What the heck, I've opened Thaumaturge as my rare for 2 straight drafts! Anyway it's still not that good so I'm left with either an impressive looking 7-drop or some decent combat tricks. I decided to try the Colossus. I think it's a reasonable 7-drop in this format since it does the two things you need a 7 to do, namely eliminate their best threat and also block well the turn it comes into play. I'm going to try to draft more mid-range White unless it's cut to see if this Colossus is worth playing or not.
In a vacuum, the Siren is probably the best card here but I also want to try out the Mastiff and see how it does. Tapping is a great ability especially with Bestow and I think it's an underrated card.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Returned Reveler
Countermand
Pensive Minotaur
Armament of Nyx
Font of Fertility
--> Oreskos Swiftclaw
Triton Shorestalker
Ravenous Leucrocota
Font of Ire
Aspect of Gorgon
Pull from the Deep
Bearer of the Heavens
Forest
Pack 1 pick 4:
--> Akroan Mastiff
Nature's Panoply
Godhunter Octopus
Sigiled Skink
Satyr Grovedancer
Font of Ire
Bloodcrazed Hoplite
Oreskos Swiftclaw
Stormchaser Chimera
Spirespine
Revel of the Fallen God
Plains
Pack 1 pick 5:
Font of Fortunes
Harvestguard Alseids
Golden Hind
Dreadbringer Lampads
--> Supply-Line Cranes
Thassa's Devourer
Desecration Plague
Flamespeaker's Will
Cast into Darkness
Thoughtrender Lamia
Island
This seems like a nice signal that White is open. I'm definitely going to be White, I seem to be doing a good job at drafting a mid-range deck like I wanted to, now it's just a matter of identifying a 2nd color.
Pack 1 pick 7:
--> Akroan Mastiff
Humbler of Mortals
Font of Return
Bloodcrazed Hoplite
Oppressive Rays
Satyr Grovedancer
Goldenhide Ox
Akroan Line Breaker
Island
Pack 1 pick 8:
Market Festival
Rotted Hulk
Pensive Minotaur
Desecration Plague
--> Starfall
Cast into Darkness
Consign to Dust
Plains
Pack 1 pick 9:
Harvestguard Alseids
Returned Reveler
Kruphix's Insight
--> Ajani's Presence
Gluttonous Cyclops
Cruel Feeding
Island
This seems quite good to get on the wheel. I consider Ajani's Presence around the same power level as Gods Willing.
Pack 1 pick 10:
Humbler of Mortals
Font of Return
--> Oppressive Rays
Satyr Grovedancer
Thassa's Ire
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 11:
Countermand
--> Font of Ire
Aspect of Gorgon
Bearer of the Heavens
Forest
Pack 1 pick 12:
Godhunter Octopus
--> Font of Ire
Revel of the Fallen God
Plains
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Thassa's Devourer
Desecration Plague
Island
Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Lightning Diadem
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Island
------ BNG ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Setessan Oathsworn
Marshmist Titan
Siren of the Silent Song (FOIL)
Mortal's Ardor
Fearsome Temper
Servant of Tymaret
Sudden Storm
Aspect of Hydra
Claim of Erebos
Deepwater Hypnotist
Akroan Conscriptor
--> Vanguard of Brimaz
Vortex Elemental
Astral Cornucopia
Island
I thought about Conscriptor here, but if I'm heading in a mid-range direction, Red is not a good pair. Red is really nothing but aggro in this block. That's why I decided to just stick to the White plan and see what develops.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Excoriate
Rise to the Challenge
--> Nyxborn Triton
Warchanter of Mogis
Forsaken Drifters
Revoke Existence
Stratus Walk
Nullify
Impetuous Sunchaser
Culling Mark
Odunos River Trawler
Noble Quarry
Acolyte's Reward
Forest
I would love to wheel that Acolyte's Reward. I intentionally did not take it here despite being heavy White, because based on what wheeled in Pack 1, I doubt there's going to be much demand for it at the table. Meanwhile Blue seems like a better color pair than Red for this deck.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Nyxborn Wolf
Evanescent Intellect
Epiphany Storm
Servant of Tymaret
Necrobite
Kragma Butcher
Loyal Pegasus
--> Elite Skirmisher
Mortal's Resolve
Springleaf Drum
Kraken of the Straits
Pinnacle of Rage
Plains
Pack 2 pick 4:
Mortal's Ardor
Eye Gouge
--> Nyxborn Triton
Swordwise Centaur
Epiphany Storm
Hold at Bay
Kragma Butcher
Aspect of Hydra
Pheres-Band Raiders
Sanguimancy
Fated Infatuation
Swamp
Pack 2 pick 5:
Marshmist Titan
Nyxborn Wolf
Floodtide Serpent
Rise to the Challenge
Nyxborn Eidolon
Mortal's Resolve
Claim of Erebos
Mischief and Mayhem
Ragemonger
--> Spirit of the Labyrinth
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 13:
Claim of Erebos
--> Ragemonger
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 14:
--> Evanescent Intellect
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Mountain
------ THS ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Lash of the Whip
Messenger's Speed
Gods Willing
Annul
--> Wingsteed Rider
Wild Celebrants
Two-Headed Cerberus
Time to Feed
Shredding Winds
Deathbellow Raider
Horizon Scholar
Spellheart Chimera
Triton Tactics
Psychic Intrusion
Island
Pack 3 pick 2:
Fleetfeather Sandals
Demolish
Ephara's Warden
Priest of Iroas
Fade into Antiquity
Returned Centaur
Griptide
Commune with the Gods
Wavecrash Triton
Opaline Unicorn
--> Horizon Scholar
Chronicler of Heroes
Arena Athlete
Plains
Pack 3 pick 4:
--> Nimbus Naiad
Battlewise Valor
Viper's Kiss
Crackling Triton
Spark Jolt
Last Breath
Scourgemark
Boon of Erebos
Vaporkin
Rescue from the Underworld
Coordinated Assault
Island
Ugh things were going so well! 4 straight really solid WU picks then this pack. I have a crowded 4-drop slot already so I'm not running Hippocamp. Might as well hate out a removal spell.
Pack 3 pick 6:
Loathsome Catoblepas
March of the Returned
Spark Jolt
Returned Phalanx
--> Coastline Chimera
Pharika's Cure
Felhide Minotaur
Karametra's Acolyte
Decorated Griffin
Forest
Pack 3 pick 7:
Demolish
Commune with the Gods
Returned Phalanx
--> Lagonna-Band Elder
Lost in a Labyrinth
Sedge Scorpion
Boon of Erebos
Centaur Battlemaster
Plains
Things really dried up in the 2nd half of the Theros pack, which was disappointing. One of the advantages of drafting WU is usually get the hookup in the third pack. It was fine, just shallow.
The last cut was Lagonna-Band Elder. Seemed pretty easy to build. Oppressive Rays is more of an aggro card, it loses value the longer you want the game to go.
The Matches
Round 1 vs. WU
Game 1 his early Vaporkin and War Wing Siren got in a few hits. I attempted to stabilize with Coastline Chimera. He got some damage in with a Sudden Storm, but I was able to land Supply Line Cranes with Hopeful Eidolon to turn the race, while Chimera and a Mastiff held down the fort. The life totals were back to 15-15 when he ambushed my Cranes, but he still paid for it with a 2-for-1. Quarry Colossus buried his War Wing and that was back breaking. With no way to deal with the 5/6, he was done.
Game 2 saw the same open from him: Vaporkin and War Wing. He Nullified my Mastiff which was painful, then followed up with Supply Line Cranes. I had a Cranes of my own so I just needed to avoid something huge. He played Heliod...oof. Now he's going to win the long game which I thought I had a shot at. My only hope was Quarry Colossus...which he Countermanded. (He also milled 4 spells which was quite lucky, as I then drew a bunch of dead lands.) Nothing I could really do, when you counter two spells including my top end creature and play a God, you're probably going to win. He took forever to kill me. I guess he wanted style points for beating down with Heliod himself.
Game 3 he mulled to 6. I beat down early with Spirit of the Labyrinth, he was able to block eventually though and our high toughness fliers stared down for a bit. I got Lagonna Band Trailblazer going with Stratus Walk and Hopeful Eidolon, which along with Battlewise Valor killed a Supply Line Cranes. Griptide dug him out of the hole. Quarry Colossus swung things back in my favor. He bought two turns of safety with Sudden Storm but he never did find a solution for my 5/6. After much chump blocking, I was victorius.
This matchup showed exactly why I like Quarry Colossus. If you can get the game to parity, he's going to come in and swing the game heavily.
1-0
Round 2 vs. RW
Game 1 opponent went to 6. I curved out with Vanguard of Brimaz and Oreskos Swiftclaw, with Ajani's Presence to back them up. When he decided to start blocking, I cast the Presence with two targets and he conceded.
Game 2 his turn to curve out with Satyr Hoplite, Arena Athlete, and Fearsome Temper. He also had tricks: Coordinated Assault and Titan's Strength. I was just trying to survive but I landed a Mastiff and had a shot if I could untap. He tried to Magma Spray my Mastiff, for which I had Ajani's Presence that bought me a turn. (Presence is really nice as a counter for removal because then you also have an indestructible blocker for the rest of the turn.) I was slowly building up a credible defense. He drew Rise to the Challenge to nullify 1 blocker and swung with the team. Then he had another Rise for mid-combat. Awesome, it's that deck from BTT that I hate. Next turn saw Nyxborn Shieldmate to again nullify a blocker and I was out of time. At least he required an unreasonable number of tricks to beat me, I think that bodes well.
Game 3 started with Loyal Pegaus and Akroan Skyguard + Nyxborn Shieldmate. God I hate this deck. I just got so tired of it winning everything in BTT. This time though I had some curve of my own with a couple of 3/X's and then Coastline Chimera to block. Lighting Strike removed one of my 3/1s. I started turning the game until he played Hopeful Eidolon on his Skyguard making it 5/6. I assembled my army of fliers to oppose his Skyguard, so at least it was a stalemate instead of a run-away. Then things got interesting because he ran out of tricks. He couldn't get his 5/6 through, and the rest of his team was a bunch of X/1 Heroes with no counters. I slapped Nimbus Naiad on Vortex Elemental to really nullify his Skyguard. I just couldn't draw into a 3rd Island to force him to block and then Vortex him. Eventually I drew a Mastiff, he attacked with Skyguard out of desperation, I vortex'ed it, and swung back for lethal with my various fliers. This felt very rewarding to defeat what seemed to be a solid version of the RW Aggro deck, especially since I did it with defense.
2-0
Round 3 vs. GU
Game 1 I kept a hand with 4 Plains and 3 white cards, then drew 3 more Plains followed by 3 Blue cards. I was both flooded and color screwed. He didn't have a great draw but he didn't need one. I died with 5 blue cards in hand and 8 Plains on the table. :-(
Game 2 he won with Aerie Worshippers + Ordeal of Thassa. Other stuff happened, but that was all that mattered. I went for a gang block of his Worshippers, he had Voyage's End, and therefore over the next few turns he was able to assemble an army of Wind Drakes. My deck didn't have a real solution for that. That's the thing with Aerie Worshippers, they tend to alternate between overcosted defender and game dominating bomb depending on if you have the right support cards to make them unkillable in combat.
2-1
Very frustrating losses in the Finals. I thought I finally had it here after winning that Round 2. I haven't gone 3-0 in 6 months. Especially to lose in the Finals to the shuffler and a high variance card.
I at least feel validated that my attempt at Wx Mid-Range was able to beat RW Aggro. That to me is the litmus test. If your Mid-Range or Control deck can't beat RW Aggro, then it's not good enough for this format. It's still early but this format does seem quite a bit more balanced than BTT.
I think Aerie Worshippers is underrated and lower variance than some of its peers. Not an amazing card, but better than people give it credit for. Blue has a number of commons that grant evasion (Nimbus Naiad, Aqueous Form, Aerial Formation) or remove blockers (Voyage's End, Hubris, Sudden Storm, Retraction Helix, Griptide) to act as enablers. The fact that these cards exist at common and are already your natural top picks is just very synergistic. Same reason why Daxos of Meletis is so dangerous for UW if you draft correctly to support it. Beware the blue deck trying to sneak through an attacker. Yeah, Forlorn Pseudamma is more consistent, but I'll take the Birds any day over Zombie dorks. Being a Pillarfield Ox to block aggro is not awful either.
P2P1 Vanguard seems off, more aggro than midrange. I think you're correct on passing Akroan Conscriptor but I would have been tempted by Sudden Storm.
p1p1: sigiled starfish is a hit among pro and might be better than I estimated. So that could have been the pick over a 7-drop.
p1p2: having taken starfish, the siren might be the better pick.
p1p4: switfclaw would be the aggro pick. As you said in anotgher draft, I'm not sure white control is a deck, so two mastiff might be too many? I don't know, but I do know switftclaws make aggressive starts.
p1p6: cloaked siren is great ans moving into WU seems better to me than a heroic 0/4.
p2p1: had you gone blue in p1, sudden storm.
p3p2: tough pick. Scholar vs griptide and wavecrash triton.
p3p5: maybe calvalry pegasus? Hating TTF is okay I guess.
p3p6: is coastline good enough not to hate pharika's cure now?
TBH, that RW deck didn't seem to be the worst of its kind, but then again, maybe in JBT it's no longer possible to have the really crazy version.
I've been thinking about Sigiled Starfish. I see the argument that it's similar to Merfolk Looter, sometimes better since you're never forced into that awkward Looter situation where you have nothing you really want to discard in hand and you risk drawing another good card and having to throw one away. Maybe it really is first-pick-able, I'll have to keep that in mind.
I disagree that Swiftclaw is a purely aggressive card. It's just a good card. It does enable aggro draws but it also trades up with Hill Giants making it a decent blocker. I probably would have taken it there, now having played with Mastiff and realizing how far it sets you back in tempo to play a blank (essentially) on Turn 4. I mean you're not blocking with Mastiff so it really doesn't do anything the turn you play it.
You may be underrating Lagonna-Band Trailblazer. I know it doesn't look like much but it's really solid. It slows down aggro draws against you, then becomes a very difficult to deal with threat once you get some Bestows or tricks on it. Cloaked Siren is fine but I think Trailblazer is actually better.
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The Draft
------ JOU ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Nyx Infusion
Harvestguard Alseids
Returned Reveler
Kruphix's Insight
Ajani's Presence
Nature's Panoply
Gluttonous Cyclops
Sigiled Starfish
Starfall
Cruel Feeding
Colossal Heroics
--> Quarry Colossus
Nyx-Fleece Ram
Battlefield Thaumaturge
Island
What the heck, I've opened Thaumaturge as my rare for 2 straight drafts! Anyway it's still not that good so I'm left with either an impressive looking 7-drop or some decent combat tricks. I decided to try the Colossus. I think it's a reasonable 7-drop in this format since it does the two things you need a 7 to do, namely eliminate their best threat and also block well the turn it comes into play. I'm going to try to draft more mid-range White unless it's cut to see if this Colossus is worth playing or not.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Hubris
Satyr Hoplite
--> Akroan Mastiff
Humbler of Mortals
Font of Return
Aerial Formation
Bloodcrazed Hoplite
Oppressive Rays
War-Wing Siren
Satyr Grovedancer
Skyspear Cavalry
Thassa's Ire
Felhide Petrifier
Mountain
In a vacuum, the Siren is probably the best card here but I also want to try out the Mastiff and see how it does. Tapping is a great ability especially with Bestow and I think it's an underrated card.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Returned Reveler
Countermand
Pensive Minotaur
Armament of Nyx
Font of Fertility
--> Oreskos Swiftclaw
Triton Shorestalker
Ravenous Leucrocota
Font of Ire
Aspect of Gorgon
Pull from the Deep
Bearer of the Heavens
Forest
Pack 1 pick 4:
--> Akroan Mastiff
Nature's Panoply
Godhunter Octopus
Sigiled Skink
Satyr Grovedancer
Font of Ire
Bloodcrazed Hoplite
Oreskos Swiftclaw
Stormchaser Chimera
Spirespine
Revel of the Fallen God
Plains
Pack 1 pick 5:
Font of Fortunes
Harvestguard Alseids
Golden Hind
Dreadbringer Lampads
--> Supply-Line Cranes
Thassa's Devourer
Desecration Plague
Flamespeaker's Will
Cast into Darkness
Thoughtrender Lamia
Island
This seems like a nice signal that White is open. I'm definitely going to be White, I seem to be doing a good job at drafting a mid-range deck like I wanted to, now it's just a matter of identifying a 2nd color.
Pack 1 pick 6:
Ajani's Presence
Feast of Dreams
Cloaked Siren
Lightning Diadem
--> Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
Renowned Weaver
Cruel Feeding
Mortal Obstinacy
Akroan Line Breaker
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 7:
--> Akroan Mastiff
Humbler of Mortals
Font of Return
Bloodcrazed Hoplite
Oppressive Rays
Satyr Grovedancer
Goldenhide Ox
Akroan Line Breaker
Island
Pack 1 pick 8:
Market Festival
Rotted Hulk
Pensive Minotaur
Desecration Plague
--> Starfall
Cast into Darkness
Consign to Dust
Plains
Pack 1 pick 9:
Harvestguard Alseids
Returned Reveler
Kruphix's Insight
--> Ajani's Presence
Gluttonous Cyclops
Cruel Feeding
Island
This seems quite good to get on the wheel. I consider Ajani's Presence around the same power level as Gods Willing.
Pack 1 pick 10:
Humbler of Mortals
Font of Return
--> Oppressive Rays
Satyr Grovedancer
Thassa's Ire
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 11:
Countermand
--> Font of Ire
Aspect of Gorgon
Bearer of the Heavens
Forest
Pack 1 pick 12:
Godhunter Octopus
--> Font of Ire
Revel of the Fallen God
Plains
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Thassa's Devourer
Desecration Plague
Island
Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Lightning Diadem
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Island
------ BNG ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Setessan Oathsworn
Marshmist Titan
Siren of the Silent Song (FOIL)
Mortal's Ardor
Fearsome Temper
Servant of Tymaret
Sudden Storm
Aspect of Hydra
Claim of Erebos
Deepwater Hypnotist
Akroan Conscriptor
--> Vanguard of Brimaz
Vortex Elemental
Astral Cornucopia
Island
I thought about Conscriptor here, but if I'm heading in a mid-range direction, Red is not a good pair. Red is really nothing but aggro in this block. That's why I decided to just stick to the White plan and see what develops.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Excoriate
Rise to the Challenge
--> Nyxborn Triton
Warchanter of Mogis
Forsaken Drifters
Revoke Existence
Stratus Walk
Nullify
Impetuous Sunchaser
Culling Mark
Odunos River Trawler
Noble Quarry
Acolyte's Reward
Forest
I would love to wheel that Acolyte's Reward. I intentionally did not take it here despite being heavy White, because based on what wheeled in Pack 1, I doubt there's going to be much demand for it at the table. Meanwhile Blue seems like a better color pair than Red for this deck.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Nyxborn Wolf
Evanescent Intellect
Epiphany Storm
Servant of Tymaret
Necrobite
Kragma Butcher
Loyal Pegasus
--> Elite Skirmisher
Mortal's Resolve
Springleaf Drum
Kraken of the Straits
Pinnacle of Rage
Plains
Pack 2 pick 4:
Mortal's Ardor
Eye Gouge
--> Nyxborn Triton
Swordwise Centaur
Epiphany Storm
Hold at Bay
Kragma Butcher
Aspect of Hydra
Pheres-Band Raiders
Sanguimancy
Fated Infatuation
Swamp
Pack 2 pick 5:
Marshmist Titan
Nyxborn Wolf
Floodtide Serpent
Rise to the Challenge
Nyxborn Eidolon
Mortal's Resolve
Claim of Erebos
Mischief and Mayhem
Ragemonger
--> Spirit of the Labyrinth
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 6:
Eye Gouge
Evanescent Intellect
Fearsome Temper
Divination
Nyxborn Rollicker
Karametra's Favor
--> Stratus Walk
Odunos River Trawler
Nessian Demolok
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 7:
Scouring Sands
Charging Badger
Floodtide Serpent
Felhide Brawler
Ephara's Radiance
--> Bolt of Keranos
Culling Mark
Nyxborn Rollicker
Mountain
This is just a hate pick because there's nothing for me.
Pack 2 pick 8:
Eye Gouge
Evanescent Intellect
Nyxborn Rollicker
Karametra's Favor
--> Stratus Walk
Archetype of Endurance
Whims of the Fates
Island
Pack 2 pick 9:
Servant of Tymaret
Aspect of Hydra
Claim of Erebos
Deepwater Hypnotist
--> Vortex Elemental
Astral Cornucopia
Island
Pack 2 pick 10:
Forsaken Drifters
Stratus Walk
Culling Mark
Odunos River Trawler
--> Acolyte's Reward
Forest
Nice. I love when I correctly wheel something.
Pack 2 pick 11:
Evanescent Intellect
Epiphany Storm
Mortal's Resolve
--> Pinnacle of Rage
Plains
Pack 2 pick 12:
Eye Gouge
Epiphany Storm
--> Aspect of Hydra
Swamp
Pack 2 pick 13:
Claim of Erebos
--> Ragemonger
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 14:
--> Evanescent Intellect
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Mountain
------ THS ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Lash of the Whip
Messenger's Speed
Gods Willing
Annul
--> Wingsteed Rider
Wild Celebrants
Two-Headed Cerberus
Time to Feed
Shredding Winds
Deathbellow Raider
Horizon Scholar
Spellheart Chimera
Triton Tactics
Psychic Intrusion
Island
Pack 3 pick 2:
Fleetfeather Sandals
Demolish
Ephara's Warden
Priest of Iroas
Fade into Antiquity
Returned Centaur
Griptide
Commune with the Gods
Wavecrash Triton
Opaline Unicorn
--> Horizon Scholar
Chronicler of Heroes
Arena Athlete
Plains
Pack 3 pick 3:
Demolish
Ephara's Warden
Fleshmad Steed
Nylea's Disciple
--> Hopeful Eidolon
Spark Jolt
Returned Phalanx
Vaporkin
Felhide Minotaur
Artisan's Sorrow
Mogis's Marauder
Flamespeaker Adept
Plains
Pack 3 pick 4:
--> Nimbus Naiad
Battlewise Valor
Viper's Kiss
Crackling Triton
Spark Jolt
Last Breath
Scourgemark
Boon of Erebos
Vaporkin
Rescue from the Underworld
Coordinated Assault
Island
Pack 3 pick 5:
Fleshmad Steed
Cavalry Pegasus
Wild Celebrants
Two-Headed Cerberus
--> Time to Feed
Breaching Hippocamp
Setessan Battle Priest
Peak Eruption
Flamespeaker Adept
Psychic Intrusion
Plains
Ugh things were going so well! 4 straight really solid WU picks then this pack. I have a crowded 4-drop slot already so I'm not running Hippocamp. Might as well hate out a removal spell.
Pack 3 pick 6:
Loathsome Catoblepas
March of the Returned
Spark Jolt
Returned Phalanx
--> Coastline Chimera
Pharika's Cure
Felhide Minotaur
Karametra's Acolyte
Decorated Griffin
Forest
Pack 3 pick 7:
Demolish
Commune with the Gods
Returned Phalanx
--> Lagonna-Band Elder
Lost in a Labyrinth
Sedge Scorpion
Boon of Erebos
Centaur Battlemaster
Plains
Pack 3 pick 8:
Guardians of Meletis
--> Battlewise Valor
Asphodel Wanderer
Silent Artisan
Traveling Philosopher
Akroan Hoplite
Decorated Griffin
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 9:
Messenger's Speed
--> Annul
Wild Celebrants
Deathbellow Raider
Spellheart Chimera
Psychic Intrusion
Island
Pack 3 pick 10:
Fleetfeather Sandals
Demolish
--> Ephara's Warden
Priest of Iroas
Returned Centaur
Plains
Pack 3 pick 11:
Demolish
Ephara's Warden
Fleshmad Steed
--> Artisan's Sorrow
Plains
Pack 3 pick 12:
Viper's Kiss
--> Last Breath
Boon of Erebos
Island
Pack 3 pick 13:
--> Wild Celebrants
Psychic Intrusion
Plains
Pack 3 pick 14:
--> Loathsome Catoblepas
Forest
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Plains
The Deck
Things really dried up in the 2nd half of the Theros pack, which was disappointing. One of the advantages of drafting WU is usually get the hookup in the third pack. It was fine, just shallow.
1 Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
1 Vortex Elemental
1 Hopeful Eidolon
1 Spirit of the Labyrinth
1 Oreskos Swiftclaw
1 Vanguard of Brimaz
1 Wingsteed Rider
1 Nimbus Naiad
2 Nyxborn Triton
1 Elite Skirmisher
3 Akroan Mastiff
1 Coastline Chimera
1 Supply-Line Cranes
1 Horizon Scholar
1 Quarry Colossus
1 Ajani's Presence
1 Acolyte's Reward
2 Stratus Walk
1 Battlewise Valor
Land (17)
11 Plains
6 Island
1 Oppressive Rays
1 Ephara's Warden
1 Lagonna-Band Elder
1 Last Breath
1 Thassa's Devourer
1 Evanescent Intellect
1 Annul
1 Loathsome Catoblepas
2 Font of Ire
1 Lightning Diadem
1 Starfall
1 Bolt of Keranos
1 Pinnacle of Rage
1 Wild Celebrants
1 Artisan's Sorrow
1 Aspect of Hydra
1 Time to Feed
1 Ragemonger
The last cut was Lagonna-Band Elder. Seemed pretty easy to build. Oppressive Rays is more of an aggro card, it loses value the longer you want the game to go.
The Matches
Round 1 vs. WU
Game 1 his early Vaporkin and War Wing Siren got in a few hits. I attempted to stabilize with Coastline Chimera. He got some damage in with a Sudden Storm, but I was able to land Supply Line Cranes with Hopeful Eidolon to turn the race, while Chimera and a Mastiff held down the fort. The life totals were back to 15-15 when he ambushed my Cranes, but he still paid for it with a 2-for-1. Quarry Colossus buried his War Wing and that was back breaking. With no way to deal with the 5/6, he was done.
Game 2 saw the same open from him: Vaporkin and War Wing. He Nullified my Mastiff which was painful, then followed up with Supply Line Cranes. I had a Cranes of my own so I just needed to avoid something huge. He played Heliod...oof. Now he's going to win the long game which I thought I had a shot at. My only hope was Quarry Colossus...which he Countermanded. (He also milled 4 spells which was quite lucky, as I then drew a bunch of dead lands.) Nothing I could really do, when you counter two spells including my top end creature and play a God, you're probably going to win. He took forever to kill me. I guess he wanted style points for beating down with Heliod himself.
Game 3 he mulled to 6. I beat down early with Spirit of the Labyrinth, he was able to block eventually though and our high toughness fliers stared down for a bit. I got Lagonna Band Trailblazer going with Stratus Walk and Hopeful Eidolon, which along with Battlewise Valor killed a Supply Line Cranes. Griptide dug him out of the hole. Quarry Colossus swung things back in my favor. He bought two turns of safety with Sudden Storm but he never did find a solution for my 5/6. After much chump blocking, I was victorius.
This matchup showed exactly why I like Quarry Colossus. If you can get the game to parity, he's going to come in and swing the game heavily.
1-0
Round 2 vs. RW
Game 1 opponent went to 6. I curved out with Vanguard of Brimaz and Oreskos Swiftclaw, with Ajani's Presence to back them up. When he decided to start blocking, I cast the Presence with two targets and he conceded.
Game 2 his turn to curve out with Satyr Hoplite, Arena Athlete, and Fearsome Temper. He also had tricks: Coordinated Assault and Titan's Strength. I was just trying to survive but I landed a Mastiff and had a shot if I could untap. He tried to Magma Spray my Mastiff, for which I had Ajani's Presence that bought me a turn. (Presence is really nice as a counter for removal because then you also have an indestructible blocker for the rest of the turn.) I was slowly building up a credible defense. He drew Rise to the Challenge to nullify 1 blocker and swung with the team. Then he had another Rise for mid-combat. Awesome, it's that deck from BTT that I hate. Next turn saw Nyxborn Shieldmate to again nullify a blocker and I was out of time. At least he required an unreasonable number of tricks to beat me, I think that bodes well.
Game 3 started with Loyal Pegaus and Akroan Skyguard + Nyxborn Shieldmate. God I hate this deck. I just got so tired of it winning everything in BTT. This time though I had some curve of my own with a couple of 3/X's and then Coastline Chimera to block. Lighting Strike removed one of my 3/1s. I started turning the game until he played Hopeful Eidolon on his Skyguard making it 5/6. I assembled my army of fliers to oppose his Skyguard, so at least it was a stalemate instead of a run-away. Then things got interesting because he ran out of tricks. He couldn't get his 5/6 through, and the rest of his team was a bunch of X/1 Heroes with no counters. I slapped Nimbus Naiad on Vortex Elemental to really nullify his Skyguard. I just couldn't draw into a 3rd Island to force him to block and then Vortex him. Eventually I drew a Mastiff, he attacked with Skyguard out of desperation, I vortex'ed it, and swung back for lethal with my various fliers. This felt very rewarding to defeat what seemed to be a solid version of the RW Aggro deck, especially since I did it with defense.
2-0
Round 3 vs. GU
Game 1 I kept a hand with 4 Plains and 3 white cards, then drew 3 more Plains followed by 3 Blue cards. I was both flooded and color screwed. He didn't have a great draw but he didn't need one. I died with 5 blue cards in hand and 8 Plains on the table. :-(
Game 2 he won with Aerie Worshippers + Ordeal of Thassa. Other stuff happened, but that was all that mattered. I went for a gang block of his Worshippers, he had Voyage's End, and therefore over the next few turns he was able to assemble an army of Wind Drakes. My deck didn't have a real solution for that. That's the thing with Aerie Worshippers, they tend to alternate between overcosted defender and game dominating bomb depending on if you have the right support cards to make them unkillable in combat.
2-1
Very frustrating losses in the Finals. I thought I finally had it here after winning that Round 2. I haven't gone 3-0 in 6 months. Especially to lose in the Finals to the shuffler and a high variance card.
I at least feel validated that my attempt at Wx Mid-Range was able to beat RW Aggro. That to me is the litmus test. If your Mid-Range or Control deck can't beat RW Aggro, then it's not good enough for this format. It's still early but this format does seem quite a bit more balanced than BTT.
I think Aerie Worshippers is underrated and lower variance than some of its peers. Not an amazing card, but better than people give it credit for. Blue has a number of commons that grant evasion (Nimbus Naiad, Aqueous Form, Aerial Formation) or remove blockers (Voyage's End, Hubris, Sudden Storm, Retraction Helix, Griptide) to act as enablers. The fact that these cards exist at common and are already your natural top picks is just very synergistic. Same reason why Daxos of Meletis is so dangerous for UW if you draft correctly to support it. Beware the blue deck trying to sneak through an attacker. Yeah, Forlorn Pseudamma is more consistent, but I'll take the Birds any day over Zombie dorks. Being a Pillarfield Ox to block aggro is not awful either.
P2P1 Vanguard seems off, more aggro than midrange. I think you're correct on passing Akroan Conscriptor but I would have been tempted by Sudden Storm.
p1p2: having taken starfish, the siren might be the better pick.
p1p4: switfclaw would be the aggro pick. As you said in anotgher draft, I'm not sure white control is a deck, so two mastiff might be too many? I don't know, but I do know switftclaws make aggressive starts.
p1p6: cloaked siren is great ans moving into WU seems better to me than a heroic 0/4.
p2p1: had you gone blue in p1, sudden storm.
p3p2: tough pick. Scholar vs griptide and wavecrash triton.
p3p5: maybe calvalry pegasus? Hating TTF is okay I guess.
p3p6: is coastline good enough not to hate pharika's cure now?
TBH, that RW deck didn't seem to be the worst of its kind, but then again, maybe in JBT it's no longer possible to have the really crazy version.
I disagree that Swiftclaw is a purely aggressive card. It's just a good card. It does enable aggro draws but it also trades up with Hill Giants making it a decent blocker. I probably would have taken it there, now having played with Mastiff and realizing how far it sets you back in tempo to play a blank (essentially) on Turn 4. I mean you're not blocking with Mastiff so it really doesn't do anything the turn you play it.
You may be underrating Lagonna-Band Trailblazer. I know it doesn't look like much but it's really solid. It slows down aggro draws against you, then becomes a very difficult to deal with threat once you get some Bestows or tricks on it. Cloaked Siren is fine but I think Trailblazer is actually better.