebecca guay-wannabe(the cute sixth ed. Giant Growth)...

maybe someday, Magic cards would be some kind of dirty money like the stamps being used for some Mobs... hmmm wut a world... ppl running around with magic cards as their form of currency... not bad at all... with all the counterfeiting stuff...

 

[Apollo]

I think it's worth it; before I started playing, I saw all my friends with cards and thought "I can't afford another habit, I'm not starting this." Then, a friend lent me a deck and played a couple games with me, and I've spent hundreds of dollars on cards.

I think you start because of the artwork and the coolness of thinking about summoning dragons to fight for you. Then, you continue because of the complex strategy and absorbing nature of the game (that's what Pokemon was missing).

I don't regret any of the money I've spent on this game, and I could probably make most or all of it back if I sold off the cards.

 

[Bob]

rYaNsPVT,
DiTerlizzi is not a Rebecca Guay wannabe. He's been around longer than Rebecca.
But my personal favorite is Matthew Wilosn

 

[Istanbul]

Magic is definitely worth the pennies. It's a customizable hobby, something you can play with friends. It has all levels of play, from uber-casual with house rules to worldwide tournament. It's a perfect example of IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations); I dare any math whiz to calculate out the number of possible legal decks. It's collectable, it's playable, and it's posisble to do both at the same time (I should know, I do).

Magic is unlike any hobby. And it's kewl.

 

[Mundungu]

There are two points of you :
worth the time/effort :
Well as long as you enjoy it probably
worth the money.
you can get a nice collection without spending too much with some patience and keeping an eye on good opportunities.
Also, hopefully, your collection will be getting better as time goes and older cards get more searched for.

Also, you have to consider that you would probably spending that money somehow. At least you get to keep the cards.
I prefer to buy 1 booster than a pint of imported beer or a pack of cigarettes,
A sealed or draft tournament than a dinner at Pizza hut

I guess it is a choice on how to spend your ressources.

I personally started playing at the age of 26, when I started to earn the money to afford the hobby.

 

[Thallid Ice Cream Man]

Well, Istanbul, of course there is an infinite amount of legal decks, considering that you can use as many basic lands as you want. The only maximum limit to deck size is once you have all the basic lands in the world in you deck, and then you have a problem.

But I'd say it's easily in the centillions (which is like 10^300 or something).

And considering that, at least for a little while, my mom still pays for my cards, yes, it is worth it.

 

[Spiderman]

I'd have to agree with Apollo on most counts; the art is neat and the gameplay just sucks you in. And despite the numerous rules changes and edition changes, you can still pretty much pick up and play even if you left off a year or 5 ago. I will just complain a leetle about the rate of sets coming out (despite that being the same as from the get-go) but please, that's only a side-note, not an issue to be brought up from the dead