I just need to get this off my chest.

[Jigglypuff]

I've got a problem. Specifically, with my gaming store.

Last year, I was away from home for pretty much the first time ever. As a consequence, I was also away from my gaming store. When I went back last summer after my freshman year in college, everybody had suddenly become either serious tournament players or wannabe tournament players. As a result, I feel more and more like an outsider when I'm there. How can my "fun" decks compete with fully-powered Extended and Type 2 decks? They don't. I went 1-65 during the summer. I used to be a winner, but now I'm just a big loser.

(- Steve -)

 

[Mikeymike]

I hear you, but trust me you CAN beat some of those power decks - if you are going to the store you keep your engines in place but you remove the 'fun' cards in the deck that you know can not hang.

Remember that goofy Oath deck I made and I think you built? Went with 4 Quash's and a little more counter, cut the War-Riders for another Hippo, and I went 3-2 vs Wildfire and Tinker 2-3 - and it was/is still perfectly extended legal. Funny when Dingus staff beats a near creatureless deck, makes for some mighty mad opponents. I was a wonderful feeling I'll remember forever.

One thing I can't stress, make sure you try to get some MP games going. Usually you will get at least 3 more to bite.

Worst case scenario, build a rogue deck for a tourney. But try your best not to listen to your casual instincts and leave out the 'worthless w/o X card' stuff. It will win much more and you'll still enjoy it b/c you know its your build and it is using some unorthodox choices. Or think about past decks (but don't look for decklists), for example when I say Secret Force what comes to mind? Its crazy potent, but mad fun as well.

 

[Spiderman]

I would say look at your store's metagame and see if you can build something "new" that can handle most of them (and that's hopefully still fun). Do you have any buddies still there that can still play "for fun"?

 

[train]

Beating the Meta-game is important... My advice is to stay simple...

-CoP's are awesome against green and white...

-Aegis of Honor vs. Red... Punisher cards... Karmic Justice also evens the field.

-Cease Fire beats the U/G, U/B upheavals... they upheaval floating mana to cast a creature, and you cease fire... If they're holding a counter they won't be able to cast their creature so either way you win...

-For your own re-sets run some pernicious deeds, or some infinite cycles like the butchers to make the game a draw...

-Let me know if you need any other ideas - I play tournament, but I always play original - I went 3-1, before lunch only losing to mana screw, at the last PTQ because I could handle 4/5 of the playing field...

 

[Purple_jester]

Do you have friends at that store? If you do, and you can't afford to be tourney-minded like they are, then just do what I do. My reasoning is that if they're playing killer T2 decks, then the won't mind me playing my casual decks... My casual decks are in Type 1 format of course, so I still win at least 50% of the time.

 

[train]

I know I gave you ideas card-wise, but a Nightstick could also do some good!!! I think guns take the fun out of hurting someone else, so stick to the beat-sticks...

 

[EricBess]

Originally posted by train
-Cease Fire beats the U/G, U/B upheavals... they upheaval floating mana to cast a creature, and you cease fire... If they're holding a counter they won't be able to cast their creature so either way you win...

I would recommend you not play Cease Fire. Play Orim's Chant, instead. Yeah, Cease Fire lets you draw a card, but it is only good when they cast Upheaval. Orim's Chant does the same thing, but it also keeps Zombie Infestation off the board and is good earlier in the game when you want to try to push through a Spellbane Centaur.

 

[train]

I'm sorry, my mind has been stuck in OBC... That's the tournament I just played in...

EB's right - go with the chant....

 

[Dune Echo]

Man, I had a helluva time finding that card! I was like, "Wazzat do?!"

Cease-Fire
Color= White Type= Instant Cost= 2W OD(C)
Text (OD): Target player can't play creature spells this turn. ; Draw a card.

This spell will not counter any creature spells on the stack. It only prevents new creature spells from being announced after it resolves. [Odyssey FAQ 2001/10/04]

 

[Jigglypuff]

Thanks for your advice, guys.

I really have no idea what to do. I got creamed repeatedly today. I suck. I'm tired of being a big loser.

(- Steve -)

 

[Notepad]

I find it odd the replies seem to be along the lines of: "Play your casual decks, but make them more like a tourney deck."

Um...no!

I'd give a big double-handed wave to all those porkulid twerps, one finger up on each hand. The whole store. Honestly, I've done this before. I can't tolerate stores that go all pro, because they act like casual has no place in the universe. So, my response: They have no place either. Two fingers up for them, and the store itself is on the boycott list. No, not one store in particular, but quite a few really. And what happened? They all died. All but two, who are dying. One is closing the end of this year, and one is about to tank. Looks like the maggots should have cared about the overall game. I pee on their graves.

Anyway, if an environment makes you feel like crap, don't go there. You can either calmly boycott, or you can go the more attention-grabbing route like I have. Either way, screw them and forget them. They aren't worth your patronage, even if they are the last store in town.

Just my opinion though. There's always MTGO, which is why I don't care about stores tanking.

 

[Spiderman]

I find it odd the replies seem to be along the lines of: "Play your casual decks, but make them more like a tourney deck."

While this seems odd, it was only an option. Plus, many decks can be casual but can be tightened up (better card choices, for example) while still keeping the theme or whatever.

I think knowing if Jigglypuff has people at the store that he can count as "friends" matters a great deal. If he doesn't, then it's no problem to boycott (unless he really wants to play Magic and that the only place and he can't do MTGO). If he does, it gets a bit trickier... which is why we asked him if he could ask his friends to play "casual" once in a while, or at least with him.

 

[Jigglypuff]

It sounds like the best option so far. You see, if the store tanks, I'm out of a job and I won't even have MTGO as an option since I won't be able to afford it.

(- Steve -)

 

[train]

Dune Echo, I'm usually known for my "tech" ideas against Net Decks... It was funny as hell to see my opponent's face when they upheavaled and cease fire was played... They even tried to play the madness rootwallas during their discard phases and couldn't...

 

[theorgg]

DUNE?

Wow! Founders are crawling out of the Wood Work nowdays!

I'm expecting Child of Gaea and Baron Sengir to pop up any time now!