Khans of Tarkir - Drafting Strategy

I just drafted the heck out of Khans this past weekend. I feel like I say this every set but: This set is GOOD. It's got some solid cards for both casual and competitive play, it's got a cycle of rares that are already established as money cards, and the limited environment it creates is a very challenging one.

After going to the prerelease the weekend before that, I started thinking about how drafting a set with so many three-color cards would work out. They've got a cycle of common lands that helps a lot, and the abundance of morph creatures wasn't included by accident either. But I developed a strategy ahead of time that I figured I'd try on my first draft and see how it goes. When I won that draft I tried the strategy again, with the same results. I encourage you guys to try it out and win some fetchlands for yourselves.

First Pass: Lands

My first picks generally consist of Refuges. It feels weird to pick a common when you have the first crack at a pack, but unless there's an obvious bomb in there, that ends up being my pick. There's generally one in every pack, so they pile up pretty fast.

Second Pass: Multicolor Bombs

In doing so, I've found that when I get my first pack back, I get to focus on the splashy three-color cards that everyone else passed on because they didn't want to risk the mana base for it. This is true for the first round as well as the last; since my opponents don't get a chance to diversify their mana base too much, I end up with all the Ankle Shankers and Warden of the Eyes which I have no problem playing.

By picking lands first, I also don't have to worry about colors; any card I want is fair game, since I'll probably be able to produce any color.

Third Pass: Morph

I try to round everything out with some Morph creatures just in case, as they're a sure turn three play regardless of color.

When all is said and done, I can hopefully cut a color while making my deck so that it can be more concise. But all in all, I've been having pretty good success with this formula. I always start popping out face-down creatures on turn three and ramp into three-color bombs later on, and the best part is that I've always got a little cushion thanks to the life the lands give me. My opponents, in turn, end up playing a multicolor set with mostly basic lands, and while they manage to get by pretty well regardless, I know that's at least one edge I've got over them.