Deck Idea Parameters

[Kuross]

Something that has kept me from posting a lot of deck ideas is whether or not something I thought of might have been done before. Usually I search for something akin to what I want to build and find variations to the idea I have so I simply just tinker and not post the idea.

However, the following thread seems to highlight a similar notion and it occurred to me that there are limits to what one can build/post which leads to ask- How much difference is required for a deck idea/build to make it unique enough to post and claim as one's own?

http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,14098.0.html

I know it may not seem like a pressing question, and for many it's not, but I think it's relevant given the amount of concern here for fear of plagiarism. For example, if I have an idea for a deck, but someone has done something similar, how much change/difference do I need to have say it's my own deck? I could just post on the deck that is similar to mine, but what if I feel mine is different enough to say the concept I have is mine own and not of someone else's? What if I build a deck that mirror's CCYB, except I don't use a Miracle, but I run two Otyughs? Technically it would have CC and thus not CCYB, but it's so close to CCYB that there would be those who say it is in fact CCYB, just a variation.

Like I said, it may not be that pressing of a matter, but it would be nice to hear from the community on what others may feel is a reasonable amount of difference in deck variations to allow to claim a deck concept as their own.

[EvaRia]

Different Key Cards, Different methods of Quanta generation, or Both.

[Kuross]

Different Key Cards, Different methods of Quanta generation, or Both.

An example would be then if I were to replace "Miracle" with "Aflotoxin" in CCYB, and no other changes, that would be enough to say that was my deck idea? No offense, but I think Amilir would argue that deck was his creation, and that one change was not enough to call it different, and be right.

[EvaRia]

It would be essentially the same deck, because your key cards (the cards that are integral to the deck's strategy) would remain the same.

[Kuross]

It would be essentially the same deck, because your key cards (the cards that are integral to the deck's strategy) would remain the same.

What about me replacing Permafrosts with Dusk Shields? Pulverizers with Eternitys? I essentially replaced upped FFQs with unupped FFQs, switched out Permafrost with Hope and called it "skittles." I tried to come up with enough variation to separate my version from CCYB, but in the end, I only really changed 4 cards, 2 of which were essentially the same strategy, slightly different means of delivery.

Point I am trying to make is that there are so many decks that changing just one card might be enough to make it completely different, but I believe it's a fine line and one that, when crossed, might infinge on someone else's deck concept.

I recently saw postings where one person posted varitions of a deck idea in where the concepts were very similar, but the make ups were not. If three different people posted each one individually, would that have made a difference? If not, why not? If so, would it mean all one has to do is simply change one core card and call the deck their own?

http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,14087.0.html
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,13968.0.html
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,13913.0.html