Pack 1 pick 1:
Font of Return
Aerial Formation
Magma Spray
Eagle of the Watch
Font of Fertility
Pharika's Chosen
Stonewise Fortifier
Rise of Eagles
Pheres-Band Thunderhoof
Bladetusk Boar
Fleetfeather Cockatrice
Reviving Melody
Gold-Forged Sentinel
--> Hypnotic Siren
Plains
Pretty close decision here. Decided to go with the slightly less powerful Hypnotic Siren over the 2-color Cockatrice. Passing 2 of the best red commons, so looking to avoid red if possible.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Rotted Hulk
Godhunter Octopus
Rouse the Mob
Font of Vigor
Oppressive Rays
Pin to the Earth
Renowned Weaver
Flurry of Horns
Thassa's Devourer
Consign to Dust
Felhide Petrifier
Leonin Iconoclast
--> Temple of Epiphany
Plains
I wasn’t sure how much this was worth and it ended up taking me almost to time to find out it was about 1.5 tix. That being the case, pin was probably a better pick here.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Font of Fortunes
Sigiled Skink
Ajani's Presence
Feast of Dreams
Cloaked Siren
Dreadbringer Lampads
Supply-Line Cranes
Thassa's Devourer
Desecration Plague
Rollick of Abandon
--> Skyspear Cavalry
Thassa's Ire
Plains
Wow, white sure seems open. It was close between this an Ajani’s Presence. I feel like I always regret it when I pass Ajani’s Presence, but Skyspear seemed to good to pass up.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Armament of Nyx
Humbler of Mortals
Nyx Infusion
--> Harvestguard Alseids
Returned Reveler
Kruphix's Insight
Bladetusk Boar
Cruel Feeding
Mortal Obstinacy
Desperate Stand
Gold-Forged Sentinel
Mountain
Fairly weak pack. Best card is the Bladetusk, but as I said earlier I’m avoiding red.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Oakheart Dryads
Font of Return
Font of Fortunes
Harvestguard Alseids
--> Supply-Line Cranes
Rise of Eagles
Satyr Grovedancer
Font of Ire
Desperate Stand
Goldenhide Ox
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 6:
Nature's Panoply
Nyx Infusion
Godhunter Octopus
--> Ravenous Leucrocota
Font of Ire
Aspect of Gorgon
Mortal Obstinacy
Pheres-Band Thunderhoof
Kiora's Dismissal
Island
I could take Mortal Obstinancy to stay on color, but there are a couple of good Green cards, so I take one to hedge.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Countermand
Pensive Minotaur
Armament of Nyx
--> Oreskos Swiftclaw
Flamespeaker's Will
Aspect of Gorgon
Ritual of the Returned
Akroan Line Breaker
Mountain
I’ve had a number of decks with white heroic creatures where the tricks to make them better just never happened. I hope not to have to run Cruel Feeding, but it might make the cut if I have similar problems again.
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Rise of Eagles
Font of Ire
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Font of Ire
Island
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Mountain
------ BNG ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Nyxborn Wolf
Floodtide Serpent
Rise to the Challenge
Griffin Dreamfinder
Nyxborn Eidolon
Charging Badger
Stratus Walk
Nullify
Impetuous Sunchaser
Culling Mark
Satyr Nyx-Smith
Odunos River Trawler
Glimpse the Sun God
--> Herald of Torment
Swamp
Herald is just better than anything else in this pack. A kind of BW midrange deck with flyers as finishers looks like it might work. Glimpse was also a consideration.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Nyxborn Wolf
Floodtide Serpent
Rise to the Challenge
Griffin Dreamfinder
--> Nyxborn Eidolon
Charging Badger
Stratus Walk
Nullify
Impetuous Sunchaser
Culling Mark
Akroan Conscriptor
Flitterstep Eidolon
Everflame Eidolon
Forest
Not a whole lot for me in this pack.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Evanescent Intellect
Epiphany Storm
--> Servant of Tymaret
Great Hart
Fall of the Hammer
Cyclops of One-Eyed Pass
Culling Mark
Loyal Pegasus
Grisly Transformation
Gorgon's Head
Siren of the Fanged Coast
Dawn to Dusk
Plains
I linger over the siren, but I don’t think blue is going to be open for me in Theros and I’d rather get to play the Herald and the Feast of Dreams than Siren of the Ganged Coast and the Hypnotic Siren. Servant lines up with the “clog up the ground and then win in the air” plan.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Satyr Wayfinder
Retraction Helix
--> Nyxborn Eidolon
Bolt of Keranos
Mortal's Ardor
Nyxborn Rollicker
Aspect of Hydra
Claim of Erebos
Deepwater Hypnotist
Akroan Conscriptor
Sanguimancy
Forest
Well, I guess red was open to my left after all, but that’s obviously water under the bridge at this point.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Pharagax Giant
Retraction Helix
Great Hart
Weight of the Underworld
Setessan Oathsworn
--> Excoriate
Nyxborn Rollicker
Karametra's Favor
Reap What Is Sown
Hunter's Prowess
Forest
I actually don’t hate Excoriate here. I can let big ground attackers hit me once (or chump them) while I keep swinging through in the air. A little hard to see the Reap and Hunter’s Prowess go by, but I don’t really like GW anyway.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Evanescent Intellect
Epiphany Storm
--> Servant of Tymaret
Great Hart
Cyclops of One-Eyed Pass
Scouring Sands
Loyal Pegasus
Grisly Transformation
Skyreaping
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 7:
Eye Gouge
Epiphany Storm
Hold at Bay
Marshmist Titan
--> Nyxborn Shieldmate
Unravel the Æther
Pillar of War
Plea for Guidance
Island
I have enough targeting effects now, so a Wingsteed or two in Theros would really make me happy.
Pack 2 pick 8:
Eye Gouge
Swordwise Centaur
Epiphany Storm
Hold at Bay
--> Marshmist Titan
Karametra's Favor
Pillar of War
Mountain
I wouldn’t be thrilled about running this, but I will if I have to.
Pack 2 pick 9:
Floodtide Serpent
Rise to the Challenge
Griffin Dreamfinder
Impetuous Sunchaser
Culling Mark
--> Odunos River Trawler
Swamp
A really great wheel for me with 5 targets already, including my best card.
Pack 2 pick 10:
Floodtide Serpent
--> Rise to the Challenge
Nullify
Impetuous Sunchaser
Culling Mark
Forest
Pack 2 pick 11:
Epiphany Storm
Great Hart
--> Grisly Transformation
Dawn to Dusk
Plains
Wow, what an insane pack for me. I’m not passing the 4+ ticket card though (and it’s even in my colors). I don’t think there’s any chance that the Wingsteed or Heliod’s Emissary wheel, but there’s 3 good black cards I’d like so hopefully one of them comes back.
Pack 3 pick 4:
March of the Returned
Fleshmad Steed
Two-Headed Cerberus
Vulpine Goliath
Annul
Titan's Strength
Yoked Ox
--> Ray of Dissolution
Stoneshock Giant
Dark Betrayal
Pyxis of Pandemonium
Forest
Meh. I waffled between this and the Dark Betrayal, but this probably is better in the board and might even be main decked.
Pack 3 pick 5:
March of the Returned
Breaching Hippocamp
Vulpine Goliath
Asphodel Wanderer
Titan's Strength
Staunch-Hearted Warrior
--> Scholar of Athreos
Hunt the Hunter
Flamecast Wheel
Temple of Silence
Plains
Temple is tempting, but Scholar is just too good in BW and I’m not going to wheel this late in the pack.
Pack 3 pick 6:
--> Chosen by Heliod
Mnemonic Wall
Viper's Kiss
Feral Invocation
Returned Centaur
Fate Foretold
Traveler's Amulet
Boulderfall
Spellheart Chimera
Swamp
Better than Viper’s Kiss I think, and in a pinch i can bestow on opponent’s creature, draw a card, and then feast of dreams the thing.
Pack 3 pick 7:
Fleshmad Steed
Lost in a Labyrinth
Agent of Horizons
--> Fade into Antiquity
Borderland Minotaur
Sedge Scorpion
Kragma Warcaller
Karametra's Acolyte
Forest
I have plenty of 2 drops so I won’t run Steed. I’d actually rather cut the enchantment removal than the scorpion since I look to win games in the air.
Match 1:
Opponent was Black-Blue, and to be charitable seemed to be new at this. He obviously first-picked a Doomwake Giant and then took like every enchantment he could find, including 2 of the blue mill ones from BNG. He scooped both games with 10+ and then rage quit the tournament.
Match 2:
Opponent was White-Green splashing Red. He got in for a lot of early damage in game 1, but then I stabilized at 7 life while he still had 16 and he kind of preemptively scooped. I was in good shape, but it seemed kind of early. Game 2 he bestowed a Nyxborn Wolf on a Wingsteed Rider on turn 5 and I never drew any flyers or removal and he won 3 turns later. Game 3 I found out why he was splashing red as he went turn 5 Xenagod, turn 6 Vulpine Goliath. I actually killed it with Divine Verdict after it hit me once, but that was enough to get me to 3 and I wasn’t able to keep up with the rest of his stuff.
Match 3:
Opponent was White-Blue-Red (I think the red was the splash for Lightning Strike). I don’t remember this one too well - I won both games and it seemed like opponent’s deck never really got off of the ground.
I thought this was a pretty interesting deck and I felt good about my ability to remain open through pack one and switch to black.
p1p1 seems correct. Cockatrice is not first pickable IMO unless the pack is garbage. Card is very good, but you don't want to be grabbing expensive 2-color stuff early in this format.
p1p2 seems bad. I guess you didn't know how little the lands are worth online vs on paper. Pin to the Earth is probably the best card and fits your 1st pick.
p1p3 Can't tell if white is "open" if only 2 players have picked so far. guy right next to you probably isn't white though. White does end up being completely open for the rest of the pack though, so good switch.
Color switch to black seems correct. You had to bail from blue, it completely dried up pack 1 despite so many blue playables in Journey. Bad sign. There were a few cards pack 1 that might have lured me towards green, but Herald is a bomb. Late Feast of Dreams is a big signal too. BW seems right.
I would have maindecked Lash of the Whip and Ray before Excoriate. Card is OK, but it's better in a defensive deck with Grim Guardians and Rotted Hulks and all. Don't know if the extra instant removal could have helped at all in beating LOLsteed Rider or Xenagod in round 2.
Yeah, I actually think 2 tickets is about my line, but as you say the neutral EV line is probably lower than that - I'm just willing to give up a fraction of a ticket of EV for a more fun deck. In this case I'd probably still take the land because in addition to the tickets it gets into more decks (since I'll probably run it if I'm playing either color) and it's not like pin to the earth is just so amazingly more powerful than a scry land.
I'd say 1.5 tix is perfectly reasonable moneydraft, especially in Swiss. Comes down to personal taste in that sort of price region, but in pure EV terms that temple is going to come in much higher than a Pin to the Earth - it nets you about 60% of a pack at current prices, which no single card in your draft pool will add through improving your deck (it'd have to add 20% to your match win chances, which not even the bombiest bomb will do on its own).
Hmm I tend to avoid money-drafting cards that are only 1-2 tix, but I never thought of it like that. Good point. I might start passing fewer rares. I passed a Taiga in VMA because I was so discouraged at non-blue duals tanking to 3-4 tix, but I guess a free Journey pack is still better EV than most picks would contribute to win percentage.
I guess the other EV consideration is how much does having a dud 23rd card vs a playable take away from your EV/win%? Something other than a bomb may not increase your win rate by 20% vs an average card but I wonder if it would vs having to put a bad card in your deck (which you won't know in pack 1). Pin to the Earth isn't one of those cards, but I wonder if something like P3P1 Voyage's End would fit that category... where having an extra out to Voltrons vs an unplayable Mythic (e.g. Ashen Rider in an off-color deck) would significantly increase your shot of winning.
ObligatoryReference
--> zanarkrynskia
OU110Dean
bosoxboy66
Lukioptyx
Kraymore
dan1321
Sgrn85
------ JOU ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Font of Return
Aerial Formation
Magma Spray
Eagle of the Watch
Font of Fertility
Pharika's Chosen
Stonewise Fortifier
Rise of Eagles
Pheres-Band Thunderhoof
Bladetusk Boar
Fleetfeather Cockatrice
Reviving Melody
Gold-Forged Sentinel
--> Hypnotic Siren
Plains
Pretty close decision here. Decided to go with the slightly less powerful Hypnotic Siren over the 2-color Cockatrice. Passing 2 of the best red commons, so looking to avoid red if possible.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Rotted Hulk
Godhunter Octopus
Rouse the Mob
Font of Vigor
Oppressive Rays
Pin to the Earth
Renowned Weaver
Flurry of Horns
Thassa's Devourer
Consign to Dust
Felhide Petrifier
Leonin Iconoclast
--> Temple of Epiphany
Plains
I wasn’t sure how much this was worth and it ended up taking me almost to time to find out it was about 1.5 tix. That being the case, pin was probably a better pick here.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Font of Fortunes
Sigiled Skink
Ajani's Presence
Feast of Dreams
Cloaked Siren
Dreadbringer Lampads
Supply-Line Cranes
Thassa's Devourer
Desecration Plague
Rollick of Abandon
--> Skyspear Cavalry
Thassa's Ire
Plains
Wow, white sure seems open. It was close between this an Ajani’s Presence. I feel like I always regret it when I pass Ajani’s Presence, but Skyspear seemed to good to pass up.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Armament of Nyx
Humbler of Mortals
Nyx Infusion
--> Harvestguard Alseids
Returned Reveler
Kruphix's Insight
Bladetusk Boar
Cruel Feeding
Mortal Obstinacy
Desperate Stand
Gold-Forged Sentinel
Mountain
Fairly weak pack. Best card is the Bladetusk, but as I said earlier I’m avoiding red.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Oakheart Dryads
Font of Return
Font of Fortunes
Harvestguard Alseids
--> Supply-Line Cranes
Rise of Eagles
Satyr Grovedancer
Font of Ire
Desperate Stand
Goldenhide Ox
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 6:
Nature's Panoply
Nyx Infusion
Godhunter Octopus
--> Ravenous Leucrocota
Font of Ire
Aspect of Gorgon
Mortal Obstinacy
Pheres-Band Thunderhoof
Kiora's Dismissal
Island
I could take Mortal Obstinancy to stay on color, but there are a couple of good Green cards, so I take one to hedge.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Countermand
Pensive Minotaur
Armament of Nyx
--> Oreskos Swiftclaw
Flamespeaker's Will
Aspect of Gorgon
Ritual of the Returned
Akroan Line Breaker
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 8:
--> Akroan Mastiff
Humbler of Mortals
Gluttonous Cyclops
Starfall
Cruel Feeding
Spite of Mogis
Riptide Chimera
Swamp
Pack 1 pick 9:
Font of Return
Aerial Formation
--> Stonewise Fortifier
Pheres-Band Thunderhoof
Reviving Melody
Gold-Forged Sentinel
Plains
Pack 1 pick 10:
Rotted Hulk
Godhunter Octopus
Font of Vigor
Flurry of Horns
--> Leonin Iconoclast
Plains
That seems late. I haven’t gotten to play this guy yet but he seems decent (spoilers - I never draw him so I still don’t get to).
Pack 1 pick 11:
--> Feast of Dreams
Dreadbringer Lampads
Desecration Plague
Rollick of Abandon
Plains
Woah, that’s late. I really don’t have a second color yet with just 1 card each in Green and Blue.
Pack 1 pick 12:
Returned Reveler
Kruphix's Insight
--> Cruel Feeding
Mountain
I’ve had a number of decks with white heroic creatures where the tricks to make them better just never happened. I hope not to have to run Cruel Feeding, but it might make the cut if I have similar problems again.
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Rise of Eagles
Font of Ire
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Font of Ire
Island
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Mountain
------ BNG ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Nyxborn Wolf
Floodtide Serpent
Rise to the Challenge
Griffin Dreamfinder
Nyxborn Eidolon
Charging Badger
Stratus Walk
Nullify
Impetuous Sunchaser
Culling Mark
Satyr Nyx-Smith
Odunos River Trawler
Glimpse the Sun God
--> Herald of Torment
Swamp
Herald is just better than anything else in this pack. A kind of BW midrange deck with flyers as finishers looks like it might work. Glimpse was also a consideration.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Nyxborn Wolf
Floodtide Serpent
Rise to the Challenge
Griffin Dreamfinder
--> Nyxborn Eidolon
Charging Badger
Stratus Walk
Nullify
Impetuous Sunchaser
Culling Mark
Akroan Conscriptor
Flitterstep Eidolon
Everflame Eidolon
Forest
Not a whole lot for me in this pack.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Evanescent Intellect
Epiphany Storm
--> Servant of Tymaret
Great Hart
Fall of the Hammer
Cyclops of One-Eyed Pass
Culling Mark
Loyal Pegasus
Grisly Transformation
Gorgon's Head
Siren of the Fanged Coast
Dawn to Dusk
Plains
I linger over the siren, but I don’t think blue is going to be open for me in Theros and I’d rather get to play the Herald and the Feast of Dreams than Siren of the Ganged Coast and the Hypnotic Siren. Servant lines up with the “clog up the ground and then win in the air” plan.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Satyr Wayfinder
Retraction Helix
--> Nyxborn Eidolon
Bolt of Keranos
Mortal's Ardor
Nyxborn Rollicker
Aspect of Hydra
Claim of Erebos
Deepwater Hypnotist
Akroan Conscriptor
Sanguimancy
Forest
Well, I guess red was open to my left after all, but that’s obviously water under the bridge at this point.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Pharagax Giant
Retraction Helix
Great Hart
Weight of the Underworld
Setessan Oathsworn
--> Excoriate
Nyxborn Rollicker
Karametra's Favor
Reap What Is Sown
Hunter's Prowess
Forest
I actually don’t hate Excoriate here. I can let big ground attackers hit me once (or chump them) while I keep swinging through in the air. A little hard to see the Reap and Hunter’s Prowess go by, but I don’t really like GW anyway.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Evanescent Intellect
Epiphany Storm
--> Servant of Tymaret
Great Hart
Cyclops of One-Eyed Pass
Scouring Sands
Loyal Pegasus
Grisly Transformation
Skyreaping
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 7:
Eye Gouge
Epiphany Storm
Hold at Bay
Marshmist Titan
--> Nyxborn Shieldmate
Unravel the Æther
Pillar of War
Plea for Guidance
Island
I have enough targeting effects now, so a Wingsteed or two in Theros would really make me happy.
Pack 2 pick 8:
Eye Gouge
Swordwise Centaur
Epiphany Storm
Hold at Bay
--> Marshmist Titan
Karametra's Favor
Pillar of War
Mountain
I wouldn’t be thrilled about running this, but I will if I have to.
Pack 2 pick 9:
Floodtide Serpent
Rise to the Challenge
Griffin Dreamfinder
Impetuous Sunchaser
Culling Mark
--> Odunos River Trawler
Swamp
A really great wheel for me with 5 targets already, including my best card.
Pack 2 pick 10:
Floodtide Serpent
--> Rise to the Challenge
Nullify
Impetuous Sunchaser
Culling Mark
Forest
Pack 2 pick 11:
Epiphany Storm
Great Hart
--> Grisly Transformation
Dawn to Dusk
Plains
Pack 2 pick 12:
--> Mortal's Ardor
Claim of Erebos
Akroan Conscriptor
Forest
Geez. Only 1 red drafter maybe?
Pack 2 pick 13:
--> Retraction Helix
Great Hart
Forest
What the heck is that doing there? I’ll cut it rather than take the 2/4.
Pack 2 pick 14:
--> Great Hart
Mountain
Especially since I’ll get one anyway.
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Island
------ THS ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Sip of Hemlock
Bronze Sable
Messenger's Speed
Baleful Eidolon
Annul
Wingsteed Rider
Wild Celebrants
Two-Headed Cerberus
Setessan Griffin
Vaporkin
Heliod's Emissary
Flamecast Wheel
Erebos's Emissary
--> Thoughtseize
Island
Wow, what an insane pack for me. I’m not passing the 4+ ticket card though (and it’s even in my colors). I don’t think there’s any chance that the Wingsteed or Heliod’s Emissary wheel, but there’s 3 good black cards I’d like so hopefully one of them comes back.
Pack 3 pick 2:
Lightning Strike
Pheres-Band Centaurs
--> Divine Verdict
Scourgemark
Griptide
Satyr Hedonist
Satyr Rambler
Leonin Snarecaster
Boon of Erebos
Setessan Griffin
Karametra's Acolyte
Purphoros's Emissary
Coordinated Assault
Swamp
Not an exciting second pick, but I’d rather kill something than save something I think.
Pack 3 pick 3:
Guardians of Meletis
Prescient Chimera
Demolish
Silent Artisan
Blood-Toll Harpy
--> Wingsteed Rider
Spearpoint Oread
Triton Shorethief
Traveler's Amulet
Ordeal of Erebos
Kragma Warcaller
Spellheart Chimera
Mountain
Yay.
Pack 3 pick 4:
March of the Returned
Fleshmad Steed
Two-Headed Cerberus
Vulpine Goliath
Annul
Titan's Strength
Yoked Ox
--> Ray of Dissolution
Stoneshock Giant
Dark Betrayal
Pyxis of Pandemonium
Forest
Meh. I waffled between this and the Dark Betrayal, but this probably is better in the board and might even be main decked.
Pack 3 pick 5:
March of the Returned
Breaching Hippocamp
Vulpine Goliath
Asphodel Wanderer
Titan's Strength
Staunch-Hearted Warrior
--> Scholar of Athreos
Hunt the Hunter
Flamecast Wheel
Temple of Silence
Plains
Temple is tempting, but Scholar is just too good in BW and I’m not going to wheel this late in the pack.
Pack 3 pick 6:
--> Chosen by Heliod
Mnemonic Wall
Viper's Kiss
Feral Invocation
Returned Centaur
Fate Foretold
Traveler's Amulet
Boulderfall
Spellheart Chimera
Swamp
Better than Viper’s Kiss I think, and in a pinch i can bestow on opponent’s creature, draw a card, and then feast of dreams the thing.
Pack 3 pick 7:
Fleshmad Steed
Lost in a Labyrinth
Agent of Horizons
--> Fade into Antiquity
Borderland Minotaur
Sedge Scorpion
Kragma Warcaller
Karametra's Acolyte
Forest
I have plenty of 2 drops so I won’t run Steed. I’d actually rather cut the enchantment removal than the scorpion since I look to win games in the air.
Pack 3 pick 8:
Cavalry Pegasus
Nylea's Disciple
Stymied Hopes
Nessian Courser
--> Lash of the Whip
Wild Celebrants
Benthic Giant
Plains
Pegasus doesn’t do anything in my deck, so more removal.
Pack 3 pick 9:
--> Sip of Hemlock
Bronze Sable
Messenger's Speed
Wild Celebrants
Setessan Griffin
Flamecast Wheel
Island
As predicted one of the black cards wheeled. Probably the one I would have liked the least, but Thoughtsiezers can’t be choosers.
Pack 3 pick 10:
Pheres-Band Centaurs
Scourgemark
Satyr Hedonist
--> Boon of Erebos
Setessan Griffin
Swamp
Well if I can’t find Gods Willing at least i can get the black Gods Willing.
Pack 3 pick 11:
--> Guardians of Meletis
Demolish
Silent Artisan
Kragma Warcaller
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 12:
--> March of the Returned
Annul
Pyxis of Pandemonium
Forest
Pack 3 pick 13:
--> Asphodel Wanderer
Flamecast Wheel
Plains
Pack 3 pick 14:
--> Boulderfall
Swamp
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Forest
1 Mortal’s Ardor
1 Thoughtseize
1 Boon of Erebos
1 Oreskos Swiftclaw
1 Stonewise Fortifier
2 Nyxborn Eidolon
1 Chosen by Heliod
1 Feast of Dreams
1 Harvestguard Alseid
1 Scholar of Athreos
1 Wingsteed Rider
1 Odunos River Trawler
1 Servant of Tymaret
1 Herald of Torment
1 Leonin Iconoclast
1 Divine Verdict
1 Excoriate
1 Skyspear Cavalry
1 Supply-Line Cranes
1 Sip of Hemlock
1 Ray of Dissolution
1 March of the Returned
1 Servant of Tymaret
Opponent was Black-Blue, and to be charitable seemed to be new at this. He obviously first-picked a Doomwake Giant and then took like every enchantment he could find, including 2 of the blue mill ones from BNG. He scooped both games with 10+ and then rage quit the tournament.
Match 2:
Opponent was White-Green splashing Red. He got in for a lot of early damage in game 1, but then I stabilized at 7 life while he still had 16 and he kind of preemptively scooped. I was in good shape, but it seemed kind of early. Game 2 he bestowed a Nyxborn Wolf on a Wingsteed Rider on turn 5 and I never drew any flyers or removal and he won 3 turns later. Game 3 I found out why he was splashing red as he went turn 5 Xenagod, turn 6 Vulpine Goliath. I actually killed it with Divine Verdict after it hit me once, but that was enough to get me to 3 and I wasn’t able to keep up with the rest of his stuff.
Match 3:
Opponent was White-Blue-Red (I think the red was the splash for Lightning Strike). I don’t remember this one too well - I won both games and it seemed like opponent’s deck never really got off of the ground.
I thought this was a pretty interesting deck and I felt good about my ability to remain open through pack one and switch to black.
p1p2 seems bad. I guess you didn't know how little the lands are worth online vs on paper. Pin to the Earth is probably the best card and fits your 1st pick.
p1p3 Can't tell if white is "open" if only 2 players have picked so far. guy right next to you probably isn't white though. White does end up being completely open for the rest of the pack though, so good switch.
Color switch to black seems correct. You had to bail from blue, it completely dried up pack 1 despite so many blue playables in Journey. Bad sign. There were a few cards pack 1 that might have lured me towards green, but Herald is a bomb. Late Feast of Dreams is a big signal too. BW seems right.
I would have maindecked Lash of the Whip and Ray before Excoriate. Card is OK, but it's better in a defensive deck with Grim Guardians and Rotted Hulks and all. Don't know if the extra instant removal could have helped at all in beating LOLsteed Rider or Xenagod in round 2.
Hmm I tend to avoid money-drafting cards that are only 1-2 tix, but I never thought of it like that. Good point. I might start passing fewer rares. I passed a Taiga in VMA because I was so discouraged at non-blue duals tanking to 3-4 tix, but I guess a free Journey pack is still better EV than most picks would contribute to win percentage.