Cycling, plus the fact that you can unearth for cheap beats if the oppositions board is clear. I like it a bit better than Scavenger Drake, due to the fact that it starts with a 3 P/T vs having to grow.
The main idea for the deck is the interaction between Puppet Conjurer and Hissing Iguanar. Homunculus tokens and Dragon Fodder make good chump blockers and provide disposable creatures to sacrifice to Bone Splinters and Fleshbag Marauder. Between Bone Splinters, Grixis Charm, Fleshbag Marauder, and Caldera Hellion, you should be able to keep their side of the board clean and get in for some cheap beats with your Iguanars and Marauders.
The downside is that most of the creatures in the deck die to Infest / Jund Charm, but hopefully due to SBE you'll deal 2-3 dmg with your Iguanar on the way out.
So since I only play online, today is the first time I got to draft & play with the cards. I'm still learning the set, so I wasn't happy with my draft even though the results were favorable.
A couple nitpicky things, 2 Nip Gwyllions are missing from the sideboard, Edge of the Divinity should be moved to the spell section, and Rite of Consumption should be condensed into 1 entry in the sideboard. =)
I'm fine with not running the tether main deck. I'd like to nominate a Nip Gwyllion or Cinderhaze Wretch to take its place. I think Cinderhaze Wretch is playable, at the very least it puts pressure on the opponent to keep their hand either really full or empty.
I also think there's an interesting arguement that could be made for running Smoldering Butcher over Sootwalkers since we are running Blowfly maindeck.
its just personal preference but I find that I rarely have enough creatures on the table to make the */* color matters creatures worth it. Or I would rather cast something else in my hand, than a creature that be set up for 2 for 1s
I'm leaning towards Desecrator Hag to replace our Crowd of Cinders at the 4 drop slot. I'm not the biggest fan of the */* color matters cycle. The pack also offers:
I'm actually in favor of picking up Recumbant Bliss to replace Biting Tether as lower cost removal. If we're picking a creature, I agree with picking the Mimic. Crumbling Ashes should table, and there's a chance Creakwood Ghoul will as well.
I like the Hedge-Mage, Soul Reap seems decent, I've never played with it tho, but seems like having a color specific drawback makes it more sideboard material.
Prismatic Omen - It's not as good as elsewhere flask becuase you don't draw a card but it serves the same purpose as the flask does in regards to Jaws of Stone.
Mistmeadow Skulk - Great 2 drop, opens up W/B and W/R picks in Eve.
Gnarled Effigy - Works well with Blowfly, probably won't table, but might be a little to early for this.
Faerie Macabre - 2/2 Flyer for black that can shut down Persist and Retrace in a pinch
4 Puppet Conjurer
4 Hissing Iguanar
4 Fleshbag Marauder
4 Viscera Dragger
4 Caldera Hellion
Spells (16)
4 Bone Splinters
3 Dragon Fodder
4 Grixis Charm
3 Spell Snip
2 Cruel Ultimatum
4 Grixis Panorama
4 Crumbling Necropolis
7 Swamps
5 Mountains
4 Islands
4 Rockslide Elemental
4 Cancel
4 Sedraxis Specter
3 Sharding Sphinx
The main idea for the deck is the interaction between Puppet Conjurer and Hissing Iguanar. Homunculus tokens and Dragon Fodder make good chump blockers and provide disposable creatures to sacrifice to Bone Splinters and Fleshbag Marauder. Between Bone Splinters, Grixis Charm, Fleshbag Marauder, and Caldera Hellion, you should be able to keep their side of the board clean and get in for some cheap beats with your Iguanars and Marauders.
The downside is that most of the creatures in the deck die to Infest / Jund Charm, but hopefully due to SBE you'll deal 2-3 dmg with your Iguanar on the way out.
Draft Recap:
Event #: 89963
Time: 10/24/2008 9:55:05 PM
Players:
Zanman
chutefor1800
PaleCheshire
daveshed
talyandy
stormywaters
luck
papasledge
------ ALA ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Mosstodon
--> Topan Ascetic
Tar Fiend
Deathgreeter
Excommunicate
Swamp
Sigil Blessing
Call to Heel
Scavenger Drake
Goblin Mountaineer
Steward of Valeron
Sanctum Gargoyle
Rhox War Monk
Court Archers
Viashino Skeleton
Pack 1 pick 2:
Skeletal Kathari
Tidehollow Strix
Etherium Sculptor
Lush Growth
Marble Chalice
Blood Cultist
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Deathgreeter
Invincible Hymn
Swerve
--> Necrogenesis
Guardians of Akrasa
Island
Jungle Weaver
Pack 1 pick 3:
Esper Panorama
Rhox War Monk
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Corpse Connoisseur
Excommunicate
Courier's Capsule
--> Rhox Charger
Resounding Wave (FOIL)
Yoked Plowbeast
Forest
Viscera Dragger
Hindering Light
Incurable Ogre
Pack 1 pick 4:
Resounding Scream
Dregscape Zombie
Salvage Titan
Cylian Elf
Naturalize
Swamp
--> Soul's Fire
Resounding Wave
Obelisk of Grixis
Vectis Silencers
Blightning
Thoughtcutter Agent
Pack 1 pick 5:
Tortoise Formation
Outrider of Jhess
Tidehollow Strix
Fatestitcher
Jund Panorama
--> Wild Nacatl
Steward of Valeron
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
Topan Ascetic
Carrion Thrash
Plains
Pack 1 pick 6:
Swerve
Mountain
Godtoucher
Dispeller's Capsule
Excommunicate
Undead Leotau
Banewasp Affliction
Steelclad Serpent
Demon's Herald
--> Obelisk of Esper
Pack 1 pick 7:
Island
Esper Panorama
Glaze Fiend
Goblin Mountaineer
Puppet Conjurer
Coma Veil
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer (FOIL)
--> Tidehollow Sculler
Shore Snapper
Pack 1 pick 8:
--> Naya Panorama
Soul's Might
Tortoise Formation
Forest
Relic of Progenitus
Demon's Herald
Sangrite Surge
Resounding Scream
Pack 1 pick 9:
Deathgreeter
Swamp
--> Sigil Blessing
Call to Heel
Scavenger Drake
Goblin Mountaineer
Viashino Skeleton
Pack 1 pick 10:
Etherium Sculptor
--> Lush Growth
Marble Chalice
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Swerve
Island
Pack 1 pick 11:
Resounding Wave (FOIL)
--> Yoked Plowbeast
Forest
Hindering Light
Incurable Ogre
Pack 1 pick 12:
Resounding Scream
Swamp
Vectis Silencers
--> Thoughtcutter Agent
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Tortoise Formation
Outrider of Jhess
Plains
Pack 1 pick 14:
Mountain
--> Banewasp Affliction
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Island
------ ALA ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Naya Battlemage
Jhessian Infiltrator
Cancel
Courier's Capsule
Blister Beetle
Mountain
Bloodthorn Taunter
Dragon's Herald
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Rakeclaw Gargantuan
Druid of the Anima
Naturalize
--> Feral Hydra
Viscera Dragger
Angelsong
Pack 2 pick 2:
Obelisk of Naya
Executioner's Capsule
Bone Splinters
Gift of the Gargantuan
Jungle Weaver
Crumbling Necropolis
Courier's Capsule
Etherium Sculptor
Executioner's Capsule (FOIL)
Etherium Astrolabe
Windwright Mage
--> Sigiled Paladin
Plains
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Pack 2 pick 3:
Jhessian Lookout
Dreg Reaver
Swamp
Soul's Grace
Skeletal Kathari
Scourge Devil
Mosstodon
--> Naya Battlemage
Welkin Guide
Goblin Deathraiders
Thoughtcutter Agent
Cylian Elf
Call to Heel
Pack 2 pick 4:
Angelsong
Protomatter Powder
Undead Leotau
Agony Warp
Cathartic Adept
Bloodpyre Elemental
Forest
Bant Panorama
Lightning Talons
Lush Growth
--> Tower Gargoyle
Blightning
Pack 2 pick 5:
Rip-Clan Crasher
Vicious Shadows
--> Akrasan Squire
Viscera Dragger
Shadowfeed
Coma Veil
Island
Marble Chalice
Resounding Roar
Sphinx's Herald
Viashino Skeleton
Pack 2 pick 6:
Obelisk of Jund
Cavern Thoctar
Mountain
Dragon Fodder
--> Elvish Visionary
Bloodthorn Taunter
Volcanic Submersion
Cancel
Skeletal Kathari
Waveskimmer Aven
Pack 2 pick 7:
Tortoise Formation
Kiss of the Amesha
Shadowfeed
Gift of the Gargantuan
Outrider of Jhess
Filigree Sages
Carrion Thrash
--> Obelisk of Naya
Plains
Pack 2 pick 8:
Blister Beetle
Court Archers
Viashino Skeleton
Bloodthorn Taunter
Swamp
Angelsong
Call to Heel
--> Naturalize
Pack 2 pick 9:
Cancel
Mountain
Bloodthorn Taunter
Dragon's Herald
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
--> Naturalize
Angelsong
Pack 2 pick 10:
Bone Splinters
--> Crumbling Necropolis
Etherium Astrolabe
Windwright Mage
Plains
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Pack 2 pick 11:
Jhessian Lookout
Dreg Reaver
Swamp
--> Soul's Grace
Thoughtcutter Agent
Pack 2 pick 12:
--> Angelsong
Undead Leotau
Forest
Lush Growth
Pack 2 pick 13:
Shadowfeed
Island
--> Viashino Skeleton
Pack 2 pick 14:
Mountain
--> Bloodthorn Taunter
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Plains
------ ALA ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
--> Broodmate Dragon
Forest
Obelisk of Esper
Onyx Goblet
Shadowfeed
Kiss of the Amesha
Cathartic Adept
Naya Panorama
Coma Veil
Obelisk of Jund
Waveskimmer Aven
Goblin Deathraiders
Lightning Talons
Naya Charm
Esper Battlemage
Pack 3 pick 2:
Mountain
Memory Erosion
Onyx Goblet
Goblin Mountaineer
Naya Panorama
Gustrider Exuberant
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
Scourge Devil
Call to Heel (FOIL)
Scavenger Drake
Godtoucher
Obelisk of Esper
Behemoth's Herald
--> Elvish Visionary
Pack 3 pick 3:
Etherium Astrolabe
Soul's Grace
Metallurgeon
Island
--> Resounding Silence
Kathari Screecher
Resounding Thunder
Banewasp Affliction
Deft Duelist
Jhessian Lookout
Court Archers
Tidehollow Strix
Cruel Ultimatum
Pack 3 pick 4:
Jund Panorama
Forest
Hindering Light
Exuberant Firestoker
Bone Splinters
Relic of Progenitus
Steelclad Serpent
Welkin Guide
--> Keeper of Progenitus
Deft Duelist
Goblin Mountaineer (FOIL)
Savage Hunger
Pack 3 pick 5:
--> Sigil Blessing
Swamp
Ridge Rannet
Onyx Goblet
Dreg Reaver
Gustrider Exuberant
Thunder-Thrash Elder
Bant Panorama
Soul's Might
Rakeclaw Gargantuan
Kederekt Creeper (FOIL)
Pack 3 pick 6:
Angel's Herald
Resounding Roar
Obelisk of Bant
--> Gift of the Gargantuan
Mighty Emergence
Plains
Glaze Fiend
Kederekt Creeper
Vectis Silencers
Deathgreeter
Pack 3 pick 7:
Spell Snip
Dispeller's Capsule
Yoked Plowbeast
Sunseed Nurturer
Savage Hunger
Kederekt Creeper
Volcanic Submersion
--> Minion Reflector
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 8:
Shore Snapper
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
Incurable Ogre
Island
Grixis Panorama
--> Rockcaster Platoon
Kathari Screecher
Outrider of Jhess
Pack 3 pick 9:
Forest
Onyx Goblet
Shadowfeed
Kiss of the Amesha
Cathartic Adept
Coma Veil
--> Lightning Talons
Pack 3 pick 10:
Mountain
Goblin Mountaineer
--> Gustrider Exuberant
Call to Heel (FOIL)
Godtoucher
Behemoth's Herald
Pack 3 pick 11:
Etherium Astrolabe
Soul's Grace
Island
Banewasp Affliction
--> Deft Duelist
Pack 3 pick 12:
Forest
Steelclad Serpent
Goblin Mountaineer (FOIL)
--> Savage Hunger
Pack 3 pick 13:
Swamp
Gustrider Exuberant
--> Soul's Might
Pack 3 pick 14:
--> Angel's Herald
Plains
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Mountain
Deck and Notable sideboard:
1 Akrasan Squire
1 Broodmate Dragon
2 Elvish Visionary
1 Feral Hydra
1 Keeper of Progenitus
1 Naya Battlemage
1 Rhox Charger
1 Sigiled Paladin
1 Topan Ascetic
1 Wild Nacatl
1 Yoked Plowbeast
Spells
1 Gift of the Gargantuan
1 Naturalize
1 Necrogenesis
1 Obelisk of Esper
1 Obelisk of Naya
1 Resounding Silence
1 Savage Hunger
2 Sigil Blessing
1 Soul's Fire
1 Soul's Might
1 Crumbling Necropolis
1 Naya Panorama
8 Forest
2 Mountain
5 Plains
1 Gustrider Exubertant
1 Naturalize
1 Rockcaster Platoon
1 Tower Gargoyle
The feeling that I had thinking back over the draft is that I should have ended up with a WUb deck.
I'm fine with not running the tether main deck. I'd like to nominate a Nip Gwyllion or Cinderhaze Wretch to take its place. I think Cinderhaze Wretch is playable, at the very least it puts pressure on the opponent to keep their hand either really full or empty.
I also think there's an interesting arguement that could be made for running Smoldering Butcher over Sootwalkers since we are running Blowfly maindeck.
Nip
2 Nip Gwyllion
CMC 2 - 3
1 Spiteflame Witch
2 Nightsky Mimic
CMC 3 - 4
2 Faerie Macabre
1 Scuttlemutt
1 Gwyllion Hedge-Mage
CMC 4 - 5
1 Sootwalkers
1 Ashling the Extinguisher
1 Desecrator Hag
2 Harvest Gwyllion
CMC 5 - 2
1 Cultbrand Cinder
1 Cinderhaze Wretch
1 Morselhoarder
1 Grim Poppet
Spells - 5
1 Burn Trail
1 Biting Tether
1 Blowfly Infestation
1 Jaws of Stone
1 Elsewhere Flask
Land
10 Swamps
6 Mountains
1 Islands
1 Stalker Hag
1 Crowd of Cinders
1 Cinderhaze Wretch
1 Aphotic Wisps
1 Manaforge Cinder
2 Smolder Initiate
1 Hollowsage
1 Scarscale Ritual
1 Memory Sluice
1 Rite of Consumption
1 Smash to Smithereens
1 Cinderbones
1 Splitting Headache
1 Runes of the Deus
1 Rite of Consumption
1 Inescapable Brute
1 Odious Trow
My favorite deck was built around
Ancestral Recall
Braingeyser
Black Vise
Time Elemental
With no way to win other than through the vise or decking. Good times good times.
Crumbling Ashes
Stalker Hag
Beckon Apparition
Any of which I would be fine with.
Here's a suggested build the with 2nd Mimic
1 Smolder Initiate
1 Manaforge Cinder
CMC 2
1 Spiteflame Witch
2 Nightsky Mimic
CMC 3
2 Faerie Macabre
1 Scuttlemutt
1 Gwyllion Hedge-Mage
CMC 4
1 Crowd of Cinders
1 Sootwalkers
1 Ashling the Extinguisher
1 Desecrator Hag
1 Harvest Gwyllion
1 Cultbrand Cinder
1 Cinderhaze Wretch
CMC 6+
1 Morselhoarder
1 Grim Poppet
Spells
1 Burn Trail
1 Biting Tether
1 Aphotic Wisps
1 Jaws of Stone
1 Elsewhere Flask
Land
12 Swamps
3 Mountains
2 Island
1 Cinderbones
1 Cinderhaze Wretch
1 Smolder Initiate
2 Rite of Consumption
1 Smash to Smithereens
1 Splitting Headache
1 Blowfly Infestation
1 Hollowsage
1 Scarscale Ritual
1 Memory Sluice
1 Runes of the Deus
1 Inescapable Brute
Prismatic Omen - It's not as good as elsewhere flask becuase you don't draw a card but it serves the same purpose as the flask does in regards to Jaws of Stone.
Mistmeadow Skulk - Great 2 drop, opens up W/B and W/R picks in Eve.
Gnarled Effigy - Works well with Blowfly, probably won't table, but might be a little to early for this.
Faerie Macabre - 2/2 Flyer for black that can shut down Persist and Retrace in a pinch