"Magic: The Expensive"

Magic: The Expensive

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.

For those thinking of starting on the Magic Path. Think before you act because like most Hobbies this could turn out to be very addictive and expensive.

Of course the main draw of the game is the game play and the essentially expensive part are the cards. However those drawn into the game will soon develop a warped sense of what is important. 

First, I would like to talk about the non expensive accesories that you should have. Then lets get progressively more expensive.

The first thing to have is protection for your mint condition cards. (People usually ask if you paid for the Smacker or Non-Smacker price , you don't always need to answer for the sake of your honor.)Normal Magic Sleeves can range from about 125 to 160 pesos per 50 pieces.There are some who sell used sleeves but that should be bought with warning because these can affect your shuffle. You might be laughing about that but wait till you play and you draw 5 land cards in succession because your key cards are bunched up in the bottom of your deck due to a defective card sleeve or a sticky one.

So for a standard deck of 60 cards and 15 card side board you are looking at 250 for a 100 piece card sleeves priced at 125 pesos per 50 pieces. Some players also want double protection so they buy perfect sleeves. These thin clear plastic sleeves fit Magic cards like a glove so that they do not move inside the Outer thicker Sleeves. The prices are variable as well. 

You would also need a deck box because you need something to put your cards in to protect them from being damaged or pilfered. Imagine bringing a 60 card deck on a public transport or putting them in your bag for the ride. Chances are you might lose some pieces or worse damage them when you sit on them. The deck boxes are usually plastic , leather or Tin. The tin ones are very durable and prices usually start at P250. 

The next expensive item on the list is the playmat. Depending on what is printed on them the prices can range from 500 to 1200. Playmats that can only be won in special events like Game Days fetch higher prices due to their limited availability. Still there will always be playmats available as long as you can pay for it. It really is expensive just to prevent your sleeves from sitcking to each other (which playing in dirty surfaces can do). The big difference can be seen when you start playing better and drawing cards more consistently after using it since they are no longer clumping with each other at the bottom of your deck. Players usually don't mind the expense when they start winning. 

Players who have favorite or pet decks can also upgrade parts or the whole deck as well. Lands can be upgraded to full Art lands such as the Unhinged or Zendikar lands.They could also update to all Foil lands.Red and Black have readily available foil lands because of the lands from GraveBorn and Fire and Lightning Premium decks. 

Players could also update their favorite cards to foil versions or Foreign Language versions.  

With the popularity of Altered Art cards this can also be an option. All cards can now look like anything as long as 1) you have the original card and 2) you have the money to burn. One of my friends updated his Kaalia to full art mode to the tune of P450. Some art may even be more expensive because your card is now one of a kind. In great Magic:The Gathering events like GP Manila you might see several players sport all foil decks and all you could do is whistle at it  because they had the money to burn for it. 

Of course all of these things are optional. It really is up to you. There is no shame in playing the game with a "Plastic ng yelo" or clear plastic sleeves that can be bought for P35 or less than a dollar per 100 pieces or having just normal cards (they are expensive as they are). Most players don't mind. They are in it for the game and the bling is just an added bonus.

So with this little glimpse of what you might become in the future the question that begs to be asked...Are you ready to play now?