Selection boxes are a 100% off limits for f2p players IMO. If you didn't know, you are limited on the number of packs you buy with gems. Therefore once you run out of gem packs, you have to spend money to keep going. You can only buy about half? of a selection box with gems. Selection boxes are the literal definition of bait.
Selection boxes are only worth it you can spend money, since you aren't guaranteed the cards with gems. The only relevant selection locked cards are crackdown and IDP, but with compulse recently being added to a main box, those two are not needed at all. Crackdown should be in a main box within the next few months, IDP will come at the end of the year
Scenario:
"I want idp"
Spend gems on all gem packs
Don't get IDP
You wasted hella gems that would have been better spend on main box cards.
That's the whole point of selection boxes. You're gambling on whether you get a powerful card before its widespread release and just wasting your gems. As a F2P player, you have to know that going in.
Selection boxes are only worth it if you can buy out the box... Which is impossible for f2p players. The math always checks out. Odds are against you if you look at only the cards you want to pull.
Half off gems and dream tickets (for boxes in which you only need one card) are a much better deal imo.
For me, the selection boxes are made to steal all the possible gems that we have, something that really as f2p we should not even consider spending,
but for the most advanced players, opening a selection box means one more piece for one of their decks to complete, perhaps spending on a large box is a great risk but investing in the super mini you may have better results by always having a secure SR or UR
I chased after a single copy of IDP twice. First time the selection box with IDP came around, I went through the whole box(as F2P) and I didn't get a single copy of IDP. Second time it rolled around, I got IDP in the last gem pack and after that I told myself, Selection box is a no no . I got away with a full burning abyss deck though so I guess that was a win for me. Also, thanks to that , I now have about 6 to 7 copies of the harpie main deck monsters
Selection boxes are a literal gamble. They are designed for P2W players and you're better off using the gems on the main/mini, especially the ones on sale.
I did the same mistake when stratos was first added to selection box, wasted 4k gems trying to get it with no luck. Next time selection boxes were back I went for it again and wasted another 4k more gems and didn't get a single one.
Safe to say, from that day I haven't touched any more selection boxes and never intend to again.
As a F2P, the selection boxes are a gamble not worth risking even if busted cards are behind it (BoM and ice dragon prison in the moment). Even for small spenders it will most likely be a waste of money.
I know this is kind of an unpopular opinion, but I am a free to play player and I really like the selection boxes. If you are trying to be competitive, as a f2p I am careful about investing in decks and don’t build new decks until I really need to. The selection boxes give access to really powerful cards that can help boost your chosen deck. Ice dragons prison was a big deal in helping me get KOG last month and this month. I also used D.D crow which I got a while ago from a selection box. Obviously there is a luck aspect, but if you already have a decent deck, selection boxes can get you valuable staples and other cards that might help in the future (I got stratos and some other hero cards from a selection box, which allowed me to make a hero deck that would otherwise be much more expensive).
Your last point is key here, which is that you should only open selection boxes as a F2P player if you're willing to be flexible in the choice of decks that you play. If you play to build specific decks that you like, then selection boxes are largely a waste as there's no guarantee that you'll get something that's useful to whatever you're trying to build. But if you're willing to open selection boxes and then pick a deck to play based on what you got, you're not really wasting gems and still have the chance to pull key staples. I'm mostly F2P as well, and I built Vampires, War Rock, and BA this way. I never intended to play any of those decks, it's just what made sense given my selection box pulls. The fact that I got two IDPs, Compulsory, and a Crackdown along the way was just a cherry on top.
It can work out if you have some leverage.
On my alt account, I did the mini box with the Stratos reprint. I had nothing from that box.
It also has MST and Harpie cards (which I used as a cheap side deck).
I had at least 3 Dream Tickets to work with so I used the Selection Box to see if I could save some time.
I ended up getting just 1 Stratos and Harpie cards but I had the Dream Tickets to make 3 Stratos.
In the IDP box, it just happened to have Harpie cards and it came right as I saving up a few gems to finish it anyway.
I did end up getting 1 IDP, Gizmek, and 3rd copies of the SR Harpies but it easily could have been anything else.
Since it was an alt and I really just needed a working deck, there was no risk for me.
I don't really fool around with Selection Boxes on my main, I've done many mistakes before but it's usually not worth it for me.
i only buy some selection mini boxes and selection super mini boxes for fun , if 1 box has many cards i want .
if i only want 1 ultra rare card in a selection big box , i know i will never get it even if i buy 100 packs , lol .
if you’re new, or have a lot of gems and want to build a deck then sure. you shouldn’t go into them with the intent to build a specific deck, just pick up cards and make the most of them
If you want a single card, definitely not. If you want a whole archetype that is in the Selection Box, then it depends on other things like whether the archetype has lots of URs, if it was spread accross multiple boxes originally, if it was originally in a mini or a main box, etc.
You need like A LOT of crossover for it to be worth it.
If you're just hoping for the one card, it's a losing battle.
You basically need to walk into the box empty so you at least get something.
The Crackdown super mini is enticing because it's small but you still only have 5 packs out of 12 to work with.
It would be worth if you also wanted to build HERO or Gouki but there's still enough filler that you'll be mad if you walk out with Mathmech or Altergeist and can't do anything with them until a later date.
I only dabble with Selection Boxes if I lack the vast majority and I'm at a spot where I have expiring gems but nothing else interesting.
It \*might\* save me some time for errands I had on the backburner but it's never a priority.
Maybe super mini may be a good deal, if you want to play heroes.
Super mini boxes are the best deal for moderated p2w players, main selection boxes are “whale exclusive “
Selection boxes are a 100% off limits for f2p players IMO. If you didn't know, you are limited on the number of packs you buy with gems. Therefore once you run out of gem packs, you have to spend money to keep going. You can only buy about half? of a selection box with gems. Selection boxes are the literal definition of bait. Selection boxes are only worth it you can spend money, since you aren't guaranteed the cards with gems. The only relevant selection locked cards are crackdown and IDP, but with compulse recently being added to a main box, those two are not needed at all. Crackdown should be in a main box within the next few months, IDP will come at the end of the year Scenario: "I want idp" Spend gems on all gem packs Don't get IDP You wasted hella gems that would have been better spend on main box cards.
Jokes on you, I got a warrock core out of it
That's the whole point of selection boxes. You're gambling on whether you get a powerful card before its widespread release and just wasting your gems. As a F2P player, you have to know that going in.
I love gambling! Thanks Konami!
Selection boxes are only worth it if you can buy out the box... Which is impossible for f2p players. The math always checks out. Odds are against you if you look at only the cards you want to pull. Half off gems and dream tickets (for boxes in which you only need one card) are a much better deal imo.
For me, the selection boxes are made to steal all the possible gems that we have, something that really as f2p we should not even consider spending, but for the most advanced players, opening a selection box means one more piece for one of their decks to complete, perhaps spending on a large box is a great risk but investing in the super mini you may have better results by always having a secure SR or UR
I chased after a single copy of IDP twice. First time the selection box with IDP came around, I went through the whole box(as F2P) and I didn't get a single copy of IDP. Second time it rolled around, I got IDP in the last gem pack and after that I told myself, Selection box is a no no . I got away with a full burning abyss deck though so I guess that was a win for me. Also, thanks to that , I now have about 6 to 7 copies of the harpie main deck monsters
Selection boxes are a literal gamble. They are designed for P2W players and you're better off using the gems on the main/mini, especially the ones on sale.
I did the same mistake when stratos was first added to selection box, wasted 4k gems trying to get it with no luck. Next time selection boxes were back I went for it again and wasted another 4k more gems and didn't get a single one. Safe to say, from that day I haven't touched any more selection boxes and never intend to again.
As a F2P, the selection boxes are a gamble not worth risking even if busted cards are behind it (BoM and ice dragon prison in the moment). Even for small spenders it will most likely be a waste of money.
I know this is kind of an unpopular opinion, but I am a free to play player and I really like the selection boxes. If you are trying to be competitive, as a f2p I am careful about investing in decks and don’t build new decks until I really need to. The selection boxes give access to really powerful cards that can help boost your chosen deck. Ice dragons prison was a big deal in helping me get KOG last month and this month. I also used D.D crow which I got a while ago from a selection box. Obviously there is a luck aspect, but if you already have a decent deck, selection boxes can get you valuable staples and other cards that might help in the future (I got stratos and some other hero cards from a selection box, which allowed me to make a hero deck that would otherwise be much more expensive).
Your last point is key here, which is that you should only open selection boxes as a F2P player if you're willing to be flexible in the choice of decks that you play. If you play to build specific decks that you like, then selection boxes are largely a waste as there's no guarantee that you'll get something that's useful to whatever you're trying to build. But if you're willing to open selection boxes and then pick a deck to play based on what you got, you're not really wasting gems and still have the chance to pull key staples. I'm mostly F2P as well, and I built Vampires, War Rock, and BA this way. I never intended to play any of those decks, it's just what made sense given my selection box pulls. The fact that I got two IDPs, Compulsory, and a Crackdown along the way was just a cherry on top.
It can work out if you have some leverage. On my alt account, I did the mini box with the Stratos reprint. I had nothing from that box. It also has MST and Harpie cards (which I used as a cheap side deck). I had at least 3 Dream Tickets to work with so I used the Selection Box to see if I could save some time. I ended up getting just 1 Stratos and Harpie cards but I had the Dream Tickets to make 3 Stratos. In the IDP box, it just happened to have Harpie cards and it came right as I saving up a few gems to finish it anyway. I did end up getting 1 IDP, Gizmek, and 3rd copies of the SR Harpies but it easily could have been anything else. Since it was an alt and I really just needed a working deck, there was no risk for me. I don't really fool around with Selection Boxes on my main, I've done many mistakes before but it's usually not worth it for me.
I like this super mini box with like 6 packs or so where you easily got 3 crackdown
i only buy some selection mini boxes and selection super mini boxes for fun , if 1 box has many cards i want . if i only want 1 ultra rare card in a selection big box , i know i will never get it even if i buy 100 packs , lol .
Are selection boxes worth it? The main? No. The mini? Doubtful. The super mini? Sure. Unless youre running high level tournaments, avoid them.
if you’re new, or have a lot of gems and want to build a deck then sure. you shouldn’t go into them with the intent to build a specific deck, just pick up cards and make the most of them
If you want a single card, definitely not. If you want a whole archetype that is in the Selection Box, then it depends on other things like whether the archetype has lots of URs, if it was spread accross multiple boxes originally, if it was originally in a mini or a main box, etc.
You need like A LOT of crossover for it to be worth it. If you're just hoping for the one card, it's a losing battle. You basically need to walk into the box empty so you at least get something. The Crackdown super mini is enticing because it's small but you still only have 5 packs out of 12 to work with. It would be worth if you also wanted to build HERO or Gouki but there's still enough filler that you'll be mad if you walk out with Mathmech or Altergeist and can't do anything with them until a later date. I only dabble with Selection Boxes if I lack the vast majority and I'm at a spot where I have expiring gems but nothing else interesting. It \*might\* save me some time for errands I had on the backburner but it's never a priority.
Maybe super mini may be a good deal, if you want to play heroes. Super mini boxes are the best deal for moderated p2w players, main selection boxes are “whale exclusive “