This was my first try at this cube and I thought it would be an interesting one to take a look at. Lots of interesting decisions and I'd love to hear if people have much knowledge about the kinds of decks that work in this cube and how that should influence choices.
Pack 1 pick 1:
Banishing Light
Azure Mage
Threads of Disloyalty
Elder Deep-Fiend
Fatal Push
Liliana, Heretical Healer
Falkenrath Gorger
Pia and Kiran Nalaar
Hornet Queen
Eldritch Evolution
Geist of Saint Traft
Spell Queller
Lodestone Golem
--> Scalding Tarn
Sulfur Falls
There's some great stuff here, I think. 1-for-1 Removal is historically not as awesome in Cube but Modern might be different? In any case Threads is pretty fantastic as far as removal goes, and there are several good value cards like P&K and Hornet Queen, plus a strong finisher in Deep-Fiend. All that said, as a P1p1 it's hard to imagine doing better than Scalding Tarn IMO.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Return to Dust
Gideon's Lawkeeper
Dissolve
Whirler Rogue
Hero's Downfall
Vampire Hexmage
Anger of the Gods
Hero of Oxid Ridge
Strangleroot Geist
Careful Consideration
Rashmi, Eternities Crafter
Dreadbore
--> Misty Rainforest
Cascade Bluffs
A less interesting pack overall. Hexmage is a combo with Dark Depths but I have no idea if that's even in the cube. Rashmi might be interesting but seems slow, and based on the first pack it seems like there's an awful lot of removal that just shuts her down. Fetchland #2 is still a good place to be I think.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Restoration Angel
Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
Shelldock Isle
Hypnotic Specter
Devoted Druid
--> Bonfire of the Damned
Temporal Isolation
Treetop Village
Tireless Tracker
Pitiless Horde
Lightning Helix
Twilight Mire
Lavaclaw Reaches
I like the idea of Shelldock Isle but without actually knowing what's in the cube it's hard to justify taking it. Also, Bonfire is a busted, busted card. How did this go to 3rd pick?
Pack 1 pick 4:
Dictate of Heliod
Quarantine Field
Tidings
Drana, Liberator of Malakir
Lightning Mauler
--> Chandra, Pyromaster
Vengevine
Jinxed Choker
Selesnya Charm
Perilous Myr
Drowned Catacomb
Flooded Grove
Quarantine Field is silly but suprisingly far off-topic considering my first few picks. Vengevine seems like it might have potential because big hasty guys tend to, and Lightning Mauler might be good for the same reason. Honestly this might have been a mispick looking at it again now, but it's hard to say just because Chandra was really good for me during the actual games. There are a ton of 1-toughness guys in the format.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Emeria Angel
Flickerwisp
--> Temporal Mastery
Faith's Fetters
Distended Mindbender
Smash to Smithereens
Release the Gremlins
Chained to the Rocks
Trygon Predator
Hall of Triumph
Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
I feel like this was a pretty clear mispick. I had an idea that with Bonfire and Mastery I could pick scry stuff highly and do a Miracles theme but looking at the rest of the draft I don't think that's likely to ever happen. Ulamog, Predator, even Smash to Smithereens all seem like better picks to me now.
Pack 1 pick 6:
Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
Martial Coup
Pact of Negation
Rune-Scarred Demon
Zurgo Bellstriker
--> Garruk Relentless
Compulsive Research
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
Breeding Pool
Temple Garden
Anafenza is a combo card but again, who knows how likely I am to pull the necessary stuff, and it's hard to cast for me right now. That leaves it between Breeding Pool, which would turn Tarn into a 3-color fetch, and Garruk, who is just a fairly great card. I passed on the land on the basis that I really like Garruk and no chance he tables, but honestly I don't know which is right.
For some reason Tidings always seems greedy to me. I mean, 1% chance Charm makes my deck, so opportunity cost is practically nil here, but I just never feel comfortable putting such an expensive do-nothing in my deck. In cube doubly so. Thinking forward, my deck ended up with enough ramp to make it work, and in any case I should have taken it here.
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Emeria Angel
Chained to the Rocks
Hall of Triumph
Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Pact of Negation
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
I like the idea of Pact in a deck; it can be a huge blowout. Plus, odds of Nykthos doing anything relevant are slim, given my lack of color-focus.
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Phantasmal Bear
------ C04 ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Student of Warfare
Wake Thrasher
Hanweir Militia Captain
Dark Confidant
Phyrexian Arena
Thriving Grubs
Volt Charge
--> Primeval Titan
Lightning Strike
Flinthoof Boar
Saheeli Rai
Oblivion Stone
Bloodstained Mire
Shivan Reef
Uh, yeah, there's only one pick here. This cements me in heavy green (I was mostly there already, but geez). I even already have a way to tutor him up, in Garruk (yeah, magical Christmasland, I know).
Pack 2 pick 2:
Thalia, Heretic Cathar
Spear of Heliod
Ancestral Vision
Slaughter Pact
Serum Visions
Borderland Marauder
Pestermite
--> Joraga Treespeaker
Master of the Wild Hunt
Ancient Grudge
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
Everflowing Chalice
Smoldering Marsh
Raging Ravine
Pestermite makes me wonder if Twin is in the cube, but cmon, I just took Prime Time. I'm not passing a Treespeaker.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Selfless Spirit
Oblivion Ring
Phantasmal Image
Rune Snag
Pack Rat
--> Greater Gargadon
Tooth and Nail
Odric, Lunarch Marshal
Ajani Vengeant
Qasali Pridemage
Pilgrim's Eye
Temple of Mystery
Woodland Cemetery
Gargadon is a scary card to deal with for a lot of decks and I do love me my haste creatures. Tooth and Nail and Pack Rat are both in the discussion, and Temple of Mystery too because Scrylands are great. Dunno which is the best pick. If there are reasonable sac outlets in the format then Gargs is sweet, sweet value. Ended up not being a super relevant card for me though.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Dragon Hunter
Scatter to the Winds
Sorin Markov
Sidisi, Undead Vizier
Destructive Force
Hellrider
Terastodon
Olivia Voldaren
Voltaic Brawler
--> Sword of Light and Shadow
Godless Shrine
Myr Battlesphere
Hellrider doesn't feel right to me here, although I definitely respect it. Godless Shrine makes me sad because it's the only dual with subtypes I wouldn't auto-play at this point. Maybe Terastodon? The Sword is value though and I have a decent number of targets that are hard to interact with.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Murderous Cut
Enclave Cryptologist
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Mayor of Avabruck
Banefire
Mana Tithe
--> Cultivate
Rishkar, Peema Renegade
Unburial Rites
Progenitor Mimic
Sunpetal Grove
Rishkar, Mayor, Banefire, Mimic all vie for attention. This pack is stacked. I go with the boring ramp route though and trust that I'll find stuff to actually ramp out later on.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Frost Walker
Stratus Dancer
Skinrender
Kargan Dragonlord
Repeal
Kessig Prowler
Wear/Tear
Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
--> Hangarback Walker
Temple of Triumph
Scalable threats that the opponent doesn't want to kill are pretty good in ramp decks, I hear. Turns out there are a lot of ways to deal with this guy without much issue, in this format, but I still think it's correct here. Not really much else to take.
All the mono black payoffs in the same pack. Too bad, I like the idea of that deck. Silent Departure is nice tempo and maybe should have been the pick here, but attacking with hasty 4/4 lands is too much fun to pass up.
Pack 2 pick 8:
Honor of the Pure
Body Double
Guul Draz Assassin
Gifts Ungiven
Masked Admirers
--> Char
Shadowmage Infiltrator
Watery Grave
More reach. I like reach. Kinda thinking around this point that maybe I'm not actually blue? I'm gradually picking out the blue cards and wondering if I need them. If I had taken more of the blue and black that had been going around, I might have just taken the Watery Grave and been thrilled. Gifts seems subpar since I have no graveyard interaction. Body Double looks potentially powerful, too. I dunno.
Pack 2 pick 9:
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Hanweir Militia Captain
Dark Confidant
Thriving Grubs
Volt Charge
--> Flinthoof Boar
Oblivion Stone
This feels like an unintuitive pick, but I think it's probably right. I have a lot of reach and the main thing that gets better with reach is more reach. I ended up playing a lot of planedwalkers though, so maybe Volt Charge would have been better?
Pack 2 pick 10:
Spear of Heliod
Slaughter Pact
Serum Visions
Borderland Marauder
--> Ancient Grudge
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
Haha, 10th pick Serum Visions seems wrong to me, but I'm not going to take it either at this point. Grudge for the sideboard.
Pack 2 pick 11:
Oblivion Ring
Rune Snag
Odric, Lunarch Marshal
Qasali Pridemage
--> Temple of Mystery
I missed a lot of opportunities to make her playable, and she is *fairly* insane when you have a lot of mana. Maybe I can find room for her in a sideboard plan or something. (I don't end up bothering.)
Pack 2 pick 13:
Enclave Cryptologist
--> Mayor of Avabruck
Unburial Rites
This card seems to good to go this late, but this was the super stacked pack from before. I won't complain.
Hey, an endless supply of lifelinking 4/4s with vigilance sounds good to me. This card is stooooopid.
Pack 3 pick 2:
Bygone Bishop
--> Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
Sower of Temptation
Jace Beleren
Dismember
Dead/Gone
Siege-Gang Commander
Avenger of Zendikar
Thirst for Knowledge
Siege Rhino
Sorin, Grim Nemesis
Icy Manipulator
Vivid Grove
Clifftop Retreat
Kind of a weak pack for me, I thought about the Vivid land but my mana requirements are not actually that stringent and a tapland is not going to do me a lot of favors at this point. Dismember is meh, Jace Original Flavor is kinda hard to cast. Avenger isn't bad but I'm not really on the go-wide plan. Maybe Avenger would have been better anyway? I didn't end up playing Jace and I was pretty split on including him even when I took him.
Pack 3 pick 3:
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
Seeker of the Way
Anticipate
Condescend
Gifted Aetherborn
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
Torch Fiend
Rakdos Cackler
--> Outpost Siege
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
Tasigur, the Golden Fang
Palladium Myr
Brushland
Another pack that makes me wish I'd gone to the effort of supporting black earlier in the draft. Tasigur and Ink-Eyes both have the potential to be insane. Gideon is good too, I guess, but geez, Ink-Eyes...
This is probably my last chance to make Misty Rainforest fetch red, which I want. Even so, hard to pass an Eternal Witness. If I had drafted better earlier, I wouldn't have had to make this choice, I think.
This is a strooong pack, but there's only one pick that makes sense for my deck at this point. I like Harmonize a good bit better than Tidings, so I'm happy to see it come up here. Ashiok is another card to put in the "man I wish I had gone black" pile. Not that I'm sad about my deck at this point, but I like stealing the opponents junk even more than ramping into card draw.
Pack 3 pick 6:
Cloudgoat Ranger
Jace, Architect of Thought
Goblin Guide
Ruthless Ripper
--> Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
Prophetic Flamespeaker
Disfigure
Ral Zarek
Kessig Wolf Run
Grafted Wargear
Easily the worst of the planeswalkers I tried in this deck. I think Wolf Run would have been better, honestly.
Pack 3 pick 7:
Gideon, Champion of Justice
Den Protector
Soul Reap
Murderous Redcap
Pyroclasm
--> Duskwatch Recruiter
Nissa, Vital Force
Vraska the Unseen
Yavimaya Coast
I probably already have a lot of planeswalkers and my curve wants a low drop. So I should have taken Den Protector.
Pack 3 pick 8:
Yosei, the Morning Star
Reckless Waif
Gray Merchant of Asphodel
Scavenging Ooze
Earthquake
--> Reclamation Sage
Tragic Slip
Staff of Nin
I am just amazed at how much good stuff is still in packs at this point, but okay. Sage is the strongest tempo play availabel here, and I already have a better Earthquake in the deck. Scavenging Ooze is really good but I haven't seen much graveyard stuff that needs addressing too badly, while I have seen a lot of artifacts.
Pack 3 pick 9:
Angel of Serenity
Meloku the Clouded Mirror
Ulcerate
Hornet Nest
Anguished Unmaking
Temple of Silence
--> Hinterland Harbor
Yes, I took a blue land over Meloku. I played the Harbor and I probably wouldn't have played Meloku. It feels wrong to me still.
Match 1
Game 1 Opponent is on Jeskai colors. I get a fast start with Mayor into Geist, while he's trying to do Young Pyromancer shenanigans. He electrolyzes my guys, which kinda isn't great for him since it just makes my Geist bigger, and I cast Chandra to wreck his board and take over. His whole thing seems to be counterspells, but I out-tempoed him in a big way and he had nothing.
Game 2 Seems like his deck is more proactive this time, but he's still on all little guys and I get Garruk and Chandra to shut him down. He can't develop his board to deal with the 'Walkers and I eventually win with tokens.
Match 2 Opponent is mono-white. Good thing I have Sword of Light and Shadow lurking in my deck, right?
Game 1 I get super mana flooded with Garruk as my only threat for like 9 turns, but thankfully Wall of Roots plus a stream of wolf tokens keeps the pressure off long enough for me to dig my way out. I feel like 'Walkers are just really good in this format assuming you can defend them.
Game 2 Opponent gets an insane start with Shrine of Loyal Legions into Hall of Triumph into Sublime Archangel into Emeria Angel and I just cannot even deal.
Game 3 He has a more conventional curve out this time while I have turn 3 Garruk into turn 4 Batterskull. I feel like that trumps a lot.
Match 3 Opponent is Esper colored.
Game 1 Opponent starts out with Looter il-Kor and T3 Despise+Thalia. This would be a problem except I have Bonfire in hand. He *knows* I have Bonfire because he Despised me. Yet he still plays Venser turn 4 and lets me kill his other creatures. I proceed to get a random selection of blockers down and he has nothing. Either his deck bricked on him really hard or at least he didn't really know how to make it work with what he had.
Game 2 Both of us build out our board for a couple turns and then I play Garruk, flip him, and tutor for Prime Time. Sometime Christmas just comes early. I'm actually super mana flooded though so the game isn't just over (although it would have been if I hadn't stupidly failed to run a white mana source for Colonnade). He kills my threat immediately and I'm left fending him off with Hangarback Walker, which actually works pretty well since he really doesn't want it to die. Eventually he tries to stabilize with Elspeth but I topdeck Harmonize into Sword+Char and that's game.
Overall the deck felt really strong. It had amazing tempo and tons of ways to grind out advantages, but it did have a little bit of a tendency to flood out. I regret not taking the Kessig Wolf Run when I could more than anything, I think. I would have loved to try out the blue I saw going around but the deck that was coming together just didn't seem to need it.
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Time: 3/14/2017 1:48:55 PM
Players:
irakso
--> comeonandgetintheboatfishfish
Nastygram
aklingensmith
empy
ShowSmiles
AirbourneSwine
Jpekblue
------ C04 ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Banishing Light
Azure Mage
Threads of Disloyalty
Elder Deep-Fiend
Fatal Push
Liliana, Heretical Healer
Falkenrath Gorger
Pia and Kiran Nalaar
Hornet Queen
Eldritch Evolution
Geist of Saint Traft
Spell Queller
Lodestone Golem
--> Scalding Tarn
Sulfur Falls
There's some great stuff here, I think. 1-for-1 Removal is historically not as awesome in Cube but Modern might be different? In any case Threads is pretty fantastic as far as removal goes, and there are several good value cards like P&K and Hornet Queen, plus a strong finisher in Deep-Fiend. All that said, as a P1p1 it's hard to imagine doing better than Scalding Tarn IMO.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Return to Dust
Gideon's Lawkeeper
Dissolve
Whirler Rogue
Hero's Downfall
Vampire Hexmage
Anger of the Gods
Hero of Oxid Ridge
Strangleroot Geist
Careful Consideration
Rashmi, Eternities Crafter
Dreadbore
--> Misty Rainforest
Cascade Bluffs
A less interesting pack overall. Hexmage is a combo with Dark Depths but I have no idea if that's even in the cube. Rashmi might be interesting but seems slow, and based on the first pack it seems like there's an awful lot of removal that just shuts her down. Fetchland #2 is still a good place to be I think.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Restoration Angel
Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
Shelldock Isle
Hypnotic Specter
Devoted Druid
--> Bonfire of the Damned
Temporal Isolation
Treetop Village
Tireless Tracker
Pitiless Horde
Lightning Helix
Twilight Mire
Lavaclaw Reaches
I like the idea of Shelldock Isle but without actually knowing what's in the cube it's hard to justify taking it. Also, Bonfire is a busted, busted card. How did this go to 3rd pick?
Pack 1 pick 4:
Dictate of Heliod
Quarantine Field
Tidings
Drana, Liberator of Malakir
Lightning Mauler
--> Chandra, Pyromaster
Vengevine
Jinxed Choker
Selesnya Charm
Perilous Myr
Drowned Catacomb
Flooded Grove
Quarantine Field is silly but suprisingly far off-topic considering my first few picks. Vengevine seems like it might have potential because big hasty guys tend to, and Lightning Mauler might be good for the same reason. Honestly this might have been a mispick looking at it again now, but it's hard to say just because Chandra was really good for me during the actual games. There are a ton of 1-toughness guys in the format.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Emeria Angel
Flickerwisp
--> Temporal Mastery
Faith's Fetters
Distended Mindbender
Smash to Smithereens
Release the Gremlins
Chained to the Rocks
Trygon Predator
Hall of Triumph
Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
I feel like this was a pretty clear mispick. I had an idea that with Bonfire and Mastery I could pick scry stuff highly and do a Miracles theme but looking at the rest of the draft I don't think that's likely to ever happen. Ulamog, Predator, even Smash to Smithereens all seem like better picks to me now.
Pack 1 pick 6:
Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
Martial Coup
Pact of Negation
Rune-Scarred Demon
Zurgo Bellstriker
--> Garruk Relentless
Compulsive Research
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
Breeding Pool
Temple Garden
Anafenza is a combo card but again, who knows how likely I am to pull the necessary stuff, and it's hard to cast for me right now. That leaves it between Breeding Pool, which would turn Tarn into a 3-color fetch, and Garruk, who is just a fairly great card. I passed on the land on the basis that I really like Garruk and no chance he tables, but honestly I don't know which is right.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Solemn Recruit
Trophy Mage
Vendilion Clique
Cloistered Youth
--> Wall of Roots
Burning-Tree Emissary
Phantasmal Bear
Izzet Charm
Windswept Heath
Ramping to four is nice. Trophy Mage and Clique are both cards that seem good but durable mana ramp is sweet and I can cast it easily.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Into the Roil
Brimstone Volley
Liliana Vess
Lifebane Zombie
Flame Javelin
Despise
Sulfurous Springs
--> Celestial Colonnade
My obsession with dual lands continues. Not that there was anything else to take here.
Pack 1 pick 9:
Azure Mage
Threads of Disloyalty
Elder Deep-Fiend
Eldritch Evolution
--> Geist of Saint Traft
Lodestone Golem
Sulfur Falls
I mean, I did just take a u/w land so maybe? This should probably have been Deep-Fiend though. Am I totally missing some reason why that thing tabled?
Pack 1 pick 10:
Return to Dust
Gideon's Lawkeeper
Dissolve
Hero of Oxid Ridge
--> Strangleroot Geist
Careful Consideration
Haste plus value plus good curve considerations, although double green is something to be careful with. Between it and Hero, Geist wins easily.
Pack 1 pick 11:
Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
Temporal Isolation
Treetop Village
Pitiless Horde
--> Lightning Helix
The greed is setting in. Sure, I can be 4-colors for a random removal spell, why not. Should have gone for Treetop Village.
Pack 1 pick 12:
Dictate of Heliod
Tidings
Jinxed Choker
--> Selesnya Charm
For some reason Tidings always seems greedy to me. I mean, 1% chance Charm makes my deck, so opportunity cost is practically nil here, but I just never feel comfortable putting such an expensive do-nothing in my deck. In cube doubly so. Thinking forward, my deck ended up with enough ramp to make it work, and in any case I should have taken it here.
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Emeria Angel
Chained to the Rocks
Hall of Triumph
Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Pact of Negation
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
I like the idea of Pact in a deck; it can be a huge blowout. Plus, odds of Nykthos doing anything relevant are slim, given my lack of color-focus.
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Phantasmal Bear
------ C04 ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Student of Warfare
Wake Thrasher
Hanweir Militia Captain
Dark Confidant
Phyrexian Arena
Thriving Grubs
Volt Charge
--> Primeval Titan
Lightning Strike
Flinthoof Boar
Saheeli Rai
Oblivion Stone
Bloodstained Mire
Shivan Reef
Uh, yeah, there's only one pick here. This cements me in heavy green (I was mostly there already, but geez). I even already have a way to tutor him up, in Garruk (yeah, magical Christmasland, I know).
Pack 2 pick 2:
Thalia, Heretic Cathar
Spear of Heliod
Ancestral Vision
Slaughter Pact
Serum Visions
Borderland Marauder
Pestermite
--> Joraga Treespeaker
Master of the Wild Hunt
Ancient Grudge
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
Everflowing Chalice
Smoldering Marsh
Raging Ravine
Pestermite makes me wonder if Twin is in the cube, but cmon, I just took Prime Time. I'm not passing a Treespeaker.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Selfless Spirit
Oblivion Ring
Phantasmal Image
Rune Snag
Pack Rat
--> Greater Gargadon
Tooth and Nail
Odric, Lunarch Marshal
Ajani Vengeant
Qasali Pridemage
Pilgrim's Eye
Temple of Mystery
Woodland Cemetery
Gargadon is a scary card to deal with for a lot of decks and I do love me my haste creatures. Tooth and Nail and Pack Rat are both in the discussion, and Temple of Mystery too because Scrylands are great. Dunno which is the best pick. If there are reasonable sac outlets in the format then Gargs is sweet, sweet value. Ended up not being a super relevant card for me though.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Dragon Hunter
Scatter to the Winds
Sorin Markov
Sidisi, Undead Vizier
Destructive Force
Hellrider
Terastodon
Olivia Voldaren
Voltaic Brawler
--> Sword of Light and Shadow
Godless Shrine
Myr Battlesphere
Hellrider doesn't feel right to me here, although I definitely respect it. Godless Shrine makes me sad because it's the only dual with subtypes I wouldn't auto-play at this point. Maybe Terastodon? The Sword is value though and I have a decent number of targets that are hard to interact with.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Murderous Cut
Enclave Cryptologist
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Mayor of Avabruck
Banefire
Mana Tithe
--> Cultivate
Rishkar, Peema Renegade
Unburial Rites
Progenitor Mimic
Sunpetal Grove
Rishkar, Mayor, Banefire, Mimic all vie for attention. This pack is stacked. I go with the boring ramp route though and trust that I'll find stuff to actually ramp out later on.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Frost Walker
Stratus Dancer
Skinrender
Kargan Dragonlord
Repeal
Kessig Prowler
Wear/Tear
Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
--> Hangarback Walker
Temple of Triumph
Scalable threats that the opponent doesn't want to kill are pretty good in ramp decks, I hear. Turns out there are a lot of ways to deal with this guy without much issue, in this format, but I still think it's correct here. Not really much else to take.
Pack 2 pick 7:
Silent Departure
Voidmage Prodigy
Dungeon Geists
Geralf's Messenger
Phyrexian Obliterator
--> Koth of the Hammer
Clever Impersonator
Maelstrom Pulse
Karplusan Forest
All the mono black payoffs in the same pack. Too bad, I like the idea of that deck. Silent Departure is nice tempo and maybe should have been the pick here, but attacking with hasty 4/4 lands is too much fun to pass up.
Pack 2 pick 8:
Honor of the Pure
Body Double
Guul Draz Assassin
Gifts Ungiven
Masked Admirers
--> Char
Shadowmage Infiltrator
Watery Grave
More reach. I like reach. Kinda thinking around this point that maybe I'm not actually blue? I'm gradually picking out the blue cards and wondering if I need them. If I had taken more of the blue and black that had been going around, I might have just taken the Watery Grave and been thrilled. Gifts seems subpar since I have no graveyard interaction. Body Double looks potentially powerful, too. I dunno.
Pack 2 pick 9:
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Hanweir Militia Captain
Dark Confidant
Thriving Grubs
Volt Charge
--> Flinthoof Boar
Oblivion Stone
This feels like an unintuitive pick, but I think it's probably right. I have a lot of reach and the main thing that gets better with reach is more reach. I ended up playing a lot of planedwalkers though, so maybe Volt Charge would have been better?
Pack 2 pick 10:
Spear of Heliod
Slaughter Pact
Serum Visions
Borderland Marauder
--> Ancient Grudge
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
Haha, 10th pick Serum Visions seems wrong to me, but I'm not going to take it either at this point. Grudge for the sideboard.
Pack 2 pick 11:
Oblivion Ring
Rune Snag
Odric, Lunarch Marshal
Qasali Pridemage
--> Temple of Mystery
Pack 2 pick 12:
Sorin Markov
Destructive Force
--> Olivia Voldaren
Voltaic Brawler
I missed a lot of opportunities to make her playable, and she is *fairly* insane when you have a lot of mana. Maybe I can find room for her in a sideboard plan or something. (I don't end up bothering.)
Pack 2 pick 13:
Enclave Cryptologist
--> Mayor of Avabruck
Unburial Rites
This card seems to good to go this late, but this was the super stacked pack from before. I won't complain.
Pack 2 pick 14:
--> Stratus Dancer
Kargan Dragonlord
This ended up being the only actual "blue" card I maindecked.
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Voidmage Prodigy
------ C04 ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Angel of Serenity
Rattleclaw Mystic
Meloku the Clouded Mirror
Looter il-Kor
Ulcerate
Doom Blade
Chandra, Flamecaller
Thunderbreak Regent
Viridian Emissary
Hornet Nest
Ultimate Price
Anguished Unmaking
--> Batterskull
Temple of Silence
Hinterland Harbor
Hey, an endless supply of lifelinking 4/4s with vigilance sounds good to me. This card is stooooopid.
Pack 3 pick 2:
Bygone Bishop
--> Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
Sower of Temptation
Jace Beleren
Dismember
Dead/Gone
Siege-Gang Commander
Avenger of Zendikar
Thirst for Knowledge
Siege Rhino
Sorin, Grim Nemesis
Icy Manipulator
Vivid Grove
Clifftop Retreat
Kind of a weak pack for me, I thought about the Vivid land but my mana requirements are not actually that stringent and a tapland is not going to do me a lot of favors at this point. Dismember is meh, Jace Original Flavor is kinda hard to cast. Avenger isn't bad but I'm not really on the go-wide plan. Maybe Avenger would have been better anyway? I didn't end up playing Jace and I was pretty split on including him even when I took him.
Pack 3 pick 3:
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
Seeker of the Way
Anticipate
Condescend
Gifted Aetherborn
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
Torch Fiend
Rakdos Cackler
--> Outpost Siege
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
Tasigur, the Golden Fang
Palladium Myr
Brushland
Another pack that makes me wish I'd gone to the effort of supporting black earlier in the draft. Tasigur and Ink-Eyes both have the potential to be insane. Gideon is good too, I guess, but geez, Ink-Eyes...
Pack 3 pick 4:
Imposing Sovereign
Rabid Bite
Crystal Shard
Confiscate
Brain Maggot
Nightveil Specter
Firedrinker Satyr
Eternal Witness
Far/Away
Bant Charm
--> Cinder Glade
Canopy Vista
This is probably my last chance to make Misty Rainforest fetch red, which I want. Even so, hard to pass an Eternal Witness. If I had drafted better earlier, I wouldn't have had to make this choice, I think.
Pack 3 pick 5:
Elspeth Tirel
Riftwing Cloudskate
Dissipate
Damnation
Boom/Bust
--> Harmonize
Remand
Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
Westvale Abbey
Stirring Wildwood
Isolated Chapel
This is a strooong pack, but there's only one pick that makes sense for my deck at this point. I like Harmonize a good bit better than Tidings, so I'm happy to see it come up here. Ashiok is another card to put in the "man I wish I had gone black" pile. Not that I'm sad about my deck at this point, but I like stealing the opponents junk even more than ramping into card draw.
Pack 3 pick 6:
Cloudgoat Ranger
Jace, Architect of Thought
Goblin Guide
Ruthless Ripper
--> Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
Prophetic Flamespeaker
Disfigure
Ral Zarek
Kessig Wolf Run
Grafted Wargear
Easily the worst of the planeswalkers I tried in this deck. I think Wolf Run would have been better, honestly.
Pack 3 pick 7:
Gideon, Champion of Justice
Den Protector
Soul Reap
Murderous Redcap
Pyroclasm
--> Duskwatch Recruiter
Nissa, Vital Force
Vraska the Unseen
Yavimaya Coast
I probably already have a lot of planeswalkers and my curve wants a low drop. So I should have taken Den Protector.
Pack 3 pick 8:
Yosei, the Morning Star
Reckless Waif
Gray Merchant of Asphodel
Scavenging Ooze
Earthquake
--> Reclamation Sage
Tragic Slip
Staff of Nin
I am just amazed at how much good stuff is still in packs at this point, but okay. Sage is the strongest tempo play availabel here, and I already have a better Earthquake in the deck. Scavenging Ooze is really good but I haven't seen much graveyard stuff that needs addressing too badly, while I have seen a lot of artifacts.
Pack 3 pick 9:
Angel of Serenity
Meloku the Clouded Mirror
Ulcerate
Hornet Nest
Anguished Unmaking
Temple of Silence
--> Hinterland Harbor
Yes, I took a blue land over Meloku. I played the Harbor and I probably wouldn't have played Meloku. It feels wrong to me still.
Pack 3 pick 10:
Jace Beleren
--> Dead/Gone
Thirst for Knowledge
Siege Rhino
Sorin, Grim Nemesis
Icy Manipulator
Pack 3 pick 11:
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
--> Torch Fiend
Rakdos Cackler
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
Brushland
Goodbye sweet ninja.
Pack 3 pick 12:
--> Rabid Bite
Crystal Shard
Nightveil Specter
Canopy Vista
Fine, I'll take some removal. Grudgingly. And I won't maindeck it.
Pack 3 pick 13:
Dissipate
Stirring Wildwood
--> Isolated Chapel
Pack 3 pick 14:
--> Prophetic Flamespeaker
Grafted Wargear
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Den Protector
...What.
5 Mountain
1 Island
1 Hinterland Harbor
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Cinder Glade
1 Temple of Mystery
1 Celestial Colonnade
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Stratus Dancer
1 Den Protector
1 Duskwatch Recruit
1 Flinthoof Boar
1 Mayor of Avabruck
1 Wall of Roots
1 Stangleroot Geist
1 Char
1 Cultivate
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Outpost Seige
1 Chandra, Pyromancer
1 Koth of the Hammer
1 Garruk Relentless
1 Harmonize
1 Sarkhan the Dragonspeaker
1 Batterskull
1 Primeval Titan
1 Bonfire of the Damned
1 Hangarback Walker
1 Greater Gargadon
Game 1 Opponent is on Jeskai colors. I get a fast start with Mayor into Geist, while he's trying to do Young Pyromancer shenanigans. He electrolyzes my guys, which kinda isn't great for him since it just makes my Geist bigger, and I cast Chandra to wreck his board and take over. His whole thing seems to be counterspells, but I out-tempoed him in a big way and he had nothing.
Game 2 Seems like his deck is more proactive this time, but he's still on all little guys and I get Garruk and Chandra to shut him down. He can't develop his board to deal with the 'Walkers and I eventually win with tokens.
Match 2 Opponent is mono-white. Good thing I have Sword of Light and Shadow lurking in my deck, right?
Game 1 I get super mana flooded with Garruk as my only threat for like 9 turns, but thankfully Wall of Roots plus a stream of wolf tokens keeps the pressure off long enough for me to dig my way out. I feel like 'Walkers are just really good in this format assuming you can defend them.
Game 2 Opponent gets an insane start with Shrine of Loyal Legions into Hall of Triumph into Sublime Archangel into Emeria Angel and I just cannot even deal.
Game 3 He has a more conventional curve out this time while I have turn 3 Garruk into turn 4 Batterskull. I feel like that trumps a lot.
Match 3 Opponent is Esper colored.
Game 1 Opponent starts out with Looter il-Kor and T3 Despise+Thalia. This would be a problem except I have Bonfire in hand. He *knows* I have Bonfire because he Despised me. Yet he still plays Venser turn 4 and lets me kill his other creatures. I proceed to get a random selection of blockers down and he has nothing. Either his deck bricked on him really hard or at least he didn't really know how to make it work with what he had.
Game 2 Both of us build out our board for a couple turns and then I play Garruk, flip him, and tutor for Prime Time. Sometime Christmas just comes early. I'm actually super mana flooded though so the game isn't just over (although it would have been if I hadn't stupidly failed to run a white mana source for Colonnade). He kills my threat immediately and I'm left fending him off with Hangarback Walker, which actually works pretty well since he really doesn't want it to die. Eventually he tries to stabilize with Elspeth but I topdeck Harmonize into Sword+Char and that's game.
Overall the deck felt really strong. It had amazing tempo and tons of ways to grind out advantages, but it did have a little bit of a tendency to flood out. I regret not taking the Kessig Wolf Run when I could more than anything, I think. I would have loved to try out the blue I saw going around but the deck that was coming together just didn't seem to need it.