PDA

View Full Version : Die Determination



MattH
02-11-2010, 12:41 PM
So sometimes when you're the person with the first creature out, you want to attack, but don't know who to hit. Often, people around here will roll a die to decide which of the available targets to attack each turn, until it becomes clear who needs more pressure put upon them.

Sheldon Menery considers it a coward's move, saying you should "own your aggression". However, many groups consider this method to be fair and since they weren't specifically targeted, they won't necessarily retaliate - meaning you get "free" attacks (attacks without consequences). In such groups it could therefore be the strategically best choice.

What do ya'll think of this type of play?

Loxodon Baileyarch
02-11-2010, 01:24 PM
Attack the person with the best deck, or the guy with Sharuum, in my playgroup.

Tychoides
02-11-2010, 03:45 PM
It seems to me that attacking the person with the strongest/most broken general first is the best play, since it engenders goodwill with other players and the fact that the person with the strongest general will probably be expecting it anyway. If there is no clear-cut favorite, it seems that the random roll would be the next best choice despite what Sheldon says. I suppose you could also take player skill into the equation if you're familiar with the people playing, too.

Mayk0l
02-12-2010, 07:19 AM
I'm the guy with the Jhoira deck.

I'm all for dice rolling, it makes me win the game

AngryTroll
02-12-2010, 11:35 AM
When I sit down with a high powered deck, I can't really begrudge someone for attacking me. As long as the love gets spread around, it's not a big deal if I take the first hit. I'm a big fan of knocking out the combo player right away.

xXxBretWeedxXx
02-12-2010, 11:38 AM
I attack the strongest deck or the person who won the last time I played. If no one has a scary deck or didnt win then I do a die roll.

Aggro_zombies
02-12-2010, 03:04 PM
I usually start by attacking people in turn order, starting with the guy after me.

I'm not known for being aggressive in the early game, though. Usually if I'm shooting, I'm shooting to kill.

MULocke
02-12-2010, 03:39 PM
There are two ways to think about this.

One: "My goal is to win." In this light, Sheldon's theory of starting your own aggression because it's what you "should" do and "cowardly" otherwise holds no merit at all. Rolling a die seems like the best option, as it seems "fair" to the other players at the table and very rarely produces retaliation. Thus, this method will usually give you, as you said, free attacks and is more profitable compared to the other options where it is more lkely you make an enemy early in the game. It should be noted that expending resources early in the game just to get some attacks in is usually not in your best interests, as having more resources in the later stages will usually get you the win.

Two: "My primary goal is to make this game of Magic as fun of an experience as possible for everyone." Here, Sheldon is likely correct. Choosing someone to attack using the mentioned criteria of best general, who is the biggest threat, or anything else makes the game much more exciting than "sorry, you lost the roll." A fun battle can emerge between you and another player trying to beat up on or otherwise hinder each other in increasingly hilarious fashion. Or, it can just make for a more exciting game.

These methods are not mutually exclusive, and this distinction in gameplay is one of the fundamental questions of the format that has yet to have been answered as a whole (almost every group has a different answer). I myself am really unsure what to think here. Mix and match these two paths as needed (case-by-case basis) to get the best results, I guess.

Anusien
02-12-2010, 04:03 PM
The problem with rolling a die is if you roll a die and bash me for 6, I'm not going to be any less pissed because you didn't choose it. I'm still going to retaliate.

I think you attack with one of three strategies:
A) Attack everybody more or less equally
B) Hit someone because they hit you
C) Hit the guy with the scariest deck/board

Forbiddian
02-12-2010, 04:40 PM
If I were a possible target, I would consider myself to have been attacked.

If Schrodinger's cat lives, Schrodinger is still guilty of animal cruelty.