Mystical Tutor: How to Host Your Own MTG Booster Draft!

So you’ve heard about this supposedly fun thing called an MTG “booster draft” and you’re wondering if it involves power tools or maybe some kind of jetpack. Good news: it doesn't! It’s a way to play Magic: The Gathering that’s fun, fast, and surprisingly beginner-friendly, especially if you do it at home with friends, snacks, and zero pressure to know what a mana curve is.

What Is a Booster Draft?

Imagine you and a few friends each get a few sealed packs of Magic cards. You open one, pick a card you like, and pass the rest to the person next to you. They do the same. You keep going until all the cards are picked. Then you build a small (40 card) deck from the cards you chose and play some games.

It’s kind of like a fantasy-themed potluck, but instead of casseroles, you’re bringing Goblins and Lightning Bolts.

Why Draft at Home?

Because it’s fun. Seriously. Drafting is one of the most exciting ways to play Magic. You don’t need a huge collection, you don’t need to memorize a million strategies, and you don’t need to worry about someone showing up with a $500 deck that wins on turn two.

Everyone starts with the same kind of packs, and the playing field is pretty even. Plus, it’s social. You get to sit around a table, open packs, laugh at weird card names, and maybe yell “I can’t believe you passed me this dragon” at your best friend.

What You’ll Need

You’ll want three booster packs per person. That’s the standard draft loadout. If you’re not sure which set to pick, go with something recent. Magic sets are designed with drafting in mind, so newer ones tend to play well right out of the pack.

You’ll also need a bunch of basic land cards, because everyone will need them to build their decks. And yes, you’ll need a table or at least a clean floor. Drafting on a couch sounds fun until your rare ends up between the cushions and your cat decides it’s a chew toy.

Come March, 2026, Wizards is making it even easier to draft at home with what they are calling a "Draft Night" box. Inside are the materials you need to fully host your fireside draft party while welcoming a group of snackfood loving turtles into your home. Hope you stocked up on hand sanitizer!

How the Draft Works

Once everyone’s seated, you open your first pack, pick one card, and pass the rest to the left. You’ll get a new pack from the person on your right, pick a card from that, and keep passing. You do this until all the cards from the first pack are gone, then repeat with pack two and pack three.

By the end, you’ll have a pile of 45 cards and a few moments of “Why did I pass that removal spell?”

Alternately, you could divide the packs amongst the table and do a sealed draft. In sealed you don't pass the cards, but build a deck based on your (normally 6) packs. The draft flavor is up to you and your group.

Building Your Deck

Now comes deckbuilding. You’ll want to build a 40-card deck using the cards you drafted and some basic lands. Most people stick to two colors. Magic has five, and you’ll probably notice you’ve drafted more cards in two of them. Go with those.

Include around 17 lands and 23 other cards.

Try to have a mix of creatures and spells, and remember, you can only include up to 4 copies of each card that isn'ta basic land. Don’t worry about perfection. Your deck doesn’t need to be a masterpiece. It just needs to be yours.

Time to Play

Usually, people do best-of-three matches. Winner gets bragging rights, a collector's booster if you bought the Draft Night box, and maybe the last slice of pizza. Loser gets a handshake and a reminder that drafting five copies of 1/1 flavorless citizen was a bold choice.

Remember, Make It Fun!

The best part is that you’re doing this at home. That means you control the vibe. You can play music, wear pajamas, light candles, and eat snacks that didn’t come from a vending machine last stocked in 2017.

You can even theme your draft night. Maybe it’s tribal only or card art that contain hats. Maybe you give out prizes. Maybe you just yell “Finals” dramatically when two people play. The point is to have fun, not to recreate a sanctioned tournament with judges, spreadsheets, and tears.

Go have an MTG Booster Draft

If you’ve never drafted before, don’t stress. It’s one of the most welcoming ways to play Magic. Everyone starts with the same kind of packs, and the playing field is pretty even. You’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and you’ll probably misread a card and think it gives your creatures flying when it clearly doesn’t. That’s part of the charm.