10 Tips For Drafting
Cardzmaster 2004 April 7, 2003
After looking through the past couple
months, I realized that no one has posted anything on drafting, a format
which I think is one of the most difficult to compete in. I have
drafted quite a few times and want to pass
on some tips on drafting that I have either learned myself or have
picked up from other people. These are about ten basic rules for one of
the most difficult environments to play in.
1. If you are doing a draft in real life (as opposed to Apprentice),
make sure you get at least one card you can use in a deck you compete
with in another environment, such as Typhlosion if you are drafting Neo
Genesis or Darkness energy from Genesis. You may not be able to use the
cards in your deck, but since you paid for the boosters, by golly, you
should take something home with you that you can use. (Did I just say
by golly? Oh my gosh, the hicks in my town are starting to take over me
day by day.)
2. Draft only one color (if I could, that would be bolded and in
caps). I can't stress this enough. I've been in so many tourneys where
I see a three-color deck and they just don't work. And even though most
of the time, two color decks will work in a normal environment (such as
Modified or Unlimited), they don't work in drafts. There is too much
variance in the cards you could receive. I personally have tried to
draft a two color deck and failed horribly in the tournament.
3. Colorless basics are your friend. If you see a basic colorless
pokémon with at least 60 HP and an attack that requires only 1 energy,
go for it. They help a lot in early game support.
4. Trainers. If you see a trainer, grab it ASAP. Draw trainers, such
as Oak (Base), Elm (Genesis), Oak's research (EX), and Bill (LC), for
example, are the best one's to have. However, some trainers like The
Boss' Way (Rocket) and Elm's Research (EX), will only help if your deck
has certain cards. And some cards, like Tickling Machine, are just
pointless. So watch what you get dealt.
5. Make sure half your deck is energy. In draft, it's hard to get
enough draw cards to draw small amounts of energy that normal decks
have. 20 energy for a draft deck is enough, if not more. But don't put
in more than 25. That's just overkill.
6. Study the sets you're drafting. If you have it, use Apprentice to
do a test draft of the sets you'll be using or just look over the cards
on a checklist. Grass as a rule of thumb is easy to draft, but if you
want to
draft a different color, such as water, check the set in advance and see
if it's possible. If a set has only has a view cards of that color, you
probably won't be able to draft it.
7. Status can be one of the best tools in draft. If you see a card
that can confuse your opponent's pokémon in you color, draft it. Any
other status applies as well, but beware! Pokémon like Sabrina's
Psyduck (Challenge) can confuse themselves. Choose carefully.
8. Evolutions in draft are okay, although you probably aren't going to
want to use stage 2 pokémon, as they are hard to get out in draft. But
if you feel like you can go for a stage to, have at it. They are almost
unstoppable when they get out and powered up.
9. Get a good night's rest before the day of the event. Some people
look at me oddly when I say this, but it applies to all tournaments. I
tested this idea on myself one time. On getting 10 hours of sleep, I
went 5-1. On 5 hours of sleep, 2-3. Pretty big difference if you ask
me.
10. Please remember to have fun. It is just a game, so if you lose,
don't be like this one 35 year-old-guy that used to go to my League that
whenever I beat him, he went into a corner and cried (This guy also had
a black belt in karate. I'm just glad he didn't snap my neck). Take
everything in stride. When you know you've drafted a bad deck, joke
about it. If you can't win with it, at least you can get a few laughs
out of it (kind of like my idea to use Dunspance as a main card in my
draft deck. Quite funny).
There are about ten basic rules for drafting. If anyone wishes to
contradict me on any points, please e-mail me. I don't mind the
comments. Or if you see something I missed, just say something.
Nothing hurts my feelings anymore, unless you throw bricks at my
imaginary internet car.