Path of the Necromancer Draft Tournament Guide

Welcome to the Path of the Necromancer Draft Tournament! This guide will walk you through the structure, rules, and procedures for participating in a draft tournament for this exciting Hero Card Game. Whether you’re a seasoned necromancer or new to the dark arts, this guide will help you navigate the tournament with ease.

Overview

In a Path of the Necromancer Draft Tournament, players create customized decks by selecting cards from a shared pool, promoting strategic thinking and adaptability. The draft format provides a unique and level playing field, allowing players to experience different Heroes and strategies.

Draft Preparation

1. Tournament Setup

Number of Players: The tournament can accommodate any number of players. For example, we’ll use a 4-player tournament for illustration.
Decks Opened: The tournament organizer opens one Hero Structure Deck per player, plus an additional deck to provide extra cards for variety. In a 4-player tournament, this means opening 5 Hero Structure Decks.

Total Cards:

Each Hero Structure Deck contains 1 Hero and 40 cards.
- With 5 decks opened, there are 5 Heroes and 200 cards available for drafting.

2. Card Pool Preparation

Shuffle Cards
Remove all Hero cards and set them aside.
- Combine the 200 cards from the decks and shuffle them thoroughly to create a random card pool.

Prepare Draft Packs:

Divide the shuffled cards into packs of approximately 10-15 cards each. With 200 cards, you’ll have around 14–20 packs.

Drafting Process

1. Hero Selection

Random Distribution:
- Each player receives one Hero card at random from the set-aside Heroes.
Optional Hero Swap:
- If players prefer, they can agree to draft Heroes in a separate process before drafting the main cards.

2. Drafting Cards

Seating Arrangement:
- Players sit around a table in a circle to facilitate the passing of packs.
Drafting Rounds:
- The draft consists of multiple rounds, during which players select cards to build their decks.

Drafting Steps:

Distribute Packs:
- Each player receives one 10-15 card pack.
First Pick:
- Each player looks at their pack, selects one card, and places it face-down in their personal draft pile.
- Each player then passes the remaining cards to the player on their left.
Subsequent Picks:
- Repeat the selection and passing process with the pack received from the right.
- Continue until all cards from the packs have been drafted.
Next Pack:
- Once the first pack is exhausted, distribute new packs and repeat the drafting steps.
- Alternate the passing direction with each new pack (left, then right) to balance card distribution.
Draft Completion:
- Continue until all packs have been drafted, and all cards are selected.

3. Building Your Deck

Deck Construction:
- Each player builds a 40-card deck using the cards they’ve drafted.
- Deck Requirements:
  - Exactly 40 cards plus 1 Hero.
  - Follow standard deck-building rules:
    - Rarity Limits:
      - Common (Green Square): Up to 4 copies per deck.
      - Rare (Blue Triangle): Up to 3 copies per deck.
      - Epic (Purple Diamond): Up to 2 copies per deck.
      - Legendary (Orange Circle): Only 1 copy per deck.
    - Card Type Restrictions: Be mindful of cards that may not synergize with your Hero or require specific conditions.
Unused Cards:
- Any drafted cards not included in your deck become your sideboard.

Tournament Matches

1. Pairings and Rounds

Pairings:
- In a 4-player tournament, a round-robin format is used, allowing each player to face every other player once.
Number of Rounds:
- The number of rounds depends on the number of participants. For 4 players, there will be 3 rounds.

2. Match Structure

Best-of-Three:
- Matches are played in a best-of-three games format.
- The first player to win two games wins the match.
Gameplay:
- Standard Path of the Necromancer rules apply.
- Players follow the game’s turn structure, resource management, and combat mechanics as outlined in the core rulebook.

3. Sideboarding

Between Games:
- Players may adjust their decks using cards from their sideboard between games in a match.
- This allows adaptation to an opponent’s strategy by swapping cards in and out of the main deck.

4. Determining First Player

First Game:
- Decide who goes first by mutual agreement, coin flip, or dice roll.
Subsequent Games:
- The player who lost the previous game decides who goes first.

Scoring and Standings

1. Match Points

Win: Earns 3 points.
Loss: Earns 0 points.
Draw: Earns 1 point for each player (if applicable).

2. Ranking Players

Total Points:
- Players are ranked based on the total match points accumulated over all rounds.
Tiebreakers:
- If players have identical point totals, tiebreakers are applied:
  - Head-to-Head Result: Outcome of the match between tied players.
  - Game Win Percentage: The ratio of games won to games played.
  - Opponent Match Win Percentage: Average match win percentage of all opponents faced.

3. Determining Winners

Top Players:
- Prizes are awarded to the top performers based on final standings.
Awards:
- The tournament organizer may provide prizes such as promotional cards, playmats, or other merchandise.

Additional Guidelines

1. Sportsmanship

Fair Play:
- Players are expected to follow the rules and maintain a respectful attitude.
Rule Disputes:
- A designated judge or the tournament organizer will resolve any rule questions or disputes.

2. Time Limits

Matches:
- Each match may have a time limit (e.g., 50 minutes) to keep the tournament running smoothly.
End-of-Round Procedures:
- If time expires, players may complete the current turn and play a set number of additional turns to determine a winner.

3. Card Usage

Card Familiarity:
- Players should familiarize themselves with the cards they’ve drafted.
Proxies:
- Proxies (substitute cards) are not allowed; only genuine Path of the Necromancer cards may be used.

4. Sleeving and Card Protection

Card Sleeves:
- Players are encouraged to use opaque sleeves to protect cards and prevent deck identification.
Uniformity:
- All cards in the deck must be sleeved uniformly.

Tips for Success

Draft Strategically:
- Balance your selections between minions, magic cards, and cards that synergize with your Hero’s abilities.
Know Your Hero:
- Build your deck to maximize your Hero’s strengths and unique abilities.
Adaptability:
- Be prepared to adjust your strategy based on the cards available and opponents’ tactics.
Resource Management:
- Pay attention to lifeforce costs and ensure your deck curves well across different lifeforce costs.
Practice Good Etiquette:
- Communicate clearly with opponents and maintain a positive attitude.

Conclusion

The Path of the Necromancer Draft Tournament offers a thrilling and dynamic experience, challenging players to craft effective decks from a shared pool of cards and to outwit their opponents in strategic gameplay. By following this guide, you’ll be well-prepared to participate and perhaps even emerge victorious in your local card shop’s next event.

Embrace the darkness, wield your necromantic powers wisely, and may the best necromancer win!