[Armus]

Is there no middle ground where you use Disrupted Continuum, but use it for less than absolute maximum destructive effect? Y'know, swap in a cutesy little guy like Clan People, not "God", kinda thing?

My Manassters deck had a bunch of options. It even had a Back to Basics in case I got slaughtered and needed a rebuild.

I swapped in Denevan Neural Parasites twice for good effect, but the money play was against @DarkSabre when I swapped in The Whale Probe and brought his mission-solving KCA dance party to a record-scratching halt and bought myself a critical extra turn to solve a second mission and pull out the 90-75 mod win. Without that play I don't win that game and thus I don't win that tournament.

But going back to answer the question asked: At a Masters-level tier one event the short answer is hell no because to do so is to lose.

On the other hand, if I'm going down to the pub to play with Paddy and the Pub Crawlers (tm), I may go with an OG Scow or Executive Authorization and leave the really heavy clubs in the bag.

Except against Paddy @KazonPADD himself, of course. He deserves the full Pancake attack.

[Caretaker's Guest]

Brian, I do not want to argue with you. You have been a grat player and such a gentleman in our game, But when Kevin says, Dyson Sphere is weak, he is playing a different game entirely...

Edit: You underestimate the European Meta.

EditEdit: Well go ahead, streamline everything to your American Solver Nature and kill the fun of SD...

[Armus]

Brian, I do not want to argue with you. You have been a grat player and such a gentleman in our game, But when Kevin says, Dyson Sphere is weak, he is playing a different game entirely...

Edit: You underestimate the European Meta.

EditEdit: Well go ahead, streamline everything to your American Solver Nature and kill the fun of SD...

I think you misunderstand me, Seppel.

I don't disagree with the argument that the meta is mostly speed solvers. My point is that I won a big event - full of speed solvers - almost three years ago by teching against speed solvers with things like Dyson Sphere Door, Disrupted Continuum, and Make It So.

That Power Vulcan deck was a great answer to a speed solver meta and my opponents weren't prepared for my tech. It's one of the reasons I spent a long time decrying the 2nd Power errata (the first one was much needed), as it took one of the few really good answers to speed solvers and punched it squarely in the dick.

My only point of contention is that you're saying that Americans don't understand the power of DC. Clearly at least one American has a clue.

[Ensign Q]

new players shouldnt play tournaments

NPE-=Negative Player Experience.....has nothing to do with New Player.

ha, yeah. i always forget, this board uses npe different from the rest of the world.
paddy was specifically referring to new players tho.
anyway, winning the game isnt npe.

[KazonPADD]

I was referring to both. Negative experience for newer/less experienced players.

[Professor Scott]

I was referring to both. Negative experience for newer/less experienced players.

That's fair, I was just trying to do what @Ensign Q often asks for, and that was to ensure standardization of the term NPE as being a Negative Play(er) Experience and not having anything to do with a new player. I am sure if you ask @The Ninja Scot or @Hoss-Drone, they both could tell you about a recent NPE they have experienced and neither would I consider a new player.

[stressedoutatumc]

My is that there is a fair amount of arrogance being thrown around here. As if if you don't play tournaments, you aren't really any good. That's garbage. There's plenty of great players with great decks that don't play tournaments for one reason or another. I'd check yourselves if you have the opinion that somehow you know more simply because you play in regular tournaments and are "the meta". FOH with that noise.

[Ensign Q]

put ur money where ur mouth is and beat the online meta then

[stressedoutatumc]

put ur money where ur mouth is and beat the online meta then

^^^ That's the attitude to which I am referring. IMO, this toxic arrogance is NOT the attitude any community needs. Inclusivity > Exclusivity.

[Ensign Q]

tournaments are free 4 all. where do you feel excluded?

[MidnightLich]

put ur money where ur mouth is and beat the online meta then

You are being a jerk. Please stop.

I would appreciate it if the moderators (@nobthehobbit) would split all of the unrelated discussion off into its own thread. We've veered from the original topic, but I think it still has life to it.

-crp

[Armus]

FWIW, the online meta does tend to be a shark tank.

On the one hand, it's good because it gives people a chance to test themselves against some top tier players and decks from all over the world. It's also a good place to learn new tech that you may not have seen before.

On the other hand, it's bad because people only have one gear, and if you're not looking for balls-to-the-wall- bring- your-A- game- or-get-curbstomped style trek, you probably aren't going to have a good time. I learned that lesson at the Dogs of War release event last spring, and now that I know what to expect playing online, I'm able to do it when it suits me with fair expectations going in.

People have different play styles, and different speeds they want to play at, at different times. IDIC, etc.

And there's nothing wrong with kitchen table fun games. My sons and I play TNG Squire Starters and they love it. And even as a much more experienced player, it's fun for me because since the decks are pretty balanced against each other, in-game decision-making counts for more.

How about we all take a deep breath, realize that there's probably some pretty good players around here whether they play online or not, and just enjoy the fact that we have an active community to enjoy this game with?

That sounds like a lot more fun than another round of urinary Olympics, at least to me.

[Ensign Q]

its impossible to find matching powerlevels if you want to rpg or whatever

[stressedoutatumc]

FWIW, the online meta does tend to be a shark tank.

That sounds like a lot more fun than another round of urinary Olympics, at least to me.

I agree, but what's to note here is that this is why the "xmas wish list" seems wildy bipolar or at least the reactions to the wishes are. One group of wishes seems more "fun-based", the other is more "leave my mechanic alone" based.

This isn't unique to STCCG. Just about every game like this (video game or physical) has to make a choice to lean towards their top competitors "playing the current meta" or their more casual base. The health and longevity of the any game depends on how the gamemakers decide this. I argue for inclusivity because, IMO, keeping mechanics in any game that torques the game for the "win at all costs" group hurts the game in the longrun. Examples would include a overpowered gun in a first-person-shooter, lets say. The equivalent mechanic I argued was interrupting dilemma to skirt around it. Yes, it benefits the win-at-all-costs decks, but it hurts the game. Otherwise you create an exclusive environment where you basically have to play a certain way or you are locked out of winning. Yes, its fun to watch top end players exploit an overpowered mechanic in a tournament scene, but it's always abused. Always. And, a justification cannot be "well, play tournaments and use the same mechanic then otherwise you are just an inexperienced player who doesn't matter". That's not how we keep this game we all play healthy and alive.

[Ensign Q]

who are the "leave my mechanic alone" based guys?
because we kinda agreed to nerf
you were the one slinging broken dilemma combos