Challenge Difficulty Rating - set 1 completed (on 2 now)
Posted: 10 Jan 2011, 19:16
About once a month I read that someone thinks the challenges are too hard, too frustrating, or down-right impossible. To my, that's part of what makes them "challenges", but also I think the claims are overstated. I beat every challenge myself before I release it to the world, so I know none are impossible. And I will do it again! But this time I will keep track of how difficult the challenge is, for reference. I'll update this thread as I complete more.
Caveats:
1) I know all the decks I will face, and the various twists and turns of each challenge. Therefore I know how to build a deck to beat a specific challenge. I think this is fine, since the decks forum gives everyone the same advantage.
2) I am good at Magic, so your mileage may vary.
3) I am going to do the challenges in the order that makes most sense (i.e. unlock Pit challenge early)
Challenge 1-1: Tribal Trials
Attempts: 3
Difficulty: 1
Luck Factor: 3
Frustration Factor: 2
Time to complete successful run: 25 minutes (this is basically the minimum for any challenge)
Comments: My 2 losses both came round 9 to the Soldier deck, but the first 2 tries my deck was not optimally built. That round still does require that you don't mulligan to oblivion.
Challenge 1-2: Vanguard Vengeance
Attempts: 2
Difficulty: 1
Luck Factor: 2
Frustration Factor: 1
Time to complete successful run: 25 minutes
Comments: Basically the only way to lose this one is on the Momir round (which I managed thanks for AI turn 4 Demigod of Revenge, turn 5 Viscara!). But since that's only round 3, there's not a lot of rework.
Challenge 1-3: Chipping Away
Attempts: 2
Difficulty: 7
Luck Factor: 5
Frustration Factor: 6
Time to complete successful run: 25 minutes
Comments: This is the first one I was dreading, so I made sure to finish Pit first. I still randomly died at 12 life against counterslivers. The final round does require a good hand to be competitive, so there is some luck involved there.
Challenge 1-4: Onslaught
Attempts: 1
Difficulty: 1
Luck Factor: 3
Frustration Factor: 2
Time to complete successful run: 50 minutes
Comments: I was 1 turn from dying a couple times, but other than that, this was pretty easy. Dredge takes a little skill to pilot, but mulligan into Bazaar makes things easy usually.
Challenge 1-5: Shandalar 2.0
Attempts: 1
Difficulty: 1
Luck Factor: 6
Frustration Factor: 5
Time to complete successful run: 50 minutes
Comments: This is not really a difficult challenge with the right deck, but the last round certainly is luck-based. You basically need to both go first(75%) and have a good draw (65%), so you have about a 50% change of pulling it off with the right deck. Having to fight through opponents with 50 life each game makes this set even more frustrating.
Challenge 1-6: Banned
Attempts: 1
Difficulty: 1
Luck Factor: 3
Frustration Factor: 2
Time to complete successful run: 30 minutes
Comments: The only dicey matchup was Goblins, since my deck was Sorcery-based. I mulled to 4 and missed Oath, but drew it on time. Pit Scorpion certainly helped.
Challenge 1-7: 5:1 Odds
Attempts: 0
Difficulty: 10
Luck Factor: 3
Frustration Factor: 10
Time to complete successful run: 0 minutes
Comments: I skipped this challenge. This is the only 1 of the 40 challenged that is really unfair. It will be replaced at some point with a new challenge.
Challenge 1-8: Magic: the Puzzling
Attempts: 1
Difficulty: 10
Luck Factor: 0
Frustration Factor: 5
Time to complete successful run: 10 minutes
Comments: Obviously no luck here, just puzzle solving.
Challenge 1-9: That's Not My Deck
Attempts: 7
Difficulty: 4
Luck Factor: 5
Frustration Factor: 1
Time to complete successful run: 70 minutes
Comments: So I tried 5 times with the deck that worked for me last time, but no luck. I switched to an all-gold deck and won in 2 tries after an unlucky run-in with Relentless Rats. Even though this challenge took me a massive 7 tries, it was fun, not frustrating, to me.
Caveats:
1) I know all the decks I will face, and the various twists and turns of each challenge. Therefore I know how to build a deck to beat a specific challenge. I think this is fine, since the decks forum gives everyone the same advantage.
2) I am good at Magic, so your mileage may vary.
3) I am going to do the challenges in the order that makes most sense (i.e. unlock Pit challenge early)
Challenge 1-1: Tribal Trials
Attempts: 3
Difficulty: 1
Luck Factor: 3
Frustration Factor: 2
Time to complete successful run: 25 minutes (this is basically the minimum for any challenge)
Comments: My 2 losses both came round 9 to the Soldier deck, but the first 2 tries my deck was not optimally built. That round still does require that you don't mulligan to oblivion.
Challenge 1-2: Vanguard Vengeance
Attempts: 2
Difficulty: 1
Luck Factor: 2
Frustration Factor: 1
Time to complete successful run: 25 minutes
Comments: Basically the only way to lose this one is on the Momir round (which I managed thanks for AI turn 4 Demigod of Revenge, turn 5 Viscara!). But since that's only round 3, there's not a lot of rework.
Challenge 1-3: Chipping Away
Attempts: 2
Difficulty: 7
Luck Factor: 5
Frustration Factor: 6
Time to complete successful run: 25 minutes
Comments: This is the first one I was dreading, so I made sure to finish Pit first. I still randomly died at 12 life against counterslivers. The final round does require a good hand to be competitive, so there is some luck involved there.
Challenge 1-4: Onslaught
Attempts: 1
Difficulty: 1
Luck Factor: 3
Frustration Factor: 2
Time to complete successful run: 50 minutes
Comments: I was 1 turn from dying a couple times, but other than that, this was pretty easy. Dredge takes a little skill to pilot, but mulligan into Bazaar makes things easy usually.
Challenge 1-5: Shandalar 2.0
Attempts: 1
Difficulty: 1
Luck Factor: 6
Frustration Factor: 5
Time to complete successful run: 50 minutes
Comments: This is not really a difficult challenge with the right deck, but the last round certainly is luck-based. You basically need to both go first(75%) and have a good draw (65%), so you have about a 50% change of pulling it off with the right deck. Having to fight through opponents with 50 life each game makes this set even more frustrating.
Challenge 1-6: Banned
Attempts: 1
Difficulty: 1
Luck Factor: 3
Frustration Factor: 2
Time to complete successful run: 30 minutes
Comments: The only dicey matchup was Goblins, since my deck was Sorcery-based. I mulled to 4 and missed Oath, but drew it on time. Pit Scorpion certainly helped.
Challenge 1-7: 5:1 Odds
Attempts: 0
Difficulty: 10
Luck Factor: 3
Frustration Factor: 10
Time to complete successful run: 0 minutes
Comments: I skipped this challenge. This is the only 1 of the 40 challenged that is really unfair. It will be replaced at some point with a new challenge.
Challenge 1-8: Magic: the Puzzling
Attempts: 1
Difficulty: 10
Luck Factor: 0
Frustration Factor: 5
Time to complete successful run: 10 minutes
Comments: Obviously no luck here, just puzzle solving.
Challenge 1-9: That's Not My Deck
Attempts: 7
Difficulty: 4
Luck Factor: 5
Frustration Factor: 1
Time to complete successful run: 70 minutes
Comments: So I tried 5 times with the deck that worked for me last time, but no luck. I switched to an all-gold deck and won in 2 tries after an unlucky run-in with Relentless Rats. Even though this challenge took me a massive 7 tries, it was fun, not frustrating, to me.