Theros Beyond Death Draft Guide⁚ An Overview
This comprehensive guide navigates the intricacies of drafting Theros Beyond Death, covering key mechanics, color strategies, and advanced techniques to elevate your draft game. Master the art of picking and building successful decks in this popular Magic⁚ The Gathering set.
Understanding the Theros Beyond Death Set
Theros Beyond Death, a Magic⁚ The Gathering expansion set released January 24, 2020, transports players to the underworld of Theros. This set isn’t part of a larger block, offering a unique and self-contained drafting experience. Key features include the impactful “Escape” mechanic, allowing creatures to return from the graveyard with increased power, and the “Beyond” mechanic, granting additional abilities to creatures upon death. The set boasts diverse archetypes across five colors, each with unique strengths and synergies. Understanding these mechanics and archetypes is crucial for successful drafting. Many online resources, including Card Kingdom Blog and Draftsim, provide detailed analyses and ratings for each card, aiding in strategic decision-making. From aggressive white weenie strategies to controlling black midrange decks, the drafting possibilities are wide-ranging and rewarding. Preparation and understanding of the set’s mechanics are key to mastering this draft environment, making online resources invaluable tools.
Key Mechanics⁚ Escape and Beyond
Theros Beyond Death introduces two pivotal mechanics significantly impacting draft strategies⁚ Escape and Beyond. Escape allows you to cast cards from your graveyard by paying a specific cost, often involving sacrificing other cards. This mechanic provides powerful late-game plays and resilience against board wipes, making it a cornerstone of many successful decks. Cards with Escape often become significantly stronger upon their return from the graveyard, making efficient graveyard management crucial. The Beyond mechanic offers a different kind of resilience. When a creature with Beyond dies, it triggers an additional effect, often creating tokens or dealing damage. These effects can range from minor advantages to game-changing swings. Mastering both Escape and Beyond requires careful deck construction, prioritizing cards that synergize with these mechanics, such as those with high casting costs or those that benefit from a populated graveyard. Understanding the interplay between these two mechanics is critical for success in Theros Beyond Death drafts.
Color Tier List and Archetype Analysis
Analyzing color combinations reveals distinct archetypes within Theros Beyond Death drafts. A common tier list often places black and green among the strongest colors, supporting powerful midrange and ramp strategies. Black excels at efficient removal and card advantage, while green provides ramp and large creatures. White weenie and aggressive strategies are also viable, leveraging early-game creatures and strong one-drops. Blue often features control and tempo strategies focusing on card draw, counter spells, and evasive creatures. Red often represents aggressive, burn-heavy strategies, utilizing direct damage and fast creatures. However, the actual power level of each color can fluctuate based on the specific draft, with certain archetypes being more or less prevalent depending on pack distribution. Therefore, adaptability and understanding the available cards are crucial to success. Don’t hesitate to adjust your color preferences based on the draft’s flow, prioritizing synergistic cards over rigidly adhering to a pre-determined tier list.
Drafting Strategies
Mastering Theros Beyond Death drafting demands a nuanced approach, balancing early-game aggression with late-game power. Prioritize card quality and synergy to build a cohesive, powerful deck.
Pick Order and Prioritization
Effective drafting in Theros Beyond Death hinges on a keen understanding of pick order and prioritization. While bomb rares and mythics are tempting, focusing solely on them often leads to an unbalanced deck. Instead, prioritize cards that synergize well with your chosen archetype. Early picks should establish a strong color identity, while later picks should fill gaps and refine your strategy. Consider the power level of individual cards within the context of your developing deck. Don’t be afraid to shift your strategy if a powerful, unexpected card appears in later packs. Pay attention to the available cards and adapt accordingly; forcing a color that isn’t supported can be detrimental. Assess each card’s impact on your overall game plan, considering its mana cost, power, toughness, and synergy with your existing cards. Remember, a well-rounded deck with synergistic cards often triumphs over one relying solely on a few powerful cards.
Early-Game Considerations
The early game in a Theros Beyond Death draft is crucial for establishing a solid foundation. Your initial picks significantly influence your deck’s direction and overall power level. Prioritize efficient, low-cost creatures that can develop a strong board presence early. These early plays will pressure your opponent and allow you to capitalize on opportunities. Consider cards with relevant keywords like “menace” or “first strike” to maximize their impact. Don’t neglect removal spells; early removal can disrupt your opponent’s strategy and give you an advantage. A balanced approach is key; don’t overcommit to aggressive strategies without considering your defensive capabilities. Evaluate your early-game picks based on their ability to control the board and generate tempo. A strong early game sets the stage for a successful mid-to-late game strategy. Remember that flexibility is crucial; be prepared to adjust your strategy based on the cards available.
Late-Game Strategies
Late-game strategies in Theros Beyond Death hinge on leveraging powerful cards and closing out the game decisively. If your early-game strategy focused on aggressive creature plays, maintain pressure with strong finishers. Consider cards with high power and abilities that overwhelm your opponent’s defenses. If you adopted a more controlling approach, use powerful late-game threats to capitalize on your board control. Evaluate your mana curve to ensure you can effectively deploy your late-game cards without being mana-screwed. In either case, cards with escape or powerful abilities that can be repeatedly used are highly valued. Don’t underestimate the importance of card draw; replenishing your hand allows you to maintain momentum and find the perfect answers. Late-game card advantage can be the deciding factor in a close match. Remember, adaptability is key; late-game strategies should evolve based on the flow of the game and your opponent’s actions. A well-executed late-game plan can secure victory even if you faced early setbacks.
Color-Specific Strategies
This section details effective strategies for each color in Theros Beyond Death draft, focusing on optimal archetype choices and maximizing synergy within your chosen color combinations.
White Weenie and Aggro Strategies
In the Theros Beyond Death draft environment, White Weenie and aggro strategies revolve around deploying a swift succession of small, aggressive creatures to overwhelm your opponent before they can establish a significant board presence. Key to success is prioritizing efficient one and two-drop creatures with relevant keywords like vigilance or first strike to maximize early-game pressure. Supporting these early plays are cheap, impactful removal spells that can eliminate key blockers and threats. Consider including cards that synergize with your creature-heavy strategy; consider including auras or equipment to bolster your creatures’ power and toughness. A well-constructed White Weenie deck aims for quick, decisive wins, capitalizing on your opponent’s inability to keep up with the relentless stream of attackers. Remember to balance your aggressive creatures with enough interaction to disrupt your opponent’s game plan. Don’t neglect the importance of efficient removal to clear away early blockers and threats, allowing your creatures to connect for lethal damage. A strong white weenie deck in Theros Beyond Death will maintain a consistent stream of aggressive creatures, supported by efficient removal and synergistic cards to guarantee a swift victory.
Black Midrange and Control Strategies
Black thrives in Theros Beyond Death drafts as a midrange and control archetype, leveraging powerful removal and efficient card draw to control the board and outpace opponents. The core strategy centers on deploying resilient creatures with strong stats and abilities, alongside a suite of removal spells to disrupt your opponent’s game plan. Prioritize cards offering significant value for their mana cost, focusing on creatures with strong defensive capabilities or impactful effects. Black’s card draw mechanisms are crucial for maintaining consistency and finding the right answers at the right time. Don’t shy away from including strong removal spells; they’re instrumental in controlling the board and enabling your own creatures to thrive. The synergy between efficient removal and powerful creatures is key to success. Consider incorporating strong late-game threats that can swing the game in your favor. Remember, a balanced approach combining early disruption with powerful late-game finishers will ensure a successful Black midrange or control strategy in your Theros Beyond Death draft. A flexible approach will adapt to various opponent strategies, ensuring a strong performance.
Blue Tempo and Control Strategies
In Theros Beyond Death drafts, Blue excels as both a tempo and control archetype. Tempo Blue focuses on pressuring opponents early with efficient creatures and disruptive spells, while Control Blue aims to stabilize the board, draw cards, and eventually overwhelm the opponent with powerful finishers. For Tempo Blue, prioritize evasive creatures with strong early-game impact and cheap counter spells to disrupt your opponent’s development. Control Blue, on the other hand, should prioritize card draw engines and powerful counter spells, ensuring you can react effectively to any threat while slowly accumulating advantages. Both strategies benefit from a mix of cheap interaction and powerful late-game threats. Consider including cards that offer both tempo and card advantage to maximize your efficiency. A strong suite of counterspells is essential for disrupting your opponent’s plans and buying you time. Remember to balance your deck’s early aggression with its late-game power to maintain a consistent strategy throughout the game. Mastering the balance between tempo and control will allow you to adapt to various opponent strategies and maximize your chances of success.
Red Aggro and Burn Strategies
Red in Theros Beyond Death excels in aggressive, burn-focused strategies. The key to success lies in overwhelming your opponent with early pressure and direct damage spells before they can establish a strong defense. Prioritize efficient, low-cost creatures with high power and abilities that can deal direct damage or create advantageous board states. Include a healthy mix of burn spells to supplement your creature-based aggression, aiming for a critical mass of damage that your opponent can’t survive. Consider cards that offer both creature-based pressure and burn spells to enhance your offensive capabilities. Don’t neglect removal spells, as they are crucial for clearing the way for your aggressive creatures and protecting your life total. Look for synergies between your creatures and spells to create explosive turns. While Red’s early aggression is its strength, be mindful of the need for some late-game reach to secure victory against control strategies that might survive the early onslaught. A well-balanced Red aggro deck should consistently put pressure on the opponent and deal the finishing blow with efficient burn spells.
Green Ramp and Big Creature Strategies
Green in Theros Beyond Death thrives on ramp and big creatures. The strategy centers on accelerating your mana development to deploy powerful creatures ahead of schedule, overwhelming your opponent with their raw power. Prioritize cards that generate additional mana, allowing you to cast large creatures earlier than normal. Focus on creatures with high power and toughness, often featuring impactful abilities. Include efficient removal to protect your ramp and large creatures from opposing threats. Consider including cards that provide additional benefits beyond simple power and toughness, such as protection, evasion, or additional mana generation. Synergies between ramp and large creatures are crucial. While the core of the strategy is deploying large creatures, remember that ramp spells are valuable even without immediate payoff. A solid ramp strategy ensures a late-game advantage with overwhelming creature power, but don’t neglect early-game defense. Balancing ramp, efficient removal, and powerful creatures is key to success with this strategy.
Advanced Techniques
Mastering Theros Beyond Death draft demands understanding synergies, adapting to the draft flow, and optimizing mulligans for powerful deck construction.
Identifying Synergies and Archetypes
Successfully navigating the Theros Beyond Death draft format hinges on recognizing and exploiting powerful synergies between cards and archetypes. The set features several distinct strategies, each with its own set of key cards and interactions. For instance, the Escape mechanic allows for repeated casting from the graveyard, creating powerful late-game plays, demanding a careful evaluation of cards that contribute to graveyard strategies. Understanding the color pairs and their preferred archetypes is crucial. For example, Orzhov (black-white) often leans towards midrange control strategies, utilizing powerful removal spells and resilient creatures. Meanwhile, Selesnya (green-white) frequently employs aggressive, creature-heavy strategies, focusing on overwhelming the opponent with a rapid influx of powerful creatures. Identifying these archetypes early in the draft is essential to guide your pick decisions.
Moreover, paying close attention to the cards already picked by other drafters will provide valuable insights into the available strategies. If several players are aggressively pursuing an archetype, it may be difficult to successfully compete in that area. It’s important to be flexible and adapt your strategy based on the cards available to you. Don’t be afraid to switch gears if a particular archetype is proving to be unavailable or heavily contested. By carefully observing the cards being drafted and adapting your approach, you can significantly increase your chances of building a strong and competitive deck in Theros Beyond Death.
Adapting to the Draft
The dynamic nature of any Magic⁚ The Gathering draft necessitates adaptability. In Theros Beyond Death, this is particularly crucial due to the diverse range of archetypes and the potential for unexpected card availability. A pre-conceived strategy might need revision based on the cards selected by other players. If your initial color preference is heavily contested, forcing it can lead to a suboptimal deck. Observe the flow of the draft; if strong cards in your chosen colors are scarce, be prepared to pivot towards a different color combination. This might involve identifying a secondary archetype that is open and building a deck around it using the available powerful cards.
Flexibility is key to success. Don’t cling stubbornly to a failing strategy. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of your developing pool of cards and be ready to change course. Sometimes, adapting means recognizing a strong archetype that emerges unexpectedly. A shift in your strategy is not a sign of weakness, but rather an indication of astute observation and strategic thinking. By remaining adaptable and open to changing your approach as the draft progresses, you can significantly increase your chances of constructing a successful and competitive deck, even in the face of unexpected circumstances or aggressive competition for desirable cards.
Mulligans and Deck Construction
In Theros Beyond Death drafts, skillful mulligan decisions and meticulous deck construction are paramount for success. A strong opening hand is crucial, especially in aggressive strategies. Don’t hesitate to mulligan a hand lacking early plays or synergistic elements, particularly if you’re aiming for a fast, aggressive strategy. Conversely, in slower, control-oriented strategies, a slightly weaker opening hand might be acceptable if it offers long-term value and card advantage potential. The decision of whether to keep or mulligan hinges on your deck’s strategy, the power level of the cards in hand, and the anticipated game plan. After the draft, meticulously construct your deck to maximize synergy and consistency. Prioritize your curve, ensuring a balanced distribution of mana costs to facilitate consistent play throughout the game.
Consider the color balance. While splashing a color can be powerful, ensure you have enough mana fixing to support it without compromising your consistency. Include a sufficient number of removal spells to address threats. Finally, refine your mana base to minimize color screw and maximize the efficiency of your mana usage. Careful attention to these details is often the difference between victory and defeat in competitive Theros Beyond Death drafting.