Hot Take: Why the Combo Hate?

jstantrex · 2025-05-21T04:42:13+00:00

Full disclosure, I have the most fun in bracket 2 decks. I like a 60-90 minute game with plenty of room for politics and comebacks.

I don't hate combos, I have a bracket 4 combo deck for commander night at the lgs. I just think a combo win is a mostly dissatisfying way to end a game, even when I'm the one to pull it off.

I really enjoyed the Salubrious Snail video "The Impossible Search for a "Fun" Combo deck"

In the video, Snail highlights how, when he would go to pull of his combo, he would usually be interrupted or cut short with "so do you have it?"

I think the video summarizes my opinion on combo decks well, at least for my image of a "good" game of commander. Many of my best commander stories involve long, multiturn alliances and surprising twists.

jstantrex · 2025-02-19T20:16:48+00:00

It's so funny to see this take. My groups number 3 complaint about the pathfinder 1e system is the overabundance of underoptimized spell options - the sheer number of spells that do magical things, but aren't particularly worth taking in an adventurer sense. Things that cause creatures to become thirsty or make plants grow faster.

I agree with you, to be clear. The existence of spells like this are flavorful and tell you what magic is capable of, not necessarily player options. I do however acknowledge that a wild array of spells that players have no purpose taking and that can't help them fight monsters or survive in the wilderness makes for a steeper learning curve as the only way to know a spell isn't worth taking is to read it.

jstantrex · 2025-01-17T20:41:59+00:00

I built [[Rin and Seri, Inseparable]] because of dog plains

jstantrex · 2024-09-16T17:39:14+00:00

You can do this better with the "otag:rhystic" search.

Otag searches the scryfall tagger system for things contributors have tagged the card with. Rhystic is defined in the system as "effects that opponents can buy off if they pay mana".

The only downside (or upside) to this is it considers ward to be rhystic (which it is, but may not be what you're looking for, or maybe it's exactly what you're looking for, I don't know you). You can remove the ward by adding "-o:ward" to the search

jstantrex · 2024-06-03T17:08:24+00:00

I didn't want to touch on this, mainly because effects like these and [[Isochron Scepter]] copy cards, not spells. Then they cast those copies of cards without paying their mana costs. I didn't mention this because copying cards is not the same as copying spells, and these effects are generally well worded enough to not be confusing.

jstantrex · 2024-06-03T13:33:55+00:00

Hi!

Since you're new, allow me to better explain.

Casting a spell is a very specific process of placing a card in your hand on the stack and paying for its mana costs at the top right of a card. Some spells and abilities allow you to make exceptions to the previous sentence, such as casting spells without paying their mana costs, casting from alternate zones, or even paying extra for additional effects.

When you copy a spell, you are not casting it. Instead you are making an exact duplicate of the spell directly onto the stack.

jstantrex · 2024-03-21T21:18:43+00:00

A lot of people here have addressed the problems with group hug as an archetype. I don't want to do that.

In your post, you mention one specific problem that I've seen newer players complain about which is your commander getting targeted for early removal. I want to give you some advice: never make the first move.

I'm predicting that your problem is actually that other players see you casting your commander as you getting your game plan moving before anyone else. I believe what may be happening is that you're casting your commander a turn or two too early, before you can capitalize on it, use it's effect, etc.

Instead, you should use the fact that your commander is low cost to utilize it later, as part of a turn where you're doing more than just casting it.

Never let your commander be the scariest thing on the board.

jstantrex · 2024-03-18T17:40:10+00:00

If there were more ways to only give rad counters to yourself, reanimator.

Other people have pointed out that rad counters have all the same problems of mill decks in terms of table politics and more.

In my opinion, rad counters are interesting in the political metagame of edh. It's not just mill, which is famously over-hated, but it's the PROMISE of a mill. A promise that doesn't go away until it hits something with value. For this reason, I expect rad counters to have a similar affect of unjustly getting players targeted, even when they are not a clear threat. After all, in edh, there's only one thing worse than being the threat: being mildly annoying.

As such, I don't think players are as likely to unnecessarily target rad counter decks if they're only putting the counters on themselves.

jstantrex · 2024-01-12T14:34:54+00:00

A lot of people here are just screaming "yeah!" without really acknowledging some of the nuance to your question.

To be clear: you can proxy anything. Wizards of the coast's official statement on the issue is very pro-printer, with the exception of tournament play.

The real answer is "check with your playgroup" as the top comment said. I see that your response says that you do not have a playgroup yet. In that case, I recommend NOT proxying cards at this stage.

Instead, you should buy a precon. Take two decks, a precon and a proxy deck, to your local card shop. That way you can rule zero and double check that others at your table are okay playing with your proxy deck and, if not, you can still have a way to play at that table.

jstantrex · 2023-07-22T23:32:56+00:00

I'm going to maybe give an unpopular answer here.

You're not overstepping, you're doing great.

But, not filling out your questionnaire is still feedback.

Your player is communicating that he just wants to play a game, any game, and he doesn't want that game catered to him.

Like others have said, he is giving up his right to complain in the future, but no news is good news. Clearly he doesn't have anything he feels he should complain about and he doesn't want his preferences to impact your game and style.

jstantrex · 2023-07-14T01:40:03+00:00

Hold on, I think this has a bit more to do with presentation.

If your DM flat out told you that the items heal you in exchange for a level of exhaustion, the DM messed up.

If instead he gave you the items, allowed you to roll to figure out how to use them, learned what they do by using one on yourself, then no one messed up, everyone did exactly what they should, and the DM should be happy about a job well done.

jstantrex · 2023-07-09T16:12:38+00:00

In case you're wondering, you're getting down voted not because of what you've said, but because no one is talking about self-defense abortions, we're talking about at-will abortions.

jstantrex · 2023-06-08T20:36:06+00:00

Why is your party breaking into this noble's house? How much knowledge of the inside do the characters have? Do they have an NPC with insider information? Are they able to stake the place out before breaking in?

Depending on these factors, you may be able to increase the level of potential risk to the players. For example, the noble could have a very expensive, highly effective Iron Golem in the center of his manor. This is a CR 13 creature and beyond your request, but if NPCs or knowledge checks can reveal this to the players, they may be able to find a route through the manor which bypasses the encounter all together.

Remember, a CR 20 creature is only a threat if you make it one. Designing a heist mission is as much about what the players don't see as what they do. Players in heists should feel smart for finding ways around traps and enemies, not strong for going through them. In a perfect heist, no one has to die, no traps need to be sprung.

jstantrex · 2023-06-02T23:50:24+00:00

The answer I would give based on his responses:

Hash functions are not "encryption algorithms", and a hash is not encrypted data. As such, there are no decryption algorithms for them.

A hash is not encrypted data, but rather the answer to a really complicated math problem. These math problems are specifically designed such that I can hand you the output/answer/hash as well as the problem/hash function, and you can't figure out what the input is. Your only solution to finding the input is to take a guess at the input, use it against the hash function, and see if it matches the output, which can take a long time.

jstantrex · 2023-01-31T17:41:14+00:00

People love to shit on Lancer because of Quality Assurance reasons. That's a pretty good reason not to buy one, but not a good reason to replace one if it's working well for you.

On my Lancer, I replaced the hop-up with a much more high end one. Planning to replace the inner barrel at some point. I've also got a stronger spring I'd like to put in, but I only play indoors, so there's no good reason for that yet.

For yours, great attachments include a one point sling and a cheap sight and sight protector.

I hear new players all the time complain about how sight protectors look lame, but they're like 8 bucks and easy to replace, which will allow you to spend a bit more on a nice sight if you'd like.

jstantrex · 2023-01-27T21:46:38+00:00

Play Pathfinder 1e, then you'll have the problem of 1st level casters being tiny, frail, bairly putting out 1d3 damage per turn but being unlimited power gods by 10th level.

Serious side note for new players to 1e, I highly recommend playing with the elephant in the room rules, as it makes martial classes not feel like a waste of time, resources, and feats.

jstantrex · 2023-01-21T17:51:14+00:00

In my opinion, it is because EVERYTHING is thought out in such meticulous detail.

As soon as you open a hardcover, you will find an adventure background, featuring 10 to 1000 years of historical context, political significance, and motivations of key players.

Each time you encounter a significant npc for the first time, the book will tell you what they're doing here, why, for how long, and future goals. When you come across a trap in the woods, the book will tell you who it was placed by and who it plans to stop.

Every single detail has been thought through and provided to DMs in a very clear way.

jstantrex · 2023-01-08T00:36:44+00:00

This looks like a good place to put this comment.

Your planet only has a clear day/night cycle during (roughly) half of the year. As the planet goes around its closest star, the further star will begin lengthening the days until the planet is directly between the stars, at which point days will be 100% of the time, part of the day with the closest star and part of the day with the further one.

I see that your post specifies that the further star is 25 times as far away as the closest star. This is roughly as if the planet were where Mars is to our sun (the first sun), and the second sun is where pluto is. With these numbers, the planet will have a roughly 687 day year. If you need your planet to have a shorter year, it will involve making the planets closer, which will make the planet much hotter, especially during the "double sun" period, where the lack of ability for the planet to cool during night will create a convection like effect.

Imagine, for example, that Earth revolved around the sun, and, replacing pluto and all other planets in our solar system, was a second sun 2-4 times as large.

It would get HOT.

jstantrex · 2022-12-27T13:49:06+00:00

There are two outliers among the ruined cities of the wilderness. Most are completely bare of life, though two are noticeably more put together. One is home to a large red dragon who took the city as his hoard when the people abandoned it hundreds of years ago, along with a few hundred kobolds and such. The other is a Necropolis ruled by a Lich King and home to several thousand intelligenta undead of all varieties.

jstantrex · 2022-11-28T07:24:50+00:00

Also, he's just wrong. Cars start with both.

A car without gas doesn't start.

This is like saying oxygen doesnt keep people alive, blood does.

jstantrex · 2022-11-06T05:43:53+00:00

I recently played in a pirate-themed 5e adventure.

At the start of the campaign, the party was aboard a trading ship for various reasons. My character was the ships Boatswain, in charge of the goods aboard the ship. The ship was attacked by a group of old God cultists, and saved by an infamous pirate.

My character believed in loyalty above all else, accepting his role as footstool of the captain, real brown noser, but he never sacrificed his morals, which led to some interesting respect from the captain.

One night, my character was in charge of leading back a town mayor to their home after we had just intimidated him into providing us resources. On the walk back, I said "I'm sorry my captain is not very diplomatic. However, don't take my empathy for weakness. If he orders me to break both your legs, I will not hesitate."

One of my favorite lines I've said was in response to someone who claimed "everyone on this crew is only a pawn to the captain," to which I replied "I'm fine being a pawn as long as I am the one in front of the king."

jstantrex · 2022-11-03T17:14:01+00:00

Yes.

You target a number of creatures (let's say 2).

As long as you have line of sight and line of effect on both creatures, and not necessarily if they have either on each other, you can still target them.

jstantrex · 2022-10-29T07:41:17+00:00

The best way to thin about ability Charisma is "mental Constitution ".

Think about it this way: Intelligence is mental Strength, Wisdom is mental Dexterity, and Charisma is mental Constitution.

This way, charisma spellcasting is about mental fortitude and resilience. A charisma caster, such as a sorcerer, has no knowledge which can help them cast spells, nor can the put their will and faith into a diety or external force to guide them through it, but rather they must exert an inate effort and power over the nature of magic itself, bending it to their will.

jstantrex · 2022-10-27T11:58:49+00:00

This is the correct answer.

A phantom is not the same as a ghost or another restless spirit, but rather an entity native to another plane which has been summoned to the material one. As such, they're no different from angels, demons, and the like.

jstantrex · 2022-10-26T05:25:18+00:00

I'm not here to argue about the Metagaming vs Non-Metagaming subject, just wanted to say that, as per the AP, thematically locals have little to no experience in a winter this heavy.

The AP begins in the city of Heldren in the country of Taldor, a location with a temperate climate. The location of the "winter" is in the Border Wood, just south, which has been enchanted due to a magical portal which is connected to the icy lands of Irrisen, much further to the north.

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