PTCGO Is it Worth it to Invest in the Legacy Format Right Now?

M

MLdarknightmare

Aspiring Trainer
Member
As the title says, I don't play the legacy format as of now, and I'm wondering if it is worth the investment.
PTCGO YouTubers often claim that it takes them ages to find decent/competitive matches. And after taking that into consideration I really don't know. Especially since a competitive legacy deck is really expensive, 24+ packs for junk arms, Oaks, and other staple trainers I don't own right now.

So I'm asking some of you guys that play the legacy format, is it fun to play right now? Or should I invest my 200 ?pre-ordered? Burning Shadows codes in Future/burning shadows cards?

Thanks for the help!
 
I mostly play the Legacy Format. I didn't start out that way, it just sort of happened.

Are the Youtubers you're listening to prone to hyperbole? Yes, it is more likely I'll run into a novice running only a Theme Deck+ in the Legacy Format than in Standard or Expanded, and it is more likely I'll have to wait a bit for pairings (in general) to happen. I guess when I'm on a strict time crunch, it can be annoying when I run into those people a few times in a row, but it isn't the norm. Unless you just have terrible timing: if the Youtuber in question can only play/record at the same time each day, it might seem worse than it is.

Legacy decks are more or less evergreen; while you'll still need to tweak them from time to time, the best lists don't seem to change much. If you find that boring, then Legacy is not for you. I love it. Do I get bored that there aren't any new decks poppping up? Trick question! New decks do pop up, in part because of the shifting metagame and in part because people are trying to innovate and/or are improving their access to the card pool. The Legacy Format is Expensive and/or time consuming to get into, but I strongly believe it is worth it. In the long run, the only thing keeping it from being a better deal than Standard or Expanded play are the players; people who don't approach it with the right frame of mind and/or perpetuate the idea that it is not a good deal.

If you're still interested in it, understand you're going to need to have patience. If you post offers on the public trading area and/or ask around on the In-Game Item Exchange boards, you'll eventually find people who will make reasonable trades for older stuff. I also recommend you pop into the Game Feedback section of the official boards, and encourage the Dev Team to add some more Legacy Format bundles and/or Theme Decks to the in-game shop. Finally, play what you can afford (at first), not what you really "want". You just need a PTCGO tournament viable deck and the timing/patience to play in Legacy Format tournaments. Those are where you can snag older boosters, and people seem much more willing to trade older cards for older boosters.
 
If you like the concept of Legacy, then yes. As there is no equivalent to Legacy in the physical card game, it is generally accepted to be a 'for fun' format, though there are no shortage of competitive decks. Many PTCGO players, myself included use the program primarily as a means to test decks without having to round up friends to play with whenever I feel like playtesting. Legacy is more of an afterthought in this mindset, if this sort of player considers it at all.

There is a metagame for Legacy (heck there's even one for Theme Decks) but overall you'll find a more casual atmosphere compared to Standard or Expanded. If you enjoy the nostalgia of using older cards, or if you're just looking for an alternative to the competitive scene, Legacy is a good fit. Due to the difficulty of obtaining some of the staple cards in the format, Legacy decks can be expensive to build, but if you think this is worth it, then you should consider investing your Burning Shadows codes in it.
 
I will add that over the last week or two, I've found myself running into more Theme Deck+ players in the Legacy Format, so perhaps those YouTubers were right and I was just on a lucky streak of finding "real" opponents. Then again, I was testing some newer decks (and so losing more often than usual) and that might make a difference.
 
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