So when is the sealed deck PC happening? Cause I guess I qualified for that a few times over.

True. This is a point that I did not really consider.
Perhaps PC's and PCQ's could be timed to coincide with set releases?

New set comes out, hold a sneak, wait a month...Hold a PCQ, wait another month...Hold a PC. Lather, rinse repeat.

This is still 4 sets a year, it lets the set releases dictate the formats, allows people to play the same format in a PC/PCQ in the same cycle, and it allows us to have a "big tournament" once a month.

Sounds good, right? :ermm:

Good question! I think this would be cool.

Like Dalton mentioned, the main problem is the timing of releases. Legion will be legal for Sydney, but there were plenty of PCQs before the set even came out. Either way, you play a format that doesn't reflect the upcoming PC metagame. So you could delay new sets from becoming Constructed legal for a long time (awkward) or have the PC begin the new season.

What I would like though, is a 50k bookending a format. This would help bring closure to the metagame that was begun at the PC, cause right now they just peter out in the PCQ season.

For example, do we even know what the best deck to come out of the PC Amsterdam Marvel Modern Age was? Cause clearly it wasn't the deck that won.

I say it should overlap. Set a date about a month or two before the next PC where all the PCQs use the same format.

Logistically this is probably a nightmare but it provides a good medium, you can still play the "outed" decks after the PC and then test your new ones for the upcoming one.

And down here... most Pros do NOT play in Constructed unless they need more points.

Around here it was actually the straight Underworld deck (the one played by TJ Holman at Amsterdam).

I also believe PCQs should precede not follow the Pro events each season. I have the following reasons for my belief.

It is difficult to play and test in two formats at once, especially for those with limited time.

It provides those without large play groups the opportunity to test concepts and decks against a broader field before going to a higher level competition.

All players would be focusing on the same age, and would not be split between the need points and the have points.

The evolution of the Meta game across a season generally results in more creative decks by its end.

PCQ attendance for constructed would increase.

I want to sound in on this post strongly. I have friends who do not even attend PCQs because of the current rotation. It is very frustrating for those of us with limited time to test, and compete in two formats at once.

I personally ran into this as we approached PCLA. I am a casual Pro. I compete once a year here in LA. This year I was trying to put together a golden age deck while several of my friends were still trying to tweak their DC modern decks to get them the last few points they needed to Q. So they were focused on modern me on golden. We have limited time as we all work and have familial obligations. Honestly we’re lucky if we can squeeze in a dozen or so games a week. So who gets those games? The guy who’s going for sure to the pro or the guys who still need to get there?

In the mean time they still don’t have as competitive of golden age decks as I’d like to be testing against as they are not even sure if they are going and haven’t had the chance to invest significant time in the format. So even if they do Q in the modern they will be months or at least weeks behind in tweaking their golden age builds. Perhaps this is intentional to create even a wider gap between those who are Q’d and / or have a great deal of time, or who are able to play card games professionally without concern for other matters, and those who play at a less intense level or who have not yet entered the eternally Q’d ranks.

And for those with limited player bases we only get to see so many deck ideas and play styles leading up to the biggest game of the year, as opposed to being exposed to a larger and more varied group of competitive minds.

For me though the toughest part is having to pass on constructed PCQs as I focus on the Big Show. Mr. I.H. Pants took particular offense to my calling DC Modern a pointless format during a post earlier this year, but for me it was. The source of his consternation to my mind appears to be a love of the modern formats, a love which I in fact share but which flamed my ire as with limited time I had to watch it pass by. Watch it pass by. I wanted to play I like having a limited card pool that I can wrap my small mind almost completely around to build from, but when you barely have the time to build and test for an upcoming pro event when was I supposed to play modern. I got burned out of a format, not burned out on it. Sure it’s great for people with unlimited time to have multiple formats to juggle in their mind, but I don’t think that that represents the largest portion of this community. So the question becomes is Vs or UDE more concerned about the masses or the elite?

The answer will be obvious as we maintain our current elite rotation, or make adjustments to accommodate we whining masses.

Thank you

great point. in addition i think theat the pcs should be last. it makes no sense for them to open the format. your susposed to be preparing the whole season for the pc, not right before. it just seems like a better way to go and more conventional.

even if the pc was in the middle of the whatever format thatd be cool too.

So one day the comisioner of baseball says "Hey we should have the world series first, and then play out the season!".

Huh?

Kariggi, I agree...

Rep for you.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I can agree with people who say it'll mess up Silver or Modern but if we did Silver right now the only set missing would be Marvel Team Up and it comes out a month before the PC in Australia anyways so couldn't we just wait until after the the PC to make it legal since making it legal for the PC adds little preparation time for everyone?

Just an idea

this is a post i strongly agree with. and thats exactly how i view it too. i wondered why no one evey complained about this topic. i would have posted it a while back but just thought id get bashed by guys like dalton. not saying that i dont think he has a good opinion. i just know some of the pros really like the way it is. but it has always felt backwards and it kinda pushes me from the game. testing before a format for a pc is lame.

we all know ude gets paid to think of ways to work out stuff like that tho. if theres a problem they need to address it in advance, instead of last minnute. maybe they could do this before the next format opens up.

I remember that underworld deck. I thought of this a long time ago but i didnt know who to say it to.

I agree and disagree.
Yeah decks can be tested for the PC at pcqs
but
a pro cant test at a pcq. If i pro test the deck they are working on then other people find out.

If we all knew what everyone was going to play at a PC then we would know what to tech. You know what i like the idea.

UDE do it now.

For like the millionth time... no pro is gonna play their PC deck at a PCQ. Look at the Boston $10k, what was played there? Good Guys, Titans, Curve Sentinels. It would be just like that.