The Promo Debate

[Maverick]

How does everyone else handle promo use in their game groups? In the future I will likely be an ambassador and as prize support will be giving out promo cards to my players. That being said I know there is a stigma associated with using promo's for a lot of players. How do you guy's regulate their use? Would seem silly to right out ban them if that is the reward for showing up to events.

[Wildhorn]

They are not legal for tournament (because some are not balanced, yet), so I would not allow them to any event with a reward.

[silverclawgrizzly]

We allow them at our events and tournaments. We've got a group of around a dozen or so who flitter in and out and nobody has ever expressed any desire to not allow them while many of our players seem puzzled by the ban on them elsewhere. We're not gonna give you something you can't use at one of our events at a later date. So yes we use them in our events in which prize support is available. However if other areas don't want to that's their business and they're entitled to their view. Best thing to do is to announce promos are allowed at an event well in advance. Also if anyone I play asks me to take my promos out I will and I suspect others in my area would do the same.

I use them in casual play as well and see them played in casual play. I know of at least two friends using Rain Cloud and Staff of Storms in Air Wizard books. I know pretty much everyone who has Alter of the Iron Guard puts it in a Priestess or Warlord book. I've seen Fire Elementals get played a few times and I fought a Temple High Guard before. I have a now that I think of it promo heavy Anvil Throne Warlord book with 2 Bloodwave Greatbowmen, Alter of the Anvil Guard, Critical Strike, and Vorpal Blade.

[Maverick]

They are not legal for tournament (because some are not balanced, yet), so I would not allow them to any event with a reward.

Are there official tournament rules posted somewhere? I could not find them anywhere.

[silverclawgrizzly]

Errrr yes and no. It's posted somewhere that promos aren't tournament legal. Every event AW does like Origins and Gen Cons specifically state they aren't allowed at those events. However venues are free to do whatever they want far as I know. The supremely casual nature of Mage Wars tournaments pretty much mean you aren't playing for any super great prizes like in Magic or Hero Clix. They're neat but you won't get rich selling them online lol. Again big con events are an exception.

Which is how I'd like it to stay honestly. This game aint collectible after all. Oh time limits on rounds and tie breakers are up to individual venues to figure out too.

[Zuberi]

It comes down to this for me:
1) Promo cards are not balanced for the current card pool.
2) Not everyone has access to promo cards.

These two facts makes them unfair to use in my opinion. With that said, if people want to use them in a casual game, then that is their business. The whole point is to have fun after all. I definitely would not allow them in any competitive event, and official tournaments ran by Arcane Wonders employees do not allow them.

[echephron]

unfair! at least until i am given a bunch of promos...then i may be willing to change my mind

[silverclawgrizzly]

Come to my charity tournament in November and I'll load you up with promos ;D

[Brian VanAlstyne]

Which promo cards aren't balanced? I've seen a ton of promos and while some are good, none break the game. The Wizard's Tower and The Forcemaster's ability to basically triple strike are all way worse than any promo card, I've seen.

[lil_drag_n]

Have u seen the ballista?  That is op.  We use promo in our play group for causal play but even then we have to Nerf ballista to 2 Peirce 4 dice. Which is still very powerful.

[Coshade]

I would suggest announcing that promos are legal before you start an event. If people don't have the cards I would let them proxy. It makes for more fun games.

[silverclawgrizzly]

Even I'll concede I wouldn't let Ballista into a game, but then I've never actually seen one in person.

Coshade you are 100% on the money there.

[Schwenkgott]

The Ballista is the only promo card, that could use some balancing. All other promo cards are fine and a (good) tournament should allow players to use them.
There is nothing unfair about it when a player, who has participated in several tournaments with promo rewards, has a greater card pool compared to a new player.

[Zuberi]

There is nothing unfair about it when a player, who has participated in several tournaments with promo rewards, has a greater card pool compared to a new player.

So, people who discovered the game earlier should be given an advantage over new comers? And people who are more skilled in tournaments should be granted a greater advantage beyond their natural skills? How is this fair?

I don't see how anyone can possibly argue that promo cards are fair to use. A fair playing field means all players have equal opportunity. Promo cards are by definition a restricted resource that not everybody has access to. The only way to make the use of promo cards fair would be to allow proxies. Which is actually fine in a casual setting, but I doubt it would be kosher in a tournament with prize support.

[silverclawgrizzly]

Lets keep it civil ok? First it's fair if you let proxies in casual sure. At a tournament you can provide access to your promo cards to new players for use at the tournament. Promos are only restricted if the venue makes them so. Otherwise it's a very simple problem to get around honestly. I can speak from experience that they do not prove to be a problem in a prized tournament environment so long as you A: Announce their legality in advance and B: Make it known they can be borrowed from the venue. This gives people plenty of time to practice using them via proxies and access to the genuine article once they arrive. Then you simply give them the promo cards they used as a participation prize. Not like you don't get plenty of copies of each in an OP Kit :)