Introduction
Welcome to the world of Guilds of Ravnica draft! This comprehensive guide will equip you with the knowledge and strategies to dominate your next draft. From understanding the Ravnican landscape to mastering guild archetypes, we’ll explore the intricacies of this dynamic format.
The Ravnican Landscape
Ravnica, a plane teeming with life and magic, is home to ten distinct guilds, each representing a unique combination of two colors and a specific theme. These guilds, Boros, Dimir, Golgari, Gruul, Izzet, Orzhov, Selesnya, Simic, Azorius, and Rakdos, shape the political and social landscape of the city. In Guilds of Ravnica Draft, you’ll be navigating this complex world, striving to build a cohesive deck that reflects the strengths and synergies of a particular guild.
Drafting Basics
Guilds of Ravnica Draft is a unique experience, where the primary goal is to build a deck that aligns with the strengths of a specific guild. Unlike traditional drafts, where you might aim for a multi-colored deck, here you’ll be focusing on a two-color combination. This means prioritizing cards that synergize with your chosen guild’s theme and playstyle. Remember that the goal is to build a cohesive deck, not simply amass a collection of powerful cards. So, as you open your packs, pay attention to the signals your draft provides and make decisions that will ultimately lead you to a well-rounded and competitive deck.
Guilds of Ravnica Draft Archetypes
Each of the ten Ravnican guilds offers a distinct playstyle and a set of cards that cater to specific strategies. Let’s dive into each guild’s archetype, exploring their strengths and common themes.
Dimir (Blue-Black)⁚ Surveil Synergy
Dimir, the spy guild, thrives on information and control. Their key mechanic, Surveil, allows you to look at the top cards of your library and put any number of them on the bottom. This creates a powerful engine for card advantage and allows you to manipulate your draws to find the pieces you need.
Dimir decks excel at disrupting your opponent’s plans with removal spells and countermagic, while simultaneously developing a strong board presence with efficient creatures. Cards like Thoughtbound Phantasm, Nightveil Sprite, and Disinformation Campaign are powerful tools for disrupting your opponent’s strategy and securing a victory.
To succeed with Dimir, you need to embrace their surveil strategy. Look for cards that generate card advantage through surveil, such as Dimir Spybug, and utilize the information you gain to make calculated decisions. Remember, knowledge is power in the world of Ravnica, and Dimir embodies this philosophy perfectly.
Boros (Red-White)⁚ Aggro
The Boros Legion, fueled by the passion of red and the unwavering loyalty of white, embraces a relentless aggressive strategy. They aim to overwhelm their opponents with a barrage of early creatures and direct damage. This aggressive playstyle is best suited for those who enjoy a fast-paced game and prefer to dictate the tempo of the match.
Boros decks often feature a low curve of powerful two and three-drop creatures, such as Skyknight Legionnaire and Healer’s Hawk, paired with burn spells like Direct Current and Luminous Bonds. These cards work in synergy to apply constant pressure and punish opponents who fail to keep pace with your onslaught.
To maximize your Boros draft, focus on securing a critical mass of early threats and efficient removal spells. Remember, the key to a successful Boros deck is to maintain a relentless pace and never let your opponent catch their breath. By staying true to your aggressive nature, you can dominate the battlefield and secure a swift victory.
Selesnya (Green-White)⁚ Token Generation
The Selesnya Conclave, a harmonious blend of green’s growth and white’s unity, thrives on generating a multitude of tokens. Their strategy revolves around flooding the battlefield with creatures, overwhelming opponents with sheer numbers and deploying powerful synergies. Selesnya decks are known for their consistent card advantage and ability to generate a steady stream of creatures, putting pressure on opponents and making it difficult for them to control the board.
Key cards in a Selesnya deck include token generators like “Selesnya Guildgate” and “Conclave Guildmage,” which create a steady stream of tokens. These tokens can be further enhanced by cards like “Venerated Loxodon,” which boosts the power of all your creatures, and “Triumph of the Hordes,” which significantly increases the size of your army.
To succeed with Selesnya, you must prioritize token generation and card advantage. Draft cards that create tokens, boost their strength, and offer additional card draw. With a well-constructed Selesnya deck, you can unleash a relentless wave of creatures, overwhelm your opponents, and secure victory through sheer numbers.
Golgari (Black-Green)⁚ Midrange
The Golgari Swarm, a potent combination of black’s cunning and green’s resilience, excels in a midrange strategy. They aim to control the board with efficient removal and powerful creatures, gradually building a formidable force to overwhelm opponents. Golgari decks are characterized by a mix of strong creatures with impactful abilities and removal spells, allowing them to adapt to various situations and outmaneuver their opponents.
Key cards for Golgari include powerful creatures like “Doom Whisperer” and “Scavenging Ooze,” which can be used to dominate the board and provide card advantage. They also have access to versatile removal spells like “Assassinate” and “Deadly Visit,” which can eliminate key threats and keep their opponents on the defensive.
Drafting Golgari requires a balance between creature power and removal options. Prioritize creatures with strong abilities and removal spells that match your opponent’s strategy. With a well-constructed Golgari deck, you can leverage the strengths of both black and green, control the board, and ultimately outlast your opponents.
Izzet (Blue-Red)⁚ Spellslinger
Izzet Spellslingers are a force to be reckoned with in Guilds of Ravnica draft. They thrive on the synergy between blue’s card manipulation and red’s raw power, unleashing a barrage of spells to overwhelm opponents. This archetype focuses on casting a high volume of spells, leveraging card draw and cheap instants and sorceries to generate a constant stream of threats and countermeasures.
Key cards for Izzet decks include “Crackling Drake,” a powerful evasive threat that scales with the number of spells you cast, and “Shock,” a cheap and efficient removal spell. Cards like “Chemister’s Insight” and “Search for Azcanta” provide card draw, allowing you to keep your hand full of spells and maintain momentum.
To draft Izzet effectively, focus on acquiring a critical mass of instants and sorceries, prioritizing spells with high impact and low mana cost. Aim for a balanced mix of removal, card draw, and powerful spells to maximize your ability to control the board and outmaneuver your opponents. With a well-constructed Izzet deck, you can unleash a relentless assault of spells and emerge victorious.
Orzhov (Black-White)⁚ Control
Orzhov control decks are the masters of attrition in Guilds of Ravnica draft. Their primary goal is to slow down the game, disrupt opponents’ plans, and eventually win through card advantage and powerful removal spells. This archetype utilizes black’s removal and lifegain to control the board while white provides resilient creatures and powerful late-game threats.
Key cards for Orzhov control decks include “Legion Lieutenant,” a powerful two-drop creature that boosts your other white creatures, and “Doom Whisperer,” a removal spell that can target any creature. “Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord” provides card draw and lifegain, crucial for maintaining control of the game.
To draft Orzhov control successfully, prioritize cards that remove threats, gain life, and provide card advantage; Look for removal spells like “Cast Down” and “Deadly Visit,” lifegain spells like “Inspiring Leader” and “Orzhov Enforcer,” and card draw engines like “Thought Erasure” and “Vicious Rumors.” With a well-constructed Orzhov control deck, you can outlast your opponents and emerge victorious through superior card advantage and a well-timed finish.
Gruul (Red-Green)⁚ Aggro
Gruul decks are all about aggression and overwhelming the opponent with a relentless onslaught of creatures. This archetype thrives on early game pressure and powerful red and green creatures to quickly dismantle your opponent’s defenses. Gruul decks aim to finish the game before the opponent can stabilize their board, utilizing aggressive creatures with haste and trample to push through damage.
Key cards for Gruul aggro decks include “Raging Red” and “Goreclaw, Terror of the Peaks,” both powerful creatures that provide early game pressure and consistent damage. “Skarrgan Hellkite” is a late-game powerhouse that can finish the game quickly. “Hazoret’s Favor” is a powerful enchantment that boosts your creature’s power, making it a valuable inclusion in any Gruul aggro deck.
To draft Gruul aggro effectively, prioritize cards that are aggressive, have haste, and offer trample. Look for creatures like “Goblin Instigator” and “Thunderclap Wyrm,” as well as spells like “Frenzied Rage” and “Rampaging Ferocidon.” With a well-constructed Gruul aggro deck, you can unleash a ferocious onslaught and overwhelm your opponents before they can react.
Azorius (Blue-White)⁚ Control
Azorius decks are all about controlling the board and dictating the pace of the game. This archetype utilizes powerful removal spells, countermagic, and board wipes to disrupt the opponent’s strategies and create a favorable battlefield. Azorius decks aim to outlast their opponents, slowly chipping away at their resources and building up a formidable board presence.
Key cards for Azorius control decks include “Conclave Tribunal” and “Skymarcher Aspirant,” both of which provide strong removal options and board presence. “Teferi, Time Raveler” is a powerful planeswalker that can control the battlefield and stall the game, giving you time to build up your advantage. “Hallowed Moonlight” is a potent board wipe that can clear the battlefield of creatures, allowing you to regain control of the game.
To draft Azorius control effectively, prioritize cards that offer removal, countermagic, and board wipes. Look for spells like “Cancel” and “Legion Lieutenant,” as well as creatures like “Knight of the White Orchid” and “Venerated Loxodon.” With a well-constructed Azorius control deck, you can outmaneuver your opponents, control the flow of the game, and emerge victorious.
Simic (Blue-Green)⁚ Creatures
Simic decks excel at generating a powerful creature army that can overwhelm opponents with sheer numbers and strength. This archetype leverages the synergy of blue and green, utilizing card draw, creature recursion, and powerful creatures to control the battlefield. Simic decks are known for their ability to adapt to various situations, evolving their creatures and leveraging powerful synergies to outmaneuver their opponents.
Key cards for Simic creature decks include “Biogenic Ooze” and “Growth Spiral,” both of which provide powerful creature generation and mana acceleration. “Shaper’s Sanctuary” is a crucial land that can provide both card draw and creature recursion, enabling you to build a formidable board presence. “Merfolk Skydiver” is a versatile creature that can both draw cards and provide a strong early presence on the battlefield.
To draft Simic creatures effectively, prioritize cards that generate creatures, provide card draw, and offer mana acceleration. Look for spells like “Dive Down” and “Vicious Rumors,” as well as creatures like “Seafloor Stalker” and “Saproling Migration.” By leveraging these cards, you can establish a dominant creature army, control the board, and secure victory through sheer force of numbers.
Rakdos (Black-Red)⁚ Aggro
Rakdos Aggro is all about unleashing a relentless assault of aggressive creatures and powerful removal spells. This archetype thrives on quick starts and efficient damage output, aiming to overwhelm opponents before they can establish a stable defense. Rakdos decks are known for their explosive plays, often utilizing cards like “Fervent Champion” and “Demonic Embrace” to quickly build a threatening board presence.
Key cards for Rakdos Aggro include “Fervent Champion” and “Demonic Embrace,” which provide early aggression and efficient removal. “Blood Crypt” and “Mountain” are essential lands for mana fixing and providing the necessary red and black mana for your spells. “Unflinching Courage” can be a powerful addition to the deck, as it can help you push through damage and finish off opponents. “Legion Lieutenant” is a powerful one-drop that can quickly snowball your board presence, while “Legion Lieutenant” can quickly snowball your board presence, while “Grim Initiate” provides a cheap removal spell that can eliminate pesky blockers.
To draft Rakdos Aggro effectively, prioritize cards that provide fast damage output and removal spells. Look for creatures like “Bloodthirsty Adversary” and “Frenzied Rage,” as well as removal spells like “Lightning Strike” and “Cast Down.” By leveraging these cards, you can build a fast-paced, aggressive deck that overwhelms opponents before they can react.
Drafting Tips
Drafting in Guilds of Ravnica requires a keen eye for synergies and a strategic approach to building your deck.
Picking Signal Cards
Signal cards are the key to unlocking a successful draft in Guilds of Ravnica. These powerful cards provide a glimpse into the potential strengths and weaknesses of your draft pool. They can be either powerful in a vacuum or those that play into guild themes, making them a valuable first pick. Identifying these cards early on allows you to prioritize your guild choices and build a cohesive strategy.
For instance, cards like Doom Whisperer, Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice, and Dream Eater are considered top-tier signal cards. They are incredibly powerful and often define the direction of your deck. Keep an eye out for these and other strong cards to guide your draft decisions and set you on the path to victory.
Prioritizing Synergies
While powerful individual cards are essential, the true magic of Guilds of Ravnica draft lies in synergy. Each guild boasts a distinct theme, and maximizing these synergies is crucial for building a dominant deck. For example, Dimir thrives on surveil, allowing you to dig deeper into your library and gain card advantage. Boros excels with aggressive creatures and removal spells, aiming to overwhelm your opponent early.
As you draft, prioritize cards that enhance your chosen guild’s strengths. If you’re leaning towards Dimir, look for cards that generate card advantage through surveil or create value through discard. If you’re in Boros, focus on aggressive creatures, removal spells, and cards that benefit from attacking. By embracing these synergies, you’ll create a deck that functions as a well-oiled machine, capable of outperforming decks solely reliant on individual power.
Sideboard Considerations
The sideboard in Guilds of Ravnica draft offers a valuable opportunity to tailor your deck against specific matchups. While some cards shine against all opponents, others excel against specific archetypes. For example, Sprouting Renewal can effectively counter aggressive strategies, while Forced Landing can neutralize troublesome fliers.
Consider the common threats and strategies you’re likely to encounter during the draft. If you expect to face a lot of aggressive decks, bring in cards that provide lifegain or removal. If you anticipate facing control decks, include cards that can generate card advantage or pressure their life total. Remember, the sideboard isn’t just for countering opponents; it can also enhance your own deck’s strengths.
Don’t underestimate the power of cards like Crocanura and Mephitic Vapors, which can disrupt specific archetypes and gain you an edge in crucial matchups. By carefully constructing your sideboard, you’ll be prepared to adapt and overcome any challenge the draft may throw your way.
Mastering the Guilds of Ravnica draft requires a blend of strategic thinking, card knowledge, and adaptability. By understanding the core concepts and implementing these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to dominating the draft scene.