What if you knew everyone’s picks at a draft table?

Do you think you would show better results? Let’s face it, the majority of people who draft, draft the same way. Usually, they pick the same cards and go with the same strategy. Too many times, I see people draft based on some random “Pro’s” advice and lose because that strategy doesn’t or didn’t work for them.

One of the FANTASTIC reasons to come to ManaNation.com is to view ACTUAL drafts by some of the best in the business. We do this NOT to make you draft like Finkel or Herzog or Paulo or Nassif, but to understand their strategies in drafting so you can understand what you may or may not be doing wrong.

I’m writing this article in multiple parts to allow for discussion on more specific details within our Forums. And, I’ve kind of written this backwards due to the complexities of card choices. So, let’s look at some drafting deck building strategies or theories and I’ll try to provide a holistic view of the plus and minus of each:

1. How many cards in the deck

The first part of this is to do whatever you can to stick to 40 cards! I mentioned in one of my previous articles that Magic is about statistical probabilities. If you have only one card in your deck, then that card will be more likely to show up in your hand if you have fewer cards in your deck. With that fact being said, try your best to be at 40 cards. HOWEVER, I often find myself playing 41 and it’s only because I’m comfortable with my ratios in building a 41 card deck. The larger the deck, the less likely it will be that you draw any specific card. And you want it to be more likely, thus a smaller deck.

2. Average Casting Cost Base 3

Now let’s look at what I call “average casting cost base3”. This is a theory of mine that tries to simplify the math and help you “cut land”. To me you should NEVER go below 16 lands, nor should you ever go above 18. So the question is what and when?

Take all spells that cost less than 3 and all cards that cost more than 3. (At this point you have three groups <3, 3s, >3) You take the 0 cc and place them 1:1 (or couple them) with the 6 cc, the 1cc with the 5 cc, the 2 cc with the 4 cc. If all of your cards are paired (or close) run 17 lands. If you have an excess of >3 you run 18 lands or <3 you run 16 lands.

3. Mana Split

There are lots of Ifs for this part. This doesn't account for mana fixers or dual lands, so recognize that.

After you’ve determined 16, 17 or 18 now you must choose exact “color” or land/mana ratio. Mono colored decks are easy, if all of your cards are white then you play 16, 17 or 18 plains!

However, let’s say they’re not. I count 1 mana symbol of any color as "1" and any additional mana symbol on that card as a ½. If you have a multicolored card, you judge the same way GW = 1 forest + 1 plains. If 12 of your 23 cards are blue and 11 are white (with single mana symbols on each card) then you simply go 9 islands 8 plains.

Let’s say though you’re running 4 different colors of equal presence. Then, I’d run 22 cards and 18 lands and split 18 lands equally but high on the 2 “cheapest” colors. Meaning if your blue and white spells are the cheapest overall, then play +1 for both Plains and Islands.

I count mana sources that ARE NOT lands as ½ as well (Springleaf Drum, Fertile Ground, etc). This works even BEYOND the land count you’ve determined. I’m NOT counting creatures that can tap for mana as they count as “Creatures”. Here’s where it gets tricky. If you’re working the <3, then go up to +2 for non land sources of mana (dependent upon what sources you have you can even go 15 lands), conversely if you’re at >3 then go up to +3 for mana sources with 17 lands. Going any higher will often cause a flood!

This is about building, at this point, more so than… Oops! See you next week! Hehe!

-- Lee