"Deck a uses Cards a, b, and c. Cards a, b, and c are OP. Deck a isn't OP." That makes absolutely no sense.
What I said was in conjunction with the fact that you can only balance cards. When certain combo is OP, Zanz tends to make special rules about it (read SoR and Leaf Dragon). I disagree with making special rules just to fight certain combos, its the cards that need to be rebalanced.
However, maybe I wasnt clear on my standing here - I object Shriekers because you can carry 12 of those in your deck, not because Shrieker card is OP. I find only Graboids OP. That is why I agree with Glitch about removing Shriekers as a standalone card, not changing their stats.
Having 12 cards in the deck, even if the card itself is balanced, gives you DOUBLE the chances of drawing them then you should have. Do you agree with that?
Now which seems more alike to YOU? I dunno, those life creatures seem to have an awful lot in common...
And if you want to look at one creature at a time:
| Creature | Total Damage Turn 1 | Total Damage Turn 2 | Total Damage Turn 3 |
| Elite Cockatrice | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| Giant Frog | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| Graboid | 2 | 12 | 22 |
| Shrieker | 10 | 20 | 30 |
You are applying false logic here. Card is the same if the card is the same. Evolved Graboid IS Shrieker. Its not something similar to Shrieker. Your table deals only with damage while neglecting cost or HP. Frogs and Cokatrices are different cards. They have different dmg/cost ratio, they have different survivability (huge difference here too).
Would Shrieker be OP if its stats are 11|4? What about 13? 15? 26? Is there a line? I mean, counter to it EXISTS AND IS EXACTLY THE SAME - thus not OP in your opinion.
I will repeat: having a counter does not mean balance.
At 11, no, but shrieker rush *would* be more powerful which is unneeded. At 13? Yes, I do. etc....
The only thing I wanted to point here is that just because something has a counter doesnt mean its not unbalanced.
I am glad we agree there.
Re-read what I said closer. Taking six of both graboids and shriekers is generally a bad thing, but taking over six shriekers in all (if you count graboids as a shrieker), something like 7, 8, or even 9 can be optimal.
Again, we agree. Being able to have more than 6 of the same card is beneficial to your deckbuilding. Shrieker is the only card that can do that <- problem.
And on yet another tangent...
Using graboids to simulate more than six shriekers is akin to using TU to simulate more than six phase recluses. Graboids aren't the same as shriekers in the deck, right? When you look at the deck screen, are the graboids and shriekers identical? No. TU isn't the same as six phase recluses, correct? When you look at the deck screen, are the phase recluses and TUs identical? No. Do both result in 12 shriekers or 12 phase recluses when everything is said and done? Yes.
Based on your logic, TU shouldn't be allowed to be used on your own creatures because you can then have more than 6 of a creature in your deck. Oh and fractal should be completely eliminated for the same reason.
Difference between TU/fractal and packing cards in your deck is draw. I am surprised you dont see that. If I pack 6 TUs and 6 whatever, sure, I'll be able to deploy 12 of the same creatures. However, when you play with 6 graboids and 6 shriekers, you will draw shrieker, and play it. When you play with 6 recluses and 6 TUs, you'll draw TU and sit there until you draw something to TU. Shriekers are rush cards. Being able to draw them quickly is important in that strategy.
Fractal follows the same logic I just wrote. On the side note, I find fractal somewhat unbalancing card, which many agree with. However, that has nothing really to do with this topic. Packing fractals does not increase your chances of drawing your creature.
