⚡ In short
Draft is a Magic format where you build a deck on the spot from cards you share with other players. You open 3 boosters, choose one card per round, and pass the rest. In the end, you'll have approximately 45 cards from which you build a 40-card deck — usually 17 lands and 23 spells. Everyone starts with nothing, so a fat wallet won't help you. Skill and luck will.
Sealed Magic is most fun around a draft table: eight players, three packs per person, a few hours, and in the end, everyone has built their own unique deck from the same pool of cards. No preparation, no "who has the most expensive deck", just: open, pick, pass. It's one of my favorite ways to play Magic.
In this guide, I'll explain how a draft works, what the rules are, how to build a good 40-card deck, and — more importantly — how to lose a little less often. Whether you've never drafted or are just starting: after this guide, you'll know enough to sit down at the table.
What exactly is Draft?
Draft is a Limited format: you don't use cards from your own collection, but build your deck on the spot from cards you earn during the event. You open boosters, choose one card, pass the rest, and repeat this round after round until all packs are empty. Then you build a deck of at least 40 cards and play against the other drafters.
The beauty of it: everyone starts with the same chance. There's no "fat deck advantage" — you don't have to buy hundreds of euros worth of cards first. Skill and a bit of luck determine who wins, and that's precisely why Draft is such a fair and social format.
What do you need?
A draft is low-preparation — that's one of its best aspects:
- 2 to 8 players (8 is standard, but 4 or 6 also works fine)
- 3 Play Boosters per player from the same set
- Basic lands to supplement your deck (almost every store has a box)
- Sleeves are recommended, especially if you want to keep your draft cards
- A table where everyone can reach each other to pass packs
💡 SpellArmory Tip: Want to organize your own draft night with friends? Budget about 2 to 2.5 hours in total: forty-five minutes of drafting, fifteen minutes of deckbuilding, and the rest of the time playing games. View all Play Boosters →
How does a draft work? Step by step
The basics are simple, but it's good to go through the steps calmly once:
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Setup | 8 players (or 4–6) sit in a circle or semi-circle. Each player has 3 unopened Play Boosters in front of them. |
| 2. Pack 1 — open | Everyone opens their first pack. Tokens and non-playable cards are set aside. You're left with 14 playable cards. |
| 3. First pick | Everyone chooses one card from their pack and places it face down in front of them. |
| 4. Pass — left | You pass the rest of the pack to the player on your left. You receive a pack from your right. |
| 5. Next pick | Choose one card again, pass the rest. Repeat until the packs are empty. |
| 6. Pack 2 — other direction | Everyone opens their second pack. Now you pass to the right. |
| 7. Pack 3 — back to left | Third pack again to the left (so the directions are: left — right — left). |
| 8. Deckbuilding | You now have approximately 45 cards. From these, you build a deck of at least 40 cards, supplemented with basic lands. |
| 9. Play! | Everyone plays 1-on-1 matches against each other. Best deck wins. |
Building the deck — the 17/23 rule
You've collected about 45 cards. From those, you need to build a deck of at least 40 cards — and almost everyone sticks to those 40 (a bigger deck means less chance of drawing your best cards). The rule of thumb that has worked for years:
🎯 The Draft cheatsheet
- 17 lands — usually basic lands, possibly a dual land or "fixer" if you're playing two colors
- 23 spells — creatures, instants, sorceries, anything that isn't a land
- Total: 40 cards
- Playing an aggressive, fast deck? Try 16 lands. A slow, control-oriented deck? Go for 18.
- Good mana curve distribution: about 4-6 cards at 2 mana, 6-8 at 3 mana, 4-5 at 4 mana, and a few more expensive finishers.
The cards you don't put in your deck form your sideboard — you can swap them between games to adapt your deck to your opponent.
Making good picks — a mini-strategy
Drafting is a skill that grows by doing. But these four principles will get you there rapidly:
1. Pack 1, pick 1: just take the best card
At the beginning of pack 1, you don't need to think about colors yet. Just take the strongest, most impactful card you see — usually a rare or a strong uncommon. That card often determines the direction your deck will take.
2. Early picks: stay open
The first few cards of pack 1 can be different colors. Your commitment comes later. If you do want to commit: look especially at signposts — uncommons that explicitly bring two colors together. These give you a hint about the theme in which that color combination can be played.
3. Read the signals
This is the secret sauce of drafting. If halfway through pack 1 you're still receiving strong blue cards, even though you picked blue four picks ago — then probably no one ahead of you is also in blue. That's an open signal: stick with blue. Conversely: are you only getting weak leftovers? Then someone is in the same color, and you might need to switch.
💡 SpellArmory Tip: In pack 2, the direction reverses — you now receive cards from the player to your left and pass to the right. That's the moment to assess colors: if your left neighbor passes cards of your color, you know they are not in your color. Good news.
4. Pack 3: fill the gaps
By pack 3, you know what your deck does and what it's missing. Do you have few 2-mana spells? Then pick something good at 2 mana, even if a more expensive card is "stronger". Are you missing removal? A decent removal spell is then better than a second mythic. A balanced deck wins more games than a deck full of top cards without synergy.
Classic beginner pitfalls
- Too few lands. When in doubt: take 17. Nothing is more frustrating than being mana-screwed with a hand full of expensive cards.
- Too many colors. Two colors is ideal for your first draft. Three colors only works if you have good mana-fixing — not as a beginner.
- Too many finishers, too little curve. Four 6-mana cards are great, except if your deck always loses by turn 4. Build a mana curve.
- Holding onto a card that doesn't fit. Did you pick a great red card in pick 1, but your deck is now blue-white? Let it go. It has no value in your deck.
Other draft variants
Besides the classic 8-player draft, there are a few fun variations:
- Cube Draft — not from regular boosters, but from a carefully curated "cube" of cards. Often one of the most enjoyable draft experiences, as the average card quality is much higher.
- Pick-Two Draft — you always pick two cards per pack instead of one. Faster and more chaotic; ends with approximately 42 cards. Used by Wizards for special events like Hobbit Draft Night.
- Chaos Draft — each player gets three packs from different sets. Wilder and less strategic, but enormously entertaining.
- Winston Draft — a 2-player variant, ideal for home with two people.
Ready to draft?
The only real way to learn drafting is by doing. Plan an evening with friends, buy three Play Boosters per person, and dive in. The first time will be messy — after that, you'll get better every time.
Planning a draft night?
Check out the Play Boosters in the shop — perfect for a fun draft night with your group of friends.
Not sure which booster type you need? Read MTG Booster Types Explained. And looking for where to draft nearby? Check Where can you play MTG in Maastricht and Limburg?
Written by Omèr Cremers
Owner of SpellArmory, social worker and full-time father. Avid MTG player and collector from Maastricht — Commander is my favorite format. Questions about which product suits you best? Feel free to send me a message.