What's more important to you? Box or faces?

[Kanped]

I really only agree with you on the White Lions on that one, which is just an all-round great deck.  The box is pretty traditional, though; I mean, I love it but the design is precise and elegant rather than innovative and different, like the Infinities.  I haven't even seen the Black Crown; that ship sailed for me.  I don't like the JAQK deck, just generally and particularly not the box.  I do usually like the repeating diamond look but IMO on the cover of the box, it makes everything look off-kilter, like I'm only seeing a snippet of the design.  The logo (title) looks like it's just been stuck on top of the design, I would like to see it integrated better and work with the design.  The Fulton's box I quite like (especially the texture; terrible for durability but it feels nice and it works with the theme really well).  I think the cards themselves are pretty standard, I don't like the jokers and the quality is a real let-down.  I hate the LTD box; you can say 'elegant' all you want but bright red, to me, seems garish and the whole design is empty.  I really think people are fawning over these because they're expensive to get and because it's from the (generally brilliant) Ellusionist but they just seem very plain and bog-standard to me.  The back design's quite nice (I've seen similar and better; wait for the Harlequins, I think they'll fit that category) but that's about it for me.  Tungstene?  I hate the pip think; seems really gimmicky and ill thought out; being different for the sake of being different.  I LOVE the back design, though; the front of the box, not so much.  The typeface doesn't play well IMO and the whole thing just doesn't strike me as anything special.

Personally, I like S&M enough to put them in the great box&cards list... what else? (*scans collection*)

Well, Blue Crown decks so I guess the Black one is the same or better.
Karnival Dead Eyes (personal choice, a lot of people hate it)
Apex BOM (don't have one? GET ONE!)
Bee Squeezers (I love the Bee box, anyway but these kick it up a notch)
Ellusionist Ultra Gaff (thinking outside the box a bit bit I think you'll agree...)
Split Spades

[Derek]

I only got the monarchs and steampunk decks for the boxes. I think the Infinity is one of the only decks that has an amazing box and amazing cards...

Going back to this quote. I would agree that the Infinity deck has a great box and cards, but not that it one of the only decks with both.


For example...

• White Lions Deck
• Black Crown Deck
• JAQK Deck
• Fulton's Clip Joint Deck
• LTD Deck
• Tungstene Deck (IMO)

These are just a few of the already released ones. You still have the Mana deck, Seasons deck, Revision1 deck, Vortex deck, Tendril deck, Americana deck, etc...

I was just listing a couple. I agree on the white lions, but the black crowns in my experience handle like crap right out of the box and never got better for me. The backs are nice and the faces are basically standard. LTD box? I wouldn't classify that as a good looking box. JAQK is a cool box and I cant comment on the cards since I don't own them.

[moonexe]

I agree on the white lions, but the black crowns in my experience handle like crap right out of the box and never got better for me.

...Wait, what? Did I read that right? How many decks have you handled? It might have been a bad one...
What do you think of the Artifice handling? Normally it should be about the same.

[Derek]

I agree on the white lions, but the black crowns in my experience handle like crap right out of the box and never got better for me.

...Wait, what? Did I read that right? How many decks have you handled? It might have been a bad one...
What do you think of the Artifice handling? Normally it should be about the same.

I think it must be a bad deck. I know how to fan, trust me. And right out of the box they were clumping. I worked them in for hours and hours and they never improved. I may open another one but it'd nothing compared to the shadow masters, or even the artifice. the artifice has great handling IMO, and so do the blades, and white lions which i've handled.

[NathanCanadas]

I agree on the white lions, but the black crowns in my experience handle like crap right out of the box and never got better for me.

...Wait, what? Did I read that right? How many decks have you handled? It might have been a bad one...
What do you think of the Artifice handling? Normally it should be about the same.

I think it must be a bad deck. I know how to fan, trust me. And right out of the box they were clumping. I worked them in for hours and hours and they never improved. I may open another one but it'd nothing compared to the shadow masters, or even the artifice. the artifice has great handling IMO, and so do the blades, and white lions which i've handled.

Wow! Same thing about the Green Crown v2 for me. Weird!

[moonexe]

I may open another one but it'd nothing compared to the shadow masters, or even the artifice.

They have what seems to me like the same stock, and we know for a fact that the finish is the same. I would say they are, in fact, easily compared(Though in terms of design, I do prefer the Artifice.)
Mines don't clump at all - and no deck with magic finish should. I would say either you got a bad deck, or you had sweaty hands when you opened them(but that should be fixed with time, so the bad deck is more likely.)

[Don Boyer]

For all of you having the clumping issues with Magic Finish decks, have you tried using a bit of fanning powder?  It could improve the performance a lot.  If you don't have/can't find/can't afford fanning powder, a pure talc powder with no moisturizers in it would be a decent improvised substitute.

Also, humidity and temperature can affect the stock and finish - keep them moderately dry (not dessicated) at room temperature as much as possible.

[Derek]

I may open another one but it'd nothing compared to the shadow masters, or even the artifice.

They have what seems to me like the same stock, and we know for a fact that the finish is the same. I would say they are, in fact, easily compared(Though in terms of design, I do prefer the Artifice.)
Mines don't clump at all - and no deck with magic finish should. I would say either you got a bad deck, or you had sweaty hands when you opened them(but that should be fixed with time, so the bad deck is more likely.)

I washed my hands right before I used them. And I had no problems with the artifice deck. Not sure what's up but it just disappointed me. And I just took them out now about a month later and they are the same.

[Don Boyer]

I washed my hands right before I used them. And I had no problems with the artifice deck. Not sure what's up but it just disappointed me. And I just took them out now about a month later and they are the same.

Try the fanning powder.  It could make the difference in handling.  Either that or request an exchange from BC.