This forums is for questions, answers, and discussion about First Edition rules, formats, and expansions.
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First Edition Balance Manager
By JasonRed3 (Jason Robinette)
 - First Edition Balance Manager
 -  
#575537
Question for all to discuss - (and it's a subjective one, so there's no right/wrong answer!)

What are the biggest challenges you face, mechanically in the game, when playing sealed deck?

Assume OTSD is in the mix, and that you're using OTF rules.
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North American OP Coordinator
By The Ninja Scot (Michael Van Breemen)
 - North American OP Coordinator
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1E World Quarter-Finalist 2023
2E World Champion 2023
Tribbles World Champion 2022
The Traveler
1E North American Continental Champion 2023
2E North American Continental Champion 2023
  Trek Masters 1E Champion 2024
1E Canadian National Champion 2023
1E American National Champion 2023
2E Canadian National Champion 2023
2E  National Runner-Up 2023
2E American National Second Runner-Up 2023
1E The Neutral Zone Regional Champion 2023
2E The Neutral Zone Regional Champion 2023
#575539
Going single-affiliation as opposed to using a Triple-Treaty (never seem to get a Treaty) (more so not in OTF)

Getting all space or all planets for the deck (assuming not OTF)

I haven't had a sealed deck tournament in OTF.

Michael
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By Professor Scott (Mathew McCalpin)
 - Delta Quadrant
 -  
Trailblazer
1E Cardassia Regional Champion 2023
#575542
Assuming we are talking about PAQ only with the OTSD, some skills can be hyper-critical. I drew 1 Christopher Hobson and it was my only Computer Skill in the deck. In an environment where Impassable Door is likely, it can literally be impassable.
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First Edition Balance Manager
By JasonRed3 (Jason Robinette)
 - First Edition Balance Manager
 -  
#575545
Professor Scott wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 3:12 pm Assuming we are talking about PAQ only with the OTSD, some skills can be hyper-critical. I drew 1 Christopher Hobson and it was my only Computer Skill in the deck. In an environment where Impassable Door is likely, it can literally be impassable.
Definitely not PAQ only... and yeah, I remember those days.

I've been working on some event-only cards to help make the chaos of sealed deck a bit more manageable. Cards with upsides and downsides to keep the choice of using them as something that doesn't make them auto-includes.

I think I've plugged most of the gaps, but I'm always on the lookout for any extras.
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First Edition Balance Manager
By JasonRed3 (Jason Robinette)
 - First Edition Balance Manager
 -  
#575713
Follow-up question:

Playing sealed can lead to some odd and even frustrating situations... like only getting one Wormhole, etc.

Apart from Wormhole, are there any other cards that it would be great to have a 2nd/3rd copy of in a pinch?

J
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By Professor Scott (Mathew McCalpin)
 - Delta Quadrant
 -  
Trailblazer
1E Cardassia Regional Champion 2023
#575719
JasonRed3 wrote: Thu Apr 21, 2022 4:26 pm Follow-up question:

Playing sealed can lead to some odd and even frustrating situations... like only getting one Wormhole, etc.

Apart from Wormhole, are there any other cards that it would be great to have a 2nd/3rd copy of in a pinch?

J
Amanda Rogers
Kevin Uxbridge
Kivas Fajo - Collector
The Traveler: Transcendence

A second Mission Specialist when you happen to get Assign Mission Specialists

A Husnock Ship for the OTSD Husnock Outpost, ok not a second or third card issue but still in the same vein.
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Director of Communications
By OKCoyote (Daniel Matteson)
 - Director of Communications
 -  
1E North American Continental Quarter-Finalist 2023
2E Cardassia Regional Champion 2023
#576161
Giving everyone a New Arrivals is a great quality of life upgrade I've started using in a lot of my sealed events.
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By Smiley (Cristoffer Wiker)
 - Gamma Quadrant
 -  
Continuing Committee Member - Retired
#576179
The most frustrating thing I come across when playing sealed or draft is the unbalance between decks in the mix. Some players just can get a break and their decks suck while others know all the cards, what to aim for and what to take first etc. Which makes it more of a game that's played out more or less before it's even time to play.

So my biggest frustration is probably D's lack of knowledge when collating each expansion.
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First Edition Rules Master
 - First Edition Rules Master
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Continuing Committee Member - Retired
Community Contributor
#576219
Smiley wrote: Fri Apr 29, 2022 11:41 am So my biggest frustration is probably D's lack of knowledge when collating each expansion.
I don't think it was a lack of knowledge - after all, DS9 starters are amazingly well put together. It's that Decipher never prioritized draft/sealed play in their set construction. Otherwise you'd need to be reprinting cards in multiple sets, which Decipher only did for a new series. Meanwhile Magic still makes sure to put a 2/2 for 1G (now with set mechanic upside) at common in pretty much every single set, because green needs a bear for draft.
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By Smiley (Cristoffer Wiker)
 - Gamma Quadrant
 -  
Continuing Committee Member - Retired
#576237
Sure. DS9 was amazing as sealed product. But that was it really. The rest did not do well. And OTSD is really unfair as it is I’m afraid.

Starter deck II sucks pretty bad.

Voyager warp speed might be ok if I’m feeling nice. Some cards where just not in the right rarity unfortunately.
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First Edition Rules Master
 - First Edition Rules Master
 -  
Continuing Committee Member - Retired
Community Contributor
#576285
Smiley wrote: Sat Apr 30, 2022 8:07 pm Sure. DS9 was amazing as sealed product. But that was it really. The rest did not do well. And OTSD is really unfair as it is I’m afraid.
That was definitely not my experience - DS9 did really well here because it *was* a reasonably balanced product that had a workable sealed experience. (Not quite full "crack three packs and draft", but that's a pipe dream due to how 1E decks are constructed).

OTSD was fine when it launched, but I think the OTSD + 4 Prem + AU format has been long solved.
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By Smiley (Cristoffer Wiker)
 - Gamma Quadrant
 -  
Continuing Committee Member - Retired
#576296
Was it not what I said?

Anyway, DS9 was best played with a starter and 3-5 boosters. 3 if drafted, 5 if no draft. It was always a fun and balanced experience.
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First Edition Balance Manager
By JasonRed3 (Jason Robinette)
 - First Edition Balance Manager
 -  
#576375
I wish they had continued to make larger DS9-sized sets down the line... TWT starters were just 'get new players' products, really... and Voyager was a mess. Other than that, they never really recaptured that DS9 magic. :(
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First Edition Rules Master
 - First Edition Rules Master
 -  
Continuing Committee Member - Retired
Community Contributor
#576379
Smiley wrote: Sun May 01, 2022 10:39 pm Was it not what I said?
That's probably on me - I read it as "DS9 was good sealed and that was the only thing good about it".

#logicfail
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