Just remember that you don't have to remove all counters at once , and you can invest your resources in getting your reward in the long run if needed
Black Market Connections is the headliner, a premium engine that each turn trades life for Treasure, cards, or a 3/2 changeling Shapeshifter that counts as a Villain, and it slots perfectly into a deck built around paying small costs for big advantage
For example, if Woodcutters Grit gave Identity Thief +3/+3 and hexproof earlier in the turn, Identity Thief will still have those bonuses after copying a creature
It is not a necessity, and plenty of players utilize the game in the most efficient way, without spending any genuine money at all
It's causing damage, ramping mana, gaining life