We are the lucky ones.  If you're reading this, you have access to the internet, play Magic the Gathering, and obviously have a refined taste in blogs.  Each of us is blessed with a certain amount of disposable income, and what binds us together as a community is that we all choose to spend some of that money on Magic cards.  Some of us spend thousands of dollars a year; others spend much less.  Hopefully, the cards you want to access matches up with the amount of money you're able to throw around.  Sadly, this is not the case for a large number of players.

[caption id="attachment_7728" align="alignright" width="216" caption="Kitchen table Magic is more prominent than one might think. "][/caption]

Think about the feeling you get when you cast a spell the likes of Baneslayer Angel.. feels pretty satisfying doesn't it?  Magic is a lot more fun with her around, huh?  Now, imagine not being able to cast spells of that magnitude.  Is Magic more fun, or less fun?  Most of us take a card like BSA for granted.  We might even own upwards of $200 worth of the Angels.  But some players just aren't lucky enough to nab one in any of their 30 packs a year, or don't have the resources to pick one up at Troll and Toad for $44.99.  We've already talked about the Magic of a Single Card, and the amount of "stickyness" and love this concept brings to the game.  Imagine never having that feeling fulfilled.  Picture a World of Warcraft class that could only be unlocked by paying $44.99.  While a game's creator should be allowed to charge whatever it can get for its content (I'm no socialist!), I would argue that it is simply bad business to set the bar so high.  In my Warcraft example, for instance- an unlockable class for $9.99 would be much more appropriate.  It's the Wal-Mart strategy; charge less, sell more.  If the Nintendo Wii has proven anything it's that you want as many people as possible buying your products-- the effects are cumulative.  Even if that means charging a little bit less than your competition.  The breadth of your user base will almost always make up for it, and your retained base will thank you for mainstreaming their game without destroying their wallets!   I'd rather several people purchase $20 Baneslayer Angels from my store than only one, hardcore Magic player purchasing a single copy for $60.

[caption id="attachment_7709" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Slaying Banks since 2009."][/caption]

There is only so much money a responsible adult can spend on Magic cards each month.  And while that number is different for each person, it tends to remain constant over time.  Regardless of what that number is for you, the fact is, you're being asked to spend much more on Magic cards than you were even five years ago.  This is partly due to the ever growing number of MTG products released every year (novels, comics, expansions, premium sets etc.) and partly due to the soaring price tags on some of the current tournament staples.  Today, there are several chase cards that are simply out of reach for the kitchen table Magic player.  Elspeth, Knight Errant sells for about $30, while Baneslayer Angel and Jace, the Mind Sculptor flirt with $50 price tags.  There are several other popular cards that have crossed the $20 mark as well such as Abyssal Persecutor and Vampire Nocturnus.  To me (and Richard Garfield), a fair price for a top tier, tournament level card is about $20.  Perhaps more like $30 when a super-hyped card such as Jace, the Mind Sculptor first comes out, but certainly no more than $20-$30 for any single, non-foiled, card that has settled past the hype.  This allows players to purchase a playset for under $100 which, even then, is more than a lot of people are willing to pay.  When individual Magic cards start to cost more than a brand new video game, you know your singles economy is out of whack.

[caption id="attachment_7717" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Mythic rarity has been the stuff of great debate since its inception. Wizards is still grappling with what a Mythic rare should be"][/caption]

As our friend and loyal reader Mike Turian said in a recent interview with Gathering Magic - "There will always be a 'Best Card in Magic.'"  I am not disagreeing with this statement.  There will always be a number of cards that are more rare, more desirable and therefore more expensive in Magic the Gathering.  You cannot fight this fact.  However, I'm not trying to. It is true that if it weren't Baneslayer on top, it would be something else, we cannot control this, but we can control how much those top tier cards end up costing (and I'm not talking about older cards here, those are exempt from this argument).  The reason BSA is so expensive is because of it's mythic status- its scarcity.  You can open three entire booster boxers of M10 and not see one copy of the mythic rare, let alone the playset you'll need to actually compete.  The economy is never "wrong" per-say.  It is based on supply and demand and in this case, there is a very large demand and a somewhat diminished supply.

We've written about the problems with Mythic rarity in the past, and my personal conclusion has been "there isn't a perfect way to do an EPIC rarity class".   If you make them too common, people will ask what the point of it all is.  If you make them too hard to get, you'll have the problem you face today- staggering prices and players who feel left out.  Since we'll never agree on an exact mark; I'd much rather lean towards "easier to get", if I have to choose.  Which brings me to my proposed solution - make mythics more accessible.  Right now, a mythic rare can be found in one of every eight packs of Magic.  I propose that we increase that number to one in six packs.  This will not affect the hierarchy of rares as we know it.  Each of the cards mentioned above will still be quite valuable and will probably hold the same rank order in terms of price.  Their prices will simply go down as a whole because there will be more supply. This will bring these cards to within reach of the rest of us.  If someone really wants a Jace, the Mind Sculptor right now, they may not be able to afford the $50 price tag.  But they will almost certainly be able to afford a $19.99 card if it is that important to them.  It is hard for people with ample disposable income to understand the difference, but it is night and day.

I asked our twitterers about $60 cards in Magic the Gathering and needless to say- most were upset about it.  I did receive one, very interesting reply from Mr_Chupon.  Essentially, his argument is that an ubiquitous experience cannot be a "special" experience.  Not everyone will be able to drive a Ferrari in their lifetime, or drink a $300 bottle of wine, he argues.  So what right do common people have to cast Baneslayer Angel?  The feeling is unmatched only because it is not easily had.  A very compelling argument and it is partly true.  Not everyone will visit Disneyland in their lifetime, and that is part of what makes that place special.  But if I were Disney I would very much want everyone to be able to get to Disneyland.  Also, I don't consider Magic to be the "Ferrari of games" by any means, or the $300 bottle of wine for that matter.  Its roots are much more humble.  From kitchen tables to a brother's shared bedroom, Magic the Gathering is much more of a peasant activity than say- driving a Ferrari is. I think part of the mystique of Disneyland is the fact that so many of us have been there and we can all share that experience.  It encourages future generations to return.  I cannot understate the importance of "shared experiences" when it comes to marketing something like MTG.  Reading the books, sharing those stories with your friends, getting your friends back into the game.  Heck, if it weren't for my real-life MTG pals, you wouldn't be reading this article right now.  Magic cannot be played alone.  It's all about these mutual experiences that keep people coming back for more.  If large, important, chunks of the game are unavailable to the masses such as "the ability to compete in standard", or "the feeling you get when you open a Baneslayer Angel"- then the game loses value for everyone.

If Magic wants their cards to be uber-rare and expensive, they should go all out.  Make them super rare, super foily, and extremely hard to get.  At least then, we'd all know where we stood.  But right now, they're moving away from an "affordable everyman game" towards  a "too expensive for many to compete" game.  Of course, you can always play alternative formats such as EDH, Planechase or casual multiplayer.  But I think, even those casual players should feel the sensation of using Jace's new 0-cost Brainstorm.  Here's the thing- wizard's marketing team thinks that we'll just keep buying packs until we crack open 4x Abyssal Persecutors.. we won't.  What will actually happen is that we'll buy about the same amount, but leave the card shop frustrated and confused.  They want us to chase their cards but they have to let the guy who can only spend $30 a month on Magic catch them!  Right now, BSA is a bit too hard to catch.  Teasing can only get you so far in business.

I know some of us have skewed perspectives.  Even I don't really know what it feels like to not be able to afford something as simple as "a few more magic cards".   I am at the point in my life where, if I want a toy, I'll just buy it.  Young people are the future of the game and they often can't do this.   Think of all the talent and perspective we're missing out on because this large percentage of the population that cant afford the cards they need to compete.

Look, I love chase cards.  They are part of what makes opening a pack of cards such a spiritual experience.  They also create a frenzy around whatever the latest product is and that surely makes Wizards of the Coast a lot of money.  Let me be clear - I don't want to do away with mythic rares and/or chase cards.  I simply want to tweak their rarity a tad so that more players can experience those same feelings I do.  Thirty dollar mythic chase rares are fine by me and I know that you'll still be excited when you crack one open.  But fifty dollar, tournament staples offer only diminishing returns on that same, exact,  feeling.  Alienating the kitchen table, every-man, Magic player is precisely the wrong approach to selling Magic cards.

Special thanks to MTGMintCard for providing us with such Mythic images of Worldwake Mythics!