In general, I agree with the voices that say that Universes Beyond has gone a bit too far, with too many releases and too many crossovers happening
People use proxies for a bunch of extremely normal reasons: - Playtesting new decks before spending money - Commander upgrades without chasing down every last staple immediately - Cube maintenance (updating lists without re-buying a small nations GDP) - Kitchen table games where the goal is fun, not authentication theater - Protecting valuable cards by keeping originals safe while you play with substitutes If your group is on board, proxies are often the simplest way to keep games creative, fair, and actually happening
Where hell really shine, however, is in a deck that leans hard into the Stun Counter theme
Do you have what it takes to fight against the evil (or revel in its power)
Kenessos, Priest of Thassa Kenessos, Priest of Thassa is a slightly rougher fit for sea creatures