The GW comparison gets so tiresome. OF COURSE GW games are outrageously priced. Everyone knows that. But it's not an either/or choice. This is the mid-range cost game company. There are others that are far cheaper. Some of those produce equally strong products in terms of quality, and have components that provide "recyclable game funds." LCGs for all their praise lack that option.
What I'm saying is if you are upset about needing 3 cores, wait six months. People will dump their cards for a loss on ebay and you can get that third core on the cheap.
I play Lord of the Rings and had 2 core sets for the longest time. I did eventually get a third core, but as more packs and expansions come out, I find myself using fewer and fewer of the original cards. So I will get a second core (kicking myself for not buying a second one at GC) and then wait to see what happens with the first few expansions.
This is a great game, on the level of X-Wing or LotR. Not sure how I'm going to swing a third monthly expense for a game but I've got some time to figure it out.