An idea so crazy it may just work.

Void06 · Joined: 31 Dec 2004 Posts: 179

This is an idea I have been kicking around in my head for some time now but I never really got around to putting it down into words to share with anyone.

This idea was born as I was opening a pack of Guildpact in a draft at my local card store. I looked through the commons, got to the uncommons, and I slowly looked at the rare as I sometimes do for added drama.

As I'm sure many of you reading this have been, I was once again dissapointed to see a Nephilim staring back at me. I thought to myself "What a waste these stupid things are. There are 5 utterly awful garbage rares in this set that are worth less than the cardboard they are printed on." Then I thought of this idea:

What if there was a set without a lot of money rares in it, take Saviors of Kamigawa for example, and people used a cycle of terrible rares or maybe just a few really awful rares that are so bad no one could possibly use them, and these crap rares could be used at a highly inflated value AS CURRENCY.

Before you close this thread, hear me out because I think this idea may have some potential.

Saviors of Kamigawa was an awful set not just because the power level of the cards was so low, but also because the rares seemed really gimmicky and weak, with the obvious exception of Pithing Needle and to a lesser extent Twincast. No one really used money rares as a reason to draft CBS block because the money rares were far and few between.

Now lets say people used my idea. Lets just hypothetically say Guildpact didn't have any Dual lands or Ghost Councils or Burning Tree Shamans.

What if magic players all agreed to use the aforementioned awful Nephilims as trading currency at a value of say 5-7 dollars? You'd automatically have 5 quasi-money rares in a set without any big playable rares for constructed.

I know it's a strange idea, but then again it would add value to sets with few money rares.

Goji · Joined: 09 Apr 2006 Posts: 102

Supply is too great for the demand.. im not gonna try to get a nephilim off of someone for 5 bucks. lol. simple as that.

RichardDWade · Joined: 20 Mar 2006 Posts: 438

I would say this is kind of already in effect. These cards are sometimes used to "sweeten" deals, giving them a little value. And as was said, to much demand.

Adam · Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 23

Im gonna try peddling spawnbrokers $10 a pop next time i go to butler

A++++

kilomitro · Joined: 25 Oct 2004 Posts: 158

obv it depends who you talk to, but in a set full of great rares and dual lands, i doubt ull get a dark confidantfor a neph and "something small." but then again i traded a kira and got a mint hallowed fountain. go me!

Adam · Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 23

I traded my feedback bolt for a Wrath of god.

you cant make these things up people

DRINKALCOHOL · Joined: 28 Mar 2006 Posts: 265 Location: New Gunsqu

I took your advice and traded my soul for an Arcum Daggson.

DRINKALCOHOL · Joined: 28 Mar 2006 Posts: 265 Location: New Gunsqu

Situation:

1: I'll trade you a Borborygmos for your Hallowed Fountain.
2: No.
1: I'll throw in a Witch-Maw Nephilim to sweeten the deal.
2: Go fuck yourself.
1: Ok, make it two Witch-Maw Nephilims.
2: Go fuck yourself.

I am AMAZED that you were able to write such a long, thought-out post about so stupid an idea.

MeddlingMatt · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 75

The problem with this idea, as has been pointed out, lies in it's basic obliviousness to supply and demand. These pieces of paper we regard as worth money are only valuable because you need the physical card to play it in a deck. Outside of the playability framework, all Magic cards have no REAL value (well, a few cents for scrap).

Then again, I played Diablo II and am well aware at the success there using Stones of Jordan as a type of currency. So it might just take plenty of people buying into the concept.

I, for one, will remain person number two (in DRINKALCOHOL's example) for the forseeable future.

Colossus · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 395

I...GIVE my nephilims away, almost having to actually PAY OTHER PEOPLE to take them off of my hand.

and the fact that vendors will STILl buy them for TEN TO FIFTEEN cents a piece is like pure gold. There's a guy at the local store that had a 'nephilim' race with a few guys, won, and got all of their nephilims too.

he had well over three hundred nephilims. It's hilarous seeing like...five pages full loaded with nothing but garbage cards.