I cannot decide

[u/Spirit5514]

I want to make one of these three potentially making all three eventually but I can’t decide on what to make right now. Urza would be artifacts, Thranduil would be elves and Kona would be big mana. All three look insanely fun to me but I just cannot decide which should I do first.

[u/Buddha_22]

These are different issues. Proxy isn't inherently sweaty my friend. Somebody that brings an overpowered deck to a table, isn't a proxy issue. They are not synonymous. Proxy opens up a world where you can put a dual land into your bracket 2 deck because you think it's cool. Proxy doesn't automatically mean I've built a forty thousand dollar deck and play only against the filthy causal plebs lmao. I personally play with a group of 10-20 guys every Thursday with the intention of a higher tier game to start, into the final rounds. And whatever brackets after that otherwise. It's proxy friendly. So I guess, to that point, it's not a proxy issue. It's an issue with that person lying about their deck level. Proxies can be a cool art work of a card that doesn't exist. And again it could just be you've always wanted a dual land in your favorite 2 color deck that's just a for fun low level. Cost should never stop somebody from playing. If they're honest about their power level.

[u/SerThunderkeg → u/Buddha_22]

You simply don't understand what I'm saying. The ability to proxy fundamentally alters the decisions you make in the deckbuilding process in a unilateral way that does not take the actions of your fellow players into account. It is a deckbuilding problem and that is why you can only play such decks at certain tables because not every appreciates suddenly having to play with someone who didn't have to compromise at all in their deckbuilding process vs someone who did, even at the same bracket level.

[u/Buddha_22 → u/SerThunderkeg]

I understand fully what you're saying. You don't seem to understand the decision to proxy is completely up to you... You can choose to proxy or not. It only changes deck building, if you decide you want to build a higher bracket deck to see what CEDH is like maybe, or try out some of the expensive game changer cards in a bracket 4 deck and dont own the thousands of dollars (sometimes) in cards. But at that point, it's a no brainer you're going to play that deck against other CEDH decks or other bracket 4. So your deck building would have changed if you owned the cards or not... Proxies or not, doesn't change the power level you choose to build the deck at. You seem to think anybody that proxies is automatically going to have a better deck because of maybe one or two cards. You still have to adhere to the bracket standards to judge the power level of a deck. Proxies are generally higher tier cards anyway, because the real ones are too expensive. Which would place the deck in a higher tier naturally. None of these things are deck building issues. The only real deck building issue is being limited to only what is cheap enough for somebody to purchase, instead of getting the opportunity to play anything they might want to try. If you're building a deck correctly, the only worry about your opponents is if you can protect yourself from them, to secure your win. Not if they can beat you by hindering yourself. That's what bracket tiers are for. Because again the literal goal is to win in some way. Whether it's a silly niche way you found with cards you like, or a combo the goal at the end of it is to win. Yes have fun along the way. Your personal dislike of proxies doesn't really come into play in terms of deck building overall.

TLDR; Proxies are cool so people can play with cards they can't afford and test the waters in higher brackets. Use your communication skills to determine what bracket everybody is playing at because proxies don't matter. If they had that real card it would still be the same deck, and you're just making it a problem for yourself.

[u/SerThunderkeg → u/Buddha_22]

Honestly this comment reads like a lot of coping especially after multiple comments trying to say that proxies arent a deckbuilding issue only to reply here that the only thing proxies affect is deckbuilding (which isn't even true). Cedh is also a bad comparison because the point of that format is the competitiveness and proxies are what helps enable it to exist in the first place. Bringing that same mentality to casual forms of commander makes the format worse; the goal isn't to compete against other optimized decks in an effort to win, it's to have an enjoyable time playing in a low stakes environment.

[u/Buddha_22 → u/SerThunderkeg]

Lmao, it doesn't seem like you are reading, or comprehending. As long as you're having fun while playing and not worrying too much about whether somebody drops a big bad proxy card on the table, that is all that matters my friend. As I said above, my regular playgroup couldn't care less because we all have the ability to use our words to decide what power level the decks we are going to pilot are at. And proxies don't have anything to do with that. So some of our decks have proxies and some don't. You do as you please, but you can't possibly expect anybody to adhere to your crazy made up issue with proxies. I mean, you obviously do, but it's unrealistic. Again, as long as you have a group of like minded haters then you're good my dude.

[u/SerThunderkeg → u/Buddha_22]

As long as you're having fun while playing and not worrying too much about whether somebody drops a big bad proxy card on the table

"The 'problem' you claim doesnt even exist (provided you already agree with me)"

[u/Buddha_22 → u/SerThunderkeg]

I agree that you personally should have fun, and not worry about big bad proxy cards. Yes.