I usually play against Sharuum, Uril, Jhoira, Kemba (which is being rebuilt as Kor Jadeen) and Kresh, so the power level is fairly high. However, where I spend a lot of time trading to find the optimal cards for my decks, the rest sit with a more or less mediocre card pool and mostly get by with their general being strong. Uril was a problem for a while, but once everybody started packing both Edicts and Tranquility effects, even that threat faded.

The main issue is incremental advantage – while I'm happy to play a rock-ish style gaining a tiny bit of advantage every turn, nobody else seems to realize the power of card advantage, much less sustained such. They're the kind of guys who will choose not to pay for Rhystic Study on nine plays out of ten – which makes me feel that playing decks that win incrementally is almost a dirty trick.

@Even – Mindslaver is great, but I've tried to build the deck for multiplayer, where Mindslaver doesn't really shine until it's 1v1. Certainly something to consider. Why the Thornbite Staff? And it's interesting to hear your comments on the condition of the game. Not putting the insta-tutor package into a deck is the first step back towards casual play. What type of decks do your playgroups run?

As for the condition of the game, I am noticing a similar trend. I keep trying to build "Merfolk" decks, but even if they start with that intention, a few weeks later they become competetive beasts. Nothing to boast at the pro tables, but more than my playgroup can handle. My solution has been to limit the process either to colors I rarely play (mono red) or restrict certain types of cards (tutors and exsanguinates.) It helps – but the feeling just isn't the same