What's the best number for a merge?

[Skelda]

Odd numbers if you have a final two, even if you have a final three. I like merges to be as big as possible because it sucks so much to be voted out premerge. But there's obviously some limit to that depending on the size of the game. And everyone who makes merge should make Jury!

I think if half or more of your players are voted out premerge, your merge is too late.

[Skelda]

I understand your points, however not making Jury sucks and the pain felt by the people who make the merge but not Jury outweighs the marginal benefit of finalists getting a few more rounds with Jurors. Plus no one thinks about voting out people they don't want on the Jury at the merge and even if people are it usually isn't known for sure that Jury hasn't started.

Making Jury is an accomplishment and when you don't make it that fucking sucks. Prejury people have my greatest sympathy, but I want as few people to deal with the pain of being prejury as possible.

[Skelda]

I understand your points, however not making Jury sucks and the pain felt by the people who make the merge but not Jury outweighs the marginal benefit of finalists getting a few more rounds with Jurors. Plus no one thinks about voting out people they don't want on the Jury at the merge and even if people are it usually isn't known for sure that Jury hasn't started.

Making Jury is an accomplishment and when you don't make it that fucking sucks. Prejury people have my greatest sympathy, but I want as few people to deal with the pain of being prejury as possible.

Its not an accomplishment when like everyone makes the jury

I don't buy this argument. I think to a new player or a player who hasn't made the Jury before, the difference between 11th place Jury and 13th place Jury is fairly marginal, but the difference between 11th place Jury and 13th place prejury is massive. I'm not saying that we have 16 or 17 person Juries because yeah, that does devalue the Jury to a certain extent. I also think being somewhat unpredictable about when Jury/merge will occur is also good, so obviously you can't always have massive Juries.

But in general, starting Jury as early as you can is better. I also think that if you let the premerge drag on too long good players are more likely to be swap-screwed.

Also having larger Juries is probably more likely to result in winners who we want to win because with lower numbers you are more likely to have wonky votecounts. Something like a 3-2-2 is more likely with a small Jury, especially when people were recently voted off and it still stings. Having people on the Jury with more perspective is a good thing.