Sloppy Sextet

Abstract

We present the Sloppy Sextet method for two players to split a display of twelve sealed decks.

Method

Each player receives six sealed KeyForge decks, opens them, and reviews their contents without revealing to their opponent.

From their pool of six decks, both players construct two separate three-deck lineups. The first will be used to play a Sealed Triad match, the second will be used to play a Three Fates match. Finally, using the decks banned in Sealed Triad, the players compete in a full (i.e. best of three) adaptive.

We will briefly describe how the Sloppy Sextet match plays out.

Part 1: Sealed Triad

Sealed Triad proceeds in the same fashion as traditional triad with the exception that deck lists are hidden throughout (i.e. you may not review your opponent's archon cards during the banning or at any other point during the match). Banning decisions must be made knowing only the houses, expansion, and token (where applicable) of your opponent's decks.

After each player has had one of their three decks banned, they play a best of three match wherein they may select for each game any of their decks which has neither won nor been banned.

Part 2: Three Fates

Three Fates is an archon variant identical to Moirai, with the difference that players themselves (rather than their opponents) decide which format each of their decks will used in.

In other words, a Three Fates match includes an Archon Solo game, a Reversal game, and a Short Adaptive game. You will decide which if your three decks to use in each game.

A Three Fates match typically begins with Archon, then proceed to Reversal and Adaptive. While the match may be decided after two games, traditionally all three games are played regardless.

Unlike Sealed Triad, Three Fates uses open deck lists. You may review your opponent's archon cards at any time during play.

Part 3: Full Adaptive

Using the decks that were banned in Sealed Triad, a full (best of 3) adaptive match begins. Archon cards are fully visible for this format as well.

Begin the first game with each player using the deck they brought (i.e. their deck that was banned in Part 1), and randomly determine first player. The players switch decks to play the second game, with the loser of the prior game choosing who goes first. If the same deck wins both games (and thus the score is tied 1-1), a third game is played where both players bid on the deck that won the prior two games. The person who brought the deck starts the bidding at 0. Once again, the loser of the prior game chooses who goes first in the final game.

Results

The winner of the match is the player who wins two of the above three parts.

We find Sloppy Sextets to be a superior method for players to split a sealed display of KeyForge decks. It is entirely likely that each deck will be played at least once and it is unlikely that a player will run away with the match by the strength of their decks alone.

We also find that this method tends to yield exceptionally good matchups for the final Adaptive phase of the event.

While Sloppy Sextets work very well for sealed displays, you may also mix and match sets to similar effect. It is even possible to have players using entirely different mixes of sets for their pools.