Magic 2015 - Duels of the Planeswalkers Preview - Finally, Custom Decks

[JonB]

Magic 2015 - Duels of the Planeswalkers Preview - Finally, Custom Decks

Ever since we?ve been getting Magic in digital format with Duels of the Planeswalkers, all of Magic fandom has cried out for one thing: Custom decks. It has arrived.

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[Falterfire]

This was a cool article, but there was absolutely no mention of the thing I'm most worried about with regards to this game:

Do you know anything about the 'premium boosters' they mentioned several times in the official stuff? Do you know if they'll just for saving time or if they're required to get some cards? How much will they cost, how many would you need to get a full set of card? Basically if you have any information about the premium packs, I'm curious.

Also, will you be able to get 4 of each card, or only a set number?

 

[BrotherRool]

Yes Theros! Being able to play DotP with Theros card is already good enough for me. (Not an Innistrad fan though, for some reason I don't like cards with a black aesthetic and Innistrad is basically all black aesthetic)

 

[Slycne]

Yes Theros! Being able to play DotP with Theros card is already good enough for me. (Not an Innistrad fan though, for some reason I don't like cards with a black aesthetic and Innistrad is basically all black aesthetic)

"Come to the glorious and well-illuminated plane of Theros! Everything is warm and smiling like a basket of puppies. Yep, there's certainly nothing black and scary here."

The most honestest of all merchants.
-[mtg_card=Gray Merchant of Asphodel]

 

[BrotherRool]

Yes Theros! Being able to play DotP with Theros card is already good enough for me. (Not an Innistrad fan though, for some reason I don't like cards with a black aesthetic and Innistrad is basically all black aesthetic)

"Come to the glorious and well-illuminated plane of Theros! Everything is warm and smiling like a basket of puppies. Yep, there's certainly nothing black and scary here."

The most honestest of all merchants.
-[mtg_card=Gray Merchant of Asphodel]

Gary seems like a friendly fellow, I'd trust him. Maybe not enough to look in his sack

 

[RedDeadFred]

It's about damn time. That draft mode from 2014 was a poor excuse for a deck building mode. Especially since you got limited slots and had to pay for new ones.

 

[RJ 17]

All I want to know is will we finally get to use actual Planeswalker cards? I'm guessing not...

 

[Zealous]

All I want to know is will we finally get to use actual Planeswalker cards? I'm guessing not...

Well seeing as how you are a planeswalker... and everyone you're playing against is a planeswalker... It would be great though.

It's about damn time. That draft mode from 2014 was a poor excuse for a deck building mode. Especially since you got limited slots and had to pay for new ones.

Ugh, that was disgusting. Good to see that they've finally figured out what everyone has been screaming for since the start of the series. Also this gives me an reason to buy this one. So that's nice.

 

[RJ 17]

All I want to know is will we finally get to use actual Planeswalker cards? I'm guessing not...

Well seeing as how you are a planeswalker... and everyone you're playing against is a planeswalker... It would be great though.

Which is why "I'm guessing not..."

Even so, in the "story" of the game, casting a Planeswalker card is essentially calling upon that Planeswalker to come and assist you. That's why your opponent has to decide if they're attacking you or the Planeswalker. It's why their "HP" is actually called "Loyalty". It's why if your opponent goes on to cast the same Planeswalker, yours goes away: because the Planeswalker essentially switched sides.

All that said, it kinda boils down any argument for there to not be Planeswalker cards in these games to "because reasons".

 

[mcnally86]

I actually am not a fan of this and having bought all the other duels will not be buying this one. Every game has allowed to customize our decks more but I feel have given us less. The first game, white worst on the programming side, had the best array of decks and options.

I liked the feeling of tournament play. I had a wide variety of decks to pick from and knowing that they new hotness was just as powerful as the vintage card decks. The next duels worked pretty well but as time went on balance got really bad. In 2014 there are infinite turn combos and automatic win strategies. Last time I played 2 headed giant I had to stop because there was a pair of guys who would play two decks together that synergized into the most unbroken combo over and over. It was super annoying and to beat it I had to make a really cheap deck that was only good against them, and only them. I guess it turned out ok because many people were using that dumb combo.

TL; DR I do not like this because over time the decks have become really unbalanced. I like sealed box play. Not playing against someone who made his deck out of just mythics and cards that get those mythics out turn 3.

 

[Tiamattt]

It's why if your opponent goes on to cast the same Planeswalker, yours goes away: because the Planeswalker essentially switched sides.

Actually they've updated the legend rules (happened last year) so that you and your opponent can have the same legendary cards on the battlefield at the same time, each player however can only control 1 specific legendary at a time. So basically we can both have Jace out at the same time, but if I play a 2nd Jace legend rule kicks in and I have to choose one to send to the graveyard.

https://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/248f <--For a much better explanation go there.

More on topic though yeah actual planeswalker cards would be really, really nice but deck customization is a HUGE step in the right direction. Maybe they'll let us play with them next year.

 

[iblis666]

as long as its on android i will probably buy it since i love deck building

 

[Imre Csete]

Ugh, that was disgusting. Good to see that they've finally figured out what everyone has been screaming for since the start of the series. Also this gives me an reason to buy this one. So that's nice.

Well, the premium foil promo card alone worth more than the price of admission for DotP 2014 in some places, so there is that too.

 

[Kapol]

This was a cool article, but there was absolutely no mention of the thing I'm most worried about with regards to this game:

Do you know anything about the 'premium boosters' they mentioned several times in the official stuff? Do you know if they'll just for saving time or if they're required to get some cards? How much will they cost, how many would you need to get a full set of card? Basically if you have any information about the premium packs, I'm curious.

Also, will you be able to get 4 of each card, or only a set number?

This is what I'm worried about too. I get the feeling that you're not going to be able to unlock every card, at least not playsets, without buying the packs. If that's the case, then it really seems like this is going to be a super watered-down version of MTGO to me.

Building your own decks also means that online play is going to be abysmal in random matchups. Unless they work hard on good matchmaking, it's going to likely happen that you either run into someone way below your skill level playing a 100 card deck, or someone way above your skill playing a deck with 4-of every bomb rare. I suppose this is more like actual Magic... but I don't think it's a good thing to be. The DotP series has always felt more like it should be an entryway to the full game, with the paper version or MTGO being the point that it jumps too. Having it be more like those seems like it could drive newer players away.

 

[JaceArveduin]

-[mtg_card=Gray Merchant of Asphodel]
Gary seems like a friendly fellow, I'd trust him. Maybe not enough to look in his sack

You! who did you know that first started calling him Gary?

 

[BrotherRool]

-[mtg_card=Gray Merchant of Asphodel]
Gary seems like a friendly fellow, I'd trust him. Maybe not enough to look in his sack

You! who did you know that first started calling him Gary?

In my case, Graham Stark (although I don't actually 'know' him of course ). I'm pretty sure they invented it when they made the joke in their Friday Nights video

 

[rofltehcat]

Custom Decks? Great!
Next point on my wishlist: Drafts!

I wonder if they will somewhen retire the old Magic Online client or even the whole service (with card transfer) to the Duels client. Let's hope the new competition (or rather innovation and new TCG players) by Heartstone and others makes WotC change a few things in that regard.

 

[Micah Weil]

...custom decks? Finally! Now to convince my friends to grab it...

 

[Something Amyss]

I liked the various backgrounds and the like, though I won't miss 'em so much this is a "no sale" for me (eventually). It looks like they've added some good stuff, and I can't see anything to worry me....

Do you know anything about the 'premium boosters' they mentioned several times in the official stuff?

...Awww, crap. Now I'm worried. They've been trying to come up with new ways to get money from us, so I wouldn't be shocked if these were necessary.

It's sad that here we are literally decades later and they have still yet to build a Magic: The Gathering computer game that is better than the original one made by Microprose. If they really want to add something to the yearly releases let them add in an updated version of Shandalar. It's amazing just how well that game still holds up even today.

But minor increments has worked so well for WWE games, and why give a lot of effort when a little will get you sales anyway?

Custom Decks? Great!
Next point on my wishlist: Drafts!

You mean like the tournies from 2014, or something else?