Thinking of starting MTGO

[Telemediocrity]

Is there any way to play online such that money isn't a serious component of it?  Either through "official MTGO" or otherwise?

I'd like to play sealed deck and the like, without having to worry about market values and rarities and that sort of thing.

Something where you select a game type, i.e. "Tempest block sealed deck tourney", get 15 people and just play, with no money being involved on the cards themselves?

Is there anything like this in MTGO, for the usual monthly subscription fee?

[Johny Cee]

Is there any way to play online such that money isn't a serious component of it?  Either through "official MTGO" or otherwise?

I'd like to play sealed deck and the like, without having to worry about market values and rarities and that sort of thing.

Something where you select a game type, i.e. "Tempest block sealed deck tourney", get 15 people and just play, with no money being involved on the cards themselves?

Is there anything like this in MTGO, for the usual monthly subscription fee?

There are a couple of free programs that allow you to indulge in constructed play.  Sometimes the graphics are pretty dodgy, with copyrights and all,  and connection methods not the best,  but there are a couple that regularly update the cardpools for new sets.

I don't have any personal experience with them. 

MTGO does draft very, very well.  It seems like a pretty high cost (2 boosters plus 2 tickets,  say ~13ish dollars),  but they the payouts are set up you can do alright.  Drafts giving prizes of 4-3-2-2 (booster packs) mean you win one game,  you win 2 packs.  If you drafted a decent rare or a couple nice uncommons,  you can sell or trade for the remainder.

Myself,  I'm an erratic drafter.  Probably because I'm too biased in the play type I like.  Means some sets that work towards my play type are pretty much free draft,  while other sets I don't fair too well.

Some folks here and at Corp are better.  I think Margalis comes pretty close or above breakeven.

MTGO has a trial mode that lets you play for free with your choice of a couple precons.  Interesting in short spans,  and gives you a taste.

Probably the best bang for your buck is League.  5 rounds,  each round lasts a week.  You need 5 boosters (or a tourney pack and 2 boosters,  if a block draft) to get in,  and then you're allowed to open one additional booster each week.  The first 5 games each week count for score,  the rest towards tiebreakers (negligable value unless your record is outstanding).  Basically,  the rest of the games are "play for fun" if it isn't looking like you're going to be at the top of the pack.

You can change your league deck as much as you want,  and the booster limitation ensures that you don't feel like someone bought their wins.  It just feels like some people lucked into bomb cards, heh.

Constructed can be up or down, cost wise.  In some sets,  there are decent very low cost decks to run that do well.  In others,  one or two dominant decks (with expensive bombs, usually) dominate.

[Margalis]

In 9th I was awful and lost money hand over fist, but in Ravnica I did break-even or better. If you can win on average 2.5-3 packs a draft you can about break even. If you open a dual land that pays for 75% of your next draft by itself.

If you want to build a nice collection while also drafting it would be pretty hard without some bucks, but I only really play limited so I routinely sell off pretty much everything as soon as I finish a draft.

[Telemediocrity]

Whoa, they brought back Dual Lands?  As in, 3rd-edition style?  I loved those.  Are the ones I have from Revised still worth anything?

[eldaec]

Whoa, they brought back Dual Lands?  As in, 3rd-edition style? 

No, they have all new duals in almost every autumn set.

The current block rare duals, generally known as shocklands read...

t: Add  C or D to your mana pool.
As CARDNAME comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don’t, CARDNAME comes into play tapped instead.

...which the community generally believes are the best dual lands since the originals. The IPA painlands are also available in 9th edition, which are probably the second best. There are also a cycle of commom bounceland duals which see regular tournament play (to the surprise of many).

When CARDNAME comes into play, return a land you control to it's owner's hand.
CARDNAME comes into play tapped.
t: Add CD to your mana pool.

[Xilren's Twin]

Is there any way to play online such that money isn't a serious component of it?  Either through "official MTGO" or otherwise?  I'd like to play sealed deck and the like, without having to worry about market values and rarities and that sort of thing.  Something where you select a game type, i.e. "Tempest block sealed deck tourney", get 15 people and just play, with no money being involved on the cards themselves?

Is there anything like this in MTGO, for the usual monthly subscription fee?

To be clear, there is NO monthly fee for MTGO, but you must buy all or your card packs with real $.  So, if you can restrict your spending to $15-20 per month, you get the same net effect as a monthly fee.  However, that low amount will really only buy you into 1 leage or one booster draft a month (unless you're good enough to win prizes).

The pipe dream of MTGO is do play in the 8-4 prize drafts and consistently come in 1st or 2nd place so you are always earning enough pack to play another draft.  Perpetual drafting machine.  Yeah, right.

Xilren
PS As a side note, it has long been known that cetain MtG Pro's get access to accounts that have 4 of every card, so they can play anything without buying packs.  They may not be able to WIN packs on such accounts, but still, being able to do that for a flat monthly fee is what many people were hoping for back in beta.... that or being able to draft for free and just not keep the cards.

[Raging Turtle]

Have to agree with Johnny C, the best way to get your feet wet for cheap is through Leagues. 

I'd practice for a while with the free decks, to avoid interface losses, and look over the set (go to collection, select show owned >=0) to get an idea of what you'll be playing against.

Probably start playing again once dissension comes out - join the clan, and if you ever see me online (rare these days) I'll be happy to load you up with free commons/land.

[Strazos]

I had to quit because I was burning through so much cash. Lots of drafts and leagues.

Especially leagues. "Oh, shitty first week? Gimme another league."

But I still hate the randomizer. I've drafted some absolutely insane draft decks, or gotten great first-week league draws, and then promptly failed to draw anything useful (either mana flood or screw).

Hell, I managed to lose a draft at some point because a guy drew his single Hex card in 2 straight games. In both games, he would have lost on my next turn. Sigh.

[Margalis]

I found that in Ravnica the random aspect made a lot less difference than in 9th. In 9th for the most part all the cards are pretty much the same, there aren't a lot of complicated interactions or great/awful plays you can make. Both building and playing your deck are usually pretty straightforward.

In Ravnica there is a lot more room to distinguish yourself based on both deck construction and your play level.

In 9th if you get a few cards behind due to screw or flood it's often over, no amount of deck construction or play ability can overcome that.

I guess my point here is that the larger the skill factor the less randomness is a factor, and the skill factor is much higher than Rav than 9th. That's not to say you can't get screwed by luck, you certainly can. I've been on the receiving end of a guy who started with his one Moldervine Cloak in his opening hand all 3 games...good times.

I generally play one league when a new set is released just to see a good cross-section of the available cards, but usually not more than that. Sealed has too high a luck factor for my taste given that you have no control over your cards at all.