Navigating players' pet peeves...

[Henlock]

Sometimes I play my Tuvasa the Sunlit superjanky build revolving around color hosers, mostly in enchantment form and text-changing effects. In general, people are amused at losing to something like karma changed into forests, but once a guy got pretty pissed and constantly complaining "Nobody plays that", "Who on earth plays that?", "I can't believe it" and things of that sort until finally losing to Karma damage.

I got that a couple of times in other formats with people complaining about cards that "shouldn't be there". One I remember in modern was a guy playing lantern and hating the game though the three matches because I olayed Leave // Chance.

[Treamayne]

I got that a couple of times in other formats with people complaining about cards that "shouldn't be there". One I remember in modern was a guy playing lantern and hating the game though the three matches because I olayed Leave // Chance.

Reminds me of using Volrath's Shapeshifter and Phyrexian Devourer to take out Ensnaring Bridge control back during Tempest block timeframe ("Phyrexian devourer? Who plays that?").

[NZB2323]

Sometimes I play my Tuvasa the Sunlit superjanky build revolving around color hosers, mostly in enchantment form and text-changing effects. In general, people are amused at losing to something like karma changed into forests, but once a guy got pretty pissed and constantly complaining "Nobody plays that", "Who on earth plays that?", "I can't believe it" and things of that sort until finally losing to Karma damage.

I got that a couple of times in other formats with people complaining about cards that "shouldn't be there". One I remember in modern was a guy playing lantern and hating the game though the three matches because I olayed Leave // Chance.

Lol, a lantern player should have ways of dealing with cards from the graveyard, especially in a format with Ancient Grudge. Also, one of the ways you get an advantage in a competitive format is to play cards that people don't expect.

It's one thing if a player is playing cEDH at a casual table. It's another thing if someone is playing modern.

Part of Magic is adapting to the meta. I guess I would find it annoying if someone tuned their deck to specifically beat mine, but that's never happened to me. A player playing a Ruric Thar, the Unbowed deck said he was going to change decks because he didn't want a deck that hosed my Niv-Mizzet, Parun, but I told him to keep it and ended up winning.

[Antis]

@Henlock @Treamayne

Wow, those players would probably hate me. For me, making weird obscure cards playable is one of the biggest draws of Commander as a format. People in my group have learned to respect cards like Heartseeker, Outmaneuver, Dying Wish, or Avarice Totem.

[Treamayne]

@Antis
- Concur. I love this format for being able to effectively employ niche cards like Phyrexian Splicer or Nature's Blessing; as well as old favorites like Hurkyl's Recall or Wiitigo.

Henlock's story just reminded me of that one time, when Ensnaring Bridge control was beginning to dominate tournaments (IIRC, it was the next big thing after Necro and before Prosper-Bloom), and a friend challenged be to build a deck to defeat his Bridge deck in testing. I did, then took my version to the tournament (San Jose, IIRC) and had random players WTFing me every round (Phantom Warrior, Phyrexian Devourer and other cards most never expected to see at a tournament).

I wouldn't say I did well, I have never really liked tournaments or that competitive environment (my best ever was 2nd pace at the Alliances pre-release, losing the finals to Swamp Mosquito - the winner had gotten three in his packs for the sealed pre-release); but I did surprise a lot of people.

[RxPhantom]

People getting mad at niche cards?! In Commander?! This is the format of wackiness and splashy plays. I actively want to see cool stuff instead of just powerful stuff. I have a few experiences like this, mainly when I cast and sac Aura Thief to gain control of everybody's enchantments. One player grumbled about the card, but it was just sour grapes, plain and simple.