Books Closed, Everyone

I think by now everyone knows about the player types Wizards uses when designing Magic cards: Johnny, Timmy and Spike (and now apparently Vorthos, which is kind of lame, but probably accurate as well). Personally, I believe everyone has a little bit of all four players in them. The game must appeal to dedicated players on more than one level, otherwise they’d get bored and stop playing.

How it works is this:

Johnny is the guy who wants to win HIS game of Magic. He does his own thing, no matter what everyone else is doing. If his thing just happens to be what everyone else is doing, great, but he’ll still change his deck into some rogue concoction. Johnny loves new combos (Yawgmoth’s Bargain + Zombie Infestation + Skullclamp anyone?) and finding gems among cards other players have ignored or denigrated.

I am probably 50% Johnny. Its why I build UB Fish instead of copying a good UW build. It’s why I play Eggs instead of TPS. I always want to be an originator because deep down I want my name to be associated with a great deck.

Timmy does nothing on the small scale. Most new players start off as Timmy. Who doesn’t look at their first Scaled Wurm and think, “Who needs Mana Leak when you’ll be dead in three turns?!” Or have dreams of a 20 point Fireball that gets nukes their opponent’s whole board and their opponent to boot? In any other set but one with great non-basic land fetching cards, Tooth and Nail is the biggest Timmy card ever.

I am probably 25% Timmy. I’m smart enough to know I should look for the small game, but oftentimes I still overlook it in favor of doing something cool. I’d much rather take out all your lands with Crucible, Strip Mine and Fastbond than attack over two more turns for the almost certain win.

Spike is the tournament winner. He will do whatever it takes, usually to the point of cheating, though some players cross the line because they are scum. Spike will netdeck the best deck developed by the pros and will playtest it thoroughly against the most common competition until he knows exactly what his strategy is in all cases. These are the guys who make the spectacular plays and turn Magic into a spectator sport.

I am maybe 17% Spike. I love to win far more than I love to lose and I’ll read strategy and playtest until I know what wins in my decks and what loses in others, but my average skillz ultimately keep me down. In other words, I’d rather win, but I usually won’t.

Vorthos lives for the flavor of the game. He puts together theme decks based around obscure creature types like Turtle and Hero or flavor text containing the word “love.” If he happens to play in a tournament, he will happily debate you over the fact that his Ninja of the Deep Hours would obviously kill your Descendant of Kiyomaro no matter how many cards you have in your hand because, “Ninjas flip out and kill people and don’t even care.”

I am (lets see, 100-50-25-17…) 8% Vorthos. I like the flavor; Magic wouldn’t be Magic without it, but I don’t think I’m particularly married to this flavor. D&D was never big with me, so Magic could probably take place in space or prehistoric times or my backyard and I’d still play it. I do have my Vorthos moments, but they’re infrequent, and usually they happen because I’m Johnnily building around some jank rare I happened to find in the 5centbin.

So everyone knows those, right?

I’m about to blow your mind:

http://personality.blackborder.com/

Don’t worry, just opt out of the newsletter. You don’t even have to give your real name and address if you don’t want.

Just take the test.

It’s maybe 10 minutes if you’re really agonizing over the questions.

I’ll wait until you get back…

Enjoy this while you wait…

Back?

Good.

What were you?

I’m a Supercomputer, CDFG (Competitive, Defensive, Flexible, Game Player). I’d say that’s pretty accurate, at least it is lately. I’ve taken the test multiple times before and I don’t remember getting this result.

I am competitive, though I usually try to hide disappointment and elation behind a mask of general geniality and graciousness. I like playing Magic enough that in the end it really doesn’t matter whether I win or lose.

For me, defensiveness is both a blessing and a curse. I’m happy taking a measured risk when I know and trust my deck to do what I want and my opponent to not try and stop me. Otherwise, I’m usually slow to develop an advantage or press my luck, which doubtless leaves openings for my opponents.

Flexibility is always good in my eyes. I love tutors of all types (my Egg deck has a silver-bullet sideboard made for Burning Wish) and modal spells too. One of my favorite inclusions in a Green deck with Wild Growths is Emerald Charm, because it’s not only a mana accelerant (untapping Wild Grown lands), it’s also Enchantment removal!

And as a game player, I know it’s usually the fault of my deck and my gameplay or the superiority of my opponent and his deck that result in my losing. This is something I’m trying to improve on, as I know paying attention to my opponent’s reactions and plays more closely will let him telegraph future plays to me. Just like in hockey, you’ve got to keep your head up.

Anyway, I think taking the personality test every once in a while is fun, because it definitely changes, at least for me. For me, I know, one answer in one direction or another will change me completely, usually to Powerbroker (CAFG), and most of the player types I’ve never even seen!

I mean, I’d love to be able to talk about some of the other archetypes, but I just can’t because I don’t know. I guess you’ll just have to try and see for yourself. Have your friends take the test, whether they’ve been to the Pro Tour or barely even know how to play. It’s an interesting experiment.

Perhaps I will talk more about the Magic Personality Test at another time (especially in how some of the questions’ answers aren’t mutually exclusive), but for now I sleep.

Goodnight, and keep learning what makes your game work for you.