>>54252695As a someone who’s taken part in both sides of the competitive scene I’ve had better experiences with the TCG than I had with VGC but both are still a mixed bag.
>Does TCG suffer from the same dramaqueens like VGC?To an extent. It does shift it more towards people complaining about bad plays like stacking their deck, hiding key cards to gain an advantage during matches, and malicious misplays than they will genning (because the closest you can get to that is netdecking and EVERY TCG has that to some extent). Oh, and if the Gino/Mees fiasco from Worlds 2013 is any indication than you also have a higher rate of actual theft happening in the TCG scene due to the value of cards (something that shouldn’t me that much of an issue as we edge closer to a Scarlet & Violet-on format).
>How hard is it getting into TCG?It isn’t that hard but you do need to pay attention to what releases and does well in Japan’s competitive scene to get an idea of what does well in the international scene (your local scene will also play a role in deciding what deck to run). As far as cost is concerned then running a tournament-viable deck will run you anywhere between $40-$100 USD on singles (needed accessories like sleeves, deck boxes, clear transparent dice, play mats, etc. will bring that number up as will any entry fees and other expenses) if you stick to Standard. Expanded is another ballpark but I won’t cover it due to the lack sanctioned Expanded-format events right now.
Oh, and
>>54252858 is somewhat right about hygiene but that varies depending on area. My local scene is pretty ok in that regard but that’s only because the TOs will bar you from an event if you reek of BO.
>>54252938My local prereleases USED to be like that but word got out about the scamming and TOs started to crack down on it, now players (even the younger ones) are generally educated about the prices of their cards and will only trade if it’s equal in value.
