Pack 1 pick 5:
Cavalry Master (FOIL)
Ironclaw Buzzardiers
--> Temporal Eddy
Tendrils of Corruption
Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Viashino Bladescout
Ophidian Eye
Molder
Children of Korlis
Primal Forcemage
Jolrael, Empress of Beasts
Pack 1 pick 6:
--> Snapback
Æther Web
Cloudchaser Kestrel
Drudge Reavers
Shadow Sliver
Bogardan Rager
Traitor's Clutch
Spirit Loop
Truth or Tale
Celestial Dawn
Pack 3 pick 4:
Gift of Granite
Quiet Disrepair
Rift Elemental
Augur il-Vec
Llanowar Empath
Blade of the Sixth Pride
Sarcomite Myr
--> Death Rattle
Homing Sliver
Lost Auramancers
Street Wraith
Bloodshot Trainee
Pack 3 pick 5:
Grave Peril
Wrap in Vigor
Samite Censer-Bearer
--> Infiltrator il-Kor
Putrid Cyclops
Henchfiend of Ukor
Death Rattle
Blind Phantasm
Lumithread Field
Llanowar Reborn
Second Wind
Pack 3 pick 7:
Putrid Cyclops
Augur il-Vec
Petrified Plating
Bogardan Lancer
--> Venser's Diffusion
Mass of Ghouls
Vedalken Æthermage
Blade of the Sixth Pride
Emblem of the Warmind
Played against 5-Color slivers. First play was mine with a Keldon Marauders. Opponent didn't start out doing much aside from dropping a Dreamscape Artist. Attacked with Marauders, opponent passed and eventually used the Artist to achieve full domain before promptly dropping a Sliver Overlord and smashing my face.
Games 2 and 3 my opponent was easily burned out, attempting to stablize and get all 5 colors again, but I made very sure to target Dreamscape Artist when I drew it and bounced anything that got in the way of my creatures.
Round 2
Neither of those games went over very well. Game 1 I got land screwed and my opponent dropped a turn 3 Barbed Shocker, making me ditch a full grip of cards, only to draw a whole 7 more with only ONE land. Tried to stablize for a while, but when it came down to topdeck mode, my opponent's massive amount of removal did me in.
Game 2 I got land screwed again for a while, then color screwed. This game ended pretty quickly with me holding 3 Keldon Marauders, having never seen a single Mountain.
Round 3
Both games this match very little happened. My opponent didn't do anything until turn 4, at which point they dropped Vhati il-Dal. Vhati was no match double Keldon Marauders, Looter, and Infilitrator along with some bounce to slow him down. Pretty much a nut draw for this deck.
Game 2 started out fast again with my opponent going slow and their first creature being Brain Gorgers to my Looter and Lancer. Bounced it the first time, got in, and they replayed it next turn. Sacrificed my Looter to it as I now had a grip I didn't want to discard from. Continued to lay down threats, including Tarox, while my opponent played another Gorger. Promptly traded my Lancer with it and took my opponent to 6. They then Death Rattled Tarox on their turn, only to die my next turn when I used Body Double copying Tarox and attacked for exact damage.
Overall, I really liked the deck. I wonder how the second match would've gone if my land had cooperated with me. Used Death Rattle once, but it was worth it to have and I would splash it again. Marauders are certainly great with bounce and the Kor are so great. I'm happy enough with this draft I think.
If I'm reading correctly you seem to have two Black sources for Death Rattle? I feel like that's not really enough. Also, did you have a sideboard card you could have maindecked in place of Death Rattle? Given how aggressive this deck is it doesn't seem like a good idea to run 3-colour mana.
Other than that, I like it - this is very much the kind of deck I want to play with. (Although I'm super terrible at TPF, so maybe that isn't a good thing? ;))
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<Limited Clan>
If I'm reading correctly you seem to have two Black sources for Death Rattle? I feel like that's not really enough. Also, did you have a sideboard card you could have maindecked in place of Death Rattle? Given how aggressive this deck is it doesn't seem like a good idea to run 3-colour mana.
Other than that, I like it - this is very much the kind of deck I want to play with. (Although I'm super terrible at TPF, so maybe that isn't a good thing? ;))
Whoops. Apparently I forgot to put the sideboard. Actually, to me 2 sources for a single card seemed perfectly fine, especially since I wouldn't need to use Death Rattle unless it was something pretty threatening, given that it would take care of anything big and non-green. The round I had land/mana issues, it wasn't because of drawing the Swamp/Dreadship Reef.
In the sideboard I actually had another Snapback and a third Venser's Diffusion I could have replaced Death Rattle with, but none of those do what the Rattle can.
In the sideboard I actually had another Snapback and a third Venser's Diffusion I could have replaced Death Rattle with, but none of those do what the Rattle can.
This is true. So OK, if you really feel it's needed then add another Black source. You may not have had trouble finding it, but two sources just isn't enough (that's not a format thing, the same's true of any format - the odds of both sources being too deep in your deck are just unacceptably high).
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<Limited Clan>
There are good magic players (missy detora springs to mind) who happily splash off of two sources.
I don't agree with it (I think you want 3 sources minimum based on the probabilities involved). But there are people who are more comfortable with a destabilised manabase.
I'd also be uncomfortable running Tarox bladewing with less than 10 sources of red, for the same reason.
Edit: Feedback on the draft.
Pack 1 pick 1: Greater Gargadon over Flowstone Channeler
Pack 1 pick 2: Stonebrow, Krosan Hero over Suq'Ata Lancer
Pack 1 pick 5: Jolrael, Empress of Beasts over Temporal Eddy
Pack 1 pick 10: Venser's Sliver over Dreadship Reef
Pack 2 pick 1: Dreamscape Artist over Body Double
Pack 2 pick 2: Giant Dustwasp over Stingscourger
Pack 2 pick 3: Dead/Gone over Keldon Marauders
Pack 2 pick 6: Citanul Woodreaders over Keldon Marauders
Pack 2 pick 7: Battering Sliver over Keldon Marauders
Pack 3 pick 2: Sprout Swarm over Aven Augur
So yeah, I would have been a little more in green instead of the black that you had. Plus Dreamscape Artist is freaking awesome as a manafixer. I *neraly* woul dhave taken the second one over Jodah's Avenger (but that is nuts since the avenger is a bomb).
Pack 1 pick 1: Greater Gargadon over Flowstone Channeler
Pack 1 pick 2: Stonebrow, Krosan Hero over Suq'Ata Lancer
Pack 1 pick 5: Jolrael, Empress of Beasts over Temporal Eddy
Pack 1 pick 10: Venser's Sliver over Dreadship Reef
Pack 2 pick 1: Dreamscape Artist over Body Double
Pack 2 pick 2: Giant Dustwasp over Stingscourger
Pack 2 pick 3: Dead/Gone over Keldon Marauders
Pack 2 pick 6: Citanul Woodreaders over Keldon Marauders
Pack 2 pick 7: Battering Sliver over Keldon Marauders
Pack 3 pick 2: Sprout Swarm over Aven Augur
So yeah, I would have been a little more in green instead of the black that you had. Plus Dreamscape Artist is freaking awesome as a manafixer. I *neraly* woul dhave taken the second one over Jodah's Avenger (but that is nuts since the avenger is a bomb).
I'm always leery of Gargodon, since it can take so much effort just to be killed or bounced. Am I just underestimating the power of such a big (and usually hasted) creature? I will also admit I totally did not know that Stonebrow was worth it, same for Jolrael.
I'd always thought that Body Double was pretty good. I will admit that Dreamscape Artist is crazy fixing even for just two colors and am starting to realize how great it is. I can see Dead / Gone and Woodreaders over the Marauders, but is Battering Sliver really better than a Marauder? Am I highly overvaluing the Marauders?
is Battering Sliver really better than a Marauder? Am I highly overvaluing the Marauders?
This is a question of decks vs cards.
Battering Sliver is a weak card. However, Marauders is outright unplayable unless you have a sufficiently aggressive deck. On the other hand if you do have a sufficiently aggressive deck it becomes quite good...
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<Limited Clan>
I'm always leery of Gargodon, since it can take so much effort just to be killed or bounced. Am I just underestimating the power of such a big (and usually hasted) creature? I will also admit I totally did not know that Stonebrow was worth it, same for Jolrael.
I'd always thought that Body Double was pretty good. I will admit that Dreamscape Artist is crazy fixing even for just two colors and am starting to realize how great it is. I can see Dead / Gone and Woodreaders over the Marauders, but is Battering Sliver really better than a Marauder? Am I highly overvaluing the Marauders?
By and large I agree with Merl's picks, so I will just comment on this post.
Gargadon is very good. It has suspend 6ish with no effort since the removal in this block is very good and plentiful, so your stuff tends to die. Once it gets down to 4 counters or less, your opponent has to respect the thought of a giant hasty trampler eating their face if they tap out for anything. Finally, it helps against some of the more annoying effects in the block such as tendrils and enslave. The card you took (channeler) is a 23rd card, and it's about the 6th to 7th best card in that pack depending on your preferences - Gargadon, Celestial Crusader, Gargoyle, Vhati, and Spinneret Sliver are better not close.
Stonebrow pumps himself, so he attacks as a 5 mana 6/6. He is better than every common bar Ephemeron.
Jolrael is respectable, and a decent card. Much better than the marginal to unplayable Temporal Eddy - if I have to play Eddy something went badly wrong given how deep blue is.
Body Double = Rise from the Grave = mid pack pickup. I would have taken Dead/Gone here, it's more powerful than Dreamscape Artist, though given that you have no direction at this point and will likely need to splash, the Artist is at least defensible.
Marauders suck. They read: deal 2 damage spread out over 3 turns to target player. If that player doesn't sacrifice a creature, Marauders does 5 damage instead. Put like that, the card is awful. They're fine in the red aggro deck, but that deck comes together in maybe 1 in 50 drafts. Battering Sliver is better solely because sometimes you get paired against the idiot that thinks slivers is a thing, and then you board it in and it's automatically bigger than their whole army.
I am happy to splash with 2 sources for a single card as long as it costs 5 or more and has a single colored mana. In this block, Lightning Axe and Ichor Slick meet this criteria - I'd splash Death Rattle if pressed but the card is not actually that good on the splash. This is because:
1. If I'm splashing Death Rattle I'm not black.
2. Death Rattle sucks at killing big creatures (toughness >3), they're basically all green.
3. Blue and Red both have several removal spells that kill smaller guys.
4. If I'm not blue or red (and obviously not black), then I'm GW and I'm going to lose round 1 anyway.
Therefore Rattle is unlikely to fill an important hole in my deck and I'm rarely going to splash it. Ichor Slick is similar but it a) cycles and b) draws a card.
I would play Tarox (and Teferi and Magus of the Future) off 9 sources of the color. Less would make me quite uncomfortable.
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Time: 5/12/2012 1:01:34 AM
Players:
curtis41
Rafiq
JoINrbs
doraemyoujin
TDSP
TDOGGY
YoghurtPot99
NacatlFleetfoot
------ TSP ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Tolarian Sentinel
--> Flowstone Channeler
Trespasser il-Vec
Spinneret Sliver
Fortify
Bewilder
Call to the Netherworld
Cyclopean Giant
Brass Gnat
Savage Thallid
Fool's Demise
Basalt Gargoyle
Celestial Crusader
Greater Gargadon
Vhati il-Dal
Pack 1 pick 2:
Thallid Germinator
Terramorphic Expanse
Snapback
Pentarch Ward
Bonesplitter Sliver
Wormwood Dryad
Venser's Sliver
Clockspinning
Bogardan Rager
Ignite Memories
Paradox Haze
Dreadship Reef
Stonebrow, Krosan Hero
--> Suq'Ata Lancer
Pack 1 pick 3:
Mana Skimmer
Fathom Seer
Chromatic Star
--> Looter il-Kor
Gorgon Recluse
Children of Korlis
Viscid Lemures
Haunting Hymn (FOIL)
Dream Stalker
Assembly-Worker
Ghostflame Sliver
Spike Tiller
Disenchant
Pack 1 pick 4:
--> Temporal Isolation
Strength in Numbers
Errant Doomsayers
Sprout
Foriysian Interceptor
Ætherflame Wall
Detainment Spell
Tectonic Fiend
Smallpox
Nightshade Assassin
Saffi Eriksdotter
Squire
Pack 1 pick 5:
Cavalry Master (FOIL)
Ironclaw Buzzardiers
--> Temporal Eddy
Tendrils of Corruption
Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Viashino Bladescout
Ophidian Eye
Molder
Children of Korlis
Primal Forcemage
Jolrael, Empress of Beasts
Pack 1 pick 6:
--> Snapback
Æther Web
Cloudchaser Kestrel
Drudge Reavers
Shadow Sliver
Bogardan Rager
Traitor's Clutch
Spirit Loop
Truth or Tale
Celestial Dawn
Pack 1 pick 7:
--> Ironclaw Buzzardiers
Sidewinder Sliver
Viashino Bladescout
Ophidian Eye
Molder
Dread Return
Fool's Demise
Kher Keep
Spitting Slug
Pack 1 pick 8:
--> Snapback
Pentarch Ward
Venser's Sliver
Clockspinning
Bogardan Rager
Sangrophage
Evil Eye of Urborg
Sindbad
Pack 1 pick 9:
--> Tolarian Sentinel
Fortify
Bewilder
Call to the Netherworld
Cyclopean Giant
Brass Gnat
Fool's Demise
Pack 1 pick 10:
Wormwood Dryad
Venser's Sliver
Clockspinning
Ignite Memories
Paradox Haze
--> Dreadship Reef
Pack 1 pick 11:
Children of Korlis
Viscid Lemures
Haunting Hymn (FOIL)
--> Dream Stalker
Assembly-Worker
Pack 1 pick 12:
Sprout
--> Foriysian Interceptor
Detainment Spell
Squire
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Ironclaw Buzzardiers
Ophidian Eye
Children of Korlis
Pack 1 pick 14:
Traitor's Clutch
--> Spirit Loop
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Ophidian Eye
------ PLC ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Dreamscape Artist
Poultice Sliver
Dead/Gone
Ridged Kusite
Erratic Mutation
Evolution Charm
Reality Acid
Deadly Grub
Prodigal Pyromancer
Seal of Primordium
Mana Tithe
Tidewalker
Phantasmagorian
Calciderm
--> Body Double
Pack 2 pick 2:
Cradle to Grave
Giant Dustwasp
--> Stingscourger
Synchronous Sliver
Blightspeaker
Evolution Charm
Shade of Trokair
Timecrafting (FOIL)
Primal Plasma
Seal of Primordium
Healing Leaves
Hammerheim Deadeye
Sophic Centaur
Dunerider Outlaw
Pack 2 pick 3:
Aven Riftwatcher
Dead/Gone
Reflex Sliver
Citanul Woodreaders
Pallid Mycoderm
--> Keldon Marauders
Dust Corona
Gossamer Phantasm
Fa'adiyah Seer
Brute Force
Waning Wurm
Timecrafting
Frozen Æther
Pack 2 pick 4:
--> Erratic Mutation
Cradle to Grave
Reflex Sliver
Firefright Mage
Blightspeaker
Ghost Tactician
Fury Charm
Melancholy
Merfolk Thaumaturgist
Auramancer's Guise
Dunerider Outlaw
Roiling Horror
Pack 2 pick 5:
Veiling Oddity
Ridged Kusite
Vitaspore Thallid
Brain Gorgers
Fury Charm
Wistful Thinking
Mana Tithe
--> Prodigal Pyromancer
Simian Spirit Guide
Hammerheim Deadeye
Frozen Æther
Pack 2 pick 6:
Aven Riftwatcher
Cradle to Grave
Reflex Sliver
Citanul Woodreaders
Pallid Mycoderm
--> Keldon Marauders
Dust Corona
Simian Spirit Guide
Fa'adiyah Seer
Psychotrope Thallid
Pack 2 pick 7:
Battering Sliver
Reflex Sliver
Whitemane Lion
Midnight Charm
--> Keldon Marauders
Ghost Tactician
Fa'adiyah Seer
Bog Serpent
Merfolk Thaumaturgist
Pack 2 pick 8:
Dreamscape Artist
Ridged Kusite
Dawn Charm
Deadly Grub
Reality Acid
Simian Spirit Guide
Fa'adiyah Seer
--> Jodah's Avenger
Pack 2 pick 9:
Ridged Kusite
--> Erratic Mutation
Reality Acid
Seal of Primordium
Mana Tithe
Tidewalker
Phantasmagorian
Pack 2 pick 10:
Synchronous Sliver
Shade of Trokair
--> Timecrafting (FOIL)
Seal of Primordium
Healing Leaves
Sophic Centaur
Pack 2 pick 11:
Dust Corona
--> Gossamer Phantasm
Fa'adiyah Seer
Waning Wurm
Timecrafting
Pack 2 pick 12:
Firefright Mage
Fury Charm
Merfolk Thaumaturgist
--> Auramancer's Guise
Pack 2 pick 13:
Ridged Kusite
--> Fury Charm
Wistful Thinking
Pack 2 pick 14:
Dust Corona
--> Simian Spirit Guide
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Ghost Tactician
------ FUT ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Bogardan Lancer
Knight of Sursi
Grave Peril
Infiltrator il-Kor (FOIL)
Samite Censer-Bearer
Infiltrator il-Kor
Sarcomite Myr
Henchfiend of Ukor
Thornweald Archer
Death Rattle
Blind Phantasm
Utopia Mycon
Skizzik Surger
Imperiosaur
--> Tarox Bladewing
Pack 3 pick 2:
Llanowar Augur
Augur of Skulls
Sprout Swarm
Samite Censer-Bearer
--> Aven Augur
Ichor Slick
Frenzy Sliver
Mesmeric Sliver
Patrician's Scorn
Sarcomite Myr
Cloudseeder
Minions' Murmurs
Ramosian Revivalist
Bitter Ordeal
Pack 3 pick 3:
Quiet Disrepair
Saltskitter
Unblinking Bleb
Llanowar Augur
Venser's Diffusion
Grave Scrabbler
Henchfiend of Ukor
Whip-Spine Drake
Lymph Sliver
Homing Sliver
--> Keldon Megaliths
Ravaging Riftwurm
Muraganda Petroglyphs
Pack 3 pick 4:
Gift of Granite
Quiet Disrepair
Rift Elemental
Augur il-Vec
Llanowar Empath
Blade of the Sixth Pride
Sarcomite Myr
--> Death Rattle
Homing Sliver
Lost Auramancers
Street Wraith
Bloodshot Trainee
Pack 3 pick 5:
Grave Peril
Wrap in Vigor
Samite Censer-Bearer
--> Infiltrator il-Kor
Putrid Cyclops
Henchfiend of Ukor
Death Rattle
Blind Phantasm
Lumithread Field
Llanowar Reborn
Second Wind
Pack 3 pick 6:
Oblivion Crown
Saltskitter
--> Infiltrator il-Kor
Cutthroat il-Dal
Llanowar Augur
Whip-Spine Drake
Mass of Ghouls
Spirit en-Dal
Narcomoeba
Fleshwrither
Pack 3 pick 7:
Putrid Cyclops
Augur il-Vec
Petrified Plating
Bogardan Lancer
--> Venser's Diffusion
Mass of Ghouls
Vedalken Æthermage
Blade of the Sixth Pride
Emblem of the Warmind
Pack 3 pick 8:
Saltskitter
Unblinking Bleb
Llanowar Augur
--> Venser's Diffusion
Henchfiend of Ukor
Homing Sliver
Spirit en-Dal
Scout's Warning
Pack 3 pick 9:
--> Bogardan Lancer
Grave Peril
Samite Censer-Bearer
Sarcomite Myr
Henchfiend of Ukor
Thornweald Archer
Blind Phantasm
Pack 3 pick 10:
Llanowar Augur
Samite Censer-Bearer
Frenzy Sliver
Patrician's Scorn
Sarcomite Myr
--> Cloudseeder
Pack 3 pick 11:
Saltskitter
Llanowar Augur
--> Venser's Diffusion
Henchfiend of Ukor
Homing Sliver
Pack 3 pick 12:
Rift Elemental
Augur il-Vec
--> Sarcomite Myr
Lost Auramancers
Pack 3 pick 13:
--> Grave Peril
Samite Censer-Bearer
Putrid Cyclops
Pack 3 pick 14:
Oblivion Crown
--> Saltskitter
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Putrid Cyclops
The deck
1 Dreadship Reef
1 Swamp
1 Keldon Megaliths
7 Mountain
6 Island
Creatures - 16
1 Tarox Bladewing
1 Jodah's Avenger
1 Body Double
1 Bogardan Lancer
1 Suq'Ata Lancer
1 Stingscourger
1 Gossamer Phantom
1 Aven Auger
1 Flowstone Channeler
1 Prodigal Pyromancer
1 Looter il-Kor
2 Infiltrator il-Kor
3 Keldon Marauders
1 Snapback
1 Temporal Eddy
1 Death Rattle
1 Auramancer's Guise
2 Erratic Mutation
2 Venser's Diffusion
1 Snapback
1 Venser's Diffusion
1 Fury Charm
1 Temporal Isolation
1 Foriysian Defender
1 Spirit Loop
1 Timecrafting (FOIL)
1 Simian Spirit-Guide
1 Ghost Tactician
1 Cloudseeder
1 Grave Peril
1 Saltskitter
1 Putrid Cyclops
1 Tolarian Sentinel
1 Dream Stalker
2 Ironclaw Buzzardier
The rounds
Played against 5-Color slivers. First play was mine with a Keldon Marauders. Opponent didn't start out doing much aside from dropping a Dreamscape Artist. Attacked with Marauders, opponent passed and eventually used the Artist to achieve full domain before promptly dropping a Sliver Overlord and smashing my face.
Games 2 and 3 my opponent was easily burned out, attempting to stablize and get all 5 colors again, but I made very sure to target Dreamscape Artist when I drew it and bounced anything that got in the way of my creatures.
Round 2
Neither of those games went over very well. Game 1 I got land screwed and my opponent dropped a turn 3 Barbed Shocker, making me ditch a full grip of cards, only to draw a whole 7 more with only ONE land. Tried to stablize for a while, but when it came down to topdeck mode, my opponent's massive amount of removal did me in.
Game 2 I got land screwed again for a while, then color screwed. This game ended pretty quickly with me holding 3 Keldon Marauders, having never seen a single Mountain.
Round 3
Both games this match very little happened. My opponent didn't do anything until turn 4, at which point they dropped Vhati il-Dal. Vhati was no match double Keldon Marauders, Looter, and Infilitrator along with some bounce to slow him down. Pretty much a nut draw for this deck.
Game 2 started out fast again with my opponent going slow and their first creature being Brain Gorgers to my Looter and Lancer. Bounced it the first time, got in, and they replayed it next turn. Sacrificed my Looter to it as I now had a grip I didn't want to discard from. Continued to lay down threats, including Tarox, while my opponent played another Gorger. Promptly traded my Lancer with it and took my opponent to 6. They then Death Rattled Tarox on their turn, only to die my next turn when I used Body Double copying Tarox and attacked for exact damage.
Overall, I really liked the deck. I wonder how the second match would've gone if my land had cooperated with me. Used Death Rattle once, but it was worth it to have and I would splash it again. Marauders are certainly great with bounce and the Kor are so great. I'm happy enough with this draft I think.
Other than that, I like it - this is very much the kind of deck I want to play with. (Although I'm super terrible at TPF, so maybe that isn't a good thing? ;))
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
Whoops. Apparently I forgot to put the sideboard. Actually, to me 2 sources for a single card seemed perfectly fine, especially since I wouldn't need to use Death Rattle unless it was something pretty threatening, given that it would take care of anything big and non-green. The round I had land/mana issues, it wasn't because of drawing the Swamp/Dreadship Reef.
In the sideboard I actually had another Snapback and a third Venser's Diffusion I could have replaced Death Rattle with, but none of those do what the Rattle can.
This is true. So OK, if you really feel it's needed then add another Black source. You may not have had trouble finding it, but two sources just isn't enough (that's not a format thing, the same's true of any format - the odds of both sources being too deep in your deck are just unacceptably high).
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
I don't agree with it (I think you want 3 sources minimum based on the probabilities involved). But there are people who are more comfortable with a destabilised manabase.
I'd also be uncomfortable running Tarox bladewing with less than 10 sources of red, for the same reason.
Edit: Feedback on the draft.
Pack 1 pick 1: Greater Gargadon over Flowstone Channeler
Pack 1 pick 2: Stonebrow, Krosan Hero over Suq'Ata Lancer
Pack 1 pick 5: Jolrael, Empress of Beasts over Temporal Eddy
Pack 1 pick 10: Venser's Sliver over Dreadship Reef
Pack 2 pick 1: Dreamscape Artist over Body Double
Pack 2 pick 2: Giant Dustwasp over Stingscourger
Pack 2 pick 3: Dead/Gone over Keldon Marauders
Pack 2 pick 6: Citanul Woodreaders over Keldon Marauders
Pack 2 pick 7: Battering Sliver over Keldon Marauders
Pack 3 pick 2: Sprout Swarm over Aven Augur
So yeah, I would have been a little more in green instead of the black that you had. Plus Dreamscape Artist is freaking awesome as a manafixer. I *neraly* woul dhave taken the second one over Jodah's Avenger (but that is nuts since the avenger is a bomb).
I'm always leery of Gargodon, since it can take so much effort just to be killed or bounced. Am I just underestimating the power of such a big (and usually hasted) creature? I will also admit I totally did not know that Stonebrow was worth it, same for Jolrael.
I'd always thought that Body Double was pretty good. I will admit that Dreamscape Artist is crazy fixing even for just two colors and am starting to realize how great it is. I can see Dead / Gone and Woodreaders over the Marauders, but is Battering Sliver really better than a Marauder? Am I highly overvaluing the Marauders?
This is a question of decks vs cards.
Battering Sliver is a weak card. However, Marauders is outright unplayable unless you have a sufficiently aggressive deck. On the other hand if you do have a sufficiently aggressive deck it becomes quite good...
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By and large I agree with Merl's picks, so I will just comment on this post.
Gargadon is very good. It has suspend 6ish with no effort since the removal in this block is very good and plentiful, so your stuff tends to die. Once it gets down to 4 counters or less, your opponent has to respect the thought of a giant hasty trampler eating their face if they tap out for anything. Finally, it helps against some of the more annoying effects in the block such as tendrils and enslave. The card you took (channeler) is a 23rd card, and it's about the 6th to 7th best card in that pack depending on your preferences - Gargadon, Celestial Crusader, Gargoyle, Vhati, and Spinneret Sliver are better not close.
Stonebrow pumps himself, so he attacks as a 5 mana 6/6. He is better than every common bar Ephemeron.
Jolrael is respectable, and a decent card. Much better than the marginal to unplayable Temporal Eddy - if I have to play Eddy something went badly wrong given how deep blue is.
Body Double = Rise from the Grave = mid pack pickup. I would have taken Dead/Gone here, it's more powerful than Dreamscape Artist, though given that you have no direction at this point and will likely need to splash, the Artist is at least defensible.
Marauders suck. They read: deal 2 damage spread out over 3 turns to target player. If that player doesn't sacrifice a creature, Marauders does 5 damage instead. Put like that, the card is awful. They're fine in the red aggro deck, but that deck comes together in maybe 1 in 50 drafts. Battering Sliver is better solely because sometimes you get paired against the idiot that thinks slivers is a thing, and then you board it in and it's automatically bigger than their whole army.
I am happy to splash with 2 sources for a single card as long as it costs 5 or more and has a single colored mana. In this block, Lightning Axe and Ichor Slick meet this criteria - I'd splash Death Rattle if pressed but the card is not actually that good on the splash. This is because:
1. If I'm splashing Death Rattle I'm not black.
2. Death Rattle sucks at killing big creatures (toughness >3), they're basically all green.
3. Blue and Red both have several removal spells that kill smaller guys.
4. If I'm not blue or red (and obviously not black), then I'm GW and I'm going to lose round 1 anyway.
Therefore Rattle is unlikely to fill an important hole in my deck and I'm rarely going to splash it. Ichor Slick is similar but it a) cycles and b) draws a card.
I would play Tarox (and Teferi and Magus of the Future) off 9 sources of the color. Less would make me quite uncomfortable.