I think archetype of aggression is what you want here. Either it will go into an aggressive strategy, where three power for 3 mana is solid, or you'll end up in like a GR deck where the trample will be relevant. It's going to be good almost no matter what.
I don't like either of the removal options in this pack enough to take them over a pretty solid creature. It also doesn't hurt that red is considered to be a weaker color in general in theros - cutting red early sets up a pretty nice pack two and I don't think you're really going to miss any of these removal spells in your deck if you pass them.
I'm not a huge fan of Whelming Wave, though I can see that it can definitely be good in the right deck. It's probably fine if you have a couple of blue cards already or can commit to getting them, but I'm not sure if I like first picking it.
I think that Archetype of Aggression is probably the best pick on its own merits and is what I listed, but I would probably first pick the Skyguard because I am a particularly big fan of the W/x Heroic archetype in Therox x3 draft and don't expect that to change in BTT draft. I also like Asphyxiate, but how high up it goes depends both on how aggressive the format is as well as how many tap effects there will be as Inspire enablers - if creatures are always turning sideways and Inspiration is rampant, Asphyxiate won't be as good.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Former Level 2 Judge (Retired / Renounced)
Went to a new shop from a friend's recommendation, DQ'ed for willful violation of CR 100.6b.
I guess I'm drawn to the potential of Whelming Wave if you can craft the right deck around it. Besides playing sea monsters, obviously, you'd want to prioritize cheap blockers to slow down aggressors and force them to overcommit, giving you more of a tempo advantage when you use the Wave. Not to mention the synergy with ETB effects like the black devotion creatures in Theros, which are already great in a controlling deck.
That said, you're definitely not always going to be able to make that kind of deck. Archetype of Aggression is probably the most flexible among the strong picks, and therefore the safest, and I definitely respect that. Conversely, if you want to gamble on being able to assemble the aggressive Heroic deck, Akroan Skyguard is probably where you might want to look. That and the Wave are the two riskier options, with the Archetype in the middle.
I went with asphyxiate. I can also see the argument for archetype of aggression or the white removal, but I don't get whelming wave at all. Its playable I guess, but its clearly not the first pick here. Its just not that great.
You could try to draft the protected creature types, but you can't really count on that. If you are ahead its obviously blank. If its a stalled board maybe its good if you are aggressive, but how often is blue using an aggressive non-evasive strategy? If you are defensive or control, this could be really awkward against an aggressive opponent since they will probably reset their board first. If you are dying you will... not die for a few turns? Maybe its fine against one big guy with a couple bestow auras, but then they fall off and start hitting your empty board. Maybe you could reset your own enchantment creatures back to being auras? That doesn't sound very sweet.
I went with asphyxiate. I can also see the argument for archetype of aggression or the white removal, but I don't get whelming wave at all. Its playable I guess, but its clearly not the first pick here. Its just not that great.
You could try to draft the protected creature types, but you can't really count on that. If you are ahead its obviously blank. If its a stalled board maybe its good if you are aggressive, but how often is blue using an aggressive non-evasive strategy? If you are defensive or control, this could be really awkward against an aggressive opponent since they will probably reset their board first. If you are dying you will... not die for a few turns? Maybe its fine against one big guy with a couple bestow auras, but then they fall off and start hitting your empty board. Maybe you could reset your own enchantment creatures back to being auras? That doesn't sound very sweet.
The problem with asphyxiate is that it is a sorcery that can only kill untapped creatures. I'd say that well over half the time, the things that you really *need* to kill are going to always be tapped on your turn. That really limits the potential of the card to killing blockers or killing things the turn they come into play.
The white removal is likely better than that, and even that reads as a really poor man's sorcery speed chastise without the life gain. Neither one inspires much confidence, but between them the white one seems superior.
Though I do suppose that when almost *all* the removal is bad, even bad removal will do.
Went with Akroan Skyguard out of preference. I'm at my best when drafting W/x Heroic so to me this is the best pick. Archetype of Aggression is cute but I'm not ready yet for a double red relationship
Whelming Wave is such a terrible card. Your opponent gets to play all of his creatures first so you automatically start behind. Also, it's even worse than that in this format because anything bestowed just falls off and turns into a creature. Evacuation was an okay card in the right deck, but the downside was that sometimes it could be a 5-mana Fog. At sorcery speed, this is just unplayable.
I voted Asphyxiate because it's a solid piece of removal. It kills any creature that was freshly played and moves blockers out of the way which is important in limited. Excoriate is a trap because a tapped creature usually means that it attacked, and we want to be killing things before they've attacked. Assassinate was not considered to be a good card.
Asphyxiate is the safer pick, although I enjoy the build-around-me potential of Graverobber Spider, and even if you don't end up in black a Giant Spider is a fine pick.
I feel Skyguard will be a popular pick but I'll take Whelming Wave. That + the Mneumonic Walls I will probably get 1/2 of in the Theros packs will be hard to get over imo.
On Asphyxiate, I just want to point out to people that it is not going to help you against an opponents threat that is beating on you. It will always be tapped when you could cast this. Not a bad spell... but beware it's limitations as well as it is a significant one!
I'm going to take Karametra's Favor here, hear me out.
There is really nothing in this pack that screams to me P1P1. Archetype of Aggression is probably the best card, but trample in an aggressive red deck is not the most exciting prospect. I really don't like either sorcery speed removal spell as the black one doesn't stop things from beating your face in, and the white one is too reactive although it's certainly better than the black one. Mini Wingsteed Rider is fine if you end up with a heavy Wx Heroic deck, but not very good outside of that.
I'm taking Favor, because it's a cantrip that ramps, fixes colors, enables Heroic, and enables Inspired. I'll be happy to run at least 1 copy in any green deck. I also think there's a distinct possibility of wheeling the Spider (who Favor helps activate) or the Archetype (which is hard to cast, but I already have 1 ramp spell). I really like green in BNG/THS/THS. I don't think there's anything in this pack that I'll really miss
I don't like either of the removal options in this pack enough to take them over a pretty solid creature. It also doesn't hurt that red is considered to be a weaker color in general in theros - cutting red early sets up a pretty nice pack two and I don't think you're really going to miss any of these removal spells in your deck if you pass them.
*DCI Rules Advisor*
I think that Archetype of Aggression is probably the best pick on its own merits and is what I listed, but I would probably first pick the Skyguard because I am a particularly big fan of the W/x Heroic archetype in Therox x3 draft and don't expect that to change in BTT draft. I also like Asphyxiate, but how high up it goes depends both on how aggressive the format is as well as how many tap effects there will be as Inspire enablers - if creatures are always turning sideways and Inspiration is rampant, Asphyxiate won't be as good.
Went to a new shop from a friend's recommendation, DQ'ed for willful violation of CR 100.6b.
Have played duals? I have PucaPoints for them!
(Credit to DarkNightCavalier)
$tandard: Too poor.
Modern:
- GW Birthing Pod(?)
Legacy:
- UWR Delver
That said, you're definitely not always going to be able to make that kind of deck. Archetype of Aggression is probably the most flexible among the strong picks, and therefore the safest, and I definitely respect that. Conversely, if you want to gamble on being able to assemble the aggressive Heroic deck, Akroan Skyguard is probably where you might want to look. That and the Wave are the two riskier options, with the Archetype in the middle.
R Citizen Cane (Feldon of the Third Path)
You could try to draft the protected creature types, but you can't really count on that. If you are ahead its obviously blank. If its a stalled board maybe its good if you are aggressive, but how often is blue using an aggressive non-evasive strategy? If you are defensive or control, this could be really awkward against an aggressive opponent since they will probably reset their board first. If you are dying you will... not die for a few turns? Maybe its fine against one big guy with a couple bestow auras, but then they fall off and start hitting your empty board. Maybe you could reset your own enchantment creatures back to being auras? That doesn't sound very sweet.
The problem with asphyxiate is that it is a sorcery that can only kill untapped creatures. I'd say that well over half the time, the things that you really *need* to kill are going to always be tapped on your turn. That really limits the potential of the card to killing blockers or killing things the turn they come into play.
The white removal is likely better than that, and even that reads as a really poor man's sorcery speed chastise without the life gain. Neither one inspires much confidence, but between them the white one seems superior.
Though I do suppose that when almost *all* the removal is bad, even bad removal will do.
I voted Asphyxiate because it's a solid piece of removal. It kills any creature that was freshly played and moves blockers out of the way which is important in limited. Excoriate is a trap because a tapped creature usually means that it attacked, and we want to be killing things before they've attacked. Assassinate was not considered to be a good card.
There is really nothing in this pack that screams to me P1P1. Archetype of Aggression is probably the best card, but trample in an aggressive red deck is not the most exciting prospect. I really don't like either sorcery speed removal spell as the black one doesn't stop things from beating your face in, and the white one is too reactive although it's certainly better than the black one. Mini Wingsteed Rider is fine if you end up with a heavy Wx Heroic deck, but not very good outside of that.
I'm taking Favor, because it's a cantrip that ramps, fixes colors, enables Heroic, and enables Inspired. I'll be happy to run at least 1 copy in any green deck. I also think there's a distinct possibility of wheeling the Spider (who Favor helps activate) or the Archetype (which is hard to cast, but I already have 1 ramp spell). I really like green in BNG/THS/THS. I don't think there's anything in this pack that I'll really miss
Standard:
GU Prophet
Legacy:
WBU Shared Fate
Trades
This is a card you can draft an archetype around.
(note: I voted for Spider in the poll which was most likely the wrong decision)
Edit: point 2 doesn't work.
Edit#2: point 2 does work actually - so Whelming Wave is indeed that good.
"Serious question, why are the people in the mtgsal thread so ****ing stupid?"
What Magic Color are You, MORON ?