Greetings, all! I have never played MECCG, despite having been intrigued by it since it first came out. I was a teenager at the time, and couldn't afford to buy collectible cards (I really don't know where kids DO get the money, then or now!).
Well, now I do have some money, and I have been obsessed with the idea of playing MECCG for some time now. Of course, it takes a LOT more money now than when it was in print, and I don't have THAT much to spend. But set that aside for the moment.
I am working on a strategy for collecting, and I want you to critique it and suggest improvements. First, you should know that I have a small group people that I regularly game with (rpg/board). We are going to get together for a Week Of Gaming in the summer, and I intend to bring some MECCG cards so we can all of us learn the game and get into playing and collecting at the same time. There are about 10 of us all told, but suppose about half of us will be interested in MECCG, so say 4-6 people.
Here are my ideas so far:
1) Keep it METW-only. Pretend it's late 1995/early 1996. People played it like this just fine. There are plenty of cards to collect and there is plenty of strategy to master, so it makes entry into the game less daunting in both those respects. I prefer this option over the Challenge Decks because I do like the idea of collecting, and I feel like with the Challenge Decks we would be thrown into the wider world of MECCG on the one hand; and on the other hand, the grey borders instead of black make it a non-ideal foundation for an actual MECCG collection. Incidentally, for this reason Limited Edition is the way to go, if only to allow the possibility for expansions in the future. Not to mention prettiness.
2) Some sort of pre-constructed decks should be available for play right away, to get people to learn the game (self included) and get hooked (self already hooked) without having to construct decks blindly and in dull ignorance. I am considering these. From a layman's point of view, they seem like they would be fun, interesting, immersive, and contrasting. It would also SEEM to be a reasonable number of cards to collect.
3) I would like to be able to re-sell to each of the players their own cards right away. For example, they could keep the pre-constructed deck that they played, plus I could have a booster display or two from which they could buy some booster packs. This would allow them to start customizing their own decks, trading with each other, and enjoying the thrill of opening a randomized pack that is part of the CCG experience; without having to worry just yet about being well-versed in all the cards and strategies that are out there.
So, is this a good scheme?
And if so, let us turn back to the money question. How best to go about collecting these cards in the first place? I went to Gwaihir's site to see about buying the cards that I need (for #2 above) each individually, and the price tag came up way higher than it would have been to buy a complete set of METW cards! But I don't want to just put the money down for a complete set, either--again, gone would be the thrill of collecting. But ultimately I will do whatever makes most sense financially. Please advise. Thanks!
Collecting METW for Play
Moderator: Moderators
Where are you from? Germany? Austria?
-> There are a couple of People, that do have tons of commons and uncommon cards for free for you (left overs from old LURE Conventions).
In the Deck-Section of this forum there are some decklist that have very few rare cards included. It would take a little while, but we can post some none-rare decklists für wizards in the beginner central with a small guide how to play (will be a lot more easy to play as a challenge deck).
The best way to learn the game, is starting with wizards (METW). If you got lucky enough you have some guys around, that do allready know the rules and show you how to play. Else you should look out for the link to the virtual card table for meccg, its somewhere in the forum. You have to install the client and you can play online (chatroom included). The people there are happy to show you around and how to play.
-> There are a couple of People, that do have tons of commons and uncommon cards for free for you (left overs from old LURE Conventions).
In the Deck-Section of this forum there are some decklist that have very few rare cards included. It would take a little while, but we can post some none-rare decklists für wizards in the beginner central with a small guide how to play (will be a lot more easy to play as a challenge deck).
The best way to learn the game, is starting with wizards (METW). If you got lucky enough you have some guys around, that do allready know the rules and show you how to play. Else you should look out for the link to the virtual card table for meccg, its somewhere in the forum. You have to install the client and you can play online (chatroom included). The people there are happy to show you around and how to play.
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Gwaihir
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As you already calculated, making preconstructed decks by buying all cards as singles is quite an attack on your wallet. Generally the concept of collecting is to get packs with random cards, trade if you can, and only fill out blanks in your decks or collection through buying singles. Sources for your card pool are starters & boosters of course, but you can also think of bunches from eBay and of donations of non-rares from fellow players for that initial boost in cards available to you.
I can't help but think of the challenge decks anyway. Perhaps not for yourself, but as the decks you want to present and sell to the others in your group. Will each be interested in building a large collection? If not, they needn't mind the grey border. It gets them each a deck or two for very little money, which helps to get a number of different people involved. It wouldn't be METW only, of course, but you could keep it hero only, if you like, and these decks are so much easier to acquire for you.
Though I agree that it absolutely spoils the collecting, full sets of METW have simply been priced darn attractively for quite a while now..
I can't help but think of the challenge decks anyway. Perhaps not for yourself, but as the decks you want to present and sell to the others in your group. Will each be interested in building a large collection? If not, they needn't mind the grey border. It gets them each a deck or two for very little money, which helps to get a number of different people involved. It wouldn't be METW only, of course, but you could keep it hero only, if you like, and these decks are so much easier to acquire for you.
Though I agree that it absolutely spoils the collecting, full sets of METW have simply been priced darn attractively for quite a while now..
Gwaihir.net - The Middle-earth CCG store
May the wind under your wings bear your where the sun sails and the moon walks -- J.R.R.T.
May the wind under your wings bear your where the sun sails and the moon walks -- J.R.R.T.
Important sidenote! Forget the region cards and use the map! http://www.meccg.net/netherlands/meccg/ ... _card1.pdf
Otherwise you are not likely to get your fellows addicted to the game.
Otherwise you are not likely to get your fellows addicted to the game.
Council of Barad-dur website www.meccg.net/cob
Alright, so Thorondor is helping me put together those "METW-only Challenge Decks". I am very happy with his help and I think this will be a pretty ideal intro to the game. Later on (if I/we choose to continue in the hobby) I think the next step would be to grab a Booster Display (still just METW Limited Ed.) or two, wherever I can at a reasonable cost. And finally to buy singles of whatever rares that might still be needed (at this stage purely for myself, not helping the friends).
Whether to continue onto the expansions, we shall see. I really think Wizards-only will keep me happy (and busy) for a few years with collecting, building decks, and playing. But I do want to enjoy all of these aspects, so I really am happier with this route as opposed to the Challenge Decks.
I did also get the METW Companion and the MECCG Maps set.
We play War of the Ring, so everyone is familiar with Middle-earth, but still the map is a must!
Thanks again, everyone. The friendliness of the community is a huge bonus for a prospective player. I hope to make it out to Lure one of these years! Regards.
P.S. Does everyone only ever play 2-player games, or is it still fun with 3, 4, 5? I realize this is a TOTAL newbie question!
Whether to continue onto the expansions, we shall see. I really think Wizards-only will keep me happy (and busy) for a few years with collecting, building decks, and playing. But I do want to enjoy all of these aspects, so I really am happier with this route as opposed to the Challenge Decks.
I did also get the METW Companion and the MECCG Maps set.
We play War of the Ring, so everyone is familiar with Middle-earth, but still the map is a must! Thanks again, everyone. The friendliness of the community is a huge bonus for a prospective player. I hope to make it out to Lure one of these years!
Regards.P.S. Does everyone only ever play 2-player games, or is it still fun with 3, 4, 5? I realize this is a TOTAL newbie question!
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Thorsten the Traveller
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- Location: Tilburg, The Netherlands
There's also the new Arda format, which is a multiplayer shared deck game: this means up to 7 players can play with the same deck, like in a sealed game. Check out the rules here:
http://www.lureofmeccg.org/rules.php
Obvious advantage is that you don't need to make any decks, you just toss in all cards. The players can then just read the cards they happen to draw, and they learn the other cards by how the other players play and explain them. Disadvantage is that the total number of new cards is of course very large, for people without any preconceived knowledge of meccg.
it is advisable however to have at least one person playing who has some good knowledge of meccg rules, but that would be the case in any game I suppose.
http://www.lureofmeccg.org/rules.php
Obvious advantage is that you don't need to make any decks, you just toss in all cards. The players can then just read the cards they happen to draw, and they learn the other cards by how the other players play and explain them. Disadvantage is that the total number of new cards is of course very large, for people without any preconceived knowledge of meccg.
it is advisable however to have at least one person playing who has some good knowledge of meccg rules, but that would be the case in any game I suppose.
'Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo
See also http://www.meccg.net/dforum/viewtopic.php?t=2668Falconer wrote:Alright, so Thorondor is helping me put together those "METW-only Challenge Decks". I am very happy with his help and I think this will be a pretty ideal intro to the game.
If you start collecting the game, be sure to buy enough starters as well. As you have probably read somewhere, these contain 1 of 5 different fixed packs each. The fixed packs are mainly some characters and factions, but these are usually quite good (Aragorn, Beorn, Thranduil) and do not turn up in boosters. Neither do the wizards themselves if I am correct. For a collection you need at least 1 of each fixed pack.
Yep, those are the decks I am building.sarma72 wrote:See also http://www.meccg.net/dforum/viewtopic.php?t=2668
Good point, thanks. Though it's probably easy enough to get a hold of the equivalent of all 5 fixed packs from someone without having to open up starters.Leon wrote:If you start collecting the game, be sure to buy enough starters as well. As you have probably read somewhere, these contain 1 of 5 different fixed packs each. The fixed packs are mainly some characters and factions, but these are usually quite good (Aragorn, Beorn, Thranduil) and do not turn up in boosters. Neither do the wizards themselves if I am correct. For a collection you need at least 1 of each fixed pack.
I dont think it matters much wether you buy starter displays or boosters displays, but I am not sure if either is more expensive these days than the other. A starter display has 10 starters with 3 rares each, so 30 rares, while a boosterdisplay has 36 rares in total from 36 boosters.
But indeed, there are probably people around with fixed packs to spare. My collection is still of such size that I dont have much extra.
But indeed, there are probably people around with fixed packs to spare. My collection is still of such size that I dont have much extra.
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Thorsten the Traveller
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- Joined: Sat May 29, 2004 1:17 pm
- Location: Tilburg, The Netherlands
well Arda game doesnt differ much from normal multiplayer apart from the use of a shared deck and the issues that come with that (card trading :D ), so most Arda rules are concerned with game setup and such.
The main difference with normal multiplayer of course is the level of experience required. If you team up well tuned constructed decks, you need to be experienced to have a nice game, whereas in Arda you just take it as it comes. Arda is therefore by nature more laid back, less competitive, and good for beginners.
The main difference with normal multiplayer of course is the level of experience required. If you team up well tuned constructed decks, you need to be experienced to have a nice game, whereas in Arda you just take it as it comes. Arda is therefore by nature more laid back, less competitive, and good for beginners.
'Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo