Please do Not Refuse to Play Against TWD Cards

First off, because any opinion expressing any sort of nuance regarding this topic seems to be met with vitriol, let me preface this with my opinion on TWD Secret Lair.

It sucks. It’s a cash grab by WotC. It probably isn’t the end of the world, but I don’t like it and I don’t want more of it. But, the loot box style “hope you get a good card” current method of distribution isn’t exactly squeaky clean.

Now, on to my opinion.

If you see one of these commanders across the table, and your response is to tell the person they can’t play that. Or to get up and refuse to play. Or anything to that effect, you are not ‘sticking it to WotC by refusing to play against these cards. You are not taking a stand against corporate greed. You are not being brave.

What you are doing, is telling a player, potentially a new one, who saw these cards because they are a fan of the show/comics/whatever, and wanted to try a new game. They took the time to find a place to play, learn the rules, and build a deck. And for them to come into a store (someday, eventually) and be met with “Um, we don’t like how those were distributed. So you can’t play it.” Is about the fastest way to kill their interest in the game. It is literally gate keeping.

I don’t care if your friend group bans them among themselves. If you all agree on it, that’s fine. But the second a new player comes in and wants to play the cards they care about, try to remember that they are not a shill for WotC. They’re a player, just like you, with cards they love, just like you, and they want to sit down and make friends, and have fun playing Commander.

I would appreciate other people’s opinions on this. Where’s the line you draw with these cards? Will you refuse to play against them? Are you excited to play them? I know there are some of you out there that are genuinely excited for these cards, if not the way they were distributed. Will you be happy to at least see what other people brew with them? Will you begrudgingly accept them? Will you try to start your own format because you disagree with the RC’s decision? Please keep it civil though. Remember, everyone here is a real person on the other side of the keyboard, with real feelings.

Except people who play stax. They have no emotions. (This part is a joke please don’t take it seriously.)

Edit: Thank you to all the commenters who have proved why no one new ever wants to play this game. This has to be the least welcoming group of people I’ve ever seen. It makes me genuinely sad. Be angry at wizards. Don’t take it out on players.