Starter Deck Themes for Towers Standard Sealed League

[dmaz]

Hi Everyone!

Please cast your votes for which TS Sealed themes you would like to see in play!

This list is by no means exhaustive, so if you have a fresh idea, or something you think might work, please speak up! If we get this league up and running, we want it to be something everyone had a say in

There are some themes that have already gotten a fair amount of attention, but this poll will let everyone see what is hot for the community in general.

Thanks!

ADDED THEMES
Isengard Men: 3 Votes

[BigRedMF]

I really like this idea for a league, as I have thoroughly enjoyed played sealed. I'd like to suggest Isengard men as a shadow side, but I've never played with it to know how viable it might be without rares.

[dmaz]

I really like this idea for a league, as I have thoroughly enjoyed played sealed. I'd like to suggest Isengard men as a shadow side, but I've never played with it to know how viable it might be without rares.

You got me interesting in seeing if there is a way to make this work I would actually really like to see an Isengard Men deck that works...It's like that lost-cause theme that everyone wished was better. Maybe when combined with the right complimenting strategy we could make it happen!

[bign19]

I would love to see an isengard men deck! and thanks to everyone contributing to this. Im very excited and would be happy to playtest if needed

[dmaz]

I would love to see an isengard men deck! and thanks to everyone contributing to this. Im very excited and would be happy to playtest if needed

Made an "Added Themes" list for them

[Merrick_H]

How long will this stay open?  If we hope to have something fairly solid by January, we will need to start working on the deck design and play testing soon.

[dmaz]

How long will this stay open?  If we hope to have something fairly solid by January, we will need to start working on the deck design and play testing soon.

Would closing it after the weekend be OK? This would give anyone a chance who might have had a very busy work week to get their thoughts in over the weekend.

[dmaz]

Thanks everyone for the input!
Here are the results, including the votes themselves and general discussion/interest throughout the community.

High Interest

Fellowship:
Knights
Help in Doubt and Need
Dwarf with Gandalf Support
Shoulder to Shoulder
The Three Hunters

Shadow:
Berserker Uruks
Twilight Nazgul
Easterlings with Gollum
Sauron Trackers

Moderate Interest:

Fellowship:
Ringbounds
Rohan with Gandalf Support
Shire with Smeagol Shenanigans

Shadow:
Uruk Trackers
Battleground Uruks
Warg Riders
Southrons
Archery

Some Interest:

Fellowship:
Rangers
Last Alliance
Shire with Gandalf Support
Elven Archery
Hobbit Hospital
Ents

Shadow:
News of Mordor
Isengard Men
Moria

Little to No Interest:

Fellowship:
Mounted Rohan
Pipes

Shadow:
Discard/Swarm Dunland
"Stupid Swarm"
Sauron Discarding


Overall I think this gives us a decent guide to work from.

One thought I had was regarding the very low interest in the Dunland Swarm (with the option to discard guys).
It would be nice for us to provide at least one deck option for each culture somewhere throughout the first three series. For example, if your booster pulls happen to be many decent Dunland uncommons and commons, or even a Hides or Constantly threatening...but you don't have a base deck to work with, then you just pulled some generally useless cards.

As the interest in Uruks is pretty high, I would be for giving Dunland some love and swapping the Dunland for the Battleground Uruks (the Uruk deck with the lowest interest). This way we don't have three Uruk Hai decks throughout the first 3 series. I do, however, think since it IS Towers Standard, that an Uruk Tracker deck and another Uruk deck is a good idea.

Thoughts? Comments?

[sgtdraino]

Dmaz you were asking about playtesting; you could playtest using Open format, and testers agree to use sites that most closely correspond to towers sites.

Also, do we really need to have a new starter deck for series 2 and series 3? Why not just choose starters in series 1, and after that just get boosters for the later series? That should require less testing, then just have a range of starters for series 1 that each feature a different culture. You could do the top 5 of each that you currently have listed.

[dmaz]

Dmaz you were asking about playtesting; you could playtest using Open format, and testers agree to use sites that most closely correspond to towers sites.

I briefly thought about that! I feel like more fellowship block sites resemble the expanded site options...we could take a look through them. It's possible that for purposes of merely testing the deck it won't make too much of a difference

[sgtdraino]

You can always pick sites that have little impact, then try to simulate certain site texts via mutual agreement. You can have a key that tells which towers site each open site is simulating.

Modified my previous post btw.

[dmaz]

Also, do we really need to have a new starter deck for series 2 and series 3? Why not just choose starters in series 1, and after that just get boosters for the later series? That should require less testing, then just have a range of starters for series 1 that each feature a different culture. You could do the top 5 of each that you currently have listed.

That would work in general, but it would definitely limit a players ability to switch strategies midway through a league....the play testing is a bear :/ but I think that going the extra mile with it will give the best and most varrying results.

Also, I think that's great for decks that have either xlist or out of format cards some decks Wont have any and we could just do the regular way too