I enjoy Magic mainly for brewing new decks. I've been here on Tappedout for 10+ years.

Even if most of my decks end up private and/or lost in never-finished land it's fun to try to piece an idea together with different cards. Discovering old cards that work alongside new cards or might have new synergy is what brings me back to Magic every so often. Just that process of combining cards into a unique thematic idea is enjoyable as it is.

I am more about the intellectual stimulation and not about the emotional stimulation of the [turn to turn gameplay] of the card game, as Magic the Gathering head designer Mark Rosewater puts it.

When I brew up new deck ideas I'm more concerned with the deck's theming and flavor than how competitive it ends up being. Focusing on makings things as synergistic as possible which includes things like alters (artwork) and puns in the deck description and naming.

I also like to design card/board/video games outside of Magic as an indie dev so I do enjoy looking at the game of Magic from a designer's eye too. Which is probably partially why I enjoy the deckbuilding process more than the actual playing of the game.

It's like a puzzle with all the keywords mechanics and typal/tribal synergies between cards, brewing up some fringe idea or combo or trying to make cards work together that normally wouldn't. A lot of my decks are themed decks and almost non are top meta competitive decklists that anyone can just go look up online.

Spoiler season of the newest or upcoming set(s) is easily my favorite time to frequent tappedout.net because when rotation happens the dynamic changes because everybody is looking for new deck archetypes for inspiration.

I actually sold the bulk majority of my paper collection of cards and my digital collection on MTGO a few years ago. And I no longer log in to Arena. I only build here on tappedout.net and mainly play on Tabletop Simulator with friends now. Because yes it's free and I can ultimately build as many deck ideas as I want to try and nothing holds me back. I can even design custom cards if the playgroup approves of their use before hand.

You cannot beat that.

Uploading a deck takes seconds and the cards and gameplay itself is automated just like on Arena/MTGO but it feels more tuned into actual paper magic and sitting around a table with friends and having to keep track of counters with die. Classic Magic the Gathering™ despite not having to purchase cards anymore (because really I don't support Hasbro's or Wizards of the Coast's woke agenda.)

My Discord: Cipher_8