Cards with more than 1 art

[mrieff]

I was wondering what people do with cards that have more than one art (City of Brass, BoPs, Wraths etc) Do you try to get a playset of the single piece of art you like best, or do you try to get as different arts in your playset as possible?
Myself I prefer variety, so I try to get as many different versions as possible. And yes, for me that means leaving my playset foil Asian Brainstorms in the box to play with a FNM one!

[Nefarias]

I personally try to get four of the same version. There is a slight strategic advantage to having four of the same version in your deck, so that's reasons enough for me.

[Bram]

Yeah, definitely 4 identical ones. I even hate to have 3 japanese and 1 chinese version (or whatever). It irks me incredibly. Also, I tend to choose the oldest available artwork. Not because it's necessarily prettier (I mean, BoP is pretty much an example of a drastic art improvenent ) but because it somehow feels more 'authentic'. Does that make sense to anyone else but me?

[chrissss]

4 idential ones is just better than 4 different ones. although I do have bobs from different editions.

if your opponent knows you have a brainstorm, you play a 2nd one later in the game, and you play a different art one, it means that he know you have another in your hand.

( this is a stupid example, but there are other examples of when this can be usefull)

[wethepeople]

I generally like variety in my deck, though I do understand why it is "better" to run identicals simply because your opponent can keep track, although this seems rare to me and really has little effect on the actual game. The only thing that I really like to have four identicals in my deck is Force of Will, but I can't even get different ones, unless that is, I altered the art.

I have all different Gorilla Shamans, two of the original arts from Fallen Empires, one modified with Moxes drawn on to them, and the other lightened by an eraser and re-colored by a variety of Sharpies, it seemed fun at the time... I don't think it matters really if my opponent knows that I run four Monkeys in my deck.

[zeus-online]

Pick the art you prefer, get a pimped out version of said card, with said art. play with 'em! its that easy 

/Zeus

[Anusien]

There is one circumstance where having different art is an advantage - Tron.  If you have all different UrzaTron pieces and don't stack them together by piece, it will be difficult for your opponent to assess your mana production capabilities easily.  Especially if they're foreign.

[Roxas]

Some of my friends tried that. They told me it can be counter-productive, because much time often gets wasted by the opponent having to ask how many of each Tron piece you have every few turns throughout the game.

[ErkBek]

There is one circumstance where having different art is an advantage - Tron.  If you have all different UrzaTron pieces and don't stack them together by piece, it will be difficult for your opponent to assess your mana production capabilities easily.  Especially if they're foreign.

..conventionally known as CHEATING.

[netherspirit]

I personally try to go for the oldest art possile, just for the nostalgaic feel.

If the old art sucks, though, I just go for the coolest looking art. But I always use four of the chosen art when possible, I just think that having too many arts makes the deck feel a bit random and sloopy.

  netherspirit

[ashiXIII]

There is one circumstance where having different art is an advantage - Tron.  If you have all different UrzaTron pieces and don't stack them together by piece, it will be difficult for your opponent to assess your mana production capabilities easily.  Especially if they're foreign.

..conventionally known as CHEATING.

That's what I was going to post, but you beat me to it.

[vroman]

There is one circumstance where having different art is an advantage - Tron.  If you have all different UrzaTron pieces and don't stack them together by piece, it will be difficult for your opponent to assess your mana production capabilities easily.  Especially if they're foreign.

..conventionally known as CHEATING.

how is this cheating? every card in your deck is legal, and you are free to clump your cards together on the table however you want.
I have friends who play standard who insist on getting textless versions of playable cards whenever possible, as part of an overarching strategy of providing as little information as possible to the opponent.
for example, putrefy doesnt allow regeneration, whereas mortify does. If you cast textless mortify, and your opponent chooses not to regenerate his creature, bc he assumes he cant, based on his experience w the more commonly played putrefy, then you are the winnar.

[matt_v]

If the head judge determines that a player is using non-English–language cards and/or misprints to create an advantage by using misleading text or artwork, that player will be subject to the appropriate provisions of the DCI Penalty Guidelines.

That is why it is cheating.

-Matt

[vroman]

then why are those cards legal?

[OfficeShredder]

You can use them, you just can't use them to create a confusing game state.

I discussed an advantage to alternative artwork on SCG forums.... suppose I flip a PS meddling mage with a dark confidant.  I then cast brainstorm, and draw into a judge's edition foil.  I put the PS meddling mage back, and crack a fetchland to play the judge's edition.  My opponent can think I have a second meddling mage, when I really don't.