A creature either needs to do something exciting or be huge (or hopefully both)
Go to Wizards.com/Locator to find an event or store near you
The simulator can open two packs a day (three with the premium pass), purchasing them with pack points (earned from opening boosters), and doing wonder picks, which give players the chance to pick a copy of a card at random from a pack someone else already opened
There are a number of popular cards that use X in their mana costs and enter the battlefield with X counters, like Chalice of the Void, Stonecoil Serpent, or Ugin's Conjurant
StarCityGames is sold out at $9.99 and currently I cant see many for sale under $20, which is steep without proven results
Not only can you outlast your opponent, but if you really run out of cards you can basically decide what you draw each turn