Pack to Moat, week 9

Hello everyone! If you thought the last 2 weeks were epic, we're going for the triple crown here! (especially considering a traded for a VERY special card you can find about 6 trades down!) This past weekend there was a 1K being hosted by Toys, and while I was not able to play because of a school orientation, I was able to arrive during the fourth round and do a ton of trading! But without further ado, here are the trades!

March 28, 2012

My:
Clifftop Retreat (2.90)
Blackcleave Cliffs (7.49)
Hellrider (2.67)
Day of Judgement (2.68)
Grafdigger's Cage (3.79)

His:
Solemn Simulacrum (7.77)
FOIL Grafdigger's Cage (16.00)

Net: +4.24

I decided at the beginning of the week I would focus on bulking up individual card values a little bit. Foil Grafdigger's cage was a $50 card when it first came out because everyone thought it was going to be a huge legacy staple. It hasn't completely matriculated into the format yet, but I expect the card will go to someone who likes to foil out their decks some time soon. Solemn Simulacrum as been going down slowly, but I really don't know why. Ramp is still a deck, but now Birthing Pod is starting to see some play too, where Simulacrum is a fantastic role-player.

March 29, 2012

My:
Command Tower (2.22)

His:
2x Day of Judgement (2.68)

Net: +3.14

This is a pretty straightforward trade, just trying to turn something that's fairly niche into a couple staples.

March 30, 2012

My:
Cabal Therapy (5.84)
6th Edition City of Brass (5.00)

His:
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben (3.74)
Hymn to Tourach (1.86)
2x Splinter Twin (4.12, 8.24)

Net: +3.00

One of the guys who I have started playing a lot more Magic with recently has decided to invest in making a legacy Dredge deck. I am very happy to be his loyal supplier for cards! This is the same guy who went for the Ichorid and Cabal Therapy back in week 5 (and ironically enough he traded me a Splinter Twin back then too!) I will be on the constant lookout for Dredge cards because I know I have a loyal buyer on them.

My:
Gravecrawler (9.22)
Phyrexian Obliterator (27.08)
Geralf's Messenger (8.38)

His:
2x Elspeth vs Tezzeret Elspeth, Knight-Errant (20.25, 40.50)
FOIL Intangible Virtue (3.00)
3x Celestial Colonnade [signed by artist] (2.67, 8.01)

Net: +6.83

I felt it was a bit of a risk taking on the Elspeths because I don't know them to be played in anything. However the normal ones are going for 30, so it has to be seeing play somewhere! Foil Intangible Virtue fells like an awesome pickup now that token decks are getting more popular every day. Lastly, Celestial Colonnade is for Modern Tron, though I don't actually know if that deck is seeing much play nowadays.... Regardless, the meat of the trade is the Elspeths, so hopefully I can get something awesome for them!

My:
2x Elspeth vs Tezzeret Elspeth, Knight-Errant (20.25, 40.50)

His:
Birds of Paradise (3.72)
Vendilion Clique (32.91)
Chrome Mox (13.54)
Net: +9.67

Well it didn't take long for the Elspeths to get snagged! What is even more exciting than quickly moving Elspeths is the Vendilion Clique I got in return! Clique is such a huge card right now! I expect there to be a huge trade in this card's future! Chrome Mox and Birds are also solid niche cards, so I am thoroughly pleased with the success of this trade! This one happened at almost midnight after FNM, and he valued his Chrome Mox at 9 without looking up the value, so that's how I was able to snag such a good deal on it!

March 31, 2012

My:
Birds of Paradise (3.72)
Phyrexian Obliterator (27.08)
Vendilion Clique (32.91)

His:
Ratchet Bomb (7.86)
Badlands (48.49)

Net: -7.36

Now this trade obviously led to some strong personal controversy. I would not have been able to do this trade unless I valued my Obliterator at 22, which is where the deficit came from (and the trade then came out "even"). I think moving Obliterator was a very important move as it is not very widely playable, so with Avacyn Restored coming out soon I want to set myself up so I can trade what the newest hype (SCG Providence, which I plan on attending, is on AVR release weekend). On the other hand, Vendilion Clique is such a huge staple in Legacy right now, it's unbelievable! However, I felt that having a Dual Land (unless if it's named Plateau) was very important, and just having a $50 card in general is a very powerful tool to have at my disposal. This card is big enough that I can really leverage a good trade for something even bigger like a Karakas or Gaea's Cradle, or a package of $30-40 cards that really help bulk things up.

My:
Ravenous Demon (0.44)

His:
2x Stromkirk Captain (1.05, 2.10)
Immerwolf (0.77)
Diregraf Captain (1.07)

Net: +4.57

This trade was obviously a gift. As I was explaining my project to a small group of guys before passing around the binders roulette, one of them acknowledged he didn't really have a binder on him, but he wanted to help me along, so we set up this trade. I appreciate receiving free pseudo-playables, but now I have 3 Stromkirk Captains! Regardless, I did get a Diregraf Captain in the bunch which is my second, and is seeing play. I just have to hope for some nutty Vampire cards in AVR and all of a sudden these Captains become hot again!

My:
Birds of Paradise (3.72)
Ratchet Bomb (7.86)
Solemn Simulacrum (7.77)
Phantasmal Image (14.85)

His:
Garruk Relentless (12.97)
Mirran Crusader (4.94)
2x Gravecrawler (9.22)

Net: +2.15

This trade was one that took 3 rounds to work out, because every time we would start negotiating, the next round of the tournament would begin, and he would have to go. Then finally I went and got food, and when I came back, the next round was 10 minutes in! All the while I had received 2 other offers on Phantasmal Image, but I politely declined noting there was someone else already qued up. Finally we were able to meet, and Iwork out this deal!

My:
2x Diregraf Captain (1.07, 2.14)

His:
Woodland Cemetery (4.94)

Net: +2.80

This was from another guy in the group I mentioned when I traded for the 4 uncommon Lords. He also didn't have much of anything, so he actually said "pick anything out of MY binder that you want, and I will pick something to match." The only playable non-bulk card in his binder was the dual land, and that was that!

My:
Garruk Relentless (12.97)
2x Woodland Cemetery (4.94, 9.88)
Gravecrawler (9.22)

His:
2x Phantasmal Image (14.85, 29.70)
Hellrider (2.67)
Hinterland Harbor (3.90)
Bloodgift Demon (0.81)
Labratory Maniac (0.53)
2x Moldgraf Monstrosity (0.32, 0.64)
Darksteel Juggernaught (0.39)
Myr Superion (1.52)

Net: +8.09

One final trade with the group of gents that had been very generous thus far. This trade was finalized with just the 2 Images, Harbor, and Hellrider, but as I was setting up the shot, he pulled out every piece of bulk he had 2 or more of in his binder, and tossed in all the extras. Those cards added 3.89 to the trade, so even without them, I was still netting 4.20. Unfortunately, right as I finished this trade I looked for those who had been requesting the Images, but they had all already left.

April 1, 2012

My:
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben (3.74)

His:
Torpor Orb (0.71)
Dryad Arbor (3.44)
Blade Splicer (3.41)

Net: +3.82

This trade was all about a slight misunderstanding of values. I put Arbor and Splicer at 3, and Thalia at 4, so it seemed like a perfectly fine trade. I was forced to receive the Torpor Orb as a part of this trade, and we just valued it at 0. However, every 50 cents does matter, especially when you're grinding your way up the ladder!

11 Trades

Week 9 Net: +40.95

WOW! I actually take back what I said at the beginning.... this was an INSANE week! And this need includes losing almost 8 dollars while getting the Badlands! If it weren't for that, I would have netted 48.31! I was thoroughly pleased with how this week went! I crossed to $200 mark over the weekend, and the binder is currently valued at about $220, so I am setting myself up for the end game. This next week I don't think I will play any magic. I have a college finance meeting on Wednesday, and then it is holy weekend. I am a practicing catholic, so I will skip all weekend events to attend Good Friday Mass through Easter Mass. After 9 weeks, I think I can afford a vacation! But that's all I have for today! Until next time, stay classy!

Ryan Lackie
Ryan.Lackie92@gmail.com
@ThingsILack