Creating a steady stream of artifacts enables busted cards like Shimmer Dragon and Urza, Lord High Artificer
Additionally, it only trades creatures, so you cant steal those valuable enchantments and artifacts that are really causing problems
(The modern Pokemon sets also have higher-value cards in the several hundred to even several thousand dollar range but I felt like I didnt know enough about them yet to devote income/resources to cards I didnt fully understand.) I wanted to make at least semi-informed decisions about the cards I was buying
More interesting, that is, as long as you're not copying Armageddon or Shahrazad every turn!
*** SCG CON is coming to Tampa, FL on September 6-8
Organizers would no longer gain much revenue from selling table space to vendors, and the WotC budget for these events would probably result in fewer tournaments for lower prizes