What did I say? I guess revoke or sands to force my colours, but storm is strong enough. I'd ratrher not play my p1p1 than pass good cards. I could end-up UR, too.
Gah. Two good cards... in two colours I've not yet drafted! I almost took unraveler... and I think I should have, but storm #2 is good and not a 4th colour.
... and then shieldmate wheels. Gah. Try to understand what's going on... ? Sure, there was a phalanx too in p1, but that's only two white cards, and phalanx is onyl good in RW.
First match vs WU.
Yeah, the mirror. I don't remember the games that much, but the storms were key. His deck pushed him to build a huge voltron which turned out to be a liability against storms. Won 2-1, even against a 7/8 vigilance, lifelink emissary that tapped one guy each attack...!
Second match vs B.
I got screwed by the shuffler. First game I drew only plains. Second game I mulliganed to... 4. Yeah, every hands had 0 or 1 land. Last hand had 3 lands, and I drew 3 + amulet. I'd have kept my first hand of 1 land plus a bevies of two drops if I knew I'd draw lands early...
Oh well. Crap draft, crap shuffler. And now my packs are depleted and won't buy anymore as BTT is now boring as hell to draft. I won't get a playset of card anytime soon, it seems.
Your whole draft revolved around P1P3. Excoriate is not a good enough card to pass a third pick Helix. Being in a 3rd color does not matter three picks in, I've seen some people change color mid pack 2 and win.
Passing Helix sends a huge signal as a pick 4 Helix screams blue is open.
Wow, P1P6 Fate Unraveler is about as clear a signal as you can get that black is criminally underdrafted. I'd take that regardless of what I had picked up before and just move in.
Yes! I've gone into black after getting passed a 4th pick Fate Unraveler. I don't understand why people don't like that card! I recognize that some people take the super-aggro approach to this format, which can be really good, but control decks can definitely be viable in BTT. I especially like Fate Unraveler because it has a decent body to stabilize the board on turn 4, and generates value the longer the game goes. Maybe I overvalue that card, but I've been really impressed by it when I've played it.
Why were you so against RU from the get go? Is it really that poor of a color combination? P1P3, you act like Dragon + Helix isn't even a possibility, and you seem really attached to that Skyguard, which is a little confusing when Skyguard/Excoriate/Dragon doesn't seem like the start of a successful RW aggro deck.
RU is pretty terrible, but Helix is definitely enough better than Excoriate that he should have taken it. That said, he probably could have ended up with a good black control deck as others pointed out - the only color he didn't venture into at some point.
No, red/Blue is quite viable as a tempo deck thanks to the great red card in BNG and the still usable cards in THS such as Fall, Lightning Strike, Ill-tempered Cyclops, etc. Many players avoid it due to their misconceptions of the format.
In response to the post, Excoriate should never be in your first 4 picks unless you really want to commit to white. It doesn't make sense to not take the most powerful card in the first few packs such as Retraction helix or Fate Unraveler. Forgestoker is sweet but he's still hard to summon and you can pick up any big creature later in the draft. THS draft is all about making sure you're sufficient ahead or at least holding off the early game to get to your late game.
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Pack 1 pick 1:
Chorus of the Tides
Felhide Brawler
Swordwise Centaur
Griffin Dreamfinder
Eye Gouge
Evanescent Intellect
Nyxborn Rollicker
Karametra's Favor
Stratus Walk
Nyxborn Shieldmate
Akroan Phalanx
Graverobber Spider
Flitterstep Eidolon
--> Forgestoker Dragon
Mountain
For once, a real bomby rare. This only really does win games by itself.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Epiphany Storm
Servant of Tymaret
Great Hart
Satyr Wayfinder
--> Akroan Skyguard
Reckless Reveler
Snake of the Golden Grove
Nullify
Cyclops of One-Eyed Pass
Necrobite
Oracle's Insight
Dawn to Dusk
Heroes' Podium
Plains
I guess I /could/ pick the cyclops to cut red, but Rw is a thing and skyguard is good, so...
Pack 1 pick 3:
Retraction Helix
Great Hart
Weight of the Underworld
Setessan Oathsworn
--> Excoriate
Rise to the Challenge
Impetuous Sunchaser
Culling Mark
Necrobite
Springleaf Drum
Kraken of the Straits
Karametra, God of Harvests
Mountain
Ugh. Helix is pretty good, but would be a 3rd color. I prefer guard + dragon over helix + other. Excoriate is removal.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Sphinx's Disciple
Warchanter of Mogis
Revoke Existence
Scouring Sands
Charging Badger
Grisly Transformation
--> Sudden Storm
Aspect of Hydra
Unravel the Æther
Sunbond
Astral Cornucopia
Swamp
What did I say? I guess revoke or sands to force my colours, but storm is strong enough. I'd ratrher not play my p1p1 than pass good cards. I could end-up UR, too.
Pack 1 pick 5:
--> Chorus of the Tides
Felhide Brawler
Swordwise Centaur
Griffin Dreamfinder
Eye Gouge
Evanescent Intellect
Nyxborn Rollicker
Karametra's Favor
Stratus Walk
Pillar of War
Plains
Ugh. Again, red is only a possibility if I take a weakish card instead of chorus.
Pack 1 pick 6:
Nyxborn Eidolon
Eye Gouge
--> Sudden Storm
Aspect of Hydra
Mortal's Resolve
Divination
Sanguimancy
Mischief and Mayhem
Fate Unraveler
Forest
Gah. Two good cards... in two colours I've not yet drafted! I almost took unraveler... and I think I should have, but storm #2 is good and not a 4th colour.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Floodtide Serpent
Griffin Dreamfinder
Nyxborn Eidolon
Charging Badger
--> Pharagax Giant
Reckless Reveler
Grisly Transformation
Mischief and Mayhem
Forest
Gah, mischief #2 and another nyxborn eidolon, Oh well.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Great Hart
--> Weight of the Underworld
Impetuous Sunchaser
Culling Mark
Necrobite
Springleaf Drum
Black Oak of Odunos
Island
Again, I could pick a bad red card, but black is wide open, it seems.
Pack 1 pick 9:
Felhide Brawler
Griffin Dreamfinder
Eye Gouge
Evanescent Intellect
Karametra's Favor
--> Nyxborn Shieldmate
Mountain
... and then shieldmate wheels. Gah. Try to understand what's going on... ? Sure, there was a phalanx too in p1, but that's only two white cards, and phalanx is onyl good in RW.
Pack 1 pick 10:
Epiphany Storm
Great Hart
--> Snake of the Golden Grove
Necrobite
Heroes' Podium
Plains
Pack 1 pick 11:
--> Great Hart
Weight of the Underworld
Culling Mark
Necrobite
Mountain
At this point, i'll take the bad card to keep a colour open a bit more.
Pack 1 pick 12:
Warchanter of Mogis
--> Grisly Transformation
Sunbond
Swamp
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Eye Gouge
Evanescent Intellect
Plains
Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Sanguimancy
Forest
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Forest
What an horrible mess. After the first pack, I have not more than 4 cards in any one colour.
------ THS ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Cavalry Pegasus
Nylea's Disciple
Stymied Hopes
Read the Bones
Thassa's Bounty
Lost in a Labyrinth
Agent of Horizons
Fade into Antiquity
Cavern Lampad
Staunch-Hearted Warrior
Glare of Heresy
Destructive Revelry
Triton Fortune Hunter
--> Prognostic Sphinx
Island
Well, blue is one of the colours I got the best playable, barring dragon and skyguard, so this is an easy pick.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Stymied Hopes
Ill-Tempered Cyclops
Leafcrown Dryad
Asphodel Wanderer (FOIL)
Traveling Philosopher
Two-Headed Cerberus
Aqueous Form
Silent Artisan
Vaporkin
Felhide Minotaur
--> Ordeal of Heliod
Flamecast Wheel
Gift of Immortality
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 3:
Nessian Asp
Viper's Kiss
Dragon Mantle
Defend the Hearth
Agent of Horizons
Crackling Triton
Spark Jolt
Last Breath
Wavecrash Triton
Cavern Lampad
Battlewise Hoplite
--> Dauntless Onslaught
Island
Tough pick: onslaught is great, but i'd like to have hoplite and triton, too.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Viper's Kiss
Pheres-Band Centaurs
--> Coastline Chimera
Rage of Purphoros
Satyr Hedonist
Read the Bones
Last Breath
Traveler's Amulet
Shredding Winds
Kragma Warcaller
Spellheart Chimera
Mountain
And right after that serie of good picks, a bad pack. Oh well.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Fleshmad Steed
Cavalry Pegasus
Nylea's Disciple
Stymied Hopes
Nessian Courser
Benthic Giant
Savage Surge
Setessan Griffin
Pharika's Mender
--> Fleecemane Lion
Island
I'll try the splash. The only other possible pick is the pegasus.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Bronze Sable
--> Ephara's Warden
Portent of Betrayal
Defend the Hearth
Agent of Horizons
Crackling Triton
Traveler's Amulet
Horizon Chimera
Flamespeaker Adept
Swamp
Maybe I should have picked the triton or amulet.
Pack 2 pick 7:
March of the Returned
Breaching Hippocamp
Silent Artisan
Titan's Strength
--> Traveling Philosopher
Yoked Ox
Setessan Battle Priest
Warriors' Lesson
Plains
Pack 2 pick 8:
Messenger's Speed
Mnemonic Wall
Yoked Ox
Annul
--> Ray of Dissolution
Rescue from the Underworld
Titan of Eternal Fire
Forest
Pack 2 pick 9:
--> Stymied Hopes
Read the Bones
Thassa's Bounty
Lost in a Labyrinth
Fade into Antiquity
Destructive Revelry
Island
Pack 2 pick 10:
Stymied Hopes
Asphodel Wanderer (FOIL)
--> Traveling Philosopher
Silent Artisan
Flamecast Wheel
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 11:
Viper's Kiss
Defend the Hearth
Spark Jolt
--> Last Breath
Island
Pack 2 pick 12:
Pheres-Band Centaurs
--> Read the Bones
Kragma Warcaller
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 13:
--> Benthic Giant
Setessan Griffin
Island
Pack 2 pick 14:
--> Defend the Hearth
Swamp
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Silent Artisan
Well, at least I solidified my picks around WU, but this is ont a great deck so far, except fo rthe sphinx.
------ THS ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Fleetfeather Sandals
Ill-Tempered Cyclops
Guardians of Meletis
Blood-Toll Harpy
Breaching Hippocamp
Aqueous Form
Spearpoint Oread
Vulpine Goliath
Sedge Scorpion
Boon of Erebos
Keepsake Gorgon
Coordinated Assault
Spellheart Chimera
--> Artisan of Forms
Mountain
That card has so much variance. Oh well, the other options are pretty bad.
Pack 3 pick 2:
March of the Returned
Lightning Strike
Karametra's Acolyte (FOIL)
Yoked Ox
Baleful Eidolon
Annul
Wild Celebrants
--> Traveler's Amulet
Akroan Crusader
Stoneshock Giant
Flamecast Wheel
Shipwreck Singer
Anthousa, Setessan Hero
Plains
Gah. NOTHING in WU ?!?!? What a pile of crap.
Pack 3 pick 3:
Pheres-Band Centaurs
Divine Verdict
Annul
Wild Celebrants
Two-Headed Cerberus
Time to Feed
--> Wavecrash Triton
Cavern Lampad
Peak Eruption
Sentry of the Underworld
Cutthroat Maneuver
Colossus of Akros
Forest
Pack 3 pick 4:
Bronze Sable
Ephara's Warden
Sip of Hemlock
Yoked Ox
Blood-Toll Harpy
Benthic Giant
Voyaging Satyr
--> Savage Surge
Flamecast Wheel
Erebos's Emissary
Psychic Intrusion
Mountain
I'd rather hate-draft than pick the dreck. Hate draft at 4th pick.
Pack 3 pick 5:
Nylea's Disciple
--> Lash of the Whip
Messenger's Speed
Baleful Eidolon
Returned Phalanx (FOIL)
Borderland Minotaur
Shredding Winds
Hunt the Hunter
Dark Betrayal
Satyr Piper
Island
And... again!?!? Are these really awful packs or did I mis-read WU in the 1st pack? The shieldmate wheeled! I got mutiple storms!
Pack 3 pick 6:
Viper's Kiss
Pharika's Cure
Rage of Purphoros
Feral Invocation
Returned Centaur
Cavern Lampad
Chronicler of Heroes
--> Dissolve
Temple of Triumph
Island
Pack 3 pick 7:
Guardians of Meletis
Demolish
Lost in a Labyrinth
Agent of Horizons
Satyr Rambler
Boulderfall
Mogis's Marauder
--> Decorated Griffin
Plains
Pack 3 pick 8:
--> Omenspeaker
Two-Headed Cerberus
Silent Artisan
Blood-Toll Harpy
Felhide Minotaur
Peak Eruption
Glare of Heresy
Swamp
Pack 3 pick 9:
Fleetfeather Sandals
Guardians of Meletis
Blood-Toll Harpy
--> Breaching Hippocamp
Vulpine Goliath
Boon of Erebos
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 10:
Yoked Ox
Annul
Akroan Crusader
Flamecast Wheel
--> Anthousa, Setessan Hero
Plains
Pack 3 pick 11:
Pheres-Band Centaurs
Annul
--> Sentry of the Underworld
Cutthroat Maneuver
Forest
Pack 3 pick 12:
Bronze Sable
Yoked Ox
--> Benthic Giant
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 13:
Dark Betrayal
--> Satyr Piper
Island
Pack 3 pick 14:
--> Returned Centaur
Island
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Plains
I think it VERY clear something went wrong with my colours pick. That 3rd pack was just flat-out horrible.
The Deck
1 Nyxborn Shieldmate
1 Omenspeaker
1 Akroan Skyguard
1 Fleecemane Lion
2 Traveling Philosopher
1 Artisan of Forms
1 Wavecrash Triton
1 Chorus of the Tides
1 Breaching Hippocamp
1 Decorated Griffin
1 Coastline Chimera
1 Prognostic Sphinx
1 Benthic Giant
1 Traveler's Amulet
1 Last Breath
1 Ordeal of Heliod
1 Dauntless Onslaught
1 Dissolve
1 Ray of Dissolution
1 Excoriate
2 Sudden Storm
Lands
2 Forest
7 Island
8 Plains
1 Ephara's Warden
1 Silent Artisan
1 Benthic Giant
1 Great Hart
1 Stymied Hopes
The Games
First match vs WU.
Yeah, the mirror. I don't remember the games that much, but the storms were key. His deck pushed him to build a huge voltron which turned out to be a liability against storms. Won 2-1, even against a 7/8 vigilance, lifelink emissary that tapped one guy each attack...!
Second match vs B.
I got screwed by the shuffler. First game I drew only plains. Second game I mulliganed to... 4. Yeah, every hands had 0 or 1 land. Last hand had 3 lands, and I drew 3 + amulet. I'd have kept my first hand of 1 land plus a bevies of two drops if I knew I'd draw lands early...
Oh well. Crap draft, crap shuffler. And now my packs are depleted and won't buy anymore as BTT is now boring as hell to draft. I won't get a playset of card anytime soon, it seems.
Passing Helix sends a huge signal as a pick 4 Helix screams blue is open.
Yes! I've gone into black after getting passed a 4th pick Fate Unraveler. I don't understand why people don't like that card! I recognize that some people take the super-aggro approach to this format, which can be really good, but control decks can definitely be viable in BTT. I especially like Fate Unraveler because it has a decent body to stabilize the board on turn 4, and generates value the longer the game goes. Maybe I overvalue that card, but I've been really impressed by it when I've played it.
In response to the post, Excoriate should never be in your first 4 picks unless you really want to commit to white. It doesn't make sense to not take the most powerful card in the first few packs such as Retraction helix or Fate Unraveler. Forgestoker is sweet but he's still hard to summon and you can pick up any big creature later in the draft. THS draft is all about making sure you're sufficient ahead or at least holding off the early game to get to your late game.