Is Phyrexia: All Will Be One a Good Draft Set?
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The short answer? Yes, Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE) is a good draft set, though perhaps not among the absolute best. It offers a diverse and enjoyable experience, especially for players who appreciate intricate synergies and a unique, albeit somewhat linear, gameplay feel. While it might not reach the legendary heights of sets like Original Innistrad in terms of depth and flavor, it provides a solid and engaging format with enough variety to keep drafts fresh. Let’s delve into the details.
The Strengths of Phyrexia: All Will Be One Draft
Phyrexia: All Will Be One shines in several key areas that contribute to a positive draft experience:
- Synergy-Driven Gameplay: The set heavily emphasizes synergistic gameplay. Poison counters, oil counters, and proliferate are the core mechanics, encouraging players to build decks around these concepts. This leads to interesting draft decisions where you’re constantly evaluating how each card will work with the rest of your deck.
- Meaningful Interactions: Many cards interact with each other in unique and rewarding ways. For instance, a proliferate-heavy deck can quickly snowball, making it incredibly satisfying to pull off. The set rewards careful planning and strategy in both the drafting and playing phases.
- Variety of Archetypes: While the archetypes can sometimes feel somewhat linear, there’s still a variety of approaches you can take. The color pairs each have their own identity, and it is possible to build aggressive, controlling, or mid-range decks effectively within the confines of the set.
- Fast-Paced Games: Phyrexia: All Will Be One tends to lead to relatively quick and decisive games. The poison mechanic can provide an alternate win condition, and proliferate can quickly accelerate the board state. This pace prevents games from becoming stale and allows players to move onto the next match quickly.
- Enjoyable Despite Linear Tendencies: Although the archetypes are clearly defined and sometimes feel linear, the gameplay is enjoyable when the format is not dominated by one specific strategy. If you are not being severely outpaced or your strategy is not easily being countered, the gameplay itself offers a good experience.
The Drawbacks of Phyrexia: All Will Be One Draft
Despite its merits, Phyrexia: All Will Be One does have some drawbacks that may affect player satisfaction:
- Linear Archetypes: The most significant critique of the set is the linear nature of some archetypes. This can lead to situations where players feel they have to be “on rails” in their draft, choosing cards that heavily support a specific mechanic rather than making more varied and creative decisions.
- Potential for Steamrolls: If you fall behind in the early game, or your strategy is easily countered, the pace of the set can quickly turn a good game into a steamroll for the opponent. This is due to the speed of poison and proliferate which make it very difficult to recover.
- Lack of Deep Complexity: Compared to sets with more open-ended strategies, Phyrexia: All Will Be One might lack the deep complexity that some players crave. There’s less room for unconventional or niche builds. However, the synergies do offer a large number of decision points.
- Limited Card Value: Phyrexia: All Will Be One may not be the best set for opening packs for card value. While it features impactful rares and mythics like Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines and Vraska, Betrayal’s Sting, the overall value of the cards may not justify the price of the packs.
Conclusion: A Solid but Not Revolutionary Draft Experience
In summary, Phyrexia: All Will Be One is a good draft set, offering a solid and enjoyable experience with a focus on synergies, unique mechanics, and a fast-paced gameplay. While it might not be the deepest or most complex draft format, its strengths in these areas make it a worthwhile experience for MTG players. It’s a set that rewards drafting and playing with strategy in mind, and the unique mechanics ensure it has a different feel from other sets.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is Phyrexia: All Will Be One a Draft or Set?
Phyrexia: All Will Be One is both a set of Magic: The Gathering cards and a draft format. You can open packs, build decks for constructed play, or participate in draft events using cards from this set.
2. Which boosters should I buy for drafting Phyrexia: All Will Be One?
For drafting, you should purchase draft boosters. Set boosters are designed for opening and collecting cards, not for drafting.
3. What is considered the best draft set of all time?
Many players consider Original Innistrad to be the best draft format of all time due to its great fantasy theme, tribal flavor, and highly enjoyable mechanics.
4. Is Premier or Traditional Draft better on MTG Arena?
For newer players or those wanting a more casual experience, Premier Draft is better because it doesn’t require sideboarding. For more experienced players seeking a deeper experience, Traditional Draft is preferred.
5. Which color pair is the best in Phyrexia: All Will Be One draft?
While there is no definitive best pair, the Black/Green archetype focuses on poison counters and proliferate, which can be a very strong strategy, but is also quite popular. Other strong contenders are Blue/White and Red/Green, each offering unique strengths.
6. What is “rare drafting” in MTG?
Rare drafting is a strategy where you pick rare cards during a draft, even if they don’t fit your deck, to increase the value of your collection. This is often done to offset the cost of drafting.
7. Is it worth rare drafting in Phyrexia: All Will Be One?
Yes, if you are trying to build your collection or recoup some of the cost of drafting, rare drafting can be valuable in Phyrexia: All Will Be One. While the card values are not as high as some other sets, you may find impactful rares for play in other formats.
8. What draft mode gives you the best value in MTG Arena?
Competitive drafts generally offer the best value in MTG Arena, but they come with higher risk and require a higher win rate to be truly profitable.
9. Is Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty a good set to draft?
Yes, Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty is considered an excellent draft set due to its depth, multiple viable color pairs, and compelling gameplay that allows for aggressive and defensive strategies.
10. How much does a draft typically cost in MTG?
The cost of a draft can vary. On MTGO, it usually ranges from $10 to $14 per draft, depending on the format. On MTG Arena, drafts can be purchased using in-game gems or gold.
11. What is the most popular game mode in MTG Arena?
Standard is the most popular format on MTG Arena, accounting for the largest share of games played across ranked, play, and other queues.
12. What does the color of the expansion symbol indicate on an MTG card?
The color of the symbol indicates the card’s rarity: black for common, silver for uncommon, gold for rare, and orange-red/bronze for mythic rare.
13. Can you get two rares in a draft booster pack?
Yes, in sets like Double Masters, each pack contains two rares or mythic rares. This is not the norm in a typical set draft pack.
14. Which MTG set has the most expensive cards?
The Alpha set has some of the most expensive Magic: The Gathering cards, with even common cards fetching thousands of dollars.
15. Are Phyrexian cards immune to Phyrexia?
No, the cards or the creatures represented on the cards are not generally immune to Phyrexia or other Phyrexian strategies, such as poison and oil counters. While Melira is immune to the Phyrexian oil and it’s corruption, this is an exception, not the rule.