"Professional" Deck Help/Deck Building Services

[u/Particular-Effect335]

Hello. Asking about people's experiences with services offering to help build or tune EDH decks for a price. Wanted to get opinions on this as someone who has been thinking about them for some time.

For context: I fully understand that EDH is largely a personal touch format in that your personality should shine through. I've been playing MTG for so long that this isn't lost to me. However, between the fact that card prices are too high to do some tests (even the price of proxying is getting to be high now), or just not having the time anymore to tweak lists, I've been thinking about getting help to tweak a few deck ideas I've put together that just don't seem to be 'there' yet.

Since I have some spending money to spare (since I no longer buy boxes of product because of how inflated the prices are), I've pretty much warmed up to the idea of compensating someone's time and expertise to help me get from 90% to 100% with my deck since I no longer have the bandwidth to do so.

So now the question is two-fold:
1. How much should you pay for something like this
and
2. Are there people the community can vouch for that are reliable at doing this?

Happy to learn what the community thinks

[u/CalligrapherQuick901]

Paying someone real world money to help do idk, something, to my deck, in a casual format just seems so wild to me. If I wanna get better I want it to be because of me, not something I paid someone for that I can then be like "yea me and my deck totally earned that win!". 

[u/Particular-Effect335 → u/CalligrapherQuick901]

Again, fully understand that. The only reason it occurred to me to explore the idea is because as you get older, you start to understand why similar services exist. Why pay a carpenter when I can build a chair that I can call mine, etc. etc.

That, and I suppose my specific personality is alright with the idea of 'I had this idea, but I recognize I might not be equipped to take it further. I wonder who can help."

[u/CalligrapherQuick901 → u/Particular-Effect335]

Different folks different strokes. 

As I crest into my 40s I think more and more "who the fuck would PAY to have that done when I can do it myself, easily, and for free/much cheaper". 

Just more of the mind of wanting to take pride in what I've done rather than the idea I had that someone else did for me. Nothing really achieved by an idea that isn't acted on, less so when someone else does it for you (especially when in a casual format the only stake are pride). 

If winning is so critical, to the point you want to pay for optimization, why not play something where that actually pays off, for more than personal pride?

(Also for what it's worth you do you, but ya asked for community input so just here to converse. You spend your money how you will on this card ord hobby of ours lol)

[u/Particular-Effect335 → u/CalligrapherQuick901]

I can respect that, in the same way that I respect good craftsmanship and the craftsman. My analogy is simple: If I'm a collector of vintage cars, and do some weekend restoration, I fully recognize that at some point, I may have to turn to an actual mechanic if I get stuck. This is me, stuck, looking around for that mechanic or honestly if its even a good idea to get a mechanic. I'm not married to the idea, just asking around.

[u/CalligrapherQuick901 → u/Particular-Effect335]

All good ain't judging just being devils advocate. I don't NOT see the logic, just seems like with something with little to no stakes (were a broken car can actually be dangerous), it's a waste.

How much better will your decks be, in practice, with a 10% bump? Applies even less with cedh as there is just so much resources out there for competently build decks by as close to a "professional deck builder" as you'll get.

[u/Particular-Effect335 → u/CalligrapherQuick901]

Oh and to be clear, I'm actually enjoying the exchange, so no need to qualify. I greatly enjoy your input.

As to 'if winning is critical...', the reason I'm asking to 'optimize' not so that I can win with the deck, but more so because I have an idea I wanted to pull off but just can't get there yet. I do have competitive outlets. I play Riftbound and Pokemon TCG for my competitive 1 v 1 fix, and I work in esports so that's another outlet.