The Arena: FAQ + Tutorial to success

[TimerClock14]

It annoys me when people say that creativity is better than tried-and-true. The only case when this is so is if you can take advantage of the element of surprise, which doesn't really apply in a game with so limited options.

I'm going to say this right here and right now:

Tried and true is fine. But when you've got 80% of the decks in arena using tried and true, that pisses me off. Elements is a game based upon creativity. In a made up world of "Elementals" for chrissake! Everything about the game is creative, except for decks. So few people are making the effort to actually build a new deck and instead look on the forums for one that's already made for them.

That irks me to no end. So while I have no issue with using tried-and-true every now and again, I have a problem with it being used constantly.

[lskpiano]

It annoys me when people say that creativity is better than tried-and-true. The only case when this is so is if you can take advantage of the element of surprise, which doesn't really apply in a game with so limited options.

I'm going to say this right here and right now:

Tried and true is fine. But when you've got 80% of the decks in arena using tried and true, that pisses me off. Elements is a game based upon creativity. In a made up world of "Elementals" for chrissake! Everything about the game is creative, except for decks. So few people are making the effort to actually build a new deck and instead look on the forums for one that's already made for them.

That irks me to no end. So while I have no issue with using tried-and-true every now and again, I have a problem with it being used constantly.

Do you have problems with chess players using tried and true moves?

Just a thought.

Thanks,
LSK Piano

[RootRanger]

It annoys me when people say that creativity is better than tried-and-true. The only case when this is so is if you can take advantage of the element of surprise, which doesn't really apply in a game with so limited options.

I'm going to say this right here and right now:

Tried and true is fine. But when you've got 80% of the decks in arena using tried and true, that pisses me off. Elements is a game based upon creativity. In a made up world of "Elementals" for chrissake! Everything about the game is creative, except for decks. So few people are making the effort to actually build a new deck and instead look on the forums for one that's already made for them.

That irks me to no end. So while I have no issue with using tried-and-true every now and again, I have a problem with it being used constantly.

Most of the decks on the forum aren't actually that good. Some of them are, but it takes a good player to tell which ones are actually worth using.  And there aren't even many decks on the forum that factor in the double draw and double/triple mark.

[TheForbiddenOracle]

Might wanna add if you really can't find any good decks with that card, just wait til the next day

[QuantumT]

Beaten to the punch by TC. I'll be working on a more elaborate post that you can add to the OP.

On the creativity bit, I have one of the highest if not the highest record for electrum earned, and it was done using a deck that exists nowhere on the forums. You don't have to sacrifice performance to be creative.

[Gerberos]

This is not a tutorial thread, it's an I am butthurt because I can't beat Rainbow decks thread.

[Bootsza]

Most of the decks on the forum aren't actually that good. Some of them are, but it takes a good player to tell which ones are actually worth using.  And there aren't even many decks on the forum that factor in the double draw and double/triple mark.

These are two valid points (there a bunch of very average decks on the forums) but the bolded part is a very good point.

When players start giving attention to how they spend their "skill points" and really think about how to build a deck around double draws and multiple marks we are going to see a bunch of really hardcore decks.  Up until now we have just been messing about with what worked before Arena and working around the compulsory Oracle cards.

The really good deck builders will be able to factor their skill points into their building process sooner rather than later.

[TheonlyrealBeef]

Now I want to see ideas for creative decks using QTs/SNs without being a rainbow I know one, but eh... shhh! It's too evil! I'd rather use rainbows from hell than that :P

There are also cards that just don't work well when there are 5/10 of them in a deck, all non-temporal (wing/dimensional) shields, flooding, catapult, or some useless nymph (don't get me wrong sweet turquoise nymph, I still love you o:). My advice is to keep your current deck and wait for the oracle card of next day with those :P (and hope it's better, or just wait another day)

[wavedash]

I just realized that I'm sort of a hypocrite, since I'm running Fractal Ghosts of the Past right now. While it's not the bog standard Nightmare Ghosts of the Past, it's not something outrageous out of the box.

[TimerClock14]

This is not a tutorial thread, it's an I am butthurt because I can't beat Rainbow decks thread.

In the title, I have "(WIP)" which means work in progress. Please don't insult people about things they haven't even finished yet.

[CCCombobreaker]

I feel like this thread is somehow a response to mine... but I really want to point out that every "unoriginal" deck was someone's "original" deck.  If we thought people copying other decks was a serious issue, we wouldn't have a button on the forums to include deck codes.  People rep+ people for cool new ideas and then want to rep- anyone else that uses them?  The issue here is what is more effective for the person putting a deck into the arena... is being creative the assured way to success?  HECK NO!  Does it sometimes result in amazing decks?  YES!  especially if you are a really good player with super amazing insight or a lot of experience.  Yeah people are getting to first place with new and creative decks, but what you don't see or hear as much is the 400 people that fell out of the top500 yesterday because they tried something and it didn't work.  If you make a tutorial that enables those people to build creative decks that reliably win enough to stay up for a day or 2 at a time, then my thread becomes a footnote and an afterthought.  Everyone will see how lame it is, and they will all build new original decks that are fun and interesting for everyone and still win 65%+.  I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT DAY.  I want to read your tutorial, and I want to be successful at arena without the oracleBow.  But until this all comes together, we all see where I'm at.

[wavedash]

This is not a tutorial thread, it's an I am butthurt because I can't beat Rainbow decks thread.

In the title, I have "(WIP)" which means work in progress. Please don't insult people about things they haven't even finished yet.

...what is it that you are working on?