Preview: Starter Decks
Too often in the trading card game industry, the term "starter deck" is used to mean "sample deck". It's common for starter decks to be slapdash piles of weak cards, thrown together around a vague theme, and sold at full price as an introduction.
This approach does the player base a disservice twice over. First, there is little value to such a starter deck. If a player can open a few packs and throw together something just as fine-tuned as a deck they're meant to play out of the box, what purpose does the deck really serve?
Second, such decks do not provide an accurate picture of what the game is like. A deck without a refined strategy or a consistent draw does not resemble the kind of decks players will eventually build. Starter decks should introduce players to a game as it is actually played: there's nothing worse than having to un-learn the early lessons of a starter deck as you get more comfortable with a game's strategy.
As a community-oriented game, Starcrossed is about building the best possible experience for players. That's why we've stuck to some key principles in designing our starter decks to make sure that players have the cleanest possible path to our game:
Completeness: If players can use up to three copies of a card in their deck, why would a starter deck come with only one? Successful gameplay depends on consistency: if you can't reliably draw the cards your deck runs on, it's not a deck. Starcrossed was already designed with variance in mind: we don't need to force it through flimsy starter deck design.
Identity: Playing a card game isn't just about following the rules; it's about understanding cards' strengths and weaknesses to work towards a winning strategy. A good starter deck doesn't just teach players how to play: it teaches them how to win as well. The Starcrossed starter decks each lean heavily into a main strategy, while still leaving enough room for creativity and customization.
Uniqueness: It can be hard for starter decks to feel special when each one is the same. This is why we're using the starter decks to debut exclusive cards that are separate from the Limited Edition Base Set. While these cards may not be starter deck exclusive forever, the starter decks will be the very first place you can pick them up!
If you already have your order secured, we hope you've enjoyed this look at what you have to look forward to. If not, maybe the Starcrossed starter decks will be your first step into the Starcrossed Universe!
