this post was submitted on 31 Jul 2024
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This quote is just so powerful and it gets more powerful the more often I see it. It's like the number one reason why it shouldn't be frowned upon to play Magic the Gathering with proxies
Same with 40k tabletop minis. Fuck scalpers, and fuck GW for artificial scarcity (among so many other things). MY BATTLEWAGON WORKS CUZ I SAYS IT WORKS!
Ork armies should only allow proxies, just to stay on brand
I knew a guy back in the day (2000-2004) who plays Orks who did this. He bought the models and painted them a simple 3 color scheme for tourneys, but for regular play he'd always field the strangest most detailed and ridiculous proxies.
Fucking soda can with nailed on wheels and scrap brass fittings. Dude would root around the trash / ground at construction sites for electrical off cuts and things, then go home and make them into models to field, it was awesome. He's the only person I knew that used the sprues from his models for bitz.
Legend!
Wait so according to a quick online search, "proxies" in wh and mtg refer to nonofficial figures or cards, correct?
So basically banning proxies is literally gate keeping some model behind large sum of money???
Edit: just had a quick look on some prices on the figures, and you could buy a decent quality resin printer with the price of just couple sets and download the models online. Doesn't make any fucking sense to pay a penny for an official model
In trading card games, you can take a cheap/common card and use it in place of a more expensive or harder to get card. This can range from writing the name on it, to re-backing an unofficial print, as long as it's obvious that it is a proxy.
I'm not sure what the 40k equivalent terminology is, but it does have a rule that only allows authentic GW miniatures in official games. This rule is not just to keep GW's profits but to also prevent cheating as the game relies on the actual physical measurements of the miniatures.
As long as all players are fine with using proxies, and the rules don't prevent it, they're allowed to be used, but anything involving the IP owners is usually restricted to authentic items. In short, yes, it puts official tournaments behind a massive paywall, especially if a card/mini is no longer being manufactured.
It's mostly frowned upon because the people that do it, just want to copy decks to win. At least that was the primary reason back in the day when I still played it. Just play with the cards you have and enjoy it... it's just a game after all 🤷♂️
Edit: And just to add, buying cards to do the same was also frowned upon, more so than proxies even.
It's always a dialogue. If everyone's on board for playing power, go for it and don't hold back. If you're just playing casually in your friends group, obviously be careful with what cards you choose to play. It always comes down to overall expected power level in the pod you're playing in
Back when I played we just used proxies because there were some cards that we didn't want to shuffle, or we'd proxy in the same really good cards for both players (I never played tourneys, just among friends). I have no idea why it never occurred to me that some folks would do it to copy a deck.
Of course this was before the internet was a behemoth. I don't really remember but I think most of our deck ideas came from one of the magazines (Wizard maybe?) and we were just out there playing for shits and giggles.
Internet forums and professional card dealers kinda ruined the game. Some people got waaaay to competitive and only played with the latest overpowered decks they copied from the internet (developed by professional players) and would mail order all the cards or print proxies if they couldn't afford them.
I sold all my cards shortly after for a nice profit, so I can't really complain, but damn did that spoil all the fun of that game.
I sold all mine when I graduated high school to fund myself while I waited to leave for the military so I never complained. I do a little now because I had some stuff from beta and revised that could have gone for way more, but you live and learn.