In the game, the buying/selling prices of cards are shown in the Bazaar. Apparently some cards are more expensive than the other, and most cards have different prices. An obvious pattern to notice is that the selling prices are blatantly lower than the buying prices.
Apparently, these prices are not random numbers, but specific numbers generated by a mathematical formula. They also reveal an interesting division between cards, set by the developer. Let's find out.
1. The Formula1) Unupgraded cardsLet's start with buying prices. In order to figure out the formula, go to the Bazaar and look at the prices. Then, subtract the quanta cost of the card from its buying price.
You'll see one of the four numbers showing up: 6, 24, 54, 96. These numbers are even more interesting because they are 6 multiplied to squares of 1, 2, 3, 4. We can call these raw buying cost.
Same goes with the selling prices, but this time you'll see the following numbers: 4, 16, 36, 64. These are 4 multipiled to the squares. These can be raw selling cost.
Judging from this pattern, we can see that every card is given a certain Tier that determines its cost.
Tier 1 - Pillars, Skeleton (a funny exception)
Tier 2 - All 0 quanta cost cards, some of 1~5 quanta cost cards.
Tier 3 - Everything else
Tier 4 - All dragons, Fallen Elf, Chimera, Emerald Shield, Rain of Fire, Phoenix, Reflective Shield, Firefly Queen, Anubis, Sundial
2) RaresSince it is impossible to buy them, look at their selling costs.
- All unupgraded Shards and Mark Cards cost 5 coins to sell, meaning they are in Class 1.
- Relic costs 65. 65-1 = 64 = 4*(4^2). Surprisingly, it's a Tier 4 card.
- All rare weapons and Miracle give 144 raw cost. 144 = 4*(6^2). They are Tier 6.
- Pharaoh and Arctic Squid, the most expensive rares, give 256 = 4*(8^2). They are Tier 8.
- Nymphs' raw cost is 900 = 4*(15^2). They are whopping Tier 15.
3) Upgraded CardsStrangely, the pattern is much simpler if the cards are upgraded. For selling price, the only two numbers that show up as raw costs are 1156 for normal cards and 1296.
1156 = 4*(17^2) ---> Tier 17
1296 = 4*(18^2) ---> Tier 18
Upgraded Nymphs, owned by only a few in the community, have a raw cost of 1600.
1600 = 4*(20^2) ---> Tier 20.
4) ConclusionBuying price of a card : 6 * (Tier)^2 + (Quanta Cost)
Selling price of a card : 4 * (Tier)^2 + (Quanta Cost)
2. Its UsesThis study does not have any special use. There is one interesting use, though: by going through the formula backwards, figure out how much a rare card would've cost if it was buyable in Bazaar.
For example, a Titan (Tier 6) would cost...
6 * (6^2) + 5 = 221 coins.
An upgraded Titan (Tier 18) (and all other 5 quanta cost rare weapons) would cost...
6 * (18^2) + 5 = 1949 coins.
3. List of Cards by TierFor the reader's convenience, here is the organized list of all cards by their Tier.
Tier 1- Pillars
- Unupgraded Shards
- Mark Cards
Skeleton
Tier 2- Pendulums
- Dagger
Abomination, Chaos Seed, Nova, Schrodinger's Cat
Virus, Flesh Spider, Poison, Mummy, Deathstalker, Soul Catcher
Graviton Mercenary, Momentum, Gravity Pull
Antlion, Hematite Golem, Plate Armor, Gnome Rider
Horned Frog, Rustler, Cockatrice, Forest Spirit, Heal, Forest Scorpion
Ash Eater, Fire Spirit, Fire Bolt, Deflagration, Immolation
Chrysaora, Blue Crawler, Freeze, Purify, Toadfish
Photon, Holy Light, Guardian Angel
Dragonfly, Wyrm, Thunderstorm, Firefly
Deja Vu, Reverse Time, Scarab, Precognition, Dune Scorpion
Gargoyle, Nightmare
Spark, Lightning, Phase Spider
Tier 3- Short Sword, Hammer, Short Bow, Relic
- All cards that do not belong in any of the other Tiers
Tier 4- Dragons
Fallen Elf
Chimera
Emerald Shield
Rain of Fire, Phoenix
Reflective Shield
Firefly Queen
Anubis, Sundial
Tier 6- Rare weapons
Miracle
Tier 8 Arctic Squid
Pharaoh
Tier 15- Unupgraded Nymphs
Tier 16- Upgraded Relics
Tier 17- Upgraded non-rare cards
Tier 18- Upgraded rare cards
Tier 20- Upgraded Nymphs
* This article is written based on an article on the old Wiki. Thanks Teffy for letting me know of this article.
