I'll edit in what I built once I get it saved next round; this was my first real attempt at Shards- didn't make the pre-release. This format is pretty overwhelming, so I tried to stick to the basics. Had a little indecision early, but once I got into B/R/U soundly I think it went okay, but definitely looking for critiques (and decklists if you're bored).
At first glance I have a feeling you are going to run into a big problem midgame. This has the makings of a real nice quick aggro deck, plenty of removal, but in this set fatties can turn the tide. Aside from Creeper I don't see a lot of mid to late game goodness for you creature-wise. However, if you can hold your removal and use it well, you may have a chance. Just hit quick, hit hard and keep them on their toes.
The biggest problem I saw: P2P5, Spell Snip over Hissing Iguanar
The worst counterspell of all time over one of the best creatures in the format? Hmm...
Yep, in hindsight, that was pretty terrible. I'm a sucker for cycling, that's probably what drew me to it - but after the Stinger pick at P2P4, I definitely goofed there, since I was pretty sure I was going BRU over BWU at that point.
Wow, I'm not sure about p1p1. Blister Beetle is definitely a safe pick, but Sigiled Paladin is certainly better and Sedris is good (though a risk). I probably would have taken the Paladin.
Wow, I'm not sure about p1p1. Blister Beetle is definitely a safe pick, but Sigiled Paladin is certainly better and Sedris is good (though a risk). I probably would have taken the Paladin.
Lesson learned - I really had just the little homework I'd done reading through the threads here to prep me going into the draft. In hindsight, especially looking at where my deck ended up, Sendris would've been nuts.
Seriously? Grixis seems like easily the worst shard to me. Kederekt Creeper is the only Common in the entire set that you want which isn't going to be stolen by some other deck.
Of course, it's abject awfulness does make it underdrafted, which is good. Aside from that...
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Seriously? Grixis seems like easily the worst shard to me. Kederekt Creeper is the only Common in the entire set that you want which isn't going to be stolen by some other deck.
Of course, it's abject awfulness does make it underdrafted, which is good. Aside from that...
Ranking of shards:
Naya
Jund
Grixis
Bant
Esper
Ranking of the colors:
Red
Green/Black/White
Blue
Grixis is not the worst shard for the simple fact that it has red, and red is the best color in the format. Everything being equal, it's probably the 3rd best shard in the format. If people are fighting for Naya and Jund online, it could be the first or second best shard in the (online)format.
It is really hard to say which is the best shard. I've seen people beat the **** out of everybody else with a pure Grixis deck. If nobody drafts it, it can be good IMHO. If 4 people are fighting over Naya/Jund, all will probably end up with a mediocre deck.
I really think this is what happened in my draft. I ended up with a pretty silly amount of removal and decent evasion in the form of flyers. It seemed like no one was playing my colors and everyone was fighting over the green.
Quote from Jimbodex »
So far, I haven't had a lot of succes in this format. I have played Exalted.dec, Esper and a mixed Bant/Naya so far. Been thinking about drafting Grixis aggressively and maybe I'll end up with a great deck, although it could turn out the other way around.
I actually played against exalted.dec in the first round, and it was the biggest challenge - primarily because of that enchantment that lets you tap a guy when you attack with one creature. The final round opponent was playing what appeared to be a 5-color good stuff deck which never really got off the ground in games 2 and 3 (I was shufflerized game 1, and should've taken a mulligan) due to some pretty nice aggro opening draws.
EDIT: Blightning felt like a house. Is it really as good as it seems, or is it just because I caught it early in 3 games that it seemed so powerful?
I stopped reading after I saw the first pack. Really? Blister Beetle? Yeah it's decent but there are at least five other cards in that pack I'd rather have.
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I stopped reading after I saw the first pack. Really? Blister Beetle? Yeah it's decent but there are at least five other cards in that pack I'd rather have.
This was one of the posts I'd read prior to the draft from Phyrre's "two shards drafts" thread:
1.1) I think I would have taken the Blister Beetle. He kills a lot of annoying utility creatures [Squire, Stinger, Druid, Strix to name a few] and leaves a 1/1 body behind. A 2/2 first strike, especially in any semblance of an exalted deck, is always sexy, but the :symw::symw: cost is restricting. That being said, I wouldn't mind taking a Sigiled Paladin first pick as he does a lot more for the exalted deck [such as allowing Squire to attack for 3 on turn 2]. This pack did suck though.
Not knowing much about the format, I didn't want to commit hard to WW or the dual- or tri-colored cards with the first pick. In hindsight, as I mentioned in another post, I would've taken the 5/5 BRU guy. However, Blister Beetle seemed like a safe pick that would probably make just about any deck I'd play.
Well to put it in context, regardless of format knowledge, did you draft any Ravnica? Did you ever pick Sparkmage Apprentice first?
Yes, I did draft Ravnica.
No, I never drafted Sparkmage Apprentice first.
I'm certainly not defending Blister Beetle as the best first-pick in the pack; it was simply a matter of what was on my mind from reading through the threads here and panicking at the idea of taking double-white or a triple-colored first pick. Again, in hindsight, Sendris would've been my call.
In fairness, though, Triple-Rav was solidly two-color, though, not three. Coming out of SSE drafts where I played pretty much mono-color, the idea of playing three colors was pretty mortifying, lol.
I don't think I would've passed a second pick Scourglass. Although it doesn't take care of every threat, it's one of the few pieces of mass removal in the format.
It is really hard to say which is the best shard. I've seen people beat the **** out of everybody else with a pure Grixis deck. If nobody drafts it, it can be good IMHO. If 4 people are fighting over Naya/Jund, all will probably end up with a mediocre deck.
So far, I haven't had a lot of succes in this format. I have played Exalted.dec, Esper and a mixed Bant/Naya so far. Been thinking about drafting Grixis aggressively and maybe I'll end up with a great deck, although it could turn out the other way around.
From somebody who hasn't had a lot of success in this format...
the only decks I've been able to win so far had where ancients tread and necrogenesis, and a second deck with 2 Necrogenesis and lotsa devour, and 2 blightning, and that was two of my last three drafts. So many of the decks are top heavy, that a reasonably curved deck, with devour, blightnings, can just wreck people.
It seems the only way I can have an actual curve at the bottom AND a late game is with devour.dec. I've failed utterly at building a winning Exalted.dec. At the time, it feels like I'm drafting good decks in other colors, and I don't seem to be able to deal damage fast enough to survive some cruel ultimatum or scourglass or a series of bomb fatties in a row.
It seems like this format you draft your curve top to bottom a lot, focus even more heavily bomb over removal over fatty over curve, and draft an awful lot of high CC stuff before you draft lower CC stuff (I conclude that, not based on what I draft, but based on what seems to come to me after pick 6 or 7).
I do like that you have to think completely differently than any of the 2 previous blocks. UTTERLY differently.
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Time: 10/28/2008 8:44:33 PM
Players:
Stuart P
Mayhem420
BigFiber
zoldirtybird
about2rock
karloj
--> Ramza_Beoulve
Mr. Rotten Treats
------ ALA ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Etherium Sculptor
--> Blister Beetle
Mountain
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Rakeclaw Gargantuan
Bloodthorn Taunter
Sigiled Paladin
Naturalize
Sedris, the Traitor King
Angelsong
Jungle Weaver
Kiss of the Amesha
Angelic Benediction
Bone Splinters
Akrasan Squire
Pack 1 pick 2:
Lush Growth
Obelisk of Naya
--> Executioner's Capsule
Windwright Mage
Shadowfeed
Gift of the Gargantuan
Scourglass
Bloodpyre Elemental
Esper Panorama
Island
Rip-Clan Crasher
Scavenger Drake
Naya Battlemage
Puppet Conjurer
Pack 1 pick 3:
Gustrider Exuberant
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Plains
Naya Panorama
Godtoucher
Angelic Benediction
Where Ancients Tread
Onyx Goblet
Obelisk of Esper
Deathgreeter
Vicious Shadows (FOIL)
--> Blood Cultist
Etherium Sculptor
Pack 1 pick 4:
Cancel
Obelisk of Jund
Bloodthorn Taunter
Volcanic Submersion
Goblin Deathraiders
Filigree Sages
Coma Veil
Sphinx's Herald
Cavern Thoctar
--> Sanctum Gargoyle
Mountain
Shadowfeed
Pack 1 pick 5:
Demon's Herald
Cloudheath Drake (FOIL)
Elvish Visionary
Cylian Elf
Swerve
Vectis Silencers
Soul's Grace
Bloodpyre Elemental
--> Deft Duelist
Invincible Hymn
Island
Pack 1 pick 6:
Akrasan Squire
Obelisk of Naya
Forest
--> Viscera Dragger
Outrider of Jhess
Viashino Skeleton
Etherium Sculptor
Puppet Conjurer
Gift of the Gargantuan
Dreg Reaver
Pack 1 pick 7:
Lightning Talons
Angelsong
Sunseed Nurturer
Bant Panorama
Demon's Herald
Undead Leotau
Vectis Silencers
--> Blightning
Swamp
Pack 1 pick 8:
Incurable Ogre
Rockcaster Platoon
Gift of the Gargantuan
Soul's Grace
Plains
Jund Panorama
Obelisk of Bant
--> Glaze Fiend
Pack 1 pick 9:
--> Etherium Sculptor
Mountain
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Bloodthorn Taunter
Naturalize
Angelsong
Jungle Weaver
Pack 1 pick 10:
Lush Growth
Windwright Mage
Shadowfeed
--> Esper Panorama
Island
Scavenger Drake
Pack 1 pick 11:
Plains
Godtoucher
Where Ancients Tread
--> Onyx Goblet
Deathgreeter
Pack 1 pick 12:
--> Cancel
Sphinx's Herald
Mountain
Shadowfeed
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Demon's Herald
Soul's Grace
Island
Pack 1 pick 14:
Forest
--> Viashino Skeleton
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Swamp
------ ALA ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Obelisk of Esper
Fire-Field Ogre
Sphinx's Herald
Lightning Talons
Cathartic Adept
Naya Panorama
Coma Veil
Sanctum Gargoyle
Forest
Tortoise Formation
Crumbling Necropolis
Obelisk of Jund
--> Tidehollow Strix
Onyx Goblet
Realm Razer
Pack 2 pick 2:
Yoked Plowbeast
Dreg Reaver
Cylian Elf
Call to Heel
Dregscape Zombie
--> Skeletal Kathari
Jhessian Infiltrator
Vicious Shadows
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
Topan Ascetic
Island
Steward of Valeron
Dragon Fodder
Bant Charm
Pack 2 pick 3:
Tidehollow Strix
Tortoise Formation
Mountain
Spell Snip
Relic of Progenitus
Shadowfeed
Skeletonize
Volcanic Submersion
--> Kathari Screecher
Sangrite Surge
Dispeller's Capsule
Blister Beetle
Cavern Thoctar
Pack 2 pick 4:
--> Vithian Stinger
Goblin Deathraiders
Relic of Progenitus
Plains
Jund Panorama
Windwright Mage
Hindering Light
Guardians of Akrasa
Goblin Mountaineer
Skeletal Kathari
Scourge Devil
Wild Nacatl
Pack 2 pick 5:
Gustrider Exuberant
Rakeclaw Gargantuan
--> Spell Snip
Protomatter Powder
Hissing Iguanar
Savage Hunger
Marble Chalice
Onyx Goblet
Bant Panorama
Soul's Might
Swamp
Pack 2 pick 6:
Island (FOIL)
--> Grixis Charm
Jund Panorama
Resounding Silence
Forest
Cloudheath Drake
Deft Duelist
Jhessian Lookout
Dregscape Zombie
Algae Gharial
Pack 2 pick 7:
Shore Snapper
Excommunicate
--> Call to Heel
Court Archers
Viashino Skeleton
Ranger of Eos
Exuberant Firestoker
Goblin Mountaineer
Island
Pack 2 pick 8:
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Shore Snapper
Goblin Mountaineer
Swamp
Courier's Capsule
Behemoth's Herald
--> Viscera Dragger
Immortal Coil
Pack 2 pick 9:
--> Fire-Field Ogre
Sphinx's Herald
Cathartic Adept
Coma Veil
Forest
Tortoise Formation
Onyx Goblet
Pack 2 pick 10:
Dreg Reaver
--> Dregscape Zombie
Jhessian Infiltrator
Vicious Shadows
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
Island
Pack 2 pick 11:
Tortoise Formation
Mountain
Spell Snip
--> Relic of Progenitus
Shadowfeed
Pack 2 pick 12:
--> Goblin Deathraiders
Plains
Hindering Light
Goblin Mountaineer
Pack 2 pick 13:
--> Savage Hunger
Marble Chalice
Swamp
Pack 2 pick 14:
Forest
--> Jhessian Lookout
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Island
------ ALA ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Carrion Thrash
Court Archers
Viashino Skeleton
Plains
Sigil Blessing
Cloudheath Drake
Naya Charm (FOIL)
Rhox War Monk
Covenant of Minds
Call to Heel
Glaze Fiend
Sangrite Surge
Deathgreeter
--> Grixis Panorama
Jund Battlemage
Pack 3 pick 2:
Court Archers
Gustrider Exuberant
Resounding Thunder
Resounding Wave
Minion Reflector
Deft Duelist
Naturalize
Seaside Citadel
Godtoucher
Rockcaster Platoon
--> Magma Spray
Banewasp Affliction
Mountain
Blightning
Pack 3 pick 3:
Naturalize
Cradle of Vitality
Swamp
Resounding Scream
Yoked Plowbeast
--> Magma Spray
Blightning
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Courier's Capsule
Resounding Wave
Seaside Citadel
Banewasp Affliction
Obelisk of Grixis
Pack 3 pick 4:
Dragon Fodder
Obelisk of Bant
Hindering Light
Esper Panorama
Guardians of Akrasa
Plains
Incurable Ogre
--> Executioner's Capsule
Death Baron
Thunder-Thrash Elder
Shore Snapper
Carrion Thrash
Pack 3 pick 5:
Memory Erosion
Mountain
Dispeller's Capsule
Cathartic Adept
Lush Growth
Angel's Herald
Filigree Sages (FOIL)
Godtoucher
Obelisk of Esper
Mighty Emergence
--> Kathari Screecher
Pack 3 pick 6:
Elvish Visionary
Excommunicate
Island
--> Cruel Ultimatum
Ridge Rannet
Grixis Charm
Thoughtcutter Agent
Banewasp Affliction
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
Steelclad Serpent
Pack 3 pick 7:
Jhessian Lookout
Tidehollow Sculler
Forest
Etherium Astrolabe
Deathgreeter
Kederekt Creeper
--> Grixis Battlemage
Carrion Thrash
Keeper of Progenitus
Pack 3 pick 8:
--> Kederekt Creeper
Resounding Scream
Savage Hunger
Cancel
Soul's Might
Dragon's Herald
Swamp
Ridge Rannet
Pack 3 pick 9:
Carrion Thrash
Viashino Skeleton
Plains
Cloudheath Drake
--> Call to Heel
Sangrite Surge
Deathgreeter
Pack 3 pick 10:
Gustrider Exuberant
--> Minion Reflector
Godtoucher
Rockcaster Platoon
Banewasp Affliction
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 11:
Cradle of Vitality
Swamp
Resounding Scream
Banewasp Affliction
--> Obelisk of Grixis
Pack 3 pick 12:
Hindering Light
Plains
Thunder-Thrash Elder
--> Shore Snapper
Pack 3 pick 13:
Mountain
--> Cathartic Adept
Godtoucher
Pack 3 pick 14:
Island
--> Banewasp Affliction
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Forest
I'll edit in what I built once I get it saved next round; this was my first real attempt at Shards- didn't make the pre-release. This format is pretty overwhelming, so I tried to stick to the basics. Had a little indecision early, but once I got into B/R/U soundly I think it went okay, but definitely looking for critiques (and decklists if you're bored).
EDIT: Here's what I built:
1x Blightning
1x Grixis Charm
2x Magma Spray
1x Spell Snip
Creatures
1x Blister Beetle
1x Blood Cultist
1x Dregscape Zombie
1x Goblin Deathraiders
1x Grixis Battlemage
2x Kathari Screecher
1x Shore Snapper
1x Skeletal Kathari
1x Tidehollow Strix
2x Viscera Dragger
1x Vithian Stinger
2x Executioner's Capsule
1x Obelisk of Grixis
1x Onyx Goblet
1x Relic of Progenitus
Lands
1x Grixis Panorama
2x Island
5x Mountain
9x Swamp
I actually won the draft, the highlight - winning in the finals against a 1936 rated opponent.
In hindsight, I definitely should've taken the 2nd charm over the ultimatum; I regretted that pick as soon as I made it.
V/LA: 3/21-3/24 & 3/27-3/29
The worst counterspell of all time over one of the best creatures in the format? Hmm...
Yep, in hindsight, that was pretty terrible. I'm a sucker for cycling, that's probably what drew me to it - but after the Stinger pick at P2P4, I definitely goofed there, since I was pretty sure I was going BRU over BWU at that point.
V/LA: 3/21-3/24 & 3/27-3/29
This what what was most surprising to me as well. I also would have taken Sedris, UBR is awesome again. BR is awesome in general in this set.
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V/LA: 3/21-3/24 & 3/27-3/29
Seriously? Grixis seems like easily the worst shard to me. Kederekt Creeper is the only Common in the entire set that you want which isn't going to be stolen by some other deck.
Of course, it's abject awfulness does make it underdrafted, which is good. Aside from that...
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Ranking of shards:
Naya
Jund
Grixis
Bant
Esper
Ranking of the colors:
Red
Green/Black/White
Blue
Grixis is not the worst shard for the simple fact that it has red, and red is the best color in the format. Everything being equal, it's probably the 3rd best shard in the format. If people are fighting for Naya and Jund online, it could be the first or second best shard in the (online)format.
Keep in mind this is just a personal opinion.
I really think this is what happened in my draft. I ended up with a pretty silly amount of removal and decent evasion in the form of flyers. It seemed like no one was playing my colors and everyone was fighting over the green.
I actually played against exalted.dec in the first round, and it was the biggest challenge - primarily because of that enchantment that lets you tap a guy when you attack with one creature. The final round opponent was playing what appeared to be a 5-color good stuff deck which never really got off the ground in games 2 and 3 (I was shufflerized game 1, and should've taken a mulligan) due to some pretty nice aggro opening draws.
EDIT: Blightning felt like a house. Is it really as good as it seems, or is it just because I caught it early in 3 games that it seemed so powerful?
V/LA: 3/21-3/24 & 3/27-3/29
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This was one of the posts I'd read prior to the draft from Phyrre's "two shards drafts" thread:
Not knowing much about the format, I didn't want to commit hard to WW or the dual- or tri-colored cards with the first pick. In hindsight, as I mentioned in another post, I would've taken the 5/5 BRU guy. However, Blister Beetle seemed like a safe pick that would probably make just about any deck I'd play.
V/LA: 3/21-3/24 & 3/27-3/29
Well to put it in context, regardless of format knowledge, did you draft any Ravnica? Did you ever pick Sparkmage Apprentice first?
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Yes, I did draft Ravnica.
No, I never drafted Sparkmage Apprentice first.
I'm certainly not defending Blister Beetle as the best first-pick in the pack; it was simply a matter of what was on my mind from reading through the threads here and panicking at the idea of taking double-white or a triple-colored first pick. Again, in hindsight, Sendris would've been my call.
In fairness, though, Triple-Rav was solidly two-color, though, not three. Coming out of SSE drafts where I played pretty much mono-color, the idea of playing three colors was pretty mortifying, lol.
V/LA: 3/21-3/24 & 3/27-3/29
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From somebody who hasn't had a lot of success in this format...
the only decks I've been able to win so far had where ancients tread and necrogenesis, and a second deck with 2 Necrogenesis and lotsa devour, and 2 blightning, and that was two of my last three drafts. So many of the decks are top heavy, that a reasonably curved deck, with devour, blightnings, can just wreck people.
It seems the only way I can have an actual curve at the bottom AND a late game is with devour.dec. I've failed utterly at building a winning Exalted.dec. At the time, it feels like I'm drafting good decks in other colors, and I don't seem to be able to deal damage fast enough to survive some cruel ultimatum or scourglass or a series of bomb fatties in a row.
It seems like this format you draft your curve top to bottom a lot, focus even more heavily bomb over removal over fatty over curve, and draft an awful lot of high CC stuff before you draft lower CC stuff (I conclude that, not based on what I draft, but based on what seems to come to me after pick 6 or 7).
I do like that you have to think completely differently than any of the 2 previous blocks. UTTERLY differently.