There have been instances in MtG tournaments where players have been banned for manipulating their decks, even after a ripple shuffle. They would take their cards out which were stacked a certain way, so for example all lands on the top, then ripple shuffle so they were nicely separated between their other cards. Cutting the deck wouldn't change this as they were manipulated so they could draw a good hand of sufficient lands and other card types to play.

Technically the same thing could potentially be done in this game to give you a good selection of upgrades/cheap resource cards that could give you an early advantage. Its etiquette to offer a deck to be cut after you have shuffled but that player can still choose to randomise the cards further after a shuffle if they wanted to do so or if they suspected something. I certainly wouldn't ripple shuffle another persons deck and would also request if they wanted to randomise my deck further not to ripple shuffle mine. If I wanted to randomise someone's deck then I would deal them into several piles and pick each one up in a random order so nothing was damaged or bent. I would also suggest that the other player did something similar as an alternative to ripple shuffling my own deck.

So, if I'm reading this correctly , I should offer my deck to my opponent to cut/shuffle after I shuffle my mulliganed cards back into my deck before I draw back up to 5.

Sorry for the dog-pile, Hawkman2000. I've not played a CCG in 15 years and just couldn't remember the proper etiquette and wanted a quick refresher. I never intended the simple question to turn south like that.

Cut sure no problem, shuffle not going to happen.

I will not allow others to shuffle because not everyone treats cards the same as I do and I am not going to give them the opportunity to damage them.

And when I was playing MTG back in the day, allowing your opponent to shuffle was a courtesy not a requirement.

Isn't this why we use card sleeves to protect them? At the beginning of the game just mention that if they would rather shuffle your deck than cut it all you as is they are careful and don't ruffle shuffle of you will force choke them. Shuffling slows things down and most would just cut anyway.

Guys just to be sure. The pregame mulligan can be performed one time only right? Because it seems that someone think that you can do as many times as you can

If that were the case, they may as well have just had you start with your choice of 5 cards in hand and then shuffle your remaining 25 cards.

On a related topic: what is the overall accepted etiquette for post-mulligan shuffle? Should you allow your opponent to cut your deck again before you draw back up to 5?

Just like with any other kind of "people touching each other's stuff", I wouldn't necessarily want my opponent to cut or otherwise manipulate my deck. They can certainly have me reshuffle if they think the initial shuffle was off or something.

You may not want it or like it, but in a competitive card game, it's standard practice that any time you shuffle your deck you should present it to your opponent to at least cut it, and they'd have the option to shuffle it.

Cut sure no problem, shuffle not going to happen.

I will not allow others to shuffle because not everyone treats cards the same as I do and I am not going to give them the opportunity to damage them.

And when I was playing MTG back in the day, allowing your opponent to shuffle was a courtesy not a requirement.

Then you are going to have problems.

Go look at the event rules for FFGs other games. They require you to present your deck to your opponent for them to have an opportunity to shuffle and cut your deck.

I'm not sure when you played MTG but this isn't a new thing there either. At their highest level of play you are not only required to present your deck to your opponent, they are actually required to shuffle it not just cut it. That isn't a really enforced rule and to my understanding is more to ensure that players are aware that they can and should shuffle their opponents deck and doing so is in no way rude.

Simply cutting a deck does not undo certain types of deck stacking nor ensure randomization . You must shuffle to do that.

If you're not going to allow your opponent to shuffle your deck you're going to send up huge red flags to anyone that is even remotely aware of why this is a thing. No half decent TO is going to allow you to tell your opponent they can't shuffle. I hope you can come to terms with that requirement.

I'm a huge proponent of "Don't touch my stuff ever." And stated so in the dice thread, but even I thought it was common knowledge that cards always at least get a cut if not a shuffle at your opponents discretion. It has nothing to do with damaging stuff, and everything to do with the very real threat of deck stacking.

Jesus... I hate the competitive gaming scene.

I both want to compete, and can't stand the inevitable draw of people who do scummy crap like deck stacking or trick shuffles to win.

Personally, I fully understand not wanting to let others touch your cards. I barely trust *myself* to take proper care of them, let alone Joe Schmoe.

Furthermore, and this is just me, if someone wants to win to the exclusion of all other considerations *THAT* badly, badly enough to cheat at shuffling... I'll let them win. I just don't care that much, and I refuse to be MADE to care by their inadequacy as competitors.

FFG events don't have cash prizes, folks. If you need to win a set of acrylic tokens so badly that you sacrifice any semblance of sportsmanship... you can have it. Gross.

Again, these are just my feelings on the matter, and don't speak to the necessity of tournament regulations so much as my attitude toward them. I trust my opponent to shuffle his own cards simply because if I *CAN'T* trust them that much, I'd rather be ignorant than disgusted.

Jesus... I hate the competitive gaming scene.

I both want to compete, and can't stand the inevitable draw of people who do scummy crap like deck stacking or trick shuffles to win.

Personally, I fully understand not wanting to let others touch your cards. I barely trust *myself* to take proper care of them, let alone Joe Schmoe.

Furthermore, and this is just me, if someone wants to win to the exclusion of all other considerations *THAT* badly, badly enough to cheat at shuffling... I'll let them win. I just don't care that much, and I refuse to be MADE to care by their inadequacy as competitors.

FFG events don't have cash prizes, folks. If you need to win a set of acrylic tokens so badly that you sacrifice any semblance of sportsmanship... you can have it. Gross.

Again, these are just my feelings on the matter, and don't speak to the necessity of tournament regulations so much as my attitude toward them. I trust my opponent to shuffle his own cards simply because if I *CAN'T* trust them that much, I'd rather be ignorant than disgusted.

The regionals and above prizes for x-wing sell for hundreds of dollars. They may not do cash prizes, but you can still GET some cash from the higher level tournaments.

Jesus... I hate the competitive gaming scene.

I play to win, but I don't have to win to play.

A competitive gamer will actually be a fair and honest person. He wants the game to be as challenging as it can be because it is fun. He will provide deck, play and general advice that can improve your ability to play. He'll laugh for the joy of playing, and be a joy to play.

A non-competitive gamer who must win on the other hand will do everything he can to avoid a fair and honest game, he just wants to win. He'll sulk when he loses and gloat when he wins.