Skyfall predetermined...

HarryMason

I can actually reasonably support the idea that your play style has a direct effect on the number of matches per turn both you and Greg get .

This is really my first match 3 game. I've never been a big fan of app games . That put me in a weird spot that still impacts my deck building. Essentially, I was above average at the mtg part and far below average at the match 3 part . I was great at sequencing and solutions to problems. I always struggled with mana.

My solution was usually keeping my mana curve really low. If I could manage, all of my cards would be castable in one match, because while I'd be struggling to get more than 6 mana each turn, Greg would be cascading 20-30 mana almost every turn.

Since I've gotten better at reading the gem state and making better matches, I've noticed I'm on the receiving end of far fewer dream crushing cascades. It taught me that you need to know your strengths and weaknesses, and be honest with yourself. If you suck at matching gems the way I did , you gotta sideline those bombs in favor of practicality . Also, git gud. You gotta git gud .

Kinesia

Watching other people's videos or videoing yourself and watching it back can both help you notice new patterns that you've missed in the past too when matching.

I've been playing for ages but I've been getting better at the matching part just the last few months even.

[Deleted User]

I agree playstyle has a role. However, I can say with over 90% certainty I am a good gem matcher - not perfect but good enough.

Greg cascades. I cascade. The number of cascades is as important as the QUALITY of cascades. With Kiora, an on color match equals 2 off color matches. But if I cascade an off color match with a PW gem match but Greg cascades 1 on color matches and a PW... well clearly these are not equal.

I have noticed that more cascade issues/mana gain issues occur when one of the following are true:

1. You have NO gem converters. In a lot of games it is gem converters that change the RNG in our favor I believe. However without them and the AI denying matches in addition to certain "random" layouts having less of your colored gems and for some odd reason less of your colored gems skyfalling... well the odds are against you and probably intentional to some degree. 
2. The number of colors your PW has and their respective gains. This is obvious as more colors give you more possibilities. But in these scenarios starting gem layout is important and they way you match to accelerate yourself, deny, or set up for the next match. And its important to note that certain PW like Ajani1 and sarkhan are more cascade geared PW - they usually want lots of cascades due to the spread out nature of their mana gains (of course on color is good too but you get the point)
3. The colors of your opponent and how they relate to your PW. If you do not share a color with your opponent well there is no fighting over the gems so you may have more of an advantage but at the same time the AI has the same advantage in addition to the fact that the gem layout will probably not be in your favor, the AI will deny your matches under certain circumstances (usually if they run out of favorable matches or at the beginning of matches. However if you closely observe when the AI makes an off color match despite there being a great on color match... they skyfall into their on color match out of something almost unpredictable). 

So there are other variables, we have good games and bad games, i can acknowledged this. But games that feel like a huge uphill battle for 5 consecutive games really beats down on you and isnt normal. I won all the matches but i did lose objectives (one game was a bad deck i made so that one's my fault). Using dual color walkers, the beginning of those matches were terrible, gem layout was HORRID, I was so far behind and I was making the best possible gem matches or high cascade probable matches. It was like playing TotPs with the AI on double mana gains.. or the AI with normal mana gains while i was the only one affected by dampening sphere.. keep in mind that all these matches i recovered mid to late game but all 5 games started the same (the funny thing is my luck usually changed with the presence of a gem changer, i.e. bad converters like shivan reef stolen with etali, bladewings token after waiting for some red gems, or legions landing etc).

Then miraculously after those 5 games, the rest of my games went well. So the first game with a disadvantage i was "meh, RNG." Second game, little irritated. 3rd game, I was cursing at my phone because i wasnt getting enough gains compared to the AI. Now imagine the 4th and 5th game... and i am pretty sure i have gotten 5 matches in the games but its countered by 1) all my cards are so cheap/already full of mana/no cards in hand that the extra match meant nothing. 2) AI will follow up with a cascade or 5 match to equal things out. 

The worst scenarios are when the AI avoids the 5 match but cascades into something that provides so much mana he might as well have gotten two 5 matches. 

So in summary:

- Yes RNG exists. Ok
- Yes we are at a bit of a disadvantage but usually can recover easily if not by a slight margin. 
- Yes I believe there is a system in place to prevent perfect scores (i like). And so only the best survive that crazy RNG onslaught. 
- No the anti perfect score is not implemented to everyone at every single event - its random. 

I just DONT want 3+ consecutive of **** RNG.. just space it out. I have enough trouble with pack opening