well, if I had to choose between LD and Geth, I'd choose geth personally. If unanswered you get a rediculous amount of board presence very quickly, and considering your running a bit of mill (from what I understand) LD will sometimes prove unfavorable for you, especially if Massacre Wurm is a thing in your group.
Geth can be a waste too, not to say I'm being bias but I have enough spot removal to make up for what my opponents are sporting
My decision process usually involves thinking about which cards I want to play as opposed to which cards I need to play. If I'm just tired of playing Eternal Witness in this deck, then out it comes for something shiny and new.
Seriously, my lists get so tight sometimes I have no recourse but to lay the deck out and stay up extremely late glaring at it. Eventually something in my sleep-deprived subconscious says "You know what, **** this card."
If you're not to that point yet, all the suggestions above seem good.
I also agree with this^^^
In addition, I'm the type to solitaire out the deck a few times to see how the deck CAN play out. If I'm noticing a card that sticks out for all the wrong reasons (CMC, ability, theme, etc.), it'll get replaced.
Of course, I totally get you when you say you're running a tight list, meaning nothing really sticks out. At that point you have to ask yourself:
"Am I satisfied with the deck as it is now? Is the new card even worth running? What am I willing to replace in the deck to accommodate the new card?"
I think the last one is pretty important, since -- if all the cards are good -- it simply becomes a matter of preference.
This is a tough question, and a tough thing to get right, for sure.
I play a ton of EDH, so I get to go through my entire deck regularly, which really helps this process. Basically, if a card is consistently getting into my hand that I really don't want to see, I never have a reason to tutor for it, and any synergies I might have in mind for the card can be used in conjunction with something else, then it gets the axe. If it's something I consistently find myself wishing I had in hand/available to tutor for, then it should probably go in/stay in.
If I'm looking to make the deck more competitive, I look at what my meta is running and figure out which of the two cards is better in most situations. I also do a fair bit of the staring technique after laying out and organizing the deck by function. Sometimes I come to the realization the card I want to put in is not good enough to make a cut for. Don't go in with the mindset that you have to cut something.
If I'm having fun, I go with Sheldon's suggestion: cut staples.
Agreeing with those above, stare it down until one of you breaks down and starts to cry (if it is well built, that person will be you). Playtesting also gives you a really good idea of what you want to keep and what you could live without, if you draw a card and say 'i haven't used this thing to help me win in so long...' then cut it like an extra toe.
What i did today for my deck was make an excel spreadsheet with all the things that the deck focuses on and what it needs to survive. From there i plan to cut the cards that serve only one minor function or that are redundant. I have found 2 already...
Good luck and remember, it is more afraid of you than you are of it.
I hate getting a bunch of cards at once because my chopping block usually isn't big enough. I try to rotate them to test them in that case.
Play a bunch with your deck, find the cards you don't like. Find similar cards. If you can't find cards you don't like, maybe you shouldn't be replacing them.
Geth can be a waste too, not to say I'm being bias but I have enough spot removal to make up for what my opponents are sporting
I also agree with this^^^
In addition, I'm the type to solitaire out the deck a few times to see how the deck CAN play out. If I'm noticing a card that sticks out for all the wrong reasons (CMC, ability, theme, etc.), it'll get replaced.
Of course, I totally get you when you say you're running a tight list, meaning nothing really sticks out. At that point you have to ask yourself:
"Am I satisfied with the deck as it is now? Is the new card even worth running? What am I willing to replace in the deck to accommodate the new card?"
I think the last one is pretty important, since -- if all the cards are good -- it simply becomes a matter of preference.
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I play a ton of EDH, so I get to go through my entire deck regularly, which really helps this process. Basically, if a card is consistently getting into my hand that I really don't want to see, I never have a reason to tutor for it, and any synergies I might have in mind for the card can be used in conjunction with something else, then it gets the axe. If it's something I consistently find myself wishing I had in hand/available to tutor for, then it should probably go in/stay in.
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If I'm having fun, I go with Sheldon's suggestion: cut staples.
What i did today for my deck was make an excel spreadsheet with all the things that the deck focuses on and what it needs to survive. From there i plan to cut the cards that serve only one minor function or that are redundant. I have found 2 already...
Good luck and remember, it is more afraid of you than you are of it.
Play a bunch with your deck, find the cards you don't like. Find similar cards. If you can't find cards you don't like, maybe you shouldn't be replacing them.
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