We've all been talking about it endlessly. I'm not putting this out there as a guide, because it can't be, but I'm putting this down mostly so I have it in a place other than a document on my laptop since it's a piece of Skaar that dies on me constantly, so, as usual, I'm using my blog-space as a sort of Cloud storage. AND I figured I could have people who have a similar interest in (semi)solidifying card values with actual numbers could give ideas as well. This is mostly for fun though, obviously, because nobody would ever implement such a thing, or follow it.
The obvious problems with what I've had written up so far (months ago) is that it will undervalue a lot of cards according to a lot of people...and possibly overvalue some other cards. It also doesn't adjust (at this point) for aging, or availability.
So, what I had worked out thus far:
When finding the value of a base card...for example an SSA Captain America (what I based it all around when I first got mine)
Take the highest stat in relation to what the card's ability would make it, so an offensive ability on a card, you'd take the ATK, AP Cap you'd take the DEF stat...for cards that have dual roles, you add up both attributes, divide by two and there you go. Now, take that number and apply the rarity multiplier.
So as applied to SSA Cap, the math would be 8717 + 8591 = 17,308 / 2 = 8654
Rarity Multiplier = .25% (.0025) for SSR, .55% (.0055) for UR
8654 x .0055 = 48
Now divide that by the "power" of the ability. At the time of this formula, there were no faction boosts...so I haven't really adjusted for that just yet. That means that a "Full Power" card, is one which had a dedicated alignment boost/degrade for its effectiveness level.
Boost/degrade ATK/DEF of 1 faction = .75
Boost/degrade ATK/DEF of 1 Alignment = 1
Boost/degrade ATK/DEF of team, or dual boost/degrade = 1.5
Dual boost/degrade of team = 2
So, since SSA Cap has a dual boost of his faction, then we take 48 / 1.5 = 32 and that is his final value in PP. I think at the time, that had him as being undervalued, but now...it actually kinda looks like he's settling into the 30-40 PP area (at least according to some). I hadn't really worked out the fused versions yet. I just sorta said if fused multiply by 2, then apply the ability level multiplier that I totally pulled out of my bung.
Ability 1-2 = 1
Ability 3-4 = 1.1
Ability 5-6 = 1.3
Ability 7-8 = 1.6
Ability 9-10 = 2
Now, lets try the SSR side of things. I'll go with an ever popular Mr. Fantastic! :D
7130 + 7498 = 14,628 / 2 = 7314 x .0025 = 18 / 1.5 = 12 ...and that's like 4 times what anybody is valuing him at right now...however, it's not an issue with the multiplier so much, because if I adjust it down to match, then that makes all other SSR cards potentially undervalued (assuming of course they're valued anywhere near where they should be at the moment anyway) like, lets take an AP Cap for instance...
8614 x .0025 = 22 and since he has a singularly devoted boost, it would stay at that. Does anybody sell their AP caps that low?
Now...adjustments that might make sense, the rarity based multiplier? I mean, a Legendary card may generally be better than a UR+ stat wise, but then those stats will already display that right? So, maybe going with a multiplier based on that at all skews things. If eliminated though...then almost all cards would be valued much closer together. Is it the stats that make the card better, or as most would probably argue, the ability? In that case, I should probably make a better ability based modifier. Maybe going off of the tier that basically appears when you look at the actual ability page. But then, where do you start, and what do you value things at there too? Should the 16% level base be considered the standard since it's basically what most competitive decks are comprised of? Also, combo feasibility was something I wanted to factor in. At the time it would've been easier because there were only about 3 total combos that were remotely combat ready...but that has since changed...and how do you add to a cards value across the board based on being in a good combo...and for that matter, are all the good combos AS good as one another?
I'm honestly all for a number based system...I think it's a little stupid that people get yelled at when they start selling cards under whatever randomly established value there may be for a given card. I mean...really? That's not how a market-place works. People establish their own prices...and that's basically it. Yeah other vendors can get mad, but who cares, it's about what you're willing to get for what. Who comes up with the prices now anyway and how? Gut feelings and just observing what they HAVE gone for? That just doesn't seem very...accurate.
Anyway...enough rant...I'll keep coming back to this and maybe make it a hub (since I like those) for different formulas or versions or adjustments and maybe a page devoted to actual cards plugged in for each to get a value and see how it aligns.