Changes to packs?

FindingHeart8

Has anyone else noticed a change in the packs?

For example: Generally my luck with any pack has been approximately 1 rare per 5ish packs, and I have to dig through about 30 rare dupes before I get my next new rare. The tinykitty packs I've been getting recently though have been giving me new rares on an almost 1 to 1 ratio (1 dupe: 1 rare).

Yesterday I actually got a tinykitty pack with 2 rares and a mythic (which I don't think I've ever seen since I started playing this game), AND they were all new.  Granted the mythic was useless even in legacy and the rares were at best situational-y good, but hey those are cards I don't have to waste orbs on crafting now so I'm a happy koala.

Anyways, has anyone else had better luck on their packs recently?  If Octagon did change the new card drop (and I didn't just hit a super lucky streak for no reason) do you think it's a permanent change or a holiday special?

And if you did pack well, what packs did you draw from?  I'm wondering if this effects any pack (thereby making spending crystals on packs actually worth something again) or if it's event-tinykitty only.

Give me your feedback you wonderful people!

Coilbox

I was actually noticing something like this...

In the last 2 days, in the free booster we get every 2 hours, i got 3 rares, one of them new, 2 dupes. The rate of rares on those has always been SOOO ridiculous that opening 3 rares in a couple days has been... well, surprising.

Also, yesterday i bought a super pack (300 crystals) from a legacy set... and i got 2 rares (one of them new) a mythic (new) and my jaw dropped when i pulled a Master Piece (choke) which was new too.

FindingHeart8

Coilbox said:

I was actually noticing something like this...

In the last 2 days, in the free booster we get every 2 hours, i got 3 rares, one of them new, 2 dupes. The rate of rares on those has always been SOOO ridiculous that opening 3 rares in a couple days has been... well, surprising.

Also, yesterday i bought a super pack (300 crystals) from a legacy set... and i got 2 rares (one of them new) a mythic (new) and my jaw dropped when i pulled a Master Piece (choke) which was new too.

I'm happy you grabbed a masterpiece, and super jelly because I don't have any yet, but maybe some day!

TheF3C3SK1ng

I will chime in that my drops have just been dupes since crafting. opened 5 super packs of HOD, all dupe rares, two only came with the guaranteed rare (dupe)

So basically, enjoy your luck, I'm guessing you gave them some money recently? ;-)

Sorin81

I haven't noticed any changes to packs. Still pulling mostly common and uncommon from the 2hr free card. I opened a premium Origins pack Saturday and pulled one dupe rare which was the guaranteed rare.

I have noticed over the past couple of months that I have better luck pulling rare+ cards from the super pack than from the premium pack.

FindingHeart8

@TheF3C3SK1ng

Actually, *backstory time* I haven't spent a lot of money on the game since it started.  I don't feel too guilty though because I've brought a lot of other people into the game, and they've spent a significant amount of money.  This game for me is an escape for spending money on the card game...because I've spent WAAAAAAAY too much money on that. lol

@Sorin81

Hmmmm, so it sounds like (from what you and others are saying) crystal-purchased packs don't have much of a difference in pulls, except maybe some better pulls on lower level packs.  Have you noticed any better pulls in the tinykitties from events?


It's weird.  Up until the holiday event I hadn't packed a new card since maybe August (playing everyday and getting most of the awards), and suddenly I'm flooded with new cards from pack wins.  Just seems too consistent to be all luck.  Maybe they changed something...

ArielSira

3 of the 4 packs from the 2 PVE events had a mythic for me monday, that felt quite amazing. Other than that I haven't noticed a change so rngesus simply wished me a merry christmas I guess.

Sorin81

@FindingHeart8 when TotP started running for 30 crystals I started playing them. I saw the first week more new and higher rarity from the boosters I got from that but since then it's been about the same for me. 
I have to agree with @ArielSira I think RNG was just in my favor at the time.

THEMAGICkMAN

This has happened before. A sudden perceived increase in drop rates is not a new thing.

IM_CARLOS

Happen sometime to me. Once, No new cards for weeks and then three mystics on one day from two reward booster and free booster. I hurried to get me some more from  Premium packs... and only one in 5 pp. 

So, probably they increase the ratio to bring player to spend crystals or real money. 

Gilesclone

I got 3 mythics in one premium pack last week, and 2 of them were new.   Mostly my luck has been pretty normal tho.  (The other premium packs I opened didn’t have any mythics)

FindingHeart8

THEMAGICkMAN said:

This has happened before. A sudden perceived increase in drop rates is not a new thing.

while that may be true, it would be hasty to claim the two situations are similar enough to just simply dismiss.  We have a new development team that in the past couple weeks has started implementing game-altering material.  Accurate or not, it's at least worth considering the possibility given the other circumstances.

FindingHeart8

my theory is that *if anything did change* that Octagon increased the chances of packing a nondupe overall, maybe not a huge amount, but an amount to where it might actually be possible to pack a new card or two once and a while, in their continued effort of player retention and to bring people back.  It's not too hard to fathom, considering all the other ways they've been spoiling us recently

IM_CARLOS

As a developer I would post here about a rise  in drop rates for more income or at least compensate the enormous amount of crystals hanging around before any new set came out... Just thinking. 

FindingHeart8

@IM_CARLOS

They did post about discounts tied in with purchases; the drop-rate increase (if done subtly) could encourage players to buy more without disappointing players who expected more because it was openly declared.

Or I could've just been super lucky and packed 20+ new cards from tinykitties in a week, after not getting a single new card playing everyday for 6 months. Either way works for me lol.

speakupaskanswer

I got at least 3-4 (new!) mythics from free packs in the last week or so. This has never happened to me before. I know it might just be perception or luck but this seems extraordinary unusual, especially after sometimes not getting any new rare/mythic for weeks.

Gilesclone

I’m surprised there isn’t another thread complaining about how the new drop rates stink.

Volrak

FindingHeart8 said:

Anyways, has anyone else had better luck on their packs recently?

Answer: About half of us.  Luck naturally fluctuates over time; at any point in time, about half of us can expect better luck in a period going forward than a period just past.

Clearly, since the above happens naturally even when drop rates don't change, it's not evidence for changed drop rates.

If drop rates have actually changed (which I agree is more likely around the current time than normal), the only way to detect it with confidence (assuming it doesn't get announced!) is to carefully collect enough data so that we can show the difference statistically.  That is exactly the purpose of the drop rates spreadsheet.

Doomstat

Unfortunately, I have only received one new card (legacy uncommon) from packs, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. No rare cards, no mythic cards, but orbs to save to create the cards I need, and runes to raise the planeswalkers I just purchased. No complaints here. Much love, everyone.