@Ammokkx@RyouguI feel like this is extending too much towards the players, and less towards the characters. Characters can be played however an individual wishes; If your character is inexperienced, and makes mistakes, that's your call; If a character has carried a specific archetype with them for a majority of their dueling career and know how to use it, that's their thing. If it's unbalanced, that's a display of different in-character skill levels, and that's all. It shouldn't extend to us outside of the game, wishing for a challenge; If that's the case, go actually play the game. This tournament isn't calling for professionals; It's calling for individuals, skilled or not, who have been able to carry on the legacy of the Guardian Monsters throughout history to their modern time.
Personally, Itaki is not playing to win; He isn't a professional duelist, he can slip up; But he's been using Ancient Gears since he was a kid; So he knows how they work. So he'll be capable of giving new players a rough time, but due to his character, he'd rather teach them a bit; Sure he has a better chance to win, but the other character'll get something out of it, you know? And that's what truly matters to him. If they beat him, he'd feel even better; Knowing they had a good time, like he sure as hell did.
The issue here is the perception of the players, and not the characters at all. Sure, characters might get upset if they lose; Perhaps like some characters in the anime they'll take it way too harshly, but again, that's
them. None of it should extend to us, and if it does, maybe a RP like this isn't for us.
Again, if you actually -want- a challenge, go play YGOpro, DEVpro, Duel Network; Or hell, come meet me at the Tulsa Regionals and duel my actual Ancient Gear deck which will carry all the shithead meta solemn strikes and warnings and dimensional barriersand kaijus that'll provide an actual challenge.
Sidenote: Itaki's deck contains none of the above, because playing overly meta and trying to win because you yourself in real life can feel like a rockstar is pretty damn meh.
Thaaaat's all I can think to say atm