So, I will often build my own decks, taking ideas from other decks. Netdecking, if you will. The problem with my playgroup is that they rarely change their decks. When they build one they like, they stay with it, regardless of how well it performs when new sets are released. If that's the same with your group, encourage them to branch out or tweak their decks. Give them some online resources where they can read articles (not decklists) on the best interactions between cards. Perhaps they'll change their mind on their own.
When a professor at a university is doing research, most of them do not create new fields in mathematics, physics, psychology, economics, etc.. They work on problems are in that field. I mean how often is a new field in psychology invented? I don't know the answer to that but I do know most professors research in already established fields. There are some that go and "invent" new fields but that seems to be really rare. This is similiar to net decking. Every deck can be considered a "field" or area of study. We, the players are the professors. We work on the deck to establish it and make it stronger. There's nothing wrong with that. Having these ideas linked together, if we say that "netdecking" is wrong, you can argue that people in academia who don't invent new fields is wrong. Well there are problems that need to be resolved in that field. We the players are the problem solvers. We test to see what needs fixing and test more.
Eh, that doesn't seem like a very accurate statement. It'd be better to go along the lines of comparing it to a chef and recipes if you have to use an analogy.
I have two links in my signature. In person, I explain it with actual copies of the card examples I use and have them answer the questions. I then ask them to provide more examples of cards that are strictly better than other cards. I print out and have them read the article in the second link in my signature.
You can't, because netdecking is laziness at best and cheating at worst. If you can't be bothered to create your own strategies, don't waste my time by sitting across the table from me. The result is immaterial at that point - you're either an idiot that's buying your deck and pricing people out of Standard, or you're a bad builder that can only pilot a deck. If you're so sad and pathetic that the only way you can feel good about yourself is by stealing someone else's idea and playing with it, I don't know what to tell you. Tip of the cap, I guess.
You know Sebastepistis, this attitude is just as toxic to the game as the attitude that if you aren't trying to play to win then you are a scrub.
Both extremes of the viewpoint here are bad.
The best advice in this thread so far has been to attempt play at or near parity in decks. If either party / groups is not having fun here, then they should change it up and play within circles that won't involve them beating their head against a brick wall. (because that can happen from both ends)
It's extremely challenging or Dominant-trait Spikes and play Dominant non-Spikes and everyone has a good time.
When two parties want two very different things from the game it can be very difficult for everyone playing to have a good time.
This is just generally true of gaming in general, be it table-top wargaming, board gaming, video gaming, or Magic.
Gaming at it's heart is a social contract between two or more parties that you are all there to enjoy your time there. When that ceases to be the case. Review why you are all doing it, and either adjust, or stop (and find another group)
You can't, because netdecking is laziness at best and cheating at worst. If you can't be bothered to create your own strategies, don't waste my time by sitting across the table from me. The result is immaterial at that point - you're either an idiot that's buying your deck and pricing people out of Standard, or you're a bad builder that can only pilot a deck. If you're so sad and pathetic that the only way you can feel good about yourself is by stealing someone else's idea and playing with it, I don't know what to tell you. Tip of the cap, I guess.
Laziness I can accept as an argument against netdecking, but cheating? Seriously? There are no rules about how you decide what to put in your decklist, beyond what cards are legal in the format you're playing. Copying someone else's deck isn't a violation of any deck building rules.
Lantern Control
(with videos)
Uc Tron
Netdecking explained
Netdecking explained, Part 2
On speculators and counterfeits
On Interaction
Every single competitive deck in existence is designed to limit the opponent's ability to interact in a meaningful way.
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"I don't want to believe, I want to know."
-Carl Sagan
Both extremes of the viewpoint here are bad.
The best advice in this thread so far has been to attempt play at or near parity in decks. If either party / groups is not having fun here, then they should change it up and play within circles that won't involve them beating their head against a brick wall. (because that can happen from both ends)
It's extremely challenging or Dominant-trait Spikes and play Dominant non-Spikes and everyone has a good time.
When two parties want two very different things from the game it can be very difficult for everyone playing to have a good time.
This is just generally true of gaming in general, be it table-top wargaming, board gaming, video gaming, or Magic.
Gaming at it's heart is a social contract between two or more parties that you are all there to enjoy your time there. When that ceases to be the case. Review why you are all doing it, and either adjust, or stop (and find another group)
just my two cents.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
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