Cubism: How do you split your cube into packs?
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Posted on July 24, 2014, 1:43 p.m. by graft
Cubism: How do you split your cube into packs?
Hey T/O, I'm designing a cube and I want your input. What is your preferred method for splitting the cube into packs? I've been able to find precious little information via the google.
Here is the synopsis of what I've seen:
- Randomize the entire cube and each player randomly selects 15 cards from the pile. This seems extremely high variance to me.
- Separate the cube by W/U/B/R/G/Colorless/Gold/Land. Pick 2 cards randomly from each section, then cut 1 card at random. This method seems okay if the cube has even counts across each of these sections, but would be less than ideal otherwise.
- Predetermined packs. This seems like a huge headache, I can't even.
- Structured random. Seems thorough and accounts for imbalances between colors, such as having a heavy multicolor component. Takes more time but a higher quality draft seems "worth it".
What is your preferred method?
Different question: if I want to pre-create my boosters, I was thinking of using ziploc-style sandwich bags. Has anyone out there come up with a cooler solution?
Here is the booster-method I've been thinking about:
- Split the cube into W/U/B/R/G/Colorless/Gold/Land. Pre-shuffle each of these categories individually.
- Determine the number of packs to be created. Take one category, for each pack, deal 1 card face-down into individual piles. Each pile will be a pack. Repeat this process for each category. Each pack should have 8 cards currently.
- After all categories have been dealt, shuffle all of the un-dealt cards into one massive stack. Deal 7 more cards from the stack into each pack.
This would ensure each booster has at least one of each color (to minimize color-screw), but randomizes the rest to give some colors more pull. One downside would be that signaling could be somewhat obvious (e.g. pack 1 pick 2 there is no blue, obvs the person to your right took blue). Also, this method is designed to split the entire cube into packs (instead of just creating the minimum # needed).
July 24, 2014 2:02 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... #4
I don't have my cube together, but once i get the last 10 cards it will be as gufymike said and randomize cards, split into boosters, distribute boosters. Although after reading the Structured Random section I do like that method.
gufymike says... #2
a variance of #1 randomize the cube, separate into 15 card packs, or 24 packs, hand out the packs to the players in random/any order.
July 24, 2014 1:52 p.m.