Regarding large decks:
They are legal.
They have some certain advantages like freeing the tent from downloads, making room to stick the normal Tent in the draw deck to fetch certain cards you need or even counterstrategies like Examine Singularity e.g.
It makes room for BtS and and and.
I admit that I made the mistake in the past just including the downloads 1 time, sometimes digging forever. But our last game went pretty smooth and I don't think I could be accused of stalling and I was downloading every turn
.
Q, you come from a game pretty different to 1E and announce your concerns of how this game is not beginner friendly and clunky. Valid points. But there are the veterans, more conservative players who love the game for what it is. Different to 2E and to Magic The game needs both, those and the ones with a more "modern" approach. This is a balancing act and I think the CC has done well in the past by introducing factions and themed decks and more playing and drawing engines.
Admiral Boimler, at your service.
Verboimeln is our prime quality job. Since 2020.