What are you playing?

[i got bugs]

Newest prince of Persia is great

[scrub12]

Clair Obscur is fantastic. The music being incredible adds another layer to it.

[washing machine]

Magic the Gathering Arena

I played this a lot last year but just kind of dropped it in November. I picked it up last week and enjoy playing it, but I get way too invested.

Did you play the card game? I'm totally new to it. The way blocking works took a minute to understand.

So far having luck with green/white decks with aggro tendencies. I'd love to learn how to manage more control decks, but I don't really have a great grasp of how a lot of these cards work yet.

I’ve never played a game of paper MTG, but I do collect cards. Started with LOTR and I’ve only skipped a few Universes Beyond sets.

I’ve got a bunch of different decks I pull out, almost all mono colored. My white is a token/life gain deck, green is elves, black is Nazgûl, and I don’t play it often but red is aggro. I also have a sliver deck that’s fun. Control is the one style I don’t usually play. I’d like to try an Eldrazi deck at some point, and that probably would’ve been my next one if my play hadn’t slowed down. I tend towards the green/blue precon standard decks. Oh: I also have an all-rats deck.

There’s been talk that a standalone Commander app is coming, which could be a lot of fun, but if your Arena cards don’t carry over it’d be a pain in the ass to collect them all again.

I appreciate this post for how much it highlights my naivete w/r/t this game. Needed a glossary to get through it.

I am also collecting paper cards, and I'm fortunate enough to have a coffee shop nearby that still has LoTR packs by the dozens. Collecting those, Tarkir (because they're new) and Aetherdrift (aesthetic is cool as hell.)

Getting my ass beat in Arena currently, but it's a low risk investment. I want to learn this game and the only way out is through.

P.S. working on an all-cats deck right now. Bring on your rats.

[Simple Torture]

Ben Bateman is a great follow on social media to learn about cool cards, here’s part one of his top 10 cat cards (it’s a TikTok link, but I think he reposts them on Instagram as well): https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTjSPUqcT/

LOTR is a great set, and the packs were so much fun to open. The newer sets—starting with Murders at Karlov Manor—have more common cards per pack, not as easy to hit cool looking or high power cards. I order a lot of singles online but still open packs because it’s fun.

[washing machine]

ST -- I've opened four LoTR paper packs so far. They're so good.

Outlaws of Thunder Junction is a fun set too.

Boy, collecting these cards is fun as hell.

[washing machine]

As far as Arena goes, I've identified my problem and have a good understanding why my win rate is somewhere around 10%. I need to learn to be patient and let games go an hour long if I want to have a shot with the starter decks. I believe that some games are winnable, but who the f*** has the time to keep blocking your opponent into attrition draws?

[Simple Torture]

ST -- I've opened four LoTR paper packs so far. They're so good.

Outlaws of Thunder Junction is a fun set too.

Boy, collecting these cards is fun as hell.

The art in the LOTR set is so great, especially the borderless and showcase cards. Some of my favorites are the Saurons, they really hit them out of the park:

[washing machine]

That second one looks sick.

[scrub12]

Clair Obscur is up there with some of the best games I’ve ever played. You can tell the developers were very passionate about everything that went into it. Tough to find these days when shareholders run things.

[scrub12]

Rolled credits on Clair Obscur. 10/10 game.

[CopperTom]

Rolled credits on Clair Obscur. 10/10 game.

What's a comparable game?

[scrub12]

That’s a tough one because I didn’t really play turn based stuff til recently. The devs have said FF10 is an inspiration. It also has some souls-like elements to it during combat with parrying and dodge.

[Monkey_Driven]

I like everything I've heard about this game EXCEPT for the turn-based combat. Interesting that it has a parry/dodge mechanic though.

[psychobain]

I like everything I've heard about this game EXCEPT for the turn-based combat. Interesting that it has a parry/dodge mechanic though.

Its the best turn based combat ever

[Ello Sailor]

Man, I love turn-based combat. Some of the best games of all time have turn-based combat!

[CopperTom]

Man, I love turn-based combat. Some of the best games of all time have turn-based combat!

Such as...?

[Ello Sailor]

Final Fantasy 6, 7, 8, 9 + Tactics
Chrono Trigger
Fallout 1 & 2
Pillars of Eternity 1 & 2
Divinity: Original Sin 2
BATTLETECH
Battle Brothers
Heroes of Might and Magic 2, 3, 5
Front Mission 3

I haven't played enough Baldur's Gate or XCOM to include those, but they're widely regarded as masterpieces.

[CopperTom]

Final Fantasy 6, 7, 8, 9 + Tactics
Chrono Trigger
Fallout 1 & 2
Pillars of Eternity 1 & 2
Divinity: Original Sin 2
BATTLETECH
Battle Brothers
Heroes of Might and Magic 2, 3, 5
Front Mission 3

I haven't played enough Baldur's Gate or XCOM to include those, but they're widely regarded as masterpieces.

I haven't beat any of those, but I own a few of them. Never heard of Battletech or Battle Brothers. You would probably enjoy Shining Force II and Fire Emblem.

[scrub12]

There’s also the Persona games and Metaphor, but the turn based in this is incredible because of parrying, dodging, and counters. Pulling off a perfect counter feels so good.

[CopperTom]

I picked up Metaphor when it was on sale for $25.