How do you feel playing a game where minimum deck size is turned on its head?

[Calmdown]

Something that's struck me as incredibly interesting in this game is the proliferation of non-minimum sized decks.

I've been playing CCGs for years, starting with (obviously) Magic and pretty much every major CCG offline and online until now, and I've literally never seen a game where building a deck above minimum deck size was this common. Sure there have been specific instances where larger decks were warranted, but they are very few and far between.

If nothing else, this game is constantly forcing me to reconsider what's essentially an autonomic deckbuilding response.

Running out of 30 cards is not just a possibility, it is a probability. A large proportion of games end with a very small pool of cards left in your deck if not none at all. In addition, with such a small card pool, deck archetypes such as Wulven turtle and Priest mill are fairly common. Add into this the fact that even just having 3 or 4 extra cards in your deck can mean a win over a similar 30-card opponent...

...where do you stand? Do you religiously stick to 30 cards? Do you go nuts and run 40 cards to avoid running out of resources? Do you not bother to go above 30, since mill decks will recurse and beat you at the mill game anyway?

This is purely a musing thread as I already know my own answers, I just find the fact that the whole concept exists to be quite interesting.

[Rebel7284]

Add into this the fact that even just having 3 or 4 extra cards in your deck can mean a win over a similar 30-card opponent...

Pretty much that. 33-34 card decks is what I try to limit myself to. Also, the rule that if you have 7 cards, you don't draw, often makes late game milling a pointless strategy if you can't make your opponent play cards. =)

[Montag451]

I usually try to stay under 40. But then again, I run elemental so I have Eternal Renewal >_>

[Calmdown]

I usually try to stay under 40. But then again, I run elemental so I have Eternal Renewal >_>

The small minimum deck sizes and tendency to run out of cards are one of the things that Priest and Elemental really have going for them, in my opinion. I actually posted this thread directly after discussion about these decktypes; there is a massive inherent advantage in being able to run 30 cards but having recursion to avoid potential card starvation, as long as your games don't last shorter than 30 cards in which case you probably just wasted a couple of slots. The counter being that you can always simply resource them.

So much cool game design.

[Doublea]

Right now I'm running a 42 card deck it seems like the right size.

[Fry]

I'm currently of the opinion that if you completely deplete your 30 card deck, you were approaching the matchup incorrectly or you were dead anyway.

[Sardokan]

I personnaly play a 33 cards deck

[Calmdown]

I'm currently of the opinion that if you completely deplete your 30 card deck, you were approaching the matchup incorrectly or you were dead anyway.

Whilst I can partly agree with this, similar skill levels, opposing deck styles, mirror matches, and so on can all lead to long games through no fault of the player. Also, extending a game long enough to run a 30 card deck out of cards is a very viable strategy.

[Spazik]

Whilst I can partly agree with this, similar skill levels, opposing deck styles, mirror matches, and so on can all lead to long games through no fault of the player. Also, extending a game long enough to run a 30 card deck out of cards is a very viable strategy.

I actually just won a game against a decked warrior with hella creatures out by casting 2 bad santas. 6 direct damage plus 3 more on his turn from a trade bazar and blood frenzy. Exactly enough! It was pretty awesome.

[Calmdown]

I actually just won a game against a decked warrior with hella creatures out by casting 2 bad santas. 6 direct damage plus 3 more on his turn from a trade bazar and blood frenzy. Exactly enough! It was pretty awesome.

Proof positive that even bad cards can win games :P