After missing last weeks lcg/ccg/tcg game night (I think it didn’t happen in the end) due to me doing some overtime at work. I was glad to be getting some gaming in again.
This week it was going to be just Dave and myself. So I arranged to play test the dark draft format in Dice Masters with him. Commander would have to wait for another evening with more players.
When I play Epic the card game (usually the app version of the game, did I say the app is free? You only pay for online competitions or cosmetic stuff) I only play dark draft. It’s my favourite two player format of the game. Especially for a draft experience.
I love that decision space you have with the initial hand of cards. You can only have one but which? Which do you really not want your opponent to have? Which one do you really want or need? Which of the two decisions is the stronger? Is it more important that your opponent doesn’t have that card? Or do you really really need that card more?
Add on top the incomplete information of what your opponent has drafted it really does add up to some very difficult decisions.
We drafted using the Marvel Pauper Cube I created (you can get the list of cards I used here).
Draft 1
My First Drafted Team
- Black Widow: Natural
- Gambit: Ace in the Hole
- Green Goblin: Goblin Lord
- Punisher: McRook
- Psylocke: Betsy Braddock
- Wolverine: Wildboy
- Rogue: Anna Raven
- Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme
Basic Actions
- Rally!
- Transfer Power
Dave’s First Drafted Team
- Captain America: Special Ops
- Falcon: Samuel Wilson
- Black Panther: Wakanda Chief
- Vision: Density Control
- Spider-Man: Hero for Hire
- Mr. Fantastic: Brilliant Scientist
- Professor X: Recruiting Young Mutants
- Nick Fury: Mr. Anger
Basic Actions
- Teamwork
- Focus Power
I was happy with the curve I had. The only character I never bought was Rogue in the two games we played.
Doctor Strange was a really cool dice to have out. Getting free basic action die was super helpful. But it seemed like I could never roll them when I had sidekicks they could affect in the used area.
But my team worked a bit better than Dave’s to get me two wins.
Draft 2
My Second Drafted Team
- Black Widow: Natural
- Punisher: McRook
- Rogue: Anna Raven
- Deadpool: Assassin
- Hawkeye: Longbow
- Namor: The Sub Mariner
- Wolverine: Wildboy
- Marvel Girl: Telekinetic
Basic Actions
- Rally!
- Invulnerability
Dave’s Second Drafted Team
- Toad: Tongue Lashing
- Pyro: Saint-John Allerdyce
- Green Goblin: Goblin Lord
- Mystique: Ageless
- Professor X: Recruiting Young Mutants
- Colossus: Unstoppable
- Gambit: Ace in the Hole
- Magik: Illyana Rasputina
Basic Actions
- Gearing Up
- Transfer Power
It was a clean sweep on the victory front. Although game one of the second draft I thought Dave had me. He got me down to seven health before I was able to stabilise and make a dramatic comeback to snatch victory. The basic action dice for Invulnerability was the secret source for my victory here. Being able to swing in with everything and still have characters left on the field was a life saver. Especially against a heavily buffed Mystique.
The second game of draft two was just not kind to Dave. The dice were just not rolling kindly for him. He kept getting energy. So much energy.
For the record I never bought Rogue in these two games either!
So how was it?
Wow! This worked so well.
Dave said he preferred it for two players. This is now my preferred two player draft format too.
It delivered everything I enjoyed about the format in Epic the Card Game. And worked so well using the cube.
I highly recommend that if you are playing a two player draft then this is the only way to go about it.