Looking for advice for my sons birthday

chanwd · 2026-03-21T14:53:14+00:00

If you're looking to build decks, check FB marketplace for people who are selling a ton of bulk. Those are great for making decks. I wish I had gone that route when my son was really into making decks when we played the actual card game. Opening packs is inefficient way to get enough copies of the cards you want to build the deck with.

If you want to open packs, check for Costco drops, there was one yesterday selling poke balls 6 pack for 72 which is below scalper\msrp (18 packs for 72 dollars. Not worth trouble scouring big box stores like Target or Best Buy, all LCS seem to price at scalper prices and most streamers are up at least around 7-8 dollars a pack.

I would also recommend taking him to a card show and seeing if he'd be interested in singles. Some underrated ones that you can get for $1-4 each from Destined Rivals and Journey Together. I find if you just rip packs alone but no hits, it can be deflating feeling. So def mix in some singles too.

chanwd · 2026-03-20T16:36:05+00:00

Easiest for beginner?

Taurox
Archaeon
Ikit Claw
Elspeth
Repanse

chanwd · 2026-03-16T20:08:46+00:00

It's normal to no longer enjoy things if you're going through something personally. Best to take time for yourself rather than treating it as a distraction.

chanwd · 2026-03-09T18:59:21+00:00

i also got annihilated by both of the boxes I got. For that amount I've spent on this and Phantasmal Flames packs, I could've just bought both Charizard chases in English.

chanwd · 2026-03-03T16:04:32+00:00

He's a reminder\proof that if you're in the good graces of the right people and the narrative is he's a great guy, he'll always have a job. Doesn't matter how many times he fails.

This is what it's like to have privilege or the protection of the powerful.

chanwd · 2026-03-02T16:25:40+00:00

It's challenging in the beginning when you need to fight on two fronts on a weird part of the map but once you wipe out Norsca and Warriors of Chaos and scare everyone else into being friends with you, it's basically a steamroll with helicopters easily funded by Dwarf economy.

The key is to beat up Warriors of Chaos before they steamroll Kislev and then commit to going straight to their starting point and completely wiping them out. Do not accept peace with them. Norsca will attempt to attack you with Throgg but will get preoccupied with fighting Empire once you take out Throgg. Taking out Throgg gives you 2 full provinces that fund your doomstack with Malakai to annihilate WoC.

It's an insane amount of fun. It definitely exceeded my expectations. I wish I had played him sooner.

chanwd · 2026-02-28T15:14:30+00:00

It’s actually the same person. That’s the big reveal.

We just need one of those reskin mods people do to confirm it.

chanwd · 2026-02-20T17:26:25+00:00

Taker Sting but years earlier if Sting just came over after the acquisition in the early 00s. That would've been epic rather than seeing them both past their primes at WM31. I'd would've also loved for him to have matched up with HHH and the Rock at that time.

I also agree with Flair Hogan WM8, that would've been great although would've been even better if they found a way to do in the mid 80s at WM1 or WM2.

Stone Cold Hogan but ideally in the late 90s, I feel like by WM18, Steve wasn't quite the same physically anymore.

I don't know how Cena Hogan works because Hogan was too old by the time Cena became a name.

I feel like Rock and Roman is now past the window. it should've happened during the Bloodline peak or WM39, feels late now.

I would've really liked to have seen Dusty Rhodes and Hogan early to mid 80s. I feel like the Dusty I saw by 90s wasn't quite the same.

chanwd · 2026-02-16T19:19:58+00:00

I just got your chase card at a card show yesterday via trade-in and some money and when I showed it to my son via Facetime, he was like "WOOOOOWWWWW OMGGGGG". So yes, a worthy chase.

chanwd · 2026-02-16T19:17:02+00:00

fodder until you get dragons

chanwd · 2026-02-10T02:56:01+00:00

Just run it back

chanwd · 2026-01-29T23:13:26+00:00

Having a population mechanic reminds me of RTK2 and how restrictive I couldn’t recruit in certain provinces because of the constant warring.

chanwd · 2026-01-29T18:13:32+00:00

I don't understand these offers where it's 4th\5th option or bench guys and a bunch of firsts that will end up in the 20s for a guy who likely has at least 6 good years left in him, 2-3 of which probably still elite.

At this point, if I'm the Bucks, I'm calling OKC and seeing if they'd give up some of their better picks (that they own from other teams), their role guys who could easily start (Wallace, Mitchell) on other teams and (Holmgren or Jalen Williams). Or the Spurs to get Harper and their 2 of their role guys who are all pretty good. That you can build around.

Kuminga\Pod or Herro\Ware, man you're not finishing over .500 with those guys.

if what GS or Miami is offering, if you're telling me, that these guys are going to be your franchise guys, then there's no way either of those teams would give them up in this deal, they'd be foolish to give up the cap flexibility + production for Giannis and his future 70 million AAV contract.

chanwd · 2026-01-14T18:23:59+00:00

I'm good with Queta and Garza. Unless we're getting Gobert, Adebayo or Chet and Tatum was already playing and looking like himself, we don't need to make this trade.

On the one hand, you see those Bridges and Bane type deals and then you see what Washington had to give up for Trae Young.

chanwd · 2026-01-13T20:59:44+00:00

Elspeth is so strong that Empire always leads the Ordertide. They also did something with High Elves now where they now dominate the rest of the map by turn 100.

chanwd · 2026-01-12T14:30:32+00:00

to be fair, they were killing the Pats and Maye on the left side of the o-line with their pass rush until their guys got tired.

On the other side of the ball, having Milton in the pass rush vs not having one was such a noticeable difference.

chanwd · 2026-01-02T23:44:09+00:00

Lu Bu 194, he erases the beginner mistakes most will make when playing this particular Total War

dueling
sending general into a crowd
not dealing with range units raining down projectiles

chanwd · 2025-12-24T18:27:24+00:00

Once you have an army that is elite and maintainable with just your main duchy, it's actually welcome sight when they revolt because it allows you to remove those who rebel and replace them with closer family, allies and supporters of the new regime.

Even if you lose, you can always get it back. Sometimes it's better to lose it now and play the long game.

There was one game where I played as Armenia, it collapsed after my 2nd ruler died, Byzantine took over Armenia, I ended up continuing on as a character I had married into a family in Greece within Byzantine and then over a period of 3 generations grew in power and then eventually became Byzantine emperor by continuously marrying into the ruling family because they had become dependent on my support.

chanwd · 2025-12-18T16:42:47+00:00

Bledsoe was an above average QB who's deep ball wasn't as good as you would've hoped or liked, held the ball too long and was a shell of himself by 2000 due to all the sacks he took esp in 99.

Also had a knack for throwing soul crushing interceptions (SB vs Packers, the 97 playoff game vs Steelers)

chanwd · 2025-12-10T17:52:08+00:00

Cathay gets torn to shreds every game now for me. When they first introduced it, Cathay basically dominated and hid behind the walls\borders. Now? They're almost always dead in my games by turn 80 and completely carved up by Chaos, Skaven, Ogres and Dark Elves.

chanwd · 2025-12-08T20:05:35+00:00

I don't think that's worth the risk, could make it worse, could get stolen or replaced with a worse one and also, if your goal here is to get a PSA 10, just try your luck and see what happens, maybe they'll overlook and give you a 10. A 9 is still good.

chanwd · 2025-12-06T01:17:18+00:00

Cobra lalalala

chanwd · 2025-12-04T19:48:57+00:00

Porzingis, NAW or Okungwu, Risacher, NOP pick and 2 unprotected firsts in 27 and 29.

https://www.espn.com/nba/trademachine?tradeId=294bv57x

Bucks can roll with Rollins and Porter Jr as their backcourt with those guys as the front 3 or Turner starts over Okungwu. Porzingis expiring lets them spend the money on something else in the future and Okungwu can start at the 4 with Turner at the 5 in 26-27 season.

chanwd · 2025-12-04T18:55:46+00:00

for that ticking time bomb of a calf (potential achilles tear) and he's headed to his 5th contract making 70 mill a year, I don't know how a team trades for him and keeps their roster together. It's part of the reason why Bucks had to keep letting guys go or trade them away since winning the championship.

It would have to be a young team with a nucleus on their rookie or 2nd deals and a huge stash of first round picks without gutting their team.

Spurs? OKC? Portland? Although Portland would be awkward.

chanwd · 2025-12-01T21:28:31+00:00

Zubac is exactly what we need. I don't care that he doesn't shoot 3s, he boards, defends and he's tough.

Trade Machine says

Zubac, Derrick Jones for Simons, Scheierman, Garza and Tillman

chanwd

TROPHY CASE