darkSpyro

So I have to do certain things in order to make sure my collecting habits don't go out-of-control, I keep a couple ground-rules about collecting Skylanders. So these are *my* rules:

1. There is no need to buy a character more than once. It is okay if it is a character I really like, or if the variant comes as one of a set in a triple-character-pack or battle pack (e.g. Bumble Blast is in Battle Forge, but I already have Jolly). The only series I have agreed with myself to complete 100% is Spyro's Adventure. Blue/Red/Crystal/Silver/Gold/Glow-in-the-dark variants that have no changes in gameplay are especially unnecessary.

2. The only items that must be had (and are non-negotiable) are those that unlock something in any of the games (Battle Arenas, bonus levels, etc.). That being said, my quest to obtain a Volcanic Vault continues, but I refuse to pay $75 - 80 for one, so I will keep looking, and bidding and crossing my fingers.

3. Light Cores, despite their differences, do not count as new characters (unless they ARE a new character). Nitro, Enchanted, Legendary, and even Dark character versions do not count as new characters, either, as far as Giants and Swap Force are concerned. I don't want two Hoot Loops and Two Free Rangers and etc etc.

What about you all? What do you tell yourself in order to maintain a reasonable set of collecting habits?

Mine:
1. Don't buy more than 2, and only buy one unless you really like the character. Remodels and LCs and Variants are the same character.
2. Only Adventure Packs and what's needed for 100% is required. More characters are nice to have though.
3. Don't buy too much.

Rule 1:
N/A

no rules i buy all i can get, serious collector and player of the game since day one

No dup's if possible, even across games. I started with Swap Force, so I don't go out of my way to get Spyro and Giants figures that have new variations in SF.

If an in-game variant comes out before the regular, only get the game variant, e.g., legendary/enchanted. But dup's are OK if it means getting a more powerful or cool-looking in-game variant.

Always look for the best sales, even if it means returning unopened figures to get a sale price.

We have similar rules.

Only one version of each character. So that is either a standard version, a variant, a lightcore, a dark or a legendary. In general we stick to standard figures and light cores, mainly because I, the mom, think they look cool on the shelf together. We also don't collect different series of the same figures. We started with the Giants game and we collected all the figures from that game. I went and bought a lot of used Spyro's Adventure figures and kept the figures we did not already have from Giants and sold the rest. So, now we will only collect all the new figures in Swap Force. The only exceptions are Dark Spyro, because my DS had to have him, and the repeats we will have from the Swap Force starter packs and battle packs.

We buy one of each figure. My boys split them up based on the ones they want. There are exceptions. I won't buy lightcores, duplicates, or series 2/3. I do buy all the other variants (legendary, nitro, enchanted, etc). If my boys want duplicates (ex. additional Slam Bam), they have to buy them with their money. Series 2/3 are packaged in adventure/battle packs, so we do have some of them.

Buy what you like and don't set "rules".

For me, every toys that have a different pose and/or color in real life counts as different characters, and I am getting all of them. So for exemple, S1 Eruptor, S2 Eruptor, Lava Barf Eruptor, Lightcore Eruptor and Volcanic Eruptor are different and I get them all. But I don't buy the same two times.

Rule #1: buy everything that is not nailed down
Rule #2: buy a hammer and get the rest

Rule 1 - See Pokemon catch phrase.

I don't have any set rules but I do have a plan with each game. This game's plan is to only get the variants but even that has crumbled to only get the select variants I want. The only figures that are not variants I plan to get were/are Warnado, LC Smolderdash, and Wham-Shell.

The only explicit rule for me is that I wouldn't waste my time with any variants that weren't in-game variants. Only my GITD Sonic Boom broke that rule but that was because I like GITD figures and it was on sale.

Here are my basic rules:

1. Do not buy duplicates of characters. (You will only see me with duplicates if someone accidentally bought me a duplicate. I don't even buy another one for the other path, even if it IS better.)

2. Only exception to Rule #1 is if it is in a Battle Pack/Triple Pack. (Arkeyan Crossbow/Fiery Forge, etc.)

3. Only buy variants if I do not already own the character, or if it is a very rare/exclusive variant. (They are fun to collect.)

4. Do not go out of way for buying characters. (Don't go to over 3 stores for 1/a few characters. Only exception is for a starter pack.)

I need to save money anyways, as I also have a Pokemon card collecting video series.

Quote: UncleBob

Buy what you like and don't set "rules".

The quickest way to go broke...

Quote: lcopley98

Quote: UncleBob

Buy what you like and don't set "rules".

The quickest way to go broke...

Not if you have a good job.

I follow rule #1 except in the case of Prism Break and Hex

I also Bought the firey forge which has bumble blast in it but will be selling/giving the bumble blast to a friend loose and picking up lightcore as my rule #2 exists as

#2: Get Lightcore when possible whilst still following rule #1

My son (who is 4) loves having at least 2 (different versions) of each character. He will call them "Brothers", and usually plays with them together...outside of the game. He seems to dislike the charters that only have one figure.....like...Boomer, Ghost Roster, etc. Perhaps he has been marketed/brainwashed to think if there isn't multiple versions, then they are not as great. I dunno.... Getting to deep into thought.

FYI - My rule to collect all of the figures that are easily obtainable...and can be purchased at retail. The only exception to this rule...was a Flocked Stump Smash I bought of Ebay last year for a present. My older son (who is 8) constantly demands we attempt to bid on the $$$ variants, and I just laugh. They are fun to look at on Ebay, but I could never pay that kind of $$$ for them.

My rules for choosing which version of a character to get is:

1. Legendary
   
2. Light-core
   
3. In-game variant
   
4. Regular (I would get chase variants but I've never seen one in the wild and I'm not going to pay more for something that isn't different in the game)
   

I generally only have multiple versions if I buy Adventure, Battle, or Triple Packs. I'll usually get a Triple Pack if I don't have any variants of two of them. I've kinda broken these rules a bunch since the variants would come out after the regular version.

Mine is sort of simple

1. Only buy characters I like, including reposes and alter ego/variants if possible. I don't want to feel obligated to buy a character I definitely don't like (which will mean missing on some swap zones).
   
-Be more lenient concerning merchandise (ex. don't buy everything with Sonic Boom's picture on it, but definitely buy a Mega Blok figure or plush)


2. Don't pay a triple digit (USD) price for anything, excluding the game. It does bother me that I don't have some chase variants of favorites but I honestly don't want to drop at least $100 on 3 or so $10 toys). I broke this once on Toy Fair Cynder, I told myself "never again" :u
   

My main factor in buying a character is if I like their design, gameplay function comes second.

I just buy everything I can. I make sure I get one of each character, I try to get variants (in game, some out of game, like the new Fright Rider and Pumpkin Eye Brawl). I try to get every thing they have of certain characters, like Stealth Elf and Spyro and Cynder. (hopefully flameslinger in the future too.) Though I do try to get one of each character still. Every S1 at least, and I have all 32 from SSA, and all series 1 from Giants with most series 2. I have all core and swappers from Swap Force currently out, too. So I guess just what I can. .-.

I get every character, every variant, every pose. Basically everything. Collecting is fun.

Quote: IWHBYD

Quote: lcopley98

Quote: UncleBob

Buy what you like and don't set "rules".

The quickest way to go broke...

Not if you have a good job.

Ppppffffttttt. I have a good job with law enforcement, and its still expensive. More like "have no other expenses". I've got to pay for things like mortgage, car payment, insurance, food, electrical, cell phone, vet bills for the dogs, etc.

Quote: GothamLord

Quote: IWHBYD

Quote: lcopley98

The quickest way to go broke...

Not if you have a good job.

Ppppffffttttt. I have a good job with law enforcement, and its still expensive. More like "have no other expenses". I've got to pay for things like mortgage, car payment, insurance, food, electrical, cell phone, vet bills for the dogs, etc.

Exactly what I am saying!

Quote:

I get every character, every variant, every pose. Basically everything. Collecting is fun.

I agree. Just wish I could get everything.

I buy one of every character from every game. Don't care if there reposes. But i buy the new characters first and make reposes a not a priority option. I only buy them when there on sale. Even today went to toys r us to get some of wave three and priced matched on buy one get one 50% off from FYE. I refuse to pay crazy second hand prices!(i'll never get all the variants)

I'm a Pokemon Master, so I get everything I can! Sometimes I get two of the same character, one for keeping in the box. Sometimes I pick up two, wait a couple weeks or months and sell them I don't buy the whole shelf, just one. I actually had a pretty decent Giants set but I found a puppy online and no one wanted him so my mom said the only way I can get it is if I sell my whole set which included SSA and SG, so when SSF came out I started over but mostly with SSF Characters with the exception of Thumpback, Ninjini, LC Pop fizz and other variants I was looking forward to before I sold it. I also always wanted to complete the sticker poster! I will!!!

I buy one of everything released. That being said, I dont go out of my way to grab chase variants off ebay for 100 dollars. If it doesnt appear different in game I dont care if I have it or not. But I grab all reposes/lightcores/in game variants (only one im missing is royal double trouble )

For myself I buy 2 of every figure regardless of repose or not. I like having a sealed set to put on my wall and a set to play with my son and wife. My wife and son also have a set each themselves thou i've avoided getting him all of ssa (minus the original lost 8) and the adventure packs. In swap force im trying to avoid some reposes for his and her set as she is fine having countdown and not lc countdown, however if it's a chick like chill or smolderdash she has both lc, non lc and leg (in chills case)

However i tend to look for sales and avoid opening some of the toys for a few months to make sure i get good deals. Even now im returning stuff from 4 months ago (ty target red card) because tru had the bogo free sales and Bj's wholesale had some $4 clearance on giants. Makes the thing alittle more cost friendly because i'm sort of buying 4 of everything if you think about it. As for variants i get the in game ones and did buy some of the giants ones and the clear wham shell from ssa. As for swap force idk as of yet, I don't care much for the green ones, thou i do like the cold/ice? smolderdash!

I'm still debating getting the gamespot battlegrounds pack since I know a place that doesn't sell it for an inflated price. So, if I ever get cash strapped I could just sell him off and still make my money back plus extra. Almost thinking the same thing about the Dark edition of swap force as well.