I've been playing for the last few years (well, longer than that, but only really trying for the last few years), mostly playing constructed. I figured that I should start drafting so I could play more often than my weekly events allow and just get better in general. So far I've done two Theros block per-releases and neither have gone particularly well. I do see areas where my drafts are falling short, but I still feel like I'm missing some things. Are there any articles that are "required reading" or something of the like for limited? Or is it just something that you pick up through trial and error? In addition, are there any tips/advise you would give someone that's just learning draft?
A brief tournament report. I took Esper Control to an IQ today. 30 people, 5 rounds. My deck was almost the same as Kurt Spiess' from Charleston, but I traded out the pike for a dissipate and tweaked the sideboard. Here's a brief rundown of what happened:
Round 1 - Mono Red
I wasn't sure what this guy was running, but I guessed some sort of control strategy. I lost the die roll and he led with a mountain. Certainly not control.
Game 1 he crushed me, straight up. Game 2 he flooded out and I was able to stabalize with a Tamiyo (with some pro baiting, imo). Game 3 we both get stuck on mana, me on 3 and him on 2, but I draw out of it faster than he can kill me.
1-0 (2-1)
Round 2 - UWR Control
This was fun. My opponent wasn't playing any walkers, but he had the set of Hellkites, Geists, and Resto Angels.
Game 1 was a 30 minute affair. I dealt with his threats as he played them and started milling him with Drownyard. Then he played Moorland Haunt. Crap. We started trading off spirits (his from the Haunt and mine from Lingering Souls) while I milled him. Tamiyo locked down the Haunt for a little while, but a Resto Angel took care of her. About 20 min in I realized that I had used all my Souls and that I should probably be careful, as I was running low on cards (as was he). Eventually I was able to deck him before I ran out of cards.
Game 2 he got me down to 2. I had seen pillars and searing spears in his deck. I was very nervous. I was able to get 2 spirits and a snapcaster out, then activate vault to get out of the danger zone. Next turn he drew a spear. Several turns later I dropped a Sorin and he took over the game.
2-0 (4-1)
Round 3 - The mirror
First I'll say my opponent was probably the nicest guy I've met since I started playing Magic. Second, oh god was this match long.
Game 1 he keeps a sketchy hand with no blue mana. He finally draws into it the turn after I drop Tamiyo. I ultimate Tamiyo, a short time later I win.
Game 2 was pretty much a repeat of game 1, but in reverse. I keep a sketchy hand and draw no lands. Tamiyo locks me out of the game.
Game 3 was crazy, with spirits trading off and Planeswalkers galore. I think I was pressed for mana, but I don't quite remember. He drops a Rest in Peace to shut my Souls, Snaps, and Alchemys down while I'm Drownyarding him at every possible turn. He sticks a Geist that I try to block with Snapcaster, three turns in a row (several A-Charms ruined that plan). As time was winding down, he dropped Tamiyo and locked down one of my blue sources (I only had 2), and here I screwed up. I focused on Tamiyo, something I count on other people doing when I play them, not realizing that the Rest in Peace turns Tamiyo's emblem off. If I had focused on either drowning him or beating down with my two Snapcasters, I think I could have won. We went into turns and drew.
2-0-1 (5-2-1)
Round 4 - GW Humans
I'm not going to put much here. Game 1 I got stuck on 2 lands and lost. Games 2 and 3 I crushed him. Spirits are quite the roadblock for this deck.
3-0-1 (7-3-1)
Round 5 - BR Zombies
My opponent was the first seed, I was the second. We drew into Top 8.
3-0-2 (7-3-1)
I end up as the fourth seed and get to play first.
Top 8 - 4c Reanimator
Game 1 I got stuck on 3 lands for several turns. I actually almost stabilized at 3 life before he reanimated an Angel of Serenity to remove my blockers.
Game 2 I mull to 6, keep a 3 lander, and again get stuck on lands. I had boarded in Rest in Peace, which I had in my hand from the start, but I waited to play it so I could grab some of his reanimation targets. I did get an Angel of Serenity and a Craterhoof, but he managed to get several spirits out. This probably lost me the game. I started to stabilize, but he drew a Griselbrand and I couldn't claw my way back in.
3-1-2 (7-5-1)
I love this deck, it's much more my speed than Bant is. I need to work on the Reanimator matchup though, this is the second time I've lost to it (played against it at FNM last night).
The deck actually does fairly well, in my experience. I'm pretty sure we have an even to positive match up against Caw Blade and a decent match up against the rest of the field (minus Splinter Twin, at least for my list).
My suggestions: Take a look at Mortarpod, it's been an all-star for me, and definitely look into Mirran Crusaders, they win games.
Bonehoarder is normally in the main because it's works well with the Milling that comes from the Sword of Body and Mind. If you cut SoBM from your main, then the Bonehoarder is less effective. So you may as well cut both.
I agree, it has wonderful synergy with SoBaM. Here's my problem with it: I can think of very few cases in which I would want Bonehoard over, say, another sword. I don't want to fetch it with mystic because the three swords and Batterskull are superior to it, and I don't really want to cast it until the very end of the game, so it's wasted on those opening turns.
Basically my thought process is that I want a card that has proven itself to be unconditionally useful (War and Peace, maybe Feast and Famine or Batterskull) over a card that, in my experience, is conditionally useful (Bonehoard, condition = connecting with SoBaM). I wouldn't cut it entirely, it would probably be moved to the SB for removal heavy decks.
It's something I'll play around with. Even if it turns out to be a terrible idea, it was worth a try.
I've been quite happy with this deck so far, it's been running really well. I have not had the chance to play against any of the top decks yet (one match against caw-blade with a different build and one match against Valakut), but I look forward to seeing how it fares. Here's my current build:
Some changes I'm considering: Swapping the Soul's Attendant out for Spellskite for the Splinter Twin matchup. I wouldn't mind having them in the main, but I'm not sure what I would want to cut, possibly the divine offerings but they can be nice to have game 1.
I've been playing for the last few years (well, longer than that, but only really trying for the last few years), mostly playing constructed. I figured that I should start drafting so I could play more often than my weekly events allow and just get better in general. So far I've done two Theros block per-releases and neither have gone particularly well. I do see areas where my drafts are falling short, but I still feel like I'm missing some things. Are there any articles that are "required reading" or something of the like for limited? Or is it just something that you pick up through trial and error? In addition, are there any tips/advise you would give someone that's just learning draft?
Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!
1 Vault of the Archangel
4 Godless Shrine
1 Cavern of Souls
10 Swamp
4 Isolated Chapel
4 Orzhov Guildgate
Creatures (24)
4 Gravecrawler
4 Diregraf Ghoul
4 Restoration Angel
4 Geralf's Messenger
2 Obzedat, Ghost Council
3 Knight of Infamy
3 Pack Rat
2 Liliana of the Veil
4 Lingering Souls
4 Orzhov Charm
2 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
1 Tragic Slip
2 Liliana of the Veil
3 Frontline Medic
3 Oblivion Ring
2 Beckon Apparition
4 Cathedral Sanctifier
1 Devour Flesh
I would really like to rock some extort in here, but that's probably wishful thinking (love that mechanic so much).
Round 1 - Mono Red
I wasn't sure what this guy was running, but I guessed some sort of control strategy. I lost the die roll and he led with a mountain. Certainly not control.
Game 1 he crushed me, straight up. Game 2 he flooded out and I was able to stabalize with a Tamiyo (with some pro baiting, imo). Game 3 we both get stuck on mana, me on 3 and him on 2, but I draw out of it faster than he can kill me.
1-0 (2-1)
Round 2 - UWR Control
This was fun. My opponent wasn't playing any walkers, but he had the set of Hellkites, Geists, and Resto Angels.
Game 1 was a 30 minute affair. I dealt with his threats as he played them and started milling him with Drownyard. Then he played Moorland Haunt. Crap. We started trading off spirits (his from the Haunt and mine from Lingering Souls) while I milled him. Tamiyo locked down the Haunt for a little while, but a Resto Angel took care of her. About 20 min in I realized that I had used all my Souls and that I should probably be careful, as I was running low on cards (as was he). Eventually I was able to deck him before I ran out of cards.
Game 2 he got me down to 2. I had seen pillars and searing spears in his deck. I was very nervous. I was able to get 2 spirits and a snapcaster out, then activate vault to get out of the danger zone. Next turn he drew a spear. Several turns later I dropped a Sorin and he took over the game.
2-0 (4-1)
Round 3 - The mirror
First I'll say my opponent was probably the nicest guy I've met since I started playing Magic. Second, oh god was this match long.
Game 1 he keeps a sketchy hand with no blue mana. He finally draws into it the turn after I drop Tamiyo. I ultimate Tamiyo, a short time later I win.
Game 2 was pretty much a repeat of game 1, but in reverse. I keep a sketchy hand and draw no lands. Tamiyo locks me out of the game.
Game 3 was crazy, with spirits trading off and Planeswalkers galore. I think I was pressed for mana, but I don't quite remember. He drops a Rest in Peace to shut my Souls, Snaps, and Alchemys down while I'm Drownyarding him at every possible turn. He sticks a Geist that I try to block with Snapcaster, three turns in a row (several A-Charms ruined that plan). As time was winding down, he dropped Tamiyo and locked down one of my blue sources (I only had 2), and here I screwed up. I focused on Tamiyo, something I count on other people doing when I play them, not realizing that the Rest in Peace turns Tamiyo's emblem off. If I had focused on either drowning him or beating down with my two Snapcasters, I think I could have won. We went into turns and drew.
2-0-1 (5-2-1)
Round 4 - GW Humans
I'm not going to put much here. Game 1 I got stuck on 2 lands and lost. Games 2 and 3 I crushed him. Spirits are quite the roadblock for this deck.
3-0-1 (7-3-1)
Round 5 - BR Zombies
My opponent was the first seed, I was the second. We drew into Top 8.
3-0-2 (7-3-1)
I end up as the fourth seed and get to play first.
Top 8 - 4c Reanimator
Game 1 I got stuck on 3 lands for several turns. I actually almost stabilized at 3 life before he reanimated an Angel of Serenity to remove my blockers.
Game 2 I mull to 6, keep a 3 lander, and again get stuck on lands. I had boarded in Rest in Peace, which I had in my hand from the start, but I waited to play it so I could grab some of his reanimation targets. I did get an Angel of Serenity and a Craterhoof, but he managed to get several spirits out. This probably lost me the game. I started to stabilize, but he drew a Griselbrand and I couldn't claw my way back in.
3-1-2 (7-5-1)
I love this deck, it's much more my speed than Bant is. I need to work on the Reanimator matchup though, this is the second time I've lost to it (played against it at FNM last night).
The deck actually does fairly well, in my experience. I'm pretty sure we have an even to positive match up against Caw Blade and a decent match up against the rest of the field (minus Splinter Twin, at least for my list).
My suggestions: Take a look at Mortarpod, it's been an all-star for me, and definitely look into Mirran Crusaders, they win games.
I agree, it has wonderful synergy with SoBaM. Here's my problem with it: I can think of very few cases in which I would want Bonehoard over, say, another sword. I don't want to fetch it with mystic because the three swords and Batterskull are superior to it, and I don't really want to cast it until the very end of the game, so it's wasted on those opening turns.
Basically my thought process is that I want a card that has proven itself to be unconditionally useful (War and Peace, maybe Feast and Famine or Batterskull) over a card that, in my experience, is conditionally useful (Bonehoard, condition = connecting with SoBaM). I wouldn't cut it entirely, it would probably be moved to the SB for removal heavy decks.
It's something I'll play around with. Even if it turns out to be a terrible idea, it was worth a try.
4x Puresteel Paladin
3x Vault Skirge
4x Mirran Crusader
4x Stoneforge Mystic
Artifacts (14)
1x Basilisk Collar
4x Flayer Husk
1x Sword of War and Peace
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Sword of Body and Mind
1x Batterskull
1x Bonehoard
1x Sword of Vengeance
3x Mortarpod
4x Dispatch
3x Divine Offering
Lands (24)
4x Inkmoth Nexus
4x Tectonic Edge
16x Plains
1x Hammer of Ruin
3x Layline of Sanctity
3x Celestial Purge
4x Soul's Attendant
4x Kor Firewalker
Some changes I'm considering: Swapping the Soul's Attendant out for Spellskite for the Splinter Twin matchup. I wouldn't mind having them in the main, but I'm not sure what I would want to cut, possibly the divine offerings but they can be nice to have game 1.
Also looking to replace either the Bonehoard or the Basilisk Collar with another Sword of War and Peace, since I have a lot of white running around my area.