Note: This happened before the tilt-loss draft I mentioned in Cap #4. I'm just behind on writing these up.
The Draft
------ JOU ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
Oakheart Dryads
Font of Return
Font of Fortunes
Stonewise Fortifier
Colossal Heroics (FOIL)
Renowned Weaver
Bladetusk Boar
Cruel Feeding
Mortal Obstinacy
Desperate Stand
Goldenhide Ox
Akroan Line Breaker
--> Hydra Broodmaster
Plains
Easy first pick.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Rotted Hulk
Hubris
Pensive Minotaur
Akroan Mastiff
Nature's Panoply
Dreadbringer Lampads
--> Supply-Line Cranes
Thassa's Devourer
Desecration Plague
Flamespeaker's Will
Squelching Leeches
Underworld Coinsmith
Dictate of Kruphix
Island
Just taking the best available.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
Oakheart Dryads
Font of Return
Font of Fortunes
Stonewise Fortifier
Triton Shorestalker
Bladetusk Boar
Cruel Feeding
Mortal Obstinacy
Colossal Heroics
Quarry Colossus
--> Doomwake Giant
Mountain
I'm surprised to see this 3rd. I consider it a pretty solid creature.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Harvestguard Alseids
Returned Reveler
Countermand
Desecration Plague
Starfall
Cast into Darkness
--> Supply-Line Cranes
Disciple of Deceit
Blinding Flare
Stormchaser Chimera
Dictate of the Twin Gods
Mountain
It sure does not look like Green is open. I'm not going to be swayed by the Broodmaster and force it.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Pharika's Chosen
Font of Fortunes
Sigiled Skink
--> Ajani's Presence
Feast of Dreams
Flurry of Horns
Thassa's Devourer
Gluttonous Cyclops
Tormented Thoughts
Gnarled Scarhide
Mountain
This is so the new Gods Willing. It even comes around kind of late because it's "just a trick."
Pack 1 pick 6:
Humbler of Mortals
Font of Return
Aerial Formation
--> Eagle of the Watch
Oppressive Rays
Pin to the Earth
Renowned Weaver
Rollick of Abandon
Cyclops of Eternal Fury
Swamp
Pack 1 pick 7:
Font of Return
Aerial Formation
--> Eagle of the Watch
Font of Fertility
Oppressive Rays
Pin to the Earth
Renowned Weaver
Thassa's Ire
Mountain
I've noticed in Journey that the print runs are often very similar. Like, the exact same commons. Look at these last two packs. This is the 3rd or 4th time in Journey that I've noticed something like this. I think the runs are more simply constructed than usual. Anyway, I'm pretty solidly in White.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Lightning Diadem
Market Festival
Starfall
Cruel Feeding
--> Stonewise Fortifier
Rise of Eagles
Cyclops of Eternal Fury
Island
Pack 1 pick 9:
Font of Return
--> Stonewise Fortifier
Renowned Weaver
Cruel Feeding
Mortal Obstinacy
Goldenhide Ox
Plains
Pack 1 pick 10:
Rotted Hulk
Dreadbringer Lampads
Squelching Leeches
--> Underworld Coinsmith
Dictate of Kruphix
Island
This is interesting because I have a Doomwake Giant, and this suggests at least that no one is aggressively going after WB.
Pack 1 pick 11:
Font of Return
Font of Fortunes
--> Stonewise Fortifier
Cruel Feeding
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 1:
Sphinx's Disciple
Revoke Existence (FOIL)
Setessan Starbreaker
Forsaken Drifters
Snake of the Golden Grove
--> Elite Skirmisher
Oreskos Sun Guide
Divination
Nyxborn Rollicker
Karametra's Favor
Ashiok's Adept
Thunder Brute
Meletis Astronomer
Xenagos, God of Revels
Island
I don't see a good way to make Xenagos work. Gonna stick to drafting White cards until my 2nd color shouts at me.
Is Silent Sentinel even playable in Draft? It feels way too slow. It doesn't do anything the turn it comes into play, which to me is a requirement for a 7 drop. For that reason I was not interested. The rest of the pack is pretty bad but I figured take something that at least goes with Doomwake Giant.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Excoriate
Rise to the Challenge
Nyxborn Triton
Warchanter of Mogis
Forsaken Drifters
Mortal's Resolve
--> Asphyxiate
Impetuous Sunchaser (FOIL)
Reckless Reveler
Snake of the Golden Grove
Vortex Elemental
Sunbond
Mountain
I guess I'm playing Black.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Felhide Brawler
Ephara's Radiance
Setessan Oathsworn
Marshmist Titan
Claim of Erebos
Deepwater Hypnotist
--> Nyxborn Shieldmate
Siren of the Fanged Coast
Stormcaller of Keranos
Archetype of Finality
Hero of Leina Tower
Forest
That's a late Siren, but it's not splashable and I already have 4 decent Black cards.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Mortal's Ardor
Fearsome Temper
--> Servant of Tymaret
Satyr Wayfinder
Pharagax Giant
Karametra's Favor
Stratus Walk
Nullify
Ephara's Enlightenment
God-Favored General
Island
Pack 2 pick 7:
--> Weight of the Underworld
Warchanter of Mogis
Scouring Sands
Charging Badger
Grisly Transformation
Aspect of Hydra
Mischief and Mayhem
Ragemonger
Island
Pack 2 pick 8:
Floodtide Serpent
Felhide Brawler
Ephara's Radiance
Marshmist Titan
Claim of Erebos
--> Shrike Harpy
Mischief and Mayhem
Plains
Nice late pickup.
Pack 2 pick 9:
Setessan Starbreaker
--> Forsaken Drifters
Snake of the Golden Grove
Karametra's Favor
Ashiok's Adept
Thunder Brute
Island
Pack 2 pick 10:
Satyr Wayfinder
--> Mortal's Ardor
Eye Gouge
Aspect of Hydra
Pinnacle of Rage
Mountain
Oddly enough there's really nothing here for me. I got all those late Stonewise Fortifiers which are strictly better than Traveling Philosophers, and I'm not hurting for early drops anyway. I figured I'd hate out the best card in the pack.
Pack 3 pick 6:
Viper's Kiss
Dragon Mantle
Spearpoint Oread
Breaching Hippocamp
Opaline Unicorn
--> Ray of Dissolution
Battlewise Hoplite
Vanquish the Foul
Dark Betrayal
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 7:
Messenger's Speed
Mnemonic Wall
Loathsome Catoblepas
Nylea's Presence
Portent of Betrayal
Commune with the Gods
Boulderfall
--> Evangel of Heliod
Plains
Last cuts were the extra Stonewise Fortifiers. I just didn't need more mediocre early drops, I had better.
The Matches
Round 1 vs. BRG
Game 1 we both mulled to 6. He started relatively quickly with Renowned Weaver and Satyr Hedonist. He did not press the attack. That combined with his 42 card deck suggested inexperience. He played Feral Invocation as a Sorcery on his Spider token and held it back to block. I was assembling an army but he was holding it at bay with his 3/5 Reach. He was stuck on 3 land and without Red for a bit. I just needed to draw something to get my Phalanx Leader pumping up the team. He finally got his Red, sac'd the Hedonist for mana and played Pheres-Band Centaurs. More defense...great. He decided to attack, so I sprung the trap with a ridiculous 3-target Ajani's Presence. He had Mortal's Resolve to save his Centaur, but it left him open to a 15 point counterattack. On the next turn he did not have enough blockers to prevent lethal damage.
Game 2 he went to 5, I went to 6. I had Turn 1 Hoplite, Turn 2 Ordeal which emptied his hand on my Turn 3. I hate being "Ordeal Guy" as Brian Wong would say, but I also hate losing so it's a wash.
1-0
Round 2 vs. GU
Game 1 his early Deepwater Hypnotist was shut down by my Scholar of Athreos. I got Eagle of the Watch with Ordeal, he played Omenspeaker and Oakheart Dryads. I was stuck on 3 land which was a shame. I did manage to kill his Fleetfeather Cockatrice with Ajani's Presence, though on the following turn he destroyed my Ordeal with enchantment removal to avoid discarding cards. My Eagle was dealing damage, though he did play Humbler of Mortals which threatened to become a problem. A 2nd Humbler arrived and yikes I really needed to get my 5th land to play my pair of Supply Line Cranes -- luckily I did draw that land on the next turn. He did not have a 3rd consecutive enchantment to really go off with his Constellation cards, and conceded in the face of my 5/4 Vigilance Eagle.
Game 2 saw the same opening of Hypnotist vs. Scholar, followed by Oakheart Dryads. I had kept an all-White hand and was now drawing Black cards, so that was annoying. My followup was Phalanx Leader but I needed another land to bestow on it. I didn't get it -- I ran out a Hoplite instead. I did get the 5th mana eventually, but he was showing 5 open mana...the official calling card of Fleetfeather Cockatrice. I bestowed but didn't attack into it the Deathtoucher he was representing. He didn't flash it in at end of turn, but he could just be trying to bait me. He played Rise of Eagles. I got Nyxborn Eidolon for another Phalanx trigger and hit for 10. He played Hypnotist #2. His plan was to chump my big Phalanx Leader and attack with his Eagle tokens. He finally flashed in the Cockatrice but saved it as an attacker. Then he played Master of Waves (geez where did that come from?!) and I fell hopelessly behind.
Game 3 he beat down for a bit with Bassara Tower Archer. I didn't want to block with Scholar because he was clearly representing a trick. I was stuck on 4 lands again for several turns with a Shrike Harpy in hand -- frustrating. He was again showing Cockatrice mana so I stopped attacking. I finally got my Harpy into play as a 4/4. He responded with a Nemesis of Mortals. I went to give Harpy Ordeal of Erebos, but he had Retraction Helix for it. I waited so many turns to do that... He played Rise of the Eagles. I killed 1 with Ray of Dissolution, but he added Sphinx's Disciple. Shrike Harpy came back in as a 2/2. He had a trick to kill my Harpy and I was once again way behind. The biggest problem in this game is that my mana was stunted early, so I never got to play out my spells and then take advantage of my creatures with activated abilities. He played Colossal Heroics with 3 targets to finish me.
That loss was frustrating. I was consistently 1 mana short every turn from being able to do what I needed to do to stay in the game.
1-1
Round 3 vs. RW
Game 1 opponent mulled to 6, never got to his 3rd land, and conceded early.
Game 2 he opened with Cavalry Pegasus and Impetuous Sunchaser. His Leonin Iconoclast was killed by Weight of the Underworld. I was scuffling with a Favored Hoplite and Servant of Tymaret. Not much happened really, he seemed flooded. He finally got Dragon Mantle on Sunchaser to pose a little bit of a threat. I was stuck on 4 mana again, the story of this draft. Finally I drew my 5th land and played Cranes for defense. That sealed it, as he was unable to produce any real threats or blockers. Based on the games we played I couldn't really tell if his deck was any good -- it's possible he just got mana screwed and then drew the worst third of his deck.
2-1
I never even drew the Doomwake Giant to see how it played. :-(
Seems like you had a great draft! Picked up on signals, didn't overcommit to Hydra, got some solid picks.
Although black was open, I'm surprised you pick Alseid over the Ordeal and expected the Ordeal to wheel. It did, but I'm just surprised at that.
Your deck looks like a mix of aggro and control roles. How were Servant and Scholar for you? I don't like them in aggro decks. Meanwhile you have some fantastic aggro cards (double Stonewise Fortifier, double Mortal's Ardor) relegated to the SB. IMO if white aggro decks are stumbling on mana screw, the curve is too high. Ray of Dissolution is also probably maindeckable (or at least boardable in many matchups). Having both Weight of the Underworld AND Excoriate main seems excessive. Excoriate works in slower decks where you expect the opponents creatures to be tapped more than untapped. But it seems like you should be the aggressor a lot of the time. Weight just seems like a clunky way to kill an X/2. I'd have kept both in the SB and boarded them in against very Voltrony decks where you needed outs to aggressive starts. But main I'd have played more aggro and combat tricks. You already have solid cards like Supply-Line Cranes and Doomwake Giant and bestow to top off the curve. Ray of Dissolution is often more flexible at killing Voltrons than Excoriate and Weight. No need to run 1/x walls and expensive removal.
You pass Xenagos in a swiss draft? Like, you like to throw money away?
It's worth like $2 if you search for the right buyer. As a general rule I don't draft rares that I don't think I can play unless they're worth at least a pack.
Your deck looks like a mix of aggro and control roles. How were Servant and Scholar for you? I don't like them in aggro decks.
Yea they weren't great. I liked the idea of non-combat reach (in the damage sense, not the blocking fliers sense) in case the board got too crowded but more often than not they were just clunky. Probably should have just played the extra 2/2s. Ray probably should have gone in over Weight too. I often struggle with evaluating maindeck enchantment removal but it seems like enough of the good Journey creatures are enchantments that it's justifiable.
I don't think I've ever played a game where I maindecked enchantment removal, drawn it and not had a target for it. I could see maybe leaving it in the side if you have one of those nutty synergistic, powerful sets of 23, but that's basically never the case. I'd probably have done:
+2 Stonewise Fortifiers (you only have 4 creatures you want to drop on 1/2 and a Phalanx Leader - also more guys for Ordeal early)
+1 Ray of Dissolution
-1 Servant
-1 Scholar
-1 Excorciate (you'd be going all-in beatdown and aren't concerned with killing something they're attacking with, probably)
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The Draft
------ JOU ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
Oakheart Dryads
Font of Return
Font of Fortunes
Stonewise Fortifier
Colossal Heroics (FOIL)
Renowned Weaver
Bladetusk Boar
Cruel Feeding
Mortal Obstinacy
Desperate Stand
Goldenhide Ox
Akroan Line Breaker
--> Hydra Broodmaster
Plains
Easy first pick.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Rotted Hulk
Hubris
Pensive Minotaur
Akroan Mastiff
Nature's Panoply
Dreadbringer Lampads
--> Supply-Line Cranes
Thassa's Devourer
Desecration Plague
Flamespeaker's Will
Squelching Leeches
Underworld Coinsmith
Dictate of Kruphix
Island
Just taking the best available.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
Oakheart Dryads
Font of Return
Font of Fortunes
Stonewise Fortifier
Triton Shorestalker
Bladetusk Boar
Cruel Feeding
Mortal Obstinacy
Colossal Heroics
Quarry Colossus
--> Doomwake Giant
Mountain
I'm surprised to see this 3rd. I consider it a pretty solid creature.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Harvestguard Alseids
Returned Reveler
Countermand
Desecration Plague
Starfall
Cast into Darkness
--> Supply-Line Cranes
Disciple of Deceit
Blinding Flare
Stormchaser Chimera
Dictate of the Twin Gods
Mountain
It sure does not look like Green is open. I'm not going to be swayed by the Broodmaster and force it.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Pharika's Chosen
Font of Fortunes
Sigiled Skink
--> Ajani's Presence
Feast of Dreams
Flurry of Horns
Thassa's Devourer
Gluttonous Cyclops
Tormented Thoughts
Gnarled Scarhide
Mountain
This is so the new Gods Willing. It even comes around kind of late because it's "just a trick."
Pack 1 pick 6:
Humbler of Mortals
Font of Return
Aerial Formation
--> Eagle of the Watch
Oppressive Rays
Pin to the Earth
Renowned Weaver
Rollick of Abandon
Cyclops of Eternal Fury
Swamp
Pack 1 pick 7:
Font of Return
Aerial Formation
--> Eagle of the Watch
Font of Fertility
Oppressive Rays
Pin to the Earth
Renowned Weaver
Thassa's Ire
Mountain
I've noticed in Journey that the print runs are often very similar. Like, the exact same commons. Look at these last two packs. This is the 3rd or 4th time in Journey that I've noticed something like this. I think the runs are more simply constructed than usual. Anyway, I'm pretty solidly in White.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Lightning Diadem
Market Festival
Starfall
Cruel Feeding
--> Stonewise Fortifier
Rise of Eagles
Cyclops of Eternal Fury
Island
Pack 1 pick 9:
Font of Return
--> Stonewise Fortifier
Renowned Weaver
Cruel Feeding
Mortal Obstinacy
Goldenhide Ox
Plains
Pack 1 pick 10:
Rotted Hulk
Dreadbringer Lampads
Squelching Leeches
--> Underworld Coinsmith
Dictate of Kruphix
Island
This is interesting because I have a Doomwake Giant, and this suggests at least that no one is aggressively going after WB.
Pack 1 pick 11:
Font of Return
Font of Fortunes
--> Stonewise Fortifier
Cruel Feeding
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 12:
Countermand
--> Starfall
Disciple of Deceit
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 13:
Thassa's Devourer
--> Gluttonous Cyclops
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Rollick of Abandon
Swamp
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Mountain
------ BNG ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Sphinx's Disciple
Revoke Existence (FOIL)
Setessan Starbreaker
Forsaken Drifters
Snake of the Golden Grove
--> Elite Skirmisher
Oreskos Sun Guide
Divination
Nyxborn Rollicker
Karametra's Favor
Ashiok's Adept
Thunder Brute
Meletis Astronomer
Xenagos, God of Revels
Island
I don't see a good way to make Xenagos work. Gonna stick to drafting White cards until my 2nd color shouts at me.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Satyr Wayfinder
Retraction Helix
--> Nyxborn Eidolon
Bolt of Keranos
Mortal's Ardor
Eye Gouge
Kragma Butcher
Aspect of Hydra
Mortal's Resolve
Divination
Ephara's Enlightenment
Pinnacle of Rage
Silent Sentinel
Mountain
Is Silent Sentinel even playable in Draft? It feels way too slow. It doesn't do anything the turn it comes into play, which to me is a requirement for a 7 drop. For that reason I was not interested. The rest of the pack is pretty bad but I figured take something that at least goes with Doomwake Giant.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Excoriate
Rise to the Challenge
Nyxborn Triton
Warchanter of Mogis
Forsaken Drifters
Mortal's Resolve
--> Asphyxiate
Impetuous Sunchaser (FOIL)
Reckless Reveler
Snake of the Golden Grove
Vortex Elemental
Sunbond
Mountain
I guess I'm playing Black.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Felhide Brawler
Ephara's Radiance
Setessan Oathsworn
Marshmist Titan
Claim of Erebos
Deepwater Hypnotist
--> Nyxborn Shieldmate
Siren of the Fanged Coast
Stormcaller of Keranos
Archetype of Finality
Hero of Leina Tower
Forest
That's a late Siren, but it's not splashable and I already have 4 decent Black cards.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Mortal's Ardor
Fearsome Temper
--> Servant of Tymaret
Satyr Wayfinder
Pharagax Giant
Karametra's Favor
Stratus Walk
Nullify
Ephara's Enlightenment
God-Favored General
Island
Pack 2 pick 6:
Floodtide Serpent
Griffin Dreamfinder
--> Nyxborn Eidolon
Charging Badger
Pharagax Giant
Reckless Reveler
Grisly Transformation
Noble Quarry
Acolyte's Reward
Swamp
Pack 2 pick 7:
--> Weight of the Underworld
Warchanter of Mogis
Scouring Sands
Charging Badger
Grisly Transformation
Aspect of Hydra
Mischief and Mayhem
Ragemonger
Island
Pack 2 pick 8:
Floodtide Serpent
Felhide Brawler
Ephara's Radiance
Marshmist Titan
Claim of Erebos
--> Shrike Harpy
Mischief and Mayhem
Plains
Nice late pickup.
Pack 2 pick 9:
Setessan Starbreaker
--> Forsaken Drifters
Snake of the Golden Grove
Karametra's Favor
Ashiok's Adept
Thunder Brute
Island
Pack 2 pick 10:
Satyr Wayfinder
--> Mortal's Ardor
Eye Gouge
Aspect of Hydra
Pinnacle of Rage
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 11:
--> Excoriate
Warchanter of Mogis
Forsaken Drifters
Sunbond
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 12:
--> Setessan Oathsworn
Marshmist Titan
Claim of Erebos
Forest
Pack 2 pick 13:
--> Mortal's Ardor
Satyr Wayfinder
Island
Pack 2 pick 14:
--> Charging Badger
Swamp
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Island
------ THS ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Dragon Mantle
Nessian Asp
Bronze Sable
Agent of Horizons
Fade into Antiquity
Satyr Rambler
--> Observant Alseid
Scourgemark
Sedge Scorpion
Boon of Erebos
Ordeal of Erebos
Horizon Chimera
Thassa's Emissary
Soldier of the Pantheon
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 2:
Loathsome Catoblepas
Nylea's Presence
Fleetfeather Sandals
Demolish
Ephara's Warden
Observant Alseid
Defend the Hearth
Agent of Horizons
Boulderfall
Savage Surge
Burnished Hart
Akroan Hoplite
--> Favored Hoplite
Island
Pack 3 pick 3:
Lash of the Whip
Messenger's Speed
--> Gods Willing
Crackling Triton
Spark Jolt
Last Breath
Scourgemark
Griptide
Opaline Unicorn
Hunt the Hunter
Thassa's Emissary
Reverent Hunter
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 4:
Ill-Tempered Cyclops
Guardians of Meletis
Battlewise Valor
Satyr Hedonist
Satyr Rambler
Leonin Snarecaster
Scholar of Athreos
Triton Shorethief
--> Phalanx Leader
Ordeal of Purphoros
Evangel of Heliod
Plains
Pack 3 pick 5:
Pheres-Band Centaurs
Nylea's Presence
Minotaur Skullcleaver
Traveling Philosopher
Aqueous Form
Silent Artisan
Vaporkin
Felhide Minotaur
Stoneshock Giant
--> Coordinated Assault
Island
Oddly enough there's really nothing here for me. I got all those late Stonewise Fortifiers which are strictly better than Traveling Philosophers, and I'm not hurting for early drops anyway. I figured I'd hate out the best card in the pack.
Pack 3 pick 6:
Viper's Kiss
Dragon Mantle
Spearpoint Oread
Breaching Hippocamp
Opaline Unicorn
--> Ray of Dissolution
Battlewise Hoplite
Vanquish the Foul
Dark Betrayal
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 7:
Messenger's Speed
Mnemonic Wall
Loathsome Catoblepas
Nylea's Presence
Portent of Betrayal
Commune with the Gods
Boulderfall
--> Evangel of Heliod
Plains
Pack 3 pick 8:
--> Bronze Sable
Messenger's Speed
Mnemonic Wall
Fate Foretold
Portent of Betrayal
Setessan Battle Priest
Prowler's Helm
Plains
Pack 3 pick 9:
Fade into Antiquity
Satyr Rambler
Scourgemark
Sedge Scorpion
Boon of Erebos
--> Ordeal of Erebos
Mountain
I had a feeling this might wheel. I'm very happy to have it, since Hoplite-Ordeal (of any color) is sometimes just an auto-win.
Pack 3 pick 10:
--> Nylea's Presence
Fleetfeather Sandals
Demolish
Defend the Hearth
Boulderfall
Island
Pack 3 pick 11:
Messenger's Speed
Spark Jolt
--> Last Breath
Hunt the Hunter
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 12:
--> Scholar of Athreos
Triton Shorethief
Evangel of Heliod
Plains
Pack 3 pick 13:
Silent Artisan
--> Felhide Minotaur
Island
Pack 3 pick 14:
--> Viper's Kiss
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Plains
The Deck
1 Favored Hoplite
1 Nyxborn Shieldmate
1 Phalanx Leader
1 Underworld Coinsmith
2 Nyxborn Eidolon
1 Stonewise Fortifier
1 Observant Alseid
2 Eagle of the Watch
1 Elite Skirmisher
1 Servant of Tymaret
1 Scholar of Athreos
1 Doomwake Giant
2 Supply-Line Cranes
1 Shrike Harpy
1 Ajani's Presence
1 Gods Willing
1 Ordeal of Erebos
1 Asphyxiate
1 Weight of the Underworld
1 Excoriate
Land (17)
10 Plains
7 Swamp
2 Stonewise Fortifier
2 Mortal's Ardor
1 Evangel of Heliod
1 Last Breath
1 Ray of Dissolution
1 Forsaken Drifters
1 Felhide Minotaur
1 Viper's Kiss
1 Gluttonous Cyclops
1 Rollick of Abandon
1 Starfall
1 Coordinated Assault
1 Hydra Broodmaster
1 Charging Badger
1 Setessan Oathsworn
1 Nylea's Presence
1 Bronze Sable
Last cuts were the extra Stonewise Fortifiers. I just didn't need more mediocre early drops, I had better.
The Matches
Round 1 vs. BRG
Game 1 we both mulled to 6. He started relatively quickly with Renowned Weaver and Satyr Hedonist. He did not press the attack. That combined with his 42 card deck suggested inexperience. He played Feral Invocation as a Sorcery on his Spider token and held it back to block. I was assembling an army but he was holding it at bay with his 3/5 Reach. He was stuck on 3 land and without Red for a bit. I just needed to draw something to get my Phalanx Leader pumping up the team. He finally got his Red, sac'd the Hedonist for mana and played Pheres-Band Centaurs. More defense...great. He decided to attack, so I sprung the trap with a ridiculous 3-target Ajani's Presence. He had Mortal's Resolve to save his Centaur, but it left him open to a 15 point counterattack. On the next turn he did not have enough blockers to prevent lethal damage.
Game 2 he went to 5, I went to 6. I had Turn 1 Hoplite, Turn 2 Ordeal which emptied his hand on my Turn 3. I hate being "Ordeal Guy" as Brian Wong would say, but I also hate losing so it's a wash.
1-0
Round 2 vs. GU
Game 1 his early Deepwater Hypnotist was shut down by my Scholar of Athreos. I got Eagle of the Watch with Ordeal, he played Omenspeaker and Oakheart Dryads. I was stuck on 3 land which was a shame. I did manage to kill his Fleetfeather Cockatrice with Ajani's Presence, though on the following turn he destroyed my Ordeal with enchantment removal to avoid discarding cards. My Eagle was dealing damage, though he did play Humbler of Mortals which threatened to become a problem. A 2nd Humbler arrived and yikes I really needed to get my 5th land to play my pair of Supply Line Cranes -- luckily I did draw that land on the next turn. He did not have a 3rd consecutive enchantment to really go off with his Constellation cards, and conceded in the face of my 5/4 Vigilance Eagle.
Game 2 saw the same opening of Hypnotist vs. Scholar, followed by Oakheart Dryads. I had kept an all-White hand and was now drawing Black cards, so that was annoying. My followup was Phalanx Leader but I needed another land to bestow on it. I didn't get it -- I ran out a Hoplite instead. I did get the 5th mana eventually, but he was showing 5 open mana...the official calling card of Fleetfeather Cockatrice. I bestowed but didn't attack into it the Deathtoucher he was representing. He didn't flash it in at end of turn, but he could just be trying to bait me. He played Rise of Eagles. I got Nyxborn Eidolon for another Phalanx trigger and hit for 10. He played Hypnotist #2. His plan was to chump my big Phalanx Leader and attack with his Eagle tokens. He finally flashed in the Cockatrice but saved it as an attacker. Then he played Master of Waves (geez where did that come from?!) and I fell hopelessly behind.
Game 3 he beat down for a bit with Bassara Tower Archer. I didn't want to block with Scholar because he was clearly representing a trick. I was stuck on 4 lands again for several turns with a Shrike Harpy in hand -- frustrating. He was again showing Cockatrice mana so I stopped attacking. I finally got my Harpy into play as a 4/4. He responded with a Nemesis of Mortals. I went to give Harpy Ordeal of Erebos, but he had Retraction Helix for it. I waited so many turns to do that... He played Rise of the Eagles. I killed 1 with Ray of Dissolution, but he added Sphinx's Disciple. Shrike Harpy came back in as a 2/2. He had a trick to kill my Harpy and I was once again way behind. The biggest problem in this game is that my mana was stunted early, so I never got to play out my spells and then take advantage of my creatures with activated abilities. He played Colossal Heroics with 3 targets to finish me.
That loss was frustrating. I was consistently 1 mana short every turn from being able to do what I needed to do to stay in the game.
1-1
Round 3 vs. RW
Game 1 opponent mulled to 6, never got to his 3rd land, and conceded early.
Game 2 he opened with Cavalry Pegasus and Impetuous Sunchaser. His Leonin Iconoclast was killed by Weight of the Underworld. I was scuffling with a Favored Hoplite and Servant of Tymaret. Not much happened really, he seemed flooded. He finally got Dragon Mantle on Sunchaser to pose a little bit of a threat. I was stuck on 4 mana again, the story of this draft. Finally I drew my 5th land and played Cranes for defense. That sealed it, as he was unable to produce any real threats or blockers. Based on the games we played I couldn't really tell if his deck was any good -- it's possible he just got mana screwed and then drew the worst third of his deck.
2-1
I never even drew the Doomwake Giant to see how it played. :-(
Although black was open, I'm surprised you pick Alseid over the Ordeal and expected the Ordeal to wheel. It did, but I'm just surprised at that.
Your deck looks like a mix of aggro and control roles. How were Servant and Scholar for you? I don't like them in aggro decks. Meanwhile you have some fantastic aggro cards (double Stonewise Fortifier, double Mortal's Ardor) relegated to the SB. IMO if white aggro decks are stumbling on mana screw, the curve is too high. Ray of Dissolution is also probably maindeckable (or at least boardable in many matchups). Having both Weight of the Underworld AND Excoriate main seems excessive. Excoriate works in slower decks where you expect the opponents creatures to be tapped more than untapped. But it seems like you should be the aggressor a lot of the time. Weight just seems like a clunky way to kill an X/2. I'd have kept both in the SB and boarded them in against very Voltrony decks where you needed outs to aggressive starts. But main I'd have played more aggro and combat tricks. You already have solid cards like Supply-Line Cranes and Doomwake Giant and bestow to top off the curve. Ray of Dissolution is often more flexible at killing Voltrons than Excoriate and Weight. No need to run 1/x walls and expensive removal.
You pass Xenagos in a swiss draft? Like, you like to throw money away?
It's worth like $2 if you search for the right buyer. As a general rule I don't draft rares that I don't think I can play unless they're worth at least a pack.
Yea they weren't great. I liked the idea of non-combat reach (in the damage sense, not the blocking fliers sense) in case the board got too crowded but more often than not they were just clunky. Probably should have just played the extra 2/2s. Ray probably should have gone in over Weight too. I often struggle with evaluating maindeck enchantment removal but it seems like enough of the good Journey creatures are enchantments that it's justifiable.
+2 Stonewise Fortifiers (you only have 4 creatures you want to drop on 1/2 and a Phalanx Leader - also more guys for Ordeal early)
+1 Ray of Dissolution
-1 Servant
-1 Scholar
-1 Excorciate (you'd be going all-in beatdown and aren't concerned with killing something they're attacking with, probably)