in a vain attempt to inject some decks of actual interest into this years Nationals, i am offering up the small prize of my 2012 Australian Nationals playmat to anyone who can win a National with a mixed faction 'Investigator' deck (ie. Misk / Agency / Synd / H.o.s.t). let's call it 'The International Johnny Award for Excellence and Innovation in Deckbuilding' - hahaha. if i had more to give then i would, and if on the off chance i make it big this year, then i'll even throw in some cash (i'll let you know - haha). i really doubt this will change anyone's perception, but, i'm willing to try anything to rectify last years abysmal results. what say you ??

hell, i'd even consider giving it to someone who reaches the Final with such a deck (if it impressed me). if you say it simply can't be done, then that only proves a lot of what i've been saying about how boring and predictable the 'meta' is !!

but please, go ahead and take the challenge. even if you don't win, at least you'll have proved that you're not just another talentless meta monkey (and there are those who will respect you for it). hee hee hee hee heeeeeeee.

_{DISCLAIMER: depending on the extremely off chance that FFG releases another 'Investigator' Faction box pre-Nationals that reveals some new and boring way to win with the use of a set series of cards, then the prize conditions may change to reflect this (by simply renouncing the new 'power play'). this in no way will effect the prize being given to a deck that deserves it and at this time no such condition is in place with the card pool as it stands. after all, this is 'The International JOHNNY Award for Excellence and Innovation in Deckbuilding', and it would not serve to be awarded to a common and prevalent 'strategy' that makes use of any such new and over-powered combination. any such changes will be announced pending such an unexpected release.}

We all know you'll just award it to yourself.

Seriously though, this is a fun idea. I have trouble thinking that a johnny deck with a surprise factor will win out over a well-oiled, efficient Shub/whatever deck, but it definitely appeals to the side of our humanity that wants to root for the underdog.

So just to get this clear, the decks you want can't have ANY AO cards AT ALL of any count? Not even Snow Graves or x1 Nug, or Black Dog?

oh. i probably won't even be competing. it's not worth the time, travel and expenses for me to be frustrated again just seeing the title go to a deck / player that i have absolutely no respect for, and even if i did compete i'd have to win first !! but, for safety's sake then lets add this further addendum.

_{NOTE: any employee or relative to the governing body is non-applicable to win the said prize.}

hahaha. happy now ?? ; )

but seriously, i'd just like to see people actually use their brains and create some decks that don't just build themselves, or copy previous Regionals / Nationals decks that have proved successful. i mean really, is winning that important ?? do you need to validate yourself that much that you're willing to just use the most powerful, over used and talentless combinations available ?? apparently it was last year, and this proves nothing about your ability as a player / deckbuilder in my eyes.

good point on the Snow Graves and I will make this ONE exception as it defies the Ancient One Factions quite nicely. thanks for the input about this. much appreciated. Nug and the Black Dog are definately not 'johnny' material as i believe we'll be seeing quite a lot of these.

also, in the ridiculously rare chance that more than 1 'Investigator' MIXED Faction deck wins the titles, the award would go to the one competing in the tournament with the most competitors.

i know its likely that nobody will take this seriously, tournaments seem to attract a crowd who are hell bent on winning at all costs, including the enjoyment of other players not so inclined, but i am trying, and an AUSTRALIAN playmat isn't something you can just pick up anywhere. you'd also have the distinct honour of being able to say how you in fact came by it.

so to clarify:

SNOW GRAVES is the ONLY acceptable card from Ancient One Factions (at this stage).

Sorry to disappoint, but Jamburg is way too good in Syndicate skill reduction deck to even think about not including it, and I know how much you despise that card. ;P Besides, I think a lot of currently janky stuff will be addressed in the next FAQ (including infinite Hamu, Necro-Logan, and hopefully Nug).

It's a little ironic that you come down on people wanting to feel validated by winning, when you want to feel validated by coming up with out-of-the-box decks. To each his own, I guess.

Of course, I'm just ribbing you. I probably wouldn't have a chance of winning even with a rip-off deck, so I actually am considering trying this out. But I don't want the playmat though. I have one idea that I will try to post in the coming week in the deckbuilding forum.

haha. fair calls. and im totally open to people using Jamburg if they do it in a human factioned deck. as well as Nodens, whom i also cannot abide. i cant very well expect someone to win without using some of the nice cards.

i've got no problem with people wanting to validate themselves by winning, but how about they do it using their own decks and doing it with a degree of intelligence and style, not just the most powerful factions and cards available at the time which takes no skill at all. and to be honest, i really dont recieve any validation at all with my deck building. people just aren't that interested in my ideas it seems, and they get ragged more often than not for being below the realms of competativeness. i often get the feeling im simply wasting my time with the wrong crowd who have a different frame of mind.

i truth, the ascerbic nature of my posts are merely an attempt to rattle the cage and shake people into becoming creative and making this game something more than just Shub domain ramping / Things in the Ground / Hastur controlling and Cthulhu destruction. its boring. its mundane. and its ruining the game for a lot of people. i myself am about to go and find something new, as the attitudes towards the 'meta' and whats hot and whats not simply doesn't make any sense to me.

and if you have an idea, and plan to use it at the Nationals, then i wouldn't post it otherwise you may give away the surprise factor.

BUT, of course a straight syndicate skill reduction deck isn't compatible with the terms of the competition as it needs to be a MIXED faction deck. i've constructed it in this way as we've already seen a multitude of Syndicate skill / Agency day / Miskatonic Investigator decks and these are nothing new or Johnny oriented.

anyway. the terms are the terms. im disappearing from the forums as im devoting my time to the niche underground johnny community that i find far more stimulating and we actually appreciate each others effort we put into the game in creating non meta decks, so i'll just check back post Nationals to see if anyone has won the prize (unless the Disclaimer comes into effect which i seriously doubt).

as a further note. i really don't require validation anyway. after only 2 weeks from being introduced to the game, and having never played a card game previously, i understood the nature and finer internal workings of the game and built a deck that changed the entire course of the 2012 meta, one which the World Champion himself deemed good enough to copy. of course that was before i realised just how powerful my idea was and subsequently refused to continue using it. but. thats all the validation i need - hahaha.