Set builders: advice/suggestions please!

How do you guys go about starting a new set: High grade commons first then midgrade toughies/HOF'ers, or Higher grade toughies first, and then worry about HG commons later? For example, if you were collecting T205's, would you buy 20 Ex/Mt commons, and then get vg/vg+ Cobb. or save the cash to buy the ex/mt Cobb first?

I've never been a big condition guy. For me, As long as I can read the back and the player is recognizable, I'm happy with the card. That being said, I usually go after the most expensive and rarest cards first and get the commons later.

Set building "rules" don't apply for the set that I'm working on. With T216's I take what I can get, of any player (common or HOFer) whenever they are available and I have the funds. I have some of the ugliest examples, but they are also the only one's I've been able to find. When I can upgrade, I'll sell off or trade the lower grades.

I am not really a set collector...I've completed 1 vintage set...and a very small one...e90-2. In this case...having procured a wagner....by far the most expensive card in the set...literally the rest of the cards were pretty easy to get.

I would think collecting any set may require a different strategy from any other set. Some caramel/T sets have rarities in addition to hof'ers...it'd be nice to get these as quickly as possible as you never know when you may see them again...ie e102 miller fielding, e97 team variations...spelling variations...t205 there are lots of variations...etc.

Just a few examples of the uglies I've had to use:





And when my others come in this month, I'll post those here as well (those examples have these 2 beat!).

I think that if you get high grade "toughies" first, there may be little motivation to complete the set, other than the registry.
How many t206 Wagner owners have the whole set, I wonder.