eBay insanity for May 2011

This is messed up right here: cgi.ebay.com/VAMPIRE-ETERNAL-STRUGGLE-SABBAT-WAR-STARTER-DECK-/150592302620 Kevin M., Prince of Las Vegas "Know your enemy and know yourself; in one-thousand battles you shall never be in peril." -- Sun Tzu, *The Art of War* "Contentment...Complacency...Catastrophe!" -- Joseph Chevalier Please visit VTESville daily! vtesville.myminicity.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/129744447064017

The thing that spins me out is that the price isn't in Canadian Roubles dollars... $85US + shipping???? Retired Baron of Sydney, Australia, 418

omfg ... that is horrible. More evidence that your deck need not be good in order to win: thelasombra.com/decks/twd.htm#2011tottco

> Dervish wrote: > omfg ... that is horrible. > No, No, wait! the shippimg is FREE!

I remember buying them $8 when they were reprinted. I still have some !Brujah sealed starters, let's say for $80. Anyone interested? Prince of Paris, France Ratings Coordinator, Rules Director

I play Archon Investigation ... B) National Coordinator Germany nc [dot] germany [at] magenta [dot] de

I don't know what you're complaining about, that's less than $1 per card.

> Juggernaut1981 wrote: > The thing that spins me out is that the price isn't in Canadian Roubles dollars... $85US + shipping???? > Canadian dollar has been higher than US since January.

It remains a price, and not a bid. That lowers the number of crazy people down to 1 (or 2, if someone actually buys that).

I have almost every starter still together for teaching new players, but I'd part with them for $65 heh More evidence that your deck need not be good in order to win: thelasombra.com/decks/twd.htm#2011tottco

let me entertain you more: old-school link new-school madness: cheers -alf <INSERT CLEVER QUOTATION HERE>

> alf wrote: > let me entertain you more: > old-school link > new-school madness: > > <snipped> > > cheers > -alf > I bid till about 40 USD. I really wanted to have one, as there are virtually none on sale or trade. I think that this auction perfectly reflects supply and demand for Summon History. Who would want to part with that card? Really? pckvtes.wordpress.com

But there´s an Distraction in it, and it distracts people to pay up? www.thelasombra.com/decks/precon_brujah_a.htm "My strategy? Luck is my strategy, of course."

> Amenophobis wrote: > > I bid till about 40 USD. I really wanted to have one, as there are virtually none on sale or trade. > > I think that this auction perfectly reflects supply and demand for Summon History. > Who would want to part with that card? Really? > I own six. If you like I'd sell them for 360 USD to you. Holy moly, I'm rich . Baron of Frankfurt

> Joscha wrote: > > > Amenophobis wrote: > > > > I bid till about 40 USD. I really wanted to have one, as there are virtually none on sale or trade. > > > > I think that this auction perfectly reflects supply and demand for Summon History. > > Who would want to part with that card? Really? > > > I own six. If you like I'd sell them for 360 USD to you. Holy moly, I'm rich . > I'm curious. How did you manage to obtain 6? Buying lots of displays or trading from noobs? pckvtes.wordpress.com

I have 9 copies, want more 5. I also known more 2 players that have 9 copies each one too. I take mines when expansion start, I buy 5 copies with cheap price and trade the other 4 with other players. And this cards is very difficult to get buying displays, I sell displays here in brazil, have selled at least 30 displays from this expansion and less than 10 came with Summon History. My friend Willian open 4 displays and no Summon History. As a seller I think the 2 most difficult cards to give in a display is Enkil Cog, Summon History and some Legacies cards too. Enkil Cog is very expensive too, I see a ebay auction end for 81 dolares. I'm thinking in sell someones in near future. Fernando Cesar - Sydnelson LackeyCCG and OCTGN VtES Mantainer Prince of Rio de Janeiro Powerbase Rio de Janeiro

> Sydnelson wrote: > I have 9 copies, want more 5. > > I also known more 2 players that have 9 copies each one too. > > I atke mines when expansion start, I buy 5 copies with cheap price and trade the other 4 I tarde with other players. > > And this cards is very difficult to get buying displays, I sell isplays in brazil, I have selled at least 30 displays from this expansions and less than 10 came with Summon History. My friend Willian open 4 displays and no Summon History. > > As a seller I think the 2 most difficult cards to give in a display is Enkil Cog an Summon History, an some Legacies cards too. > > Enkil Cog is very expensive too, I see a auction end for 81 dolares. I'm thinking in sell someones in near future. > Why do you think this card is so extremely rare/sought? Is it overpowered? Does is enable decks that can win tables (too) easily? pckvtes.wordpress.com

It's just a card you need like 7-10 of to use. Apparently everyone wants to build Summon trick decks, which are fun, but hardly competitive. I don't really get why people want more than 1 or 2 Cogs. For that one Saulot/khobar towers deck? So they don't have to move it between decks? The card is nice, don't get me wrong, but hardly as good as people tend to think.

> Izaak wrote: > It's just a card you need like 7-10 of to use. Apparently everyone wants to build Summon trick decks, which are fun, but hardly competitive. > > I don't really get why people want more than 1 or 2 Cogs. For that one Saulot/khobar towers deck? So they don't have to move it between decks? The card is nice, don't get me wrong, but hardly as good as people tend to think. > In my experience you can get a lot of useful cards by trading a marginally useful chase rare. This is why I traded Enkil Cog, Ashurs and Preternatural Strengths. Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one. -Friedrich Nietzsche brandonsantacruz.blogspot.com/

> Amenophobis wrote: > > > Sydnelson wrote: > > I have 9 copies, want more 5. > > > > I also known more 2 players that have 9 copies each one too. > > > > I atke mines when expansion start, I buy 5 copies with cheap price and trade the other 4 I tarde with other players. > > > > And this cards is very difficult to get buying displays, I sell isplays in brazil, I have selled at least 30 displays from this expansions and less than 10 came with Summon History. My friend Willian open 4 displays and no Summon History. > > > > As a seller I think the 2 most difficult cards to give in a display is Enkil Cog an Summon History, an some Legacies cards too. > > > > Enkil Cog is very expensive too, I see a auction end for 81 dolares. I'm thinking in sell someones in near future. > > > Why do you think this card is so extremely rare/sought? Is it overpowered? Does is enable decks that can win tables (too) easily? > I don't think Enkil Cog is overpower, it is only hard to get and very usefull. I have 13 copies 7 in a single deck to came fast and other 6 spread in other decks. I have more than 50 decks and I don't like exchange cards from than. I want to make 2 Summon History decks, each one with 14 Summon History, looking for prices and trades difficults to get this card I think in the best way in that case is exchange cards over this 2 decks. Fernando Cesar - Sydnelson LackeyCCG and OCTGN VtES Mantainer Prince of Rio de Janeiro Powerbase Rio de Janeiro

> Amenophobis wrote: > > I'm curious. How did you manage to obtain 6? Buying lots of displays or trading from noobs? > I found two of them in my displays, bought two at ebay (somewhere around 15 USD that days, if I only knew the prizes today I would have bought more of course) and traded two in, which was a hard struggle an cost me around 10 useful rares. (Edit: It were only 8 Rares). But to be honest: Although it is fun to play Summon History (I love to summon a Remnant of the Storm and attack with him right away) I really don't see why this card is that hard chased. Baron of Frankfurt

> Joscha wrote: > I really don't see why this card is that hard chased. > It's a rare card that does something unique in a somewhat powerful manner. Jussi Hattara Webmaster Extraordinaire Finnish Politics!

> jhattara wrote: > > > Joscha wrote: > > I really don't see why this card is that hard chased. > > > It's a rare card that does something unique in a somewhat powerful manner. > In other words: design flaw. A card that is powerful, does something unique and will definitely need multiples of in a deck, it should have been a common and not a rare. pckvtes.wordpress.com

> Amenophobis wrote: > In other words: design flaw. A card that is powerful, does something unique and will definitely need multiples of in a deck, it should have been a common and not a rare. > I agree it is somewhat overpowered, but that last bit I don´t get. Isn´t the producer supposed to wanna sell boosters, ie by making a rare much sought after? And I rather draw another of a card I need many of than my 20th copy of Giant´s Blood. "My strategy? Luck is my strategy, of course."

> Ashur wrote: > > > Amenophobis wrote: > > In other words: design flaw. A card that is powerful, does something unique and will definitely need multiples of in a deck, it should have been a common and not a rare. > > > I agree it is somewhat overpowered, but that last bit I don´t get. Isn´t the producer supposed to wanna sell boosters, ie by making a rare much sought after? And I rather draw another of a card I need many of than my 20th copy of Giant´s Blood. > Giant's Blood is very popular and I could give away copies on a regular basis if I had enough. (But that's beside the point.) The combination of: a higly useful card, that you need multiple copies of to make it work such a card in the rare slot, where you are ensured to have few copies of that card will make players hunt for that card unnecessarily. In the past, such cards had been (mostly) assigned to the common slots in boosters (e.g. Shadow Twin - wait, another useful non-reprinted card...). Either the powerlevel of Summon History was underestimated (which infers either not enough playtesting or deaf ears of designers), or it was accepted that there would be MTG-like "chase" cards in the set. Both explanations leave a bad taste in my mouth. pckvtes.wordpress.com

> Ashur wrote: > > > Amenophobis wrote: > > In other words: design flaw. A card that is powerful, does something unique and will definitely need multiples of in a deck, it should have been a common and not a rare. > > > I agree it is somewhat overpowered, but that last bit I don´t get. Isn´t the producer supposed to wanna sell boosters, ie by making a rare much sought after? And I rather draw another of a card I need many of than my 20th copy of Giant´s Blood. > In the past WW often printed hard sought cards in new sets or even in Starters to up their availability. That was a very kind move IMHO. So they are decisively NOT like the designers of the other game, what I appreciate. Baron of Frankfurt

> Either the powerlevel of Summon History was underestimated (which infers either not enough playtesting or deaf ears of designers) > Summon History is not a powerful card. It's a unique effect, sure. It's arguably a powerful effect, sure. The card is hardly powerful. There is zero need for everyone to have 10. It being a rare is good. The argument you IMO should be trying to make is "HttB had too many rares".

> Amenophobis wrote: > Either the powerlevel of Summon History was underestimated (which infers either not enough playtesting or deaf ears of designers) > It was not. A Summon History deck has won exactly 1 tournament, and it was a 15 player tournament. The $ price of a card does not make it overpowered. > > Izaak wrote: > The argument you IMO should be trying to make is "HttB had too many rares". > And too many of them are Blood Tempering

> Non-existant user wrote: > And too many of them are Blood Tempering > Baron of Frankfurt

are we allowed to discuss HTTB playtesting yet? either way, I don't think Summon History is overpowered, with its blood costs. if you only have 1 copy, use it to fetch a Remnant or Dog Pack or whatever, for toolboxy flavor. or discard it. if you play with 10 copies, your first action has to be to summon the Ankara Citadel just to afford playing the card one more time. and then you need a blood refill engine or you're stuck. it does cool stuff but it can easily fall apart. another way to get big vampires for free: transfer them out and then Villein them. oh yeah, I guess that's what the "Girls..." decks are about. likewise, Enkil Cog kinda sucks unless your big 10-pool vampire can untap, so they either need to be Masika or able to play Freak Drives. which goes to show that Freak Drive still rocks.

Only 2 left hurry! Bargain... cgi.ebay.co.uk/Enkil-Cog-KoT-VTES-JYHAD-CCG-/280692622981?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415a958685

> protean wrote: > Only 2 left hurry! Bargain... > > cgi.ebay.co.uk/Enkil-Cog-KoT-VTES-JYHAD-CCG-/280692622981?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415a958685 > Umm... you can buy a decent collection for that! I have a very hard time believing that the card is that good. This isn't a M:tG Black Lotus we're talking about here. Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one. -Friedrich Nietzsche brandonsantacruz.blogspot.com/

Ummm really? 450... Really? I'll just sell all my Enkil Cogs and buy Microsoft. Eat my Enkil Cogs Bill! klubtitanatlas.hr/ former NC for Croatia

is there any insane psycho drugged collectionist freak who would really buy Enkil Cog for 450$ ? now I have enough reasons to lose faith on humanity. forceofpersonality.blogspot.com

> Kerath wrote: > is there any insane psycho drugged collectionist freak who would really buy Enkil Cog for 450$ ? > No. Do not jump yet. EDIT: On a second thought, maybe it is time to lose faith: cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300569002443&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

> brandonsantacruz wrote: > > > protean wrote: > > Only 2 left hurry! Bargain... > > > > cgi.ebay.co.uk/Enkil-Cog-KoT-VTES-JYHAD-CCG-/280692622981?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415a958685 > > > Umm... you can buy a decent collection for that! I have a very hard time believing that the card is that good. This isn't a M:tG Black Lotus we're talking about here. > Hey guys! If this gets bought, lets ban the card the next day /

> Non-existant user wrote: > On a second thought, maybe it is time to lose faith: > cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300569002443&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT > B) I don't know, but this is a strong card that hasn't been reprinted even once. 32 USD doesn't strike me as extremely overprices, though I have to admit that I stopped bidding around 20 USD. pckvtes.wordpress.com

Draught of the soul? Really? If you think 32 dollars is much for it, then check this out! : cgi.ebay.co.uk/Draught-Soul-BL-VTES-JYHAD-CCG-/280692622413?_trksid=p4340.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BIEW%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D300569002443%252B300569002443%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D851343277233745963

Impressive. OTOH I can offer a Mercy for the weak for 100 USD too. That doesn't mean that anybody buys it. I doubt that the guys get what they hope for. Baron of Frankfurt

> Pendargon wrote: > Draught of the soul? Really? > If you think 32 dollars is much for it, then check this out! : > > cgi.ebay.co.uk/Draught-Soul-BL-VTES-JYHAD-CCG-/280692622413?_trksid=p4340.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BIEW%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D300569002443%252B300569002443%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D851343277233745963 > This is the same seller as the Enkil Cogs. I suspect he's just taking a wild shot at somebody to pay such big amount and prices will drop sooner or later ... -alf <INSERT CLEVER QUOTATION HERE>

According to a Spanish player who has contacted bik_76 (the ebayer who is trying to sell an Enkil Cog for $449), he told him that putting such a high price for Enkil Cog was a marketing decision so that people talk about him. V:EKN Website Coordinator

> Damnans wrote: > According to a Spanish player who has contacted bik_76 (the ebayer who is trying to sell an Enkil Cog for $449), and he told him that putting such a high price for Enkil Cog was a marketing decision so that people talk about him. > Was he using iron during the conversation with bik_76? NC Russia

> elotar wrote: > > Was he using iron during the conversation with bik_76? > No. He was using the internet V:EKN Website Coordinator

> Damnans wrote: > According to a Spanish player who has contacted bik_76 (the ebayer who is trying to sell an Enkil Cog for $449), he told him that putting such a high price for Enkil Cog was a marketing decision so that people talk about him. > I mean wtf? I was considering that seller as an idiot. Is that the kind of attention he likes to get? Baron of Frankfurt

There's non such thing as bad publicity. B)

> Brum wrote: > There's non such thing as bad publicity. B) > Says who? Of course there is . Baron of Frankfurt

For a while, the "bad publicity" model worked very well for online eyeglass vendor described in the link below. Even after Google changed their search relevancy model, he would have been doing ok if it hadn't been for the fact that some of his ways of getting bad publicity were illegal... www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/business/28borker.html VtES store : www.prunesquallor.net Card supplies & games : stores.ebay.com/Prunesquallors-Secret-Cache

I doubt that his bad publicity won him more customers than satisfied people would have done. Bad enough that bad publ. seems to give you advantages for google searches. I often ask my mates what they know of a seller before I buy something, on the net or outside. If nobody can tell sth. good I'm very cautious. (Of course I'm not saying that this particular bik_76 is a fraud!) Baron of Frankfurt

I've ordered from bik_76 at least five times because of his flat rate shipping and good stock, and I've never had any problems. Some of his prices are naturally ridiculous, but others are lower than you'll find at any other store - and if you're ordering a bunch, the flat rate helps a lot. So I would recommend him. ...Not that that's what we're talking about here, I realize, but still.

Looking for more overpriced VTES products? Then I have the proper offer for you: VTES Players Kit on Amazon

> extrala wrote: > Looking for more overpriced VTES products? Then I have the proper offer for you: VTES Players Kit on Amazon > I especially like how the new/list price of $24.99 is crossed out, with their "used" price underneath!

Ok, I found a new one, far, far worse: cgi.ebay.com/Vampire-Eternal-Struggle-300-cards-Malkavian-Decks-/110724828202 Kevin M., Prince of Las Vegas "Know your enemy and know yourself; in one-thousand battles you shall never be in peril." -- Sun Tzu, *The Art of War* "Contentment...Complacency...Catastrophe!" -- Joseph Chevalier Please visit VTESville daily! vtesville.myminicity.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/129744447064017

> KevinM wrote: > Ok, I found a new one, far, far worse: > > cgi.ebay.com/Vampire-Eternal-Struggle-300-cards-Malkavian-Decks-/110724828202 > It seems like this person's thinking is based in other ccg's. They probably thought "Fifty cents a card? Some cards are 10 years, or so, old. That's not a bad price." (At least that's my theory.)

> TorranceCircle wrote: > > > KevinM wrote: > > Ok, I found a new one, far, far worse: > > > > cgi.ebay.com/Vampire-Eternal-Struggle-300-cards-Malkavian-Decks-/110724828202 > > > It seems like this person's thinking is based in other ccg's. They probably thought "Fifty cents a card? Some cards are 10 years, or so, old. That's not a bad price." (At least that's my theory.) > Yeah, that's probably what he thought. But I can't understand why he didn't look it up before hand. It's not that hard.

No eBay APP ID défined in Kunena configurationHere comes a new challenger!

No eBay APP ID défined in Kunena configurationNo eBay APP ID défined in Kunena configuration > > Non-existant user wrote: > Here comes a new challenger! > At least that is within the realm of being reasonable. If you want something completely unreasonable, check this out: Kevin M., Prince of Las Vegas "Know your enemy and know yourself; in one-thousand battles you shall never be in peril." -- Sun Tzu, *The Art of War* "Contentment...Complacency...Catastrophe!" -- Joseph Chevalier Please visit VTESville daily! vtesville.myminicity.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/129744447064017

How is $46 for a single copy of a common card so much more reasonable than $200 for a full set of DS? What does make me sad is that people actually bid it up that high. If it is for casual play, just PROXY! Good luck trying to find more KoT booster boxes to get more of those.... Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one. -Friedrich Nietzsche brandonsantacruz.blogspot.com/

> brandonsantacruz wrote: > How is $46 for a single copy of a common card so much more reasonable than $200 for a full set of DS? > It's for two, not one. Kevin M., Prince of Las Vegas "Know your enemy and know yourself; in one-thousand battles you shall never be in peril." -- Sun Tzu, *The Art of War* "Contentment...Complacency...Catastrophe!" -- Joseph Chevalier Please visit VTESville daily! vtesville.myminicity.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/129744447064017

> KevinM wrote: > > > brandonsantacruz wrote: > > How is $46 for a single copy of a common card so much more reasonable than $200 for a full set of DS? > > > It's for two, not one. > Wow, now it´s suddenly reasonable! Both these offers are idiotic in my point of view. I wouldn´t pay anywhere close to those sums. "My strategy? Luck is my strategy, of course."

The Deep Song price is not an offer, it's a bid. There are at least 2 people willing to pay that price.

> KevinM wrote: > > > brandonsantacruz wrote: > > How is $46 for a single copy of a common card so much more reasonable than $200 for a full set of DS? > > > It's for two, not one. > Oh, you're right. Still, $23 dollars each is about 4x what I would consider paying for them. People do buy all kinds of stupid shit, though. Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one. -Friedrich Nietzsche brandonsantacruz.blogspot.com/

> brandonsantacruz wrote: > Oh, you're right. Still, $23 dollars each is about 4x what I would consider paying for them. People do buy all kinds of stupid shit, though. > Good luck paying 5 dollars for that item, also, Deep Song being labelled as common is kinda irrelevant at this point in time. As you've said people wont be able to find KoT boosters anywhere, I think the same applys to Heirs to the Blood Nosferatu/ Samedi deck which was the other option to get the card. You could argue on it being common before so there should be so many more copys of it than say Enkil Cog, but, the truth is... its a good card, requested by most players which play animalism, also the players which have them (Deep Songs) wont trade it unless for a really exceptional card.

Sucks specially for new players in countries with small communities. The only option is for the players with more cards to lend cards to other players for the Tournaments.

> Brum wrote: > Sucks specially for new players in countries with small communities. > The only option is for the players with more cards to lend cards to other players for the Tournaments. > ... and proxy the cards in the meantime. And not get ripped off. Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one. -Friedrich Nietzsche brandonsantacruz.blogspot.com/

> brandonsantacruz wrote: > ... and proxy the cards in the meantime. And not get ripped off. > I agree, play with proxies to see if the deck is what you like to play or if it works. Then at tournaments borrow from the veteran players. I know it is not the best solution but it is worth a try for those who haven't had access to these cards. Also, if I were single and had no children and no bills, I might throw down 50$ for two cards. I mean, if someone has that kind of money to spend on cards why begrudge them. I just hope that whoever spends that much, really doesn't have other financial worries. Because then that IS a problem...for them.

Wow. You all got beat. I can retire now if someone buys all my cards at the same rate. www.amazon.co.jp/gp/offer-listing/1588468992/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used If you are wondering, that's more than US$4000! Suaku Inceptor Asian Continental Championship 興っ www.youtube.com/SuakuOz

Looks like the normal Amazon insanity with sold out products getting inflated to absolutely absurd prices in case there's someone who just so desperately needs the item. Pricing the item ridiculously high is not crazy. Paying for the said price is. Finnish Politics!

I just looked on ebay. Awe is sold pretty much for around 7 dollars US. Its funny, I never thought of Awe as a great card. I expected to find them at about two or three dollars since they are rare. I guess it is a more popular card then I thought.

All the cards that are part of a turbo deck are overpriced, maybe because the turbo decks require so many of them.

> Non-existant user wrote: > All the cards that are part of a turbo deck are overpriced, maybe because the turbo decks require so many of them. > I see. This makes sense. I have only ever played 1 in a deck. usually as a back-up last resort if I can't push votes through.