LogFAQs > #907438887

ParanoidObsessive posted...

Not really, because new sets tend to be designed around specific ideas, and the developers can keep track of all the previous cards players are likely to have, thus they can design things much tighter than you can when you're talking about a system with dozens of extant sets stretching over 20+ years, with absolutely no idea when a given player came into the game or what cards they own (or what cards will be coming out over the next 20 years).

Plus some of the Wizards of the Coasts developers have admitted that they often throw cards into sets that are deliberately awkward, or outright terrible, out of curiosity over whether or not players will manage to figure out a combo with older cards or future cards that turns useless cards into must-own cards.

I think I'm missing something here because it kinda sounds like the two approaches are pretty similar, other than WotC occasionally tossing in interesting designs to see what players do with them (which is a fun concept)

ParanoidObsessive posted...

Sure, you likely won't get some of the more ridiculous or unexpected deck builds or people playing unpopular theme decks, but to be honest, 99% of the people playing the game don't play that way anyway. Most players just sort of fall into the rut of building tactical variations of whatever deck is currently popular/strong.

You're thinking of the competitive scene, not the casual scene. The vast majority of MtG players have never even participated in a tourney.

ParanoidObsessive posted...

Yes, but that also means you are pretty much forced into constantly buying cards, as all of the cards you bought more than a year or so ago cease being "legal" and wind up being worthless garbage.

It's the main reason why my friends only play Type I rules from the 90s, and why it would be a cold day in hell before any of us ever agreed to Standard rules or entered official tournaments. We play almost entirely with cards we bought more than a decade ago, and even thought we occasionally buy new cards, none of us would ever want to be entirely restricted to only new cards.

For competitive it means you're forced to buy cards. For casual, no. Otherwise it doesn't seem *that* different from buying a new set for a LCG, other than maybe the difference in expense (unless you're stocking up with commons or something) and CCGs presumably releasing more often.
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