Thoughts on deckbuilding when you get conflicting idea

tl;dr: How do you pick a focus for a deck when popular versions of the same legend seem to diverge greatly? I want to learn more!

Looking for some advice: I have played TCGs on and off since Magic 4th Ed and enjoyed them a lot. That having been said, the weakest point for my play historically has been outside of the games: in deckbuilding. I have read a lot, and get the principles, but sometimes translating it into success has been hard.

I feel like I'm doing better in Riftbound (thankfully!) than I did in MtG, and I've certainly had local help, but it's something I want to get better at, both in general, and without having to rely too much on following the meta. Nothing wrong with it, but I feel like getting things put together on my own will be its own learning experience.

All that having been said: I'm going to a relatively large tournament in a couple weeks (less, actually) and I'm in the process of fleshing out my deck. I have or am getting most of the staples I need, but when I look at what to replace in the a less-good version I have already constructed, online research seems to pull me in two directions. What do you all use to make those final decisions when a path isn't clear?

Thanks for the help in advance, all!