[Off-Topic] Community Chat Thread

User avatar
materpillar
the caterpillar
Posts: 1299
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: Unlisted
Location: Ohio

Post by materpillar » 2 years ago

ISBPathfinder wrote:
2 years ago
I once opened 2x Wurmcoil Engines in a sealed pool. I almost trounced everyone but the guy who beat me for first happened to be playing infect with multiple Revoke Existence in his sideboard.

That does sound really nice though. I unfortunately have tiny little pre release events with 20 or less people because I live in the middle of nowhere. We generally only have like 5 rounds tops. I am very jealous that you got to hold a pre release as its one of my absolute favorite parts of set releases.
Not a mythic sealed story but a related Mirrodin sealed story.

I played in the Mirrodin Besieged Pre-Release where you could pick a Mirrodin or a Phyrexian sealed pack. The Phyrexian pack was just way stronger so almost every took that one but I picked Mirrodin because I wanted the promo Hero of Bladehold (for my cube, you couldn't play it in the sealed event). Anyway, I opened Darksteel Plate and played it main deck. Turns out it's pretty bad against infect. That's not a problem though when you match up against 6 of the 7 other Mirrodin players over 7 rounds and absolutely smash each of them because none of them had Revoke Existence. The statistics involved in matching up against only Mirrodin players when there were basically none was astoundingly low. I also constantly drew Darksteel Plate and they just couldn't beat it. Then, I traded my entire sealed pool for Molten-Tail Masticore.

I think my high point in limited was casting Cromat in an apocalypse draft. That or killing someone with Phage the Untouchable + Mighty Leap. The highest point I've ever seen was I saw a friend cast leviathan, equipped it with Loxodon Warhammer and Viridian Claw and had enough Islands to attack twice. I like chaos drafts...

User avatar
bobthefunny
Resident Plainswalker
Posts: 467
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Contact:

Post by bobthefunny » 2 years ago

Oof. Second dose of Moderna vaccine hit me hard last night. alternating aches and chills, into a cycle of muscle ache, joint ache, and headache. Woke up multiple times thirsty as all heck. Luckily was prepared for that part.

I'm over the worst of it now, but I still ache all over, and am completely dead on energy.


===

materpillar wrote:
2 years ago
[... Draft/Sealed stories...]
I had a couple of fun draft events in those massive pre-releases that were absolutely bonkers:
  • 5th Dawn draft - Typically, 5th dawn drafts included boosters of the other sets, but one event did a triple 5th dawn draft. I fist picked Cranial Plating every chance I got. I ended up with 7 of them, and 2-3 Grafted Wargear. Since I was drafting the equipment so highly, my choice of creatures was quite low... but it turns out no one wanted Cackling Imp, so that rounded out pretty much the rest of my deck. My round 1 opponent actually came over to watch me build my deck (pretty sure that wasn't supposed to happen) and was laughing at it. Until I absolutely cleaned the floor with him. Then the next two rounds. One opponent actually managed to side in some Stasis Cocoons and some other removal, and locked down 3 of my equipment... but then the next one just gave +4/+0 and I kept swinging.
  • In Darksteel set, I managed to draft a deck of pretty much every Arcbound card there was. People I faced were exceedingly frustrated that all the counters would just keep sliding over and I didn't really lose anything. That one was quite fun.
  • Coldsnap draft... any of it. One game, I actually managed to draft 9 Surging Flames. A couple of Karplusan Wolverines, a few Lightning Storm, and that was a pretty easy game as well. Round 3, Game 3 was pretty funny as well. I had a bad opening hand and mulliganed twice, my opponent managed to stop my early advances, but my wolverines put 2 damage on him, and a lightning storm put another 4 with a discard (just to be safe). He didn't discard into it, and I had to stop there, otherwise I would lose the discard war. I top decked the Surging Flame, and by this point he'd seen the deck, so was just like "Let's see if you got it," and I flipped over all 9.
  • Another coldsnap draft, while everyone fought over the ripple cards (finally), I got a whole bunch of Sound the Call. Like, a WHOLE bunch. 12 or so. I think I went 2-1 though.
  • Not me, but a friend of mine drafted Surging Dementia highly, because no one else was, and it turns out nuking your opponents' entire hand on turn 2 is pretty dumb.

User avatar
SocorroTortoise
Not A Turtle
Posts: 369
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: San Diego, CA

Post by SocorroTortoise » 2 years ago

I think my favorite sealed pool was Rise of the Eldrazi. Opened Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, played it mostly as a meme, and then the first game I played actually went long enough for me to hit 15 land drops and hardcast it. I have no recollection of anything else from that event.

I think the last prerelease I actually went to was RTR. I'm a lot less interested in committing to tournament length events than I used to be.
[Pr]Jaya | Estrid | A rotating cast of decks built out of my box

User avatar
Gamazson
Posts: 151
Joined: 2 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by Gamazson » 2 years ago

Today I just received a webcam and a folding table that I bough so that I could finally play Commander on spell table. I spend a good three hours figuring out discord and reading all of PlayEDH's rules and their power classifications. I decided to submit my Korvold's lands matter deck since it was the must capable of my decks not waiting on cards from the new set. I submit it o be checked requested a mid level classification, and this is the response.

"Image"

To say I am annoyed would be an understatement. I could understand critique on my removal count, but how is 47 lands to many for a land matter theme! grr

The offending deck: https://archidekt.com/decks/363326#Korv ... nds_Matter

/ rant

User avatar
toctheyounger
Posts: 3984
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Post by toctheyounger » 2 years ago

That's a really weird way to manage power levels, tbh. Seems oddly specific and not all that helpful.
Malazan Decks of the Fallen
| Shadowthrone/Lazav | Raest/Yidris | T'iam / The Ur-Dragon |

User avatar
Gamazson
Posts: 151
Joined: 2 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by Gamazson » 2 years ago

toctheyounger wrote:
2 years ago
That's a really weird way to manage power levels, tbh. Seems oddly specific and not all that helpful.
In hindsight that is what I am thinking as well. I understand wanting to keep players relative to each other, but based on this experience they seem to be enforcing a very narrow playstyle. If this how they react to Korvold, many of my other decks would utterly confuse them.

User avatar
WizardMN
Posts: 1963
Joined: 4 years ago
Answers: 124
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Twin Cities
Contact:

Post by WizardMN » 2 years ago

pokken wrote:
2 years ago
I am kinda glad they have gotten the secret lairs to the point where they're so dumb I'm almost never interested in any of them.

The last one I got was the "I guess I could use a copy of Teferi's Protection and it's for the kids kinda" bundle and they just keep getting crappier and dumber.

(A set of 15 shocks for $120 is probably a pretty good entry into the format I guess, although who decided not to just do them in sets of enemy/ally groups so people would get even numbers, I dunno)
This is where I am at. I have picked up a fair number of the Secret Lairs (except the lands ones: I would have bought a few if they weren't so stingy) but this is the first Secret Lair grouping where I am not interested in a single box. I would have picked up a couple of the "Our Show Is On Friday, Can You Make It?" if they were foil but that is it. It is somewhat bad timing too since I have that $20 credit for them messing up the Valentine's box with Heliod. Not that I can't just wait on it of course.

User avatar
toctheyounger
Posts: 3984
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Post by toctheyounger » 2 years ago

Gamazson wrote:
2 years ago
toctheyounger wrote:
2 years ago
That's a really weird way to manage power levels, tbh. Seems oddly specific and not all that helpful.
In hindsight that is what I am thinking as well. I understand wanting to keep players relative to each other, but based on this experience they seem to be enforcing a very narrow playstyle. If this how they react to Korvold, many of my other decks would utterly confuse them.
Yeah, like what about theme decks? I understand wanting to keep power levels manageable, but that seems more like policing how you play which isn't something I'd be ok with.
Malazan Decks of the Fallen
| Shadowthrone/Lazav | Raest/Yidris | T'iam / The Ur-Dragon |

User avatar
Gamazson
Posts: 151
Joined: 2 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by Gamazson » 2 years ago

toctheyounger wrote:
2 years ago
Yeah, like what about theme decks? I understand wanting to keep power levels manageable, but that seems more like policing how you play which isn't something I'd be ok with.
Theoretically those fall under what they call "Battlecruiser" along with stock pre-con decks. I have been a lurker on MTG Salvation for years. I have seen some mighty effective decks with a wacko theme. I think the process might be flawed. I thought it was all about keeping folks with cost mana artifacts and lots of tutors away from players with slightly modified pre-cons.

User avatar
toctheyounger
Posts: 3984
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Post by toctheyounger » 2 years ago

Gamazson wrote:
2 years ago
toctheyounger wrote:
2 years ago
Yeah, like what about theme decks? I understand wanting to keep power levels manageable, but that seems more like policing how you play which isn't something I'd be ok with.
Theoretically those fall under what they call "Battlecruiser" along with stock pre-con decks. I have been a lurker on MTG Salvation for years. I have seen some mighty effective decks with a wacko theme. I think the process might be flawed. I thought it was all about keeping folks with cost mana artifacts and lots of tutors away from players with slightly modified pre-cons.
It does seem like a flawed process. Restricting access to play unless someone builds their deck a certain way is lousy. Although I think if you pushed back, you're probably not likely to get anywhere either - chances are they'll just tell you if you don't like it, find somewhere else to play.
Malazan Decks of the Fallen
| Shadowthrone/Lazav | Raest/Yidris | T'iam / The Ur-Dragon |

User avatar
Guardman
A Dog's Dream of Man
Posts: 1725
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: In a Turn-Based World

Post by Guardman » 2 years ago

Really, it sounds like they have either very specific ideas about what a deck should be or a very bad system (or both). Either way, I wouldn't trust their judgment and maybe look for somewhere else to play if possible.

On a different note, I just found this email from MTG Arena in my spam folder. I get the feeling I might be playing too much magic. :crazy: 263 Boosters Opened is a lot of boosters, especially since they are purely from drafting, sealed, and the mastery pass. As for the cards drafted, its mostly right, except the 16 copies of Dogged Pursuit was purely from getting them as 13th or 14th picks, since I maybe played it in one or two decks.
SPOILER
Show
Hide
Image Image

User avatar
Hermes_
Posts: 1760
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by Hermes_ » 2 years ago

so, i've been playing hearts of iron IV and this happened:
SPOILER
Show
Hide
Image
followed by a year later in game time
SPOILER
Show
Hide
Image
The Secret of Commander (EDH)
Sheldon-"The secret of this format is in not breaking it. "

User avatar
materpillar
the caterpillar
Posts: 1299
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: Unlisted
Location: Ohio

Post by materpillar » 2 years ago

Gamazson wrote:
2 years ago
Today I just received a webcam and a folding table that I bough so that I could finally play Commander on spell table. I spend a good three hours figuring out discord and reading all of PlayEDH's rules and their power classifications. I decided to submit my Korvold's lands matter deck since it was the must capable of my decks not waiting on cards from the new set. I submit it o be checked requested a mid level classification, and this is the response.

"Image"

To say I am annoyed would be an understatement. I could understand critique on my removal count, but how is 47 lands to many for a land matter theme! grr

The offending deck: https://archidekt.com/decks/363326#Korv ... nds_Matter

/ rant
Oh, the deck check guys on PlayEDH have not impressed me in the slightest. They're utterly swamped with decks every weekend, so I'm pretty sure they barely spend any time per decklist. From what I can tell they check curve, deck skeleton (# of lands/removal/creatures) and look for certain cards/combos. That might work well for pre-cons that have been upgraded and for mostly net-decked lists but they're really really bad at placing my decks.

Some solid examples of what were they thinking...
  • They told me my Changeling tribal is "battlecruiser" and to just take out the infinite combos, Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow and Cryptic Gateway. My Changeling deck will absolutely slaughter pre-cons. To cut out all the combos I'd have to axe like 20% of the list. Why is Cryptic Gateway too strong for pre-cons?
  • My Gishath, Sun's Avatar was ranked in low, despite the fact I'd been running it in mid and smashing lobbies. But it's tribal so they always assume it's low
  • An opponent was playing Golos, Tireless Pilgrim Eldrazi Tribal with Emrakul, the Promised End, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre and Kozilek, Butcher of Truth. Because Golos, Eldrazi tribal is what people want to play against in "low" powered EDH.
  • My favorite by far when they said this about my Tivadar of Thorn deck...
    "However your deck would need a major overhaul in order to function at all. I actually had a mod ask me if this deck of yours was meant for an LGS or not"
    A deck I've won 4 of 14 games with but sure it "needs a major overhaul"
So yeah, I basically ignore the vast majority of their advice, at least compared to the advice I get here.

Also, starting in May you need to pay a $1 or so per month to use their "looking for game" bot service. There's also an opt out form if you can't pay it or something.

User avatar
Gamazson
Posts: 151
Joined: 2 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by Gamazson » 2 years ago

materpillar wrote:
2 years ago
Oh, the deck check guys on PlayEDH have not impressed me in the slightest. They're utterly swamped with decks every weekend, so I'm pretty sure they barely spend any time per decklist. From what I can tell they check curve, deck skeleton (# of lands/removal/creatures) and look for certain cards/combos. That might work well for pre-cons that have been upgraded and for mostly net-decked lists but they're really really bad at placing my decks.

Some solid examples of what were they thinking...
  • They told me my Changeling tribal is "battlecruiser" and to just take out the infinite combos, Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow and Cryptic Gateway. My Changeling deck will absolutely slaughter pre-cons. To cut out all the combos I'd have to axe like 20% of the list. Why is Cryptic Gateway too strong for pre-cons?
  • My Gishath, Sun's Avatar was ranked in low, despite the fact I'd been running it in mid and smashing lobbies. But it's tribal so they always assume it's low
  • An opponent was playing Golos, Tireless Pilgrim Eldrazi Tribal with Emrakul, the Promised End, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre and Kozilek, Butcher of Truth. Because Golos, Eldrazi tribal is what people want to play against in "low" powered EDH.
  • My favorite by far when they said this about my Tivadar of Thorn deck...
    "However your deck would need a major overhaul in order to function at all. I actually had a mod ask me if this deck of yours was meant for an LGS or not"
    A deck I've won 4 of 14 games with but sure it "needs a major overhaul"
So yeah, I basically ignore the vast majority of their advice, at least compared to the advice I get here.

Also, starting in May you need to pay a $1 or so per month to use their "looking for game" bot service. There's also an opt out form if you can't pay it or something.
I'm glad I am not only one. What is super frustrating is that I am locked out of all channels. I can't even submit another deck to be checked. I wonder if that has something to do with the payment thing.

User avatar
RxPhantom
Fully Vaxxed, Baby!
Posts: 1513
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: Unlisted
Location: Southern Maryland

Post by RxPhantom » 2 years ago

materpillar wrote:
2 years ago
Gamazson wrote:
2 years ago
Today I just received a webcam and a folding table that I bough so that I could finally play Commander on spell table. I spend a good three hours figuring out discord and reading all of PlayEDH's rules and their power classifications. I decided to submit my Korvold's lands matter deck since it was the must capable of my decks not waiting on cards from the new set. I submit it o be checked requested a mid level classification, and this is the response.

"Image"

To say I am annoyed would be an understatement. I could understand critique on my removal count, but how is 47 lands to many for a land matter theme! grr

The offending deck: https://archidekt.com/decks/363326#Korv ... nds_Matter

/ rant
Oh, the deck check guys on PlayEDH have not impressed me in the slightest. They're utterly swamped with decks every weekend, so I'm pretty sure they barely spend any time per decklist. From what I can tell they check curve, deck skeleton (# of lands/removal/creatures) and look for certain cards/combos. That might work well for pre-cons that have been upgraded and for mostly net-decked lists but they're really really bad at placing my decks.

Some solid examples of what were they thinking...
  • They told me my Changeling tribal is "battlecruiser" and to just take out the infinite combos, Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow and Cryptic Gateway. My Changeling deck will absolutely slaughter pre-cons. To cut out all the combos I'd have to axe like 20% of the list. Why is Cryptic Gateway too strong for pre-cons?
  • My Gishath, Sun's Avatar was ranked in low, despite the fact I'd been running it in mid and smashing lobbies. But it's tribal so they always assume it's low
  • An opponent was playing Golos, Tireless Pilgrim Eldrazi Tribal with Emrakul, the Promised End, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre and Kozilek, Butcher of Truth. Because Golos, Eldrazi tribal is what people want to play against in "low" powered EDH.
  • My favorite by far when they said this about my Tivadar of Thorn deck...
    "However your deck would need a major overhaul in order to function at all. I actually had a mod ask me if this deck of yours was meant for an LGS or not"
    A deck I've won 4 of 14 games with but sure it "needs a major overhaul"
So yeah, I basically ignore the vast majority of their advice, at least compared to the advice I get here.

Also, starting in May you need to pay a $1 or so per month to use their "looking for game" bot service. There's also an opt out form if you can't pay it or something.
I was considering getting a webcam to set this up, but these people sound insufferable. Assigning power levels to decks is tricky anyway, but to do it just by looking at deck lists is a shoddy, haphazard way to go about it. A few months ago, TCC had a video that, in short, proposed having discussions about the kind of game experience you want to have and not numerical power levels. We've been doing that at my LGS ever since and it's worked out pretty well. I'm not sure if it's feasible to do implement something like that on PlayEDH, but almost anything sounds better than the 'system' they have now. Yuck.
Can you name all of the creature types with at least 20 cards? Try my Sporcle Quiz! Last Updated: 2/18/22 (Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty)

User avatar
Gamazson
Posts: 151
Joined: 2 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by Gamazson » 2 years ago

I haven't played a game with it yet, but spell table at least was easy to setup software side. Position your phone or webcam to see your playmat is the tricky bit.


User avatar
toctheyounger
Posts: 3984
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Post by toctheyounger » 2 years ago

I just find the idea of someone else poring over my decks, even briefly, and judging them with nary a semblance of how they work to be pretty abhorrent. I get why they'd do it but do it right or find a better system. Like above, lumping all tribal in as low power seems actually really antiquated. Theres a lot of tribal synergy around these days and most tribes have myriad options to make a successful and powerful build. Ultimately my Varina build is tribal but its also at the stronger end of tribal so I'd probably whop most lobbies without trying.

I guess ultimately I'd probably suck it up and take it to get some game play in but at the same time - stay in your lane, you don't know my deck. Like it just seems outside of the scope of determining power level to be critiquing someone else's deck.
Malazan Decks of the Fallen
| Shadowthrone/Lazav | Raest/Yidris | T'iam / The Ur-Dragon |

User avatar
Rumpy5897
Tuner of Jank
Posts: 1854
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by Rumpy5897 » 2 years ago

I'm gestating on a power creep/power level sort of ramble, and as legwork for that I tried to get my decks through the PlayEDH power grinder because it seemed like the closest to an objective power scoring system on the web. Seeing how their limitations were one deck check per week, I decided I don't want to spend a month lobbing them deck after deck, and found a knowledgeable guy in chat instead and threw all the decks at him. While not a "formal" evaluation, I got a guy who still knew his stuff and the general power level climate, and I got to chat with him rather than just get a verdict. I disclosed that the Mana Crypts can go if need be as they're taboo in non-high. The outcome: While I largely agree with the relative positioning of the decks, this excursion highlighted two things. One, assuming their power levels are indicative of actual power distribution, the format has nontrivially crept up in the casual space. I always perceived my higher-end decks as part of the "casual terror" pubstomp tier, so capable of going up against pretty much all non-cEDH stuff. And here I am, with a diagnosis that my most powerful deck according to their grading would fall right in the middle of their scale. Two, the system is visibly biased and imperfect. Despite being there and able to chat to the guy, unlike what you'd get as a verdict, I was unable to sway his opinion on Feather. He's seen enough Feathers in his time, and that puts mine at low. Despite the fact that I have hundreds of games of data against varied opposition where the deck is hard to interact out, and consistently getting T6-7 table kills. What sort of argument is "folds to countermagic" anyway, don't most non-blue decks if interacted with smartly? Also my deck isn't even voltron?

The article/ramble would then go on to ramble on why this format power creep might be occurring, and then examine the upsides/downsides of consciously running lower power builds that go against the grain. If any of ya'll have thoughts on the matter, feel free to chip in :P
 
EDH Primers (click me!)
Deck is Kill Club
Show
Hide

User avatar
materpillar
the caterpillar
Posts: 1299
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: Unlisted
Location: Ohio

Post by materpillar » 2 years ago

Gamazson wrote:
2 years ago
I'm glad I am not only one. What is super frustrating is that I am locked out of all channels. I can't even submit another deck to be checked. I wonder if that has something to do with the payment thing.
It's not related to the payment. Everyone is limited to 1 deck per weekend. Even with that they get thousands and thousands of deck submissions a weekend and there is an extremely finite number of mods.
RxPhantom wrote:
2 years ago
I was considering getting a webcam to set this up, but these people sound insufferable. Assigning power levels to decks is tricky anyway, but to do it just by looking at deck lists is a shoddy, haphazard way to go about it. A few months ago, TCC had a video that, in short, proposed having discussions about the kind of game experience you want to have and not numerical power levels. We've been doing that at my LGS ever since and it's worked out pretty well. I'm not sure if it's feasible to do implement something like that on PlayEDH, but almost anything sounds better than the 'system' they have now. Yuck.
They're not insufferable, there's just a finite number of them and they're way overworked. The Upper/Mid/Lower/Battlecruiser ranking system is ok. It gets you in the ballpark, then you should probably have the pre-game discussion that you mentioned anyway. I've definitely had some pubstomp awful games, but I've had a fair amount of fun enjoyable ones too.
Gamazson wrote:
2 years ago
I haven't played a game with it yet, but spell table at least was easy to setup software side. Position your phone or webcam to see your playmat is the tricky bit.
This bit is really easy for sure. Part of the reason I got into spelltable.
toctheyounger wrote:
2 years ago
I just find the idea of someone else poring over my decks, even briefly, and judging them with nary a semblance of how they work to be pretty abhorrent. I get why they'd do it but do it right or find a better system. Like above, lumping all tribal in as low power seems actually really antiquated. Theres a lot of tribal synergy around these days and most tribes have myriad options to make a successful and powerful build. Ultimately my Varina build is tribal but its also at the stronger end of tribal so I'd probably whop most lobbies without trying.

I guess ultimately I'd probably suck it up and take it to get some game play in but at the same time - stay in your lane, you don't know my deck. Like it just seems outside of the scope of determining power level to be critiquing someone else's deck.
I fairly certain they get a lot of lists that are just objectively bad. Hence they made some guidelines to help those people. There's no way that they know I've probably played magic twice as long as them and aren't just some random scrub. My lists often look like an utter pile of trash, but that's because I love making trash cards shine in the extremely niche situations that they're broken in. I don't find their judgement abhorrent I just find it hilariously off base.
Rumpy5897 wrote:
2 years ago
One, assuming their power levels are indicative of actual power distribution, the format has nontrivially crept up in the casual space. I always perceived my higher-end decks as part of the "casual terror" pubstomp tier, so capable of going up against pretty much all non-cEDH stuff. And here I am, with a diagnosis that my most powerful deck according to their grading would fall right in the middle of their scale.

...

The article/ramble would then go on to ramble on why this format power creep might be occurring, and then examine the upsides/downsides of consciously running lower power builds that go against the grain. If any of ya'll have thoughts on the matter, feel free to chip in :P
I feel like there's been significant powercreep switching from my LGS to PlayEDH. I've played against some decks in Low that are just really really bad decks. I've also played against Dargo, the Shipwrecker + Phyrexian Altar hyper streamlined combo. I've lost to a fair few Thassa's Oracles. It's frequently pretty all over the place.

I'm a pretty decent fan of PlayEDH even though I came down hard on their deck checks. I think they provide a great service while everyone is in lockdown mode. It's almost certainly worse than just playing with friends or at an LGS though. Some people don't have that option right now though and PlayEDH is a passable substitute.

User avatar
Rumpy5897
Tuner of Jank
Posts: 1854
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by Rumpy5897 » 2 years ago

Playing against randoms incentivises stronger decks, as the only reliable way to get enjoyment out of a game is to win it. With the pandemic, a lot of the looser groups fell apart and people turn to stuff like PlayEDH for their EDH fix, taking the Cockatrice pile of nonsense phenomenon and making it more commonplace. At least PlayEDH has something in place to try to prevent the "MY DECK IS A SEVEN" you get when you try to talk power on Cockatrice. I can confirm that playing randoms makes me operate in a whole different way. Recently I got stuck in a game with Ghired, and I put Splinter Twin on my Eternal Witness so I could start bombing every single creature of note that came out of my opposition. I'd never do this in my group, but here I didn't have the little guy in the white getup on my shoulder telling me to not do this and just be chill. I can imagine this would impact my deck construction heavily if this were the norm for my EDH time.

Other stuff that feels pertinent is EDH essentially turning into a proper format with deck construction assistance galore, and a constant influx of new cards. Even if a set is low power, if it offers anything to any deck then it technically powercrept the format. There's also the assortment of bombs with sky-high mana costs that won't be useful for properly chiselled decks, but can still wreck house if given the chance to. Put a Nyxbloom Ancient into a potato deck and it's no longer as potato as it was previously.
 
EDH Primers (click me!)
Deck is Kill Club
Show
Hide

User avatar
Gamazson
Posts: 151
Joined: 2 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by Gamazson » 2 years ago

It sounds like PlayEDH will be more akin to my experiences at MagicFest than at my Local LGS. That's not a bad thing, per se, but I should re-examine a couple of decks before re-submitting.

User avatar
WizardMN
Posts: 1963
Joined: 4 years ago
Answers: 124
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Twin Cities
Contact:

Post by WizardMN » 2 years ago

Does anyone use PlayEDH and play Magic Online? With PlayEDH's apparent attempt at making things somewhat level during games, and Online not really having a formal process to do that, are the games ultimately that much different? That is, if you get into a game with 4 "Mid" power decks on PlayEDH where the power level is determined ahead of time by an "unbiased" third party, does that play out much differently that getting into games online where people put in "Level 6-8" and people make their own decisions on what the power level of their deck might be?

I realize there is an inherent cost to Online and the experience is quite a bit different, but people do attempt to fit their decks into a certain power level online and I have not really seen many issues with it. And in others, there is no desire to limit the games based on deck "level". Just the other day, I played against a creatureless Darigaaz Reincarnated deck that had like 4 or 5 different themes to it. And it seems likely that player would have been hit with some pithy remark on "how does this deck win" that some of you have experienced. I was playing Volrath so I am positive these would not have been rated the same but the game was still fun for all of us and it was an interesting deck to see in action.

Basically, I wonder how much these third party evaluations actually matter? Ranking decks is often so subjective, and playing a level 4 deck against a level 7 can still be fun and entertaining anyway. It seems like "just don't bring a cEDH deck or turn 4 combo deck to the table" is often enough.

User avatar
pokken
Posts: 6279
Joined: 4 years ago
Answers: 2
Pronoun: he / him

Post by pokken » 2 years ago

Rumpy5897 wrote:
2 years ago
Feather, the Redeemed - low. "I don't see how this deck can win T6-7 like you say, voltron is not strong, I don't see how this can win with Aetherflux Reservoir, this folds to countermagic."
They are drunk, your Feather deck will win 1/10 at a CEDH table :P People started dodging me when I played it and it ripped the pubstompy decks a new one. Good luck with countermagic when my countermagic recycles every turn :P

I still feel like our power level analysis script that looked for interactions categories and curve is the closest we've ever come to an objective metric. It was basically 100% at identifying CEDH decks and very close on other stuff. :P
WizardMN wrote:
2 years ago
Basically, I wonder how much these third party evaluations actually matter? Ranking decks is often so subjective, and playing a level 4 deck against a level 7 can still be fun and entertaining anyway. It seems like "just don't bring a cEDH deck or turn 4 combo deck to the table" is often enough.
I do think this is an important thing people are missing. Not every game needs to be a curated game of magic theater.

I really don't mind lopsided games that much, sometimes it tells me I need to tune a deck up or down because decks are not just finished products. I build and guess at a power level then go try it to see if I'm right, etc.

User avatar
lyonhaert
Posts: 641
Joined: 4 years ago
Answers: 4
Pronoun: they / them

Post by lyonhaert » 2 years ago

There are other communities out there to find games with besides PlayEDH. I've heard about their issues before and none of it as made me want to join. The Commander RC have their own discord server with LFG channels, one or more of the CAG do, as well as other Commander streamers/creators. Just depends on what group of regular plays you end up liking.
Chainer bbb
"Image"
(rebuild after Geth)
Other
r Lathliss
bw Breena
To-Build Pool
rb Obosh Burn
gw Dromoka

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic

Return to “Commander”