I'm using the term "Redraft" because the more common "Backdraft" means something else to me. (I can write about that at another time. I just looked and it's not on my list of wacky formats!) Redrafting means that after the tournament, everyone returns the rares, mythics, foils, and time-shifted cards they drafted to a table. Then the player who won chooses one of the cards. The runner up chooses next, and so on through the group. After everyone's picked, the winner chooses again, and so on. Usually there are about 3.5 rounds, due to the foils.
Redrafting affects the draft process significantly: instead of choosing the excellent rare card you opened that is either terrible in limited or doesn't go with the pool you've drafted so far, you get to take a card better for your deck. Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages.
My draft group needs to make a decision about whether to continue redrafting or not. Please read these Pros and Cons and then either leave a comment here or email me to vote. I'm proposing an extra $1 cost to the draft and then giving that much in future credit to the winner of the draft.
Since I'm leaning against redrafting currently, I'll antagonize myself by putting the cons first:
Redrafting Cons:
- Discourages Wacky Drafting. Instead of opening cooler old packs, you'd rather open the cheapest packs you can get a hold of and draft those, hoping someone else opens something juicy.
- The pros leave with all the dual lands. When drafting lots of Rav/Guildpact/Diss years ago, someone in our group noticed that one of the regular drafters left with a dual land each time. Without fail. On the other hand, the less-skilled players never took home very valuable cards. (Some may not see this as a disadvantage.)
- Players want to replace packs they open with $$$ inside. In order to encourage people to open Battle For Zendikar in the future, I've pre-emptively told players they can replace any pack they open that contains an "Expedition Dual". Instead of redrafting the dual land, they can stuff that opened pack into their collection and buy and open another pack. This rule should, of course, apply to any player that opens a pack with anything they don't want to risk to the redraft process. That means my players need to remember to bring a bunch of extra cash if they are getting packs from me.
- This sucks extra for players who can't afford to spring for a replacement pack.
- It also means the prize pool won't have many cards worth over $6: players who open cards worth more than that should probably replace those packs.
- Everyone has to stay to the end. Need to leave early? Sorry, you can't, because you won't be able to redraft. This sucks for a lot of people who just don't want to stay 3-4 hours for the full tournament. Even worse if someone has to leave unexpectedly.
- Redrafting takes time. The games are over. Everyone wants to be doing something else, but instead everyone is looming over a table with the cards laid out. All too often the current person is taking a long time because they have no idea which card they should be picking. Trying to determine the most valuable card takes a lot of time. Trying to do it while a bunch of people are waiting for you is even harder.
- Missing cards sucks. Sometimes the redraft is held up because there are rares or foils missing. Everyone gathers around and looks through each others' card pools, but to no avail. Sometimes cards have been handed around a bunch or maybe there's even a dishonest player amongst the group. (Twice in the past month our redrafts have been held up at the FLGS because cards are missing.) This can easily extend the wait 15-30 minutes and leaves a bad taste when things are unresolved. This almost never happens among close groups, but can really suck in situations where not everyone knows everyone else super well.
- Free prize support. Want to draft and have a prize? Redrafting adds no additional cost and let's many people walk away with at least one card they might want. (Pros get a good card, and novices usually find something they might be interested in playing.)
- Draft the best limited cards. There's no reason to make a drafting choice based on the $ value of a card. Always choose the best card for your deck, because you can redraft anything worth money.
- Novices don't regret passing money. It's okay to pass valuable rares in a pack you open, because they'll go in the redraft anyways.
- Rares see more play. Rare cards make their way around the table until they find a player's deck to fit in, instead of being gobbled up by someone who just wants it for the money.
- Pros attend. Redrafts are usually casual events, but the local gurus will come attend them for the chance to walk away with a great card opened by any of the other people there. This encourages all the players to play well and seems like it would improve everyone's skill. In order to get the same result without redrafting, some other prize support is needed, which increases the cost to everyone.
