Monday, July 21, 2008

Draftstravaganza III: Legend of the Cube- Recap!

Brunch!

Very soon we will have an updated Cube list, possibly tonight, if my wife doesn't kill me for spending all my leisure time writing about Magical faeries and such. In the meantime, I want to briefly discuss the Draftstravaganza.

In a wonderful coincidence, Saturday stayed cool AND cloudy/rainy all day, making other summer activities less palatable. That and a late invite out on Facebook netted a surprising number of brunchers and drafters. All told, we had in attendance 13 drafters, two wives and a child, although the latter were mostly there for the food and conversation (whatever!). Since 12 (we gained Bagha midway through the first draft to make 13 total) was way too many to Rotisserie anything, we decided to Cube first. We did 2 six man pods for three rounds each. Then, after several hours, we decided to draft the Cube again, as a 10 man pod. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say this iteration of the Cube is about 200 zillion times more fun than the last one, as evidenced by the fact that we drafted Cube for 9 hours straight and not a single person wanted to play another format, the fact that nobody appeared too disapointed with the card pool (although there a few cards placed gently on the chopping block midway through) and I have received uniformly rave reviews since. For those of you who couldn't make it, it was fun. I mean, REALLY fun. These stupid plays, among others, were witnessed.

Jonathan made a 3 card infinite turn combo with Time Walk, Izzet Chronarch and Crystal Shard. I know he won at least two games with it. I guess you can't keep a good EDH idea down.

I heard Swizz Dizzle say (twice, to two different opponents) that he had no creatures left in his library- and then played Living Death! He had a nice little combo with Survival of the Fittest going.

I definitely got hit by Okiba Gang Shinobi- and "discarded" Reckless Wurm and Fiery Temper.

Jonathon also hit me with a turn 2 Hymn to Tourach and I had to ditch a Thundermare and a land. He then promptly cast Necromancy on the Mare turn 3 and swung with his hasty 5/5. Game two of that match saw Jonathon with FIVE enchantments on his side of the board; Exploration, Phyrexian Arena, Gaea's Anthem, Bitterblossom and Null Profusion. Yeah, he got there, even though he drew all but four cards from his library.

Bobby Hill Was playing a deck with Niv-Mizzet, Rhystic Study, Sensei's Divining Top and Force of Will. He won the pod, I think.

Tabasco totally played a turn 5 hardcast Sundering Titan against me, destroying three of my four lands. I also had a fifth land and Plow Under in hand, just waiting to make him pick up his bounce land. Imagine, this is a Limited format where turn 5 Plow Under (at least on the draw) is really just too slow!

My best play all day was when Sean resolved a turn seven Oona, Queen of the Fae against me. Turn six he had cast Guile, and he had some other beaters out too. I had taken the lead early with a morphed Thelonite Hermit that got in there twice. Now all I had was the unmorphed Hermit and his three tokens. Sean had tapped out to play Oona. I play... Mirrorweave on Guile! Swing with four Guiles, you can block one, so take 18 thanx.

There was a rumor that somebody over in the other pod got a turn 1 kill, but I may have been mistaken, let me know in the comments.

Tabasco watches Pseudonymous Drama Student play Rhyno.

Major_Luck tunes his deck at the end of the round, while Rhyno battles on.


Conn and a blurry Jonathon play at blinding speed (heh)! In the background is Tabasco.

Swizz Dizzle guards the prize packs while Jonathon plays in the background.

Major_Luck, Swizz Dizzle.

Tony and Swizz, playing.

Harry Potter and Bagha look like they were up a little late last night.

I will be at Game Universe this Friday (Don't even know/care if it's Standard or Draft down there). I will be bringing the Cube for an afterdraft. You really should come.



T

5 comments:

The Captain said...

Who is keeping the store open for a cube afterdraft?

TooSarcastic said...

We'll go wherever we have to. Genesis, someone's house, I don't care. Unless you think we can people together at someone's house earlier. That'd be cool too.
Also, I am through W/U/B and will continue to work on the list tomorrow. I am fried for the night.
T

Tabasco said...

You forgot my turn one from the first draft that involved Swamp, Dark Ritual, Entomb (Verdant Force), Animated Dead (targeting the VF). Swizz promptly scooped as he had no answer to that in mono red.

My list for the First draft was a B/G reanimator deck (reanimator was drafted both times):

Llanowar Elves
Birds of Paradise
Dark Ritual
Entomb
Werebear
Fertile Ground
Devoted Druid
Nezumi Graverobber//Nighteyes the Desecrater
Wild Mongrel
Animate Dead
Nihilith
Survival of the Fittest
Eyeblight's Ending
Kitchen Finks
Gathan Raiders
Phantom Centaur
Makeshift Manikin
Diabolic Servitude
Incremental Blights
Mind Twist
Verdant Force
Grim Poppet
Kodama of the North Tree
Visara the Dreadful
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Cloudthresher
Mox Jet
6 Swamp
7 Forest

Andrew Salzwedel said...

Nice post. The cube rocked the house. I like how huge the card selection is now, you can draft just about anything you want.

And for that turn one play tabasco, you wish it was against me. Will the real person who got blown out please stand up?

Tabasco said...

oh...then it was Harry Potter, silly Harry should have used a shield charm