Do Leylines Encourage Cheating?

[Cavius The Great]

I think that everyone has seem the guildpact spoilers and are familiar with the "Leyline" cards. Those who are not familiar with them, I can give a brief description; they basically come into play for free if you have them in your opening hand. That being said, wouldn't a card like that "temp" players to pack over four copies in their decks? In loosely enforced tournaments that can very well happen when the decks aren't properly inspected. The only situation where that would not be possible would be a PTQ or something similiar. My question is, "If you play FNM or any weekly tournaments, would you consider the leylines a threat against player integrity?"

Moved from the Legacy Development Forum. - Bardo

[Lunar]

Does the lure of Tinker or Oath or Welder in your opening hand tempt you to cheat?

how silly...cheaters will cheat regardless, I doubt the OVERWHELMING POWER of leylines will do much if anything in this regard.

[Kowal]

I think what he's implying is that it's easier to get away with running six leylines than it is to get away with running six tinkers.

[Tha Gunslinga]

You could run 6 FoWs or 6 Mana Drains just as easily, or 2 YawgWills.  I don't see any reason for people to cheat more now.

[The Atog Lord]

I think what he's implying is that it's easier to get away with running six leylines than it is to get away with running six tinkers.

Please play twelve against me.

[Cavius The Great]

I think what he's implying is that it's easier to get away with running six leylines than it is to get away with running six tinkers.

Exactly. Leylines also give an extra incentive to cheaters to pack around 8 for example, increasing their odds of getting it into play on the first turn. Leylines are basically "free" on the first turn, so wouldn't packing 8 increase those odds?

[Lou]

I think what he's implying is that it's easier to get away with running six leylines than it is to get away with running six tinkers.

Exactly. Leylines also give an extra incentive to cheaters to pack around 8 for example, increasing their odds of getting it into play on the first turn. Leylines are basically "free" on the first turn, so wouldn't packing 8 increase those odds?

What are you going to do with those other 7?  Leyline of the Void seems to be the only remotely possible Leyline that will see play in Type 1, and if you end up drawing 7 extra ones, you have probably assured your loss.

To answer your original question, fuck no, no one will want to cheat by running extra Leylines, because it doesn't have a big benefit.  Run 2 Ancestrals, or 2 Loti.  That would be savage.  But Leylines?  No.

[Matt]

Most EVERY card has a big benefit from being in your opening hand. That's what makes them good cards. Certainly Lotus, or LoA or FoW would be better. Just because the Leylines are ONLY good in your opening hand, doesn't mean they're going to make cheating more tempting.

This is actually one of the worst ways to cheat, because it's possible to prove it by a deckcheck. Manaweaving or palming cards is much harder to prove without a camera.

[Evenpence]

Most EVERY card has a big benefit from being in your opening hand. That's what makes them good cards. Certainly Lotus, or LoA or FoW would be better. Just because the Leylines are ONLY good in your opening hand, doesn't mean they're going to make cheating more tempting.

This is actually one of the worst ways to cheat, because it's possible to prove it by a deckcheck. Manaweaving or palming cards is much harder to prove without a camera.

Amen.  Palming Cards is actually the hardest of everything to check, because even with a camera, it's hard to tell, and it's certainly the most effiecent way to cheat.

You can always get caught playing Ubastax, and revealing 5 mana drains, or (even stupider) a second copy of a restricted bomb.

You virtually cannot, however, catch someone who palms a black lotus in their sleeve.  It's an amazing talent, but it shouldn't be used to cheat.  I know a bunch of people who can palm cards, and we're always sure to shuffle for them on Poker night.    Doing a random count of cards is good too, because it's quick and doesn't require the hassle of a deckcheck.

[Cavius The Great]

I'm new to that concept. Does palming cards damage them in any way? It seems like it would if they're bent to a certain degree.

[Aaron]

It seems silly to cheat by loading your deck with excess Leylines. Personally, I would much rather pack a few extra Mana Drains, Smokestacks, or whatever (not that I would  ) than Leylines. I'd say they're better to have in your opening seven.

[Mykeatog]

Is this really what it has come to?

TMD is impressive.