Hello everyone this article is a bit different from my usual catalog, this time we are diving into drafting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the newest set available, so… Ladies, Gentlemen and Kavus here goes a Drafting guide for TMT compile from release experience so far.
Drafting
Limited format begins on Drafting 3 boosters pack from the same set in this case is TMT newest set available, typically 8 players sit in a table each one opens a pack pick one card from the booster pack and pass to the player their left, and you receive the pack from your right, and once every pick has been for all pack, time for the next pack in reverse order, and the same for the final pack, you should end up with 35-40 cards picked from this boosters, and now for deckbuilding you can choose your best 40 minimum card deck using between 12+ or more lands and pack your 40 cards deck into draft match.
Considerations
Considerations when playing limited draft, take a look at set mechanics, full spoiler so you get a notion of possibilities when the boosters get passed around with knowledge on cards, also but very importantly you’ll go against cards you don’t pick, so have an eye out for what is being tossed around.
Knowing the set mechanics and best card interactions is a must into succeeding a draft, and the overall experience is different from typical constructed matches where you will not see 4 copies of each card, so there’s a lot of randomness into the equation, playing Draft matches definitely shows who is a better combat pilot in MTG, specially in this set with the Sneak mechanic.
Mechanics
Mutagen Tokens
A Mutagen token is basically a +1/+1 counter on target creature at sorcery speed, there’s plenty of creatures that either go around ETB effect creating Mutagen tokens, or Mutagen Man, Living Ooze which reduces mutagen token activation cost, making it practically free to activate but still anchored to sorcery speed. and a strictly better Cancel that is Ooze Spill or interactions with counters Michelangelo, Mutant BFF allows you to better control the combat with powered up creatures with Mutagen tokens or use them as Disappear triggers.
Sneak
Sneak is a watered down Ninjutsu ability that is only able to be used on blocker’s step, I don’t know if you know about it, with Ninjutsu you can use it after damage is dealt during combat so Ninjutsu is still the best option compared to Sneak but nonetheless is a great Mechanic overall.
Sneak is an alternative cost to be played during the blocker’s step return the unblocked creature to its owner hand alongside the cost of Sneak cost, and boom.
Best Sneak options for Draft, Dark Leo & Shredder is a powerhouse with a Sneak option best case scenario is entering second turn dealing damage and generating a ninja token creature, and when 5 ninjas are present each time you deal damage to an opponent will slash the player life totals into half -ouch!, personally I love Kitsune's Technique for its cheap Sneak cost to mill the opponents library in half, might not be a big deal at first but a simple 2 mana Sneak effect tosses down half the strategy of your opponent with a big option to get rid of big threats in it.
On the deal damage to an opponent theme Donatello, Gadget Master
has a really cheap sneak option to deal damage and copy an artifact you control take into consideration Technodrome, Weather Maker or even Guac & Marshmallow Pizza is a good option to copy gain effects and untap and sacrifice for 3 life points later on.
Karai, Future of the Foot is another bomb on Sneak effect able to revive on dealing damage to an opponent, and on subsequent turns the ability into putting graveyard creatures into your hand or using another Sneak to bring her back to hand and keep reviving another creature.
Disappear
Disappear is one of the clearest ability descriptions to be made if something you own left the battlefield this turn the ability is activated, triggered, or added to its ETB effect depending on the card.
Michelangelo, Game Master is a great example as we have plenty of Disappear triggers happening either by Sneak, or Mutagen tokens being sacrificed, or plain creatures dying to combat or effects, this card will continuously grow each turn by simple board attrition.
Cards to look up for West Wind Avatar has a built in engine to gain life, destroy your own lands for a Disappear trigger that draws a card on the end step, Pizza Face, Gastromancer is a highly recursive asset using food as Disappear trigger and bringing +1/+1 counters for creatures, and bringing to life artifacts as creatures to smash the opponents face.
Alliance
Alliance is the Enters The Battlefield trigger for creatures, so when another creature enters the battlefield the effect triggers.
Raphael, Tough Turtle is a damage ping every time a creature enters the battlefield that goes nicely paired with a machines tokens archetype, Ravenous Robots ditches out tokens everytime an artifact is cast, paired up with Nobody you can juggle your Sewer-veillence Cam back to hand triggering its left the battlefield ability and opening other Disappear triggers with it, or recasting the Cam and bringing more tokens with the Ravenous in play.
Top Performers
Krang & Shredder is a beast on every attack it removes the topdeck of your opponent and if the Disappear is met it can be cast at the end step, this is a big card to hit the battlefield on Battle alone is a 6/7 -no pun intended, that is going to playing the opponents cards, what ends happening with this card is that when pulled players tend to go for a Sultai colored option into fixing mana guaranteeing the 6 mana cost as soon as possible and casting once resources are depleted and no more removal is present, this card alone wins games.
Ravenous Robots and Technodrome is a really good match to ditch tokens on artifact casting and churning them into draw advantage, I paired these cards with Raphael, Tough Turtle so with each token entering a pinged the opponent for 1 damage, plenty of times I got matches where the table was locked on attacks and I was able to just ping for lethal even my opponent having a 12/12 on the battlefield with no trample, as Nobody juggled the Sewer-Veillance Cam around generating more tokens and the Technodrome giving me more cards and matching the 12/12 in power.
Leonardo, Cutting Edge is a good option for early attacks as he will get stronger if you happen to have ways to protect him, go for it otherwise just drop white altogether, Lita, Little Orphan Amphibian I’ve seen it being played so many times by now it is a great option no matter which archetype you are aiming is a good sneak source creature, or either generate a Food Token for Disappear triggers.
As for Mutagen play, Crustacean Commando and Mutagen Man, Living Ooze paired with Metalhead you can bounce back the Mutagen Man, and keep churning Mutagen tokens and give Menace to Metalhead and make critical attacks.
Top Commons and Uncommons
Early picks
Machines!
One of my favorite gameplay revolves around Ravenous Robots and Nobody you can really your artifact into churning tokens way to fast and reliably every time, Sewer-Veillance Cam is a great way to bring combat in your favor, as Donatello, Turtle Techie brings the draw effect and Donatello, Way with Machines gets bigger each time an artifact hits play, and my favorite card right now is Braxton Stockman able to create a 1/1 token and each combat give +3/+0 first strike and vigilance, I’ve managed to put pressure even with Nobody as a 6/2 first strike vigilance attacker.
Wrapping Up
I am having a blast ranking up the Draft ladder so far, what I have always loved about Draft format is that it sharpens your skills being preemptive on triggers, getting true value of a card in never seen scenarios, being uncomfortable with a table state, believe me trying to get rid of a 6/6 trample on Draft is a big concern, either by combat or removal, you just gotta make sure to pivot in the right direction, and always keeping a mental note on the table of what you are playing against.
Remember kids Counterspells are bad for your health until the next one, have a pleasent weekend I’ll see you tomorrow with a Standard metagame article! Code is out!
