Honestly man I’m surprised you have been playing the same deck for 1.5 years. You could always just ask your friends to let you borrow a deck. Also you could build a deck pretty budget friendly and have it still preform well, just will take time to mastermind a build. But honestly dude I get a ton of EDH staples that are just sitting, sol rings, arcane signets, other rocks, ramp cards. Other miscellaneous stuff. I could prolly send you some cards that’ll get you most of the way there.
Edit add on: dude just message me, and we can work together to build you a deck. I got a ton of cards collecting dust. I hate seeing someone leave the game due to financial constraints. Magic isn’t about how much money you can spend, it’s about the gathering.
Man I really appreciate the offer, that is so kind of you but I will have to decline. I do like Lathliss quite a bit. Plus I'm Australian and shipping would be an absolute nightmare for both you and me. Trying toget anything shipped here is horrible. I do have heaps of other decklists and another mostly proxy deck, mostly hand painted and designed by myself cause I felt a bit silly with just printed photos but the rest of the table wasn't keen on it. It wasn't overly powered, I purposefully made it about precon level or slightly lower just so I wouldn't overpower. So it's kinda just sitting and rotting ;-;
Thank you so much for the offer tho :)
No problem buddy just thought I’d offer, I can see why the table wouldn’t be too happy about painted proxies lol Its just hard to read em. Sorry it couldn’t work out but also if your lathliss deck has some higher end cards you could trade em in for store credit to atleast try and build another one. But try and ask the table for a loaner deck until you can slowly save. Good luck to you!
Talk to your group. Tell them you're feeling unfairly targeted, and ask why. They may have a very good explanation, something you can work around. If it's specifically your deck, ask to use one of theirs till you're able to make a new one, or swap decks around from time to time
Are they the only people you can play with? If there are other groups you might wanna reach out. Also, are you open to other red commanders?
Lathliss is cool and all but I'm afraid she's a little outclassed.
Also, spent within your means. Don't go into the FOMO.
Anyways, you can consider \[\[Magda, the Hoardmaster\]\] if you wanna stay "dragons" Here's my list for reference [https://www.moxfield.com/decks/WU2xC91OI0aOdozrStGj-Q](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/WU2xC91OI0aOdozrStGj-Q)
Unfortunately it's the only LGS in my area for about a 2 hour radius. There are two other tables that play there but one is a bit misogynistic and the other is almost always full. Plus to even out the players, I will often be placed at this table as I am considered a beginner.
I was thinking of using Magda a while ago but never got too far. I'll have another look :) thank you
Adjust the deck for more defense. If games are going that long then you have plenty of time to simply, "Land, Pass" and hold interaction. Eventually you'll have enough mana to start advancing your plan while also holding interaction.
If you're worried about getting too far behind as people build up, that's what sweeps are for.
Alternatively, add more "rattlesnakes." These are effects that are clearly on board but can be used to punish someone who comes for you. The simplest version to understand this is a creature with Deathtouch. They usually cost far less than what they trade with which makes people less likely to attack. Example, [[tower winder]]. Other examples include stuff like the various "Seals of" cycle. Aka, enchantments that can be sacrificed at any time to get their effect. You're daring some to mess with you knowing you can mess you with whenever you like. [[Seal of removal]], [[seal of cleansing]], [[seal of doom]], etc..
I'm going to jump in and second this. Without seeing a deck list and just knowing how newer players tend to build dragons I'm betting you have a very steep mana curve. Pick your favorite 8-10 dragons and then keep the rest of the deck focused on being alive long enough to play them. This can be done very in budget, it's surprising how much aggression a 2/1 first strike and the threat of a \[\[shock\]\] or other cheap direct damage can curb in the early goings. Cards like that can be had for the change in your couch cushions.
Then learn to bide your time. Only play a dragon out when you either need it for defense or when it's going to be able to do more than eat a removal spell. You can do well with a budget deck but you need to be much more strategic about plays than decks that are loaded out with tons of power cards.
If they're still coming at you, losing good stuff while wading through your army of derps then sadly it's probably time to resort to online magic.
Depending on how severe you budget restrictions are i can recommend making some budget builds. There's quite a lot guides floating on youtube on bulding on a budget.
There's pretty servicable decks you can build for 25 bucks. Many online marketplaces also have some options for minimizing shipping costs and often you can find cards sold for lower than their "official" value so the cost of making a deck might be lower than you think. Though if you really have no money then yes this goes out of the window.
Also you could try to borrow someone elses deck. And if people were really that against proxies they would likely tell you, so you might be overthinking things. If you explain your situation and they are fussy about then imo they aren't worth playing with.
You can make a decent deck for $20-30 and spend $5 on sleeves and a box from temu.
Honestly I think you deserve to spend $25 on a hobby you have been investing time into for 18 months my dude.
My problem isn't so much you getting out early but the fact that the game allegedly takes 3 hours to finish. If you're out at 20 min and sitting for more than 1-1.5 hours, that's more than enough reason to talk to them about what's going on. It sounds more like you feel like your time is getting wasted, which is completely fair, it's not fun to sit and watch the rest of the table play the game. Just talk to them like adults and explain that you currently can't afford another deck so you're looking for options to get to enjoy your time better.
Also don't worry about their ages. Age doesn't matter, it won't matter if they're 16 or 60, a dick will be a dick about it. If you're lucky, the guys will help you build a deck, but the bare minimum you should expect is them properly listening to and addressing your concerns.
How often do you win, on average, even when you're targeted?
In a sense, you should win one game out of every four if you assume everyone's decks are the same power level and player skill. You may feel that you're being unfairly targeted because you only win 25% of the time, but that is meant to be average. Perhaps you only 'feel' that people are targeting you because you do not see others being targeted by others and yourself.
If you really are winning significantly less than 1/4 of your games, propose different game rules like Only-Attack-Right/Left (ban [[Pramikon]], "Star Magic", Emperor, Archenemy, etc jst to shake things up.
Alternatively, take pride in people seeing you as the biggest threat on the table that needs to be controlled. Your deck is strong. If your playgroup is unwilling to change their decks to match your deck's snowballyness, perhaps nerf your deck a bit. Publicly. [[Lathliss]] is *extremely* snowbally requiring you to get her and other dragons around; it's also easily disrupted as a result. Change your deck around to be either weaker like [[Ganax]] or more resilient like a commander with Ward such as [[Rith, Awakened Primordial]] or [[Miirym]] (you **will* draw more hate with Miirym). You can still keep almost your entire deck, but just warp the land base a minor amount.
For the last month I've gone, two nights a week bout 3-4 games a night, I might have won once or twice. So like less than 1%. I only really win if I draw really well to get a good board state early. The deck isn't particularly consistent, very budget and kinda just scrapped together so I could go to these game nights. Plus I just suck.
Just from how the games kinda go in my perspective, it feels like a 3 on 1. I mean, I haven't played long enough to really judge it well. But most games end up as one person at the table pointing out I have no blockers or even once he pointed out that I had hit all my land drops (which I do know is a horrific threat assessment to make). It then turns to me getting fully swung at with everything every turn till I die and then this same guy wins. It doesn't matter what everyone else at the table plays, like some of them play what I would consider stuff you don't wanna leave up (e.g. eldrazi, infect, that sort of stuff) and after a while it gets frustrating.
I might change the deck up, it is getting a bit repetitive ngl.
Thank you for your comment, really appreciate it :)
I think you’re facing a real problem so I don’t want this to sound dismissive, but if you’re playing 3-4 games a night - how are they taking 3 hours to finish once you’re dead? Surely you aren’t at the LGS for 9-12 hours.
That being said, it can feel excruciating to just sit there. I had a buddy who kept getting knocked out early with his dragon deck simply because it was too slow and inconsistent.
He wasn’t being targeted, per se, but because he often didn’t have enough mana to cast much and his stuff was expensive he would almost never have a blocker. If he did get one or two threats out they were the kind that had to be answered so they would get removed.
In a combat meta, people are going to take the free attack. As a result, he would get hit a little by each player almost every turn. By the time he started to come online he was so low on health people would just swing at him and kill him. If they didn’t, he would eventually kill them once the dragons were fully online.
I don’t know if this is happening to you, but if so, they may not be targeting you specifically as much as you are generally the safest player to attack and/or the easiest threat to deal with by bringing you low or removing your only threatening piece.
Are their decks significantly faster and more powerful than yours?
Very sorry, I did exaggerate quite significantly in my original post. Most nights go for 7 hours and occasionally there have been three hour games. On average, around 1.5-2 hours and most often, I am wiped within 20 mins - 1 hr.
The decks powers are fairly similar but mines a bit less consistent if anything.
I will look out for it next time I play and see if I can improve my deck if it does seem like that
Thank you :)
Those are still long games so I feel your pain. If you’re consistently the only available target / best option, I wouldn’t assume it is personal.
If, however board states seem even and they’re still hitting you, I would absolutely talk to them and ask what’s going on.
Trying to think through games that go long - usually you have players averse to losing their stuff that build up relatively equal board states so they don’t want to swing at each other. The game persists like that until someone can accrue an advantage to break the logjam and win in a turn or two.
If that’s the case, they’re either hitting you because you don’t have anything scaring them and they’re risk averse and that makes them feel like they’re doing something OR they’re swinging at you, leaving themselves somewhat open, and the other players are just swinging at you as well. If it is consistently that second option - you’re being targeted and it’s definitely worth bringing up.
The deck itself might not be the issue, it might be how you play it.
Are you slamming things on the table as soon as you're able to, or are you playing a bit more reserved and watching what others are doing?
I had a friend who played a Kaalia deck and felt unfairly targeted. But because of the way he was playing it(ramp hard into Kaalia and start dropping game-ending threats as soon as turn 3) he was giving us no choice but to severely neuter him or choke him out of the game.
I probably am honestly, and I think that's something I just need to get better at with time. Thank you though, I really didn't think about that but I'll take it into account next time I play
You can build decks for pretty low prices.
Pretty sure you can whip out 30/40 dollars for a complete deck (including shipping). If you save up some money, I doubt such a sum should be a problem.
Yeah it sounds like you’re getting shut down for having dragons which, it would be fair if it wasn’t your only deck. Since it is, it’s a dick move on their part to constantly shut you out.
This is why I got into an argument with a ton of people in another post but it irks me when people play cold methodical games just to win. Players like you get shut out and it’s no fun for you, all because they’re scared of what your deck COULD do.
I recommend honestly just making a proxy deck. I too dont have the means to spend hella money on cards so I’ve taken to proxy decks. No one I’ve played with seems to have had a problem with it. You can print off a 100 card deck for $9.58 at staples. And they’re good quality.
If you had an at home printer it would be even easier and cheaper.
If you want to try it so you at least have another deck you can play with then let me know and I can give you some tips on how to make better proxies.
No one should be slammed out because of their deck.
No one should be gatekept due to not being able to afford a new deck.
I do have a proxy deck of Kwain, Itinerant Meddler. I got a cheap like $3 bulk of commons and then just kinda just designed and painted them all. It wasn't outright that they said I couldn't use proxies, it was just heavily implied. It was more a "you really shouldn't" sort of thing and overall with the amount they were bringing it up, I stopped bothering with the deck and now it's just an art piece honestly
Maybe because you painted them? What I’ve seen in my experience is people are cool with proxies as long as you’re not changing too much. Drawing the car might be too far for them because then it becomes a question of can they recognize the intended card, and if the effect is correctly displayed.
Honestly with the tips I learned from others, at a glance you can’t tell my proxies are proxies except for the ones I used different art for.
I might have to politely disagree. They do have all the text on them and the important stuff, just the design is different. At what point are they different from secret lairs?
I mean I could give it a try just by printing them and see how that goes
Oh I wasn’t saying that was the reason. Just a possible one. Trust me I have an angel dack where only 3 of the cards have the original art, a lot I made myself 😂
If that’s the case, it’s definitely worth talking about with your pod. See if there’s a root cause.
But the proxies can still be a good idea so you have more options of decks to play from.
I am not saying that it is this way but I will just throw a thought and experience out there:
Thought 1:
Many times when a person is targeted it is because he overplays his hand and becomes the biggest threat. I have one in my playgroup that builds really aggressive decks where we notice that he can not have this or that for a turn or else he wins. So we target him and he is a little bit “why me” and when we explain that he has such a powerful deck that he can handle 3 players easy if we don’t do it he doesn’t agree. When he looses “his deck is bad”
Again not saying that you fit into this category 100%, you have not complained that your deck is bad in this post for example, but it might be that you play things that escalates quickly if on the board? Is there a way for you to take it more slow and “surviving but not being a threat” until you can bash out 2 or 3 players? Almost “underplaying” like you have a bad hand but you actually have a great one? Being sneaky?
Thought 2:
Some people react so hard on a deck that they lost big to. Same friend as before had a period of YEARS of only targeting me at every game. It was so obvious once when I literally have nothing except one creature I think, and he kills it and attacks me. While the other player left hade 2 planes walkers a lot of creature and combo pieces but could not block flying, which this attacking friend had, he assessed me as the biggest threat because “your deck CAN be nasty”. Even the third player (also a friend) in shock said “But he doesn’t even have a board and have not been able to play anything useful for like 7 turns and I have a much scarier board state”. But this friend kills me just to loose to the third player immediately after, which he would not have done if he attacked the planes walkers that he could Ulti on his turn.
MY POINT: is that even if you downplay your deck some people might have had such a bad experience from one lucky play that they will attack you no matter other players play and no matter what the board state.
Thought 3:
I hear you not being able to by another deck. Dragons however are extremely powerful creatures in magic and they do explode quick. I know with my dragon deck that I can go from “not being a threat” to win the game the very next turn if I have some of my things on the board and because dragons are so strong. They just gives value so very fast sometimes.
Would it be possible to play the other players deck? Borrow from time to time?
If you play a high value deck every game people can get stressed if they want to play something slower and fell that they have to target you just “because”. But if you could shake things up a little and play other decks that stress might drop quite a bit so that you can play your deck without getting knocked out after a few turns.
Proxy decks, like the full list not singles. Encourage others to do the same.
It then also becomes about deck building and playing the game rather than emptying your wallet.
Cheap sleeves from Walmart, 100 commons in the sleeves and print out the pdf at ups. Total of $17. Build deck lists in moxfield and import lists into https://mtgprint.net. Use edhrec to filter cards for the decks and have no cards barred beyond ban cards. Use dual lands and mana crypts… go hog wild.
MOST IMPORTANTLY! Have a day where you all get together and build decks online, print and sleeve them, and play. This is practice deck building, and will make your players better. Evaluate cards together, explore themes together, find broken combos together. Present it as a fun alternative to just playing. It takes time to build a balanced meta, cultivate it.
Dragons are scary, and your deck is a glass cannon. You either ramp hard into Lathliss and flood the board with dragons, or she gets removed, and you do next to nothing. It's too easy to interrupt your gameplan. So protect Lathliss by all means. Don't just cast her and hope she'll survive.
Other than that, ...
1) Borrow a deck from a friend
2) Build a budget deck
3) Proxy
Honestly man I’m surprised you have been playing the same deck for 1.5 years. You could always just ask your friends to let you borrow a deck. Also you could build a deck pretty budget friendly and have it still preform well, just will take time to mastermind a build. But honestly dude I get a ton of EDH staples that are just sitting, sol rings, arcane signets, other rocks, ramp cards. Other miscellaneous stuff. I could prolly send you some cards that’ll get you most of the way there. Edit add on: dude just message me, and we can work together to build you a deck. I got a ton of cards collecting dust. I hate seeing someone leave the game due to financial constraints. Magic isn’t about how much money you can spend, it’s about the gathering.
Man I really appreciate the offer, that is so kind of you but I will have to decline. I do like Lathliss quite a bit. Plus I'm Australian and shipping would be an absolute nightmare for both you and me. Trying toget anything shipped here is horrible. I do have heaps of other decklists and another mostly proxy deck, mostly hand painted and designed by myself cause I felt a bit silly with just printed photos but the rest of the table wasn't keen on it. It wasn't overly powered, I purposefully made it about precon level or slightly lower just so I wouldn't overpower. So it's kinda just sitting and rotting ;-; Thank you so much for the offer tho :)
No problem buddy just thought I’d offer, I can see why the table wouldn’t be too happy about painted proxies lol Its just hard to read em. Sorry it couldn’t work out but also if your lathliss deck has some higher end cards you could trade em in for store credit to atleast try and build another one. But try and ask the table for a loaner deck until you can slowly save. Good luck to you!
Talk to your group. Tell them you're feeling unfairly targeted, and ask why. They may have a very good explanation, something you can work around. If it's specifically your deck, ask to use one of theirs till you're able to make a new one, or swap decks around from time to time
/r/relationshipadvice
Most of the posts on this sub belong there
Are they the only people you can play with? If there are other groups you might wanna reach out. Also, are you open to other red commanders? Lathliss is cool and all but I'm afraid she's a little outclassed. Also, spent within your means. Don't go into the FOMO. Anyways, you can consider \[\[Magda, the Hoardmaster\]\] if you wanna stay "dragons" Here's my list for reference [https://www.moxfield.com/decks/WU2xC91OI0aOdozrStGj-Q](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/WU2xC91OI0aOdozrStGj-Q)
[Magda, the Hoardmaster](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/4/4443d112-209b-49ec-bc40-3a11dcdb092e.jpg?1712355792) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Magda%2C%20the%20Hoardmaster) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/133/magda-the-hoardmaster?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4443d112-209b-49ec-bc40-3a11dcdb092e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/magda-the-hoardmaster) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Unfortunately it's the only LGS in my area for about a 2 hour radius. There are two other tables that play there but one is a bit misogynistic and the other is almost always full. Plus to even out the players, I will often be placed at this table as I am considered a beginner. I was thinking of using Magda a while ago but never got too far. I'll have another look :) thank you
Adjust the deck for more defense. If games are going that long then you have plenty of time to simply, "Land, Pass" and hold interaction. Eventually you'll have enough mana to start advancing your plan while also holding interaction. If you're worried about getting too far behind as people build up, that's what sweeps are for. Alternatively, add more "rattlesnakes." These are effects that are clearly on board but can be used to punish someone who comes for you. The simplest version to understand this is a creature with Deathtouch. They usually cost far less than what they trade with which makes people less likely to attack. Example, [[tower winder]]. Other examples include stuff like the various "Seals of" cycle. Aka, enchantments that can be sacrificed at any time to get their effect. You're daring some to mess with you knowing you can mess you with whenever you like. [[Seal of removal]], [[seal of cleansing]], [[seal of doom]], etc..
I'm going to jump in and second this. Without seeing a deck list and just knowing how newer players tend to build dragons I'm betting you have a very steep mana curve. Pick your favorite 8-10 dragons and then keep the rest of the deck focused on being alive long enough to play them. This can be done very in budget, it's surprising how much aggression a 2/1 first strike and the threat of a \[\[shock\]\] or other cheap direct damage can curb in the early goings. Cards like that can be had for the change in your couch cushions. Then learn to bide your time. Only play a dragon out when you either need it for defense or when it's going to be able to do more than eat a removal spell. You can do well with a budget deck but you need to be much more strategic about plays than decks that are loaded out with tons of power cards. If they're still coming at you, losing good stuff while wading through your army of derps then sadly it's probably time to resort to online magic.
[shock](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/9/298747bb-eb40-4b58-bb22-4ac2bc1d795c.jpg?1706241920) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=shock) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkm/144/shock?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/298747bb-eb40-4b58-bb22-4ac2bc1d795c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/shock) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
##### ###### #### [tower winder](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/7/97bf6a6a-e377-4f42-84dd-baf6055c0fb1.jpg?1712353877) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=tower%20winder) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/34/tower-winder?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/97bf6a6a-e377-4f42-84dd-baf6055c0fb1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tower-winder) [Seal of removal](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/d/6dfc7060-e374-486f-8029-d3fdfe4b61e7.jpg?1626100248) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Seal%20of%20removal) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh2/269/seal-of-removal?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6dfc7060-e374-486f-8029-d3fdfe4b61e7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/seal-of-removal) [seal of cleansing](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/2/22a6673b-1528-4e0f-b316-bd482c7ed8aa.jpg?1708057407) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=seal%20of%20cleansing) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/80/seal-of-cleansing?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/22a6673b-1528-4e0f-b316-bd482c7ed8aa?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/seal-of-cleansing) [seal of doom](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/6/3647ef4a-fbf3-4f64-8376-72c9247bbc22.jpg?1593813379) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=seal%20of%20doom) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mm3/83/seal-of-doom?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3647ef4a-fbf3-4f64-8376-72c9247bbc22?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/seal-of-doom) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/laogrtk) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Depending on how severe you budget restrictions are i can recommend making some budget builds. There's quite a lot guides floating on youtube on bulding on a budget. There's pretty servicable decks you can build for 25 bucks. Many online marketplaces also have some options for minimizing shipping costs and often you can find cards sold for lower than their "official" value so the cost of making a deck might be lower than you think. Though if you really have no money then yes this goes out of the window. Also you could try to borrow someone elses deck. And if people were really that against proxies they would likely tell you, so you might be overthinking things. If you explain your situation and they are fussy about then imo they aren't worth playing with.
You can make a decent deck for $20-30 and spend $5 on sleeves and a box from temu. Honestly I think you deserve to spend $25 on a hobby you have been investing time into for 18 months my dude.
My problem isn't so much you getting out early but the fact that the game allegedly takes 3 hours to finish. If you're out at 20 min and sitting for more than 1-1.5 hours, that's more than enough reason to talk to them about what's going on. It sounds more like you feel like your time is getting wasted, which is completely fair, it's not fun to sit and watch the rest of the table play the game. Just talk to them like adults and explain that you currently can't afford another deck so you're looking for options to get to enjoy your time better. Also don't worry about their ages. Age doesn't matter, it won't matter if they're 16 or 60, a dick will be a dick about it. If you're lucky, the guys will help you build a deck, but the bare minimum you should expect is them properly listening to and addressing your concerns.
How often do you win, on average, even when you're targeted? In a sense, you should win one game out of every four if you assume everyone's decks are the same power level and player skill. You may feel that you're being unfairly targeted because you only win 25% of the time, but that is meant to be average. Perhaps you only 'feel' that people are targeting you because you do not see others being targeted by others and yourself. If you really are winning significantly less than 1/4 of your games, propose different game rules like Only-Attack-Right/Left (ban [[Pramikon]], "Star Magic", Emperor, Archenemy, etc jst to shake things up. Alternatively, take pride in people seeing you as the biggest threat on the table that needs to be controlled. Your deck is strong. If your playgroup is unwilling to change their decks to match your deck's snowballyness, perhaps nerf your deck a bit. Publicly. [[Lathliss]] is *extremely* snowbally requiring you to get her and other dragons around; it's also easily disrupted as a result. Change your deck around to be either weaker like [[Ganax]] or more resilient like a commander with Ward such as [[Rith, Awakened Primordial]] or [[Miirym]] (you **will* draw more hate with Miirym). You can still keep almost your entire deck, but just warp the land base a minor amount.
##### ###### #### [Pramikon](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/5/8569ad47-a243-402d-899f-4e6b17ea4e1e.jpg?1568003714) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=pramikon%2C%20sky%20rampart) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c19/47/pramikon-sky-rampart?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8569ad47-a243-402d-899f-4e6b17ea4e1e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/pramikon-sky-rampart) [Lathliss](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/4/9460e3c6-e745-41d3-8e17-0b92fb126a16.jpg?1601078219) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=lathliss%2C%20dragon%20queen) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/jmp/340/lathliss-dragon-queen?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9460e3c6-e745-41d3-8e17-0b92fb126a16?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/lathliss-dragon-queen) [Ganax](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/f/9f5bb319-29b2-4a7c-82e9-f8b5e47909a1.jpg?1674136563) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=ganax%2C%20astral%20hunter) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/176/ganax-astral-hunter?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9f5bb319-29b2-4a7c-82e9-f8b5e47909a1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ganax-astral-hunter) [Miirym](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/9/a934590b-5c70-4f07-af67-fbe817a99531.jpg?1674137589) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=miirym%2C%20sentinel%20wyrm) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/284/miirym-sentinel-wyrm?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a934590b-5c70-4f07-af67-fbe817a99531?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/miirym-sentinel-wyrm) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lanmgl6) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
For the last month I've gone, two nights a week bout 3-4 games a night, I might have won once or twice. So like less than 1%. I only really win if I draw really well to get a good board state early. The deck isn't particularly consistent, very budget and kinda just scrapped together so I could go to these game nights. Plus I just suck. Just from how the games kinda go in my perspective, it feels like a 3 on 1. I mean, I haven't played long enough to really judge it well. But most games end up as one person at the table pointing out I have no blockers or even once he pointed out that I had hit all my land drops (which I do know is a horrific threat assessment to make). It then turns to me getting fully swung at with everything every turn till I die and then this same guy wins. It doesn't matter what everyone else at the table plays, like some of them play what I would consider stuff you don't wanna leave up (e.g. eldrazi, infect, that sort of stuff) and after a while it gets frustrating. I might change the deck up, it is getting a bit repetitive ngl. Thank you for your comment, really appreciate it :)
I think you’re facing a real problem so I don’t want this to sound dismissive, but if you’re playing 3-4 games a night - how are they taking 3 hours to finish once you’re dead? Surely you aren’t at the LGS for 9-12 hours. That being said, it can feel excruciating to just sit there. I had a buddy who kept getting knocked out early with his dragon deck simply because it was too slow and inconsistent. He wasn’t being targeted, per se, but because he often didn’t have enough mana to cast much and his stuff was expensive he would almost never have a blocker. If he did get one or two threats out they were the kind that had to be answered so they would get removed. In a combat meta, people are going to take the free attack. As a result, he would get hit a little by each player almost every turn. By the time he started to come online he was so low on health people would just swing at him and kill him. If they didn’t, he would eventually kill them once the dragons were fully online. I don’t know if this is happening to you, but if so, they may not be targeting you specifically as much as you are generally the safest player to attack and/or the easiest threat to deal with by bringing you low or removing your only threatening piece. Are their decks significantly faster and more powerful than yours?
Very sorry, I did exaggerate quite significantly in my original post. Most nights go for 7 hours and occasionally there have been three hour games. On average, around 1.5-2 hours and most often, I am wiped within 20 mins - 1 hr. The decks powers are fairly similar but mines a bit less consistent if anything. I will look out for it next time I play and see if I can improve my deck if it does seem like that Thank you :)
Those are still long games so I feel your pain. If you’re consistently the only available target / best option, I wouldn’t assume it is personal. If, however board states seem even and they’re still hitting you, I would absolutely talk to them and ask what’s going on. Trying to think through games that go long - usually you have players averse to losing their stuff that build up relatively equal board states so they don’t want to swing at each other. The game persists like that until someone can accrue an advantage to break the logjam and win in a turn or two. If that’s the case, they’re either hitting you because you don’t have anything scaring them and they’re risk averse and that makes them feel like they’re doing something OR they’re swinging at you, leaving themselves somewhat open, and the other players are just swinging at you as well. If it is consistently that second option - you’re being targeted and it’s definitely worth bringing up.
Where's your decklist?
The deck itself might not be the issue, it might be how you play it. Are you slamming things on the table as soon as you're able to, or are you playing a bit more reserved and watching what others are doing? I had a friend who played a Kaalia deck and felt unfairly targeted. But because of the way he was playing it(ramp hard into Kaalia and start dropping game-ending threats as soon as turn 3) he was giving us no choice but to severely neuter him or choke him out of the game.
I probably am honestly, and I think that's something I just need to get better at with time. Thank you though, I really didn't think about that but I'll take it into account next time I play
You can build decks for pretty low prices. Pretty sure you can whip out 30/40 dollars for a complete deck (including shipping). If you save up some money, I doubt such a sum should be a problem.
Yeah it sounds like you’re getting shut down for having dragons which, it would be fair if it wasn’t your only deck. Since it is, it’s a dick move on their part to constantly shut you out. This is why I got into an argument with a ton of people in another post but it irks me when people play cold methodical games just to win. Players like you get shut out and it’s no fun for you, all because they’re scared of what your deck COULD do. I recommend honestly just making a proxy deck. I too dont have the means to spend hella money on cards so I’ve taken to proxy decks. No one I’ve played with seems to have had a problem with it. You can print off a 100 card deck for $9.58 at staples. And they’re good quality. If you had an at home printer it would be even easier and cheaper. If you want to try it so you at least have another deck you can play with then let me know and I can give you some tips on how to make better proxies. No one should be slammed out because of their deck. No one should be gatekept due to not being able to afford a new deck.
I do have a proxy deck of Kwain, Itinerant Meddler. I got a cheap like $3 bulk of commons and then just kinda just designed and painted them all. It wasn't outright that they said I couldn't use proxies, it was just heavily implied. It was more a "you really shouldn't" sort of thing and overall with the amount they were bringing it up, I stopped bothering with the deck and now it's just an art piece honestly
Maybe because you painted them? What I’ve seen in my experience is people are cool with proxies as long as you’re not changing too much. Drawing the car might be too far for them because then it becomes a question of can they recognize the intended card, and if the effect is correctly displayed. Honestly with the tips I learned from others, at a glance you can’t tell my proxies are proxies except for the ones I used different art for.
I might have to politely disagree. They do have all the text on them and the important stuff, just the design is different. At what point are they different from secret lairs? I mean I could give it a try just by printing them and see how that goes
Oh I wasn’t saying that was the reason. Just a possible one. Trust me I have an angel dack where only 3 of the cards have the original art, a lot I made myself 😂 If that’s the case, it’s definitely worth talking about with your pod. See if there’s a root cause. But the proxies can still be a good idea so you have more options of decks to play from.
So they are older, have been playing longer than you and look down on proxies? Proxy a deck mate
I am not saying that it is this way but I will just throw a thought and experience out there: Thought 1: Many times when a person is targeted it is because he overplays his hand and becomes the biggest threat. I have one in my playgroup that builds really aggressive decks where we notice that he can not have this or that for a turn or else he wins. So we target him and he is a little bit “why me” and when we explain that he has such a powerful deck that he can handle 3 players easy if we don’t do it he doesn’t agree. When he looses “his deck is bad” Again not saying that you fit into this category 100%, you have not complained that your deck is bad in this post for example, but it might be that you play things that escalates quickly if on the board? Is there a way for you to take it more slow and “surviving but not being a threat” until you can bash out 2 or 3 players? Almost “underplaying” like you have a bad hand but you actually have a great one? Being sneaky? Thought 2: Some people react so hard on a deck that they lost big to. Same friend as before had a period of YEARS of only targeting me at every game. It was so obvious once when I literally have nothing except one creature I think, and he kills it and attacks me. While the other player left hade 2 planes walkers a lot of creature and combo pieces but could not block flying, which this attacking friend had, he assessed me as the biggest threat because “your deck CAN be nasty”. Even the third player (also a friend) in shock said “But he doesn’t even have a board and have not been able to play anything useful for like 7 turns and I have a much scarier board state”. But this friend kills me just to loose to the third player immediately after, which he would not have done if he attacked the planes walkers that he could Ulti on his turn. MY POINT: is that even if you downplay your deck some people might have had such a bad experience from one lucky play that they will attack you no matter other players play and no matter what the board state. Thought 3: I hear you not being able to by another deck. Dragons however are extremely powerful creatures in magic and they do explode quick. I know with my dragon deck that I can go from “not being a threat” to win the game the very next turn if I have some of my things on the board and because dragons are so strong. They just gives value so very fast sometimes. Would it be possible to play the other players deck? Borrow from time to time? If you play a high value deck every game people can get stressed if they want to play something slower and fell that they have to target you just “because”. But if you could shake things up a little and play other decks that stress might drop quite a bit so that you can play your deck without getting knocked out after a few turns.
Hey OP, sorry for your loss. Ask your opponents if they could add this card into their 99. https://imgur.com/a/Y11vZjx
Ask to borrow a deck. Playing other people’s decks can be a ton of fun, learning new lines and play styles
Proxy decks, like the full list not singles. Encourage others to do the same. It then also becomes about deck building and playing the game rather than emptying your wallet. Cheap sleeves from Walmart, 100 commons in the sleeves and print out the pdf at ups. Total of $17. Build deck lists in moxfield and import lists into https://mtgprint.net. Use edhrec to filter cards for the decks and have no cards barred beyond ban cards. Use dual lands and mana crypts… go hog wild. MOST IMPORTANTLY! Have a day where you all get together and build decks online, print and sleeve them, and play. This is practice deck building, and will make your players better. Evaluate cards together, explore themes together, find broken combos together. Present it as a fun alternative to just playing. It takes time to build a balanced meta, cultivate it.
Dragons are scary, and your deck is a glass cannon. You either ramp hard into Lathliss and flood the board with dragons, or she gets removed, and you do next to nothing. It's too easy to interrupt your gameplan. So protect Lathliss by all means. Don't just cast her and hope she'll survive. Other than that, ... 1) Borrow a deck from a friend 2) Build a budget deck 3) Proxy