My first impulse is to pick the Charm too, mainly because Simic has next to zero removal. The bounce target creature ability can straight up save my life. Also, it's nice to have the giant growth and hexproof ability as well.
This. The charm is solid for simic in all its modes without any help. The krasis is conditionally good - although admittedly it is also a strong card.
Do you have a MTG related stream or youtube Channel? No, but I watch numerous streams with modern being my favorite content second to drafts.
Do you have a MTG related blog and or podcast? No.
Do you participate in the MTGS Modern Tournaments (Lantern or DolZero)? No. I didn't know MTGS hosted tournaments until I read this thread.
Do you participate in Bippy's PRE's on MTGO. I don't know what PRE's are, but I read Bippy's reports/graphs on the metagame.
Have you participated in a Modern PTQ? No, but I plan to in paper after I acquire more cards. I have played in a sanctioned 1k modern tournament in my hometown.
Do you play any form of online MTG, if so what platforms? Yes MTGO - modern, draft, and pauper.
Any other constructive thoughts you have on this topic. I draft often in paper and I like the thought of modern where you can stick to a particular deck for a long time (as opposed to standard where in a week you have to sell/trade cards). I'm building up my collection via trading to be able to play modern regularly. I'm very excited about the upcoming modern masters set. I think promotion of streams/blogs would be ok if it is somehow restricted so only 5% or less of the threads have such content.
What do you guys think about siding in the splash on the draw? A boros deck would be more likely to have longer game in that situation which would increase the value of clan defiance?
I found it interesting that the winner ran 3 counters including 2 Spell Rupture. I had considered that card unplayable, maybe I need to think again. Perhaps it's a solid 1-of in simic?
Anyhow to answer the original question, I have drafted simic numerous times in paper and the pattern I am seeing is you are swimming in good creatures like Drakewing Krasis, Frilled Oculus, and Shambleshark.
The green denizen seems to be wheeling, it's a very good card that is undervalued right now so you can pick one up late.
What you need to pick extremely highly are simic charm and pit fight. Simic has nearly no removal so they are the best you are going to get. To a lesser extent you want one copy of totally lost, but that goes late.
I don't agree. I read a drafting strategy guide from a pro who favored a particular archetype in draft during alara and he purposefully passed a very high power card p1p1 during a tournament because he wanted to be in specific colors. He made his signal very strong and it worked out for him.
When I am looking at p1p1 I often think "is there something I can pass here that will send a signal" - if you are forcing something and have no way to communicate it or you are not consistent (e.g. not willing to pass a bomb) then I do agree with NoHeavenNoHell, you can end up with not enough playables.
This has a lot to do with your hate drafting strategy as well - forcing works better if you avoid hate drafting unless there is absolutely no signaling value left (e.g. pack 3).
I mostly focus on my creature curve at my LGS, so that's why I only listed creatures.
Also, when doing paper drafts at your LGS, how do you guys keep track of how many creatures vs. removal vs. cc of each vs. whatever?
As a rule of thumb, I don't play a deck with less than 12 creatures, so I'm often only really keeping track of my creature count. I make my picks based on which card is flat out better unless I am behind on my creature count - I can usually remember if I am behind on 2 drops or 3 drops at the current stage in the draft.
Thanks Sabre - I updated my mana base. I'm still not sure about rancor vs mutagenic growth. The primer seems to favor rancor with mutagenics as optional so I'm going to test it out this way first.
his solution to melira is abrupt decay which G/U doesn't have
The solutions I am thinking about against melira are Dismember, Beast Within, and maybe even Rapid Hybridization/Pongify? Would I rather take 4 life or give them a 3/3 to kill a melira.. hmm.
I'm almost thinking about adding white since the hierarchs can produce white for path. Bant infect?
Now that Jund was nerfed I think Infect could be a lot more fun to play. Prior to Zendikar rotating out of standard, I played G/U Infect with only Glistener Elves, Blighted Agents, and Inkmoth for creatures. It had Ponder so it was actually quite consistent.
I want to try and apply the same principle to an infect deck in modern with a deck designed around getting out a blighted agent and protecting it.
EDIT - I have updated this list several times based on feedback
I would greatly appreciate any feedback - especially on whether Spellskite mainboard is a viable idea and whether I have the right balance of creatures/protection/pump.
Spellskite nearly shuts down infect and it's a very common sideboard card because it is also effective against bogles, half of twin, and burn. You almost have to assume they are siding in spellskite game 2.
My question is how strong is electrolyze in the current meta. Did it get stronger or weaker post bannings?
This. The charm is solid for simic in all its modes without any help. The krasis is conditionally good - although admittedly it is also a strong card.
Do you have a MTG related blog and or podcast? No.
Do you participate in the MTGS Modern Tournaments (Lantern or DolZero)? No. I didn't know MTGS hosted tournaments until I read this thread.
Do you participate in Bippy's PRE's on MTGO. I don't know what PRE's are, but I read Bippy's reports/graphs on the metagame.
Have you participated in a Modern PTQ? No, but I plan to in paper after I acquire more cards. I have played in a sanctioned 1k modern tournament in my hometown.
Do you play any form of online MTG, if so what platforms? Yes MTGO - modern, draft, and pauper.
Any other constructive thoughts you have on this topic. I draft often in paper and I like the thought of modern where you can stick to a particular deck for a long time (as opposed to standard where in a week you have to sell/trade cards). I'm building up my collection via trading to be able to play modern regularly. I'm very excited about the upcoming modern masters set. I think promotion of streams/blogs would be ok if it is somehow restricted so only 5% or less of the threads have such content.
The green denizen seems to be wheeling, it's a very good card that is undervalued right now so you can pick one up late.
What you need to pick extremely highly are simic charm and pit fight. Simic has nearly no removal so they are the best you are going to get. To a lesser extent you want one copy of totally lost, but that goes late.
I don't agree. I read a drafting strategy guide from a pro who favored a particular archetype in draft during alara and he purposefully passed a very high power card p1p1 during a tournament because he wanted to be in specific colors. He made his signal very strong and it worked out for him.
When I am looking at p1p1 I often think "is there something I can pass here that will send a signal" - if you are forcing something and have no way to communicate it or you are not consistent (e.g. not willing to pass a bomb) then I do agree with NoHeavenNoHell, you can end up with not enough playables.
This has a lot to do with your hate drafting strategy as well - forcing works better if you avoid hate drafting unless there is absolutely no signaling value left (e.g. pack 3).
1x 1cc creatures
5x 2cc creatures
4x 3cc creatures
2x 4cc creatures
1x 5cc creatures
0x 6cc+ creatures
I mostly focus on my creature curve at my LGS, so that's why I only listed creatures.
As a rule of thumb, I don't play a deck with less than 12 creatures, so I'm often only really keeping track of my creature count. I make my picks based on which card is flat out better unless I am behind on my creature count - I can usually remember if I am behind on 2 drops or 3 drops at the current stage in the draft.
The solutions I am thinking about against melira are Dismember, Beast Within, and maybe even Rapid Hybridization/Pongify? Would I rather take 4 life or give them a 3/3 to kill a melira.. hmm.
I'm almost thinking about adding white since the hierarchs can produce white for path. Bant infect?
Now that Jund was nerfed I think Infect could be a lot more fun to play. Prior to Zendikar rotating out of standard, I played G/U Infect with only Glistener Elves, Blighted Agents, and Inkmoth for creatures. It had Ponder so it was actually quite consistent.
I want to try and apply the same principle to an infect deck in modern with a deck designed around getting out a blighted agent and protecting it.
4 inkmoth nexus
4 breeding pool
4 misty rainforest
4 verdant catacomb
2 pendelhaven
1 cathedral of war
1 forest
Creatures
4 glistener elf
4 noble hierach
4 blighted agent
3 spellskite
4 ichorclaw myr
4 serum visions
4 vines of vastwood
4 might of old krosa
4 groundswell
2 rancor
1 distortion strike
1 simic charm
1 apostle's blessing
3 nature's claim
1 seal of primordium
2 pithing needle
1 back to nature
2 hurkyl's recall
2 spreading seas
1 grafdigger's cage
1 simic charm
1 spellskite
1 dismember
EDIT - I have updated this list several times based on feedback
I would greatly appreciate any feedback - especially on whether Spellskite mainboard is a viable idea and whether I have the right balance of creatures/protection/pump.