better starter decks

[nerd1]

A while ago, zanz majorly re-did the Ai3, and Ai2 decks, making them better and more focused, so it comes to reason that a small "buff" to our starter decks are also needed. I think it would suffice if they where changes slightly, to include some of the newer cards, and, if possible, you could chose the secondary element of your starter deck, but you must chose a different element than your main type. I would also change the decks to this formula:
main element:
8 pillars
4 pendulums
2 dragons
4 spells
2 shields
8 other monsters

secondary element:
4 pillars
2 spells
2 monsters

other:
4 quantum pillars
1 dagger

note: the secondary element cards stay the same no matter what main element you chose. if necessary, secondary element could be chosen at random. input?

[b0uncer52]

It seems reasonable, especially since there have been so many new cards, to make new starter decks.  I would say that choosing a secondary element seems unnecessary though.  In theory, a new player isn't going to know anything about the elements and having simplicity, in only picking one element, would probably be more attractive to new players.   Besides, it would only affect four real cards in your deck.

[Raptor6789]

i just think that the starter decks should be a better example of how a good deck works. that way, newbies have an example to look at when building their own decks. ive been playing in pvp1 lately, and some of the decks are just DEPLORABLE. The decks should at least be consistent and be able to take on ai3's. the starter decks should also have a clear synergy between cards. when i was new, before i discovered the forums, the first time seeing the FFQ synergy was like being hit on the head with a brick. i was like WOAH! cards work together!

tl;dr: yes, we should make the starter decks better.

[teffy]

It looks like a good idea to get good starter decks, but it COULD be intended to have bad built starter decks. Starter decks don´t follow special strategies, they only show what a deck consists of, and I think this deck shall only beat lvl 0-2. The new players must learn the basics by themselves - at least they had to do this, before wiki and forum came online. But wiki and forum are only an offer to the player.

This way , zanz can demonstrate neutrality to deck building, he doesn´t guide the user into a direction, and all starter decks have a similar strength - if you forget the card value - because the decks are not better than lvl 2 decks.
I´m pretty sure, zanz could make quests, which show, how to build good decks, but he "only" shows game functions instead. This needn´t be bad.

And to support this, I found sth, zanz said in the old FAQ, it was written for the early game versions (May or June 2009), and replaced by the current FAQ later (14. Feb 2010)

Q. Couldn't you just give beginners a better deck and give them more coins to start with:
A. I believe one of the most exciting things to do with this game is to customize and improve your deck, find new strategies and try them on the battlefield. A starter deck with some random cards gives the player some room for quick improvements and customization

(from www.elementsthegame.com/faq )

[ColorlessGreen]

I'd say it wouldn't be a terrible idea to update starters to include some of the new cards, since they seem to be stuck in time quite a while ago, and new cards are neat. However, I'm pretty sure that if the starter decks couldn't really be improved upon much prior to getting rares/upgrades (which seems like it would be the case if the starters were built to be good - you wouldn't really have a lot of room for major improvement apart from rares and upgrades), any new players would promptly get very bored and leave.

People like progression and feeling like they're getting more powerful at a game - see the rpg-style mechanics that are creeping in to every genre at this point.

With regards to displaying synergy and 'what a good deck looks like', that would be (debatably) accomplished by playing against AI3 a few times, which isn't hard to reach for someone new to the game. If you were to choose to debate whether AI3 constitutes a display of card synergy and a display of what a good deck looks like, I'd say the solution is to improve AI3 decks rather than to start new players with pre-built tuned decks.

-CG

[nerd1]

As for the starter decks being better, this is not necessarily true. the only real improvement would be the second dragon. My diagram would be merely a way to make them more ordered.

[RootRanger]

The starter decks are supposed to be bad so players will want to make their own decks.
Making your own decks is good because most of the skill in Elements is deckbuilding.

[TheForbiddenOracle]

The starter decks are supposed to be bad so players will want to make their own decks.
Making your own decks is good because most of the skill in Elements is deckbuilding.

Well with the original Starter deck you should be able to sell for more to buy the cards you need if you have an idea in mind.

[agentflare]

So we should expand the starter deck?
I like that idea. Give newbies more coins and more options.

[ColorlessGreen]

So we should expand the starter deck?
I like that idea. Give newbies more coins and more options.

I would absolutely get behind this idea, though I might revise it to be something along the lines of increasing the coin rewards from the early quests or something similar.

I can't think of any real reason why a new account shouldn't be able to build any (one) unupgraded, no-rare deck they want within the first half hour or so. Ideally, I would say that, regardless of starting element chosen, a new account should have enough resources to sell off whatever they've gotten as a starter and build whatever 30 card deck they want out of the bazaar prior to starting the 150 score quest.

The net effect on the long, grindy part of the game is going to be basically zero, but it'll give people a taste of really customizing their deck with a much smaller time investment.

-CG

[silux]

Starter deck definetively should be revised.
Starter decks are the same of when I started, and now there are 57new common cards!
I.m.o. they new starter decks should have 40 cards of chosen element and also a rare weapon:)
 

[RagingAlien]

Starter deck definetively should be revised.
Starter decks are the same of when I started, and now there are 57new common cards!
I.m.o. they new starter decks should have 40 cards of chosen element and also a rare weapon:)

1: OK
2: oh, no way i'm letting you add a RARE card instantly. might as well award a nymph. >_>

in general, i think all card sell values should be increased by 5%.