The First Shall be Last

Fblthp, the Lost card art

This week, I came across this article. The headline (below) is hilarious and the entire article may be satire:

Powerful, Strategic Deck Decimated by Opponent’s ‘Have a Lot of Monsters’ Strategy

But it points out a fun truth worthy of reflection: an unskilled beginner can, at times, produce a deck that consistently takes down carefully designed decks.

I have previously blogged on the meta and why it matters. In short, the meta describes the types of decks that are seeing success in the current environment (and thus get played a lot). Seasoned and dedicated Magic players can spend dozens of hours painstakingly playtesting a deck, reviewing the value of every card in it, and continually refining their decks until it is optimal and powerful. These players are successful for a reason: they put in the work and understand the game. And yet . . . those decks are designed assuming that they will face other players taking the same approach. Sometimes, they make decks that are too 'cute' for their own good, and can get beaten by a basic deck.

I shared a basic approach to deckbuilding here. There are times where the absolute basics—get the land/spell ratio correct, follow the mana curve, and (in this case) fill your deck with creatures—can take down a well-planned approach. It is a good lesson, in Magic and in life. There is a place for beginners and veterans alike, and each brings something to the table.  Literally and figuratively.