Jitte and Ravages of War are the two strongest cards in the pack, with a nod to Mystic Confluence. I go with Jitte since it’s much more open than Ravages of War.
Garruk and Gideon are both really strong. I like Gideon more in control builds, plus Garruk ramping is key in midrange decks that want to ramp up to 6 or more.
Control matchups are the hardest for midrange decks, and Thrun is a nice trump card against them. It’s also important to take now because I passed on the Carnage Tyrant earlier.
There’s a lot of green in this pack which signals to me that it’s pretty open. I think Unexpectedly Absent is one of the best Oblivion Ring variants because it’s 2 mana and instant speed
I can potentially maindeck / sideboard Catastrophe. I normally play it in control decks, but I’ve definitely maindecked it plenty of times in midrange / ramp decks.
I’d value Primeval Titan higher if I was in Natural Order (I still potentially could’ve seen it since green is open), but I had a feeling this was going to be a midrange deck where 6 is my curve topper, and Primeval Titan isn’t exactly great in that deck unless you have a lot of utility / manlands. Lotus Cobra is always strong and Skullclamp fodder is always good to have.
Looking back I probably should’ve taken the Oblivion Ring, but I already have Reclamation Sage + Unexpectedly Absent, need more bodies for Jitte, and I like that Wickerbough Elder is a sizeable threat with a Disenchant effect.
White may be super open, but I can’t risk trying to wheel Elspeth. The only other things I’d want from this pack would be Master of the Wild Hunt and maybe Hornet Queen, both which also have potential to wheel in this draft.
Survival of the Fittest on a stick is still pretty strong. If Fauna Shaman wasn’t in this pack, I probably would’ve hate drafted the True-Name Nemesis because I have few ways of interacting with it.
Primeval Titan didn’t wheel which makes me suspect that somebody is going some sort of Show and Tell / Sneak Attack / Reanimator cheaty face deck? I really haven’t seen any super fatties going around, so this is very likely.
Both Master of the Wild Hunt / Hornet Queen wheel as expected. I take Master of the Wild Hunt since I wasn’t really planning to curve past 6 and Master of the Wild Hunt is better early / midgame with my Jitte / Clamp.
There wasn’t much I can use in this pack and I still needed fixing in case I found a dual land. Fetchlands are also nice with Lotus Cobra. Ajani Vengeant brings up the idea of a red splash in case that wheels.
Ramp + fixing, I’ll take it! Elesh Norn looks tempting. White is definitely super open, but I’m already suspecting someone to play cheaty face and steal the Elesh Norn.
I actually like Sword of Light and Shadow more than most (at least compared to the others). I really don’t need Manglehorn since I have plenty of disenchant effects, and Fyndhorn Elves can potentially wheel.
At this point I have 2 fetchlands + Horizon Canopy. Excavator + Canopy will be very useful in the grindy matchups, especially against the control matchup where I’m unfavored.
- Ended up going 2-1 with this deck. I stomped on Golgari (BG) Reanimator / Dimir (UB) Control in rounds 1 and 3 and narrowly lost against Jeskai (URW) Spells Matters Control. I was one turn away from winning with Restoration Angel against the Jeskai deck, but he went crazy with with Monastery Mentor / Dack Fayden / Chandra, Torch of Defiance / Fiery Confluence / Declaration in Stone in a single turn and was able to narrowly race me.
- This deck ran super hot against the Reanimator / Dimir control decks. I always had removal against the reanimator player and had Scavenging Ooze in game 1. In game 1 against the control player I had a turn 2 Garruk Wildspeaker off Chrome Mox + Mana Dork and ramped into a turn 3 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion.
These are always interesting to read through and see the thought processes behind each draft decision. Have you thought about doing these in podcast or video form? I feel like a 30 minute podcast running through a draft and the decision trees could be interesting.
These are always interesting to read through and see the thought processes behind each draft decision. Have you thought about doing these in podcast or video form? I feel like a 30 minute podcast running through a draft and the decision trees could be interesting.
I feel like written is the best format for this actually. Podcast would be hard because you can't see all the cards. I feel like video wouldn't be as effective and it's more work for me / the consumer.
Yes! More work for you, less work for us! Perfect!
Seriously, though, these walk throughs are great. I hope you keep them coming no matter the format.
Honestly it's not even that bad. The recent videos I uploaded from our invitational took only as long as the draft & games took to play and recorded through OBS (common streaming software) and then however long the youtube process was which for me was about 3-5 minutes of making sure the video settings were good.
Jitte and Ravages of War are the two strongest cards in the pack, with a nod to Mystic Confluence. I go with Jitte since it’s much more open than Ravages of War.
P1P2: Elspeth, Sun’s Champion https://i.imgur.com/r8eAViy.png
Creatures + Jitte = winning. There’s a good amount I can potentially wheel from this pack.
P1P3: Garruk Wildspeaker https://i.imgur.com/0frleZ3.png
Garruk and Gideon are both really strong. I like Gideon more in control builds, plus Garruk ramping is key in midrange decks that want to ramp up to 6 or more.
P1P4: Birds of Paradise https://i.imgur.com/TEDjwq4.png
BIRD! I could go with Carnage Tyrant, but Bird will help enable any potential splashes.
P1P5: Terramorphic Expanse https://i.imgur.com/V1qctky.png
Not much I can use in this pack, the Terramorphic Expanse is more open than the Taiga.
P1P6: Thrun, the Last Troll https://i.imgur.com/a7Rqlr9.png
Control matchups are the hardest for midrange decks, and Thrun is a nice trump card against them. It’s also important to take now because I passed on the Carnage Tyrant earlier.
P1P7: Unexpectedly Absent https://i.imgur.com/3QuYe2q.png
There’s a lot of green in this pack which signals to me that it’s pretty open. I think Unexpectedly Absent is one of the best Oblivion Ring variants because it’s 2 mana and instant speed
P1P8: Chrome Mox https://i.imgur.com/jOx4OLZ.png
I’m always down to play Chrome Mox over a random 2-cmc mana rock.
P1P9: Sakura-Tribe Elder https://i.imgur.com/b4Rm7WA.png
Raaaaaamp. Ravages of War wheeling signals to me that nobody is in mono white aggro.
P1P10: Reclamation Sage https://i.imgur.com/SNI1pGe.png
This pack tells me that white and green is pretty open.
P1P11: Gideon Jura https://i.imgur.com/rdA5bfH.png
Gideon Jura wheeling is very surprising and 100% confirms that white is super open.
P1P12: Regrowth https://i.imgur.com/v6HO4qF.png
Where my Plow Under at?
P1P13: Catastrophe https://i.imgur.com/tgsqWfH.png
I can potentially maindeck / sideboard Catastrophe. I normally play it in control decks, but I’ve definitely maindecked it plenty of times in midrange / ramp decks.
P1P14: Mimic Vat https://i.imgur.com/VTdNHwP.png
I can potentially play / abuse Mimic Vat
P1P15: Arbor Elf https://i.imgur.com/Jd6pQLx.png
Open color is open.
P2P1: Skullclamp https://i.imgur.com/jewnnXr.png
Garruk Relentless is great, but Skullclamp is on another level. Green is pretty open so I wouldn’t be surprised if Garruk / Nissa wheels.
P2P2: Lotus Cobra https://i.imgur.com/tG6KXtl.png
I’d value Primeval Titan higher if I was in Natural Order (I still potentially could’ve seen it since green is open), but I had a feeling this was going to be a midrange deck where 6 is my curve topper, and Primeval Titan isn’t exactly great in that deck unless you have a lot of utility / manlands. Lotus Cobra is always strong and Skullclamp fodder is always good to have.
P2P3: Wickerbough Elder https://i.imgur.com/QSaZ1CV.png
Looking back I probably should’ve taken the Oblivion Ring, but I already have Reclamation Sage + Unexpectedly Absent, need more bodies for Jitte, and I like that Wickerbough Elder is a sizeable threat with a Disenchant effect.
P2P4: Elspeth, Knight-Errant https://i.imgur.com/nDCHZhl.png
White may be super open, but I can’t risk trying to wheel Elspeth. The only other things I’d want from this pack would be Master of the Wild Hunt and maybe Hornet Queen, both which also have potential to wheel in this draft.
P2P5: Fauna Shaman https://i.imgur.com/xiYvXYx.png
Survival of the Fittest on a stick is still pretty strong. If Fauna Shaman wasn’t in this pack, I probably would’ve hate drafted the True-Name Nemesis because I have few ways of interacting with it.
P2P6: Forbid https://i.imgur.com/9n0CUyQ.png
Speaking of hate drafting….
P2P7: Horizon Canopy https://i.imgur.com/hfCWsyI.png
I needed mana fixing and Flickerwisp wasn’t looking too strong in my deck with few ETB triggers so far.
P2P8: Rancor https://i.imgur.com/iGKPbiJ.png
Yeahhh, Rancor. If I was going the Primeval Titan route, I would’ve taken Sylvan Advocate
P2P9: Nissa, Vastwood Seer https://i.imgur.com/sWl1vKG.png
Primeval Titan didn’t wheel which makes me suspect that somebody is going some sort of Show and Tell / Sneak Attack / Reanimator cheaty face deck? I really haven’t seen any super fatties going around, so this is very likely.
P2P10: Treetop Village https://i.imgur.com/yDLd8Jb.png
Manlands are strong. Also, white weenie is super open, but we already knew that.
P2P11: Oblivion Ring https://i.imgur.com/zHBcw6g.png
Hurray wheeling!
P2P12: Master of the Wild Hunt https://i.imgur.com/QJwqlp6.png
Both Master of the Wild Hunt / Hornet Queen wheel as expected. I take Master of the Wild Hunt since I wasn’t really planning to curve past 6 and Master of the Wild Hunt is better early / midgame with my Jitte / Clamp.
P2P13: Worldly Tutor https://i.imgur.com/XaZ13aH.png
Sure, I might play Worldly Tutor.
Next two picks are very irrelevant.
P3P1: Wooded Foothills https://i.imgur.com/KmahvnX.png
There wasn’t much I can use in this pack and I still needed fixing in case I found a dual land. Fetchlands are also nice with Lotus Cobra. Ajani Vengeant brings up the idea of a red splash in case that wheels.
P3P2: Noble Hierarch https://i.imgur.com/g41R1xE.png
Ramp + fixing, I’ll take it! Elesh Norn looks tempting. White is definitely super open, but I’m already suspecting someone to play cheaty face and steal the Elesh Norn.
P3P3: Scavenging Ooze https://i.imgur.com/XVTy4E5.png
Scavenging Ooze is a great utility 2-cmc creature whose growth / life gain / graveyard hate can be clutch at times.
P3P4: Deranged Hermit https://i.imgur.com/wDHah4s.png
Can’t not take Deranged Hermit, that card is dumb. I’m definitely looking to wheel Nissa, Voice of Zendikar or Banishing Light.
P3P5: Sword of Light and Shadow https://i.imgur.com/c6CpwJa.png
I actually like Sword of Light and Shadow more than most (at least compared to the others). I really don’t need Manglehorn since I have plenty of disenchant effects, and Fyndhorn Elves can potentially wheel.
P3P6: Gaea’s Cradle https://i.imgur.com/7rUmZkO.png
Eh, no regrets not taking Hornet Queen / Elesh Norn
P3P7: Restoration Angel https://i.imgur.com/xSkcQPe.png
I like Restoration Angel more than Recruiter of the Guard in my deck, hopefully Recruiter wheels.
P3P8: Reveillark https://i.imgur.com/RM54YiD.png
There’s a lot I want in this pack, but Reveillark > all of them. I further regret not taking Hornet Queen.
P3P9: Ramunap Excavator https://i.imgur.com/rcaq5Mi.png
At this point I have 2 fetchlands + Horizon Canopy. Excavator + Canopy will be very useful in the grindy matchups, especially against the control matchup where I’m unfavored.
P3P10: Elvish Mystic https://i.imgur.com/DClqKJt.png
Raaaamp. I probably would’ve taken Mutavault if I had more fixing.
P3P11: Poukranos, World Eater https://i.imgur.com/rno6sJO.png
I’m not the biggest fan of Poukranos, but I can side him in if I’m up against Wildfire / Languish.
P3P12: Nissa, Voice of Zendikar https://i.imgur.com/GMrW3Us.png?1
Good pick up, although I’m surprised Oblivion Ring didn’t wheel
P3P13: Fyndhorn Elves https://i.imgur.com/BpguezW.png?1
Wheel!
The next two picks are inconsequential
Final Product: Selesnya (GW) Goodstuff Midrange https://i.imgur.com/fUYdQzL.png
Notes:
- Ended up going 2-1 with this deck. I stomped on Golgari (BG) Reanimator / Dimir (UB) Control in rounds 1 and 3 and narrowly lost against Jeskai (URW) Spells Matters Control. I was one turn away from winning with Restoration Angel against the Jeskai deck, but he went crazy with with Monastery Mentor / Dack Fayden / Chandra, Torch of Defiance / Fiery Confluence / Declaration in Stone in a single turn and was able to narrowly race me.
- This deck ran super hot against the Reanimator / Dimir control decks. I always had removal against the reanimator player and had Scavenging Ooze in game 1. In game 1 against the control player I had a turn 2 Garruk Wildspeaker off Chrome Mox + Mana Dork and ramped into a turn 3 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion.
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I feel like written is the best format for this actually. Podcast would be hard because you can't see all the cards. I feel like video wouldn't be as effective and it's more work for me / the consumer.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
Seriously, though, these walk throughs are great. I hope you keep them coming no matter the format.
MTGS Average Peasant Cube 2023 Edition
Follow me. I tweet.
Honestly it's not even that bad. The recent videos I uploaded from our invitational took only as long as the draft & games took to play and recorded through OBS (common streaming software) and then however long the youtube process was which for me was about 3-5 minutes of making sure the video settings were good.
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic