Top Deck is home to a lot of aspiring players who dream of making it big in their respective games. As you go higher up the ladder to bigger events, you will eventually need to travel both locally and internationally. Being on the grind for a few years now, after some trial and error we pretty much have a process in preparing for these events. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how we do it:
Step 1: The Event
First of all, gather information on the event. You need to know two important things: When and Where. Can you fit this event into your schedule? Are there any pre-requisites for you to go there e.g. applying for a passport? Is the trip within your budget?
Take note of the other details as well: which games and which formats will be played, the schedule of the events, prize structure. Make sure you’re on top of things such as pre-registration and other requirements like decklists.
Also consider if it is worth your time and effort to make the trip – you don’t want to travel halfway across the world just to win a couple of booster packs. Are you trying to win an invite to the Pro Tour? Are you aiming to make a profit from your trip? Are you just out to have fun with your friends? Everyone has different reasons for wanting to play. Once you get all this sorted out, mark your calendar and proceed to step 2.
Step 2: Look for Travel Buddies
You can skip this step, but this is extremely helpful. There’s a high likelihood that someone in your locality is planning to go to the event as well, especially if you’re in the same playgroup. Try to ask around and see if you can find any like-minded people. I have been traveling with my teammates for a couple of years now with some people going in and out of the group and we’re pretty much used to traveling with each other. By experience, the ideal group would be 2-4 people. It makes logistics much easier to manage (like when you’re getting a taxi or sharing a room). Traveling or finding accommodations as a large group is harder, but if you end up with a bigger group, you can always split it up into smaller groups to make it more manageable
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Team TD during the BCS event
Step 3: Logistics
Once you have assembled your team, it’s time to make sure you can show up for the event. Discuss what mode of travel is best suited for your needs. Book your flights and hotels early to avoid the higher rates.
We usually arrive in the place a day before the event, so that we have time to get used to the area and have enough time to take care of any last-minute things that might come up. It also allows us to rest up and be prepared for the next day.
If possible, look for a place that is within walking distance from the event (or better yet, on the venue itself!). Sometimes it is tempting to get a cheaper place that is a bit further away, but the convenience of being nearby and the cost for traveling to the venue usually evens it out. Remember that you will be out for most of the day and will probably only be back in your room to sleep, so you don’t need to book anything fancy. On the other hand, make sure the place is clean and comfortable enough so that you can rest up well.
Travel light, if possible. It’s a lot easier to move around if you’re not encumbered by so much luggage. I prefer to use two bags when I travel, one with all my clothes and decks that I will be using and the other being the bag I carry during the event, which would contain my usual provisions when I play.
Finally, consider spending anv extra day in the place, especially if it’s your first time there. You already spent time and effort to go there, why not make the most out of it? This also helps you focus on your games instead of wanting to maximize your trip, since you already know that you have time for R&R after the event.
Step 4: The Grind
Now that everything is in place, it’s time to get ready for the actual event. Which games are you playing? It’s good to have the schedule of the events so that you can map out which ones you want to join. We usually go and play multiple formats when we travel, since we want to get the most value from the event. Just make sure you get ready for all of them.
Veteran player Craig making adjustments to his deck of choice for upcoming events
When should you start preparing for the event? Some players are concerned about drastic metagame shifts and for any rule's changes leading up to the tournament. This is especially true for Magic players, when there’s a Banned and Restricted Announcement leading up to the event.
You can opt for a wait-and-see approach and check out what changes are in place before you begin. As for the metagame, MTG Hall of Famer Seth Manfield advises that metagames are pretty much locked in 2 weeks before the event. If there are any sudden changes, it would be too late to adjust for those by then so it would pretty much stay the same. So when is the correct time to start? The answer is NOW. You should have a practice routine in place already and spend some time improving your knowledge and theorycrafting. You can’t cram this into a few weeks before a tournament. By the time any rules changes or metagame shifts come around, you would only need to do a few minor adjustments and be good to go; as opposed to starting back at square one.
Remember your travel buddies? They might want to prepare for the event as well, and more heads is always better than one. Playtest with them, discuss theories and strategies, bounce off ideas. This will always be a win-win for everyone involved.
Top Deck players grinding and testing out decks in preparation for upcoming events
Another question that gets asked is when you should lock in which deck to use. By experience, I find the sweet spot to be around a month before the event, especially if you still have to assemble the deck. But as always, keep an open mind and be ready to switch if it turns out to be the better decision.
One Piece Card Game Flagship winners
Wrap-Up
Want to try and apply what you have learned? Here’s an event for you: TD Festival will be held on January 24-26 at Grand Central Suites, Cagayan de Oro City. Lots of events for your favorite games, with the headliner being the RCQ for Magic the Gathering. Lots of prizes up for grabs, lots of side events including a Cosplay contest and a party featuring some of the best DJs in the city. Hope to see you there!
https://topdeckph.com/pages/td-festival
