An idea for ToT, borrowed from Blackjack

sekou_trayvond

I've been noodling an idea in my brain regarding the dreaded 150 point loss monster. Ftr, I'm fine with it. Like others I'm more an advocate for minimum points for a win. Anyhoo...

My idea is modeled on the idea of buying insurance in blackjack when the dealer is showing ace. You can place a side bet, if the dealer does indeed have a blackjack you collect on your insurance bet.

Taking this to ToT, I would suggest ZOS create another currency (yeah, I know) but stick with me. Make it a chit or coin or doodad or doohickey that you get occasionally in tribute rewards. What it does is this:

Before a match starts, preferably right before first hands are dealt, you are asked a simple question- would you like insurance (for lack of a better term, atm) for this match?

If yes, you expend a chit. What it does is it halves your potential point loss for the match but also quarters your potential point gain. If you lose the match, the winner collects your chit.

So, in practice, I see this working in a myriad of ways. For sake of this example, say you're matched against a player perhaps named Individual of Enigmas, a player routinely in the top 2%. When you get matched with them, expend a chit and cut your loss in half, albeit at the risk of dropping a victory point down from perhaps 150 to say 38ish points.

This works the other way too. Me personally, if I have no recollection of the name of my opponent I kinda assume they're newish and this might be a match that I'm risking 150 points if I'm not on my toes and lose. I could use a chit, cut that loss in half if I do indeed flop and move on to the next match.

Same principle works for top players, presumably they will have acquired a good amount of chits as a ToT season nears conclusion. Normally these folks kinda head for the casual hills and wreak death and destruction over there. But with this chit they could stay in ranked with less risk.