As you pass Karona around the table, it gives each player their choice of creature type to get +3/+3, incentivizing them to attack each other
The Emerald/Steel deck from Shimmering Skies, however, stands out from other decks in the way it uniquely draws on the cards revealed in the fifth set to help build up your board presence and damage characters
You need to know your outs (Facebook groups and Twitter), and be disciplined and informed with the right data (i.e., Shivan Dragon 295 is $2,000, so an out for Giant Growth at $1,000 is more than respectable)
Nyx-Fleece Ram, Yoked Ox or a wall for
I have never played professionally but even in casual constructed, things are a lot more polar as you pointed out