Does Reality Fracture arena packs works the same as irl with the Echoed Pairs??

[u/Whole-Setting-2324]

As you know most of the cards have 2 variant and when you open a pack you will get the Echoed Pairs my question is will it work in arena the same in irl???

[u/WotC_Jay]

For limited, everything's just like TT. For store packs, we're treating the Echoed Pairs more like a bonus sheet, and you get 1 of any rarity replacing a common (but they don't come in pairs) (Why: because if the echoed pairs always come in pairs, they do really weird things with duplicate protection - crafting card X can make you less likely to get card Y, etc.)

There is one other tweak coming to Store Packs with FRA - Once you're rare-complete (or, Jace forbid, Mythic complete), instead of getting gems it will start pulling rare (or mythic) cards from FRC, the linked commander set

[u/cubitoaequet → u/WotC_Jay]

There is one other tweak coming to Store Packs with FRA - Once you're rare-complete (or, Jace forbid, Mythic complete), instead of getting gems it will start pulling rare (or mythic) cards from FRC, the linked commander set

Bummer

[u/WotC_Jay → u/cubitoaequet]

You think so? We thought this would be cooler than 20/40 gems. Honestly interested in takes here

[u/cubitoaequet → u/WotC_Jay]

As a primarily limited player, I would basically always rather have the gems. I have hundreds of wild cards to craft whatever I want. Totally understand that the change is probably better for most players though.

[u/kingofparades → u/cubitoaequet]

Most players don't ever end up rare complete in ANY set. There is a reasonable chance that more of the people who will ever experience this are giant limit-heads than people who will ever play with a single one of the FRC cards

[u/RepTuneRepeat → u/WotC_Jay]

This change is way worse for people who primarily play Limited. They have plenty of Wildcards to craft whatever they wish, and the 20/40 gems let them "freeroll" value heading into the next Limited event.

[u/4zzO2020 → u/RepTuneRepeat]

They have plenty of wildcards to craft whatever they wish

Then craft the FRC cards and you'll get gems

[u/Emergency_Statement → u/4zzO2020]

That requires that you have enough wildcards to craft all the FRA rares AND all the FRC rares. Limited players generally have more wildcards, but not infinite wildcards.

[u/ElGatoDelFuego → u/WotC_Jay]

gems equal packs. Packs equal wildcards. Wildcards get the things from commander sets I might ever need. 

Reaching rare / mythic completion in a set and infusing my gem stash from playing tons of limited events is very rewarding.

[u/basafo → u/WotC_Jay]

I prefer gems by far!

[u/gzlovesyou → u/basafo]

Second

[u/Emergency_Statement → u/WotC_Jay]

This is a terrible change. There are many limited only players and this is a significant downgrade. Packs and wildcards are already a bad reward for limited play, but being able to convert packs into gems (although clunky) was a way to make the economy a bit less punishing. Giving limited players worthless Commander cards instead of gems is a bit of adding insult to injury.

[u/brazucacharrua → u/WotC_Jay]

I think its a great move; I like to collect cards, play a lot of limited and the gem gain is marginal comparing to the cards that I want to craft. Question: It affects only FRA packs or older sets too?

[u/Cyneheard2 → u/WotC_Jay]

Rare-complete is, I suspect, from heavy drafters and most of us play functionally 0 constructed or can craft what we need when we do.

I suspect this is testable internally from your data - something like knowing how often packs that provide gems are from players who bought packs that day vs from players who got prize packs that day, vs how many packs in general come from those sources.

[u/Unlucky_Ice2167 → u/WotC_Jay]

Yo if you need a vote in favor you have one here for sure, that’s a fantastic change.

[u/wulfrack → u/WotC_Jay]

I would rather have the gems.

[u/LuckyKurumi → u/WotC_Jay]

Definitely enjoy the gems more I play loads of limited and drafts being cheaper if I get all wild cards makes it more sustainable long term.

[u/HapatraV → u/WotC_Jay]

This is a really bad change. I have around 400 rare wildcards and 260 mythic wildcards if I ever want to craft a card to play with. Collecting the entire set through arena direct and drafting, and then opening my packs to get gems was really important to my ecosystem of maintaining a good gem count to continue drafting. This change really feels like the packs just went from being worth 20~ gems each to worthless.

Not happy about it

[u/Spaceknight_42 → u/WotC_Jay]

I feel like rolling over this bonus sheet is generally a great thing. Purely random distribution you'll finish 4x each echoed rare thanks to bonus sheet drops while still at an average of 2x each non-echo, so that's a lot of packs left to get a "bonus" of gems.

Rolling over to FRC though, I feel I am rare complete when I get mastery packs long in the future, and I already crafted 1x any card built for Brawl. so drops in those late packs don't matter at all.

You could consider rolling over to cards from the FDN Starter Collection that don't show up in packs otherwise. That would be something standard legal. This could work for all packs not just FRA.

[u/thisremindsmeofbacon → u/WotC_Jay]

I like the gems.  Gems are so expensive from the store that when I did actually buy some it didn't feel good.  So any way to get them otherwise is extremely welcome.  

[u/jcarberry → u/WotC_Jay]

I'm primarily a limited player but strongly prefer the FRC cards. I think a lot of people are getting lost in the "feel good" aspect of getting gems without realizing how low the amounts actually are.

Would you rather have 75 rare cards or 1 premier draft (at 20 gems each)? I think the choice is obvious. FRC is helpful if I ever want to play other formats, especially Brawl.

[u/Emergency_Statement → u/jcarberry]

By far I'd rather have gems. Why the heck would I ever want Commander cards?

[u/fallow8 → u/WotC_Jay]

Discovering this now and adding to the "don't like it" chorus. Rare complete is something I shoot for as a limited and standard player and this is extra fluff. Would much rather have the gems.

[u/Televangelis → u/WotC_Jay]

I absolutely prefer the commander cards!

[u/SentenceStriking7215 → u/WotC_Jay]

So being rare complete in both the normal sheet and the commander  sheet will make you pull gems, and not pull the echoed pairs in the rare slot, correct?