Overview
There are many different game modes in HEX. It can be overwhelming for a new player looking at the tournament lobby for the first time. What do I choose? What will I like? How do I card game!?! If that sounds like you, you’re in luck! This guide will walk you through the basics of each tournament type so that you can march with ease on the battlefields of Entrath.
Introduction
HEX: Shards of Fate offers many tournaments where you can pit your wits and skill against other players to win extra booster packs. HEX tournaments are my personal favorite because not only do they provide a fun way to open packs, but with enough luck and skill it is possible to win more packs than you brought to the table. If you love TCGs and want to get the most out of your money, I fully recommend trying out competitive play!
But since there are so many different game modes, it can be overwhelming for a new player looking at the tournament lobby for the first time. What do I choose? What will I like? How do I card game!?! If that sounds like you, you’re in luck! This guide will walk you through the basics of each tournament type so that you can march with ease on the battlefields of Entrath.
“How Much Time Do You Have?”
Do you have a couple of hours to spend? Or, are you just stealing some time during your lunch break? The answer to that question will point you towards either Synchronous or Asynchronous tournaments.
Synchronous tournaments are played all at once; they continue until one player has been crowned victorious. These typically take between 2.5-3 hours to complete. You may leave if something comes up, but doing so will forfeit any future rounds you would have played. Once a winner is determined, you get prizes based on your standing. Each tournament has a slightly different payout, so make sure you look at the “Rewards” tab. This will tell you what you can expect to earn for taking first place!
Asynchronous tournaments, or Gauntlets in HEX, are on-demand matches. You play until you reach either five wins or three losses. These matches can be hours, days, or even months apart—it does not matter! You play on your own schedule. Each game can usually be completed in 20-30 minutes; perfect for the HEXer on the go!
“Do You Enjoy Playing With Cards You Already Own?”
If the answer is yes, then you should be looking at Constructed tournaments. Constructed tournaments let you compete with a 60-card deck made from your collection and a 15-card Reserves. Constructed is always a “best out of three” format – the first player to two wins in each round is the victor. Between games you may swap cards between your Deck and your Reserves to change your strategy and get an edge over your opponent.
If you prefer a more even playing field (one that doesn’t take existing collections into account), then perhaps Draft or Sealed is for you. These formats (often referred to as limited) emphasize deckbuilding skills and creativity by forcing players to compete with 40-card decks made from booster packs opened right then and there. Where Draft and Sealed differ is in how those decks are made.
In Draft, players bring 3 booster packs and open them one at a time. Each player takes one card from their booster before passing the pack to the player on their left (clockwise). This process is repeated until the pack is empty and each player has 17 cards in front of them. Then the next pack is opened. Each player takes a single card and passes the rest of the pack to players on the right (counter-clockwise). This process continues until all packs have been opened and each player has 51 cards. You then build a deck from this 51-card pool.
Draft is a rewarding format because it is really deep. Between the randomness of pack contents and player’s choices, no two drafts are the same. You have to constantly be thinking and reevaluating your deckbuilding strategy as the draft goes on. This makes Drafts skill intensive and incredibly replayable.
In Sealed, players open 6 booster packs and make a deck from just those cards. Sealed is a great format for beginning players because it helps build your collection quickly. Furthermore, the deckbuilding process is much simpler than in draft—there is no need to stress about making proper picks. You can just look at your card pool and get straight to the action!
“Do You Want to Maximize Your Playtime Or Do You Want To Maximize Your Possible Tournament Winnings?”
You may notice that some queues will say “Competitive” while others are listed simply as the type (e.g., “Draft”). This is a reference to the pairing style of the tournament. Competitive events use a single elimination format—if you lose a round, you are knocked out of the tournament completely. These kind of events are riskier, but in return the prizes for taking 1st place are often very good.
Normal, non-competitive events use a Swiss pairing system. This means that each player will play in every round of the tournament no matter how well they do. Prizes are awarded based on the number of round wins you accumulate. I highly recommend that newer players try a Swiss event first as they give you the most guaranteed playtime and are a great way to practice!
Finally, another great way to hone your skills is to watch a more experienced player show you the ropes. We have many fine twitch streamers in our community. I recommend checking them out here[www.twitch.tv]. Streams are a great way to get a feel for the game and hang out with the community without spending any money right off the bat.
Happy Hexing!