u/Paithegift

I have close family who mainstream Western psychology would diagnose as having cluster-B personality disorders (either Narcissistic Personality Disorder or Borderline Personality Disorder). They are often volatile, extremely manipulative and outright abusive, and psychologists describe them as difficult to impossible to improve with therapy, because of their rigid coping mechanisms that are hard-wired into their personality, their inability/reluctance to self-reflect and share honestly, and tendency to be callous to those around them, even long-time family members.

Do the Buddha or other sources speak about the states that psychology labels as these disorders? Like in what makes their personality makeup different than non-disordered people, and how they interact with the practice. What I found so far were one remark in passing by Thanissaro Bhikhu and a talk by Ajahn Sujato on narcissists, both had the geist of sardonically making fun of narcissists as extremely difficult people that aren't worth interacting with, and I'm interested in deeper analysis.

I'm looking to craft a no-rares deck to take to Plat-4 from Silver-1 every season for the next few seasons on a secondary account, that can get a 55-60% wr in that climb in the hands of a decent player. Just to climb a tier a day for the last five days or so of the month while doing the daily wins, nothing fancy. I prefer Standard but wouldn't mind Historic or Pioneer.

Should I do mono-white Auras, no-rares Izzet Lessons, or do you recommend a spicier deck?

Both experience withdrawals

"To Serve Man"

[[spells snare]], [[into the flood maw]] and [[bounce off]] in blue, [[requiting hex]] (and [[Stab]]) in black, now [[erode]] in white, in addition to the ol' red burn spells. When the efficient answers were mostly 2-mana minimum few months ago it was either play heavy control or ride the overpowered threats wagon.

But how do you respond to a meta that's aligned to answers now with plenty of efficient 1-mana instant interaction like in today's Standard?

I have a secondary account where I don't play Standard or Alchemy regularly and have a pretty basic collection. My own "solution" for Mid-Week Magic?

4 [[Burst Lightning]]

4 [[Fanatical Firebrand]]

4 [[Ghitu Lavarunner]]

4 [[Shock]]

4 [[Dragon Fodder]]

4 [[Lightning Strike]]

4 [[Goblin Surprise]]

1 [[How to Start a Riot]]

9 ??? (Small creatures/small token makers/burn spells/Tremors effects)

22 Mountains

Just change the format to the current one, take out the cards that aren't legal in it because they are not common/not in Alchemy/not of the last 3 sets+foundations, replace with the most similar legal cards that you have lying in your collection, et voila!

Opened some regular Edge of Eternities packs from the store and among the rares, got two cards that I already have 4-of ([[Possibility Technician]] and [[Hardlight Containment]]). Shouldn't they be replaced with rares I don't have 4-of due to duplicate protection?

The number of gems is the same as before so I didn't get 20 gems for them, nor am I rare-complete on the set if that matters, still got one rare of the set with 0 copies and quite a few with 1-3 copies.

I frequently have a [[Coruscation Mage]] or another pinger along with [[Artist's Talent]] activated to level 3 and [[Ojer Axonil]] on the battlefield. The ping from Mage then does 4 damage and I guess ignores Talent's ability (because they're both replacement effects?), so he chooses the one that will do more damage. Disabling "auto-choose replacement effects" in the options doesn't change that.

Is it a rules thing or am I missing some way to have the ping do 6 damage (Axonil's power+Talent's extra 2)?