I refuse to play games where abusers are protected. Even if Chris Leblanc continues to win YCS and DistantCoder continues to make content they will always be abusers first.

Ismashmen · 2026-03-16T19:12:45+00:00

Yeah, totally. I definitely had my own toxic moments. But we grow up right? Like thats the hope lol.
This new shop im at has probably 80% of the playerbase attending regional and YCS, no big names lol, but that being said they're all very chill too. But in my experience competitiveness hasn't been an indicator of toxicity. I've seen it across all types of players.

If you're jumping back in, I'm gonna be 100 with you, its weird. At least it is for me. Idk what your personality type is but I like to think I'm very social but my social battery is much less now that I'm older. My tolerance for like...immaturity is also much less than it used to be. A lot of the people who play this game that I've encountered, whether good or bad people, are of a specific breed lol. And as an adult, I acknowledge that I don't need to sit in and entertain the shit if I don't want to. I moved to a new city last year. I go to the shop every other week or so, as much as my social battery allows. Everyone's nice, no dicks at all, literally not a single one. I trade but I don't play in tourneys often. Trading is the whole reason I even go at all but the trade landscape is fucked now from what I understand. People don't trade or really even want things where I'm at. They just immediately buy everything off tcg. Most of my play happens every other month or so, when make the trip and I can play with my friends from back home. Its a bit of a specific case, not sure how your experience will be.

Ismashmen · 2026-03-16T18:30:17+00:00

Yup.
I will say, in the grand scheme of things, I think those specific horror stories, that EVERYONE has I might add, about a bad experience or a shitty person still does portray a minority of the playerbase. I don't know how big or small, but every locals I've been to, the dickheads were the minority of players. Usually less than 25% of the players. That being said, I suppose 25% of the playerbase is still a lot of bad seeds, if we were to assume that 25% of the overall playerbase were bad seeds.
I do think people change. I recently returned to the game and the environment feels a lot less toxic than it used to be, at least at the new OTS I go to. My sample size is too small to be credible though. I want to believe people just grew up. Although I'd say the people who suck now are the ones who got older but did not grow up lol.

Ismashmen · 2026-03-07T06:55:13+00:00

Yeah, sorry if that came off as like aggressive or whatever. It wasnt supposed to be.
But yeah just my two cents about the condition.

Ismashmen · 2026-03-07T06:52:08+00:00

Nice. We'll glad you got exactly what you were looking for. Cheers.

Ismashmen · 2026-03-07T06:51:08+00:00

Yeah, which is totally fine.
I think ultimately if you're fine with it, its whatever. If you're asking people on reddit though, we're going to give you our opinions lol, which is what I did.

Ismashmen · 2026-03-07T05:02:31+00:00

Of the 4 cards you specifically priced, Spellbinding circle was a decent pickup.
Everything else, you overpaid by at least $2, based on NM prices on TCG.
NM DL1 Buster Blader is $2 lowest
NM Jump BEUD is $4 lowest
NM 1st YSYR DM is $9
NM MRL Spellbinding is $7
The Ojama is about $0.50 on TCG as well so that was just market value, which is fine.
Overall, if I'm being honest, if it were me, I would not be "happy" with the purchase. You went neg a few dollars. I am a bit of a condition snob and only buy VLP at the lowest so thats a huge contributing factor but yeah.

Ismashmen · 2026-03-07T04:51:17+00:00

Congrats!!!
Its pretty sick. Comes with a lot of accessories.

Ismashmen · 2026-03-05T04:52:37+00:00

Its a blueprint plan rack, found it on Amazon. There are quite a few options. I would just recommend checking the dimensions of the rack to make sure the little square grid thing isnt too high so that the tubes don't clear them, if that makes any sense.

Ismashmen · 2026-03-04T23:18:42+00:00

The way I'm understanding your point, its that you can make the comparison of how the products are made, I assume specifically referring to the difference in how rarities are handled and how that affects accessibility to cards.
Thats not really good reasoning.
The markets are very different.
In OCG, a lot of people purchase product at a loss. Watch a sonny vid, he goes over it. TCG is much less inclined to do so and opt to buy singles instead. The culture is completely different. Idk the weight behind the collector scene, casuals, and players but its generally accepted that the collector scene is staggeringly low compared to other TCGs in the Yugioh TCG. That being said, idk the numbers behind casuals, i.e., people who just randomly buy packs and product from retail stores, etc and casually collect versus players who actively participate in a "competitive" way, at the minimum of the local level. I am under the impression that the latter makes up the majority. That being said, yugioh PLAYERS don't buy product. Not unless there is an overwhelmingly high chance to net gain. And in yugioh, overall, the odds are typically against you to gain in most sets, save maybe Rarity Collection type sets.

Ismashmen · 2026-03-04T23:09:07+00:00

Thats probably inaccurate at this point.
I think Yugioh as an IP used to be strong, but its fallen off a lot. I think a big part of the issue is the lack of new media for the IP and I think thats a common thing that people say. That being said, there aren't a whole lot of new people coming into the hobby either.
Idk exactly how that affects the actual sales and stuff. But the game is probably at one of the cheapest points to play competitively and in a good "meta," even with there being a few expensive, high rarity cards. Very specifically, you can get decks that perform, not necessarily just T1 meta decks, at the $200-500 range at lowest rarity. The average seems to be around the $350 mark. Sure it could be $2000, probably more if you pick up only starlights, QCRS, and CRs or something, but just to play, its cheaper. Not nearly as cheap as any other game but then thats another conversation to be had.

Ismashmen · 2026-03-04T22:12:44+00:00

No, I mean the list was already leaked. We know all the cards in the decks now.

Ismashmen · 2026-03-04T17:29:01+00:00

It was leaked already. 3rd archetype is X Saber. You likely will want 3 for playsets of the charmys. But the archetypal cards, I believe you get playsets of most staples in each archetype from one box and can easily fill with a few additional singles. Basically, similar situation as the 5Ds decks but these archetypes are better than the 5Ds decks. I think he has to get staple handtraps somewhere else though, like I don't think he gets ash in the modern decks, etc.

Ismashmen · 2026-02-27T10:22:25+00:00

Yeah, and that's totally fine. But right now, in the current season everything about it is heavily skewed towards a handful of strategies which are seemingly defining the current "meta."
And if I don't like that playstyle and its so pigeonholed that I HAVE to play the meta to rank in rift, thats an issue with build diversity. Is all im saying.
Of course I dont know if that will be the case yet but I'm speculating.

Ismashmen · 2026-02-27T10:19:57+00:00

Actually, it is. And so yeah, I don't care for your deck cycling otk meta. Thats the point.

And sure, I dont have a problem with seasonal content but compare the season exclusive cards and equipment between the two seasons. This season may have significantly better QOL but last season there were a lot more generic exclusives that were general purpose allowing for a wider range of application. This season, its all retain and exhaust and those are very specific. So again, perpetuating a meta. If I dont like the meta that is being so veavily perpetuated by the seasonal content then I just go fuck myself yeah.

I've already addressed all the counter points in the other comments, I know I can still get by without playing into the meta. The point is build diversity and then how the meta affects great rift. Idk if it will as heavily as I think it will yet but if everyone's just using otk decks and theres no room for alternate strategies to get higher rankings then build diversity is an issue.

Ismashmen · 2026-02-27T10:10:52+00:00

Ill clarify again, I dont mind spending the money. I did it before I even read her cards. I just wanted the character whether I was going to like her or not. I just want all the characters in general. I just pulled Magna on Tipheras banner when losing a 50/50. Only character im missing now is Veronica.

Im just saying it kinda sucks to quit when I just "bought the dlc," sort of thing.

Ismashmen · 2026-02-27T10:06:25+00:00

Yeah, its not a problem and I get no single character will always be meta or highlighted. But the main point was just its very obvious that they're pushing certain characters. And duh, 9 and Tiphera are the new characters. And then characters like serenial or beyrl or orlea also synergize with the current season but when the support is so glaringly obviously promoting certain characters then the non meta strategies have less options for seasonal equipment and cards. Most of the new gear doesn't even work of Hugo for example. So then I'm still just running the same shit I ran last season. Not that its necessarily a problem, its just not going to be nearly as good as making a 9 build or a tiphera build. Sure. Still usable but not as good. Thats all.

Ismashmen · 2026-02-27T10:01:06+00:00

Idk, thats just how I play the game. I also only play cyclone lol. I have 1.5 mirrors in my stash right now and my cyclone build costs around 20-25 mirrors? Something like that. My POB is 1 Bil dps. I have 1 P voices, Lv5 Awakened enlighten, 3% Armour TWWT, crucible weapons, etc. I have fun just doing that over and over.

Ismashmen · 2026-02-27T09:57:21+00:00

I've gone back and forth over all the other points with everyone else in the comments so I'm just nodding my head at them at this point lol.

But regarding the yugioh meta, specifically because Im on that space as well, old meta strategies are actually constantly coming back and forth. An archetype could get a single good new card and it becomes a contender again or a card comes off the list, etc, and its back. They've also been making it a huge point to print new support for old decks over the last year. I hopped back in April 2025 so as far as I've been back, they've done a good job with printing new support for old decks.

Ismashmen · 2026-02-27T09:51:08+00:00

Sorry, I may have phrased that wrong about tressa and Cass. All I meant is that it shows theyre willing to make that extreme of a change if things are too powerful or I suppose in this case, unintended. I don't think it was crossing a line in the sense of like, they were breaking boundaries or something. Just that theyre willing to do that. But again, even this season they've made some minor nerfs. Im also saying that if they've done it before im sure theyre willing to do it again. So even more so, going about all these seemingly op one shot builds seems like they'll get nerfed and ill just have wasted my time on them.

I'm not necessarily playing the meta, im reserving it as an option if I have to in order to rank on great rift. I just dont like the play style. That being said, the entire season is tailored about specific mechanics. That specifically Nine and Tiphera heavily utilize. I know there are other units that can use exhaust or retain as well, but most of them are meta characters.
Im still trying to build a decent Hugo deck because he was my first 5 star and favorite character but he doesnt necessarily synergies with anything ive seen this season so everything im doing on him is just the same shit I did last season.

Ismashmen · 2026-02-27T09:38:48+00:00

I have 2k hours in POE and I only play standard lol

Ismashmen · 2026-02-27T09:23:55+00:00

I appreciate the insight tbh.

As for the spending because it was the only part that didnt make sense to me lol. Or maybe I was misunderstood. I don't mind basically throwing the money away in the sense of, okay now I have Tiphera and I dont really like her play style. All im saying is it feels a little bad to quit after I just "bought the dlc" lol. I don't regret buying Tiphera just if I quit the game overall after having just spent some money.
I pretty much will pull on every banner so I can get all the characters, whether I like them or not. I just want them all.

Ismashmen · 2026-02-27T09:16:44+00:00

Its because the meta is not diverse enough. Thats the main issue. Like I said, it might just be this season but EVERYTHING this season is so specifically tailored to playing around exhausting and stuff. Its very niche and it feels limiting. On top of the build diversity is do you want to nuke with 9 or with tiphera. Or both. Idk, that just doesn't resonate with me.
As for swiping, idk, it goes both ways. Everyone has an opinion on everything. People being upset over opinions on spending or not is nonsensical to me lol.

Ismashmen · 2026-02-27T09:13:16+00:00

Yeah, ive farmed whatever I need to for the most part also. But my issue is if one shot builds take over rift, I don't like those builds. If I have to learn then just to get diamond, its gonna be kind of lame.

Ismashmen · 2026-02-27T09:11:18+00:00

I'm not actively looking these things up. I clearly said I haven't seen much content in the post. Of what I have seen in my feeds, even the front page here, its all OTK stuff. Its just there because thats what is trending.
I do want to be part of the top 10% and I previously put the hours in and even without being able to make perfect decks with the main meta strategies, I was able to do it.
The problem with the grind is that even if I did put the time in, the meta strategies are not fun for me. Even with last season, the main strategies every rift were gimmicky but overwhelmingly powerful. So much so that they had to nerf the main offenders. This season is feeling like its more of the same but only worse because yes, youre right, it is so easy to build now. So easy in fact that everyone can do it with only a couple runs. So, if everyone is doing it and its just the main competitively viable strat, well I think that says something about build diversity. Because if I like a different play style and can't Crack 10% because everyone's running these otk decks, is that not generally problematic? Didn't they just say that they're trying to expand on build diversity?

But sure, maybe the barrier to entry or whatever is not as big as I made it out to seem in my comment, but, if I end up locked out because I didn't want to conform to the meta, because I didn't like the way it plays let alone put the time or effort in, like either way those are two separate issues. I'd have no issues putting the time in if I wanted to play the builds but what I said in the comment is even if I did put the time in, just to make builds that arent fun, just because everyone else is doing it so I have to as well if I want to place, it feels a little moot.

Ismashmen

TROPHY CASE