🎯 Overview

I dreamed a new game mode for Splinterlands — a high-stakes, real-time tournament-style “King of the Hill” format where players battle one at a time to dethrone the current King.

Each match features a live draft phase — with bans, Archon picks, and alternating card selections — all using Ghost Cards, so that skill and strategy reign supreme.

The event is designed for Twitch/YouTube livestreams, with casters, chat engagement, and potentially even Twitch Drops. It's fast-paced, strategic, and built for both players and spectators.

🧱 Core Structure

I am not sure of how successful this may be or how realistic the format. I am more interested in creating a format that can be entertaining to Players and Viewers - which can run LIVE to generate real-time excitement.

• Players enter via paid registration (SPS/DEC/VOUCHERS).

• A random player starts as the King (Position #1).

• All other entrants form a challenge queue.

• The King must defend their throne by facing challengers 1v1, one at a time.

• After a secret number of total matches (e.g., randomly determined but to fit a 1 to 2 hour Window of Time), the tournament ends.

• The player holding the throne at the end wins the prize pool.

• There can be other Rewards, such as, Longest Win Streak, Most accurate Audience Prediction, Most Banned Card, Most used Unit/Archon...

⚔️ Draft Duel Format

To Keep it "Fair" the Format is Draft Duel so that it can run Live and also engage the Audience/Commentators

Each match uses the following structure:

✅ Game Rules & Mana Cap Revealed

E.g., 26 Mana, Reverse Speed, Explosive Weaponry

❌ Ban Phase

• Challenger bans 1 card (Archon or Unit)
• King bans 1 card (Archon or Unit)

🧠 Archon Picks

• King picks Archon first
• Challenger picks Archon second

🎴 Alternating Unit Picks

• Challenger picks 1 Unit
• King picks 1 Unit
• Continue until Teams are full

🏁 Battle Begins

• Winner becomes (or remains) the King
• Loser goes to the back of the queue with cooldown

💡 Key Features

• Ghost Cards Mode: All players have access to full leveled card pool (for this mode only) or Capped to a League Level or Card Set.

• Card Fatigue Option (toggleable): Used cards are temporarily locked for future matches

• Real-Time Play: Manual play preferred, with AI fallback if necessary

• Random Match Count: Tournament ends after a hidden number of matches or Time — adds suspense and urgency - and keeps the Game within a Reasonable TimeFrame.

📺 Stream & Audience Engagement

This mode is designed to be broadcast-friendly:

• 🗳️ Live Voting on bans, picks, or match outcomes
• 🎁 Twitch Drops / Viewer Rewards
• 🏆 Guess the King Streak Leaderboard
• 🎙️ Live Casting with card-by-card commentary and Strategy Talk
• 🔁 Draft Overlays to show each pick, ban, and final team comparison

🪙 Monetization & Rewards

• Players pay to enter — entry fee fuels the prize pot - Real Costs to attract serious competition.
• Final King wins the majority of the pool (which also carries an attractive Reward.)
• Optionally: runner-up or longest-reigning King get small % bonuses, or other Achievements to Reward Attendance and Achievements.
• Burn 5–10% of pool to DAO or DEC sink
• Audience Prizes
• Commentator Rewards

🗣️ Final Thoughts

The idea is to create a Social and Competitive atmosphere. Real time engagement and bringing a Tournament Format that attracts higher skilled Players into an Arena.

The Formats can be modified to support Guild Wars where Guilds Face off, Interlinking different Draft Style matches to culminate into an Annual Championship.

Basically, something fun, fast and audience engaging. ESports worthy.