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Although Sadducees need a boost, they will not likely be in the decks cause they were in the last starters.

The first two I can see, but don't think they would do demons in a starter deck.

I'm not sure why Phillys do. They have a lot of really good cards. Cannanites need a boost because they're new, but Saducees are still lacking even with the Disciples stuff.

I'm not of the opinion that Phillies are particularly viable this season. Their problem is that, while they have some strong characters, they are very much lacking in unnegatable battle winners, and they really need a comprehensive protect fortress. Plus, while they have strong characters, pretty much all of the characters either give up initiative very easily, get stomped by the current Samuel-dominated meta, or both. Canaanites need a boost not because they're new, but because they're weak. The new set gave them a great jumping off point, but the best part about them (Tower of Thebez) requires all Canaanite evil characters, and that's not a particularly viable standalone defense, again, in my opinion. Sadducees need help because they are bad, plain and simple. Someone (I believe Prof A) has done some impressive stuff with them in large numbers, but it was always in conjunction with another theme. Frankly, I think black Sadducees should be dissolved as a theme, and they should simply be reprinted in grey to make Pharisees a "Phars & Sads" theme, but that's just my opinion.

Romans, Heretics, Persians, Demons, & Assyrians need some good updates.

Romans need some solid enhancements and maybe an exclusive weapon or two that can do some damage. If I recall correctly, heretics and magicians have some overlap, so perhaps printing a few heretical magicians would be a good theme. I don't like Persians as a theme because I don't believe brown needs another theme, but it's already half-created, so I guess it's too late for that complaint. Demons need to be handled carefully, lest they become overpowered. Gates of Hell made them into an extremely unique theme, but it would not take much for them to become inadvertently broken. Assyrians don't need any updates right now; they thrive in T2 right now, and they're likely going to thrive in T2 next season as well, unless they receive some brutal counters. They're not that good in T1, but they don't need to be. Again, this is all in my opinion.

I oppose demons in starter decks. I fear that that would be bad for PR, since many soccer moms would not be particularly thrilled to find that little Johnny has been playing with demons and loving it.

Sorry, I meant Syrians, I accidentally put Assyrians. I agree Assyrians don't need a boost.
As to Demons in the Deck, They may just put non-Orange Demons in (maybe) or just like a Demon that just bands to a Human. But I'd be pretty sure that if they do put any in, they won't be very (if at all) helpful to the Demon theme.
Romans need some more competent characters too, if they have both of those (and at least a Protect Fort) then they would actually be good.

Quote from: Chris on April 28, 2012, 12:12:00 AM

I fear that that would be bad for PR, since many soccer moms would not be particularly thrilled to find that little Johnny has been playing with demons and loving it.

If that were the case, then there is no reason to further hide the fact the game has demons in it by not putting them in starter decks.

I think it's different here. A lot of parents buy a couple starter decks and maybe a few boosters and call it a day, so there's less likely to be a concentration of demons in a kid's deck, which would likely be more acceptable. At the very least, it would be more acceptable than a demon-based defense with the lynchpin being "The Gates of Hell".

The soccer mom is just as likely to be upset that her little whats-his-face is playing with any evil people and loving it though. But he will soon come to the darkside of the stand alone meta defense anyway so no big

I'm not sure that's true. Keep in mind that I'm not just hypothesizing here either; I was raised by a relatively conservative mother with some really conservative friends who raised their children under pretty strict guidelines and rules. I can see a lot of these mothers looking at "Evil characters" as one thing and "demons" as another entirely. There's no basis of proof on either side, but that's why I'm against demons in the new starter decks. I agree with your other point though, Uzzah's not even really evil in the Bible.

Uzzah's not even really evil in the Bible.

And Am Slave wasn't really evil either, so that's about a third of the meta defense that isn't really evil.

Yea, Hitler's... Oops I meant Haman's Plot is evil, KoT is a Demon, and Gomer seemed to go through her rebellious teen years a little late, but turned good afterwards.

3rd had Lying Spirit, Deceiving Spirit, and Unclean Spirit. Personally, my Mom made me swear never to use those cards in my deck. (Namely Lying Spirit)

Plus no one from MN would ever buy the starter.

Good, that means more for us.

Actually, I liked Yugioh too. A lot of the art was awesome!
But I can imagine that they may put some non-Orange Demons in there or at maybe a Beast or 2.
Personally I'm wondering if they will have Dual-brigade cards in the deck this time. That would be cool to see.

I liked the art on Yugioh too, but when it comes to selling a christian card game you can't have art like that. Just look at how conservative some of these parents are ( not that it is wrong) but just loosen up some.

MtG art > YGO art. Steve Argyle is my favorite artist ever.