Theros drafts are firing this weekend in the flashback queues on Magic: the Gathering Online. We here at Hipsters of the Coast look back on the days of Theros draft fondly. I consider it my favorite draft format, and the massive number of drafts we fired off in our Brooklyn community grew into the Brooklyn Team Draft League, which started during the Journey Into Nyx season.
It can be a tricky format to draft. Rather than tell you how to draft it now, let’s look back at some of our best articles about the format from the time. Enjoy the walk down memory lane, and pick up some tips for the flashback drafts this weekend!
Review the Review
Zach Barash does a great job of reassessing his evaluations. His review of his review of Theros draft is a great introduction to what matters in the format. Take some great advice and use it to win some flashback drafts!
The Bucket List
The most important question going into any flashback draft is this: what sort of nonsense can I pull off? Hunter Slaton ambles through an off-the-wall collection of silliness in his classic article, My Theros Bucket List. If nothing else, he will advise you not to bother trying to unlock the glory of Loathsome Catoblepas. I saw someone win a game at a PTQ with that thing once, but you can do better under more casual circumstances. Also: Scholar of Athreos is love.
Drafting Control
Monique Garraud wrote a great breakdown of a sweet Blue-Black control deck she drafted, starring three Gray Merchant of Asphodel. Her card rating emojis are classic. Want to know what cards to pick up for the archetype? Monique tells you what worked for her and what did not.
Drafting Hard or Hardly Drafting
Back in 2013, I was just starting to write about Magic. I wrote an article about the challenges of drafting Theros. It is a balanced format, but not a forgiving one. I helped point out marginal cards that help you get an edge in a tight draft. Flashbacks tend not to be so competitive, but you can still pick up edges with the cards I discuss.
Shirts or Skins
Not everything has to be about strategy. Clayton Adams wrote a seminal article documenting the best shirtless dudes in Magic art. Theros is chock full of them. If you like playing decks full of rip-abbed pseudo-Greek warriors, then Theros flashbacks are perfect for you.
Carrie O’Hara is Editor-in-Chief of Hipsters of the Coast.