Standard VS Premium: My Collective (And most certainly Objective!!!!!!) Thoughts

So, its been about three months since my last blog post and just out of nowhere, my inner most conscious is reluctantly pushing me to write out a post detailing my own personal thoughts on both formats in their current state. (Aka, me shilling my opinion all over this baby, you have been warned)

So, while I still have the drive to post, lets get going...

I got nothing funny here, move on

For the past few months, I've been observing both format's and seeing the direction both have taken, and forewarning, I'm not going to sit here and directly tell you which is superior, that's all up to you to decide and come to the conclusion on yourself. I will tell you which I prefer, but do not be taken aback, both format's offer something unique to players and nothing is wrong if you prefer one over the other, lets get that out of the way first.

I prefer Standard. That's all, goodnight....

Anyway, I prefer Standard mainly because I'm not the type of person who dwells in and adores power-creep, mainly to the extent that the end of G was. For example, the end of G was indefinitely a power-creep zone where every new set brought forth new meta's and everything previous (Barring a few examples) were thrown to the way-side like literal fodder. Didn't help that most G decks only strode into one stride most of the time, something I've gone on record stating I've hated with a burning passion (Seeing as the G-zone's availability, choices and plays it can conjure up was the greatest thing I loved about G) since the inception of the "only stride this one card" that didn't start until the last season of G (More or less).

Standard is also my preferred choice because it harkens back to a time where you didn't just formally stride and kill on the spot, it was a match that really came down to the brink of everything you had, not to sound corny or anything. The format is also Bushiroad's main focus that they'll be applying their efforts on most, if not all, new cards that'll be produced. It gives this eerie feeling that the V series cards weren't meant to be played with the old Stride format cards, so from now on, you'll most likely encounter problematic situations and combo's that should -never- be a thing, but are.

                                                                                      Match made in Hell 

Before I pan the flames (Oh who am I kidding, I already triggered a bunch of people), let me just state that the IchiTom combo is not tier zero or unbeatable like some select individuals would have you believe, and I've got zero problems with anybody playing this deck (Or any deck, its a card game people), but my main concern is the combination itself. 

I personally feel that any combination that controls the opponents hand and forces your opponent from literally guarding with almost anything, protect gifts and superior guarding aside, is just too mechanically taxing for the game as a whole. It bends the rules and twists the way people perceive the game and their is nothing wrong with not liking the aforementioned combo. I have the exact same problem with Balaam + Baleful as well as this random. Of course, this is all subjective and if you have no problems with this combo, that's all you. Nothing wrong with that, but different strokes for different blokes. 

I won't even get into the AntLionZoa combo, AssassinKing combo's or whatever mindless, brainless and consequential combo's you can do with Stark, but they all fall under the similar category as IchiTom. If you like them, good on you, if you don't, nothing wrong with your straight opinion. 

Generically cute

Another personal and subjective (But definitely objective!!!!) reason I prefer Standard is the plain fact that once my main clan finally gets the V treatment, I'll be much more inclined to stay in Standard. Of course, I'll still own my Premium deck and I'll definitely practice with that format, but considering in my area, Premium is a dying breed and Standard is becoming the go-to format, even before half the clans have released any V series support, I definitely won't be inclined to play a format where the majority couldn't care less. 

Suffice to say, I could go on and on, but I don't have enough metaphorical juice in me to continue writing this personal blog post as I've already outlined why I prefer Standard over Premium enough to the point where I'm satisfied. 

I will end on this though, if you enjoy one format but hate the other for "Insert X reason", that's fine, that's dandy even. Nothing explicitly wrong with liking/disliking a format, its when you start the hate train over a garbage reason like "X format sucks and anyone who likes it is trash" is when you've got to look back and think about how you got to this point. 

Its a card game people, enjoy what you play, enjoy the format you play in, don't hate on others because of idiotic, petty and retarded reasons and just remember:

G-Format is truly the worst format. Loli's at tier 0 is disgusting, play a better format :^)

Talk to you guys soon. Peace out from the depths of hell of the ocean.