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With everything going on, I think it is worth getting a little space and talking about something else for a bit, so - Splinterlands is *on the cards!*


![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23wgDQ5gD5ezAyVVMXUhUB4JfcMbxMwDAC5NSy2rhxn9VgNHSrsJXwqwZT9KsoCkcsYUT.png)


I ended up buying 2000 packs and getting the extra 400 bonus packs with the intention of maxing out one full deck. 

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23vhVszcn2j8pEECwvPXVSX3gF52rzfjB9YhxzKnzNVmytKUTxuJkXtwLqbw149BtVoZn.png)

My first pack opening...

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23t72stEfVAfQyYcFZz9rFMF4zx3x5JHCFJsbuwwH8BFYaBwCHKFh2upA4naMyqUZNhGx.png)


![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23tm9AtqR25kYHBwTqXyuQbNKRBRVL3CCbH1sYjGXY9JvK2uJDydXmdnidsQvEYY5kkjC.png)

Underwhelming. 

>I think the theoretical number to max a deck was around 1450 packs.

So, I continued on opening after buying all the potions necessary (it took a couple rounds), I ended up cracking 1600 of the packs in quick succession, which was *not quite enough* to max a deck. But instead of opening more, I decided to buy what I needed off the secondary market.

I needed 

- 2 Skargore
- 14 Rune Crafter
- 22 Bramble Pixies
- 4 Lemell Refugees
- 1 Whelp Herder

Which came to about 22 dollars extra - or the price of 4-5 packs.  

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23tGTQBwkmvMRwzVGQJDAiCkQ9wRf4RoxmjHDYWFveQ5XeNPd7k5Xe4HT9xRUGwaPKgEd.png)

So now, I have a regular Rift Watcher army at max level, with a few left over odds and ends.

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23tva9mBXBuDuGNLNEpG1tHwE5zHSzDMFxxxEoAE88HerbfGvAf8gJqugMrXg3yzgS122.png)

And, out of 1600 packs, I scored 136 regular legendaries, which I think is about on par with the average, as it is a strike rate of 1:11.75 packs.

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23uQnLG77CofPWaDdoecKQyFjJyBbQutNvkdpv3jmQiKKYGH3Hoq3MAgzBmdv7ixEDwdh.png)

But of course, people are also interested in the number of Gold Foil Legendaries too:

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23wgKKsGm9Bsr3TG6zopFv46Sam9tjvYs4E4UMWEVvJsxAiLBJ2bFXAJkxpypVMnUe5dK.png)

I don't have much luck with these, but perhaps everyone feels that way. I ended up the proud owner of *six GFLs* so far, but nothing maxable for play. I am not sure I would max them anyway at this point, but that might change in the future, *if LAND ever happens.*

1600 presale packs are worth $8000 a pack, plus vouchers. However, with the vouchers buying 2000 packs, there is effectively a 20% discount as it collects 400 bonus packs. I didn't pay for the majority of my vouchers directly, so that is not a direct cost. There is an opportunity cost of selling them though. However, those 1600 packs worth $8000 are now worth:

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23tRvSfCHDWvAEB5GinMbxJayAjar6Vdj7bhGcupE6YmtGyyfGiFVmpxXLoEFpMjDCchp.png)

Yep, that is a loss, if not factoring in the 20% discount. With that included, it is still a positive gain. However, I suspect that they will drop further in price for a while as more packs are opened and people sell, especially since the general consensus is at the moment perhaps - that they are not as strong as assumed. But, is this the case?

At least for me at first glance, it would be the case, but what I have quickly realized is - they are are very hard to use well. Once I learn however, I feel that many of these cards are going to be staples, at least under certain rulesets. While struggling so far to use them - in some cases, I have wiped the floor with them when I get the lineup correct. Now, I just need to experiment more to get it "right" more often. 

>Consistency requires practice. 

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23tRvE9iFnGU9a49GQcYWZiRjcMTqgUeVdQEJzhoQNt8fjt9FNAdSLqguJGjRYPjo3JjE.png)

With three million packs in total, there are still 2.3M left to sell, but I think the pack sales on this has been heavily affected by all of the other offerings from the Splinterlands team, like Tower Defense. I feel that this dilution of attention is more a negative on the ecosystem at the moment, especially given how the proposal for SPS to be dropped on the TD packs is being whipped through the governance process. 

>I don't like the practice of politics at the best of times. *Less in my gaming.*

"Rift Watchers" may be aptly named to describe the current landscape of the Splinterlands community.  

But, I won't let that get me down for now, as there are challenges in personal life to worry about, which I will turn my attention to now. 

As far as the season of play is going though - I have scraped into Champion 3 in Wild and did the same for Modern, but played *just one more round,* and ended up slipping back to mid-Diamond 2. I am back in Diamond 1, but I have killed my ECR and I am unlikely to get back to Champion 3, as I will be heading back to the hospital soon - where real life awaits.

*Can't avoid reality for long.*

Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]


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