Illithid wrote:
Why is rock/paper/scissors a bad thing?
Rock/paper/scissors is bad because games are less fun that way. If rock plays against paper, and rock loses to paper almost every time, how fun will the game be for either player most of the time? Yes, a few games may be close and rock may win a couple times, but if paper almost always wins and wins easily more often than not, how fun is the game?
Illithid wrote:
It encourages a continual rotation of decks which helps spice up the environment. Striving to make specific cards that narrowly counter strategies is bad but having big themes that work well against strategies can be very beneficial to the game.
I don't think it encourages a continual rotation at all. If Altar/Ix (or whatever) regularly beats everything except a few counters, then it is still going to be overplayed. I agree with the second part of you statement here though.
Illithid wrote:
Without such the game will tend to get very generic and very boring as gameplay tends to get very limited.
My argument is that gameplay will get very limited with rock/paper/scissors. I think you limit creativity with rock/paper/scissors and counter decks.