Call The Hit
x3
1
Defiance
x3
2
Dichro's Ruin
x3
2
Disciplinary Studies
x4
2
Saloon Massacre
x4
2
Send an Agent
x3
3
Banish
x3
3
Display of Knowledge
x3
3
Pinnacle of the Reach
x4
4
Arcane Restraint
x2
4
Mask of Torment
x2
4
Nothing Remains
x3
4
Wasteland Broker
x4
5
Harsh Rule
x3
7
Wrath of Caiphus
x3
8
Stormhalt Plating
x3
Argenport Cylix
x3
Crest of Cunning
x2
Crest of Mystery
x2
Crest of Order
x2
Crest of Progress
x4
Crest of Vengeance
x3
Crest of Wisdom
x3
Elysian Cylix
x3
Xenan Cylix
x3
View Deck on Shiftstoned
^ I absolutely hate spell control decks in Eternal. Eternal gets midrange and combo perfectly, but it's not well designed for control and aggro. I think the true problem is one of "time."
Usually the quick speed of play in Eternal (despite interactions being allowed during enemy turns) is one of the best aspects of the game. But with spell control always being so viable, that quick speed removes one of the checks-and-balances required for digital CCGs/TCGs with ranked ladders. Control players should be forced to play long, slow games, and they should easily lose the match if they make only a minor error. Hence, they should be properly de-incentivized from using controldecks for long stretches. They should save them for the high parts of the Master ladder and for tournaments.
It should not be viable to use control decks to climb the ladder. That's the frustration. When you're trying to climb the ladder and every opponent is using a control deck, it's more than frustrating-- it ostracizes the playerbase and prevents the game from growing.
I think Eternal is hands down, the best digital CCG around in terms of the succinct card text, speed of play, handling of mana (i.e. Power and Influence), handling of side-decking (i.e. the Market), deck diversity, and on, and on.
But its enabling of control decks are a huuuuge problem that perhaps cannot be solved.
Not hating on you or the builders of such decks, though. Peace.
I agree about the quick games being part of the fun of Eternal. Yeah hyperaggro decks may frustrate some players, but at the game is over in 2-3 minutes, rather than a 10+ minute slog of draw-draw-wipe-draw-wipe-draw-wipe-wipe-draw-draw-wipe-wincon. Save this shit for sweaty tournaments please.
It would be interesting to know how much of the player base really enjoys the game less because of it. Like you said, you see many players using these decks. Begs the question: do they feel that’s their only option to get ahead, or do they actually enjoy that style. I’ve played this game from the beginning, and I love these decks whether I win or lose.
Hope you guys both continue to stick around. It’s a great game.
Some people in the community (*cough cough* sunyveil *cough cough*) can’t seem to grasp the concept that an ever-increasing amount of anti-FUN decks is unhealthy for the community, regardless of balance level of not.
I have been playing since Defiance and personally enjoyed the game a lot more pre-Cold Hunt. I did have some friends who played but they have also stopped for the same reasons that I am getting frustrated.
As for whether people are playing anti-fun because they like it vs. because they think it’s the only way to ladder, it has to be the former. Again, these decks aren’t OP, and tournaments are often won by aggro or even midrange decks. So I really don’t see any other explanation besides an increase in anti-fun tools offered by DWD and the amount of people who like to stop others from executing their gameplay (“having fun”) in a match.
I have a hard time remaining engaged with the game with any deck other than control. They just seem boring to me.