In my continuing efforts to succeed at this wily format, I transformed a playset of Dismember into a draft set, a thoroughly confusing but pleasant surprise. I then hopped in an 8-4 queue to test my mettle and hopefully avoid people playing Mindcrank.dek.
The draft:
Event #: 2516380
Time: 6/23/2011 12:03:12 PM
Players:
Backstreet
Moist von Lipwig
umbrella_merc
Pablo Figuero
--> metaghost
fernet
Mrmanbearpig
siratama74
I think this is the third time in my past 5 drafts that I've opened this pack, and each time I take the Volt Charge. Anyone have experience with Spellskite in draft? I'm assuming it just eats a removal spell.
This is something of a mediocre pack, and I was sorely tempted by the Impaler Shrike, but decided to stay on color and Razor Swine is a fine little defender and can pack a punch with some equipment.
I'm really glad these come so late. Not that it isn't easy for a pack to have 3 better cards, especially if you aren't Red, I just like how dependable the card is.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Parasitic Implant
Deceiver Exarch
Viridian Harvest
Scrapyard Salvo
Chained Throatseeker
Mountain
--> Slash Panther
Corrosive Gale
War Report
Insatiable Souleater
Toxic Nim
I almost didn't see the Panther, hidden in the top right corner next to a foil land. Exarch may have been the right time to move into blue, but it's still a little early for a second color.
Round One vs. Moist von Lipwig (Monoblack Infect + Removal Suite)
Game 1 - Put on the play, I keep a hand of {3x Mountain, Panic Spellbomb, Razor Swine, Skinwing, Saberclaw Golem}, opening with Mountain > Spellbomb. My opponent plays a turn 2 Plague Stinger, which I use to cycle my spellbomb in Blisterstick Shaman. I draw into an Island and cast the Shaman, killing Stinger. I get in there with the Shaman and cast Skinwing, which my opponent promptly Drills the Pith out of. My opponent uses Moriok Replica and Phyrexian Rager to draw into some business, including Sangromancer, while I'm holding just a Pith Driller and Arc Trail. He uses Grim Affliction to blow me out in a misguided combat phase, gaining 10 life in the process, but I use the Driller and Arc Trail to clear his board as well. He has a grip of removal, keeping my board clear, but he's not putting much pressure on me as he's only got a Flensermite pecking away. Once he casts a Whispering Specter, I use Flamefiend (sadly sacrificing Skinwing) to clear his board. At this point, he finally runs out of gas (and removal) and Flamefiend bashes in to deal a full 20.
Game 2 - With my opponent stocked on removal, having shown 2x Grim Affliction, Geth's Verdict, Spread the Sickness, Pith Driller, and Go for the Throat, it seems imperative that I bring in the Apostle's Blessing.
Again I'm on the play and keep {2x Mountain, Island, Immolating Souleater, Pith Driller, Into the Core, Mindculling}, leading with Mountain. The first few turns are bit of back and forth, with him using Pith Driller and Mortarpod to eat up my board, while I have Shaman and then Into the Core to eat up his board. There's no action for a few turns, he's just playing lands while I draw removal, I Mindculling him, but he just discards lands and I draw into Disperse and Apostle's Blessing. He then drops Moriok Replica, which he uses to draw into Sangromancer (again) and a Geth's Verdict for my Pith Driller. When he goes the Verdict me, I bounce the Sangromancer, then Artillerize him to the dome. When he replays the Sangromancer, I have Volt Charge, then get in there with Ogre Resistor for the win a couple turns later, after he casts Grim Affliction to weaken the Ogre.
Round Two vs. Pablo Figuero (RW Bombathon)
Game 1 - I was the last match to finish round 1, so I didn't have time to scope him out. He puts me on the play, revealing Chancellor of the Annex. I keep a hand of {4x Mountain, Into the Core, Artillerize, Pith Driller}, a slow hand but powerful. I cast a turn 3 Gust-Skimmer, cancelling the Chancellor effect, while he's just playing lands and searching for lands with Wellsprings. His first board presence is a Wall of Tanglecord and Origin Spellbomb, which I promptly exile to continuing punching him in the face. I keep the tempo up by Dispersing his next creature, then Artillerizing him when he goes to Divine Offering the Gust-Skimmer. After hitting him with a Slash Panther, I draw Flamefiend for the win before he hits 7 lands.
Game 2 - I again side in the Apostle's Blessing and a Vulshok Refugee, taking out Copper Carapace and Razor Swine. He puts me on the play and I keep {2x Mountain, 2x Island, Arc Trail, Volt Charge, Into the Core}, presumably enough removal to keep him occupied. Impatient for some reason, I Arc Trail his t2 Spined Thopter, getting a little extra value out his phyrexian payment. I then Volt Charge his Ogre Resistor, only to regret my plays so far when he drops Jor Kadeen. My only response is to play a Flameborn Viron and pass the turn. He casts a Slash Panther and gets in for 9, putting me to 11, but I remain confident thanks to the recently drawn Apostle's Blessing in hand. I drop a Slash Panther of my own and pass the turn with one Mountain up. He taps out for a Flameborn Hellion and crashes in with everything, only to lose Jor Kadeen to my pro-white Viron and the Hellion to the Slash Panther. I then ride the Viron to victory, as his Contagion Engine is dropped far too late to matter.
Round Three vs. fernet (W/g aggro)
Game 1 - This time my previous match was over hell quick, so I scoped out this guy's first round. He was playing your typical Glint Hawk aggro built, sort've like Juza's style of decks circa 3xScars, recurring Necrogen Censors and dropping lots of fliers. He also had a couple Arrest, Slice in Twain, and Blinding Souleater. He had me worried, but it seemed like as long as I could clear his board of air threats I would be ok. I finally win a die roll and choose to draw, keeping {3x Mountain, Arc Trail, Blisterstick Shaman, Razor Swine, Into the Core}. I had Into the Core in damn near every opening hand. He drops a t2 Viridian Claw > t3 Glint Hawk, but I'm in no danger as he drops Blinding Souleater on t4, letting me exile the Claw and Souleater, and keep pressure on with a Gust-Skimmer and Razor Swine. He then concedes somewhat abruptly at 10 life and 6 poison, even though I'm at 9.
Game 2 - He puts me on the draw and I keep {Mountain, Island, Galvanic Blast, Panic Spellbomb, Saberclaw Golem, Mindculling}. Felt like a good hand, albeit slow. And yes, it was way too slow. The turning point was that I went to Blast his Glint Hawk Idol, only to have him Mutagenic Growth it. He then had Blinding Souleater and a legion of fliers to keep me off-balance and I never saw the Into the Core or Skinwing that were my only real means of Stabilizing. Once he drops a normal Glint Hawk and Kemba's Skyguard, I scoop it up after Gitaxian Probing his hand and seeing {Arrest, Slice in Twain, Molder Beast, Divine Offering}.
Game 3 - Concerned about the speed of his deck, I decide to put him on the draw, but keep a powerfully awkward hand of {3x Island, Leaden Myr, Immolating Souleater, Into the Core}. Yes, another opener with Into the Core. I manage to drawing into Mountains, and the key play here is that when I go to Into the Core he decides to save the Souleater with his Apostle's Blessing, instead of his Glint Hawk Idol. I then stabilize my board with Gust-Skimmer and Ogre Resistor, finally casting Volition Reins on his Leonin Skyhunter. Unable to draw his Slice in Twain, he eventually scoops it up after I drop a Viron and Saberclaw Golem.
Definitely a 17 land deck. You have a triple blue spell and only 6 Islands. I would just cut the off color myr or the probe for another land. Then i would cut the accorder's shield for a Psychic Barrier, which does much more work, and had a mana base of 9/8.
Anyway, nice draft overall. Not a bunch of pick disputes just some nit-picky stuff I wont go into. Congrats on the win.
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Highest DCI Limited Rating: 2022
I was playing a draft the second week up avacyn being out and i was constructing my deck when the guy across from me spilled his cherry kool-aid all over mine and his cards, he had a griselbrand and I had a cavern of souls.
Spellskite is ridiculously good, I would take it over Volt Charge. It invalidates all your opponents combat tricks as well as removal. A lot of removal cannnot even get rid of it (volt charge, burn the impure, etc). Plus it holds up the ground pretty well. It will trade with a premium removal and does not even commit you to a color. What more can you ask for 2 mana?
Good to know. I mean, I understand what the card can do, but having never played with it or against it, I didn't really know how to evaluate it in context.
Yeah, I think Spellskite is the pick there. He blanks a lot of non-artifact removal as a 0/4 and your opponent's pump/protection spells. At the very least he improves all of your threats to require that they have two spells/ways to deal with it. Plus he blocks 3/xs all day long all for only 2 mana and a little bleeding, or no bleeding if you're playing blue.
Save a kill spell to deal with this guy.
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Spellskite is so good that I frequently aim a kill spell at my opponent's bomb just to get in two damage when it's redirected to Spellskite, then celebrate that the darn thing is off the table.
If you really want to frustrate your opponent, run Remember the Fallen on top of your Spellskite.
Glad to see that other people have done work recommending Spellskite.
The other thing is that it's 6.50 at the major chains, and it's good enough that even if something else might be slightly better, it's worth the raredraft.
Since other people have covered the Spellskite specifics, I had a more general question.
How many people talking about Spellskite drafted Invasion block? This is basically a very cheap Flagbearer, and anyone who drafted a lot back then should know how obnoxious the ability is.
I never drafted Invasion, but I have a Coalition Honor Guard in my Prismatic deck. As soon as I saw Spellskite on the spoiler my reaction was basically "Ooh, cheap Flagbearer!".
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Since other people have covered the Spellskite specifics, I had a more general question.
How many people talking about Spellskite drafted Invasion block? This is basically a very cheap Flagbearer, and anyone who drafted a lot back then should know how obnoxious the ability is.
Exactly. The important thing about spellskite (and flagbearers) is that they basically blank any spell or ability that can target it but not deal with it. This wrecks pingers, tricks, and about half the removal in the set, and hurts tappers and bounce.
I never drafted Invasion, but I have a Coalition Honor Guard in my Prismatic deck. As soon as I saw Spellskite on the spoiler my reaction was basically "Ooh, cheap Flagbearer!".
As someone who has drafted Invasion, let me assure you that card was even more annoying than it looks. And it was common, so seeing a deck with 2 was not outside the realm of possibility. It invalidates so many cards and you can't even use combat tricks to get rid of it in the unlikely chance they block with it (Consume Strength excepted).
So yeah, never seen Spellskite in limited but I would have to guess it's pretty good too.
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The draft:
Event #: 2516380
Time: 6/23/2011 12:03:12 PM
Players:
Backstreet
Moist von Lipwig
umbrella_merc
Pablo Figuero
--> metaghost
fernet
Mrmanbearpig
siratama74
------ NPH ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Swamp
Surge Node
Apostle's Blessing
Auriok Survivors (FOIL)
--> Volt Charge
Impaler Shrike
Spellskite
Shriek Raptor
Psychic Barrier
Mycosynth Wellspring
Numbing Dose
Whispering Specter
Master Splicer
Ogre Menial
Pestilent Souleater
I think this is the third time in my past 5 drafts that I've opened this pack, and each time I take the Volt Charge. Anyone have experience with Spellskite in draft? I'm assuming it just eats a removal spell.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Glistening Oil
Viridian Betrayers
Furnace Scamp
Spined Thopter
Vapor Snag
Inquisitor Exarch
Thundering Tanadon
Victorious Destruction (FOIL)
Plains
--> Pith Driller
Postmortem Lunge
Immolating Souleater
Rotted Hystrix
Trespassing Souleater
Pretty easy pick. Decent pack, but unless you were hellbent on aggro, I'm not sure anyone would debate this.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Plains
Surge Node
Shrine of Piercing Vision
Geth's Verdict
Viridian Harvest
Impaler Shrike
--> Razor Swine
Dispatch
Sensor Splicer
Death-Hood Cobra
Pristine Talisman
Toxic Nim
Flameborn Viron
This is something of a mediocre pack, and I was sorely tempted by the Impaler Shrike, but decided to stay on color and Razor Swine is a fine little defender and can pack a punch with some equipment.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Geth's Verdict
Loxodon Convert
Vulshok Refugee
Chancellor of the Tangle
Evil Presence
--> Artillerize
Hovermyr
Ruthless Invasion
Mountain
Maul Splicer
Gitaxian Probe
Mutagenic Growth
I'm really glad these come so late. Not that it isn't easy for a pack to have 3 better cards, especially if you aren't Red, I just like how dependable the card is.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Parasitic Implant
Deceiver Exarch
Viridian Harvest
Scrapyard Salvo
Chained Throatseeker
Mountain
--> Slash Panther
Corrosive Gale
War Report
Insatiable Souleater
Toxic Nim
I almost didn't see the Panther, hidden in the top right corner next to a foil land. Exarch may have been the right time to move into blue, but it's still a little early for a second color.
Pack 1 pick 6:
Island
Apostle's Blessing
Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
Suture Priest
Vapor Snag
Vulshok Refugee
--> Mindculling
Ruthless Invasion
Slash Panther
Maul Splicer
... But I really like Mindculling and I really like R/U.
Pack 1 pick 7:
--> Mortis Dogs
Arm with Æther
Defensive Stance
Bludgeon Brawl
Caress of Phyrexia
Victorious Destruction
Plains
Glistener Elf
Death-Hood Cobra
Maybe I should've taken the Victorious Destruction here, but that's a mediocre card and Mortis Dogs goes well with Artillerize if I end up R/B.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Swamp
--> Apostle's Blessing
Vapor Snag
Darksteel Relic
Ruthless Invasion
Slash Panther
Corrosive Gale
Maul Splicer
Apostle's Blessing won me at least two games out of the sideboard. So good, would've maindecked if I hadn't been low on creatures.
Pack 1 pick 9:
Swamp
Surge Node
Auriok Survivors (FOIL)
Shriek Raptor
--> Psychic Barrier
Ogre Menial
Pestilent Souleater
Hedging my bets, but left this in the board.
Pack 1 pick 10:
Viridian Betrayers
Furnace Scamp
Plains
Postmortem Lunge
--> Immolating Souleater
Rotted Hystrix
Pack 1 pick 11:
Plains
Surge Node
Shrine of Piercing Vision
Viridian Harvest
--> Flameborn Viron
Pack 1 pick 12:
Evil Presence
Ruthless Invasion
Mountain
--> Gitaxian Probe
Pack 1 pick 13:
Viridian Harvest
--> Scrapyard Salvo
Mountain
Pack 1 pick 14:
Island
--> Vulshok Refugee
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Plains
------ MBS ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Swamp
Bladed Sentinel
Ichor Wellspring
Lead the Stampede
Leonin Skyhunter
Unnatural Predation
Serum Raker
--> Into the Core
Ogre Resister
Flensermite
Mirran Mettle
Shimmer Myr
Spin Engine
Flayer Husk
Spiraling Duelist
Pays to be Red.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Tangle Mantis
Myr Sire
Training Drone
Burn the Impure
Mirran Spy
Banishment Decree
Blisterstick Shaman
Melira's Keepers
--> Kuldotha Flamefiend
Metallic Mastery
Tangle Hulk
Myr Welder
Forest
Morbid Plunder
Yup yup.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Rusted Slasher
Plaguemaw Beast
Loxodon Partisan
Leonin Skyhunter
Rot Wolf
Shriekhorn
Kuldotha Ringleader
Phyrexian Rager
Forest
Kemba's Legion
Swamp (FOIL)
Flayer Husk
--> Skinwing
Another easy pick.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Viridian Emissary (FOIL)
Phyrexian Digester
Scourge Servant
Divine Offering
Virulent Wound
Peace Strider
Banishment Decree
--> Blisterstick Shaman
Crush
Core Prowler
Forest
Oculus
Peace Strider may have been useful in the final match, but Blisterstick was MVP round one, knocking off pesky Plague Stingers.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Mountain
Accorder Paladin
Titan Forge
Concussive Bolt
--> Gust-Skimmer
Caustic Hound
Ardent Recruit
Phyresis
Phyrexian Rager
Crush
Priests of Norn
Pack 2 pick 6:
Island
Vedalken Infuser
Viridian Emissary
Vivisection
Pistus Strike
Rally the Forces
Ardent Recruit
Ogre Resister
--> Copper Carapace
Spiraling Duelist
Cheap artifact and useful if I go a little more aggressive.
Pack 2 pick 7:
--> Bladed Sentinel
Horrifying Revelation
Tine Shrike
Gnathosaur
Gore Vassal
Spire Serpent
Flensermite
Mirran Mettle
Plains
Just a potential artifact for Flamefiend to eat.
Pack 2 pick 8:
Fuel for the Cause
Septic Rats
Training Drone
Rot Wolf
--> Virulent Wound
Shriekhorn
Kuldotha Ringleader
Swamp
Pack 2 pick 9:
Swamp
Bladed Sentinel
Unnatural Predation
--> Ogre Resister
Flensermite
Mirran Mettle
Spiraling Duelist
Pack 2 pick 10:
Tangle Mantis
Training Drone
Banishment Decree
Metallic Mastery
Forest
--> Morbid Plunder
I don't think I've ever seen a 10th pick Morbid Plunder.
Pack 2 pick 11:
Shriekhorn
--> Kuldotha Ringleader
Forest
Kemba's Legion
Swamp (FOIL)
Pack 2 pick 12:
Phyrexian Digester
--> Scourge Servant
Core Prowler
Forest
Pack 2 pick 13:
Mountain
--> Caustic Hound
Phyresis
Pack 2 pick 14:
Island
--> Rally the Forces
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Plains
------ SOM ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Revoke Existence
Shatter
Necrogen Censer
Barrage Ogre
Steady Progress
Goblin Gaveleer
Slice in Twain
--> Volition Reins
Moriok Replica
Glimmerpost
Horizon Spellbomb
Disperse
Ezuri's Brigade
Plains
Scrapdiver Serpent
Guess I'm going Blue.
Pack 3 pick 2:
Untamed Might
Ichor Rats
Turn Aside
Wall of Tanglecord
Blistergrub
--> Arc Trail
Psychic Miasma
Carapace Forger
Vedalken Certarch
Neurok Replica
Molder Beast
Golden Urn
Mountain
Ogre Geargrabber
Pack 3 pick 3:
Oxidda Daredevil
Viridian Revel
Wall of Tanglecord
Blistergrub
Trigon of Thought
Salvage Scout
--> Galvanic Blast
Arrest
Neurok Replica
Accorder's Shield
Screeching Silcaw
Chrome Steed
Swamp
C'mon guys, keep passing me more burn.
Pack 3 pick 4:
Glint Hawk Idol
Neurok Invisimancer
Lumengrid Drake
Ferrovore
Tel-Jilad Defiance
Corrupted Harvester
Alpha Tyrranax
Glint Hawk
--> Sylvok Lifestaff
Auriok Edgewright
Mountain
Fume Spitter
Pack 3 pick 5:
Necrogen Censer
Dross Hopper
Goblin Gaveleer
Carapace Forger
Vedalken Certarch
Bleak Coven Vampires
Glimmerpost
Exsanguinate
--> Disperse
Forest
Fulgent Distraction
With Reins, Driller, Flamefiend, and Shaman, figure I could get some serious value.
Pack 3 pick 6:
Culling Dais
--> Leaden Myr
Seize the Initiative
Moriok Reaver
Golem's Heart
Salvage Scout
Accorder's Shield
Exsanguinate
Saberclaw Golem
Swamp
Pack 3 pick 7:
Vector Asp
Ezuri's Archers
Kuldotha Rebirth
Vault Skyward
Lifesmith
Flameborn Hellion
--> Panic Spellbomb
Soul Parry
Plains
Pack 3 pick 8:
Contagious Nim
Ichorclaw Myr
Carrion Call
Tel-Jilad Fallen
Moriok Replica
--> Saberclaw Golem
Mountain
Kuldotha Forgemaster
Pack 3 pick 9:
--> Shatter
Necrogen Censer
Steady Progress
Goblin Gaveleer
Glimmerpost
Disperse
Plains
Pack 3 pick 10:
Blistergrub
Psychic Miasma
--> Vedalken Certarch
Golden Urn
Mountain
Ogre Geargrabber
Pack 3 pick 11:
Oxidda Daredevil
Viridian Revel
Salvage Scout
--> Accorder's Shield
Swamp
Pack 3 pick 12:
--> Ferrovore
Tel-Jilad Defiance
Auriok Edgewright
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 13:
Glimmerpost
Forest
--> Fulgent Distraction
Pack 3 pick 14:
--> Golem's Heart
Swamp
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Plains
The Deck -
1 Accorder's Shield
1 Immolating Souleater
1 Pith Driller
1 Kuldotha Flamefiend
1 Razor Swine
1 Gust-Skimmer
1 Volt Charge
1 Panic Spellbomb
1 Mindculling
1 Leaden Myr
1 Artillerize
1 Flameborn Viron
1 Skinwing
10 Mountain
1 Ogre Resister
6 Island
1 Blisterstick Shaman
1 Volition Reins
1 Arc Trail
1 Saberclaw Golem
1 Shatter
1 Into the Core
1 Slash Panther
1 Galvanic Blast
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Vulshok Refugee
1 Apostle's Blessing
1 Mortis Dogs
1 Fulgent Distraction
1 Rally the Forces
1 Plains
1 Copper Carapace
1 Morbid Plunder
1 Sylvok Lifestaff
1 Plains
1 Scrapyard Salvo
1 Bladed Sentinel
1 Scourge Servant
1 Caustic Hound
1 Kuldotha Ringleader
1 Vedalken Certarch
1 Ferrovore
1 Psychic Barrier
1 Plains
1 Golem's Heart
1 Virulent Wound
The Matches -
Round One vs. Moist von Lipwig (Monoblack Infect + Removal Suite)
Game 1 - Put on the play, I keep a hand of {3x Mountain, Panic Spellbomb, Razor Swine, Skinwing, Saberclaw Golem}, opening with Mountain > Spellbomb. My opponent plays a turn 2 Plague Stinger, which I use to cycle my spellbomb in Blisterstick Shaman. I draw into an Island and cast the Shaman, killing Stinger. I get in there with the Shaman and cast Skinwing, which my opponent promptly Drills the Pith out of. My opponent uses Moriok Replica and Phyrexian Rager to draw into some business, including Sangromancer, while I'm holding just a Pith Driller and Arc Trail. He uses Grim Affliction to blow me out in a misguided combat phase, gaining 10 life in the process, but I use the Driller and Arc Trail to clear his board as well. He has a grip of removal, keeping my board clear, but he's not putting much pressure on me as he's only got a Flensermite pecking away. Once he casts a Whispering Specter, I use Flamefiend (sadly sacrificing Skinwing) to clear his board. At this point, he finally runs out of gas (and removal) and Flamefiend bashes in to deal a full 20.
Game 2 - With my opponent stocked on removal, having shown 2x Grim Affliction, Geth's Verdict, Spread the Sickness, Pith Driller, and Go for the Throat, it seems imperative that I bring in the Apostle's Blessing.
Again I'm on the play and keep {2x Mountain, Island, Immolating Souleater, Pith Driller, Into the Core, Mindculling}, leading with Mountain. The first few turns are bit of back and forth, with him using Pith Driller and Mortarpod to eat up my board, while I have Shaman and then Into the Core to eat up his board. There's no action for a few turns, he's just playing lands while I draw removal, I Mindculling him, but he just discards lands and I draw into Disperse and Apostle's Blessing. He then drops Moriok Replica, which he uses to draw into Sangromancer (again) and a Geth's Verdict for my Pith Driller. When he goes the Verdict me, I bounce the Sangromancer, then Artillerize him to the dome. When he replays the Sangromancer, I have Volt Charge, then get in there with Ogre Resistor for the win a couple turns later, after he casts Grim Affliction to weaken the Ogre.
Round Two vs. Pablo Figuero (RW Bombathon)
Game 2 - I again side in the Apostle's Blessing and a Vulshok Refugee, taking out Copper Carapace and Razor Swine. He puts me on the play and I keep {2x Mountain, 2x Island, Arc Trail, Volt Charge, Into the Core}, presumably enough removal to keep him occupied. Impatient for some reason, I Arc Trail his t2 Spined Thopter, getting a little extra value out his phyrexian payment. I then Volt Charge his Ogre Resistor, only to regret my plays so far when he drops Jor Kadeen. My only response is to play a Flameborn Viron and pass the turn. He casts a Slash Panther and gets in for 9, putting me to 11, but I remain confident thanks to the recently drawn Apostle's Blessing in hand. I drop a Slash Panther of my own and pass the turn with one Mountain up. He taps out for a Flameborn Hellion and crashes in with everything, only to lose Jor Kadeen to my pro-white Viron and the Hellion to the Slash Panther. I then ride the Viron to victory, as his Contagion Engine is dropped far too late to matter.
Round Three vs. fernet (W/g aggro)
Game 2 - He puts me on the draw and I keep {Mountain, Island, Galvanic Blast, Panic Spellbomb, Saberclaw Golem, Mindculling}. Felt like a good hand, albeit slow. And yes, it was way too slow. The turning point was that I went to Blast his Glint Hawk Idol, only to have him Mutagenic Growth it. He then had Blinding Souleater and a legion of fliers to keep me off-balance and I never saw the Into the Core or Skinwing that were my only real means of Stabilizing. Once he drops a normal Glint Hawk and Kemba's Skyguard, I scoop it up after Gitaxian Probing his hand and seeing {Arrest, Slice in Twain, Molder Beast, Divine Offering}.
Game 3 - Concerned about the speed of his deck, I decide to put him on the draw, but keep a powerfully awkward hand of {3x Island, Leaden Myr, Immolating Souleater, Into the Core}. Yes, another opener with Into the Core. I manage to drawing into Mountains, and the key play here is that when I go to Into the Core he decides to save the Souleater with his Apostle's Blessing, instead of his Glint Hawk Idol. I then stabilize my board with Gust-Skimmer and Ogre Resistor, finally casting Volition Reins on his Leonin Skyhunter. Unable to draw his Slice in Twain, he eventually scoops it up after I drop a Viron and Saberclaw Golem.
- 4/22/12, Knowledge from the Helvault (Part 1)
Anyway, nice draft overall. Not a bunch of pick disputes just some nit-picky stuff I wont go into. Congrats on the win.
Highest DCI Limited Rating: 2022
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Save a kill spell to deal with this guy.
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If you really want to frustrate your opponent, run Remember the Fallen on top of your Spellskite.
~M
oh dear god that sounds so maliciously awesome I feel slightest bit aroused. Totally forcing blue white the first time I see a spellskite
The other thing is that it's 6.50 at the major chains, and it's good enough that even if something else might be slightly better, it's worth the raredraft.
UW UW Gideon Control WU
UWR Loose Control RWU
GR Scapeshift RG
RU Storm UR
How many people talking about Spellskite drafted Invasion block? This is basically a very cheap Flagbearer, and anyone who drafted a lot back then should know how obnoxious the ability is.
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Exactly. The important thing about spellskite (and flagbearers) is that they basically blank any spell or ability that can target it but not deal with it. This wrecks pingers, tricks, and about half the removal in the set, and hurts tappers and bounce.
As someone who has drafted Invasion, let me assure you that card was even more annoying than it looks. And it was common, so seeing a deck with 2 was not outside the realm of possibility. It invalidates so many cards and you can't even use combat tricks to get rid of it in the unlikely chance they block with it (Consume Strength excepted).
So yeah, never seen Spellskite in limited but I would have to guess it's pretty good too.