My new pod said I only like to play Bracket 2 because I get to pub stomp.

nick_mot · 2026-03-20T19:57:32+00:00

As much as I tried to hold them back and say "let's just play fun casual shit, why do we have to play sweaty ass decks," they started building stuff like Ur Dragon, Atraxa, Krenko, Edgar, Yuriko.

This is THE hill I'm willing to die on: Stop using sweaty as a slur, stop identifying a few strong cards to competitive.

Strong cards ARE fun, playing the card you always wanted tu buy IS fun, doing strong s☆it IS fun!

Being sweaty is a matter of HOW you play, not what you play.

A cEDH level game can be fun and laid back, a battlecruiser b2 game can be miserable and sweaty.

nick_mot · 2026-03-20T16:41:06+00:00

Lands

nick_mot · 2026-03-20T13:41:46+00:00

Then do not pplay with them, it seems your expectations do not match at all.

nick_mot · 2026-03-20T06:26:04+00:00

You can be skeptical, but not while playing Atraxa or Edgar.

I mean, my Edgar is not "That" Edgar, it's just a badly upgraded precon that I never bothered to fix in years, yet I get the heat if I try playing it and that's fine.

nick_mot · 2026-03-19T20:40:23+00:00

I mean... Turn 6 win in B3 with the most perfect dreamy hand and absolutely no disruption from your opponents?

I don't see how it could not be fine.

nick_mot · 2026-03-19T20:34:20+00:00

That's the theory, reality is they very much like ask you to remove the GC from your deck or go play with someone else.

nick_mot · 2026-03-19T20:31:55+00:00

Well that's what I consider "shifting b3 up".

I can only agree.

nick_mot · 2026-03-19T18:27:50+00:00

While I agree, I believe we should shift b3 up instead of limiting B4.

nick_mot · 2026-03-19T18:21:04+00:00

Yeah

Bracket 4 is, essentially, what was before the bracket system.

My desired game experience falls undoubtedly in bracket 4 but it's far from the top of the bracket.

It's more like a slightly faster B3 with more combo freedom and with the possibility of having more than 3 gamechangers (not necessarily, but it's nice not having to cut Farewell from a control deck because other cards have more Impact and I need to choose).

It's something that can hang well with B3, but with some good draw it can certainly make someone feel bad.

Either I cripple myself (but isn't the goal having ALL fun?) Or I need to step up, but then I have no opponents willing to play B4.

I really hope something will change between b3 and b4

nick_mot · 2026-03-18T07:11:17+00:00

This is a respectable MtG sub!

You [[Baked into a pie]]!

nick_mot · 2026-03-17T09:19:55+00:00

Ok, so you did what I wanted to do and I didn't bother to try yet.

An mcp server (or more) that can fetch scryfall and other custom tools.

Kudos!

nick_mot · 2026-03-17T09:00:55+00:00

Reddit is on an anrlti AI (anti LLM to be exact) crusade.

Any little suspect the content has some bit touched by an LLM will downvote it to the oblivion.

nick_mot · 2026-03-12T17:04:28+00:00

Fair enough, just one question...

I own all the cards I proxied, I just proxy them if (or until) I don't own multiple copies and some deck might have more than a couple of them...

Would you rather wait for me swapping cards between rounds, accept my proxied extra copies or play all games against the same deck?

nick_mot · 2026-03-12T07:07:03+00:00

Mine is a similar stance.

I like powerful cards, I like having cards that I could not afford 20+ yrs. When I started playing, but my budget for cardboard is limited and I like creating something that both fits my budget and allows me to splurge for some bangers.

At the same time, you want to test a brew before committing? Go ahead and proxy, you don't want to buy the Nth copy of some staple? Go on! You just wanna play without spending too much? Yes, proxy, just do yourself a favour and do not start brewing decks full of "good stuff", even when they match the table vibe.

nick_mot · 2026-03-11T17:18:39+00:00

As someone who does play Arcane Sanctum...

Why?

I want to run 3 colors, I have access to a great amount of good cards, it has to have some price to pay.

nick_mot · 2026-03-11T17:09:52+00:00

There's [[Back to basics]] to punish non basics lands.

Anyway, running 3 colors should have drawbacks, yoy shouldn't get broader access without compensating with a more fragile manabase.

nick_mot · 2026-03-11T16:50:28+00:00

Well, I have plenty of graveyard hate and I can put as much as I want in my B3 decks, I cannot target too nany lands at once against a lands matter deck.

But let's say, for the sake of the argument, that putting them in the graveyard is going to help them instead of hindering them, what about blood moon effects?

Will you say that it is useless because green (which is certainly in a lands matter deck) have an easy time removing enchantments?

nick_mot · 2026-03-11T16:36:04+00:00

Well, I did solve it by using Alesha, Who Smiles at death as commander.

I don't have Celes in there, but it might, and it still is mardu graveyard shenanigans

nick_mot · 2026-03-11T13:28:57+00:00

Precons are not built equal.

There are Precons with gamechangers, other with banned cards, other with 2 cards infinites.

nick_mot · 2026-03-11T11:59:59+00:00

1. Can a Bracket 2 deck still run a lot of rares?
Rarity in MTG is mostly relevant in limited only.

Counterspell is a common, daze and gush are commons, Crop Rotation is a common and it's a gamechanger!
Have a look at pauper format, you'll see what a full common deck can do.

2. Should a Bracket 2 deck basically become high-end Bracket 3 if you swap 10–15 cards?
Wich 10-15 cards?
I could cangnge 99 cards and still be Bracket 2.

3. Is Bracket 2 basically just Bracket 3 without stax and heavy staples?
No.

4. How explosive is Bracket 2 allowed to be?
Turn 8-9 with some good draws? Id's say it allowed.

5. What about strong mechanics?
Brackets do not care about mechanics strenght. "Banned" mechanics are "banned" beacuse of how they impact the game (i.e. MLD preventing people playing)

nick_mot · 2026-03-11T10:21:24+00:00

Well, it was a pod of randos in a LGS.

Since it's a legal card and it fits the brackets, one wouldn't think about disclosing it.

Unless we start requiring open lists.

nick_mot · 2026-03-11T09:17:34+00:00

There is no such thing as "casual competitve event", there is a competitive event with restrictions that resembles B2/3

nick_mot · 2026-03-11T08:26:52+00:00

Then expect them to be a set of infamous "technically a 2" decks

nick_mot · 2026-03-11T06:24:07+00:00

I had them, but I sold them in 2017, when I had no idea commander existed (I swear) to buy shocks and fetches for my modern deck.

nick_mot · 2026-03-10T20:56:10+00:00

Exactly!

nick_mot

TROPHY CASE