Yes, but that's a function of viability. You can't really compete using a limited deck against a standard deck, which is why you eventually have to bite the bullet and buy all the rares especially since constructed competition requires you to have a standard-level deck at the minimum.FrankTrollman wrote:That wouldn't match buying patterns either. Think about people collecting magic cards for a moment. People with small collections run "limited decks" that mostly use workhorse commons with a few rare bombs. People who have big collections make the oddly named "standard decks" that use a lot of workhorse rares and uncommons that provide good synergy and commons are mostly used for interaction or filling the low end of the curve.
What you're talking about is like if someone got a bigger collection and then made a limited deck that was twice as tall. People don't even want to do that.
-Username17
That's why there's a gap in players between limited deck players and standard; there's no point in being "semi-standard" since you will be hopelessly outgunned in the Standard tournaments while the casual limited players don't like playing with you since you'll generally win against them.
By contrast Hearthstone does have middle-of-the line players between their version of "limited" (basic cards only) and the elites who have full collections of all the rares and who can readily adjust to the meta at higher levels.
But that's because Hearthstone is mechanically designed to be more friendly to incremental growth. For instance there are daily rewards to help you (slowly) add to your collection as you play more; and you aren't stuck with unwanted cards since you can sell them to the Blizzard "bank" and convert them into other cards.
This slow growth model in fact created a "middle class" of players with decent but incomplete card collections who can compete reasonably well and reach the mid-teen rankings. The elites by contrast are of single digit rank and who regularly swap cards in and out of their decks depending on the encountered meta; and they usually have full collections. The "limited" equivalent players meanwhile are in the 20/high teen ranks and are still playing with mostly basics and some rares.
(This of course assuming competent play. Plenty of money spenders are still at the bottom of the rankings)
Of course you can't be giving out free figures the way Hearthstone gives out free packs - since digital cards have no production cost but a physical mini does. But it does show how you can have a middle-of-the line class of players if the system supports it.
Edit: Huh, light bulb. Maybe this model would be possible in an online minis game.