R&D's Decks?
Standard forum
Posted on May 3, 2017, 12:58 a.m. by Gattison
Here's a question somebody hopefully knows the answer to.
Preface: I know R&D at WotC has playtesters, and I assume that they must build their own decks, using the Standard card pool, when playtesting. All with the point of "breaking" cards in development, so that they can be "balanced" before being released.
For instance, let's say WotC has 50 playtesters. All 50 of them build decks using the Standard card pool/s that that card would appear in. Cards are broken, fixed, playtested again, ad nauseam until the card is deemed fit for release to the public. At some point in playtesting, a particular card becomes "fixed" and no longer needs to be playtested. At which point it becomes part of the accepted Standard pool that they use to playtest more, newer cards.
First of all, am I wrong in this assumption?
And my real question: Do we ever see "playtester's decks?" I'm sure there's some kind of rule that prevents employees at WotC from entering official tournaments, but are they also prevented from playing FNMs? Do playtesters or WotC-employees ever post decks? Have we (as the public) ever seen a deck that was used by playtesters?
There's no real point to this question, I'm just really curious about this. (And I'm also not trying to make any social comments on recent bannings, nor am I asking for opinions about such. I'm just interested in facts about the "normal" process of deck-building at WotC.)
Thanks in advance to anybody who can add some insight into this topic for me. =)
Gattison,
Yeah, it's called the Future Future League, and Wizards usally writes one article about it per set, including prototype decklists. For example, here are the articles for Kaladesh and Aether Revolt.
May 3, 2017 7:23 a.m.
LeaPlath
For future ref, here's how to make a link:
[FFL FAQ](http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/latest-developments/ffl-faq-2016-04-22)
You can also use the Hyperlink/URL button at the top of every Comment window.
Formatting Tips are linked below every Comment window too.
May 3, 2017 7:30 a.m.
clayperce I know how to do that, I was posting from my phone and couldn't be arsed messing around with in on a tiny phone keyboard.
MollyMab says... #2
http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/latest-developments/ffl-faq-2016-04-22
May 3, 2017 1:18 a.m.