Well, you CAN expect me to write about every highly viable deck in the format, actaully. The problem with Gay/R is that, yes, Phantom Tape Worm has done well with it, but it does't consistantly top eight anything. The best guage I used was the TMDO (Waterbury), and the preformences of the decks there (this was the largest type one event in history). Gay/R wasn't played at all (only a few of them, maybe 5 out of 191), and no one who dared play it placed at all. This wasn't my only gauge, but it is a good example. Gay/R has been virutally asbesent from top eights, scoring a 7th in Columbus 2 months ago.. thats basically it. Although it is a good budget deck, it really doesn't contend with the top tables, more often that not.
I am in complete agreement with Kerz on this situation. When I prepare for a tournament in my area(Cape Cod) I prepare for a much different set of decks than I would have if i were to go to the TMD Open(Waterbury). Budget decks such as Gay/R, Fish, R/G beats, Belcher(which i consider to be the budget players combo deck) and others are to be seen more often in enviornments such as mine. I will prepare to go up against one or two of these decks each tournament i play in, here. However, My area is, and always will be known as the budget crap players arena. Too many kids/adults that would never normally place highly in larger tournaments do well here, and the few players that would place high are taking first and second. I do consider these decks apart of my metagame, but i need to be aware of where a tournament i am going to is held or who is going. Certain decks will never see showing at tournaments like Waterbury, or the upcoming tournament from Andy Stok, people will not want to consider this tournament a playtest enviornment like they do with my area or small tournaments in general, these tournaments are for the big boys and these decks don't make the cut.
Viewing larger and more competitive tournaments allow Kerz to choose the decks that are almost a "must see" in any tournament you go to, not decks that may appear in one area and not in the next. Since Kowal has stopped making his showings of Ninja Mask here on Cape it has been non existant and i simply don't hear anything about it. I must say that that is the only build i would not proxy if i were to proxy up this Gauntlet. It is a great deck, but I personally will never see it in my area.
The Open Forum is much more easy going than the Actual Type 1 Forum and I find myself annoyed sometimes that i can't post my thoughts there. However here's a few points i would like to make.
People who have "full membership" access come from all over the world while the Basic Members majority seem to be in the Northeast or at least the US. I think this is cause of majority of the arguments. I don't pay as much attention to tournament standings from Europe as i do when i read a top 8 listing from Hadley or Waterbury or even Cape Cod. these tournaments are my metagame enviornment and show decks that i should be prepared against. I honestly believe that This Gauntlet, or any Gauntlet should be geared towards a region in the World and not meant for worldwide analysis. People need to know what decks are going to be played in their hometown tournaments and differ that from decks that will be played in a semi close metagame which will include some of your local decks but also others and again a different one from across the Ocean. Any player should be able to differentiate between these
THREE different metagames and I'm somewhat upset that people in the Type 1 Forum are having so much issue realizing this. The only fault i see that is Kerz' is that he did not mention this difference.
Other than that I really enjoy these Writeups, great deck analysis and explanations. Can't wait for next month.
