Drafting works like this: everybody gets 3 packs at the start. Each pack has 15 cards.
Step 1)Open your pack, remove the token and place it in the center of the table (If you're doing this in the club draft, make sure you do this because we need them for the cube).
Step 2) Examine your 15 cards, including the land unless it is foil I repeat DO NOT REMOVE THE FOIL LAND, and choose one. Put your chosen card face down in front of you and set your pack to the left of you.
Step 3) Pick up the pack the player on the right of you passes, examine your 14 cards, and choose one. Put the chosen card face down in front of you and set your pack to the left of you.
Quick note: Do not set a pack down if your last one is still there. Wait for them to pick it up and then put your pack down. It may be boring because you want to see your next pack but this is important to avoid confusion.
Step 4) Repeat the last step until you get your last card.
Step 5) Open your second pack. Pick a card and then put your remaining cards down to the RIGHT of you.
Step 6) Repeat until you get your last card.
Step 7) Open your third pack. Pick a card and put the rest on your LEFT.
Step 8) Repeat until you get your last card.
Step 9) Choose basic land, your own or the ones provided, and build a deck. The deck has to be minimum 40 cards, 20 less than normal magic. In general you want 15-16 creatures, 6-8 spells, and 17 land. For Khans of Tarkir drafting, this may not apply (Jeskai wants more spells, and every deck wants 18 lands).
Step 10) Sleeve up and play.
Terms/Strategy:
There is a lot of strategy that goes into drafting, making it a very skill testing format. But there is a very simple beginner strategy you may want to execute: B.R.E.A.D.
Follow this order when deciding what to pick (Just remember that colors matter and you shouldn't follow this if it takes you way off the colors you have).
B: Bombs. Bombs are BIG things that they come down and will EXPLODE all over your opponent. If unanswered, they will destroy them. EXAMPLE:
gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=383268R. Removal. Cards that kill other cards. Good examples would be: Murderous Cut, Swords to Plowshares, Throttle, or Lightning Bolt.
E. Evasion. Cards with flying, or sometimes unblock able. These can prove to win you games by just flying over your opponents board. Example:
gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=235595A: Aggro. Good creatures that will help you get in for damage, block, and trade. The prime example of this is Grizzly/Forest/Runeclaw Bear. 1G for a 2/2. Good, clean, easy. These are the bulk of your deck.
D: Duds. These suck. Sometimes you have to play one as the 23rd card in your deck, but you dont want them unless you have to. Example:
www.mtgsalvation.com/cards/khans-of-tarkir/23565-swift-kick.
Some more terms:
Pod: The drafting pod is how many players pass to each other. Sometimes groups can be split up into two pods of four or two of eight, or four of four, etc depending on players. Think of them like little mini-draft sections of the larger tournament.
