Intro to Draft: Tips and Tricks
Are you looking to win your first draft or get to 5 wins more consistently? This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to find Draft mode success quickly!
Series 6: Drafting With Cool People!
Lauren and I sat down with Smlz, who went on a 24 hour Draft binge! He shares his thoughts on the mode and gives out some valuable tips for success! Listen till the end to hear his archetype tier list!
We also talked to Ninaisnoob about her early Draft thoughts and experiences!
Change your Cosmetics and Find your History
You don't need to stick with the Cyclops avatar all mode! You can change your cosmetic load-out (avatar, card back, title), see your play history, and find a list of all the augments by clicking on "your stats" next to the "enter" button.
Archetypes
There are 7 primary archetypes in Draft mode and, aside from some Legendary-rarity starter packages that don't fit neatly into one archetype, you'll be choosing one archetype to start with.
The Archetypes: Boost, Control, Destroy, Move, Ongoing, Ramp, Swarm
Cards in the mode are divided into Payoffs and Enablers. Draft more Payoffs for an archetype and you're more likely (though not guaranteed!) to see more Enablers. Draft enough Enablers and your odds of seeing the Payoffs for that archetype increase. For example, taking Carnage makes you more likely to see Bucky Barnes, and taking Knull makes it more likely you'll see Venom.
The best archetypes for beginners are Boost, Destroy, and Ongoing. This is because the play lines and combos you're likely to find will be familiar to someone who has played ladder and it's easy to see which path to take. Plus, those archetypes are just strong and putting up solid statistical performances. It's easy to build towards one unstoppable combo with Destroy or Boost. If you're having trouble winning, try to grab starter packages from these archetypes!
The Augments
Check out my deep dive on all of the augments, their rarities, and how they work here:
Scosco
If you can draft a solid Wakandan Tech, Tag In, or Regeneration card in a Destroy deck, you have a great chance to win! Look for the Sidekick augment if you're trying to win a Swarm Archetype run! Afterimages on the right card can be run-defining in a Move deck, just make sure you have the enablers to get the most value out of it! Mentor and Encore can make a Boost deck feel unstoppable!
The Rewards
Check out Lauren's detailed Draft economy analysis here:
LaurenWhatevs
The Maddest Cow
Don't overlook Hellcow. She's low on the track and you can unlock her with just a couple of successful runs! Here are a couple of my favorite deck ideas for her so far:
Magus & Warlock?
The idea here is to highlight Hellcow's ability to be a lane winner!
And this one from loyal reader Ironcloak, taking advantage of Misery!
Ironcloak Hellcow
Draft Mode Tips
If you're looking for your first win, keep these ideas in mind!
- Rarer doesn't mean stronger! Just because a draft selection or starter set is Legendary doesn't mean it's going to win more. Chavez/Sinister/Okoye, Ant-Man/Dazzler/Mr. Fantastic, and Bucky/Carnage/Deathlok are examples of high win-rate common starter sets, while the Galactus, Agamotto, and Devil Dinosaur Legendary starter sets have low success rates (but they're fun, give them a try if you have the tickets!).
- Draft towards one strategy. This is the best practice for a beginning drafter or someone looking for more success. Pivoting is difficult (though not impossible), and the way Enablers and Payoffs work in the code, you'll be offered more powerful combos if your deck has a lot of one archetype.
- Boost, Destroy, and Ongoing are powerful, linear, and familiar. If you're desperate for wins, choose one of these and get some reps in.
- Move and Swarm can be tricky archetypes, because they are actually composed of several sub-archetypes! Make sure your move Enablers and Payoffs match and that your Swarm deck is pushing in the same direction!
- Control and Boost make for the best hybrid decks. They can each benefit and accommodate whole packages of cards from other archetypes more easily than most.
- Don't be stingy with your Respawn Tokens. Think of them like an extra life. If your deck seems decent (or just fun!), don't be afraid so use one. According to Lauren's numbers, most players can afford to use one on every run with at least two wins! I've definitely used one on runs I started out with two straight losses, but felt like my deck was good enough. Respawn Tokens will not carry over or turn into any valuable reward at the end of the mode! Use them all!
- Don't be afraid to Skip an Augment. Putting Superstar, Salvage, or Regroup on the wrong card can cost you games! They each have usefulness, but they're not always positive to add to the cards you're offered them on.
- Draft cards that can smooth your curve and let you play out cards at a better tempo. This means cards like Phastos, Surge, Mr. Fantastic First Steps, Aunt May, and Sera (especially when Augmented). Drafting a deck is often about getting slightly sub-optimal pieces to work together. Curve-fixing and cost reduction can help a lot!
- Keep an eye out for America Chavez, Brood, Gilgamesh, Juggernaut, Isca, Black Panther, Sam Wilson, Stick, Captain Carter, Marvel Boy, Knull, Namora, Goliath, Clea, Sub-Mariner, and Surtur! These are among the most powerful cards that are doing well statistically. Some are unsurprising, but there are some fun cards that are doing much better in Draft mode than on ladder! Namora!
Even More Draft Info!
Come join the Fourth Location Discord server for lots more Draft talk. Check out Fourth Location and Smlz on YouTube for expert Draft advice! SnapComplete has a treasure trove of Draft info and data for you to wade through!
In the coming days, paid supporters will find a Draft Deep Dive Guide full of essential information for Draft mains, including archetype information and stats, and deep investigation of all of the hidden corners of the mode! Join today and keep an eye out for that!
