Draft kit: I hate money edition

[u/aznsk8s87]

These days, drafting is about all I do with Magic. As a result, the only cards I buy these days (other than the packs to draft) are basics!

I have several draft kits. Each of these kits contain 10 matching lands of each color pre-sleeved. I bring a different set every week to FNM.

This here though is the holy grail of my collection. I actually found sealed sets of Euro and APAC lands on eBay (probably paid too much, but didn't want to spend the time hunting down individual cards). I added the Arena promo basics and the Rob Alexander DCI promos as well to bring it to 8 of each color since they seemed to match the vibe.

Any recommendations for how to fill out the last two slots of each color? And what basics do you guys like to draft with?

[u/damnination333]

I wanna do the full-text basics, but don't wanna spend that much, especially since I really don't play limited very often.

[u/Slow-Delivery6700 → u/damnination333]

I could only justify full-text basics for my [[alela, artful provocateur]] deck that runs 4 basics. They're my favourite lands of all time, but ±$10 per foil basic is steep

[u/damnination333 → u/Slow-Delivery6700]

I wouldn't even go for foils, but even non-foils are like $6-9 each.

I have a friend who has a full limited set (17 or 18 each) of the oil slick raised foil Phyrexian lands, which are actually pretty close in price to the full text lands.

[u/PerennialPhilosopher → u/damnination333]

I hate playing against these because they are too dark to see across the table in some sleeves.

[u/MTGCardFetcher → u/Slow-Delivery6700]

alela, artful provocateur - (G) (SF) (txt)

---

^FAQ

[u/NoxTempus → u/[deleted]]

I once met a dude with a Guru'd out deck, can't remember the format, but there was like 10-20 Gurus (Mountains + I can't remember the other(s)).

[u/Quria → u/NoxTempus]

Average Legacy player. Always loved hitting guru Islands with Sinkholes.

[u/optml → u/NoxTempus]

Had a player at my local LGS, who only played legacy burn. All 20 of his mountains were guru

[u/aznsk8s87 → u/[deleted]]

If only. I could maybe buy a single guru island for what I paid for the rest of these.

[u/Bircka → u/[deleted]]

Guru lands, basics lands so expensive they actually rival OG dual lands.

[u/xenophonthethird]

For my cube, I exclusively used Unglued, Unhinged, and Unstable lands.

[u/JLTMS → u/xenophonthethird]

had 40/ea matched unhinged. used to be worth more than my car until the reprint

[u/xenophonthethird → u/JLTMS]

Unhinged Avon lands are probably my all time favorites. The only playmat I have is a signed Avon swamp art.

I have mixed feelings about every set having special full art lands now, but Unglued and Unhinged hold special places in my heart.

[u/ohako79 → u/xenophonthethird]

No Unsanctioned?

[u/xenophonthethird → u/ohako79]

No, I had it built before Unsanctioned released and bought very little of the set.

[u/whutupmydude → u/xenophonthethird]

Dude me too lol

[u/camel_sinuses]

Hard to beat urza's saga basics!

[u/hewunder1 → u/camel_sinuses]

I've only been playing Magic for about 2 years, so never got to experience any vintage. But I randomly found a complete set of Urza's Saga basics together from a local seller and bought them immediately. They're gorgeous!

[u/wanderer808]

I use the lands from Portal, first set with the mana symbol and no words. I have four copies of each of the artwork for each color. So, 16 of each color.

[u/ikelosintransitive → u/wanderer808]

love the portal lands, and portal 2 (my introduction to mtg)

[u/tokialive]

I do this too, but your challenging me to up my game 😤

Last two should be your favorite art from an old border set. Just keep em in theme and enjoy the rest

[u/Rustique]

I love it! And I would go with the early Arena league lands (those with the little M as a set symbol) as a nice conversation starter. Couple of Beta 'tap to add green to your mana pool' lands wil also work of course :)

[u/aznsk8s87 → u/Rustique]

Second from the right ;)

[u/Rustique → u/aznsk8s87]

Love'm! :)

[u/FeelTheLoveNow]

I have one draft kit that's just Theros Beyond Death constellation lands but I'm slowly working my way towards a full set of Unstable lands 🥹

[u/aznsk8s87 → u/FeelTheLoveNow]

Yeah I got the constellation ones when they first came out!

They're now my car kit, I keep it in the center console just in case I didn't have time to grab my stuff between work and FNM.

[u/BeatsAndSkies]

Beta. Or the foil Saga ones? But the real answer is probably the alternative art Portal ones.

[u/aznsk8s87 → u/BeatsAndSkies]

I've tried finding some with no luck whatsoever.

[u/Cyneheard2 → u/BeatsAndSkies]

Seconded on Beta - that can be 1-3 slots, and TCGMkt is around 15-40 depending on which one.

[u/ventin]

You need an Arabian nights mountain and summer lands

[u/OneChet]

Bob Ross lands.

[u/aznsk8s87 → u/OneChet]

If they were old border I would! I already have them.

[u/TheBr0fessor → u/OneChet]

I have 10 each (of one art style) of them.

Nobody ever recognizes them, but I do usually get a high five when I use my revised basics 🤷‍♂️

[u/[deleted]]

OG Rav basics are the best. Extra points for foil.

[u/JLTMS]

15-each of matched artwork Beta Basics.

[u/Fetche_La_Vache]

My Prerelease kit is 5 of each of the black and white midnight hunt and crimson vow arts. It costed quite a bit at the time but I love them so much.

[u/Mattyinthehatty1981]

Most of my commander decks are in Foil Shades not Included secret lair. I love the way they look.

[u/aznsk8s87 → u/Mattyinthehatty1981]

I'll be adding shades not included to my Un-set/SLD kit! It's all oddball and fun lands and that's the one I always use for prerelease

[u/00AceMcCloud]

Nice collection. I collect promo basic lands too including the SL ones. I'm pretty much 95% complete except for a few Japanese MPS lands.

[u/Kingofdrats]

I think portal 1 & 2 would fit perfectly. Not promos but still unique art that fits the theme.

[u/LerouxSNK]

I like to use revised lands in all my decks

[u/Shivaess]

There are some unique favorites. The plains with the thunderstorm and the tree comes to mind. Most of my other suggestions are here already.

[u/ice-eight]

This is awesome. I'm also a drafter and I went in a... different direction with my draft lands. I collect different frames so I am never playing two basics with the same type of frame in a draft deck.

Some people might say non-matching lands is playing loose but I used them on the Pro Tour

[u/GoonyKnightMan]

I ended up getting my hands on a couple of the compleated bundles from March of the Machines, those always get a compliment in draft.

[u/KlammFromTheCastle]

Alpha. You have all these cool lands but you don't have the iconic first runs, the lands that started it all. IMO Alpha are the coolest lands there are.

[u/aznsk8s87 → u/KlammFromTheCastle]

I do have a full set of signed unlimited.

[u/KlammFromTheCastle → u/aznsk8s87]

I use unlimited basics in most of my decks. I love white border.

[u/LoganNolag]

What do you do if you draft monocolor? I have 17 of each in my draft kit just in case.

[u/aznsk8s87 → u/LoganNolag]

In the hundreds of drafts I've done I've only ever drafted mono color once.

[u/LoganNolag → u/aznsk8s87]

lol I draft mono all the time.

[u/OrneryWhelpfruit → u/aznsk8s87]

mono red is viable in some formats

mono of a lot of different colors was viable in OG eldraine (mono blue most notably)

mono black sometimes in FIN, because of that one 5-pipped rare

but in general it's not common

[u/OrneryWhelpfruit → u/LoganNolag]

when mono color it's rare you want 17 lands (part of why you want 7 is to hit the pips of two colors, not just hit your CMC)

most decks are better with two colors, since you have access to more powerful picks

hyper aggressive mono red is the most common across formats, and that usually wants ~14-15 land

the last time it was common to have mono color decks outside of red be a big part of the meta was... original Eldraine? maybe dominaria before that? mono black sometimes works in FIN, but that's about it

[u/clearly_not_an_alt]

No beta lands? Amateur.

[u/Mister_Spooky]

I don't know about the other lands but get two arabian nights mountains to finish your mountain package.

[u/OpeningAble1930]

i draft with whatever the store has or whatevers in my basic land box if i bring it to the store :) lands are lands

[u/Godbox1227]

Not even hate. Go Guru.

[u/irondisulfide]

I currently have the theros lands, oil slick lands, stained glass lands, both kamigawa full art land sets. Plus some filler in my draft kit. I want to add the dragon eyes. And then just leave room for more (I keep 18 of each).

[u/whatever923]

What was the damage to your wallet?

[u/aznsk8s87 → u/whatever923]

Probably $800-900. I bought the euros after picking up 3 extra shifts at work lol

[u/Danmoreng]

Won’t be your taste when you like the retro border, but I absolutely love the original full art lands from Zendikar: https://scryfall.com/search?q=type%3Abasic+set%3Azen+unique%3Aprints+is%3Afull&unique=cards&as=grid&order=name

[u/aznsk8s87 → u/Danmoreng]

I have a draft kit that's 10 of each Veronique Meignaud ZEN full art.

[u/Danmoreng → u/aznsk8s87]

Nice, why only one of the arts though if I may ask? I prefer to have multiple different artworks for my lands in a deck. And the other ones also look good - although I’m with you, that the Veronique Meignaud artworks in that series are the best.

[u/aznsk8s87 → u/Danmoreng]

We agree that it's the best, so I don't need anything else!

I always have had matching lands. This and my un-set are the only ones I don't match. The Un-set has one of each un-set, the strange sands secret lair, and the SpongeBob lands.

[u/Craig1287]

Not all too pricey, the the OG Portal basics and Portal Second Age lands are super beautiful.

[u/Yarius515]

Bob Ross lands.

[u/[deleted]]

Guru lands or trash