Drafting: Single Elim or Swiss?
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Posted on Aug. 11, 2016, 10:18 a.m. by GeminiSpartanX
Hello all! I normally don't play much limited outside of prerelease events, but I've done a few drafts before and was wondering if your local LGS's run drafts as a swiss tournament or do they do single elimination? One of my local LGS's just closed down, but they were the one that ran drafts and have always done single elimination which is why I never really participated. The other shop is looking to start drafting, and says they're going to run it the same way. My question is whether Wizards intends shops to run drafts as single elim events, or if they should be swiss so people don't pay $15 to lose 1 match and go home. One of my friends loves drafting, but since the store he used to use did swiss he hasn't been able to bring himself to do the single elim drafts at the store closer to both of us. I'm interested to hear about how your local shops run them.
all the stores i have been to normally do swiss. stores run drafts at almost no profit margin (unless they're really gouging you) because drafts are fun and it's a good way to get people into the store for a few hours. the longer you're there the more time for you to find singles, packs, sleeves, board games, and anything else you didn't realize you needed. doing a single elimination event for a night (draft or constructed) would have half of your customer base eliminated each round, and those people could linger and buy things or, more likely, be sad they lost and leave the shop.
most (if not all) of the larger events i've been to (mostly GP's) run single elimination drafts as side events. there it makes more sense as the event organizers just want to run as many events as possible to make the most money. single elimination may also help later rounds take less time as there are less matches being played. those side events also fire one after another, so there is more opportunity for a player to play in another event after being eliminated, so even though you have to re-buy, it's still better than lose one match and go home.
August 11, 2016 11:49 a.m.
GeminiSpartanX says... #4
Vergil_Redgrail- That's why I'm here posting to try and figure out. There doesn't seem to be a real reason why my local store would just do single elim drafts, especially if few other stores run them that way.
shuflw- I understand why side events at GP's would want to do single elim matches (for the reasons you mentioned). GP's also have the luxury of only firing off drafts with 8 people per pod. My local store sometimes gets 11-14 people who want to draft, so cards don't often table since there are so many players. Especially in those instances, doing swiss would allow for a more enjoyable experience for people who are willing to spend a little more each week and get new cards.
What I forgot to mention is that only the top 2 people in my LGS get prizes in draft, so having it be single elim just amplifies the feel-bads if you get poor pulls.
August 11, 2016 1:06 p.m.
Only top 2 get support, is ridiculous.
I have never seen a store run a draft of I or more as a single elimination draft outside of side events. 8 people should be 3 rounds, 9-16 is 4 rounds, 17-32 is 5 rounds. And so on for drafts. The bigger events go into single elimination for top players.
August 11, 2016 1:46 p.m.
Karns_Pyromancer says... #6
Having done both, I can say that swiss is more fun for everyone. Even the top 4-8 usually prefer it because the people they beat win more matches, it helps boost them. I usually go 3-1/4-1 & make Top 4. This is very doable because I help my opponents tune their decks after our match & ask them for the same.
August 11, 2016 2:14 p.m.
GeminiSpartanX says... #7
pskinn01 & Karns_Pyromancer- I agree with both of you. The fun factor definitely goes up when people can play more than 1 rounds, and prizes maybe could go to top 3 or 4 at least.
Vergil_Redgrail says... #2
We do Swiss, and my only complaint is the abysmal scoring program they use. There's not really a reason for it to not be Swiss. Do you know why your shops only do Single Elimination?
August 11, 2016 11:37 a.m.