Draft play can be a fun and rewarding way to play the ever-popular Magic: The Gathering. It is a popular format used in casual and competitive play, so if you are interested in joining a local draft event, you should know what to expect.
Players can also use dedicated resources like the DraftSim draft simulator to improve their game, enabling amateurs to better themselves and pros to practice for their next match. This guide will break down the basics of this specific concept to help you how to prepare for the game. It also offers tips on how to get the most out of your experience.
What is drafting in MTG?
Looking at a few basics first will help new players. Magic: The Gathering is a fantastic collectible card game wherein players battle one another by playing spells and summoned creatures to reduce their opponent’s life total from twenty to zero.
If you are new to Magic, don’t worry, the popular game has been around for over twenty-five years now, and there are tons of resources available online to help you learn how it works. It is a limited format where players are given packs of cards and take turns picking one card from each pack until all cards have been drafted.
Deck building rules
Knowing the rules of this top-rated game can help you build the right deck. Firstly, understand that there are several different game types in Magic: The Gathering, such as Legacy, Modern, and Vintage, each permitting a diverse card collection.
Choosing colors that best suit your style is a good technique for those new to MTG or interested in learning more about playing it correctly. If you are an aggressive, no-holds-barred player who likes attacking your opponent early on, red and white will probably be your best bet if you want access to creatures. If you like drawing cards and playing spells at an instant speed, blue might suit your fancy better because it has plenty of instants that do just that.
Can you concede a match during draft play?
Yes, you can concede a match during draft play. Like in a game of Magic where you lose because your opponent has an unbeatable hand or because they have lethal damage on the board and you don’t have any cards that can stop them, players can leave their matches at any time.
However, if they do this before drafting their cards for the second pack of the process, then it will count as a loss for that player – meaning that although there is no way for them to win anymore (their deck is too weak), there is also no way for their opponent to lose either.
Practice on simulators
As mentioned earlier, draft simulators like the DraftSim draft simulator are a fantastic way to practice drafting by facing off against the AI opponent for free or for pay. You can play with a limited number of cards or use all of them. It is undoubtedly a surefire way to get in some game experience and see how your deck would perform before you get out into the real world, where you might have to face real opponents.
So, look for reputable sources that provide top-quality computer AI opponents for you to practice besides listing MTG guides and other game-related information.
