I used to keep up on the most current sets of Magic. A new set would come out and I'd rush to any store that would sell them to crack open some new cards (and Oh! that new card smell...). It's part of the reason I have such a large collection. But after a while (say, post Mirrodin...), I stopped buying so many cards. Not surprising, really; about that time, I was in college for a while, no real job, no more allowance from Mom and Dad, then I started bouncing from place to place (don't ask...), so buying Magic cards had to take a back seat until I got my act together. In fact, I really didn't start purchasing cards again until Time Spiral came out, and did I love the ever-loving hell out of that set/block. But even then, I have never gotten back to my old buying habits. In the end, it's probably for the best...
The previous paragraph was for the following statement: Pro-Tour players buy specific, powerful cards to make specific, powerful decks to compete against specific, powerful decks. Despite previous dreams to the contrary, I have never been nor will I ever be amongst this group of Magic players. I have neither the time nor the resources nor the desire anymore to become that obsessed with Magic. To win at the tournaments, you gotta have the best strategies and the best deck with the best cards, regardless of cost. I love the game, don't get me wrong. But I don't love the game like this. Case and point: when I go to prereleases (the only Magic tournament I ever frequent...), I look out for the dollar rare box for fun and exciting cards to round out my collection or to make a quirky deck idea I've been kicking around. I will not spend dealer price for Magic cards (150.00 dollars for a Bird of Paradise [a couple years ago] is just ridiculous...). Once I saw a guy trade a huge stack (probably well over 100...) of cards AND drop 30 bucks for one card. In this game, I'll always take quantity over quality, thank you very much...
BUT (there is always a but...), I would be remiss if I did not mention a moment in my life that I did indeed pay merchant price for an individual card. The card in question is pictured: Force of Nature. As a youngling, I felt a very visceral reaction to the card itself; The name is killer, he looks like the Hulk with a Predator head, he's a huge trampling creature with a unique cost (I'm a sucker for huge uniqeness...). In the late 90's, I paid 8.00 dollars American for that piece of cardboard. I doubt I've even played with it 10 times because the actual execution of the card in game is not so good. He requires too much dedication in a deck that I don't normally build. I keep the card, though, as a reminder: Don't waste your money on cards with little practical application. Magic, in the end, is merely a game and you have to get more out of it than what you pay for it. Buy the Force of Nature is one of the few times I can say that I have not gotten what I've paid for. Lesson learned...
