Alright. The game is out (W00t!), the rules are up, and now the Tournament Resources have been updated to include: Suggested Starting Deck Lists, Launch Program Outlines, Signup Sheets & Launch Poster. The Launch Program Outlines outlines the deckbuilding requirements for the different tournament styles and the suggested prize support. We are still missing how to run a tournament and blank deck list sheets.

The latter doesn't matter to me, but I would like to know how matches are run. What is the official time limit on rounds? What happens when time is called? How are draws resolved? Are there point systems like in X-Wing? If so, is it factored by provinces broken only, or does it matter that my opponent broke 1 province and I'm sitting at 24 honor?

I've been waiting on this since they announced the lottery to get into Worlds, assuming that it would be addressed before local stores would be able to run official tournaments. I'm by no means intending to be hostile in these comments, I'm just wanting to know what to prepare for in November. If honor/dishonor isn't a concern for tie breaking, then we'll need to know that before we get there.

Thank you!

While I agree time feels like it's cutting close, to be fair stores won't have official tournaments until after Worlds. The initial launch event, officially, is a casual/ learn to play event. Any stores running tournaments instead are doing so unofficially.

On 10/7/2017 at 4:23 AM, Zesu Shadaban said:

...The initial launch event, officially, is a casual/ learn to play event. Any stores running tournaments instead are doing so unofficially.

In light of this, and from collecting scuttlebutt on other post, I am sated. The associated rules from players in tournaments and from FFG are as follows.

Worlds (The Winter Kotei) will use a points system, and the first 3 months of the game will use 60 minuet matches instead of 50 minuet. In the 2017 World Tournament, you'll be playing your first 6 matches on one of the three Day One events (taking place on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of November). You'll need to collect 16 points to advance to the Day Two event (4th of November). Those points will be earned by winning matches. 5 points for each win, and 3 points for each modified win.

If time is called and no one has won your game, do the following. A) If your game is currently in the Dynasty or Draw Phase, then the game ends and you move to the tiebreakers. B) If you are in the Conflict, Fate or Regroup Phase, finish the current round; if someone has won, then they get a full win, otherwise move to the tiebreakers.

Tiebreakers. Each player adds up all Tiebreaker Points and then compares. If one player has 5 or more Tiebreaker Points than his/her opponent, they are credited a normal win, otherwise, the player with the most Tiebreaker Points gains a Modified Win.

• 2 Tiebreaker Points for each of your opponent's broken provinces.
• 2 Tiebreaker Points if you have the most honor.
• 1 Tiebreaker Point for Emperor's Favor.

Winter Kotei (Worlds) 2017 tournament structure:

Days One will each have 6 rounds of Swiss. Those who advance (by gaining 16 points) will advance to Day Two.

Day Two will begin with 2 more rounds of Swiss. Points from these 2 games will add to your Day One score. They will then cut to the top players.

"The highest ranked 16 players after Swiss advance to single-elimination rounds, along with the next highest ranked player from each clan. They will play 1 round to determine a Top 16 bracket."†

These 16 will play single-elimination to determine the Shogun (winner (in this context)).

It looks like there will be 3 days each of 6 matches, then 1 day of another 6-7 matches. Let's get it going!!!

† If you're wondering what the heck's going on here, so am I. This was lifted (verbatim, and then edited to remove all the prizes) from FFG's Winter Court page, https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/op/l5r-lcg/winter-court/ . I am unclear as to what exactly happens round 3 of Day Two.

I love this game, but 60 minute rounds, six rounds in one day. Wow that doesn't sound fun. I'm hoping future store events will be three or four 1.5 hr rounds

36 minutes ago, Hos said:

I love this game, but 60 minute rounds, six rounds in one day. Wow that doesn't sound fun. I'm hoping future store events will be three or four 1.5 hr rounds

Fewer rounds, yes. From what I understand, local events typically don't need as many Swiss rounds to suss out rankings. They may run longer rounds (that's really a local TO call to make) But I expect the standard to be 50-55 minute rounds.

My understanding of the top cut: it's actually going to be 23 players (top 16 plus one more from each clan, though if a clan is completely absent from day 2 I guess it could be fewer than 23 players). That will result in places 10-23 playing in the first round (i.e. top 9 get a bye), after which you're down to 16 players and the bracket continues normally.

That was what I was pulling from the cut, too.

Did they describe anywhere what happens in case of a tiebreaker tie? It is possible, if unlikely.

6 minutes ago, Mirith said:

Did they describe anywhere what happens in case of a tiebreaker tie? It is possible, if unlikely.

I think I read somewhere that it goes to the person who got to decide who goes first

4 minutes ago, OsramTaleka said:

I think I read somewhere that it goes to the person who got to decide who goes first

That is what I want to see confirmation of. That was used at GenCon's 2nd and 3rd day tournaments, and I thought was being revisited. This text doesn't mention that.

Hopefully someone claims the Imperial Favor during the game. It's the tiebreaker (as the only odd Tiebreaker Point). Any time that there is a tie for Imperial Favor, after it's been claimed, it remains with whom it was, as the ability was. When you retain the Imperial Favor but do not win it, you cannot change which ability (side) it is on.

24 minutes ago, Duciris said:

Hopefully someone claims the Imperial Favor during the game. It's the tiebreaker (as the only odd Tiebreaker Point). Any time that there is a tie for Imperial Favor, after it's been claimed, it remains with whom it was, as the ability was. When you retain the Imperial Favor but do not win it, you cannot change which ability (side) it is on.

Yes, but it is possible (if unlikely) for the favor to never be claimed. I'm pretty sure this happened during the Kiku Matsuri. The rules at that point were a double loss in case of a complete tie. I hope this does not continue to be the case. This is why they added in the whole "Choose First Player" thing, so there was a natural tie breaker. I've seen people playing with both "Random player" and "Random Player Chooses" and I'd like to know what the official policy will be.

if things are that even that none of the tiebreakers count then roll a die and highest wins...

1 hour ago, OsramTaleka said:

I think I read somewhere that it goes to the person who got to decide who goes first

Didn't they say it goes to the person who didn't decide (after all, the player who made the choice presumably had an advantage in the game)?

55 minutes ago, Matrim said:

if things are that even that none of the tiebreakers count then roll a die and highest wins...

I thought FFG's policy was to stay away from this. In other games they have other tie breakers, like remaining cards in deck.

Another option if it isn't "Person who didn't choose first player" (Say that isn't an option) would be the current first player or second player.

Choosing first or second actually feels pretty powerful, thus why I somewhat would rather it just be random. However there is an entire thread dedicated to this.

All I really want to know is "How do we choose first player?" Because Rules as Written is that it is just random.