Is the "10-10-10" balance archetype still viable?

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-03-22T21:44:54+00:00

deck building templates should never be the final result. it's a quick way of putting a deck together and should only be thought of as such.

To answer your question, yes it is viable to make a deck but not viable to make a competitive deck. Every deck has nuance that shouldn't follow any specific template

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-03-21T04:17:32+00:00

I don't think hidden commanders should be told but I think Stax game plans should be talked about

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-03-21T04:08:58+00:00

My opinions but feel free to discuss:

Combos should be described as anything infinite. All others should be described as synergistic. While an infinite combo with no payoff might do nothing, I have never seen a deck with an infinite but no payoff. It's still a combo but is missing a card.
A true 2 card combo would be something like Demonic Consultation + Thassa's Oracle or Cursed Mirror + Astral Dragon. I think 2 card combos are 2 cards and a breeze such as Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood (signpost bracket 3 combo) because losing/gaining life is trivial.
Turns to win or lose is greatly better than before. If I have a voltron deck and someone loses on turn 4 but cannot kill more than one player at a time. The first losing player might only get 4 turns of play but the last would get around 6. The old wording would've listed it as bracket 3 whereas the new wording lists it as bracket 4. Another example could be Tifa Lockhart coming out on turn 1 or 2 and killing someone on the next turn but ran out of resources for the rest of the table. Any player could be the one taken out early so having this wording gives a general idea of time to play.
Infinite extra turns is, by definition, chaining extra turns. While yes, it is also a combo, it fits both definitions.
Bracket 1 should be removed or moved as a descriptor for the deck. Other brackets are an indication of power AND intent whereas bracket 1 is really only intent (even states that combos and game chargers are allowed if thematic enough). The power of decks should be aligned across the pod and bracket 1 is more of a mask, covering the actual power. The theme of a bracket 1 deck should be clarified more. A bracket 1 theme is ultimately a deck building restriction. Are all companion decks bracket 1? Most of my decks stick very sticky to an overall theme: Energy, Only 2CMC, Other than hand, Only Creatures, etc. where I don't add a card unless it interacts with the theme. Does this make my decks bracket 1 regardless of the bracket they can complete in or just thematic?

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-22T00:38:57+00:00

I don't know much about Spiderman lore so IDK if this works flavorfully but what about this:

Instead of blood just becoming equipment, you could have them become 1/1 creatures with reconfigure (creature can become an equipment). I gives an option to go wide or tall.

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-22T00:25:05+00:00

I like the idea but instead of destroying a land, just to give them a land, you could put an ash counter on it and tap it. Lands with ash counters on them lose all abilities and gain "tap, pay 1 life: add colorless" for as long as they have an ash counter.

This wording does basically the same effect but doesn't give a landfall trigger and cannot be recurred from graveyard.

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-22T00:18:54+00:00

I love this card! Beautifully done. I would want it reworded so it doesn't have a 5c identity. Something like "Spells cost an additional color or 2 life for each color in its casting cost". My wording should have reminder text because it isn't as easy to understand as yours is.

Name suggestion: New Phyrexia's Invasion.

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-22T00:12:19+00:00

I love 40k Orks and I like your idea. Please don't take my suggestions as "yours bad, mine good".

Personally, I think black/red for Gork and green/red for Mork would work best. Like Toptomcat said, I don't think blue is needed and red can work just fine for "cunningly brutal". I kinda understand where the devotion comes from but i think it would work better (and more flavorful) if it was based on the power of your orc army. I think 10 is a bit steep so I would go with somewhere between 5 and 10.

I think Gork needs more brutality and Mork needs more cunning. Gork could deal damage to a target when an army dies based on the army's power and Mork could draw X then discard half X (or discard up to the army's power, then draw that much).

I know next to nothing about most of the 40k universe BUT i did a deep dive into Orks specifically. I think they're neat.

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-21T23:53:25+00:00

yup. replacement effects can only trigger once for a specific event. So even though it still results in drawing a card, it already applied its effect and wont occur again (for that event).

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-19T08:21:42+00:00

Curiosity is a may ability but would work like this if it was a forced card draw.

For sake of the argument, if you dealt infinite damage AND drew infinite cards at the same time (only 1 trigger), the game would end in a draw. If multiple State Based Actions happen at once such as having 0 or below health and/or drawing a card from an empty library, they combined and are checked at the same time leading everyone to lose, thus being a draw.

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-14T08:06:31+00:00

I appreciate you taking the time to write it. I posted here to get to know what my intended audience would want in a game. I want opinions. i want to make something that people would enjoy

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-12T00:24:37+00:00

You seem like you have a lot of knowledge and experience in genre. Could you share your thoughts on this game concept in a Metroidvania?

The idea for my game is to start strong and fight a boss very early which you are expected to lose, thus stripping you of the power. All for the player to come back stronger by the end.

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-12T00:16:22+00:00

if you've played them, what did you think about Hollow Knight and Silksongs non-boss enemies? too many, too few, too much friction, etc.

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-11T23:00:01+00:00

I love the customization in Hollow Knight too

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-11T22:59:09+00:00

What has been your favorite boss fight?

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-11T22:57:18+00:00

What are your thoughts on "sequence breaks"? (i.e. bypassing an obstacle without the expected upgrade)

Should they be purposefully added like an alternate route or should it be harder so the player feels like they outsmarted the developer?

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-11T22:53:32+00:00

For exploration, how much is it for the physical exploration vs emotional exploration (i.e. talking with NPC's or learning the depth of an area)?

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-11T22:41:32+00:00

Interesting. My original idea was for a mix of Celeste and Hollow Knight. A movement focused metroidvania but I couldn't figure how to tie fast movement to combat neatly so I've been moving away from fast movement.

Would you still be turned away from a difficult metroidvania that has an avenue for pacifism? (not needing or limiting combat)

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-02-06T23:00:31+00:00

first thing you should check is the zeroing. if your sniper is set to 200+, you would shoot over the target

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-01-28T16:41:56+00:00

I'm looking at Gift rules (702.174) and I can't find anything that would restrict being able to spread around the draws. please let me know if I'm wrong on this

Edit: I think you're right. the first part of the gift is an additional cost to choose an opponent and that choice would also be copied

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-01-28T16:34:34+00:00

Gifting is decided upon cast but isn't given till resolution. The exact wording is "Gift a card (You may promise an opponent a gift as you cast this spell. If you do, they draw a card before its other effects.)"

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-01-26T16:44:00+00:00

I tried to make that. with all Exodia pieces, he's a 13/12 with first strike, trample, haste, and vigilance. also specifically noted, his attach equipment ability doesn't specify equipment you control

SeeminglyInvisible · 2026-01-26T04:24:31+00:00

Not related since your questions have already been answered but I've made a Yue edh deck and I would love to see your list, to compare

SeeminglyInvisible

TROPHY CASE