What is “Afterburn”?
By Barron Vangor Toth
Raw Deal co-designer

Afterburn.

Have you noticed this word?

Afterburn.

For the last six months, it has been mentioned from time to time in various places at various times for various reasons.

Afterburn.

Some have speculated. Up until now, no one who has known for certain has said a word.

Afterburn.

Until. Now.

First and foremost, Afterburn is an alternate constructed Raw Deal format. Those managers that want to run an Afterburn match – much like they can now opt to run occasional Tag Team matches or Royal Rumble matches – can simply do so. However, unlike other formats where the format is designed around the card pool, with Afterburn, we specifically designed all of the cards with it in mind. Not only is it a unique playing experience, but it is a great format for new players who don’t have easy access to a lot of the out of print cards and Superstars.

Afterburn Deck Construction Rules:

All standard Raw Deal rules apply, however, the cards you’re packing (including Superstar-specifics) must appear in the following sets:

1. Lethal Library
2. Armageddon
3. Survivor Series 3
4. Plus, all sets from Unforgiven forward

Note: you do not need to use a Survivor Series 3 version of a card in order to play that card. You can use, for example, any version of Superkick, whether from Premiere, SS1, SS2, or SS3. Likewise, you can use any version of Kick (whether the SS3 Throwback version or the original version).

In other words, the titles of the cards you are packing in your deck must have cards with those titles appear in those three above sets. It can’t be stressed enough that you don’t need SS3 versions of cards for Afterburn.

Besides the above three sets, other cards are allowed. They are as follows:

Promos:

Promo #33: Survivor Series
Promo #34: Armageddon
Promo #42: Four Years in the Making: Survivor Series 3
Promo #43: Unforgiven
Promo #44: Batista
Plus all promos from #45 forward

Title Belts:

Every Title Belt

Guest Ringside Announcers:

Every Guest Ringside Announcer

Tournament Prize Kits:

All tournament prize cards from TK#1 onwards

Backstage Signature

Some Superstars have previous cards which are either identical OR close enough that they are legal in Afterburn. All versions of the card are legal choices:

Triple H: Chyna Interferes, Stephanie Interferes, or Ric Flair Interferes

Kane: Tori Enters the Fray or Help Is On the Way

Spike Dudley: Good Golly, Miss Molly Holly or Get 'im, Boyz!

As you can see, making an Afterburn format deck isn’t that different from building a SmackDown! Constructed (heretofore referenced as “All Axxess”) design. Sure, there are a fewer Superstars and not as wide of a card pool, but essentially it is the same but … just not. The changes between the formats are subtle and you only really notice them once you start playing in the format. And I encourage everyone to give it a try, whether at their local tournament OR just when playing against their friends.

Now you can get twice as much use out of most of your Superstars. When you play All Axxess Booker T against All Axxess Evolution it won’t be the same type of match as when you play Afterburn Booker T against Afterburn Evolution, due to the different strategies that Afterburn will create.

But for those people that thought “All Axxess” would be going anywhere – it’s not. It invariably always will be the main format in Raw Deal as it’s the easiest to build decks from (everything is legal), but for new players just getting into the game OR veteran players wanting another terrific use for the cards they have, there is “Afterburn.”