I saved this characteristic for last because I think it’s at the core of every Spike player. A Spike Takes Time to Perfect Their Gameplay The game of Magic is constantly evolving, and Spike is the player at the forefront of the changes. The number of copies of each card, the percentage chance of not taking a mulligan on your first hand, and the change in the metadata all affect how a Spike views their deck. If a Spike loses a game because they lost the hand advantage, they adjust their deck to make sure that doesn’t happen again. A Spike Constantly Finetunes DecksĪ Spike is always updating and tuning a deck to gain the advantage. The data and the analysis are another way a Spike tries to gain an advantage, and it’s a source of pride in their gameplay. A Spike also understands game theory and the probability in every facet of MTG. They check all the tournament decks and what kind of win percentage they have against other decks. If this doesn’t excite you then you may not be a Spike.Ī Spike wants all the information that gives them the advantage in the majority of games. Jeskai ( ) control has a 31.4% meta percentage and the data says that it should have 2.1 copies of Voltage Surge. You’re talking to a Spike if you’ve ever heard these statements: “This card is going to break Standard,” or “I can’t wait to add this card to my Commander deck.” A Spike Understands and Uses Game Data A feeling of pride comes from the fact that a Spike knows what cards gives them an advantage before the majority of other players. A Spike scours the internet for any piece of information on the power and uses of new cards. This player wants to be ahead of the masses in the battle for information. Who doesn’t love spoilers and the anticipation of the release of a new set? A Spike takes these emotions to another level. A Spike Takes Pride in Judging the Power of New Cards This player has a chip on their shoulder and wants to show everyone they have the skill to win any game. In Limited, a Spike understands every card’s value and knows how to squeeze that value out of every choice. If you play against a Spike in a Constructed format, they’re going to show you that they understand other players’ tendencies and have an answer for any deck. A Spike is a player that wants you to know they’re great and can demonstrate their skill at any time. I think we all have that friend with that intrinsic feeling of something to prove, even if they’re accepted no matter the circumstance. It’s that player who isn’t happy unless they won the match. Of all the player types, a Spike is very easily describable. If a Spike can afford it, they buy all the overpowered cards they can from sites like Card Kingdom or TCGPlayer. They’re a player who use the knowledge of others, like Spikes Academy or the Spikes subreddit. They use every tool or resource they can to gain a competitive edge.Ī Spike looks at the deck rankings on sites like MTGGoldfish or MTG Decks. A Spike isn’t happy with their play if they’re not winning. This characteristic has already been mentioned several times, but it truly is the driving force of a Spike player. When R&D started to develop these profiles this type of player was just called a “tournament player.” But they wanted to put a name to this type of player when this idea was pitched to WotC’s branding team. There isn’t much to explain behind this name beyond that. The term “Spike” seems to have been created just because it sounds serious, and like a player that wants to win. Champion of the Parish | Illustration by Svetlin Velinov
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |