To draft in Mage Wars would be a brilliant concept, would it not? But, there are a lot of cards to go through, and building spellbooks can oft take a while. So, what is my solution? Well, I have two, but both encompass the same creating a "cube". Perhaps let's explain what a "cube" is before we go off explaining how we can use that concept. A cube is a set of cards, usually 360, that have specifically for use while drafting. In other words, you are drafting a fixed set of cards every single time. So far I have just been using a third core as my "cube", but I am working on shortening the card list, altering it to make it all the better.
So, let's say you have got a set of cards together all ready for drafting.
What now?
Well, these two solutions are a little strange, but they seem to really really work so far with 2 people. Before starting anything, take out the four mage cards, shuffle them throughly together, and each of you will choose a face down mage. Set the remaining two cards aside without looking at them, and each player then looks at their mage. this is the mage they will be building their spellbook around. Sort all your cards into Attacks, Creatures, Conjurations, Equipment, Incantations, and Enchantments. shuffle each of these six piles throughly, and then deal out 15 Attack spells to each player, putting the rest away. Each player will pick up their pile of fifteen cards, choose one, and pass their pile to their opponent. Each player will then choose one card from that new pile and then passes that pile to their opponent. You are going to keep picking and passing until all piles are exhausted. Next, deal out 15 equipment cards to each player, and repeat this picking and passing procedure. After equipment, you are going to deal out 20 creatures to each player (giving them a few more options), and then you are going to repeat the picking and packing procedure. And then you are going to deal out 24 incantations to each player, drafting in the same way as before. And then you will do the same (dealing out 24 cards to each player) for enchantments, repeating the same procedure. Now, what is interesting about drafting just the core set, is that players will each have a different mage to choose from, in most cases. As far as building spellbooks go, players still have 120 points to spend in anyway they want to, using all of the same stipulations that normally go into spellbook building.
For the second method, you are going to use that same method for choosing mages, but instead of sorting and shuffling separately, you are going to shuffle the entirety of the cube, and then deal 50 cards to each player. Next, each player will deal two cards in front of each other, forming a tableau of 4 cards, two in front of each player. Now, the player who chose their mage second will pick one of those piles, place it beside him, and then each player will deal one card on top of each of their respective piles. The next player will then choose a pile, place it near him, and then all players deal one card onto each of their piles. The next player will then choose a pile, place it on top of the first pile he had chosen, and then each player will deal one card onto each of their two piles. Repeat until all 100 cards have been drafted. Players have 80 points to spend on their spellbooks.
Well, try these out! Tell me what you all think, any improvements, suggestions, what have you...
