So I have saved up some gold for Naxxramas but I have decided to spend money on it. That means I have some gold to spend and I love arena but I am not very good at it. Therefore I will evaluate 10 arena runs and see if what will give me more value for my gold. Packs or arena. I might also record drafting and see if you have some tips for me to improve. I don't have so much time to play but I should be able to do 1 or 2 arena runs a day on average so I hope the thread will be active enough.
Second pick http://www.arenavalue.com/s/Jj7WXG I hope for 2-3 wins with this one. And I got 3 wins. Maybe just making this thread was just what was needed...
Third pick http://www.arenavalue.com/s/z5JuT3 The mountain giant was a misclick and should definently have gone big game. 1 win. I dced in one them which was the game changer. Gonna take a break.
Fourth pick Druid deck managed to 3 wins.
Fifth pick: Rogue deck, linked below, 9 wins.(my personal best)
Sixth pick Did a shaman "token" deck with violet teacher, Illidan and Imp Master + 3 bloodlust. Never saw Illidan or the 3 bloodlust. Never got a card draw engine not even Novice Engineer. 3 wins.
Seventh pick Druid. Got no 1 drop. And a very mana heavy curve without the innervates to help it. However satisfied with the coin + savage roar + force of nature + power of the wild one in a lifetime combo for the win. But deck itself died to rush druid turn 5 Ragnaras and a very rushing warlock where a single card could have turned it around.
Rewards: 7 Packs (finally a Faceless), Abomination, Blessing of Wisdom, Golden Unbound elementals, Nourish, 285 gold, 25 dust,and 85 dust from disenchanting.
So I have saved up some gold for Naxxramas but I have decided to spend money on it. That means I have some gold to spend and I love arena but I am not very good at it. Therefore I will evaluate 10 arena runs and see if what will give me more value for my gold. Packs or arena. I might also record drafting and see if you have some tips for me to improve. I don't have so much time to play but I should be able to do 1 or 2 arena runs a day on average so I hope the thread will be active enough.
Technically, you only need to get thee wins (?) to get value for an arena run, as you still get the 100g value of the pack, and then 50g worth of other rewards. Obviously, seven or more wins is ideal, but I wouldn't sweat too much if you are doing that well. You have to be doing very poorly to get negative value from Arena. Good luck with the runs.
Oh, one thing I like to do when drafting is stop after turn 15 and quickly evaluate all the cards I have. It helps me figure out which way the deck may be leaning and let me look out for combos or make. Also, it definitely helps me better evaluate my tempo curve or notice anything my deck may be missing (i.e. AOE, taunt, silence, removal). I often find the little mana curve to be somewhat deceptive. For example, if I'm drafting mage and I pick up two frostbolts and an Ironbeak owl, well my mana curve looks alright, but I still desperately need some reliable two-drop minions.
If you're consistently getting a couple of wins, with the potential to get more than 3 wins, then on average you're coming out ahead by playing arena (plus picking up playing experience) over just buying packs.
The average from 0 wins is still about 36 gold in either gold or dust (I figure 1 dust is valued at about 2 gold), which is only a loss of 14 gold for doing the arena run instead of buying the pack even at 0 wins. Of course, it gets better with actual wins. 1 win averages an equivalent of 43 gold, a loss of only 7 gold. 2 wins averages an equivalent of 53 gold in gold and/or dust, which means that there's a good chance you'll make a small profit even at only 2 wins. 3 wins actually averages about the same as 2 since you usually get less dust and more gold for 3 wins and dust is worth more than gold and you have a higher chance of just getting a common card instead of gold/dust (which is pretty low value), so 3 wins is about an equivalent of 54 gold. 4 wins moves up to an equivalent of 78 gold. So yeah, its definitely worth it to do arena instead of buying the pack unless you're really bad, you'll usually get a profit even at 2 wins. On the other end, 12 wins averages 339 gold plus a good chance at an extra 2nd pack and an extra golden card.
If you have unlimited time to play, arena seems to be the most gold-efficient way to go, but play mode might be more time-efficient unless you can consistently get 4+ wins in arena. In whichever mode you're doing you should be completing the quests which means you need to be able to win with whichever classes you have quests for in either arena or play mode in order to be most efficient. In play mode you always get 10 gold for 3 wins which is 3.33 gold per win. In arena, your profit will always be less than in play mode until you get to 4 wins, at which point it is 7 gold per win and it goes up from there. So, if you can consistently get 4+ wins it might be more time-efficient to earn gold in arena, although you do have to take into account the time it takes to make your draft (as opposed to building your deck in play mode). Also, you're probably playing more aggro decks in play mode so your games are going faster and you may have a higher win rate than in arena so you might earn gold faster in play mode and just buying the packs.
So, yeah, there's a lot of variables to take into account when deciding which one is more efficient. If you can consistently get 4+ wins in arena, it seems like arena is better for both time-efficiency and gold-efficiency. My average is 5-6 wins in arena, so I always do arena (I've never actually bought a straight pack). Basically just do whatever you think is the most fun and what you feel like doing that day.
Well I am getting around 1-5 wins which I think many arena players are getting.
Well yes, simple logic dictates that the average is 3 wins. (Ever so slightly below 3, actually, but lets not go into that again)
Simply put, if you average 3 wins that means that you essentially do a no-cost-no-profit arena run for every pack that you buy. If you enjoy arena, then I guess that's the better choice. If you think it's a waste of time, you may as well buy packs.
I think that, especially considering that you enjoy arena, instead of evaluating your average success, you should request feedback on your draft.
*snip*
Overall, there's a lot of room for improvement. Ignoring your possible miss plays in the actual games which you may need to improve as well, your drafting can see significant improvement.
This is very good analysis here. I wanted to make a few other observations as well.
On pick 10, with mass dispel, It may have actually been a good pick to have grabbed alarm-o-bot. You already had several expensive cards including ysera that could benefit from alarm-o-bot. Additionally, alarm-o-bot is a good combo for blademaster as well.
i am pretty bad at arena too but i would say i average 3.5-4 wins. occasionally going up to 7 and rarely winning less than 2. i definitely think it's worth it. first of all its great experience learning cards you dont use in constructed. secondly theres always the chance of going on a big run and cashing in. not to mention its FUN and you dont feel like a loser for "buying" packs (even with gold)
For me, Arena is more about the experience than the prizes. Sure, its great when you are able to break even or make profit, but Arena is mostly about the fun of building a deck out of complete randomness and just rolling with it.
So I have saved up some gold for Naxxramas but I have decided to spend money on it. That means I have some gold to spend and I love arena but I am not very good at it. Therefore I will evaluate 10 arena runs and see if what will give me more value for my gold. Packs or arena.
I might also record drafting and see if you have some tips for me to improve.
I don't have so much time to play but I should be able to do 1 or 2 arena runs a day on average so I hope the thread will be active enough.
First pick:
http://www.arenavalue.com/s/zBx2wE
Certainly one of the better decks I have draftet.
Ended with 3 wins.
Second pick
http://www.arenavalue.com/s/Jj7WXG
I hope for 2-3 wins with this one. And I got 3 wins. Maybe just making this thread was just what was needed...
Third pick
http://www.arenavalue.com/s/z5JuT3
The mountain giant was a misclick and should definently have gone big game.
1 win. I dced in one them which was the game changer. Gonna take a break.
Fourth pick
Druid deck managed to 3 wins.
Fifth pick:
Rogue deck, linked below, 9 wins.(my personal best)
Sixth pick
Did a shaman "token" deck with violet teacher, Illidan and Imp Master + 3 bloodlust. Never saw Illidan or the 3 bloodlust. Never got a card draw engine not even Novice Engineer. 3 wins.
Seventh pick
Druid. Got no 1 drop. And a very mana heavy curve without the innervates to help it. However satisfied with the coin + savage roar + force of nature + power of the wild one in a lifetime combo for the win. But deck itself died to rush druid turn 5 Ragnaras and a very rushing warlock where a single card could have turned it around.
Rewards: 7 Packs (finally a Faceless), Abomination, Blessing of Wisdom, Golden Unbound elementals, Nourish, 285 gold, 25 dust,and 85 dust from disenchanting.
Technically, you only need to get thee wins (?) to get value for an arena run, as you still get the 100g value of the pack, and then 50g worth of other rewards. Obviously, seven or more wins is ideal, but I wouldn't sweat too much if you are doing that well. You have to be doing very poorly to get negative value from Arena. Good luck with the runs.
Oh, one thing I like to do when drafting is stop after turn 15 and quickly evaluate all the cards I have. It helps me figure out which way the deck may be leaning and let me look out for combos or make. Also, it definitely helps me better evaluate my tempo curve or notice anything my deck may be missing (i.e. AOE, taunt, silence, removal). I often find the little mana curve to be somewhat deceptive. For example, if I'm drafting mage and I pick up two frostbolts and an Ironbeak owl, well my mana curve looks alright, but I still desperately need some reliable two-drop minions.
Well I am getting around 1-5 wins which I think many arena players are getting.
If you're consistently getting a couple of wins, with the potential to get more than 3 wins, then on average you're coming out ahead by playing arena (plus picking up playing experience) over just buying packs.
The average from 0 wins is still about 36 gold in either gold or dust (I figure 1 dust is valued at about 2 gold), which is only a loss of 14 gold for doing the arena run instead of buying the pack even at 0 wins. Of course, it gets better with actual wins. 1 win averages an equivalent of 43 gold, a loss of only 7 gold. 2 wins averages an equivalent of 53 gold in gold and/or dust, which means that there's a good chance you'll make a small profit even at only 2 wins. 3 wins actually averages about the same as 2 since you usually get less dust and more gold for 3 wins and dust is worth more than gold and you have a higher chance of just getting a common card instead of gold/dust (which is pretty low value), so 3 wins is about an equivalent of 54 gold. 4 wins moves up to an equivalent of 78 gold. So yeah, its definitely worth it to do arena instead of buying the pack unless you're really bad, you'll usually get a profit even at 2 wins. On the other end, 12 wins averages 339 gold plus a good chance at an extra 2nd pack and an extra golden card.
If you have unlimited time to play, arena seems to be the most gold-efficient way to go, but play mode might be more time-efficient unless you can consistently get 4+ wins in arena. In whichever mode you're doing you should be completing the quests which means you need to be able to win with whichever classes you have quests for in either arena or play mode in order to be most efficient. In play mode you always get 10 gold for 3 wins which is 3.33 gold per win. In arena, your profit will always be less than in play mode until you get to 4 wins, at which point it is 7 gold per win and it goes up from there. So, if you can consistently get 4+ wins it might be more time-efficient to earn gold in arena, although you do have to take into account the time it takes to make your draft (as opposed to building your deck in play mode). Also, you're probably playing more aggro decks in play mode so your games are going faster and you may have a higher win rate than in arena so you might earn gold faster in play mode and just buying the packs.
So, yeah, there's a lot of variables to take into account when deciding which one is more efficient. If you can consistently get 4+ wins in arena, it seems like arena is better for both time-efficiency and gold-efficiency. My average is 5-6 wins in arena, so I always do arena (I've never actually bought a straight pack). Basically just do whatever you think is the most fun and what you feel like doing that day.
This is very good analysis here. I wanted to make a few other observations as well.
On pick 10, with mass dispel, It may have actually been a good pick to have grabbed alarm-o-bot. You already had several expensive cards including ysera that could benefit from alarm-o-bot. Additionally, alarm-o-bot is a good combo for blademaster as well.
i am pretty bad at arena too but i would say i average 3.5-4 wins. occasionally going up to 7 and rarely winning less than 2. i definitely think it's worth it. first of all its great experience learning cards you dont use in constructed. secondly theres always the chance of going on a big run and cashing in. not to mention its FUN and you dont feel like a loser for "buying" packs (even with gold)
For me, Arena is more about the experience than the prizes. Sure, its great when you are able to break even or make profit, but Arena is mostly about the fun of building a deck out of complete randomness and just rolling with it.
I really want to thank you for your "free" drafting help but I am agreeing with Sonser. The fun is more than breaking even.h
Now can anybody tell how this decks ends up getting 9 wins as compared to the others? That would really help.
http://www.arenavalue.com/s/ogsHwB