An Idea about Precons

[otherright]

While I'm sure you guys will eventually get thousands of cards into the the game, it does seem for now that you are coding cards built around the decks you are designing. And while full sets would be nice, they would take a very long time to compile.

Since you are doing it as coded cards for decks, I think it would be a great idea for you guys to code the preconstructed decks of each block, you know, like the Kamigawa decks, or the Legions decks. These decks are fun to play, and fun to play against, and as they are the official MTG decks, I think they would only add more flavor and balance to DotP.

Don't get me wrong, I love the decks you guys are creating and I personally think you should start rounding up every one of them you can find on the net, but the precons are well balanced and a challenge to play.

[Yanna]

I get the idea, and it's a good one !

What would be your preferred precons ?

[otherright]

In the end, I have to say do the ones that are easiest for you guys first, so you can get them out of the way. You all are the ones working so diligently on this project. Ultimately, its your call.

I simply enjoy Magic. The depth of strategy, the challenge of a new deck I've never seen. Especially that of a precon that is balanced to play against other precons. Although, I guess I really have a soft spot for the Kamigawa block. I also enjoy the Legions decks, but you guys already have some incredible army building decks.

Again, your call. You're doing the work, I'm just playing the shit out of it, and that's what I'm going to go do right now.

[otherright]

Before I go to play. I can say this. If you are needing direction, because you guys have a tremendous load, I can look up the easiest ones, or even the most popular ones and post the decks on here for you guys to tear into during your free time.

[Uresti]

the ones coders like is not the same that everybody wants to play....so request are welcome

[GamerXYZ]

Awesome idea. I love putting decks against each other, so decks from the same blocks would be great for me.

@Yanna: I share the same feelings as otherright (Do the ones you want to do most/is the easiest for you to do), but if you'd like a suggestion: I'd love to see the "special sets" (the Planechase and Archenemy decks (without their special game mechanics of course) and the X vs Y decks). But do whatever you want of course: the work you're doing currently is already incredible.

[Yanna]

Well to be honest there's little i know about Precons
I mostly played Revised up to Homelands, then a bit back around judgment/odyssey blocks, so basically i never saw those precons decks.

Those decks look nice albeit some cards would be difficult/impossible to code (flipping cards or Morph ones). But that doesn't mean we can't make most of the decks (maybe add a replacement for tricky cards ?).

[GamerXYZ]

Yeah, replacements would be a good idea. What you could also do is change the effect (or just the mechanics) to something that can be coded (but only if the card's "core" (if you know what I mean), and especially its purpose in the deck, can still remain the same).

[otherright]

Sure, you can could always find a card that is similar or even better than the original if you can't make the original.

[otherright]

Let's try one from the Tempest block. That's where it started.

Tempest Precon - Deep Freeze

Island (TMP) *13
Plains (TMP) *11

Master Decoy (TMP) *2
Knight of Dawn (TMP)
Soltari Lancer (TMP) *2
Cloudchaser Eagle (TMP)
Avenging Angel (TMP)
Wind Drake (TMP) *2
Horned Turtle (TMP) *2
Sky Spirit (TMP)

Anoint (TMP)
Disenchant (TMP)
Pacifism (TMP) *3
Invulnerability (TMP)
Repentance (TMP) *2
Power Sink (TMP) *2
Spell Blast (TMP)
Counterspell (TMP) *3
Legacy's Allure (TMP)
Time Ebb (TMP)
Dream Cache (TMP)
Gaseous Form (TMP) *2
Dismiss (TMP) *2
Precognition (TMP)
Puppet Strings (TMP)
Emmessi Tome (TMP)

[otherright]

Or how about way of the Warrior from Champions of Kamigawa

Way of the Warrior

Plains (CHK) *24
Bushi Tenderfoot (CHK)
Devoted Retainer (CHK) *4
Kitsune Blademaster (CHK) *4
Mothrider Samurai (CHK) *4
Nagao, Bound by Honor (CHK)
Takeno, Samurai General (CHK)
Samurai Enforcers (CHK) *2

Blessed Breath (CHK)
Reciprocate (CHK) *2
Vigilance (CHK) *2
Call to Glory (CHK) *2
Indomitable Will (CHK) *2
Otherworldly Journey (CHK)
Cage of Hands (CHK) *2
Hold the Line (CHK)
No-Dachi (CHK) *2

[Yanna]

Allright, i'll have a go at coding bushido ability (sounds fairly easy) since it's the main ability on the campions deck. If it works ok then i'll have a try at way of the warrior (got an idea for the flip card. The ony hard time i foresee is the one that adds +1 for each bushido point but that'll wait).

Will post the results in this thread ^^

<------------------------------------->
EDIT :
As i thought, bushido is pretty easy to implement. I'll have a go at splice onto arcane now, but that defenetely won't be like the original ability (can't add spell effect to another one unless you code all splice onto arcane effects on the arcane cards).

[logoliv]

The problem is that preconstructed decks are weak compared to the champions decks we already coded... If you look at the cards in these decks, you'll notice that there aren't a lot of rare cards (and it's normal since WOTC made them to incite players to buy more powered cards to upgrade them).
I played a lot with 10th Edition (and after) precons and I have experienced it myself...

A better idea in my opinion would be to code different types of champions decks (like we began to do) to see which type is better against another. I think it would be far more interesting, since making the ultimate deck is the objective of every experienced Magic player

Here's a link with champions decks types to grasp ideas :
http://www.magicdeckvortex.com/DDB_decks_by_type.htm

[Yanna]

Well i guess we can go separate ways anyway, even if the precons aren't competitive to other decks they seem fun to play and balanced.

So i'll stick to try and code Way of the Warrior deck (unless it's too complicated to do).

Here's my progress so far :

Done cards :

Devoted Retainer
Kitsune Blademaster
Mothrider Samurai
Nagao, Bound by Honor
Takeno, Samurai General
Blessed Breath

* Bushido :
Easy to implement. Ability written and tested ok.

* Splice onto Arcane :
This has given me a sweat, but after many tries I've managed to code an almost replica of Blessed Breath. The one difference is that it doesn't provide its protection while it is on the stack (suppose you spliced it then cast it, when it is on the stack, the creature protected loses protection). Adding 'until end of turn' effects to Splicable cards is real madness

* Takeno, Samurai General was more easy to code than it looked like ^^

[otherright]

See, I think that the precons are extremely well balanced against one another. They are very fun to play, and involve a ton of strategy. These Champion decks are fun, don't get me wrong, but if you're playing against the original campaign, you can blow through an opponent pretty quickly. Again, maybe the precons should be played against one another and the original campaign.