With the last few days before I ship out coming to a close, I honestly want to have a forum post talking about Grand Sanctuary Vanguard. Really, I wouldn't have enjoyed this game had it not been for my friends helping each other through the journey.
Really, as I move on, I won't leave the game. And I will always enjoy meeting new people and keeping in touch with my friends far away. But I won't see my friends face to face for a while. And I want to show my opinions on the team.
Really, as a whole, the team of Myself, Ryan, Payne, and Taran are most notable. We have people who are honorary, but us four remain the main members of the team. The docs of the team was to just enjoy Vanguard while trying to get better, at least from my own perspective. The others may have had their own reasons for playing on the team, but to me, it was about having fun and improving each other.
A lot of the times we did have limits. Because our expenses weren't in the best of shape, we had to limit our clan pool so that we could finish the decks we really wanted. It sucked, but that's what happens when you are in a budget and you have to share that budget between four people. We also had other obligations that we couldn't overlook for the game. But nonetheless, we did what we could with what we had.
Now as the for members.....each one has their own traits I've seen, and I honestly need to tackle them in their own way.
Taran
Taran, who mains Genesis as well as a few other clans that come his way, seems to be the more inventive type. When I see him looking for a new clan, he tries to go around and see what possibilities the deck has to offer. He could easily be the more creative builder of the group. He is involved with other card games more than the rest of us, so he has a wider range of thought when it comes to these kinds of things. Although he usually is overshadowed by the other 3, something I hope will change with my leaving, Taran has always been a more optimistic person. Heck, he's probably the least likely of the team to leave on a sour note. If there is one thing I really enjoy about Taran, it's his ability to accept new ideas and branch out with optimism. I hope he continues this in the future.
Payne
Payne, who mains Narukami most of the time, is usually the more random of the team. Recently his thoughts have always been the exact opposite of the group, or at least mine, and his position on certain topics seem to change. Payne's growth as a player started out promising. He played for fun and was more shut off from the though of taking things too seriously. But recently it seems he can't choose whether to be serious or to be relaxed. Maybe it's because we push him, maybe it's because I don't agree with his own methods, but if there is one thing I enjoy about Payne....he still cares about his friends. We may argue, and we may have times we just disagree, but he doesn't do anything to jeopardize the friendship. He jokes, he wisecracks, he tries to make something serious into a more lighthearted affair. He can get serious, but I think he mostly knows when it's time to be serious and when it's time to goof off. He has a little more self control over his humor, even if it is still misplaced sometimes. I honestly think without his offbeat humor, the team may not be as sturdy. Sometimes we need a little laugh.
Ryan. The Gold Paladin wielder of the Team. He was the first guy I ever got into Vanguard, during the release day of the Shadow Paladin Trial Decks. I don't think any of this would have been possible had we not met in the shop that night. Ryan certainly has his downs. When he loses he constantly beats himself up, he is over emotional at the littlest of things, and usually he tries to 1-up everything anyone says, whether it's a joke or an insult. But really, if Taran is the brain for his creativity, and Payne is the body for his ability to keep the team together, Ryan is the heart for giving the team the energy it needs to push forward. Ryan strives so hard to be the best, and in his own way. He refuses to main or pick up other clans because he feels he can still be the best with his original Gold Paladin clan. And the thing is, he's gone out of his way to impress some of the bigger players of Vanguard with his skills. He has that child-like energy and the mindset of never give up when he is in his best mood. Sure, his over emotional periods affect this, but all and all Ryan wants to get better and have fun doing it. And his energy keeps the team going forward, striving to be even better at every point. At every emotional point, whatever Ryan feels, the team, or at least myself, feels the same. Happy, sad, distressed, the amount of energy Ryan has and his passion is contagious. Something I will never forget.
Bret
And lastly, myself, Bret. Wielder of the Shadow Paladins. Really, with all things considered, I don't even know if I'm capable of being a leader in terms of strength. I'm always second guessing myself and constantly lost in what path I should take, usually ending up in myself losing. I have a deeper connection with this game, really. This game is an escape for me. A way to feel more powerful than I actually am. A way to channel myself into something bigger. It's the same with a lot of hobbies for other people, I'm sure. But to me, Vanguard is about doing what you want, and living though it how you wish. It can be seen as another life. It has its highs and lows, but the pace is so quick that it's like you are living several lives at once. And the one main thing about Vanguard for me is the Vanguard itself. I've always been a follower, not a leader.
The Vanguard was a way to try and make myself a leader. And finding myself with the Shadow Paladin clan, I couldn't ask for more. Although one look at the clan would show I might be a cruel leader....I think of it as this: I'd make sacrifices on my own behalf to help reach the end. It's shown as I have given up a lot of time and money to this game, even for my friends. The other reason is the creed of the Shadow Paladins, at least, the Blaster Dark line. The Blaster Dark is the Sword of Resolve, meaning it represented never giving up, and always pursuing your goals. No matter the goal, no matter if the trials will be hard, you strive to get it. And that's what I feel when I continue to play this game. I never stop trying to improve my deck, never stop trying to find new ways to play. In the body of the team, I'd say I'd be the spirit, that being the reason we play Vanguard is our own. And we continue to play for that reason.
Team Grand Sanctuary Vanguard will always be something I keep close to my heart. I had friends to help enjoy it, rivals to help me improve, and great times that I will remember. And I hope Ryan, Payne, and Taran will all still enjoy the game for the time I'm out of contact. I hope that we will see each other in stronger leagues, in bigger events, and one day face each other or fight alongside one another in the future. Ryan, I know if anything, you'll continue to lead the team when you can. Payne, Taran, if he doesn't because of school, I hope you two continue to build it. And even if you don't, I know after my two months, we will still speak to each other no matter the distance.
Thank you for all the great Cardfights.
This is my honest opinion.
Bret "Daltrous" Washing
No comments:
Post a Comment