Trading Cards / general CCG and Magic discussion thread

[Unesh52]

I've been playing Yu-Gi-Oh since last summer (not counting the few games I played when they released in my elementary school days), and recently my card game friend (TheFallen5296 here) bought some Magic decks for himself, my brother, and me. So what (if any) card games do you Escapists out there play? Yu-Gi-Oh? MtG? Pokemon? Since when? With who? Are you any good? Do you collect or just play? And if you don't play or collect, what's your opinion of the games and the people who play them? I get the feeling that a lot of people think CCGs are immature and embarrassing.

===============

I haven't had any reliable income since I started playing, so my collection is very small for both games I play. I rely heavily on my aforementioned friend's collection for building Yu-Gi-Oh decks, and actually I rely a lot on him for that since I'm pretty shitty at deck building. Most of the ones I play are hardly edited structure decks. Zombies are my favorites right now, and I want to acquire those 3 zombie synchros. I have a few more decks online, but playing there isn't as fun as playing in real life, for a few reasons. (My handle on DN is the same as here, BTW.)

I've never been excited about collecting for that game, but I think I'd really like collecting for Magic. The fact that there are distinct subsets that I can complete gives me a sense of completion and goals to work towards. I want to get a binder full for every expansion pack. (I know it'll never happen, but that's the ultimate goal.) Right now I've just got the one starter deck and a few cards, some of which are on loan from another friend. It's the Green/Red "Monstrous Surprise" deck from Dark Ascension. It focuses on the (apparently new) Undying ability, and I've already acquired a few cards that really work that to my advantage. My favorites are Skullmuncher and Warstorm Surge (the latter of which is on loan, unfortunately).

 

[SaikyoKid]

I used to actually work at a card shop back in my earlier high school days so I got a lot of practice in with all kinds of CCGs. I was actually quite good at both Pokemon and Magic, but it's been ages since I've even played mostly due to money, time, and college things. I actually really used to be quite good at Mechwarriors and actually did pretty well in some more major tournaments with that, but I'm pretty sure that game has pretty much died out entirely around here.

So yea, basically I used to be very much into them but once I moved out I just ran out of time and most all of my local card games have died out. Times be tough yo.

 

[uhddh]

I played Yu-Gi-Oh but grew tired of it. When a friend started to play I gave him all my cards in return for cards to add to my new hobby... MtG

 

[Mr Pantomime]

Ive been playing MtG a bit for the last few months. Its quite fun, and everyone I play with is super nice. I still haven't got drafting down though. How am I supposed to build a deck when I don't know what cards ill get!?

Edit: Oh yeah, actual information

Currently building a Red/Blue Flashback deck. Its turning out quite well, but the curve is all fucked up. Im a bit too out of my depth to take into account the Mana Cost and the Flashback Cost though.

My Favourite Card is [mtg_card=Charmbreaker Devils]. It costs way too much, but it wins me a lot of longer games with Artful Dodge. I do wish they'd print a Flashback Boots of Speed so that I could rush them.

Now I really want a [mtg_card=Skullmulcher] and a [mtg_card=Warstorm Surge] for two entirely different decks.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

I used to play Yu-Gi-Oh but I stopped when I encountered the same problem as with pretty much any card game like that eventually suffers.

Too many new cards, the old ones are now useless, Blue Eyes White Dragon used to be a powerful card, up against the new decks it's useless.

I'm not going to constantly evolve my deck every few months, I'm not that invested or that rich.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Been playing Magic for a few years, now. I'm one of the best players at my LGS, along with my dad, another guy, and the national players who show up every now and then.

Currently I play Legacy Reanimator, Topstorm, and Fruity Pebbles. Going to make a Dredge deck soon, though.

 

[malestrithe]

I played magic up to 6th edition. I did fairly well with a red green Elves and Goblins Deck.

Then I met Tolarian Academy, one of the few cards that was outright banned after one tournament. I stopped playing soon after.

Picked it up again for The Time Spiral cycle. Sopped playing after that because the game evolved way too much in the 8 years since I stopped playing.

 

[Llil]

I used to play Magic, but then I graduated from school, so I haven't had people to play with anymore. Besides, the 2010 rules changes RUNED MTG FOREVER! So no FNM or tournament play for me either. I like the game and would play casually (so I can use the old rules) if I could.

I stopped buying boosters long before that, and just ordered the cards I wanted online, or traded from a friend.

I also have a few 1st gen Pokemon decks, and it's an okay game too. We played a little of that in school as well, but not as much as Magic.

 

[RandallJohn]

I used to play YGO, Vs. System, and I dabbled a little in MTG. I ran a Horus deck, back when it was actually good.

I'm writing a game of my own as a hobby right now.

 

[Amethyst Wind]

I played Yugioh for a long time, retired a few years ago, then found my deck again a few months ago and decided to go again for old time's sake. It really reminded me why I quit in the first place. I actually pulled a Ghost rare in my prize pack (you get a ghost rare about 1:150 packs give or take) and just left the thing there along with my deck.

Competitive Yugioh is annoying and boring. I wouldn't mind forgetting everything I know about Yugioh and starting over as a noob again so I could have some fun with the game, as it stands I have to purposefully do something stupid with a deck to have any fun with it. Shame that Konami made all the actually interesting cards non-viable for tourny play.

 

[Wyld Fyre]

I have played MTG on and off since it was first published. (well almost ALPHA saw a very limited relaease) I have cards from BETA and up including eight of the power nine. Though I have quit many times, I am like the MJ of magic I just keep coming back. DCI 4 LIFE!

Also @NameIsRobertPaulson those are some great choices for Commander. I may have to use Damia Sage of Stone myself.

CCGs are fine if you have the disposable income, I took my Daughter to Friday night magic back in February and she has not missed one since.

Also I have a full set of the old Marvel Overpower cards, Ebay ftw.

As far as Yu-Gi-Oh goes I just buy the DS tournament game every few years, it has most the cards.

 

[Unesh52]

Ok I made this thread at like 1am and forgot about it :I

Ive been playing MtG a bit for the last few months. Its quite fun, and everyone I play with is super nice. I still haven't got drafting down though. How am I supposed to build a deck when I don't know what cards ill get!?

...

My Favourite Card is [mtg_card=Charmbreaker Devils].

I don't get that either, but I don't have enough money to buy a bunch of new packs just to play a few games, so it's constructed format for me. My friend runs a red burn deck with almost no creatures, and I think that Charmbreaker Devils would be great for him. It's costly, but he usually winds up with a shitton of mana that he can't spend in one turn anyway, so I think it would work well. I recently traded for a card called Plaguemaw Beast [http://gatherer.wizards.com/pages/card/Details.aspx?name=Plaguemaw Beast] that I use with Gutter Grime [http://gatherer.wizards.com/pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Gutter Grime] and my undying creatures to devastating effect.

Helix.dec based on [mtg_card=Spellweaver Helix] and [mtg_card=Raven's Crime]
Chandra.dec based on [mtg_card=Chandra Ablaze] with [mtg_card=Cruel Ultimatum]

My Commanders [mtg_card=Damia Sage of Stone] and [mtg_card=Gisela Blade of Goldnight]

I'm not sure I get how the Helix card works. So you exile 2 sorceries, then if you play another of one of them, Helix becomes a free copy of the other one? Also, that Chandra combo is apeshit bananas. I heard about Commander format in the last Loading Time video, but I'm still not sure what it is. I think it's like deckmasters in Yu-Gi-Oh, though. (I'm sure they copied it from Commander, but that's what I know.)

Currently I play Legacy Reanimator, Topstorm, and Fruity Pebbles.

Fruity Pebbles. I'm amused.

I'm writing a game of my own as a hobby right now.

Really? What's that like?

Competitive Yugioh is annoying and boring. I wouldn't mind forgetting everything I know about Yugioh and starting over as a noob again so I could have some fun with the game, as it stands I have to purposefully do something stupid with a deck to have any fun with it. Shame that Konami made all the actually interesting cards non-viable for tourny play.

I just get frustrated with the meta-game. I can hardly play on DN because I just get rocked by rabbit dinos and Six Sams all day. I play with a friend that builds lots of decks though, and they can be pretty interesting. He just built a burn deck around that Acid Golem XYZ. But when I do play, I like to play on traditional. It's really fun to run one of the old structure decks unedited. I guess it's not really about what you're playing, but who you're playing with. Still, competitive Yu-Gi-Oh is a drag.

I took my Daughter to Friday night magic back in February and she has not missed one since.

What's Friday Night Magic?

 

[Wyld Fyre]

http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Events.aspx?x=events/magic/fnm

Most nerd shops have this or something similar. As long as you live in a metropolitan area there are 'friendly' games and tournaments, to help teach the game and sell cards, but most times you can score free and promotional cards by going.

 

[RandallJohn]

I'm writing a game of my own as a hobby right now.

Really? What's that like?

Right now it's kind of up in the air, but it's a 2+ player game with less emphasis on combat and more on point scoring (kind of like catan's scoring system.) It needs a lot of work.

 

[aba1]

I was into magic really heavily the last few years I tend to be a heavy control style player who uses oddball tactics. For example rather than the traditional aggressive merfolk I use them to turn my opponents lands to islands and then island walk them when they can no longer reliably cast things or a discard deck that makes my opponents draw cards and discard to burn them with lilliana's caress.