March of the loot cards
by Amanda Rivera 
Nov 5th 2007 at 8:31PM
We've heard for a while now about the new TCG loot items coming into the game. Upper Deck today made a formal announcement about the three loot cards available with the March of the Legion set soon to be released. It only makes sense that we talk about these. When you hear about any new battle you're about to fight, your first inclination is to find out what items you'll receive. Let's take a look at our loots, shall we?The first Legion Loot card available with March of the Legion is the Paper Airplane. This is exactly as much fun as it sounds. The code is turned in for the paper airplane manual, an on-use item that creates either paper zeppelins or paper gyrocopters. It's a 50/50 chance which one you'll get. What's the point of these? Why paper airplane fights of course! Throw them at your friends, and best of all, since you can keep several in your bag at once, you can throw a bunch at once and no one will suspect a thing until they see them soaring through the air.
My favorite of the cards has to be the Robotic Homing chicken. This is the third non-combat pet available from the
TCG, and personally, I find these to be some of the best pets in the game (Murky topping the list, of course.) The card itself is pretty explosive, so I imagine the pet will be as well, considering it's a mechanical chicken with freakin' rockets strapped to its back. How cool is that!The last Legion Loot card finally answers that question: what was the dragon kite model for? I was thinking they were preparing for another holiday event, but as it turns out, it's a loot item from a card appropriately named "kiting." The kite, shaped to resemble Onyxia, will tag behind you, and I'm told it's idle animation includes a cloud forming above it to strike the little dragon.
While I have yet to be lucky enough to get a loot card from any of the previous TCG sets, I am crossing my fingers that this will be my turn. Which loot card do you think is the coolest?
Filed under: Odds and ends, News items, WoW TCG
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rob Nov 5th 2007 9:11PM
Hands down, coolest cards yet!!! My wife is going to kill me :p
billgates Nov 5th 2007 9:23PM
They are bribing people to go out and buy the TCG, people who probably otherwise would not want to spend the money on starter decks and booster packs. We are already making Blizzard rich with monthly fees, they shouldn't make us pay more to have a chance at getting cool stuff like this. They are one step away from putting micro-transactions in the game.
PeeWee Nov 5th 2007 10:15PM
If you want to be on the top, you'll have to be ready to spend some dough. It's walking that extra mile that gets you there, champ!
I'll let you touch my chicken.
Grigorim Nov 5th 2007 10:59PM
@2
Blizzard isn't a charity organization.
Gelfran Nov 6th 2007 12:25AM
@2
you know, people actually PLAY the card game also...
The new set as a whole is looking nuts! The previews on the official site are really showing how this set will completely change the WoW TCG as we know it, and I for one can't wait!
billgates Nov 6th 2007 1:08AM
I have no problem with the TCG, I think the cards look great and it sounds like it would be fun to play, but what I do take major issue with are these loot cards. I don't care about the loot cards because I want a pet chicken, I care because I don't like when companies get greedy and attempt to rip off their loyal fan-base
I frequent my local gaming shop, where they have weekly Magic tournaments, and they say that no one they know plays this game but yet they still sell the booster packs and starter decks, and yes Im sure a few people in my town actually play the game, but the main reason they sell is because of these stupid loot cards.
And no Blizzard is indeed NOT a charity organization because last time I checked I have spent upwards of $500.00 on this one game alone, so yeah it may seem petty but I get a little pissed off at the idea of having to spend any more money because it won't stop here, just look at Xbox Live, maybe not this MMO but someday you'll be getting nickeled and dimed and you'll have Upper Deck to thank
kitterz Nov 6th 2007 3:46AM
@6
wait wait you're pissed "at the idea of having to spend any more money?"
These loot cards have no practical function in the game and there purely for looks. If you dont want to spend the money, then don't. It's not like you need a paper airplane to get you ready for Kara.
Also, I dont think Blizz is "ripping us off" with these loot cards. It's not like the game won't work without them.
What is it that you want anyways? Blizz makes these cards and many people like them. If you don't want them then simple...but the booster pack down.
Geez you're sounding like an adict with no self control.
Wraeth Nov 6th 2007 5:07AM
You can see his point; its frustrating to find an item that one might wish to gain, but which is not in any way related to normal in game mechanics. Almost any other in game item can be gained through spending time - pvp items, raiding items (though these also require a guild ofc), even the random drops can be ground out eventually through time (eg the firefly in Zangarmarsh). World BOEs are the exception, sort of, but ofc you can simply grind cash and wait for it to appear on the AH.
Sure, these cards have no real in-game value, but being made to buy a deck of cards you might not want to gain an item in-game that you DO, clearly goes against the normal way of gaining items in World of Warcraft, whatever that item may be.
I'm not suggesting that no-one plays the card game. Nor am I saying that "omg I HAVE to buy the cards because i HAVE to have the chicken/kite/etc." I'm simply saying that given that almost any other in game item can be gained by actually participating in the game itself, it does seem as though these loot cards are there primarily to sell decks to people who just want the in game item.
(Yes I realise some people will actually use the decks; good for them, but whilst I have no numbers to suggest how many people buy the decks simply for the in game items with no caring for the game itself, i suspect its not as small a number as some people might think.)
TotalBiscuit Nov 6th 2007 10:15AM
@2 The game is made by Upperdeck, not Blizzard, so please can your lack of facts.
I'm sick to death of seeing these stupid 'rage against the machine' anti-corporate whine posts. It's not a bribe, it's an incentive. Do you 'bribe' your child to do something or do you give them an incentive to do it? If you're a good parent, the second option and you should KNOW the difference.
If you don't want em, don't buy em. They serve no practical purpose other than to look cool, and they serve as a nice reward to those of us who do actually play the card game rather than spending all our time on forums and blogs whining about it.
Ugkul Nov 6th 2007 11:02AM
@7: The card game wasn't the first. The Collector's Edition and Blizzcon gifts were other things that one would like to gain but couldn't be obtained through normal efforts in game.
Cynoid Nov 6th 2007 11:14AM
Personally as someone that plays the card game a lot the loot cards are a great addition, Its nice to get free things that make other people jealous from playing a game. I would play the card game even if the loot wasn't included but its still... well nice i guess.
Timbo92 Nov 6th 2007 7:43PM
I've spent upwards of $400 buying boosters since the card came out, trying my luck at the loot cards. I had a lot of luck early with Heroes of Azeroth and Through the Dark Portal (grabbed both the Tabard of Fire and the Picnic Tent). Then came Fires of Azeroth. I bought 3 sealed booster boxes at about $90 a pop...that's 72 boosters, folks.
Not...one...single...loot card.
Either I just had some serious bad luck, or Upper Deck seriously nerfed the number of loot cards in the latest set. I hope with adding 4 cards to each booster in the next set they will also increase the chance for a loot card. They should put at least one loot card in every sealed booster box IMHO. I played Heroclix for several years, and you were guaranteed to get at least 4 silver elite rare figures in every case you bought. I feel cheated!!
Arturis Nov 7th 2007 1:54PM
@Timbo92
You are buying booster packs by the box at $90 a shot just for a chance at trivial in game items? Oh my. I tell you what, start sending that money to me instead, and I'll create a lvl 1 character on your server and follow you around as your pet. Hell, Ill even do a /dance when you sit still for too long. I'm all about the authentic experience.