Cactus Game Design Message Boards

I will be looking to trade some cards in the coming weeks, and wanted to first get some pointers on trading in these forums. I don't have any trading history so I'll be the first to send out cards, but besides that, is there anything non-obvious I should look out for? Any bad actors?

Do people generally trade based on card value (prices pulled from threelionsgaming.com)? ie, I trade 1 card worth $10 for your 3 cards worth $10? Or is it more simply what the trader is looking to get?
One last thing - besides posting my wanted cards, is it proper to list what I have for trading? Or is that discussed once someone messages me with cards I am looking for?

Thanks.

First, welcome to the Market!

Second, there is a rating system by each person's avatar (mine has a +33 as an example), as well as a feedback thread that used to be stickied (not sure where it went to now).

Third, people use TLG prices as a general guideline, but to ensure you get a fair trade, have people post what are willing to trade you instead of private messages (trust me, it saves a lot of headaches and can help ensure you get the best deal for your cards). Also while the card values are important, so is desirability. Very few players will trade you a low-end Apostle or Patriarch Ultra Rare for a card from the new set (like Assyrian Survivor) due to the new card being more effective in decks.

Fourth, I'm really interested in an Amalakite's Slave and a few other harder to get cards, so I'm looking forward to your list of available cards for trade as well as what you are looking for .

Precisely, many people do not have extra ASlave's lying around unless they grabbed them in other trades or booster drafts. Hard to find comes down to distribution:

Basically it's like this:

National Promos are difficult to find unless you attend, and when you do attend you get a copy of each National promo. Daniel was released in MN last year and makes it the hardest to get ahold of. After TN there will be more available. This event happens once a year. Daniel is also a useful card in decks compared to prior national promos: Split Altar, Walking on Water, Elijah, and Mary's Prophetic Act. Authority of Christ Promo is very popular, but has also been around for multiple tournaments so most players have at least 1

Regional Promos are similar in that respect, as each region has a tournament once a year. Goliath is a very popular promo that came out in 2010 and is still very trade worthy. Gates of Jerusalem can be valued by some players but many players have this card already. The other promos: Frog Demons, Nicanor, Thorn in the Flesh, A Child is Born are not so good.

State Promos are similar to Regionals but there are multiple states in a region. Useful promos included Haman and that was about it. Everlasting Beings is now out of print, but overall is not very useful. Neither is Water to Wine, Chastisement of the Lord, Baritmaeus, or Jairus.

District and Local Promos are easier to obtain as they are available at each tournament depending on the host. Brass Serpent and Self continue to be very popular districts. and Goshen, Angel at Shur, and Orange Panic demon are very popular local promos.

The Ultra Rares from other sets depend on distribution. Patriarchs and Apostles UR are very easy to get due to the packaging of Thesaurus ex Preterius (TEP) and the Disciples. You will also see more Angel Wars UR/rares from there.

From a booster perspective Angel Wars is never in the Booster Tins, so one could argue there are less of those available. However, there are not a lot of great cards in the set compared to Priests, Kings, or Patriarchs. Priests ultras are often popular as are many of the rares and some uncommons (Rain Becomes Dust and other curses)

So really, it comes down to set distribution and desirability of the cards. Faithful Servant promo was once the most expensive card in the game apart from a few misprint rarities due to only being available through World Vision. The Salvation Army promos are very rare as well and are no longer available outside of trading/purchase. Same with cards from Warriors and for a long time Womens (that was before a plethora of packs were located).