I've been here since the formats creation and have only ever played RG Tron, 5 colour control, Pod, and CC. Never touched an Affinity deck but it (from my perspective of the format) looks to be the most thought provoking with the most lines of play. Really no one has told anyone off, it has only been peoples opinions (and my one joke about Affinity that wasn't directed at anyone).
This. I can tell you this much. I use to own Affinity, even pimped it out. I mastered that deck down to the last card. The deck is "HARD" yes to newer players as it does do some powerful things depending on what you play, but in the hands of a master it is "EASY AS BREATHING". I got rid of the deck because the biggest thing that makes the deck tricky is combat math, and since I am a programmer, after months of playing the deck I got extremely bored as my turns would take 10-20 seconds, depending on the opponent and their combat math. I got bored as I could figure out the combat math within seconds of my turn and that's what the deck is really. The deck requires a lot of maths to find it easy. If you cannot do math fast and easily, you will find this deck extremely difficult which will make you take ages for your moves and make it difficult to master the deck.
I will also submit Bogles as the easiest deck to play and master. There really is no trick with it but the Dryad Arbor trick. Built it, played it, sold it, all in 3 weeks.
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Modern: U Merfolk | GR Tron | WUR Jeskai Control | WBG Abzan Company
Don't think it really matters to be quite honest. Just to put my 2 cents in, I do think control of various forms from Esper to UWR are the most difficult because you have enormous decision trees and making the wrong decision will end up with you losing the game, especially considering the few win-cons you have. There is no 'I-win' in the deck like Twin, Bloom, and even yes, Affinity against a lot of MU's that do not interact with them at all you can just follow the lines that maximize TTK (time to kill e.g. turns). Since almost all the cards in your deck are reactive, you need to have knowledge of the format and each deck to play it well. A lot of players also don't know when to turn the corner and switch roles. Do you attack with Colonnade when you have an opening, but have counters in hand that you'll take offline for a turn, and give your opponent an opening? Counter the wrong thing and lose. Grab the wrong card off Anticipate or Augur of Bolas and lose.
Then there is the overlooked skill that is endurance, which imho is what puts control decks over the top. Your rounds will never be quick unless you lose. You will play 40+ min rounds of taxing magic for 8+ rounds in a row without much breaks. A lot of players simply cannot keep their play sharp in tournaments like this. Yes, burn and affinity may be quite difficult, but your rounds are much shorter, and the amount of decisions needed to be made are much shorter, and you can take your time to figure things out. Control decks simply don't have those luxuries, and imho make them more difficult to play in REL comp settings. YMMV.
PS: I am talking about Draw-Go style decks mostly, not Tap out style decks like Shaheen likes to play, where your hand a lot of times dictates your play.
When I hear easiest, I assume that to mean what will be easiest to someone inexperienced with Magic. If you know that person will continue and be hooked regardless, then start with anything and they will learn. But if you want them to have some success and not get frustrated all day, IMHO, that means you build around the player
not knowing how common decks work, even knowing other cards, and probably not even the local meta
not understanding subtler mechanics
your own deck should not surprise or bite you
Another criteria is how well a deck will perform if you don't play it well, which is why I rule out Burn.
Easily recommended first, Bogles. MG Stompy (also cheap way in). Maybe one of the Sisters incarnations next, with a lot of ways to slowly expand and experiment. Doran/Walls decks are not too tricky either.
Using this criteria, I definitely don't agree with Hatebears... or Burn... or anything with a lot of instants that require precise or creative timing or targeting.
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This. I can tell you this much. I use to own Affinity, even pimped it out. I mastered that deck down to the last card. The deck is "HARD" yes to newer players as it does do some powerful things depending on what you play, but in the hands of a master it is "EASY AS BREATHING". I got rid of the deck because the biggest thing that makes the deck tricky is combat math, and since I am a programmer, after months of playing the deck I got extremely bored as my turns would take 10-20 seconds, depending on the opponent and their combat math. I got bored as I could figure out the combat math within seconds of my turn and that's what the deck is really. The deck requires a lot of maths to find it easy. If you cannot do math fast and easily, you will find this deck extremely difficult which will make you take ages for your moves and make it difficult to master the deck.
I will also submit Bogles as the easiest deck to play and master. There really is no trick with it but the Dryad Arbor trick. Built it, played it, sold it, all in 3 weeks.
U Merfolk | GR Tron | WUR Jeskai Control | WBG Abzan Company
EDH:
G Ezuri, Renegade Leader, Fighting for Rivendell
WU Brago, King Eternal, Long Live the King
WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon, Worship the Dragon
Then there is the overlooked skill that is endurance, which imho is what puts control decks over the top. Your rounds will never be quick unless you lose. You will play 40+ min rounds of taxing magic for 8+ rounds in a row without much breaks. A lot of players simply cannot keep their play sharp in tournaments like this. Yes, burn and affinity may be quite difficult, but your rounds are much shorter, and the amount of decisions needed to be made are much shorter, and you can take your time to figure things out. Control decks simply don't have those luxuries, and imho make them more difficult to play in REL comp settings. YMMV.
PS: I am talking about Draw-Go style decks mostly, not Tap out style decks like Shaheen likes to play, where your hand a lot of times dictates your play.
When I hear easiest, I assume that to mean what will be easiest to someone inexperienced with Magic. If you know that person will continue and be hooked regardless, then start with anything and they will learn. But if you want them to have some success and not get frustrated all day, IMHO, that means you build around the player
Another criteria is how well a deck will perform if you don't play it well, which is why I rule out Burn.
Easily recommended first, Bogles. MG Stompy (also cheap way in). Maybe one of the Sisters incarnations next, with a lot of ways to slowly expand and experiment. Doran/Walls decks are not too tricky either.
Using this criteria, I definitely don't agree with Hatebears... or Burn... or anything with a lot of instants that require precise or creative timing or targeting.