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Author
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Topic: Boxes and Boxes Oh my.
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WeedIan
Member
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posted April 23, 2001 06:14 AM
         
Has anyone here ever bought a whole box of magic by themselves? How about splitting it with a friend? Maybe with a couple friend.Well, everyone buys a box of alot of packs some time or another when they play magic. And every time you buy a box you are so extremeley excited. Now onto a story back from the days of fourth Edition. Me and two of my friends.. had saved up $30 canadian each and went down to the store and bought us a box of 4th edition. So we went from the store that always had boxes in to the magic store where we hung our and played. We went in and started opening packs. And much to our surprise, we got crap. Now when i look back 4th edition was a rather huge set, but to get nothing out of the box other then say a shivan dragon, a crusade and a mahomotti djinn. It really isn't much to say . I don't even think we pulled more then one lightning bolt. We were all disappointed and didn't buy in large ammounts for a while. Fast forward to today.. I just started playing magic again after a year and half to 2 years. And i missed almost all of the Urza's Saga and all of Masque. And i'd only been able to pick up a few packs of Invasions, but alot of plainshift. So a friend of mine and I saved up $70 each.. and bought a box of Invasions. My one friend had already pulled both of the new special counterspells in one starter box, so we were feeling lucky. This was my 2nd big investment since i started back. $300 for a lot of OOP good rares was my other investment. But back to the story. We bought the box of invasions. And started opening pack after pack of crap.. Shaun.. pulled the most good stuff. Two Dragons Legends and an Absorb.. I pulled absolutely nothing. The only thing i was happy about was the 4 Armadillo's Cloaks and a Fact or Fiction. I couldn't believe how ****ty this box was, 7 foils, 2 lands, 4 commons and 1 uncommon. I felt jipped again. It goes to show you, when you feel the need for greed, it comes and bites you in the *** . __________________
My Have Want list
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mackbo
Member
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posted April 23, 2001 05:01 PM
That's true.I have never bought a box in my life, but I know some tricks to get better cards... Only buy cards from sets that aren't the set with basic lands. For example, buy only Urza's Legacy and Destiny, and no Saga. Why? Although there are more good cards in Saga then in both the others, but that also means there is more crap. When I got back into Magic, I bought 7 boosters of Nemesis. In that, I pulled all sorts of goodies including Lin Sivvi, Tangle Wire, Parallax Wave... Then I opened about 5 packs of Masques, and got crap. I don't know how to conclude this...so my rambling is done....now Mackbo __________________
E-mail mackbo1@juno.com
AIM ScratchMastaMack
Refs MaCkBo's Refs"Battle doesn't need a purpose; the battle is its own purpose. You don't ask why a plague spreads or a field burns. Don't ask why I fight."
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yeom
Unregistered
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posted April 23, 2001 06:17 PM
I've bought maybe 5 or 6 boxes in my life, and it I found that with each box I opened, I got less and less happy, so now I try to stick to a single box of big expansions, and singles 
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AJRimmer
Member
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posted April 25, 2001 01:01 PM
I was quite happy with my box of Invasion, pulling Rage, Utopia Tree, Absorb, 3 Dragon Legends, Reya, etc (I also got it for only $70 total on Ebay). However, this inspired my friends to get boxes and all three of theirs were mostly crap. I fear I won't be so lucky again, and definitely agree with the advice of only buying the 2nd and 3rd expansions of a cycle in boxes. With a good chance of getting 36 out of the 44 possible rares in the set (you'll usually get a couple of doubles), and likely getting at least 2 or 3 of every uncommon and a full play set of commons, a box is a VERY worthwhile investment. I paid another $70 for my box of Planeshift and only got 2 pairs of rares in the whole thing (I wasn't too upset because one of the duplicate rares was Shivan Wurm). I missed a few great rares, like Orim's Chant, Doomsday Specter, Meddling Mage, and Dark Suspicions, but I got everything else worthwhile in the set. Boxes are SURELY the way to go for these interem expansions, and PLEASE...buy them from Ebay. Your wallet will thank you for it!  __________________
"Better Dead Than Smeg!"AJRimmer's Britcoms, Doctor Who, and Blake's 7 Site
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WeedIan
Member
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posted April 25, 2001 07:55 PM
yeah.. i would buy from ebay.. but its a hassale because of me being Canadian.. and because i don't have a credit card or checking account.__________________
My Have Want listMy Article about Greed in Magic
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yeom
Unregistered
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posted April 25, 2001 08:23 PM
quote:
Originally posted by WeedIan:
yeah.. i would buy from ebay.. but its a hassale because of me being Canadian.. and because i don't have a credit card or checking account.
Money orders all the way
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WeedIan
Member
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posted April 26, 2001 07:58 AM
i don't know how to do money orders either.__________________
My Have Want listMy Article about Greed in Magic
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yeom
Unregistered
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posted April 26, 2001 03:45 PM
It's easy, go to the bank, ask for an American dollar money order, send money order to e-bay seller
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AJRimmer
Member
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posted April 26, 2001 03:47 PM
Also, if all you are interested in is having the set of a particular expansion, buying a box isn't worth it. It would actually just be cheaper to buy the set from someone on Ebay. A Planeshift set goes for 70 bucks on average, and I wouldn't pay more than about 50 for a Nemesis set (I've seen them go for as little as 25 before). Invasion sets are running about 150 right now, which is about the price of two boxes. You'd NEVER get the Invasion set in two boxes, just like you'd never get the Planeshift set in one. Therefore, if all you want is the set, just buy the cards directly. Still, if you want to play and trade and have fun, opening a box and trading can't be beat! __________________
"Better Dead Than Smeg!"AJRimmer's Britcoms, Doctor Who, and Blake's 7 Site
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AJRimmer
Member
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posted April 26, 2001 03:53 PM
P.S. If you want to buy from Ebay, I reccomend the seller, waarbe. I've bought from him a few times and his prices are always fair, he has many boxes to choose from, so you should only be paying say, $62.95 + $7.95 S/H for a box of 7th for example. If you get outbid, don't bid again on the same one unless you REALLY need the cards now... another one will always come along, and usually very soon after. S/H is good and communication is quick and easy. I'm sure many other sellers are great, but I know you get what you pay for with this one. __________________
"Better Dead Than Smeg!"AJRimmer's Britcoms, Doctor Who, and Blake's 7 Site
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squizz
Member
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posted April 27, 2001 05:57 AM
I used to buy a box every time a set came out. I gave up on it several months ago since my interest now lies more with extended and T1. I decided it would be cheaper for me to just buy singles of whatever I needed. Boxes are a gamble but most of the time you end up with a lot crap that no one wants, and a few good cards, personally I don't think they're worth it unless you're trying to collect sets.
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The Magic Dude
Member
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posted April 27, 2001 12:19 PM
I bought a box of Destiny oce with my friend, and bought half a box of 7th about a month ago. I must say that I didn't have bad luck at all; all we missed in the Destiny box was a Core; we had about all the other good rares (and I needed the commons and uncommons, for I had only begun playing Magic a couple of months back).
With the 7th boosters, I think I was quite lucky, pulling a BoP, Coat, foil rare, 2 painlands, and lots of other playable stuff.I guess that buying boxes is better if you do it for the fun; if you want specific cards, or if you already have all the commons and uncommons from the set a couple of times, it'd be better buying singles. Youri. __________________
MOTL is the gateway to free online trading--but ripping will cost you. -Some Other Kind Of Port*The Magic Dude*
e-mail: magic_styler@hotmail.com
ICQ #: 91433591
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Hobojo
Member
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posted April 29, 2001 10:46 PM
Way back in the days of Mercadian Masques  I bought a box before i realized how much i hated the set. My friend and I went and bought two boxes, one for each of us. Of course, I get the box with the foil Karn's Touch and NO other rares worth over 5 except for tidal kraken  My friend next to me gets a FOIL Two-headed, a port, a bribery, a misdirection, a power matrix (popular at the time), rushwood elemental. The list goes on. He got EVERY good rare except tidal kraken, squee, and dust bowl. WHY ME? I traded a powder keg for the port because at the time ports were utter crap. Then comes prophecy. I get smart this time, and a different friend and I buy two boxes of prophecy, and we decided to open all the packs, and split the rares. I didn't even get any good foils or a foil rare in that box, but it didn't matter since I got a ton of highly retradeable avatars (ALSO popular at the time). Well, i've learned my lesson: Split the rares if buy boxes with friends.On a side note, i would just like to add that in 8 packs of 7th, i have already pulled better than my entire mercadian box (ive gotten 2 foil rares (one a BoB) a crimson hellkite, a shivan dragon, an abyssal horror, an ensnaring bridge, and two other okay rares.) Go figure. __________________
How can I know what time it is if I don't understand the concept of space time continuom?
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evildead
Member
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posted April 29, 2001 10:56 PM
Me and my friend went to a magic store looking for masticores just after destiny came out, They didn't have any, so we bought a box instead hoping for one. We didn't get one, so we figured If we bought another box, We were sure to get one. But we didn't, both boxes were a bunch of crap (I got 5 aura thiefs alone), so the logic in our stupid little heads was: "If we bought 2 boxes full of crap, the 3rd one has got to be amazing." So we went ahead and bought the 3rd one, and FINALLY we got a masticore. And we got a foil bargain, but other than that, it was pretty much the same crap. I just ordered a box of 7th from ertaiJ1, and I can't stop thinking about it. I can't wait to get it. Come on Foil Birds!
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SickOfItAll
Member
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posted April 30, 2001 10:27 PM
I don't think I will ever understand the pack-buying mentality. I see it as a lottery ticket with somewhat better odds and a somewhat cheesier prize for winning. Sure, it'd be NICE to pop a foil Birds or City. But how likely? Not very. I'd rather buy the card I want rather than a box and *hope* I get it. Cheaper in the long run, unless your luck is amazing."What about all the commons and uncommons and other good rares you don't get?" What about them? Good commons I probably already have 4 of, good uncommons it's the same story. Good rares I don't get, if I wanted them, I'd buy them as singles. Now then, I realize the necessity of buying packs, because otherwise there'd be no singles to buy...but seriously, how many of you feel you've done better overall in buying packs over singles? Sicko
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Laton
Member
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posted May 01, 2001 09:51 AM
Well, I don't buy boxes of boosters very often, but when I do, I usually go for the sets that have less than 200 cards. My first box was Alliances, and I pulled 3 Balduvian Hordes, 3 FoW, Storm Cauldron, 2 Kjeldoran Outposts, and a Thawing Glaciers! I just bought a box of Planeshift, and I pulled a Meddling mage, Scuta, Chant, Doomsday Specter, Shivan Wurm, 2 Nematas, Diabolic Intent, Draco, Gaea's Herald, Tahngarth, Waterspout Elemental, Goblin Game(ooh, yeah baby!  ), and a bunch of good uncommons(Voice of All, etc.). An awesome pull!The bottom line is that I didn't want a box of Invasion, since there are 350 cards in the set, and the chances of me pulling Undermines/Absorbs are not that good. Planeshift has about 150 cards, and my chances of getting the better rares are higher. I'll be going for the box of Apocalypse when it comes out!
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ANGEL KING
Member
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posted May 01, 2001 07:34 PM
Hey speaking of Appocalypse I just pre-bought a box on Eaby. YES! I am really happy it is my first box. Hope i pull some great stuff.
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shuad
Member
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posted May 03, 2001 02:49 AM
I feel that it is necessary to buy a least one box of each expansion that comes out, to make sure you have all the commons and uncommons which are specific to that set (this does not include base sets, as you already have those commons, uncommons, and rares mostly). You also hope that you get some decent stuff to trade. If you get that decent stuff (which I am lucky about, I guess) you can trade it for the stuff you are really looking for. After that, you buy singles, if you do not have enough to trade for the cards you want here. I also think it is more fun to draft of play sealed out of the box you buy, instead of just opening it. I find this adds to the enjoyment, for the same price. After that, the only real reason to buy packs is to draft or play sealed, and if you do that enough, you will get everything from a particular set. I also find it helps to have a color you hate (in my case, it is green) from which you can trade all the good cards (think: birds) to get things you really want (think: Dual lands). Thoughts anyone?shuad
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darkmind
Member
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posted May 04, 2001 06:12 PM
I have bought 5 boxes myself. I've gotten:Invasion
Planeshift
Mercadian Masques
Urza's Saga
Alliances (30 dollars) I got the allince for 30 dollars at a sidewalk sale. I was looking and saw the box. I asked how much, heard 30, and almost fainted.
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Valmtg
Member
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posted May 05, 2001 06:35 AM
Well, I have to dissagree to some point. I recently bought 2 boxes of 7th edition online via debit card and amazingly all the hot cards were in them (otherwise, it would be a pain to try and collect them). I was thrilled. I did follow your path though. I was trying to get sets of 4th, 5th, Weatherlight, and Stronghold. In 4th and 5th I got crap, massive crap that took me over a year to try and finish (I'm still missing a few more from 5th) but from WE I got most of what I needed and from ST, an opened box with 3 packs missing, I managed to get the Sliver Queen and 2 Mox Diamonds, at which I traded the Diamond away to get other stuff I needed for my sets. I feel your pain, and I know greed. Bigger sets with land have a lot of crap, and then the select few scattered about. The smaller sets are easier to get and there is a better ratio of good rares. Foils and lands throw the whole thing out of whack. I too have been a victim... that is why MOTL was created, to trade crap that people need for a few good cards.  __________________
do you know that Birds of Paradise live in New Guinea?
MOTL References
You will trade with me because I am your Goddess!
Captain Valmtg (Moonstone Team)
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Laton
Member
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posted May 07, 2001 12:20 PM
quote:
Originally posted by darkmind:
I have bought 5 boxes myself. I've gotten:Invasion
Planeshift
Mercadian Masques
Urza's Saga
Alliances (30 dollars) I got the allince for 30 dollars at a sidewalk sale. I was looking and saw the box. I asked how much, heard 30, and almost fainted.
How many Force of Wills did you pull? $30 is a great price, I didn't even get that when I bought my box when Alliances first came out! BTW - I got 3 FoW in that box!!
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darkmind
Member
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posted May 07, 2001 12:33 PM
I pulled 2 force of will, but I traded them away a while ago. I got some good stuff though, so I'm not upset.
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yoyoaightfoo
Unregistered
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posted May 08, 2001 07:19 PM
I've bought two boxes myself, 1 of Visions back in '97 and another of Tempest starters. Personally, I find it fun to open packs, but I usually buy a cuple packs first to get a random sample of the sorts of cards I might get. In my box of visions, I got everytheing except for the vampiric tutor, I got two relentless Assaults and an Undiscovered paradise.. which made me quite happy, needless to say... its all mostly crap now but it was fun. The only complaint I have with Tempest is the card distribution seems to be out of whack.. I got 4 doubles which were complete crap. I have mostly stayed away from boxes since, but I have to say I am impressed with the Invasion Block, those boxes seem to have a lot of good stuff and its probably my favorite to draft. My single biggest gripe is of 7th eddition, I find it annoying that I get a land in every pack and aside from the possibility of some cool foil rares and a crappy new Serra Angel pic... its got nothing but crap (I do think the Wrath of God pic is cool).Thats my two cents... __________________
"I can imagine a perfect world, one without war, and I can imagine us attacking that world because they wouldn't expect it."
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Hypnotic
Member
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posted May 08, 2001 09:08 PM
i bought a planeshift box and was very satisfied
try to buy a planeshift box, it's the best box you can currently buy, it's a small set so you get almost all the good cards of the set, and planeshift common and uncommon are pretty good compared to other sets...
viva planseshift!!__________________
fear the power of DISCARD!!
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TormodsCrypticAngel
Banned
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posted May 09, 2001 09:45 PM
I actually draw REALLY bad from packs but i get god like draws from boxes.. For instance..I bought 10 packs of 7th (with tourny winning prize) and i draw crap like abyssal horror and infernal contract and other bad rares) But the next week i won the tournament and chipped in a few to get a box of 7th and drew... 1 Foil BOP!! (sorry was stolen so it's obviously not for trade) and other great rares like mahomati djinn, shivan dragon, regular bop, and other great rares... Also i was so excited when planeshift came out.. i heard it was supposed to be one of the best sets ever to come out (which i agree with today) and i pulled together some money and decided to buy a box.. how lucky am i to draw a foil shivan wurm (who draws that?) and many great rares like meddling mage, urza's guilt, phyrexian tyranny, and other really good rares i can't think of... I should buy boxes more often but i usually don't have the money cause i spend most of it on bikes, skateboards, or other stuff.
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