I've been working on Brawl ever since Gerritt Turner brought it to my attention ages ago, and in addition to the article today, I also want to provide a bit of additional context about how it came to be, and the story behind Gerritt creating it. So here's a thread! #wotcstaff
(And just to clarify first: this story isn't to say Brawl is only for new players. Even the most seasoned R&D veterans have had a blast with it! But I like its creation story because it shows how it's a great way to game with your less experienced Magic friends, too.) #wotcstaff
A lot of the concept stemmed from remembering what it was like to be a new player and introducing many friends to Magic. You see, Gerritt had a playgroup that he thought a Standard card pool might be the best fit for. However, they were a social gaming group. #wotcstaff
Commander is Magic’s most social, board game-like format. He thought: what if the bar to entry could be lower to allow newer players to enjoy this kind of play, yet still fun for veterans? Our yearly Commander decks are one way, but there's still a ton going on there. #wotcstaff
And while certainly fun, Standard can be competitive and often demands 4 copies of a card. But what if deckbuilding with recent cards was not just about competitive standard? Was there some kind of medium between the two? #wotcstaff
Hence: Brawl. Brawl helps out the newer player by keeping the amount of cards you need and mechanics you have to understand to play manageable, while still retaining plenty of room to explore and cool decks to build for veterans. #wotcstaff
Brawl lets it be so if you open up something exciting, it's easy to just build with it or stick it in your deck rather than figure out how many more of that card you need. In a sense, it really hearkens back to what Magic felt like when we all started! #wotcstaff
As he and his group tried it out (and then brought it to Wizards and we tried it out), we found the construction of Brawl really helped with all of that. It was a format that allowed players to socially play together with ease, regardless of card pool or skill level. #wotcstaff
It also had a few bonuses! Bonus point #1: Most Planeswalkers and Legendary Creatures are deck ideas in themselves and give new deckbuilders clear directions to follow, helping people build fun and functional decks. #wotcstaff
Bonus point #2: When a Brawl player is ready to go deeper, they have the bones of either a Standard deck or a Commander deck they’re already comfortable with. All Brawl decks are legal in Standard events, and just 40 cards away from Commander! #wotcstaff
While there are many great things about Brawl, one thing I’d especially love for people to be thinking about with Brawl is how good it can at creating fun gameplay with friends – especially those newer to Magic – and its effectiveness as a gateway to Constructed play. #wotcstaff
Okay, now: let's get out there and Brawl! :D
#wotcstaff
#wotcstaff
