Some friends got a booster box. We each drafted 6 packs but picked two cards at a time. We assembled two decks from these picks.
I grossly underestimated the number of creatures I would need and put way too many non-creature spells in each deck. This is deck 1 of 2, UW Fliers. (the other is RG Aggro)
I needed four more creatures, and four fewer spells. I had virtually no lifegain, but a few creatures that synergized well with it.
Analysis:
3 rounds. 1-2, 0-3, 0-2.
Problems:
I could divide the problems I ran into in these matches into two categories.
Ones that I were in my control, and ones that were not.
To get the ones out of my control that out the way: lack of games played in comparison to other players. After doing a post-mortem, one of the things I learned is that playing more means you identify synergies quickly and anticipate card reactions. In other words...more games, you see more stuff, let it register.
There are MANY things I learned playing this deck:
1) Having the right number of creatures is really important to your deck.
You can have too many, but the problem is more not having enough. Aim for 17 in draft. Later that weekend, I watched pros draft online and saw that they predominantly picked...you guessed it...creatures!!! As one pro I watched said "sometimes it is better to have more threats than answers." I was out-creatured in every. single. game. Now why are creatures important? This is obvious but merits stating: they stay in play until destroyed, and they pose a constant threat. Instants? They fizzle. Sorceries? Like terrible instants. Enchantments are like creatures that can't attack or block. Now, the game is typically balanced such that the lifetimes of these spells are balanced by their supremely awesome abilities that (hopefully) synergize with your creatures abilities. However, psychologically, the mere presence of a creature is a thorn in your opponents side and naturally will occupy their mental real estate for a longer period of time than a spell with a temporary effect.
1a) As a corollary to point 1, counterspells alone do not win games.
2) The tapped status of your lands and your opponents lands is a very important piece of information.
Broadly speaking, board awareness is everything. In particular, if you play your whole hand every turn, you have thoroughly convinced your opponent that you have no answers in your hand. Sometimes a bluff is extremely worthwhile. Similarly, if your opponent is passing and leaving untapped lands, with cards in their hand, you can expect that they will try to destroy your creatures through blocking.
3) The number of cards in your hand is an important piece of information.
Holding onto cards is important. I have noticed better players tend to hold onto cards in their hands. Why? Because by having more cards, they hold the potential for more synergies. Individual cards rarely win games, but interactions among many powerful cards are much greater than their individual power. To this end, having a hand with say, four cards not only gives your opponent the impression you have some shit you are withholding from them, thus giving the impression of being more powerful, but also allows you to observe what your opponent is doing more closely.
4) Your body language is incredibly important.
If my opponent starts complaining about mana flood, they will lose, and not necessarily because they have mana flood. They have projected "I am losing." Winners do not wear their hearts on their sleeves.
5) Playing with confidence can mess with your opponent's head.
Declaring attack quickly will surprise your opponent. Especially with untapped lands and cards in your hand. You might have nothing, but your opponent has been spooked.
6) Calculating large boards is hard as hell. Slow down.
This is my achilles heel. If you are attacking with everything, be prepared next turn to take all that damage from the other side. Can you sustain that for more than a turn? What else could they have?
7) Card familiarity is important.
Take notes on abilities you are unfamiliar with.
8) You can lose and learn way more than if you won, and still have a ton of fun.
