Best products from r/swdestiny

(original article)

The second World Championship for Star Wars: Destiny just wrapped up. It was a fantastic time, bringing together players from all over the world. I was fortunate enough to attend the first Worlds and was happy to see that Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) had made many improvements with very few steps taken backwards.

Before I dig into the Good and the Bad of Worlds, I want to make a few clarifications. Chief among them is that unlike other events run at Fantasy Flight Games Center, Worlds is organized and operated by Organized Play (OP). Most other events at the Games Center are run by the store management and staff. I will also be referring to FFG throughout most of the article, but most of the feedback is directed at OP.

The Good

Bigger Means Better

The most noticeable improvement was the extra Destiny players FFG squeezed into the main schedule. More people means more party, right? Both World Championships were played in the same space, but this year FFG added an entire extra day 1 to the main event allowing around 330 players to attend. This is a big step in the right direction but I think there is still room for improvement. Last year's North American Championship had around 400 players - FFG has the space to accommodate at least that many if they didn't run their event concurrently with X-Wing. The good news here is that it was announced during the Hyperspace Report that X-Wing is getting its own Worlds, which makes a bigger Worlds and more space possible for Destiny.

More Side Events

The extra Destiny players added this year needed something to do and FFG stepped up to the challenge with a bevy of side event options. If you were so inclined, you could grind tickets until your wrist cramped up from rolling dice. Drafting, trilogy, standard, sealed, multiplayer free-for-all, and build-from-box were all on offer, and you could find Destiny to do every hour of the day every day to get those tickets.

Better Prizes

Those prize tickets could be turned into MUCH better Destiny prizes this year. I earned quite a few tickets last year, and didn't walk away with a single Destiny related prize. Not so this year. The only thing that could have spiced up the prize wall even more would have been some marbled or sparkly Destiny dice. Oh, dare to dream.

Shorter Prize Wall Line

If you attended last year's Worlds then you know how terrible waiting in line to get those prizes were. The real culprit was limited available quantities and FFG stubbornly keeping the prize wall closed until noon each day. Fortunately FFG did a number of fixes that vastly decreased the wait time and line size.

Didn't Treat Media Poorly

FFG's treatment of the media was markedly improved over last year and you could see the quality of coverage improvement that went along with it. Digging into this too much airs a bit of dirty laundry so I won't go into details, but FFG went from an F to an A in just one year on this one.

The Bad

Short-changing Day 2

That extra day 1 turned into kind of a cluster with how the day 2 top cut shook out. My minor heart break story was going 7-2 and missing top 16 by placing 18th - nine other 7-2s made the cut and ten other 7-2s didn't. That feels bad, man, but not nearly as bad as the multiple people who went 4-2 on day 1 and 3-0 on day 2 and STILL didn't make the cut. Having an undefeated day 2 player miss the cut is an AWFUL system and needs remedied. Both the North American Championships and the US National Championship use the standard Swiss/cut ratio, why FFG short-changes its own biggest event is a real head-scratcher.

Weak Stance on Cheating and Bad Sportsmanship

FFG's stance against cheating and bad sportsmanship is just ridiculously weak. I understand you can't ban a player without solid evidence, but when you have a known player who has been reported multiple times, maybe put them on a "judge must watch every game" list and not wait until they get accused again.

Not Collecting Decklists Before Day 1 Began

The amount of night before teching was just too real at this year's Worlds. With day 1 spread over 3 days and deck lists only due at your day 1 registration, it was far too easy and compelling to tech in cards or entire decks against the upcoming field. While some may enjoy this hot-take meta game, I think its a far more fair system to have all players submit a decklist before play begins on the first day 1. FFG gave a pretty significant advantage to anyone playing on the second or third day 1, and Worlds should all be about a level playing field.

Long Side Event Wait Times

Side event wait times were just too long, with a couple pods I jumped into taking over 3 hours to launch. The demand far exceeded capacity, especially on the day when FFG lost the conference space to a wedding. That's right. The hotel that is a 2 minute walk from FFG got booked out during their World Championships to a wedding, and the real funny bit is this was the second year in a row this happened. Hopefully X-Wing getting its own Worlds fixes the space issue so that side events launch faster, and hopefully someone at FFG already booked out the conference space for 2019.

The Nitpicking

Why The Fuzzy Dice On Stream

Destiny streaming is an art, and every artist needs a good paintbrush. Okay, I'm stretching that one a bit...but both Destiny streams at Worlds were using 1080P cameras. Those cameras result in fuzzy dice sides and just a sub-par experience for those of us watching in living rooms yelling and cheering at the TV each time those dice get rolled...followed by some serious squinting and guessery. The fix is easy: buy a 4K camera but continue to stream at 1080P. Heck, I'll loan you my 4K camera for next Worlds since FFG won't give us a media badge to do our own recording.

More Zwirn Please

FFG needs to learn to treat their design staff like celebrities. A live QA session with Jeremy, a signing, a panel discussion, really just anything to showcase their talent and get them more exposed to the community would have been fantastic - especially just to give the guy an opportunity for a little more applause for making such a great game.

Feedback

If last Worlds was any indication then very soon OP will be sending out a survey to provide feedback. This little google form is going to drive a lot of decisions they make for next Worlds. If you attended, make sure you take the time to fill it out.

If you have direct feedback you'd like to send to Organized Play, hit them up here.

If you enjoyed this article then please consider supporting us on Patreon. Our rewards include immediate access to our strategy articles, patron-only Discord channels to discuss playtesting and deck tech, exclusive videos and a bi-monthly thank you gift.

I believe though, once I have a complete set (at least one of each), I will move all of them into their own ports for each set (all raritys) to keep it clean, together and coherent. The extra rare and legend dupes would then fill out whatever space is left in the port, and the extra dupe un/commons would still be in their binder, if not traded away or sold off (depending if they institute a rotational system like other games).

On a side note of card management, might I recommend a Feldherr case for your dice and decks. They have a website and an Amazon posting. If you havent heard if them, they make foam trays for Destiny like you see for Warhammer, SW Armada and XWing.

https://www.amazon.com/Feldherr-MINI-PLUS-Case-Destiny/dp/B06XXZ4PPR

That is the link for the 200 dice bag, but you can select in the page which Destiny case you would prefer. They are amazing and at a great price. (I dont work for them and am not sponsored to say that. I just love it for deck and dice management.)

These are a bit on the pricey side but they are well worth the cost. These are the best solution for storing dice that I've found. If you're going to be keeping the dice for expensive cards, then you should take care of them.

They also have good trays for decks, having a spot for tokens and sleeved cards.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XXZ4PPR/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

EDIT: Making a new post with pictures and details to show off the box.

I've been using these side-by-side double deck boxes from Monster https://www.amazon.com/Monster-Protectors-Trading-Self-locking-Magnetic/dp/B005VL3H08 for my Magic draft kit (1 side holds lands and tokens, the other hold sleeves and draft/sealed pool) and they work great.

I find that the Monster dual deck boxes are a little nicer than the UltraPro boxes, and are laid out with the decks side-by-side, rather than front to back, which makes them easier to tuck into a hoodie pocket or a messenger/shoulder bag. Also, each 'side' of the box is removable, which I find to be very convenient... and it lets you mix & match interior / exterior colors if you want :)

Tested the box with Destiny earlier tonight at the FFG event, and each 'half' of the deck box perfectly fits up to 24 Destiny dice (4 layers deep at 6 dice per layer).

One of these boxes would perfectly hold a sleeved destiny deck, some spare sleeves, extra characters and battlefields, and all the dice you need. there is even room left over to throw your tokens in a small dice bag and tuck it in with the dice.

You can see me filling out some binders in this way here:
https://youtu.be/-2CTiWGkeS8?t=5m54s

I use the following products:

• KMC Hyper Mat Clear Sleeves and KMC Perfect Fit Inner Sleeves
  
• Ultra Pro 18-Pocket Platinum Side-Loading Pages
  
• Case-it 4 Inch Zipper Binder
  
  The binders come in 2 and 3 inch sizes as well, I believe. Regardless of what binder you use, I cannot speak highly enough of how perfectly the KMC sleeves fit in the Ultra Pro sheets. Definitely give it a shot.
  
  Also, if you want to see a more detailed review of the binder itself, I look at it here:
  https://youtu.be/6eyj8xvqROE?t=3m32s

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Carrying-Exterior-Dividers-Compatible/dp/B00XYC3MNI

I bought this that can hold 4 ultra pro boxes with a central divide for tokens. It's a little more expensive but works amazing. I put my deck in one box and my dice in another. So I can carry two full decks and tokens in an awesome carry case that is well made.

http://imgur.com/a/cyBP1
How I use mine.

I guess it's currently out of stock but it's 50 bucks when it's back in Stock and it's one of my favorite buys.

I own this camera bag and it's perfect for game days. It fits 3 of the FFG LCG promo Deck boxes standing on end or 6 of the basic Ultra Pro boxes and has enough room for a small Plano on top with tokens. For Destiny I'll either keep the dice in the Plano or remove a deck box and keep a dice bag in that slot.

I can take some pictures later if people are interested but I love it and it was way cheaper than any gaming specific solution like a Ultra Pro case or Dragon Egg.

AmazonBasics Medium DSLR Gadget Bag (Gray Interior) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CF7E0R0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_pDEkyb8BB6E88

1. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GLQX3CO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 These things are amazing for dice and deck storage. I put my deck in a small plastic bag (I bought like 100 bags for a couple bucks on amazon) and the dice flanking it in one of these). Can send a pic if you want. The Ultimate Guard commander deck boxes also will work for a deck and dice.
   
2. Running 3 colors will usually mean you have less starting dice and can be hard to have the right symbols across your dice (because you will have 3 characters, which means you generally can't run one of them elite). There are exceptions to this, but imo you should only be aiming to be all 3 colors if you have a specific reason to. It also makes "spot a character" cards less reliable once one character dies.
   
3. There isn't really, a good quick way to check would be just to check prices online. More expensive cards are generally better.
   
   Looks like other people covered the other topics, have fun!

A starter set (there are currently two versions - one featuring Rey and Finn, the other featuring Kylo and a Trooper) will get you everything you need to start playing. These are not full decks though. Like I said, it's enough to show you the rules and how to play, and it is still a fun stand alone game as it is...but, eventually you'll want to expand your collection.

The starters are just the "dealer" giving you the first hit for free. Within a week you'll be selling grandma's wedding band to afford a few booster packs to build your eVader/Raider agro deck.

Now, all that being said...you're gonna have a rough time finding cards right now. The initial shipment seems to have sold out pretty much all over. Maybe you'll be lucky and your local shop will have some stock, but odds are good that you might have to wait a week or two. If you don't have a local shop, there's also Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VFXWBZS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have all my cards double sleeved with kmc perfect fits inside of kmc hyper mattes.

Characters are (currently) in FFG sleeves (rey for hero, kylo for villain) and those fit just fine as well

I use this for dice storage. Also good for a complete deck and dice.
http://www.joann.com/iris-photo-keeper/9531211.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiAt9vEBRDQmPSow-q5gs8BEiQAaWSEDh6je926P1IPPuw04m8EGfpflyiVmFucm7dcLvzFYNwaAjx18P8HAQ

As for binder, a normal 2" binder with sleeve pages does the trick nicely. Sleeved cards fit great in these.
https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Pro-Pocket-Page-Protectors/dp/B005HIOVOG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486362889&sr=8-3&keywords=sleeve+pages

https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Pro-Boxes-Colors-Pokemon-YuGiOh/dp/B00IVS9OVE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484946959&sr=8-1&keywords=ultra+pro+deck+box

This is the best (cheapest) solution I've found. One of these comfortably holds two decks or 24 dice. Unfortunately, while it's good for travel, it's impossible to search for your dice during a game while keeping them obscured from your opponent. I'd recommend the 200-count cardboard card boxes for this.

I can fit one deck and assorted dice in this tower, its great. Bottom detaches to put 9 dice in, and then dice can fit up top with the cards as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Pro-Blue-Satin-Tower/dp/B00FRIE9B6/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1496754922&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=ultra+pro+satin+tower

I use these for Netrunner and they hold up very well: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AXDBDK0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sleeved my SWDestiny cards in them as well and they fit perfectly.

I've shipped a full collection in multiple 800 card boxes (see https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FO802R4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_d30UzbSG4XTXN for an example) with no problems. Mine were sleeved with penny sleeves so that helps protect them but isn't required. The main thing is to make sure the boxes are full enough that cards have limited movement inside. I put a little bubble wrap around them as well.

For dice, I received a Destiny collection by mail and the dice fit nicely in small bubble wrap bags or, alternatively, in zip lock bags with a layer of bubble wrap around them. Again the goal is to fill the bags so there's little room for the dice to bounce around.

I discovered these guys at GenCon this year. My friend bought two of those deck boxes and they are sweet. I bought 2 of their card albums to hold all my cards for Mage Wars.

I think I might pick up more of their stuff too for Destiny.

Edit: I think I will pick this up. Looks like it could fit 2 decks and dice easy enough.

I keep mine in [these four ring binders] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00191RJWQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522591555&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=four+ring+binder&dpPl=1&dpID=41NHKEjqgJL&ref=plSrch). They're not as bulky and unwieldy as the ones sold by ultra pro and the like specifically for card games and one is the perfect size for an entire cycle of Destiny (which is convenient as I can just put a binder away when it rotates out) so right now I have one for Awakenings/Spirit/Empire and one for Legacies. In the binders I have them organised by colour first, then faction, then set. Never attempt to organise by cost or anything like that as you'll constantly be reorganising as new cards are released.

I have dice organised in plastic boxes, one for each set.

Vault X Deck Box and 100 Black Card Sleeves - Medium Size for 70-80 Sleeved Cards - PVC Free Card Holder for TCG (Medium + 100)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTYY5UG/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_m5S5CbXN16XYN

This deck box (large version with 150 sleeves included) fits one deck (sleeved) and two rows of dice + it includes 150 premium sleeves. Been using it for over 6mos and the sleeves and box are still working great (no tearing or peeling).

This fits two decks perfectly. It's what I bring to the game store to play there. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000AM8BBI/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1485717524&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=small+compartment+organizer&dpPl=1&dpID=41PlDUDUT8L&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GLQX3CO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's the set I ordered (back in december) and they are AMAZING.

1x Stanley Organizer

2x BCW Z-Folio 12-Pocket Albums [1 for AWK, 1 for SoR]

2x Sets of 5 Ultra Pro Deck Boxes

The deck boxes aren't all for SWD, I have some Pokemon as well. I'm probably going to end up buying some of the cheap BCW card boxes to store all my duplicates / bulk in as it's easier than throwing them in like 4 deck boxes.

It kind of sucks to lug the stuff around so I am looking into either getting a rolling backpack or tool holder to put everything in or just like a duffle bag to throw it all in.

Best I could find, not as cheap though:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/IRIS-Photo-Craft-Storage-Organizer/dp/B00GLQX3CO/ref=pd_day0_201_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=AEY246BCC49DD19X80N6

Probably an American product so it's imported, which makes it harder to get hold of.

If we're still talking about dice storage, below is what I use specifically. Each box holds playsets for 3 expansions for my stuff. Within the box itself, usually each container has like all legendaries, then all my red rares in the next one, blue rares the next one, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/IRIS-Extra-Embellishment-Keeper-Handle/dp/B00GLQX3CO/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=iris+photo+case&qid=1564089375&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Good n' cheap with room to expand even.

2 for 31 bucks on amazon

https://www.amazon.com/IRIS-Extra-Embellishment-Keeper-Handle/dp/B00GLQX3CO/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1517517591&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=4x6+photo+case&psc=1