I just bought a Kron the Undying today for 48$, max level. I had my eyes on this card for a while, but until now the price just didn't seem right. Still, even at 48$, the ROI from renting it is not that great, compared to Modern cards. I also picked up more cards, a lot cheaper than Kron. I have been doing this for a while, adding a nice blend of bulk and quality to my collection.
So why did I do this, if the ROI isn't great? This is a strategy of believing in the game long term, and I want to acquire some of the strongest cards in the game that are already out of Modern. Being in Wild, and given the current state of the game, some of these amazing carry cards are at the lowest point they have ever been. Meanwhile, Modern cards are relatively expensive, and we can all expect a drop in rental value and card prices once they shift out of Modern, but for Wild cards, they will just carry on into the future, and they have much more upside, in my view.
Think of it this way: if Splinterlands has its moment one day, and goes mainstream, the majority of new players will flock to Modern, but some will also buy (cheaper) Wild cards and contribute to raising the floor of ANY max level card, regardless of edition. This could happen at any time in the future, but there is also another dynamic at play, regardless of wether new players join the game. That is, with every set that is released now and in the future, the Wild meta will become tougher, and over time only the very best cards will shine through, and allow players to reach Champion. Five sets from now, Kron the Undying will still be a relevant card, but the vast majority of cards in Wild simply won't cut it, if you want to reach the top.
I'm not saying everybody needs to rush to buy the most expensive Wild cards out there. You still need to be smart about it, and know the card market as well as a Wall Street broker knows his stocks. My modus operandi is basically this: If I see a card that seems so undervalued that I will remember in the future, "when this card was only X $", then I probably have to think about buying it. "I remember when Kron was 48$, I remember when Kain Hace was 11$." That is today, so I decided to lock in the price and buy now.
In the short term, if the price bumps I can always flip and get more cards, but what I want to focus here is the long term. It is a trend for players to eventually "retire" into Wild, after they are done chasing the Modern meta. It is normal. Additionally, it is normal to get tired of manual play, especially with the volume you have to play (25 games a day + tournaments + brawls). I'm the kind of guy who gets tired of a game after 1 month, but I never get tired of my Splinterlands investment, my rental business and land. That's work, not play, but it is fun work. The kind of work that doesn't get old. It is gamified work. And that's the long term vision I believe in, and I think the masses will catch up one day. This is the moment to take advantage of, at least in my opinion.
If you wait until the floor for a max level Splinterlands card of any edition is at 15$, that means the elite cards will probably be back in the hundreds of dollars. And think of the leverage you will have in that future, if you hold all of the elite units and archons that the older editions have to offer. Some of the very best cards in Chaos and Untamed are around the 50$ mark, and that is not the case for Rebellion and Conclave cards. The pool of available cards in Wild will always grow, but those standout cards from earlier sets will still be at or near the top. Because they were designed that way. Kron was always designed to dominate, and even if similar 10 mana cards keep coming out, I don't see a scenario where having a Kron doesn't help you win. On the other hand, cards like Twilight Basilisk or Blood Maker will not age like fine wine, they will be relegated to the bargain bin.
This is the vision I wanted to communicate in this blog. The diamonds in the rough will only shine brighter as time progresses, and Wild will slowly go from the "cheap" format to the "premium" format, the place where top players go at each other with the best cards ever produced. That's why I'm not shifting from Wild, I'm here and I believe in the long term vision of the game. Of course, I still bought a lot of modern cards for the rental value, but knowing full well they will depreciate one day. This blog is not to convince you to stay away from Modern from an ROI standpoint, but I am pointing out the value in Wild cards, and how it seems to be more stable, from cards that are already proven in the meta, and are undeniably elite, like Kron.
Let me know what you think in the comments, and thanks for reading as always!