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Rotisserie Draft

Rotisserie Draft, a time intensive usually asynchronous way to draft an entire cube face-up that pushes planting flags and reading signals.

At A Glance

  • Players: 4-8
  • Setup Overhead: Severe
  • Minutes: 120+
  • Core Concept: The entire cube of cards is snake drafted one at a time, with all cards visible to all players.
  • Other Names: Roto-Draft

Screenshot of Rotisserie draft in progress

Snake Turn Order or Snaking

Instead of going around in a circle: (1,2,3, 1,2,3, 1,2…), you take turns top to bottom then snake back up bottom to top: (1,2,3, 3,2,1, 1,2…)

Setup Requirements

Because Rotisserie drafts take so much time, they are usually done asynchronously using google sheets or some equivalent, but if you have the time and want to run one in person, here’s what you need to do:

  1. Gather enough cards for the desired card-pool size * the number of players (Usually 45 cards * 8 players = 360 cards).
  2. Sort the entire cube so drafted cards are easily located. (Or if you’re really ambitious and have lots of space, lay out the entire cube for players to actually grab the cards as they draft them)
  3. Checklist page so when players select a card it’s marked as not available for another player to try and select.
  4. Determine pick order giving each player a number 1 through 8.

How To Draft

Here’s how to run the actual draft portion:

  1. Player 1 Picks the first card faceup and either takes it or marks it down on the Checklist.
  2. Continue Down the list with each player picking a single card (Player 2, then 3, etc.).
  3. The Last Player (Player 8) after making their first pick immediately picks a second card, and the draft order “snakes” back in reverse up the list, with each player making a pick until it gets back to Player 1.
  4. Continue Up the list with each player picking a single card (Player 7, then 6, etc.).
  5. Snake Draft pattern continues with Player 1 and 8 always making double picks until each player has drafted a full pool of 45 cards.

Variations

  • Rochester Draft: Want to Roto-Draft in person but don’t have the table space? Just do 1-pack at a time instead.
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