Originality?
Modern forum
Posted on Feb. 20, 2015, 8:33 p.m. by TheGrayMerchant
Just a minute ago, I was struck with the question of how to be original and innovative within an established archetype. Even though every person may tweak a little within each archetype, I don't feel like that this is actually a way to make it original. Any thoughts on what makes a deck original?
JexInfinite says... #3
An original deck is a deck that you have fiddled around with and made your own.
February 20, 2015 8:49 p.m.
SpartanCEL says... #4
When you don't run card A because it's good. Researching and running cards in your strategy/combo because they fit makes your deck original I think. If card A fits then you run it
February 20, 2015 8:52 p.m.
VampireArmy says... #5
"This is my deck"
"There are many like it but this one is mine"
What else need be said?
February 20, 2015 9:18 p.m.
lemmingllama says... #6
It sounds like you should try and create a new archetype or work on an existing tier 2 archetype to make it tier 1.5. Trying to work with an archetype that has already been done to death means that the changes you make will likely weaken the focus of the deck rather than strengthen it. Try finding a janky deck that you enjoy and improve it from there, it is much more likely that you can find improvements and make the deck your own in this way.
For example, I decided to play around with Heartless Summoning combo in Modern. I think that I improved the deck since I started running Trinket Mage in the mainboard, since it can find our win conditions and also retrieve sideboard cards (Pithing Needle, Nihil Spellbomb) for our later games. It's still an archetype, but I feel that I made the deck my own by modifying it.
February 20, 2015 9:25 p.m.
JexInfinite says... #7
A lot of people play control, but my UWRb deck plays quite differently to other control decks.
February 20, 2015 9:40 p.m.
Aside from novelty and my temporary interest in anything I haven't seen before, I assign no more value to something you've tweaked over months than something you copy pasted off of mtgtop8. Nothing wrong with netdecking even if a small part of the community idolizes the tinkerer. The fact is that MtG has two core aesthetics of play - competition and discovery. Those are fundamentally different from each other. There's absolutely no shame in liking one over the other.
February 20, 2015 9:43 p.m.
TheGrayMerchant says... #9
lemmingllama, you were right. I guess I do need to create a new archetype. I think I'll try to do something with Mortal Combat.
February 20, 2015 10:04 p.m.
TheGrayMerchant ~ well they did just unban Golgari Grave-Troll. Maybe start there?
February 20, 2015 10:12 p.m.
TheDuggernaught says... #12
I typically just toy around with existing archetypes and find fun ways to more or less play the same deck -- but with different colors, or maybe some different themes. Like caw blade... but in abzan colors with dredge as the card advantage engine rather than straight up draw. Or abzan pox. Or any archetype in abzan colors. Because abzan es #1. #RhynoLyfe
February 21, 2015 12:16 a.m.
Hjaltrohir says... #13
If you decide to build around Mortal Combat, I would make it 
and use the aforementioned Golgari Grave-Troll and Life from the Loam in a creature heavy deck to win early. Improving the deck is up to you, but in combo, you want to work out how to make it faster and more consistent, happy brewing!
February 21, 2015 2:33 a.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #14
Over 1/2 of your deck should be creatures for Mortal Combat to work. Good luck.
Making a original deck is finding something that synergizes well and build a strategy around it. Take most of my decks for example. Well, the ones that are competitive anyways. I find a synergy or combo I like and I constantly build it to make it better.
February 21, 2015 9:53 p.m.
JexInfinite says... #15
Mortal Combat Dredge could definitely be a thing. It would be incredibly fringe, but a thing.
xlaleclx says... #2
Originality doesn't matter. Play a deck that you want to play.
February 20, 2015 8:38 p.m.