Forum:Returning duelist...

I was considering putting this in "deck help" but since it's a more general question decided to put it here. I used to play when the game first game out, and was into it for a couple of years. However, I've not played in quite a long time now, but am interested in getting back into it. Not on a competetive level, but I would still like to use a deck that can compete with the current meta.

Getting to my question here. I don't really want to be using Lightsworns, blackwings, GBs or the like. Half the fun is in making the deck, and so I'd rather not go with a meta-deck. The problem is that meta decks are widely used for a reason. Is it feasible to compete with such decks without using either another meta deck or a non-meta one?

In my particular case, I have the basis of a spell-counter deck. But will it turn out to be that regardless of how good I get it, it is unlikely ever to compete with one of the usual suspects up at the top tiers? After all, they're top tier for a reason, and the reason is that they win a lot.

If it is the case that to compete with top tier, you need to be top tier, can people suggest decks that I'm likely to enjoy using? I think I'd lean towards a couple of things:

Disaster Dragon. This deck seems to be currently rising. What I like though, is that it seems to be pretty versatile, in that there a lots of different ways to build one, whereas with other decks, it seems to be that there is less variation between peoples builds.

Fabled World. I like chaos decks, and this one seems pretty interesting. I don't know if it's top tier currently, but it looks like it could get that way.

Other suggestions are appreciated. I prefer decks that the player needs to think for to a greater degree.