Now that Legends of Runeterra is in open beta, players are rushing to join the action. The game boasts several innovative features in its gameplay, and luckily for consumers, is also extremely consumer friendly in how it handles microtransactions by eliminating all the randomness that comes from buying packs in alternative games like Hearthstone.

For the most part, players can use their real money to purchase exactly the cards they want instead of packs. To do so, players can purchase Coins in bundles that cost as little as $4.99 USD for 475 coins, and from there, purchase Wildcards to craft exactly the cards they need.

We need to say “for the most part” because there is currently one way to receive an assortment of random cards, and that is through the Starter Bundle that in the Featured section of the in-game store. This provides 66 random cards, evenly split among the six regions. Despite being random, the Bundle is a great deal for new players for the price, but even then, it is not necessary in order to progress through the game.

Similar to Magic: The Gathering Arena, Wildcards comes in different rarities. A Common Wildcard costs 10 Coins, a Rare Wildcard costs 30, an Epic Wildcard costs 120, and a Champion Wildcard goes for 300. This means that the converted price for each Wildcard is $0.10, $0.31, $1.26, and $3.15, respectively, and that price decreases if buying more Coins at once, since you receive more for buying larger quantities in one go.

If you are a new player of Collectible Card Games (CCGs), this pricing structure is quite generous on its own. Over the years, players have attempted to calculate the cost of purchasing a Legendary card in Hearthstone, and estimates have been made based on the among of crafting material one receives when disenchanting an average pack of random cards. Estimates have ranged anywhere from $12-15 each, and Blizzard keeps upping the number of Legendary offerings per expansion, making the game more and more expensive.

Legends of Runeterra meanwhile looks to offer its players a far more consumer-friendly environment, and the ability to craft the exact cards they want for relatively cheap is a great way to start. Not only that, the developers have stated that a main goal of the game is, “that being ‘set complete’ before the launch of the next set is achievable without spending a Coin, even if you’re not a streamer or a pro.”

This means that if players strive to reach their weekly progression goals, it should be possible to have a complete collection without spending any money in game, and that is about as consumer friendly as one could ever hope for in a game, especially in today’s market of loot-box fueled mechanics. For players who do want to maximize their collection without spending any money, strive to reach rank ten in each Weekly Vault, as that ensures the most effective use of your time, and grants an expedition token.

With such a great attitude towards its players, we should expect Legends of Runeterra to be a popular choice for years to come, and now is a great time to dive in.

Source: playruneterra.com

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