I've been back into the game for a good 5-6 months now. I am glad I'm back, love the game, and more than anything love going down to the card shop to play Friday Night Magic and other fun events like pre-releases and Tuesday Night Drafts, etc.
I enjoy competing at this level, something I'd call (perhaps incorrectly) a very casual competitor. I live in San Francisco, and when Worlds came I had great fun playing in the $5 side events. Sometimes, I go to other card shops in the area to meet new people and see what their weekly events are like.
I do not expect to ever be a top player in the game, nor do I think that I'd want to be. The level of intensity that I see in video of pro-players is not something I'm after personally.
I do like playing, and winning prizes, and getting better and meeting new people. That being said, is there any point to Planeswalker points for someone like me?
I am still not 100% clear on what Planeswalker Points get me. I see my little status bar go up after each LGS event I play at, and that's fun. But what does the more casual competitor get from points? Anything? Are these just for the PROs and those that would hope to become ultra Pros?
There's nothing for casual players with this system, but that isn't a big change from the old rating system. The old system was a number that tracked your wins versus loses based on the level of competition.
Lifetime gets you literally nothing. If you achieve a certain number of planeswalker points in a season, you will get between 1 and 3 byes at grand prixs (should you choose to go to one) in the next season. Other than that, there's not much benefit.
If you're just a casual player, your best bet is just to ignore them and have fun!
Well I would say it allows higher ranked players to play without the threat of being "punished" for losing to a lower ranked player. I actually drafted once with a Pro years ago at a local prerelease (single elim) and when it was down to us in the top 2, he walked over to a judge... there was a lot of hand waving and quiet discussion... and suddenly I was handed a bunch of packs and told I wouldn't be playing in the finals with him. He didn't want to lose rating to me.
It was many years ago when I was still quite new, so I didn't even realise he was a pro at the time... but this is the kind of thing they are trying to prevent. There comes a point when you reach high enough on the ladder where you wouldn't want to play in even a side event like a draft at a prerelease because it would hurt your pro record so badly. So you'd have many pros who wouldn't play for months to keep claim to their rank.
While I agree... it does little for us "once and a while" type of players... I can see why they did it.
The only thing PWP are currently used for are invitations to the Magic World Cup qualifiers and Grand Prix byes. There have been hints that they might offer things like byes in Pro Tour qualifiers and they might even give byes in Grand Prix trials or Magic World Cup qualifiers. Currently, PWP are wortless other than bragging rights for anyone that's not looking for competitive events, but that could easily change.
I do like playing, and winning prizes, and getting better and meeting new people. That being said, is there any point to Planeswalker points for someone like me?
If you never intend to ever play in Gran Prix or Pro Tours, then there is (currently) absolutely nothing in the PWP system you would care about.
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If you never intend to ever play in Gran Prix or Pro Tours, then there is (currently) absolutely nothing in the PWP system you would care about.
Well there's still the FNM Championship thing. But yeah, for the most part - no point in PWPs.
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Standard Mono-Green Aggro Modern :symb::0mana: Dark Affinity | :symu::symr: UR Breach | :symb::symr: Dark Burn Casual :symw::symu::symb::symr::symg: Bruna Reanimator (Standard) My LGS is Asgard Games in Houston, TX.
That's a ral shame to hear. I wish they offered something for those of us who play at our local shops frequently, like offering a promo card if you hit a certain number of points, or a free pack at another number of points or something.
Seasonal competitive points is a type of planeswalkerpoints. He never asked about Lifetime PWP, he asked about PWP in general.
Bacl, if you manage to get 300+ competitive points between points the 26th of December 2011 and the 1st of April 2012 you will get to compete in Magic World Cup Qualifiers, if that is something you'd want to do. The required amount of points varies between countries, and for the USA the requirement is 300+. I think 1 bye at a GP is at 300 as well.
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I enjoy competing at this level, something I'd call (perhaps incorrectly) a very casual competitor. I live in San Francisco, and when Worlds came I had great fun playing in the $5 side events. Sometimes, I go to other card shops in the area to meet new people and see what their weekly events are like.
I do not expect to ever be a top player in the game, nor do I think that I'd want to be. The level of intensity that I see in video of pro-players is not something I'm after personally.
I do like playing, and winning prizes, and getting better and meeting new people. That being said, is there any point to Planeswalker points for someone like me?
I am still not 100% clear on what Planeswalker Points get me. I see my little status bar go up after each LGS event I play at, and that's fun. But what does the more casual competitor get from points? Anything? Are these just for the PROs and those that would hope to become ultra Pros?
How To Keep Your FOIL Cards From Curling: http://youtu.be/QTmubrS8VnI
The Best Deck Boxes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEwgLph_Pjk
The Best Binders: http://youtu.be/H5IauASYWjk
If you're just a casual player, your best bet is just to ignore them and have fun!
It was many years ago when I was still quite new, so I didn't even realise he was a pro at the time... but this is the kind of thing they are trying to prevent. There comes a point when you reach high enough on the ladder where you wouldn't want to play in even a side event like a draft at a prerelease because it would hurt your pro record so badly. So you'd have many pros who wouldn't play for months to keep claim to their rank.
While I agree... it does little for us "once and a while" type of players... I can see why they did it.
It would be nice if you were sent some promo product when you changed levels.
| U Merfolk | UR Delver Burn| B Reanimator| B Landless Dredge |
No, those use your seasonal competitive score.
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If you never intend to ever play in Gran Prix or Pro Tours, then there is (currently) absolutely nothing in the PWP system you would care about.
Well there's still the FNM Championship thing. But yeah, for the most part - no point in PWPs.
Modern :symb::0mana: Dark Affinity | :symu::symr: UR Breach | :symb::symr: Dark Burn
Casual :symw::symu::symb::symr::symg: Bruna Reanimator (Standard)
My LGS is Asgard Games in Houston, TX.
How To Keep Your FOIL Cards From Curling: http://youtu.be/QTmubrS8VnI
The Best Deck Boxes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEwgLph_Pjk
The Best Binders: http://youtu.be/H5IauASYWjk
Seasonal competitive points is a type of planeswalkerpoints. He never asked about Lifetime PWP, he asked about PWP in general.
Bacl, if you manage to get 300+ competitive points between points the 26th of December 2011 and the 1st of April 2012 you will get to compete in Magic World Cup Qualifiers, if that is something you'd want to do. The required amount of points varies between countries, and for the USA the requirement is 300+. I think 1 bye at a GP is at 300 as well.