Here's a new format I dreamed up that attempts to solve the problem where the nifty core set draft rules don't actually take into account that a zillion more cards have been printed since then. It ends up being somewhere between constructed and draft. I've seen a number of different attempts at this problem but haven't found one I really like yet (most are too fiddly in setup for me).

• Each player provides their own 70-card draft pile, then adds the 10 "meta-draft" cards from the core set.
• There must be exactly 70 cards in the draft pile.
• There can only be 1 of each card in the draft pile by name.
• Each pile can be Order or Destruction only. Either are allowed any number of neutral cards as part of their 70. Note that both you and your opponent can be playing the same side, just as in constructed play.
• Drafting proceeds exactly as in the core set draft (5 "packs" of 15 cards each, drafting 2 then counter-drafting one, 4 times per pack).

Ok, now some notes.

• Why 70 in the draft pile? It's to preserve the numerical balance between cards and metadraft cards.
• Is Reclaiming the Fallen too good in this format? Right now, probably. I'd house rule it to ban it if you don't like having an "I win" card in the format.
• Why only 1 of each card? It's to provide greater diversity of decks, generally more interesting play and cut down on present faction imbalances at least somewhat.

Feedback welcome.

I've been working on something that is almost identical. I was planning on requiring a mixture of cards from the three races though. Something like 20 of each race and 10 neutral cards. I have tried this out once, but I built both draft pools myself using some fun cards and it was a blast. I'm hopeful that it will still be fun if both players construct their own pools.

I thought about that too, but I think it would mean that people would always play nearly the same set of cards on Order or Destro. Not having the restriction means that, e.g. you can run a Skaven-focused pile that needs a lot more than 10 neutrals.

Yeah thats true. But to me if you are building a draft pool with no race restriction it is too close to just highlander constructed. I'm planning to try it out both ways I think =)

Grille and I tried the above-mentioned draft format with 70 cards in the draft pile, each card only two times. We both like the diversion from the usual game. The bright use of draft cards is very important in the drafting procedure. :-)

To fasten things up we will allow to include Innovation, Contested Village and Warpstone Excavation 3 times each next time.