Have you ever drafted a deck that was so beautiful you couldn't wait to play with it? I got the following deck below, and went into the draft knowing I was going to win.
I ended up losing round 1! =D Take a look and tell me if you would have done things differently.
Pack 1 pick 1:
Nyxborn Triton
Swordwise Centaur
Epiphany Storm
Hold at Bay
Snake of the Golden Grove
Nullify
Cyclops of One-Eyed Pass
Necrobite
Sudden Storm
Kragma Butcher
Oracle's Insight
Unravel the Æther
Pinnacle of Rage
--> Brimaz, King of Oreskos
Forest
Pack 1 pick 2:
Marshmist Titan
Nyxborn Wolf
Floodtide Serpent
Rise to the Challenge
Griffin Dreamfinder
Aspect of Hydra
Mortal's Resolve
Divination
--> Akroan Skyguard
Claim of Erebos
Pillar of War
Acolyte's Reward
Pain Seer
Plains
Pack 1 pick 3:
Marshmist Titan
Nyxborn Wolf
Floodtide Serpent
Rise to the Challenge
Griffin Dreamfinder
Aspect of Hydra
Mortal's Resolve
Divination
--> Akroan Skyguard
Claim of Erebos
Thassa's Rebuff
Fanatic of Xenagos
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 4:
Marshmist Titan
Mortal's Ardor
Fearsome Temper
Nyxborn Rollicker
Aspect of Hydra
Claim of Erebos
Deepwater Hypnotist
Oracle's Insight
Eternity Snare
Mischief and Mayhem
--> Spirit of the Labyrinth
Island
Pack 1 pick 5:
Weight of the Underworld
Sphinx's Disciple
Warchanter of Mogis
Revoke Existence
Scouring Sands
Charging Badger
--> Stratus Walk
Black Oak of Odunos
Archetype of Endurance
Astral Cornucopia
Swamp
Pack 1 pick 6:
Griffin Dreamfinder
Eye Gouge
Evanescent Intellect
Fearsome Temper
Hold at Bay
Setessan Starbreaker
Divination
--> Nyxborn Rollicker
Karametra's Favor
Plains
Pack 2 pick 3:
Leafcrown Dryad
Gods Willing
Rage of Purphoros
Satyr Hedonist
Read the Bones
Last Breath
Traveler's Amulet
Boulderfall
--> Battlewise Hoplite
Gainsay
Dauntless Onslaught
Temple of Triumph
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 4:
Nylea's Disciple
Messenger's Speed
Gods Willing
Spearpoint Oread
Unknown Shores
Aqueous Form
Setessan Battle Priest
--> Battlewise Hoplite
Vanquish the Foul
Shipwreck Singer
Tymaret, the Murder King
Plains
Pack 2 pick 5:
Minotaur Skullcleaver
Battlewise Valor
--> Wingsteed Rider
Wild Celebrants
Two-Headed Cerberus
Asphodel Wanderer
Cavern Lampad
Anvilwrought Raptor
Fanatic of Mogis
Ordeal of Nylea
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 6:
Lightning Strike
Rageblood Shaman (FOIL)
--> Divine Verdict
Coastline Chimera
Defend the Hearth
Priest of Iroas
Ray of Dissolution
Akroan Hoplite
Evangel of Heliod
Island
Pack 2 pick 7:
Minotaur Skullcleaver
--> Battlewise Valor
Spearpoint Oread
Yoked Ox
Borderland Minotaur
Rescue from the Underworld
Gainsay
Flamespeaker Adept
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 8:
Chosen by Heliod
--> Aqueous Form (FOIL)
Satyr Hedonist
Last Breath
Unknown Shores
Crackling Triton
Deathbellow Raider
Swamp
Pack 2 pick 9:
Sip of Hemlock
Messenger's Speed
Pharika's Cure
Returned Centaur
--> Hopeful Eidolon
Akroan Crusader
Island
p2p1: hopeful eidolon over ordeal. I think you're set on white, but unclear if U or R second. Archon could be a pick, too.
p2p2: see, this is where I'm confused: you p2p1 take ordeal of thassa but then take assault instead of naiad or SGR!
p2p3: too many choices! I think I might try to wheel hoplite and take gods willing or assault. Tough choice.
p2p4: double battlewise and gods willing? This is silly.
p2p5,p6: whoa! People are avoiding white now?
p2p9: hopeful eidolon wheels. Unfair!
p3p1: Hytonia is a stupid pick, You have voyage's end right there. Don't complain losing if you waste picks on value-less off-color mythics.
p3p4: WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHAT? Omenspeaker over thassa's emissary? Are you mad?
p3p9: bronze sable, cut the weenie from other players.
Hard to judge since you don't give any match report, but your deck could have been a bit better with these picks, IMO. You passed over three of the best blue common / uncommon. Also, seeing how W and U was open, didn't try to wheel hoplites (although I'll admit, it is risky, so that's not a bad decision to take them.)
As for what to bring in to replace the amulet (and possibly an island as well, though I'm less sure of that; I'm more hesitant to cut lands than a lot of the other forum regulars are), I can't recall perfectly what was in your sideboard, but I remember you drafted a Stratus Walk and a Cavalry Pegasus that didn't make your deck, either or both of which would be pretty good here.
Was Hythonia over Voyage's End a hatedraft? Don't do that. Not only is Voyage's End a top common for your colors, it's an effect you were sorely lacking and generally need to have. If I had to choose one pick that directly hurt your final deck, that was it.
Not taking Celestial Archon is fairly indefensible here. Like, not only is it the windmill slam pick out of that pack, but as pierrebai points out there are other cards in the pack you should be taking over the card you did take.
Thanks for the feedback all. I wanted to see the comments before adding my own to confirm my stupidity without biasing you =D
Hythonia over Voyage's End: This was a value pick, but more because I go under the mentality that if I'm doing balls out UW heroic aggro, there's no room for tricks other than ones that boost my heroes. This is obviously incorrect and clear to me now =D
Omenspeaker over Thassa's Emissary: This was really hard for me. In my mind I wanted to keep my deck to 3 CMC or less and not have any risk of mana-screw (hence the 17 lands). I also really wanted to optimize my chances of landing the Brimaz for the slam dunk. (That's why I skipped the Archon too).
I ended up losing round 1! =D Take a look and tell me if you would have done things differently.
Thanks!
PJ
Time: 3/15/2014 9:59:07 PM
Players:
lenetong
Aelion
keegan1928
Athgare
TimQ
--> Psyjedi
Kleves
lawoflegends
------ BNG ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Nyxborn Triton
Swordwise Centaur
Epiphany Storm
Hold at Bay
Snake of the Golden Grove
Nullify
Cyclops of One-Eyed Pass
Necrobite
Sudden Storm
Kragma Butcher
Oracle's Insight
Unravel the Æther
Pinnacle of Rage
--> Brimaz, King of Oreskos
Forest
Pack 1 pick 2:
Marshmist Titan
Nyxborn Wolf
Floodtide Serpent
Rise to the Challenge
Griffin Dreamfinder
Aspect of Hydra
Mortal's Resolve
Divination
--> Akroan Skyguard
Claim of Erebos
Pillar of War
Acolyte's Reward
Pain Seer
Plains
Pack 1 pick 3:
Marshmist Titan
Nyxborn Wolf
Floodtide Serpent
Rise to the Challenge
Griffin Dreamfinder
Aspect of Hydra
Mortal's Resolve
Divination
--> Akroan Skyguard
Claim of Erebos
Thassa's Rebuff
Fanatic of Xenagos
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 4:
Marshmist Titan
Mortal's Ardor
Fearsome Temper
Nyxborn Rollicker
Aspect of Hydra
Claim of Erebos
Deepwater Hypnotist
Oracle's Insight
Eternity Snare
Mischief and Mayhem
--> Spirit of the Labyrinth
Island
Pack 1 pick 5:
Weight of the Underworld
Sphinx's Disciple
Warchanter of Mogis
Revoke Existence
Scouring Sands
Charging Badger
--> Stratus Walk
Black Oak of Odunos
Archetype of Endurance
Astral Cornucopia
Swamp
Pack 1 pick 6:
Griffin Dreamfinder
Eye Gouge
Evanescent Intellect
Fearsome Temper
Hold at Bay
Setessan Starbreaker
Divination
--> Nyxborn Rollicker
Karametra's Favor
Plains
Pack 1 pick 7:
Nyxborn Eidolon
Charging Badger
Pharagax Giant
Ephara's Radiance
Setessan Starbreaker
Impetuous Sunchaser
--> Crypsis
Dawn to Dusk
Forest
Pack 1 pick 8:
Satyr Wayfinder
Pharagax Giant
Great Hart
Weight of the Underworld
--> Nyxborn Shieldmate
Thassa's Rebuff
Skyreaping
Plains
Pack 1 pick 9:
Epiphany Storm
Nullify
Cyclops of One-Eyed Pass
Necrobite
--> Kragma Butcher
Unravel the Æther
Forest
Pack 1 pick 10:
Rise to the Challenge
Griffin Dreamfinder
Divination
Claim of Erebos
--> Acolyte's Reward
Plains
Pack 1 pick 11:
Marshmist Titan
--> Rise to the Challenge
Griffin Dreamfinder
Claim of Erebos
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 12:
Mortal's Ardor
--> Nyxborn Rollicker
Claim of Erebos
Island
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Warchanter of Mogis
Charging Badger
Swamp
Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Evanescent Intellect
Plains
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Forest
------ THS ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Sip of Hemlock
Bronze Sable
Messenger's Speed
Pharika's Cure
Rage of Purphoros
Feral Invocation
Returned Centaur
Hopeful Eidolon
Akroan Crusader
Cavern Lampad
--> Ordeal of Thassa
Mogis's Marauder
Insatiable Harpy
Celestial Archon
Island
Pack 2 pick 2:
Ephara's Warden
Fleshmad Steed
Nimbus Naiad
Traveling Philosopher
Yoked Ox
Blood-Toll Harpy
Benthic Giant
Voyaging Satyr
Shredding Winds
Boon of Erebos
Sea God's Revenge
Tormented Hero
--> Coordinated Assault
Forest
Pack 2 pick 3:
Leafcrown Dryad
Gods Willing
Rage of Purphoros
Satyr Hedonist
Read the Bones
Last Breath
Traveler's Amulet
Boulderfall
--> Battlewise Hoplite
Gainsay
Dauntless Onslaught
Temple of Triumph
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 4:
Nylea's Disciple
Messenger's Speed
Gods Willing
Spearpoint Oread
Unknown Shores
Aqueous Form
Setessan Battle Priest
--> Battlewise Hoplite
Vanquish the Foul
Shipwreck Singer
Tymaret, the Murder King
Plains
Pack 2 pick 5:
Minotaur Skullcleaver
Battlewise Valor
--> Wingsteed Rider
Wild Celebrants
Two-Headed Cerberus
Asphodel Wanderer
Cavern Lampad
Anvilwrought Raptor
Fanatic of Mogis
Ordeal of Nylea
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 6:
Lightning Strike
Rageblood Shaman (FOIL)
--> Divine Verdict
Coastline Chimera
Defend the Hearth
Priest of Iroas
Ray of Dissolution
Akroan Hoplite
Evangel of Heliod
Island
Pack 2 pick 7:
Minotaur Skullcleaver
--> Battlewise Valor
Spearpoint Oread
Yoked Ox
Borderland Minotaur
Rescue from the Underworld
Gainsay
Flamespeaker Adept
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 8:
Chosen by Heliod
--> Aqueous Form (FOIL)
Satyr Hedonist
Last Breath
Unknown Shores
Crackling Triton
Deathbellow Raider
Swamp
Pack 2 pick 9:
Sip of Hemlock
Messenger's Speed
Pharika's Cure
Returned Centaur
--> Hopeful Eidolon
Akroan Crusader
Island
Pack 2 pick 10:
Ephara's Warden
Fleshmad Steed
--> Traveling Philosopher
Yoked Ox
Boon of Erebos
Forest
Pack 2 pick 11:
Rage of Purphoros
Last Breath
--> Traveler's Amulet
Boulderfall
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 12:
Messenger's Speed
Unknown Shores
--> Vanquish the Foul
Plains
Pack 2 pick 13:
Wild Celebrants
--> Two-Headed Cerberus
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 14:
--> Defend the Hearth
Island
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Mountain
------ THS ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Divine Verdict
Sip of Hemlock
Bronze Sable
Messenger's Speed
Yoked Ox
Blood-Toll Harpy
Benthic Giant
Voyaging Satyr
Voyage's End
Setessan Battle Priest
Ordeal of Purphoros
Flamecast Wheel
Erebos's Emissary
--> Hythonia the Cruel
Plains
Pack 3 pick 2:
Mnemonic Wall
Cavalry Pegasus
Loathsome Catoblepas
Time to Feed
Asphodel Wanderer
Breaching Hippocamp
Silent Artisan
Titan's Strength
Staunch-Hearted Warrior
Scholar of Athreos
Horizon Chimera
--> Ordeal of Heliod
Gift of Immortality
Swamp
Pack 3 pick 3:
Nylea's Presence
Fleetfeather Sandals
Demolish
Spearpoint Oread
Unknown Shores
Aqueous Form
Asphodel Wanderer
Setessan Griffin
Disciple of Phenax
Ordeal of Erebos
--> Dauntless Onslaught
Temple of Silence
Swamp
Pack 3 pick 4:
Viper's Kiss
Dragon Mantle
--> Omenspeaker
Gray Merchant of Asphodel
Silent Artisan
Titan's Strength
Traveling Philosopher
Felhide Minotaur
Vanquish the Foul
Akroan Hoplite
Thassa's Emissary
Forest
Pack 3 pick 5:
Stymied Hopes
Demolish (FOIL)
--> Traveling Philosopher
Wild Celebrants
Silent Artisan
Opaline Unicorn
Ray of Dissolution
Chronicler of Heroes
Artisan's Sorrow
Satyr Piper
Island
Pack 3 pick 6:
Prescient Chimera
Scourgemark
Satyr Hedonist
Satyr Rambler
--> Leonin Snarecaster
Setessan Battle Priest
Triton Shorethief
Anvilwrought Raptor
Sealock Monster
Plains
Pack 3 pick 7:
Fleetfeather Sandals
Ill-Tempered Cyclops
Guardians of Meletis
Wild Celebrants
Benthic Giant
--> Baleful Eidolon
Staunch-Hearted Warrior
Prowler's Helm
Island
Pack 3 pick 8:
Bronze Sable
Ephara's Warden
Unknown Shores
Crackling Triton
Portent of Betrayal
Ray of Dissolution
--> Wavecrash Triton
Plains
Pack 3 pick 9:
Bronze Sable
Messenger's Speed
--> Yoked Ox
Blood-Toll Harpy
Benthic Giant
Flamecast Wheel
Plains
Pack 3 pick 10:
Mnemonic Wall
--> Cavalry Pegasus
Loathsome Catoblepas
Asphodel Wanderer
Scholar of Athreos
Swamp
Pack 3 pick 11:
Fleetfeather Sandals
Demolish
Unknown Shores
--> Asphodel Wanderer
Swamp
Pack 3 pick 12:
--> Dragon Mantle
Silent Artisan
Vanquish the Foul
Forest
Pack 3 pick 13:
--> Demolish (FOIL)
Silent Artisan
Island
Pack 3 pick 14:
--> Triton Shorethief
Plains
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Island
p2p2: see, this is where I'm confused: you p2p1 take ordeal of thassa but then take assault instead of naiad or SGR!
p2p3: too many choices! I think I might try to wheel hoplite and take gods willing or assault. Tough choice.
p2p4: double battlewise and gods willing? This is silly.
p2p5,p6: whoa! People are avoiding white now?
p2p9: hopeful eidolon wheels. Unfair!
p3p1: Hytonia is a stupid pick, You have voyage's end right there. Don't complain losing if you waste picks on value-less off-color mythics.
p3p4: WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHAT? Omenspeaker over thassa's emissary? Are you mad?
p3p9: bronze sable, cut the weenie from other players.
Hard to judge since you don't give any match report, but your deck could have been a bit better with these picks, IMO. You passed over three of the best blue common / uncommon. Also, seeing how W and U was open, didn't try to wheel hoplites (although I'll admit, it is risky, so that's not a bad decision to take them.)
As for what to bring in to replace the amulet (and possibly an island as well, though I'm less sure of that; I'm more hesitant to cut lands than a lot of the other forum regulars are), I can't recall perfectly what was in your sideboard, but I remember you drafted a Stratus Walk and a Cavalry Pegasus that didn't make your deck, either or both of which would be pretty good here.
Was Hythonia over Voyage's End a hatedraft? Don't do that. Not only is Voyage's End a top common for your colors, it's an effect you were sorely lacking and generally need to have. If I had to choose one pick that directly hurt your final deck, that was it.
Hythonia over Voyage's End: This was a value pick, but more because I go under the mentality that if I'm doing balls out UW heroic aggro, there's no room for tricks other than ones that boost my heroes. This is obviously incorrect and clear to me now =D
Omenspeaker over Thassa's Emissary: This was really hard for me. In my mind I wanted to keep my deck to 3 CMC or less and not have any risk of mana-screw (hence the 17 lands). I also really wanted to optimize my chances of landing the Brimaz for the slam dunk. (That's why I skipped the Archon too).
I think I need to take a break from Magic =D
Thanks!
PJ