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A cursory glance at Outlaws at Thunder Junction’s Draft format can seem overwhelming.
Wizards of the Coasthas provided a breakdown of Thunder Junction Play Boosters slot by slot.
The List changes from set to set.
Outlaws of Thunder Junction promotional art by Lie SetiawanDesert by Lucas Graciano
Very few cards on The List were intended for Limited play, and many of them interact with artifacts.
That’s pretty daunting, and that’s only one slot in the booster pack!
These slots are the reason you’ll sometimes see duplicate cards in Play Boosters.
Bristling Backwoods by Viko Menezes
It also means a shot at more rares in the cardpool.
There’s also a slot dedicated to Thunder Junction’sbonus sheet: Breaking News.
Between the main set and Breaking News, there aretonsof enchantments that temporarily exile creatures.
A few enchantment removal options for your sideboard can go a long way!
Finally, there’s a dedicated land slot.
These are incredibly important to the Draft format, andthere will be about 12 opened per eight-player pod.
A plotted spell can only be cast as a sorcery.
Given the opportunity, don’t plot your counterspells, people!
So much of this set was deliberately designed with plot in mind.
As powerful as plot is,you have to be conscious of how and when you use it.
Thunder Junction’s a world full of villains and outlaws.
Best to plot ahead.
Let Your Criminal Side Out
Some advice is best kept at the Draft tables.
In Thunder Junction, it pays to commit a crime.
And it’s painfully easy to commit crimes.
Bristling Backwoods by Viko Menezes
If you’re in doubt, look for the word ‘target.’
If a card doesn’t use the word target, it doesn’t commit a crime.
Two-Color Deserts Are Important
Deserts isn’t a fully fleshed-out theme in this set.
That’s significant for a couple of reasons.
First, it just meansplayers functionally start a lot of games at 18 life, sometimes even lower.
A few extra points of damage from just playing lands can make a world of difference foraggro decks.
Second,these are lands that commit crimes.
It’s funny to think about, but highly relevant in the context of the set.
That meansan extra 24 interactive spells are floating aroundany given Draft pod by default.
Snakeskin Veil is better here than it has been in previous sets.
Your opponentswillhave removal aplenty, and a well-timedhexprooftrick can really set them back.
The best way to combat increased removal is todraft sticky threats or cards that make multiple bodies.
Graveyard recursion helps quite a bithere, too.
If youdostart on a three-color rare,you gotta prioritize mana fixing highly.
There will beplentyof other rares to pick from, given the nature of Play Boosters.
As a side note,don’t be swayed by the mythic rare symbol on The Big Score cards.
A lot of these have weird and undesirable effects for Limited and should be evaluated independently of their rarity.
Wo, what exactly are Outlaws and how do they change the game?
Let’s find out.
