10 replies to this topic

[HistoryGuy]

It's been a while since I've been here. Is anyone still playing via Skype or at their local game store?

[MacRauri]

We still try to get together every month or so for an afternoon of gaming. We’ve been trying a number of different formats but so far binder draft has produced the most interesting games. Danny solved the build-a-bad-deck format too quickly and it was just miserable to play his decks.

[HistoryGuy]

What is a binder draft?

[MacRauri]

The binder draft is the best thing ever!

My cards are split into 6 different binders. At the beginning of the draft everyone grabs a binder and the remaining binders sit in “out” positions. Then you grab one LS and one DS pod to start a deck (“a deck”. NOT “your deck”).

Once everyone has done this you rotate the binders one position counterclockwise and pass the decks one position clockwise. Then you have a new binder and you add one LS and one DS pod to the deck (obeying any affiliation or restricted list constraints). The you rotate the binder one direction and the deck another again.

One you’ve done this 10 times you lay out all the decks and randomly decide an order for players to do a snake draft for their two decks. Then you play!

We like this format because there’s incentive to create balanced and interesting decks. If a deck is looking too good you won’t want to play against it so you might throw in some turd pods. If the deck is looking bad then you can throw in some gas so it won’t be a total pain if you have to play it. The trick is creating decks that ONLY YOU know how to play—and we’re all arrogant enough here to think we can do that.

[HistoryGuy]

Where do you play? Last I checked there were no players anywhere near me.

[MacRauri]

MInnesota.

[MacRauri]

A nice things with binder drafts is that only one person actually needs cards so new people can join although the pool knowledge is certainly intimidating. In the past we’ve let the guest build their own decks (usually with Falcon and MTF) and let em stomp all over us as they get used to the mechanics.

[HistoryGuy]

That sounds awesome, but I'm in Indiana and I don't think there are a lot of players near me.

[dbmeboy]

That sounds awesome, but I'm in Indiana and I don't think there are a lot of players near me.

Where in Indiana? I just finally moved back to Indy (in Carmel now) after 6 years away.

[HistoryGuy]

Where in Indiana? I just finally moved back to Indy (in Carmel now) after 6 years away.

So close and yet so far. I'm about 20 minutes north of Fort Wayne.

[dbmeboy]

So close and yet so far. I'm about 20 minutes north of Fort Wayne.

Ah, yeah that's a bit far for regular play. :-(