the first thing i'd try is to build something with fewer late game chaotic effects and more surprise i ruined your day effects with cheaper costs.
if they're popping off all the time they'll be less likely to just go off knowing that they could be stopped at any moment. plus, it can lead to more dynamic and exciting gameplay resulting in a better discussion along the way. once that starts happening they have to start playing better as they know there's disruption present. they can't just ignore the table to their own end. they have to start playing smart, and have to start thinking long term. that inspires more politics. for example arguments like i can handle this if you don't stop this increase because without that their plans just get foiled. the more disruption in the game the more people have to communicate if they want to get off the ground. now you've also got leverage to argue things like i'm not a threat he's a threat because you stopped someone at that clutch moment, or you helped someone else out.
after all, you don't need 30 scrambleverse effects going off to disrupt a game, you really just need 1.
anecdotally, i have this prime speaker zegana build i bust out when i feel a pod ignores removal, ignores interaction, and ignores each other. its by no means a tier 0 deck, but in those environments where people are all aiming for late game, or focus entirely on going off, its an unbeatable house because of the level of synergy in the build. i've had people hate playing against it because its too oppressive (it really isn't it just runs a good mix of combo and answers to people's combos) when i run it i tend to be able to ignore the entire table and win regardless because they won't take any steps to disrupt me so long as they're trying to hit their own ends. the minute someone sits down packing a lot of removal though? have to tighten up play, have to be smarter about everything, have to talk to the people next to me because any time i try to get ahead someone might pop off a red elemental blast and stop me.
at least that's my take on it, but i'm also a huge proponent of up your spot removal, up your interactions, reduce your wincons, pretty much across the board in any group. i've had a lot of fun games where almost everything is stopped, it makes wins more satisfying and increased discussion in all of my playgroups. that's me and my style of gameplay, everyones is different, but it might be worth a shot.
are you discussing plays and possible outcomes? are you trying to broker deals?
who is your commander? what's your curve like? are you shooting for long term late game plays or earlier efficient plays?
what type of deck are you running? does it force interactions? you say you're trying to do wacky things, but are you aiming for too wacky given the nature of that group? maybe toning it back for cheaper misdirection and removal style plays would force it more.
can you keep up with your current build or do they outrace you? for example if one of us has a deck that just races past everyone politics become a nonissue until someone slows it down or speeds their build up to interact with them more
in my group most of us are cutthroat, but a lot of the time someone will roll up with a deck thats removal/counter heavy with very few wincons and it causes all manner of chaos as people have to choose a little better in regard to what they try to do. there's also a guy that periodically plays chaos oriented decks that just wreck the table - its not about jamming as many chaotic effects as possible so much as it is the right ones at the right time. a well timed fork or misdirection can **** with a persons plans really hard.
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if they're popping off all the time they'll be less likely to just go off knowing that they could be stopped at any moment. plus, it can lead to more dynamic and exciting gameplay resulting in a better discussion along the way. once that starts happening they have to start playing better as they know there's disruption present. they can't just ignore the table to their own end. they have to start playing smart, and have to start thinking long term. that inspires more politics. for example arguments like i can handle this if you don't stop this increase because without that their plans just get foiled. the more disruption in the game the more people have to communicate if they want to get off the ground. now you've also got leverage to argue things like i'm not a threat he's a threat because you stopped someone at that clutch moment, or you helped someone else out.
after all, you don't need 30 scrambleverse effects going off to disrupt a game, you really just need 1.
anecdotally, i have this prime speaker zegana build i bust out when i feel a pod ignores removal, ignores interaction, and ignores each other. its by no means a tier 0 deck, but in those environments where people are all aiming for late game, or focus entirely on going off, its an unbeatable house because of the level of synergy in the build. i've had people hate playing against it because its too oppressive (it really isn't it just runs a good mix of combo and answers to people's combos) when i run it i tend to be able to ignore the entire table and win regardless because they won't take any steps to disrupt me so long as they're trying to hit their own ends. the minute someone sits down packing a lot of removal though? have to tighten up play, have to be smarter about everything, have to talk to the people next to me because any time i try to get ahead someone might pop off a red elemental blast and stop me.
at least that's my take on it, but i'm also a huge proponent of up your spot removal, up your interactions, reduce your wincons, pretty much across the board in any group. i've had a lot of fun games where almost everything is stopped, it makes wins more satisfying and increased discussion in all of my playgroups. that's me and my style of gameplay, everyones is different, but it might be worth a shot.
are you discussing plays and possible outcomes? are you trying to broker deals?
who is your commander? what's your curve like? are you shooting for long term late game plays or earlier efficient plays?
what type of deck are you running? does it force interactions? you say you're trying to do wacky things, but are you aiming for too wacky given the nature of that group? maybe toning it back for cheaper misdirection and removal style plays would force it more.
can you keep up with your current build or do they outrace you? for example if one of us has a deck that just races past everyone politics become a nonissue until someone slows it down or speeds their build up to interact with them more
in my group most of us are cutthroat, but a lot of the time someone will roll up with a deck thats removal/counter heavy with very few wincons and it causes all manner of chaos as people have to choose a little better in regard to what they try to do. there's also a guy that periodically plays chaos oriented decks that just wreck the table - its not about jamming as many chaotic effects as possible so much as it is the right ones at the right time. a well timed fork or misdirection can **** with a persons plans really hard.