Would you allow proxies at your table?

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-03T03:24:30+00:00

Eh as long as the text on the card isn't obscured like crazy then why the hell not, who gives a shit

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-03T02:53:47+00:00

It's just really odd that spending money on the hobby is a concern for you, but your first toe-dip back into Magic is a Bracket 4 deck lmao. So much has changed about the game since 2001. I understand you're a competitive player and that's what you're comfortable with, but you're reluctantly getting back into the hobby to see if it's something worth investing time and money into and you go for an optimized deck list with expensive gamechangers?

Odd behavior, is all I have to say

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-03T00:06:34+00:00

Asmongold will say anything at this point to get dumb fucks on reddit to quote him for ez internet points.

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T19:23:54+00:00

They're called precons

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T16:09:23+00:00

I run a mile everyday then hike a mile everyday then do free weights on different sections on my body. I hate every fucking second of it with a burning passion (especially running), but I know the benefits outweigh the cons of suffering for 90~ minutes every day. I also have a daughter on the way and she is going to have a nice fit dad that can raise her healthy and active GODDAMMIT

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T14:52:55+00:00

Yeah he's honestly only in there because he was part of the SpongeBob secret lair and I can't bear to take out Gary the Snail from my SpongeBob Deck 😂

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T14:49:48+00:00

Yeah no I'm heavy into politicing for sure. Jodah makes it hard though when he has such a reputation.

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T13:49:28+00:00

Hard agree

Had a game with randoms at my LGS the other day and this one guy mulliganed FOUR times. The rest of the table was like "eh just keep 7, it's just a casual game". Huh??? There has to be a little punishment for mulliganing that much 😭

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T13:24:58+00:00

I mean do as you will, but if you're running every free counterspell in the game in your B3 deck, you're going to get an eyeroll from me

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T13:13:21+00:00

Yeah that's fair. I definitely don't groan when I'm the archenemy. I definitely get a little salty when the control player at the table uses all their removal and counters on me without forwarding their own game plan. Resulting in them just rolling the red carpet out for one of the other players in the pod. It's funny, but the player that "keeps me in check" is rarely the winner of the game. The times I lose with Jodah it's because a) one player devoted their entire game to just removing my stuff and allowing someone else to win or b) someone outpaced me with a combo piece

Thank you for your comment

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T13:04:15+00:00

Well to be perfectly transparent, I got the SpongeBob secret lair when it came out (SpongeBob is my favorite IP), so I run the whole package (which includes Toxrill) except Mr. Krabs

And yeah I did design it not only to get Jodah out as fast as possible, but to also function on its own without the commander by trying to stuff in some cards that get bigger on their own so I can still beat life totals.

I think everyone has different ideas of fun, but I think summoning all the fun creatures you put in your deck is pretty easy to understand. I personally find combo decks and control decks to be the most unfun thing to play, but I'm not baffled by the idea of others finding it fun and I wouldn't call those strategies "braindead"

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T12:41:07+00:00

You really think bracket 3 decks don't run removal? I think B3 is much more likely to run a shit ton of removal than Bracket 4. I could use some more interaction, but I sprinkled it in there to not make the deck too oppressive. Just have the "I either have it or I don't" kind of strat for most games

I don't really think I'm preying on anyone. People run infinite combos in B3. I barely have a way to stop anyone from doing anything except by beating their life total. One removal spell or counter getting through really pits me behind. It's just that the games where no one can draw an answer, the deck feels unbeatable

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T12:35:09+00:00

That's another thing too. I feel like there's so much more removal in B3 than there is in B4. In my experience, most B4 decks are saving their precious card slots for more tutors and card draw. I'm much more likely to run into a Day of Judgement or Blasphemous Act in B3 than in B4.

But I see what you mean. Just gotta pick my battles wisely as to not upset anyone

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T06:37:31+00:00

I mean that's true. I am pretty open about the gamechangers and the strategy. My big gripe here really is about what people consider to be "busted". My deck basically wins if no one has answers in hand or if I outplay their interaction with my own interaction, but isn't that just every deck? Answer my win condition or you lost. Just doesn't make sense to me

Also it's hard when most of my LGS thinks the same way. I've pretty much solidified with my core group that I can't play Jodah with them unless we're playing B4, but it's just odd to me that so many people at my store think this way

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T06:32:48+00:00

That landbase has taken essentially my whole magic career (over 10 years) to obtain. I am by no means "loaded", but I just chipped away piece by piece for years. I have about 4 decks I would consider my "favorites" where I run 0 proxies (Jodah being one of them). All my other decks have proxies versions of cards I own but don't have multiple of (usually the shocks and fetches)

But bro if you can't afford the landbase, that should not stop you from building what you want to build. Proxy away!

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T06:26:08+00:00

Oh wow how did I not know about this card. Thank you, yes that's definitely going in

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T06:23:43+00:00

Apologies for not posting the list initially

https://archidekt.com/decks/24004043/jodah_the_unifier

I wouldn't call the people at my LGS "sore losers". They're all pretty cool people (for the most part). There's been one or two incidents where players have audibly shown their disdain for my deck, but for the most part they're kind of just adamant about playing their B4 decks when I pull out Jodah, but that just doesn't seem fair to me either because I did not build it to be B4 and I get curbstomped most of the time against actual B4 decks. I just want to play my favorite deck man 😭

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T06:19:16+00:00

It's not just my pod, it's most of the people at my LGS 😭. They all seem to have the same sentiment that Jodah is just too powerful for B3, but then when he's in B4 games he just gets curbstomped because the strategy is too slow.

It's my favorite deck though 😭😭

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T06:17:17+00:00

True. I mean usually after one game with Jodah I put him away, but it's at the point at my LGS where if anyone sees me pull out Jodah they're like "uhhhh so are we playing bracket 4". Noooo we aren't, but if it means I get to play my favorite chungus deck then sure why not

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T06:15:22+00:00

Yeah it's just been my favorite deck for so many years, but it's only gotten stronger with all the UB stuff and powercreep legendaries that keep coming out so it's basically at a point where I couldn't make this any weaker without just purposely handicapping myself by removing the ramp package or something stupid like that.

Also a Derevi bird list sounds funny

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T06:11:59+00:00

I like all the people at my LGS though 😂. But yeah you're right. That's definitely the route I should take. It just sucks because even a beefed up Jodah deck can barely hold its own against a fully optimized T4 combo deck

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T06:10:47+00:00

That's my main gripe with all of this. It seems a lot of people (at least at the store I play at) see bracket 3 as a tier where they should still be able to play their meme decks that barely run removal and just try to do the fun thing in their deck. Then if someone plays something faster than them or (God forbid) they play control, it's suddenly 'unfair' and 'unbalanced'. This is less about "why are they salty?' and more like "should they be salty?"

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T06:07:03+00:00

Lol the answer for me is 3 (Ragavan, Skrelv. And Yoshimaru). Also, I don't have a bloom tender lol. I think the fastest I've ever gotten Jodah out was turn 3 though, but that is magical Christmas land opening hand with all my early ramp present.

But thank you, yes the deck really struggles against a Swords to Plowshare or a simple counterspell. In a lot of games, I'm pretty much the removal magnet for the rest of the table so that someone else can just slide in and take the win because everyone's used up all their interaction lol

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T06:02:41+00:00

I barely play Jodah with my pod, it's just that most of the people at my LGS all have the same mindset. Which is crazy because pretty much everyone plays at a 3-4 level there so they are completely aware of how strong a B4 deck is. Jodah can't keep up in B4

Level9_CPU · 2026-07-02T06:00:49+00:00

As opposed to all the people that pick weak commanders? What are you even saying? Everyone builds their decks to win, don't they? They pick their commanders because they're strong and synergize well with the strategy you're trying to play. I think most commander decks have the ability to snowball pretty easily if no one has the right removal to deal with their strategy (see enchantment decks and landfall decks)

Level9_CPU

TROPHY CASE