This match was pretty tough given that he drafted pretty much every blue control magic dude and spell, which kinda countered my strategy. I won the first game off dealing with his body-based stealers. The second game he curve out while I had no reanimation tricks and a slow hand. Using sweepers to kill one guy at a time doesn't work so well. Tghe final game I won off using the trick that ink-eyed has regen vs sweepers and stole his kira, great glass spinner to protect ink-eye from his control magic. I got the turn-one land-tax combo for reanimator in one game.
Second match vs GWU ramp / show and tell.
He had some great ramp spell and both show and tell and eureka. This is where my nevinyrral disk saved me: he got a turn-three show and tell dropping avenger of zendikar. I dropped the disk and wiped the board on his next turn. I then later reanimated his avenger vs his deranged hermit. The key play was me attacking into his hermit + squirrel, him quadruple blocking the avenger with squirrel and me using hero's downfall on the hermit to wipe his board. In the second game, he gotg a turbo-start mana-wise with roofelo, multipe land searches and the myr that makes two mana. I was able to kill some of his mana guys with the black sun zenith. I was having trouble getting to six mana and he got a eureka out dropping kozilek and having kiora out. I dropped akroma and linvala. Fortunately, I drew my sixth land and attack him and kiora, then played terminus. I had another sweeper in hand and he had zero card. He drew and played deranged hermit that I wiped, then I got epochrasite and herald (bestowed) and they were enough to go the distance even through his rout.
Third match against GUxy storm (I think?).
While in theory he should have been the toughest match, I won two fast game off reanimator. Once off the land-tax combo, the other through liliana of the veil discard. I fired off an inquisition of kozilek in one match and he seems to be on storm combo as he had a bunch of spells that untap lands in hand.
I don't think the reanimator package is at worth it. Only two ways to discard, two not-top tier reanimation targets, two reanimation spells and no tutors makes it horribly unreliable. This is a good example of how things can look good and perform well, when they probably shouldn't be in the deck in the first place. There are also way too many wrath effects. Even if having a lot sometimes helped you, 5 is definitely going to be bad far more often than it's good. I think you could have thrown in Attrition with Bloodline Keeper and Emeria Angel and gone with a token subtheme. That's three token producers and one of the best ways to abuse them.
The draft seemed fine, mostly, and your deck has enough power that a 3-0 isn't surprising, especially against some pretty sketchy, unreliable decks (I never got why people think Avenger is a good reanimation/Show and Tell target - he's a ramp finisher). Nice work.
The problem with the vampire and angel is that I have trouble evaluating power in cube. They didn't seem good enough for their cost and are weak by themselves. I'm always wary of running cards that will turn out to be outclassed by the sheer nuttiness of what people are doing in cube. You need to do a lot of durdling (in the vampire case) or wait many turns for land drops (for the angel) for them to produce anything and you just get a few 1/1 or 2/2 for your troubles. I saw the attrition combo but that would be even weaker than reanimator as it is a single card.
I did side out my entomb a lot of times for additional targeted removal.
Also, the avenger player had a lot of ramp spells (exploration, rampant growth, cultivate, ...) and fetch lands, so avenger becomes a lot better in his deck as the plant token can grow quite fast (and he could get a ton of them). It might just have been the card pool, but I didn't see as much high-power dude in the draft as usual. I didn't see any eldrazi while drafting and thought they were out of the cube until he Eureka'd out Kozilek. Maybe there are fewer? I guess he played the fatties he could grab.
(Also, now I remember that the last guy was definitely on storm since he discarded empty the warrens once to liliana.)
It's a single card, but the pieces are fine on their own. The thing with power cube is that so many people fight over the broken few strategies (mostly just ramp, reanimator and show and tell/tinker/eureka/natural order) that I've had far, far more success with fair decks. Control, agro, midrange, etc. 3/3 fliers for 4 that have added value are great on their own. Attrition is good with any of three token producers. The only card that's good on its own of the reanimator package is Liliana, who you can't use all that effectively unless you're discarding Akroma or Visara. More importantly, as I said before, those are hardly the game enders you want in a reanimator deck.
Fair decks are fine, especially any with decent counters, disruption and/or removal. Fair decks have far, far better odds against busted decks than weak versions of busted decks. If they have a better reanimator deck, for example, you need them to stumble and you to luck into your early combo (which is horribly, horribly unreliable - you need exactly three two-ofs to do anything) before them while if you're playing a fair midrange BW deck, you just need them to stumble at all.
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Pack 1 pick 1:
Leonin Relic-Warder
Serum Visions
Makeshift Mannequin
Mark of Mutiny
Krosan Grip
Windswept Heath
Wall of Blossoms
Tombstalker
Boon Satyr
Fleecemane Lion
--> Black Sun's Zenith
Koth of the Hammer
Bloodline Keeper
Zealous Conscripts
Kitchen Finks
I tend to like controlish decks, so removal is okay. I like PW, but koth is more like an aggro guy.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Hallowed Burial
Wake Thrasher
--> Liliana of the Veil
Mizzium Mortars
Arbor Elf
Jungle Shrine
Engineered Explosives
Dungeon Geists
Broodmate Dragon
Underground River
Glacial Fortress
Rampant Growth
Time Spiral
Survival of the Fittest
PW tend to be strong since a lot of removal and sweepers ignore them. Liliana is a powerful one.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Nearheath Pilgrim
Negate
--> Diabolic Servitude
Spikeshot Elder
Ulvenwald Tracker
Izzet Boilerworks
Bloodstained Mire
Electrolyze
Sign in Blood
Celestial Flare
Slagstorm
Dismantling Blow
Smash to Smithereens
Liliana discard, so a reanimation strategy is sane.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Condemn
Vesuvan Shapeshifter
Sarcomancy
Regrowth
Rakdos Carnarium
Scroll Rack
Deadbridge Chant
Chandra, the Firebrand
Firespout
Nightveil Specter
--> Snuff Out
Man-o'-War
Tough choice. I chose to keep on-color, but shapeshifter, chandra, specter were in consideration.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Reveillark
--> Inquisition of Kozilek
Chandra, Pyromaster
Great Sable Stag
Murmuring Bosk
Goblin Ruinblaster
Dreadbore
Sacred Foundry
Thawing Glaciers
Cursed Scroll
Chrome Mox
This is no thoightseize, but will do.
Pack 1 pick 6:
Imposing Sovereign
Trinket Mage
Gathan Raiders
Azorius Chancery
Willbender
Wild Nacatl
--> Visara the Dreadful
Rout
Progenitus
Night's Whisper
Thought about rout, but I need reanimation targets. So far, hitting on 6 lands seems easy.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Baneslayer Angel
Legacy's Allure
--> Buried Alive
Grasslands
Daxos of Meletis
Solemn Simulacrum
Phyrexian Revoker
Elixir of Immortality
Bonfire of the Damned
More reanimation trickery.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Priest of Urabrask
Tarmogoyf
Teetering Peaks
Empty the Warrens
Corrupt
--> Gideon, Champion of Justice
Firestorm
Genju of the Spires
Gideon is another powerful PW. It ticks up fast and becomes a real attacking threat.
Pack 1 pick 9:
Leonin Relic-Warder
Mark of Mutiny
Krosan Grip
Boon Satyr
Fleecemane Lion
--> Bloodline Keeper
Zealous Conscripts
Pack 1 pick 10:
--> Hallowed Burial
Arbor Elf
Jungle Shrine
Engineered Explosives
Broodmate Dragon
Glacial Fortress
Sweeper wheeled, nice.
Pack 1 pick 11:
Spikeshot Elder
--> Celestial Flare
Slagstorm
Dismantling Blow
Smash to Smithereens
Pack 1 pick 12:
--> Scroll Rack
Deadbridge Chant
Firespout
Man-o'-War
Pack 1 pick 13:
Reveillark
Goblin Ruinblaster
--> Cursed Scroll
Pack 1 pick 14:
Gathan Raiders
--> Wild Nacatl
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Daxos of Meletis
------ PD3 ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Dissipate
Vampire Lacerator
Searing Blaze
Fauna Shaman
Scalding Tarn
Headhunter
Remand
Preordain
Ratchet Bomb
Marsh Flats
Nature's Lore
Siege-Gang Commander
--> Animate Dead
Phyrexian Rager
Another reanimator trick. Maybe akroma will wheel?
Pack 2 pick 2:
Terminus
Brainstorm
Braids, Cabal Minion
Magma Jet
All Suns' Dawn
Flagstones of Trokair
Oona's Prowler
Molten-Tail Masticore
Ogre Battledriver
Wooded Bastion
Dimir Aqueduct
Volcanic Fallout
Thieving Magpie
--> Merciless Eviction
I took eviction over terminus since it deals more permanently and can remove PW if need be. (Or enchant, artifact...)
Pack 2 pick 3:
Academy Rector
Pact of Negation
Knight of Infamy
Boros Garrison
Ohran Viper
Flooded Strand
Loam Lion
Student of Warfare
--> Nevinyrral's Disk
Sea Gate Oracle
Seaside Citadel
Naturalize
Flickerwisp
More board control. Disk will save my butt later on.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Voidmage Prodigy
--> Slaughter Pact
Thunderblust
Twilight Mire
Thragtusk
Experiment One
Mentor of the Meek
Aurelia's Fury
Memory Jar
Hystrodon
Shrieking Grotesque
Edric, Spymaster of Trest
Catching my opp unaware while tapped out seems good.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Akroma's Vengeance
Blue Elemental Blast
--> Entomb
Mogg War Marshal
Vines of Vastwood
Graven Cairns
Daze
Putrid Imp
Faith's Fetters
Moment's Peace
Esper Charm
Reanimator.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Mana Tithe
Fathom Seer
Sinkhole
Torch Fiend
Dryad Sophisticate
--> Volrath's Stronghold
Nekrataal
Talrand, Sky Summoner
Orcish Lumberjack
Undermine
Bis.
Pack 2 pick 7:
Elite Vanguard
Cryptic Command
Persecute
Earthquake
Stunted Growth
Academy Ruins
Disfigure
Treetop Village
--> Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
I creature light and need early board presence (although at WW, seems unlikely).
Pack 2 pick 8:
Show and Tell
Frenzied Goblin
Yavimaya Coast
Frantic Search
Plow Under
Inferno Titan
--> Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
Counterspell
Perfect!
Pack 2 pick 9:
--> Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Dissipate
Vampire Lacerator
Headhunter
Ratchet Bomb
Siege-Gang Commander
Phyrexian Rager
Came back, as expected.
Pack 2 pick 10:
--> Terminus
Braids, Cabal Minion
Oona's Prowler
Molten-Tail Masticore
Volcanic Fallout
Thieving Magpie
Yet another sweeper. Given that I'm so creature-light, control + PW seems like a good idea.
Pack 2 pick 11:
Academy Rector
--> Knight of Infamy
Student of Warfare
Naturalize
Flickerwisp
Early drop.
Pack 2 pick 12:
--> Thunderblust
Twilight Mire
Experiment One
Shrieking Grotesque
Pack 2 pick 13:
--> Akroma's Vengeance
Graven Cairns
Putrid Imp
Nobody wants to control the board.
Pack 2 pick 14:
Orcish Lumberjack
--> Undermine
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Academy Ruins
------ SOM ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Soldier of the Pantheon
Thirst for Knowledge
Plague Sliver
Rift Bolt
Brooding Saurian
Rocky Tar Pit
Mirari's Wake
Tundra
Search for Tomorrow
Sorin's Thirst
--> Precursor Golem
Badlands
Upheaval
Genesis
Sensei's Divining Top
Nothing really good for me, need bodies.
Pack 3 pick 2:
Linvala, Keeper of Silence
Turnabout
Vampire Nighthawk
Ravenous Baboons
Terastodon
Ghitu Encampment
--> Mishra's Factory
Cloudgoat Ranger
Mother of Runes
Keiga, the Tide Star
Mold Shambler
Arcane Sanctum
Misdirection
Bonesplitter
Sweeper + man-land work nicely.
Pack 3 pick 3:
Emeria Angel
Looter il-Kor
--> Hero's Downfall
Keldon Marauders
Beast Within
Isolated Chapel
Sword of War and Peace
Elvish Mystic
Wear/Tear
Harmonize
Fetid Heath
Tropical Island
Seething Song
PW control.
Pack 3 pick 4:
Wrath of God
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
Red Elemental Blast
Sunpetal Grove
--> Epochrasite
Shadowmage Infiltrator
Momentary Blink
Supreme Verdict
Magus of the Moon
Woodland Cemetery
Taiga
Æther Vial
Long game.
Pack 3 pick 5:
Hokori, Dust Drinker
--> Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
Thundermaw Hellkite
Boreal Druid
Temple Garden
Banisher Priest
Strangleroot Geist
Crumbling Necropolis
Lion's Eye Diamond
Faithless Looting
Overgrown Tomb
Need bodies. Seems good with sweeper (regen + steal from GY).
Pack 3 pick 6:
Mirran Crusader
--> Herald of Torment
Ball Lightning
Arid Mesa
Burning of Xinye
Avalanche Riders
Steam Vents
Countryside Crusher
Geist of Saint Traft
Nightscape Familiar
Bestow + sweeper is good.
Pack 3 pick 7:
--> Land Tax
Hypnotic Specter
Gamble
Birthing Pod
Sulfuric Vortex
Falkenrath Aristocrat
Attrition
Rancor
Relic of Progenitus
Land tax is secretly a reanimator enabler. That strategy worked twice in this draft.
Pack 3 pick 8:
Day of Judgment
--> Chainer's Edict
Ancient Grudge
Nantuko Vigilante
Call of the Herd
Restock
Dark Ritual
Huntmaster of the Fells
Works around some troublesome things.
Pack 3 pick 9:
Plague Sliver
Brooding Saurian
Tundra
Sorin's Thirst
Badlands
--> Upheaval
Genesis
I don't want to see this against me.
Pack 3 pick 10:
--> Linvala, Keeper of Silence
Vampire Nighthawk
Ravenous Baboons
Mother of Runes
Keiga, the Tide Star
Mold Shambler
That ability is sometimes great.
Pack 3 pick 11:
--> Emeria Angel
Keldon Marauders
Isolated Chapel
Wear/Tear
Seething Song
Pack 3 pick 12:
Red Elemental Blast
--> Momentary Blink
Magus of the Moon
Woodland Cemetery
Pack 3 pick 13:
--> Hokori, Dust Drinker
Lion's Eye Diamond
Faithless Looting
Pack 3 pick 14:
Avalanche Riders
--> Countryside Crusher
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Attrition
1 Herald of Torment
1 Epochrasite
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
1 Visara the Dreadful
1 Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Spells
1 Black Sun's Zenith
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Entomb
1 Land Tax
1 Chainer's Edict
1 Animate Dead
1 Hero's Downfall
1 Diabolic Servitude
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Hallowed Burial
1 Terminus
1 Merciless Eviction
1 Akroma's Vengeance
1 Liliana of the Veil
1 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
1 Gideon, Champion of Justice
Lands
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Mishra's Factory
7 Plains
8 Swamp
1 Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
1 Momentary Blink
1 Precursor Golem
1 Emeria Angel
1 Hokori, Dust Drinker
1 Snuff Out
1 Celestial Flare
1 Scroll Rack
1 Buried Alive
1 Cursed Scroll
1 Bloodline Keeper
1 Knight of Infamy
1 Attrition
First match vs UR control magic.
This match was pretty tough given that he drafted pretty much every blue control magic dude and spell, which kinda countered my strategy. I won the first game off dealing with his body-based stealers. The second game he curve out while I had no reanimation tricks and a slow hand. Using sweepers to kill one guy at a time doesn't work so well. Tghe final game I won off using the trick that ink-eyed has regen vs sweepers and stole his kira, great glass spinner to protect ink-eye from his control magic. I got the turn-one land-tax combo for reanimator in one game.
Second match vs GWU ramp / show and tell.
He had some great ramp spell and both show and tell and eureka. This is where my nevinyrral disk saved me: he got a turn-three show and tell dropping avenger of zendikar. I dropped the disk and wiped the board on his next turn. I then later reanimated his avenger vs his deranged hermit. The key play was me attacking into his hermit + squirrel, him quadruple blocking the avenger with squirrel and me using hero's downfall on the hermit to wipe his board. In the second game, he gotg a turbo-start mana-wise with roofelo, multipe land searches and the myr that makes two mana. I was able to kill some of his mana guys with the black sun zenith. I was having trouble getting to six mana and he got a eureka out dropping kozilek and having kiora out. I dropped akroma and linvala. Fortunately, I drew my sixth land and attack him and kiora, then played terminus. I had another sweeper in hand and he had zero card. He drew and played deranged hermit that I wiped, then I got epochrasite and herald (bestowed) and they were enough to go the distance even through his rout.
Third match against GUxy storm (I think?).
While in theory he should have been the toughest match, I won two fast game off reanimator. Once off the land-tax combo, the other through liliana of the veil discard. I fired off an inquisition of kozilek in one match and he seems to be on storm combo as he had a bunch of spells that untap lands in hand.
The draft seemed fine, mostly, and your deck has enough power that a 3-0 isn't surprising, especially against some pretty sketchy, unreliable decks (I never got why people think Avenger is a good reanimation/Show and Tell target - he's a ramp finisher). Nice work.
I did side out my entomb a lot of times for additional targeted removal.
Also, the avenger player had a lot of ramp spells (exploration, rampant growth, cultivate, ...) and fetch lands, so avenger becomes a lot better in his deck as the plant token can grow quite fast (and he could get a ton of them). It might just have been the card pool, but I didn't see as much high-power dude in the draft as usual. I didn't see any eldrazi while drafting and thought they were out of the cube until he Eureka'd out Kozilek. Maybe there are fewer? I guess he played the fatties he could grab.
(Also, now I remember that the last guy was definitely on storm since he discarded empty the warrens once to liliana.)
Fair decks are fine, especially any with decent counters, disruption and/or removal. Fair decks have far, far better odds against busted decks than weak versions of busted decks. If they have a better reanimator deck, for example, you need them to stumble and you to luck into your early combo (which is horribly, horribly unreliable - you need exactly three two-ofs to do anything) before them while if you're playing a fair midrange BW deck, you just need them to stumble at all.