Hardcore Strategy Blog
General forum
Posted on May 27, 2020, 7:40 p.m. by TriusMalarky
Just wondering, would anyone read a blog focused on designing decks that do as well as possible for the smallest budget possible, in a variety of formats, while also looking at fundamental strategy(and using statistics to back stuff up)?
Gidgetimer says... #3
I would, but it would need to be well written and actually contain insightful strategy. Far too much MtG content is poorly made or just plain bad to try and consume, process, and have meaningful conversations about all of it.
May 27, 2020 10:39 p.m.
Ayanami_Rei says... #4
It would be nice as a substitute for the magazines of a bygone era. Those things were supposedly made "obsolete" thanks to the "internet for all" era but I hardly find anything interesting: there are only card prices, tournament lists (having filmed games is nice though) and ... Youtube (filled with peoples talking for nothing while facing a PC screen for 30-60mn just to give out yet another list). The paper articles about births of archetypes, game notions (card advantage, etc) and such were among the reasons why I bought magazines (not the list of card values or the previews of card I would ultimately discover myself through buying or playing).
Anyway, as long as it is nicely written (unlike what I do in english) and gets accross well, that would be good to have.
PS: sorry for the long useless post.
May 28, 2020 7:14 a.m.
TriusMalarky says... #5
Oh yeah, would be nice, well written posts about the statistical reasoning behind curves, or on occasion "card reviews" that cover one card's ins and outs, where to use it, why to use it, why not to use it, etc. and maybe the occasional low-budget mostly-competitive decklist for various formats, but not just "here's my list and here's what it does" but "here's the list, here's what you should be doing t1, t2 etc, here's the ins and outs of piloting it, here's everything you should know about sideboarding".
Just generally the content that I can't find online. Nobody gives half a rat's rear end anymore, so I plan on doing that.
May 28, 2020 9:03 a.m.
TriusMalarky says... #7
GoblinElectromancer the formats I would focus on are Modern, Pioneer and EDH. EDH 'cos it's awesome, Modern 'cos it's my favorite, and Pioneer 'cos it's almost as good as Modern and I play it more 'cos I can afford it and people in my area can afford it.
May 28, 2020 10:15 p.m.
TriusMalarky says... #8
https://malarkymtg.blogspot.com/2020/06/my-introduction.html
June 2, 2020 8:22 p.m.
Ayanami_Rei says... #9
Sorry for the nitpicking but the font is a bit hard to read (maybe it's the size?).
June 5, 2020 6 p.m.
TriusMalarky says... #11
There, that should be good.
I know it's not much so far, but what do people think?
June 5, 2020 6:22 p.m.
TriusMalarky says... #12
https://malarkymtg.blogspot.com/2020/06/m21-spoilers-part-1.html
June 5, 2020 6:47 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... #13
I have my reservations (and have since you first posted the link) but am withholding judgement until we see more what a normal article/blog post will look like.
June 5, 2020 6:48 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... #14
Still have reservations after the second post. Still withholding judgement.
June 5, 2020 6:52 p.m.
TriusMalarky says... #15
Reservations of what sort? I haven't found the time for a full decklist yet, but I am working on it. These are mostly filler posts that I'll be using to make sure I have some content until I finish the next brew.
Modern RB Madness coming right up, BTW.
June 5, 2020 11:49 p.m.
I_Want_To_PlayAllTheDecks says... #16
I like it so far- But i'm really hoping you talk about Grim Tutor more in depth and what it will do the standard and pioneer meta game. Personally, I think its great and i'm already making a toolbox deck around it in pioneer.
June 6, 2020 9:06 a.m.
Gidgetimer says... #17
Warning: Open and honest criticism ahead. I'm not trying to discourage you from writing this blog. Nor am I saying the way you prefer to play MtG and/or write about it is "wrong". You wanted to know my reservations though.
My initial understanding of what you were proposing was "a series of in depth blog posts about various strategy concepts with deck lists (some budget, some not) illustrating these concepts in action". I am less interested in "budget brewing with incidental strategy" as it seems you were proposing now that I have reread the OP. This reservation is totally my fault for poor reading comprehension.
Your introduction was dismissive of netdecks as a whole. I understand as a player not wanting to play them. There is still a lot that can be learned from analyzing them strategically. There is also a lot that can be learned from tuning netdecks to a different meta than the one they were created in or making budget versions.
The remainder of that thought was "and you'll never see me dropping T3feri, JTMS, or even Stoneforge, because those are mainstream cards in mainstream decks. Also, they cost a lot." I find that in general people who use the phrase "mainstream cards", and doubly so people who use it with a negative connotation, care too much about what other people are running to actually offer insightful strategy analysis. With one of the stated goals of the blog being budget building I can respect the "they cost a lot" reason. It is just worrying that it was not even the primary reason.
The card review post was exceedingly shallow. I understand that you didn't have much time, but I am a proponent of fewer well crafted offerings than many banal ones. I know the theory of making it a habit for people to engage with your content. As I said in my initial response though, I am only interested if it is both well written and insightful.
I question your choice of cards to talk about in the card review post as well. Mangara was a fine choice. Pack Leader I find to be uninteresting though. It is a lord for a tribe that doesn't have enough members and is otherwise a bear with an upside. At most he should be taken note of until dogs have the density required to be an actual tribe.
There is also the inconsistent formatting of the review post. Each paragraph is separated by a double space except Mangara's analysis and score. At best this is a product of being rushed. At worst it speaks of a disregard for editing or apathy over the whole project.
I also have problems with 1-whatever rankings in a game as complex as MtG. Be it 1-5 for cards or 1-10 for decks. I think that it is much better to do qualitative analysis than quantitative analysis.
As I said before though, I am withholding judgement.
June 6, 2020 9:23 a.m.
TriusMalarky says... #18
Ah, I see. I fear I miscommunicated some things.
The first phrase ("a series of in depth blog posts about various strategy concepts with deck lists (some budget, some not) illustrating these concepts in action") is my goal, however, I am still ironing out the kinks. I also see that I may have to rewrite my introduction, because my intention was not to diss on the metagame, or imply that I actively hate running tier cards.
I_Want_To_PlayAllTheDecks says... #2
Absolutely
May 27, 2020 8:24 p.m.