I have been playing for awhile now, but I have no skills in playing draft. I know that 1 should pick the generic attack and/or defensive PTs first, but what if? Here is list of cards in 3 packs I opened.

What would you pick first? Why?
What do you expect to see gone, before you get it back? What would you pick second? Given what you expect to see gone and why?

Pack 1
Wasp, Janet Van Dyne-Pym
Yellowjacket, Rita Demara
Iron Man, Invincible
Stolen Power
A Day Like Any Other
Chaos Magic
Vermin, Sewer Rat
Biomodem Satellite
Gray Gargoyle, PaulPierre Duval
Iron Man <> Cobalt Man, Avenger in Disguies
Heinrich Zemo<> Baron Zemo, Baron of Zeulniz
Kang, Kang Cobra
Prismatic Shield, Construct
Paul Eberson <> Techno, Man of Metal

Pack 2
Meliss Gold <> Screaming Mimi, Mimi Schwartz
Ape X, Xina
Hyerion, Mark Milton
Might Makes Right
Enchantress, Amora
Erik Josten <> Atlas, Kosmos Convict
Whizzer, Stanley Stewart
Helmut Zemo <> Baron Zemo, Uber Enemy
Growinn Man, Kinetic Stimuloid
Bring Down the House
Iron Man, Tony Stark
Seek Cover
Marcus Daniels <> Blackout, Darkbringer
Crime Spree

Pack 3
Doctor Decibel, Anton Decibel
Hank Pym <> Ant Man,Diminutive Hero
Call To Arms
Melissa Gold <> Songbird, Heroine Unbond
Two Worlds, Construct
Iron Man <> Cobalt Man, Averger in Disquise
Wonder Man, Simon Williams
Speed Demon, Second Chance Speedster
Peace In Our Time
Hyperion, Sun God
Betle <> Mach 2,Matthew Davis
Mr. Hyde, Engine of Destruction
Albert Gaines <> Nuke, Atomic Powerhouse
Unfair Advantage


Well, there you have it. I will try to start 7 more trends like this. You know, 2nd in the pack, to 3rd and so on and so forth. Until we go through and make a pure drafted deck.


Thanks,
Johnny C

Pack 1: Baron Zemo
Other possibles: Wasp, Paul Eberson, A Day, Iron Man/6.
The good thing about Wasp is that it sends a pretty clear signal to stay out of Avengers. The downside of that is that there are so many first pick Avengers cards, you may find someone scraping the bottom of the barrel just to stay in Avengers. Shipping her tells your drafting partners to stay in Avengers, which is an excellent early signal, freeing up non-Avengers cards.
Techno/5 is a 5-drop, which is a real tough slot to fill out well (between Techno and She-Hulk, quality 5 drops are hard to find at common). Still, if you know he is coming, and your opponent is not, you can generally recycle a key plot twist, so he's not as bad as his detractors say.
A Day Unlike Any Other is way too restrictive for limited play. Unless you draft an amazing two-faction deck, there's no reason to play it. And it's far too early to commit to that.
Baron Zemo is clearly the pick here, though. He is always at least a +2 plot twist against any deck but Faces of Evil.

I would expect to see Yellow Jacket, Iron Man/4, Kang Cobra, Chaos Magic, Gray Gargoyle, and Vermin make the lap. Any of those cards being missing is a very clear signal for (Faces, Thunderbolts/Avenger team-up, Kang) being drafted on the table. Potentially, Bio-Modem Satellite or Stolen Power. If you see the Stolen Power, you can pretty much count on hardly anyone playing Masters, and you should definitely plan on picking up some more Masters stuff in Pack 2.

Pack 2:
Perhaps another day, Mr. Bond. I'm off to my hobby league!

I think my first pick would be Stolen power for the 1st pack. It is a better finishing move. If you pass this card, you send a strong signal that you aren't playing MoE. Baron Zemo is also really good, but Stolen Power is a little better IMO.

For the 2nd pack:
Might Makes Right. It is a really good attack pump. I guess if you already have enough pump (I don't know how you would by pack 2 though), you could go with Helmut Zemo.

Pack 3:
By this time you are drafting what drops you need. If you still need pump, or are sitting good with your drops, Call to Arms is an obvious choice. Hyde is a good 4 drop for you and would be your choice if that is one of the drops you need.

First Pact
Primsmatic Shield (Reinforces 2 guys and is very good in a Set with so Many teams and so many attack pumps and so Few def pumps.

Pact 2
Atlas or Might Makes Right. MMR is a solid +3 attack with a chance for +5 which makes a a good first pick. Atlas is one of the big 3 dangerous 3 drops in this set. (The other 2 being Natasha and Blizzard) Helmut Gets a Honarable Mention here for haveing such a Great leadership effect.

Pact 3 is Call to Arms with Speed Demon in second. Call to arms is sooooo Good in this set where there are sooo many team ups, not to mention 4 leaders who give out affiliations. It is the best sealed common in the set (with Windstorm right behind it) Speed Demon is Really good is any team.

Assuming it's an eight-man draft, and I don't have any draft partners:



PICK: Heinrich Zemo.
SECOND PICK: Wasp.
AFTER IT'S GONE AROUND WHAT'S LEFT: Chaos Magic, Biomodem Satellite, Kang, Vermin, Yellowjacket, Grey Gargoyle.

Zemo is the easy first choice from this pack: a reliable 4-drop with an excellent Leader ability will fit nicely into most draft decks. Plus, sending Wasp out there means one of the next two people will likely take her, probably stamping them into Avengers. If you get second pick, take Wasp regardless of telegraphing a move to your opponent; she's really strong in limited play and an Avengers/somebody teamup deck can still throw a curve during the draft.

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Pack 2 Meliss Gold <> Screaming Mimi, Mimi Schwartz Ape X, Xina Hyerion, Mark Milton Might Makes Right Enchantress, Amora Erik Josten <> Atlas, Kosmos Convict Whizzer, Stanley Stewart Helmut Zemo <> Baron Zemo, Uber Enemy Growinn Man, Kinetic Stimuloid Bring Down the House Iron Man, Tony Stark Seek Cover Marcus Daniels <> Blackout, Darkbringer Crime Spree

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FIRST PICK: Atlas
SECOND PICK: Might Makes Right
LEFT WHEN IT COMES BACK: Bring Down The House, Crime Spree, Growing Man, Ape X, Whizzer, Screaming Mimi

The top two cards in this pack make it a hard call, but I really like Atlas's growth ability in a limited environment with so little defense and KO tech. Might Makes Right is just a solid attack pump all around.

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Pack 3 Doctor Decibel, Anton Decibel Hank Pym <> Ant Man,Diminutive Hero Call To Arms Melissa Gold <> Songbird, Heroine Unbond Two Worlds, Construct Iron Man <> Cobalt Man, Averger in Disquise Wonder Man, Simon Williams Speed Demon, Second Chance Speedster Peace In Our Time Hyperion, Sun God Betle <> Mach 2,Matthew Davis Mr. Hyde, Engine of Destruction Albert Gaines <> Nuke, Atomic Powerhouse Unfair Advantage

FIRST PICK (CONDITIONAL): Wonder Man
SECOND PICK: Call To Arms OR Speed Demon
LEFT WHEN IT COMES BACK: Peace In Our Time, Dr. Decibel, Albert Gaines <> Nuke, Unfair Advantage, Hank Pym, Hyperion

This is far and away the best of the three packs from a draft standpoint, with just about every card exceptional for limited play.

My first pick is Wonder Man, assuming this is either a first pack or that I've drafted at least eight to ten Reservists already - his power is exceptionally strong and an off-turn defensive stun is absolutely gamewinning in limited play. Call To Arms and Speed Demon are both crazy good in limited - I like Call slightly better than I like Speed Demon, but if I was drafting heavy Thunderbolts already in previous packs I'd grab Speed Demon instead.

Stolen power/wasp
Might makes right
Call to arms

This pack isn't particularly exciting. I would probably go for Iron Man, Invincible. Assuming that Iron Man, Invincible is gone and I get this pack second... I wouldn't be very happy. I'd probably go for one of the Masters of Evil cards - Stolen Power or Heinrich Zemo.

It's also worth noting that first-picking Iron Man, Invincible sets you up well in the event that Iron Man <> Cobalt Man comes around (which, with his double-loyalty, isn't that unlikely.)

Another not-too-impressive pack. Hyperion is fine, but my pick would be Might Makes Right. It's a non-team-stamped +3 Atk pump, even if it does have an additional cost. Assuming Might Makes Right is gone from the pack when I'm coming to it second, I'll probably be taking Hyperion as a strong splashable 6-drop leader.

The card that jumps out before I even finish the list is Call To Arms. It's the Savage Beatdown of the format, and immediately draws me towards it. Looking further down the list, I don't see anything that's giving the Call serious competition, and I'd happily first-pick it. Second pick is a lot tougher, as there are a number of quite powerful, but quite narrow cards. Taking personal preferences into account, I'd probably take Albert Gaines. Even with cards in hand, he has exceptional stats for a 5-drop for an aggressive deck.

We've only been drafting Avengers for a few weeks, but I find that Cobalt Man usually disappears within the first three picks of any pack. He's really, really strong in limited if you can satisfy his (admittedly high) requirements, and there's always someone at the table willing to hardstamp themselves into Avengers/T-Bolts to get him.

Thay may well be true. Regardless, double-loyalty guys have always been risky to first-pick. Perhaps it would have been better to point out that Iron Man, Invincible sets you up to take advantage of Iron Man <> Cobalt Man coming in the next couple of packs, without the risk of first-picking a card that you end up not being able to use.

Interesting, some like Zemo in the first pack. I for 1 like P Shield. The possilbe double reinforcement is a nice thing. By the time I see my pack again, I expect to see Cobalt Man, Grey Gargoyle, Vermin, Chaos Magic, Yellowjacket amd Kang Cobra. I would then like to pick, Grey Gargoyle.

In pack 2 I would pick Might Makes Right. This is a tuff one. Atlas good, really good. But I am trying to stay by the rule of take a PT first. I would expect to see Mellissa Gold, Ape X, Enchantress, Growing Man, Uber Enemy and Bring Down the House. Well, Uber Enemy or Whizzer should make it around. One or the other. For this exercise, Uber Enemy is going to make it and I am going to pick it.

Pack 3. I would have to join the rest of the masses. Call to Arms it is. Second time around, I should see Doctor Dcibel, Diminutive Hero, Avenger in Disguise, Peace in Our Time, Matthew Davis and Unfair Advantage. So, Mattew Davis it is.

This is what I would have:
Prismatic Shield
Grey Gargoyle
Might Makes Right
Uber Enemy
Call to Arms
Matthew Davis


Of course everything is subjective. I only listed the cards that I would pick, but this always tht 1 cards that you don't really like and get as the last card in pack. Sometimes that card can help you. After some further though, trying to make a draft this way would be too hard and time consuming. Thanks for the input. Even with me having very little experience, going with attack/defensive pump seems to be the right way.

You expect to see Cobalt Man make it back? Time for a victory lap, because you're drafting with monkeys.

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In pack 2 I would pick Might Makes Right. This is a tuff one. Atlas good, really good. But I am trying to stay by the rule of take a PT first. I would expect to see Mellissa Gold, Ape X, Enchantress, Growing Man, Uber Enemy and Bring Down the House. Well, Uber Enemy or Whizzer should make it around. One or the other. For this exercise, Uber Enemy is going to make it and I am going to pick it.

The problem with this sort of exercise is that we're talking about pack two (with fourteen cards, so I expect you mean you've actually physically opened it rather than being passed it) without any clue as to what else you've taken. If for example you have the goods to go empty-hand Squadron, Whizzer is the pick here. Oh, and if Whizzer does make it back, time for another victory lap RE: drafting with monkeys.

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Pack 3. I would have to join the rest of the masses. Call to Arms it is. Second time around, I should see Doctor Dcibel, Diminutive Hero, Avenger in Disguise, Peace in Our Time, Matthew Davis and Unfair Advantage. So, Mattew Davis it is.

Yep, it's probably Call. However, if you're going FoE, or if you're loaded down with good equip, or need a few more low-drops to get Cobalt man to work, than Speed Demon is the pick, and is insane.

I disagree with you, Draconis, 100%! I love dual-loyalty characters as first picks. They have so much more punch than a regular character because of their high cost. The key is satisfying that cost. Now, in constructed, where KO effects and board manipulation abound, you're right. Dual Loyalty is just a liability. However, in Draft (especially Avengers Draft), you're picking a game-winner because of his extra power and have cemented your draft strategy.

I won every MK draft game I played (12-0) because of 1st-3rd pick dual loyalty characters. Iron Man <> Cobalt Man is a draft beast!

Now, as for the packs, Pack 1, is a 3 horse race--Cobalt Man, Zemo, or Stolen Power. Now, ericlui is right about picking MOE here. Straying from Avengers in an Avengers pack does cement the player to your left in Avengers. Thus, Stolen Power and Zemo leap ahead of the rest of the cards in this pack...except for Cobalt Man. Now, for the same reason that Zemo and Stolen Power are good picks, Cobalt Man is arguably better. That is, drafting is all about the signals you send and receive. Yes, by passing on Avengers, you are all but guaranteed of cementing players to your immediate left into that team. If you go with Masters of Evil, that sets up a monster second pack. Now, Cobalt Man sets your team whether you pick him or not. If you pass, one of the players to your immediate left is going to take him setting you into MOE/Squadron. If you take Cobalt Man that sets you into Avengers/TB. Now, Squadron Supreme can be amazing because it has good support cards and it usually goes undrafted, but a MOE/Squad team-up is not very strong in Drfat (in my opinion). AV/TB, on the other hand, is incredibly strong. Furthermore, because this pack has seen little in the way of TB, you can draft Avengers heavy except for any killer TB cards and therefore expect pack 2 to be TB rich. Now, if you go with MOE/Squad, I'd have to take Stolen Power. It's the only common KO effect in Avengers and it can win you the game whenever you can play it. Zemo is powerful, but he's easily lost to combat or missed as a drop. Stolen Power is the better pick (in my honest opinion).

First Pack: Cobalt Man

The second pack is crap! Might Makes Right is good. Crime Spree could be good if this is a second pack First Pick and you've already gone heavy MOE. The same can be said for Screaming Mimi and Blackout. I'd probably go with Erik Josten because he gets bigger.

Second Pack: Erik Josten

The third pack is spectacular! Call to Arms and Speed Demon in the same pack! Wonder Man is good! It's true that any kind of stun on a defensive turn is a game winner in draft. However, you're talking about playing all characters in your row for that one ability. If you managed an Avengers Mansion, okay! But otherwise, you're reducing the value of other PTs. I have to go with Speed Demon. Call to Arms is phenomenal, but I've got to look at 2 things here: 1) Speed Demon gets a free attack, after turn 5. I've underdropped Speed Demon many times because he's so good and used him effectively; and 2) (if this is your first pack), Call to Arms leaves your team selection in limbo. I'm a firm believer that your first pick should set one of your 2 primary teams, so that you know to look for it. Call to Arms, arguably, has more punch in draft, but Speed Demon is going to set up your later picks better.

Third Pack: Speed Demon if it's your first Pack...Call to Arms otherwise.

I don't entirely agree, just because even in an eight-man draft you don't always see all the cards you need to successfully draft an empty-hand Squadron deck. (In my experience it happens in about one draft out of two - ditto the potential for drafting a solid mono-Kang deck.) And Whizzer, frankly, is only good in the empty-hand Squadron deck - he's pathetic in absolutely anything else. It's not unlikely at all that he'll go around the table at least once, and if you happen to be drafting Squadron actively by the time he arrives, I'd say it's very likely that this will be the case.

Stolen power is superior to Zemo and P shield, which are both good but none are too exciting, and trust me that there will be alot more p shields. Wasp can arguably be 1st picked due to her board domintaing power, but you'll immediately be fighting for avengers instead of getting the under drfted MOE.

Whizzer isnt good at all, while Nuke might want you to play with no hands(he's the ONLY incentive to throw your hand) Whizzer is just a really average guy.
Eric josten is one of the worst 6 drops in the game due to the simple fact that it trades with almost every good 5 drop with a powerup, he is, IMO only good with force field belt.

Might mafes right and call to arms should be your only pick considering their raw power, the only thing you should take over them are curve filling characters that you desperately need.

Thanks guys. See I told you I have very little experience in draft. I think I might be one of those monkeys. :rolleyes:

Yes, I would have to agree this is not the best exercise. Your assumption is correct. I did open the pack.

At least with this exercise, I can learn something without having to lose a match and even drop in my crappy rating.

Maybe in my next exercise, I might try and do the same thing, but 1 pack at a time. The next pack will the the next players pack, so we would have to try and guess what he/she would pick and what we would pick.

Anyone game to help with the next exercise?

Thanks again,
Johnny C