I am just curious why somebody should join this game new, as their will be a massive distortion of competition.

Before they add the new 43 reward cards every new player could buy or rent ALL cards he want and has the same chances like a player who play the game for vears, it was just base on skill (if both has all cards), but now Splinterlands changed this, a new player has no chance to buy or rent this 43 reward cards and he cannot use the 32 gladiator cards, so he is disadvantaged, especially as the ability bloodlust is quite usefull in many rulesets and from the "normal" cards only a few have it.

You really think it is a fun experience to be beaten by "old" players cause they have cards you don't own, you cannot buy or rent ?