After cracking a couple cases of MM2017 myself and a colleague have discovered a disturbing trend with the mapping of the set from what we opened, that could impact player decisions in top 8 drafts for Sealed PPTQs the next few weeks.
If you open packs within a column, the uncommon slots have a recurring duplication rate. Of the 3 uncommons, we discovered a 1st card > 1st card duplication, a 1st slot >2nd slot shift, a 1st >2nd shift, then 1>1 duplication. There's an occasional 1 row disruption in the pattern due to “randomization” and how packs are moved during coalition for the boxes, but we were able to replicate it across multiple boxes and a couple cases.
It's quite the competitive advantage if you open pack two knowing that almost certainly your first or second uncommon will be replicated in one or both of your other packs, and the rest of the field is unaware of the trend.
It was strange enough and consistent enough (occurring at more than a 85% consistency rate) across a couple cases that I thought it should be mentioned ahead of the next couple weeks worth of PPTQs.
Just be sure to mix up the box for Top 8 draft and the problem should be largely avoided, but savvy players may try to game the system otherwise.
I ran a couple of pictures by South RC David Hibbs who was able to see the pattern immediately as well.
Example 1Example 2
Edited Joseph Thomas (March 17, 2017 10:07:13 PM)