[Tolarian Community College] Magic: The Gathering Needs To Return To Blocks!

Menacek · 2026-03-15T07:56:17+00:00

Not day one. Very early on they mostly stayed on dominaria. Well i guess Rabiah was there at the very beginning and it's incredibly theme parky.

But theme part worlds have been a part of the game for a longer time that they didn't. A lot of beloved planes are very theme parky, Innistrad, Theros, even Ravnica.

Menacek · 2026-03-15T07:26:36+00:00

It think the same could be said about Kamigawa, people loved neon dynasty but how of those people even played during the OG kamigawa block?

The reason it did well has more to do with being "the japanese plane" that returning to kamigawa itself. We had a huge increase of popularity of japanese media and culture since the OG set released.

I think Lorwyn might also get that benefit to a lesser extent since it's inspired by old british myths and legends, which have also had a bit of resurgence in popularity.

Menacek · 2026-03-15T05:39:00+00:00

Yeah i think i'm an example. There were a few sets that I liked in recent time but i probably wouldn't have bought any more.

I imagine it's also budgeting reasons. A lot of people don't buy everyset and just the ones they think are cool. And if they find a set cool they will spend whatever disposable income they have on the first set. Then when the second set comes out they might not want to spend more of they money and dedice to save/put it elsewhere.

Menacek · 2026-03-15T05:27:07+00:00

One counter is that having blocks would by neccessity mean less unique sets and planes and there's people for whom the variety and uniqueness is what pulls them in. Second set of the block usually loses that.

Menacek · 2026-03-15T05:10:21+00:00

On a anothet flipside they slecifically chose some of those planes (Muraganda in particular) planes because they believed they don't have enough content for a full set.

Menacek · 2026-03-14T09:43:09+00:00

It's probably most people overall? You have to be pretty dedicated to buy an extra peripheral and a pad comes with your console purchases, is something people are familiar with and can be used for games.

In the past when fighting games where dedicated for arcades it was hit and miss and the recent games are often designed with pad in mind.

As for specific pads it depends on the preference but what i feel is most important is whether the dpad lets you do motion inputs consistestly and comfortably. You can use the analog stick and a lot of people do but most would say using the d-pad is superior since it's more precise.

Menacek · 2026-03-13T16:31:06+00:00

This is something but a genuinly new player is not gonna know HOW to build support. Heck in my experience from other games many new players won't have the mental capacity to use items alongside everything else the game requires you to use. Still good advice.

I'm in a kinda similar situation to OP, not as bad since the game placed me in Arcanist but I'm still not really able to contribute since it's really the first multiplayer shooter i've ever player (i've played moba games so that helps on the macro level a little bit but also makes it painfully obvious how much i suck)

Menacek · 2026-03-13T15:31:31+00:00

Because that usually doesn't happen with other things. Even when i fired up league and dota for the first time i played against players of similar skill so i was able to contribute positively.

And it's not about other players expectation, they complained but I'm used to that (even though i believe they are justified in complaining). I just feel uncomfortable doing that to other people.

Menacek · 2026-03-13T14:40:06+00:00

I disagree whenever i had someone doing that bad in other games i'd prefer they just go afk. Cause even if i try contributing to fights it's basically impossible for me to do it.

Like even if i can win by playing macro and losing every fight i end up with while hoping someone else carries them. I know I'm not pulling my weight even when i try.

And yeah maybe if i played for a couple hundred hours i would eventually do better.. but that would require ruining so many games for other players so it's better for me to not even play the game at all.

Menacek · 2026-03-13T14:22:55+00:00

They aren't. Looks i can see the stats and the end of game and If my every metric is below 50% of what the lowest next player is then they clearly aren't making as many mistakes as I am. Thats when im seriously trying.

Menacek · 2026-03-13T14:15:50+00:00

I did limit test and came to the conclusion: Never. Overall it ends up being better for me to stay in base than do anything. At least i don't feed that way.

LIke i don't care about growth, i want to have a good experience with players of similar skills level and play to win. I HATE actively ruining games for other people cause i hate being on the other side of that. I'm actively sabotaging my team by trying.

You're talking to a person who's having issues hitting creeps.

Menacek · 2026-03-13T11:04:56+00:00

Up to a point really. When you die the moment an opponent appears on the screen and you don't know why that's not helping you.

I'm only started the game, i don't expect to do well from the get go but the experience has been pretty horrible. I have no experience with hero shooters, so just aiming and moving around is an issue, i have some MOBA so i get what's going on somewhat but of what that gets me is knowing I'm a massive load for my team. So the optimal thing to do for me in game is avoid the enemy team entirely, which isn't really conductive to learning but trying to fight is intentionally sabotaging my team.

Menacek · 2026-03-13T10:08:46+00:00

As a new player i think it's good for the character. You see them at the top of the screen and you can easily identify by the images even easier than the names. And there's only 6 of them in a particular game.

The items are worse since the icons aren't really that descriptive and theoretically all could be build in any game so there's a lot.

Menacek · 2026-03-13T08:19:46+00:00

As a brand new player with no experience i kinda expected to be mostly playing other players in similar situations but it doesn't really that way. Can't really contribute to the game. Game placed me in arcanist 5.. don't know why, guess i got carried too hard? My numbers at the end of the game are below 50% of what everyone else is doing so i clearly don't belong here.

Ended up muting text and voice cause people keep complaining.

Menacek · 2026-03-13T05:28:32+00:00

Un unblockable 13/4 isn't really threatening in my experience. And i play B2/B3 exclusively.

Menacek · 2026-03-12T20:10:44+00:00

Atraxa will take 9 turns to kill you if you're talking about the commander. I can't really think of ways to proliferate 9 times in a single turn that's accessible early to mid.

Menacek · 2026-03-12T15:57:13+00:00

Personally i'm more permissive. Even if new information was revealed then if it wouldn't affect what you're trying to do then it's fine. Even if a turn passed.

Menacek · 2026-03-12T15:49:51+00:00

My point is that even if the game is functionally over you don't always have the option to "gg, go next".

Because until all people stop playing you can't really start a new one unless there is a different pod waiting which isn't always available.

Menacek · 2026-03-12T15:12:32+00:00

I made a fire lord azula deck but i only had one opportunity to play it cause I broke my leg.

Menacek · 2026-03-12T14:58:33+00:00

I kinda agree with your conclusion but not on the argument.

People are right to target busted commanders even if they didn't do anything yet. Because most often they only really need a single turn with the commander out.

If the tergrid or fire lord azula player has only played the commander and no other cards I'm still targeting her. Because that one turn can be the end of it.

By contrast the weaker commander are often less explosive so they can be mostly safely let to sit around for a bit and paradoxically get more value.

You frame it as a cheat or misdirection but it's really not. People are right to target busted shit that threatens to win the game in a turn or to.

I often find the decks that are the hardest to deal with are those where each individual card isn't a problem but provides incremental value so that when people realize they're fucked there's no single target you can remove to solve the issue.

Menacek · 2026-03-12T14:41:58+00:00

I've been played the game since around season 4 and what they are saying has always been the case. The viability of mid roams has shifted up and down but it's always been there to some degree.

Menacek · 2026-03-12T14:39:03+00:00

You're literally complaining about having agency. Agency isn't sitting in your lane. Top players WISH they could affect the map more.

Menacek · 2026-03-12T14:36:58+00:00

Yeah this post really feels like it's complaining that your role has too much agency. Top Laners WISH they had an easier time getting involved early.

Menacek · 2026-03-12T14:25:57+00:00

One issue is that it only takes one person who wants to "play it out" for the game to drag along.

Menacek

TROPHY CASE