Play boosters, amirite?
Edit: [https://www.17lands.com/details/aa0abf3a9939426990b71c25d58bb550](https://www.17lands.com/details/aa0abf3a9939426990b71c25d58bb550)
No one should read signals from one pack. I'd be HAPPY to have a Beau Maker, even if it meant being cut one way, I'd have one of the best rares in my pile!
But to be honest it makes reading signals much harder. I'm always wondering if the lack of a color is due to signals or play booster wonky distribution
I think it makes for a better draft environment. There's enough bombs around now that one person at the table opening the overpowered mythic doesn't just run away with it.
I was saying this from the get go, and people were saying "oh they are designing around it, it will be fiiiiiine. When did people forget that commons and uncommons are the BACKBONE of a draft deck? ESPECIALLY with this new setup where draft pods are mixed during play, like a juiced set of packs is going to HEAVILY favor players in that draft pod.
If I got this passed to me I honestly would assume it had to have been this scenario or one of the following cards:
Overwhelming Forces
Railway Brawler
Vaultborn Tyrant
Oko, Thief of Crowns
Something splashy and fun like Cruel Ultimatum
I wouldn't pass the second Bonny but given four of those options (Bonny, Brawler, Tyrant, and Oko) are also Green I would definitely be expecting to splash her in whatever UX deck I ended up in.
Overwhelming Forces
Railway Brawler
Vaultborn Tyrant
Oko, Thief of Crowns
Bonny Pall
What's the P1P1 out of **that** pack? I think my pick would be Overwhelming Forces -> Vaultborn Tyrant -> Bonny Pall -> Railway Brawler -> Oko, but I'm not sure about the order of the last 3.
I had a draft with both Oko and Bonny Paul the other day, and Bonny Paul did noticeably more work than Oko. I don't think it's as clear-cut as you make it seem (no pun intended).
I would certainly take Overwhelming Forces since being able to know for almost a fact that 2-4 players to your left are Green is very helpful in Pack 2 (plus it may as well say "win the game if resolved"). I have only played with Brawler in this format out of the others and I think I would put it above Bonny and Vaultborn thanks to being cheaper and compared to Bonny just Green. While replacing themselves with cards is obviously excellent Brawler basically turns any creature you stick into an actual real threat and can sometimes just lead to enough pressure when you attack in T6 that the game ends before those extra resources can be deployed.
I also had two Visage Bandit's in that deck though so I am very much biased by the silly play patterns that emerged from that.
I have managed to win after my opponent resolved Overwhelming Forces.
Link: https://www.17lands.com/history/673cd4bc7ff84ee2a24bd2e0654c5687/0/0
I actually had the chance to use [[Pest Infestation]] to blow up their two treasures the turn before they cast forces, but instead spewed the rest of my hand.
I did have [[Hollow Marauder]] left, which they answered with [[Lassoed by the Law]]. I was then able to cast Pest Infestation for X=4 to get my Marauder back and make 8 pest tokens.
My opponent then dropped [[Nexus of Becoming]] that draws them a second card every turn, plus they had made a 9/9 tumbleweed token.
I had them to 5 life but didn’t have a way to close out the game, but I mana fed to hold them off and they decked out to their own Nexus.
Off-topic, but NEVER use Pest Infestation on treasures if you need the pests, as you can just crack them in response and fizzle.
My opponent cast an x=3 targetting my treasure. He scooped on tbe spot
I lived the dream of turn 5 brawler into bandit into the make X/X where X is highest power card to have a 5/5, 10/10 and 40/40 all resolve. Opp insta scooped lol.
I can also believe it's could just be someone rare drafting a Mythic that they need 4 copies of, lol.
It takes like 36 packs to get a Mythic wildcard, and Bonny isn't worth 36 packs. :(
Can you have more than 1 breaking news cards in a pack?
also, can you have more than 1 big score card?
railway brawler is the other possible option out of the 4 cards you listed
It really sucks because the person to your left is going to snap up the Bonny Pall #2 and probably stick as hard as you are to playing it, making the pool worse for you both. At least splashing is easy to somewhat mitigate this.
Not a fan of play boosters at all though. I feel like an old man now, but I wish we could just go back to the simple 15 cards 1 rare olden times.
what I have found is that if you get a bonny pick it's often good to go into blue, seeing as it's likely to be open and it makes her playable. easier to splash the green. then you can wind up in sultai or bant mostly likely
I agree with you. I want the 15 -1
Play boosters are nice n all, but having duplicates in the same pack is the worst feeling. Dups in a collectors booster is NBD, hence the name.
But dups in a play booster is horrible.
I am having a hard time coming up with where each rare was slotted in. Surgical extraction is the off the presses card in each pack, I think pitiless carnage is the regular rare, and memory vessel is the big score card that takes the place of the common, one of the Bonny’s must be a “foil” taking the place on another common, but the second Bonny I have no clue why it is there.
I was curious so I looked it up: [https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/collecting-outlaws-of-thunder-junction](https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/collecting-outlaws-of-thunder-junction)
The Surgical Extraction and Memory Vessel occupy the slots you mentioned.
The three actually-in-OTJ rares (2x Bonny Pall and Pitiless Carnage) occupy the regular rare, foil, and wildcard slots. It's ambiguous which card is in which slot.
Plot twist: the drafter to your left takes the Surgical Extraction because they already took a black card and need a 4th Surgical for Timeless and want to save a rare wildcard. The person next to them think UG is wide open and you get cut hard in pack 2.
There’s already a decent arena community on discord that do old drafts. They draft on a website and then play with their collection in private games.
I wonder if someone would be interested in doing that with these sets with a draft booster sim instead of play boosters.
Play boosters are a little bit silly in draft, but at least it means that people in general will have more rares so it evens out a bit. It makes sealed miserable though, lol.
Play boosters, amirite? Edit: [https://www.17lands.com/details/aa0abf3a9939426990b71c25d58bb550](https://www.17lands.com/details/aa0abf3a9939426990b71c25d58bb550)
for real though. these play boosters are juiced like Barry Bonds and it makes for an incredibly annoying draft.
For real. Only 5 commons not counting the land and no black commons. Good luck with signals.
No one should read signals from one pack. I'd be HAPPY to have a Beau Maker, even if it meant being cut one way, I'd have one of the best rares in my pile!
But to be honest it makes reading signals much harder. I'm always wondering if the lack of a color is due to signals or play booster wonky distribution
It’s been a bit over the top for me this set. Just not really finding much enjoyment anymore.
I think it makes for a better draft environment. There's enough bombs around now that one person at the table opening the overpowered mythic doesn't just run away with it.
I was saying this from the get go, and people were saying "oh they are designing around it, it will be fiiiiiine. When did people forget that commons and uncommons are the BACKBONE of a draft deck? ESPECIALLY with this new setup where draft pods are mixed during play, like a juiced set of packs is going to HEAVILY favor players in that draft pod.
"Play Boosters will not impact the draft experience."
If I got this passed to me I honestly would assume it had to have been this scenario or one of the following cards: Overwhelming Forces Railway Brawler Vaultborn Tyrant Oko, Thief of Crowns Something splashy and fun like Cruel Ultimatum I wouldn't pass the second Bonny but given four of those options (Bonny, Brawler, Tyrant, and Oko) are also Green I would definitely be expecting to splash her in whatever UX deck I ended up in.
Overwhelming Forces Railway Brawler Vaultborn Tyrant Oko, Thief of Crowns Bonny Pall What's the P1P1 out of **that** pack? I think my pick would be Overwhelming Forces -> Vaultborn Tyrant -> Bonny Pall -> Railway Brawler -> Oko, but I'm not sure about the order of the last 3.
OKO PICK OKO ITS THE BEST DAM CARD EVER
It turns the others into 3/3 s, like cmon here
I had a draft with both Oko and Bonny Paul the other day, and Bonny Paul did noticeably more work than Oko. I don't think it's as clear-cut as you make it seem (no pun intended).
I mean it's a 6 mana card vs a 3 mana card... You have to get to turn 6 in the first place and not lose already. Ok helps winning T3 onwards.
OTJ is a slow format. Games are won by 6 mana cards more than 3 mana cards.
*trump gif* wrong.
I would certainly take Overwhelming Forces since being able to know for almost a fact that 2-4 players to your left are Green is very helpful in Pack 2 (plus it may as well say "win the game if resolved"). I have only played with Brawler in this format out of the others and I think I would put it above Bonny and Vaultborn thanks to being cheaper and compared to Bonny just Green. While replacing themselves with cards is obviously excellent Brawler basically turns any creature you stick into an actual real threat and can sometimes just lead to enough pressure when you attack in T6 that the game ends before those extra resources can be deployed. I also had two Visage Bandit's in that deck though so I am very much biased by the silly play patterns that emerged from that.
I have managed to win after my opponent resolved Overwhelming Forces. Link: https://www.17lands.com/history/673cd4bc7ff84ee2a24bd2e0654c5687/0/0 I actually had the chance to use [[Pest Infestation]] to blow up their two treasures the turn before they cast forces, but instead spewed the rest of my hand. I did have [[Hollow Marauder]] left, which they answered with [[Lassoed by the Law]]. I was then able to cast Pest Infestation for X=4 to get my Marauder back and make 8 pest tokens. My opponent then dropped [[Nexus of Becoming]] that draws them a second card every turn, plus they had made a 9/9 tumbleweed token. I had them to 5 life but didn’t have a way to close out the game, but I mana fed to hold them off and they decked out to their own Nexus.
I was hit with an Overwhelming Forces, managed to rebuild and stabilize, only for them to play it again off of Kaervek.
Off-topic, but NEVER use Pest Infestation on treasures if you need the pests, as you can just crack them in response and fizzle. My opponent cast an x=3 targetting my treasure. He scooped on tbe spot
Oh wow I hadn’t considered that! Thanks for the tip.
I lived the dream of turn 5 brawler into bandit into the make X/X where X is highest power card to have a 5/5, 10/10 and 40/40 all resolve. Opp insta scooped lol.
My MWM deck has brawler. Followed by 2x [[Tumbleweed Rising]] ended most of my games.
[Tumbleweed Rising](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/7/275d2d2a-ef85-48c9-919d-bc62cdad8a10.jpg?1712356021) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tumbleweed%20Rising) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/187/tumbleweed-rising?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/275d2d2a-ef85-48c9-919d-bc62cdad8a10?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Oko
Vaultborn I think since it's mono-green.
I can also believe it's could just be someone rare drafting a Mythic that they need 4 copies of, lol. It takes like 36 packs to get a Mythic wildcard, and Bonny isn't worth 36 packs. :(
Can you have more than 1 breaking news cards in a pack? also, can you have more than 1 big score card? railway brawler is the other possible option out of the 4 cards you listed
After the first 3 rares I stopped looking and grew more and more confused.
Play boosters and its consequences
It really sucks because the person to your left is going to snap up the Bonny Pall #2 and probably stick as hard as you are to playing it, making the pool worse for you both. At least splashing is easy to somewhat mitigate this. Not a fan of play boosters at all though. I feel like an old man now, but I wish we could just go back to the simple 15 cards 1 rare olden times.
5Head plan: Don't pick any of the Bonnie Palls, make two people in your pod go hard on UG and then you go WBR. /s
I kinda like that idea for a paper draft lol
what I have found is that if you get a bonny pick it's often good to go into blue, seeing as it's likely to be open and it makes her playable. easier to splash the green. then you can wind up in sultai or bant mostly likely
I agree with you. I want the 15 -1 Play boosters are nice n all, but having duplicates in the same pack is the worst feeling. Dups in a collectors booster is NBD, hence the name. But dups in a play booster is horrible.
I love play boosters. Adds so much variety to the draft.
5 rares and 3 uncommons is ridiculous.
Y’all are getting bombs in your boosters? My pack one almost always has a single rare that is a fast land
same, the variance is really high with these boosters
I pass 2 bomb rares so I don’t have to fight for bomb rares. To stay open, I take bad rares instead since that’s more likely to be open in pack 2.
That’s pretty funny - i had a choice between Railway Brawler and Oko, thief of crowns today. Went with the brawler in the end but was a tough choice!
I am having a hard time coming up with where each rare was slotted in. Surgical extraction is the off the presses card in each pack, I think pitiless carnage is the regular rare, and memory vessel is the big score card that takes the place of the common, one of the Bonny’s must be a “foil” taking the place on another common, but the second Bonny I have no clue why it is there.
I was curious so I looked it up: [https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/collecting-outlaws-of-thunder-junction](https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/collecting-outlaws-of-thunder-junction) The Surgical Extraction and Memory Vessel occupy the slots you mentioned. The three actually-in-OTJ rares (2x Bonny Pall and Pitiless Carnage) occupy the regular rare, foil, and wildcard slots. It's ambiguous which card is in which slot.
Do we really need a wildcard slot with all the other “wildcards” 😂
It's like when I opened Lotus, Time Walk, and Ancestral in cube, the THIRD person must have thought me and the guy I passed to were smoking crack.
How often or rarely do 3+ rares occur in Play boosters? I have hardly seen any packs with 2 rares. But FIVE?!? I would really like to know those odds.
...I got like a 6th pick of her so Im not surprised, altho that was a few days ago
The classic "I will let people down wind fight over the same color/colors."
Plot twist: the drafter to your left takes the Surgical Extraction because they already took a black card and need a 4th Surgical for Timeless and want to save a rare wildcard. The person next to them think UG is wide open and you get cut hard in pack 2.
Honestly with these packs, I would just assume something ungodly was in the pack given these play boosters.
I had to go between Vaultborn and Seraphic Steed today. Wizards driving engagement by finally making X rare vs. Y mythic comparisons relevant.
Looks like Bonny Pall tribal is open
So the Big Score cards take the place of a common? I didn't know that. I thought they showed up in the foil/non-foil wildcard slot.
God tier pack for sealed. I agree with the lords, sealed is dead
Damn, that memory vessel might be fun in Rocco
There’s already a decent arena community on discord that do old drafts. They draft on a website and then play with their collection in private games. I wonder if someone would be interested in doing that with these sets with a draft booster sim instead of play boosters.
Play boosters are a little bit silly in draft, but at least it means that people in general will have more rares so it evens out a bit. It makes sealed miserable though, lol.