Cactus Game Design Message Boards

It depends on your deck configuration but Uzzah is a highly splashable character that can play Confusion. The problem being that he usually won’t live long enough to get initiative. But in the event that your opponent has one of the many “chump” block counters it’s a secondary use for him. Taking a soul winning Dom is essentially on par with an auto block if not better.

Gomer TexP is another highly splashable brown EC. Both her and Uzzah are an easy Reserve add if you run The Deceiver. Then you might consider Haman’s Plot too. And now you’re starting to look like a meta defense. 

I have to start this post with a disclaimer.  I haven't played many open category games outside of my (very young & beginner) players in my playgroup.  When I do, it also tends to be Type 2 games.

But I don't know how people feel, but I think that Confusion's stock should actually be up!  The games I have played and the people I've "deck crafted" with seem to show a significant drop in Covenant of Prayer.  This card was a questionable add because you didn't want someone to get to drop SoG 3 times in a game, but yet if CoP isn't being played then this isn't a true worry.  The people I'm seeing play CoP now are playing it in battle (or an early artifact) to grab something out of their reserve.  So because very few people actually hold CoP any more Confusion can typically pop off with no fear of an adverse effect happening!

That's how I've been feeling about CoP lately. People started dropping Gain even before FoM launched, and as more and more cards with reserve access come out, generic access like CoP becomes less and less important. I know people who dropped it at Nats this year, and even some that still had it have dropped it in favor of Majestic Heavens (since MH doesn't take an artifact slot and drawing one more isn't an issue for their deck).

In this respect, Confusion is shaping up to look pretty good again. Not to mention that in T2 half the time you don't even want to hit their SoG - if you can identify a pivotal 4-of then removing them can win you the game.

AotL, TSC, CM, 3W are basically guaranteed to be in their deck, chose one not in their discard pile

I have to start this post with a disclaimer.  I haven't played many open category games outside of my (very young & beginner) players in my playgroup.  When I do, it also tends to be Type 2 games.

But I don't know how people feel, but I think that Confusion's stock should actually be up!  The games I have played and the people I've "deck crafted" with seem to show a significant drop in Covenant of Prayer.  This card was a questionable add because you didn't want someone to get to drop SoG 3 times in a game, but yet if CoP isn't being played then this isn't a true worry.  The people I'm seeing play CoP now are playing it in battle (or an early artifact) to grab something out of their reserve.  So because very few people actually hold CoP any more Confusion can typically pop off with no fear of an adverse effect happening!

This is the side effect of making a card as powerful and easy to use as Confusion.  You have to print counters.  It has basically 2 counters (CoP, or the placed enhancements that you can discard to negate/discard last).  CoP being in every deck is the only reason Confusion wasn't included in every deck the past few years. 

Now that CoP is being used less, there's no reason not to play Confusion in basically any deck that you have at least 3 Brown and/or PG characters in.  And as Confusion makes a comeback, CoP will make a comeback as well. 

Sadly, both Confusion/CoP will push out other cards from decks that could lead to greater deck diversity.

Quote from: Josh on November 20, 2018, 12:43:00 PM

This is the side effect of making a card as powerful and easy to use as Confusion.  You have to print counters.  It has basically 2 counters (CoP, or the placed enhancements that you can discard to negate/discard last).  CoP being in every deck is the only reason Confusion wasn't included in every deck the past few years.

I think there's a third type of counter that has also become both more commonly available and more risky to play - hand and deck protection.

I know a lot of things recently have been printed with hand and deck protect on them (Tables of the Law comes to mind), but there really should be other cards that reward you for doing so (cards with a bonus like "CBN if your hand or deck is protected." or, "Do this twice if your hand or deck is protected."). I could see those hand and deck protect card values go way up with things like that. Right now, there isn't a whole lot of reason to use them. Unless Egyptians become heavily played.

Quote from: Gabe on November 20, 2018, 03:34:20 PM

Quote from: Josh on November 20, 2018, 12:43:00 PM

This is the side effect of making a card as powerful and easy to use as Confusion.  You have to print counters.  It has basically 2 counters (CoP, or the placed enhancements that you can discard to negate/discard last).  CoP being in every deck is the only reason Confusion wasn't included in every deck the past few years.

I think there's a third type of counter that has also become both more commonly available and more risky to play - hand and deck protection.

I know a lot of things recently have been printed with hand and deck protect on them (Tables of the Law comes to mind), but there really should be other cards that reward you for doing so (cards with a bonus like "CBN if your hand or deck is protected." or, "Do this twice if your hand or deck is protected."). I could see those hand and deck protect card values go way up with things like that. Right now, there isn't a whole lot of reason to use them. Unless Egyptians become heavily played.

Hand and deck protection are a legitimate 3rd counter that I forgot about.  However, all the ones that might make the cut in a competitive deck are completely negatable - susceptible to 3 Woes and so many other cards that also see competitive play.  And it's tough for Crowds to earn a slot as one of your 7 LS (especially if your deck likes to draw 2+ cards on your turn), Tables of the Law to compete for an Art slot, Jacob (CoW) to be in your deck unless you are playing Genesis or Prophets, Self-Control has way too much risk and only plays with 2 brigades, etc.