Multiple Base Sets/Completion Packs

By Maliseraph, in The Plugged-in Tour

Just an observation that jumped out at me:

Every single winner on the tour so far had to have access to multiple core sets to make both their Runner and Corp decks. Some had to have access to three.

My understanding of a Living Card Game is that you buy the base set once and any expansion once (or at most once per person you play with) and you are good to go.

I don't begrudge the winners, but I think it emphasizes how nice it would be to be able to buy a "Completion Pack" (name it what you will) that would provide the last one or two copies of cards from the core set, without having to buy three copies of the core set itself.

I don't think that would break the economics of the game being sold, as a reasonable price point could be set, perhaps with an extra or two of alternate art and/or a copy of the then current FAQ. Or perhaps require a proof of purchase.

I would buy that. I think many others would too. I understand there were limitations on the original/pilot release, but it might be time to fix that.

All this submitted with all due respect for a game that I love, and developers who are working hard to keep it awesome.

The Neutral Cards from multiple Core Sets allow them to build multiple decks, test multiple strategies, and try new combinations. FFG would not even break even selling Completion Packs. Tournament Winners don't need them and casual players won't buy enough of them.

From conversation with the developers on the tour, it sounded like they were considering doing it if the demand existed.

Thus, please speak up if you would buy the product.

Side Note: it is not neutral cards that I am referring to (which mostly had 3 copies in the core set to begin with), but rather multiple copies of "uncommon/rare" cards, such as Astroscript Pilot Program, Scorched Earth, Desperado, Djinn, SanSan City Grid and such. Most players seem to agree a second copy of the core set is essential to playing the game competitively at all.

I'd certainly consider a completion pack, and know many others who feel the same.

At the same time however, I own two core sets and would happily buy a third to be able to make more decks simultaneously without proxying cards, so it could go both ways.

From conversation with the developers on the tour, it sounded like they were considering doing it if the demand existed.

Thus, please speak up if you would buy the product.

Side Note: it is not neutral cards that I am referring to (which mostly had 3 copies in the core set to begin with), but rather multiple copies of "uncommon/rare" cards, such as Astroscript Pilot Program, Scorched Earth, Desperado, Djinn, SanSan City Grid and such. Most players seem to agree a second copy of the core set is essential to playing the game competitively at all.

It is. And so is a third. But after you cut the third SanSan and the third Desperado from your decks because you don't need them, you'll see how desperately you needed 9xHedge Fund.

As the owner of just a single core, I would buy a completion pack. I would not, however, buy three cores at this point.

Further, I am not sure if I'll buy a second; I would like two copies of a few cards: SanSan, Corporate Troubleshooter, and Consoles come to mind, but I'm not convinced they are required.

At the recent tournament all I had were a couple data packs and one core and still felt competitive (regardless, I had fun, and beat the GRNDL deck with essentially one core set). But again, I would buy a completion pack, but won't buy a third core, might buy a second, and certainly don't expect a pack.

One final note: I do appreciate that the Alternate Art card I've gotten (Scorched Earth) is one of the "2 ofs" from the core. I haven't looked into the other alternate art cards but if they use the "1 ofs" and "2 ofs" I think that's a great midpoint. Unfortunately, I just found a store that actually has LCG league nights, and know that many players do not have that service available and thus it is not a perfect solution.

Edit: Don't forget to reset the Core Set Missing Cards Clock.

Edited by VTSvsAlucard

From conversation with the developers on the tour, it sounded like they were considering doing it if the demand existed.

Thus, please speak up if you would buy the product.

Side Note: it is not neutral cards that I am referring to (which mostly had 3 copies in the core set to begin with), but rather multiple copies of "uncommon/rare" cards, such as Astroscript Pilot Program, Scorched Earth, Desperado, Djinn, SanSan City Grid and such. Most players seem to agree a second copy of the core set is essential to playing the game competitively at all.

Really? I doubt that. Their CEO has clearly said that is not going to happen, and I've heard multiple people, including at least two designers say that the numbers just don't add up. This was a while ago when everything was coming out of China and I know that they are now doing some of their printing in-house. I suppose the number may be better for them now, but I have serious questions on what kind of numbers they'd need to make it something they would consider for POD. And if the profit margin is high enough to make it worthwhile if the price wouldn't be too high.

I think that releasing a completion pack might be a smart move on FFG's part. I imagine here's what a lot of new players would do: buy the core, buy the completion pack...and then, after feeling the desire to have more than two decks at one time, wind up buying 1-2 extra cores anyway. New players think that they'll only want 3 copies (at most) of any one card, but switching those cards in and out of decks can be a pain. I even know a few players who buy extra copies of expansions ...just so they can have, for example, Plascrete Carapace in two decks at the same time.

Edited by skwizzle

Course I bought a second core just for the extra copy. I don't mind rebuilding decks because I find lists a bit more portable than another set of cards. And I'm already lugging around the other cards.

They could premium the stuff with alt art.

Is Fantasy Flight ripping us off?

I can't see how they are not.

Data packs contain 3 x identities

Only need one copy sooooo that's paper they could use to complete the core sets.

I have tried to get others involved With game' but once they realized they needed 120 to get just core cards rather than 40 they laughed in my face. And pointed out how it is indisputably a scam.

I have one core c a c and 5 data packs.

And if I want To play with other people I have to spend 80 more just to play 3 "San San" or whatever

Soooo

I am very much debating quitting and throwing my stuff into the eBay world which would take sales from FF but

This has to be fixed.

Core set 3x for each

Otherwise it is a scam.

Looking out for fellow gamers

It's not a scam, because the card lists are available before purchase.

I own two Core sets. I'd like three, but I don't feel my decks suffer enormously for only having 2x SanSan or 2x Grimoire.

You deckbuild according to your cardpool. If your deck requires cards you don't have, you build a different deck.

I would definitely buy a completion pack.

Not to support necroposting, but I've said it before and I'll say it again: FFG will never print a product whose sole reason for existence is undercutting sales of the central item of the product line. At this late date, with all the other cards available in the card pool, two cores is generally sufficient.

Try playing Conquest or AGOT2e, whose core sets are mostly 1x cards (and thus, a much better value for your money.)

Eh, it's nice to have an excuse to bust this out occasionally :P

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