3Ds Max, creating complex volumes

As a beginner with 3Ds Max, it seems that the Editable Poly function is the most efficient way to generate complex volumes.
My approach:
Having some familiarity with AutoCad, I'm relying on keyboard entry of x-y coordinates to construct accurate 2D shapes that can be extruded. These die-cut pieces can then be whittled to the desired form and joined with others to generate more complex assemblies.