red
There is something wrong with the way you design Red
I've noticed a number of posts addressing this, but I'll put another:
I understand that you have a balancing system to keep track of balancing across editions: there is clearly something wrong with it (a bias in your algorithm) as at the moment it heavily favours mono-red aggro. This is CLEARLY shown by the winrate and play rate of mono-red. It feels like one in three games in Arena at least are the same mono-red deck over and over again.
Instead of addressing this issue, you've now added the Slickshot Show-off. This card alone is direct, undeniable evidence that there is something wrong with the way you approach the design of red.
I understand that aggro decks are a part of the game, they should be. What should not happen is that aggro decks are so proficient that they guarantee a positive winrate against almost any other deck configuration due to their speed. Even Hearthstone realised this about hunters early on and changed it. It makes it so that the best way to win the game is by playing each game as fast and as little as possible; this is obviously bad gameplay design.
I understand that there will always be OP decks, that is the nature of the game, but when they are consistently the same type of deck, in the same colour (even as standard rotations change!): you have a problem with your approach.
As I need to leave a suggestion:
Maybe use the plot mechanic so that mono-red decks involve setting up to create an overwhelming wave of attack. This way players can see it coming, if not how precisely how it will be executed (matched with the red haste mechanic). Red has protection against mass destroys from white and black, but players have a chance to react with certain cards like instants.
I have played MTG on and off for almost 20 years. I always start for the same reason, because it is a fantastic game. I always stop for the same reason, because you undermine the wonderful mechanical complexity of your game by insentivising people to ignore this mechanical complexity and focus on eliminating each player as fast as possible, before they can even get started.
Please, do something about this!
-
Aeyojin#43739 commented
You could also add a card with an effect analogous to what the obstinate baloth does against discard decks (or 'cannot be countered' cards as a different example): offering players the choice of including a card which heavily punishes a very specific type of gameplay over more generally useful cards. This way, if that type of gameplay becomes too prominent, players will add this card as often as possible, until the balance shifts.
I realise this is easier said than done in the case of mono red aggro though.