So I had an interesting draft last week. It ended in a 1-2 record, like so many of my drafts do, but I felt really lost during the draft. Maybe you all can help. Follow along and let me know how I screwed up please.
Event #: 1742268
Time: 11/5/2010 9:06:56 PM
Players:
kashiosu
Jonb86
--> bat_matt
Dark Circle
sadisteck
Shoo
murajin
alecs0
------ SOM ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Seize the Initiative, Turn Aside, Abuna Acolyte, Wall of Tanglecord, Whitesun's Passage, Sylvok Lifestaff, Carapace Forger, Vedalken Certarch, Withstand Death, Neurok Replica, Myrsmith, Tumble Magnet, Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon, Liquimetal Coating
Ok, so...first pick easy. Tumble Magnet and Myrsmith are nice but no, I am not passing Skithiryx.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Necropede, Leaden Myr, Barrage Ogre, Tel-Jilad Fallen, Glint Hawk, Auriok Sunchaser, Galvanic Blast, Arrest, Neurok Replica, Rust Tick, Molder Beast, Saberclaw Golem, Swamp, Fume Spitter
Ok, so I am reaching a bit here for a midlevel infect card over Tel-Jilad because I didn't want to commit to GB infect so early. Galvanic Blast is nice and I like playing it but Necropede is solid removal too. Passing an Arrest for the same reason.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Ezuri's Archers, Assault Strobe. Blackcleave Goblin. Abuna Acolyte. Sunspear Shikari. Vulshok Replica, Echo Circlet, Turn to Slag, Flight Spellbomb, Soul Parry, Liquimetal Coating, Saberclaw Golem, Plains
Here again, I am still comfortable on the Black infect plan, splashing either green or red, depending what flows.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Untamed Might, Blade-Tribe Berserkers, Iron Myr, Turn Aside, Wall of Tanglecord, Twisted Image, Darksteel Myr, Vulshok Replica, Heavy Arbalest, Auriok Replica, Golden Urn, Swamp
And here is where we start going off the rails. Untamed Might is obviously a house in the infect deck, but at this point I've only seen the Tel-Jilad and the Blackcleave to make me think it might be open. I really don't want to blow a 4th pick on a common I will likely see three more times in this draft, so I take the Replica. I think you can make a good case that i should have taken the Heavy Arbalest here. It's certainly good in the infect deck and it's colorless removal. Thoughts?
Pack 1 pick 5:
Halt Order, Ghalma's Warden, Vault Skyward, Ferrovore, Bonds of Quicksilver, Soliton, Blunt the Assault, Loxodon Wayfarer, Snapsail Glider, Exsanguinate, Forest
I think this is the pack that convinced me I shouldn't go infect. What a pile. In the format, I take the artifact whenever I can, hence Snapsail.
Pack 1 pick 6:
Vector Asp, Kuldotha Rebirth, Ichorclaw Myr, Vault Skyward, Trinket Mage, Glimmerpost,Turn to Slag, Panic Spellbomb, Soul Parry, Plains
This pretty clearly should have been a Turn to Slag but I was still holding out hope, and Ichorclaw is fine if unspectacular at making combat math bad in a normal deck.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Vector Asp, Ezuri's Archers, Wing Puncture, Assault Strobe, Viridian Revel, Corrupted Harvester, Relic Putrescence, Horizon Spellbomb Island
Colorless fixing over ugliness.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Copper Myr, Blade-Tribe Berserkers, Iron Myr, Twisted Image, Darksteel Myr, Vulshok Replica, Auriok Replica, Swamp
I'm fine with this. Infect is fading as a dream.
Pack 1 pick 9:
Seize the Initiative, Turn Aside, Abuna Acolyte, Whitesun's Passage, Withstand Death, Liquimetal Coating, Plains
Apparently no one likes metalcraft at this table.
Pack 1 pick 10:
Glint Hawk, Auriok Sunchaser, Neurok Replica, Molder Beast, Saberclaw Golem, Swamp
Last five picks
Liquimetal Coating
Auriok Replica
Vault Skyward
Glimmerpost
Island
------ SOM ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Vector Asp, Ezuri's Archers, Wing Puncture, Assault Strobe, Lumengrid Drake, Ferrovore, Thrummingbird, Silver Myr, Cystbearer, Precursor Golem, Lifesmith, Relic Putrescence, Horizon Spellbomb, Swamp, Ogre Geargrabber
Ok. If I am committed to the infect plan, I obviously take the Cystbearer, mediocre first pick though he is. I take the Precursor.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Glint Hawk Idol, Perilous Myr, Contagious Nim, Blight Mamba, Blade-Tribe Berserkers, Ichor Rats, Glint Hawk, Galvanic Blast, Flesh Allergy, Bleak Coven Vampires, Heavy Arbalest, Sylvok Replica, Island, Fume Spitter
This is where I started to become convinced my deck sucked. I am pretty sure the Blast is wrong but I really don't know what is right. If I can guarantee I will see a Throne of Geth or Contagion Clasp, I think the Ichor Rats is right. Blight Mamba and Fume Spitter are fine for the infect deck but I don't want to take them second pick. Same with Glint Hawk and its Idol. Help!
Pack 2 pick 3:
Neurok Invisimancer, Barrage Ogre, Vulshok Heartstoker, Infiltration Lens, Salvage Scout, Carapace Forger, Withstand Death, Bellowing Tanglewurm, Screeching Silcaw, Razorfield Thresher, Chrome Steed, Golden Urn, Swamp
I think I thought the infect deck was gone, having forgotten how awesome Bellowing Tanglewurm is in it. Chrome Steed is fine and I am suddenly on the path to monobrown.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Rusted Relic, Wing Puncture, Melt Terrain, Ichorclaw Myr, Tel-Jilad Fallen, Loxodon Wayfarer, Plague Stinger, Sunspear Shikari, Echo Circlet, Stoic Rebuttal, Saberclaw Golem, Island
And monobrown is why I ended up taking the 5/5 over the 3 solid infect cards in this pack. See, this is why I hate Magic. If I had taken that fourth pick Untamed Might in pack one, I'd be solidly infect right now, but because I "wanted to leave my options open" I am stuck thinking I should still be taking the "better card" rather than diving into an archetype that is obviously flowing.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Neurok Invisimancer, Oxidda Daredevil, Turn Aside, Golem Foundry, Thrummingbird, Lifesmith, Bleak Coven Vampires, Moriok Replica, Golden Urn, Swamp, Ogre Geargrabber
Or is it? See now I just don't know what the heck is going on. Maybe it's just an awful pack. I love the replica but yuck.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Glint Hawk Idol, Kuldotha Rebirth, Instill Infection, Furnace Celebration, Blunt the Assault, Flameborn Hellion, Relic Putrescence, Stoic Rebuttal, Forest, Fulgent Distraction
Monobrown it is.
Pack 2 pick 7:
Turn Aside, Tel-Jilad Defiance, Psychic Miasma, Whitesun's Passage, Withstand Death, Moriok Replica, Bellowing Tanglewurm, Scoria Elemental, Mountain
Do I take that wurm and try to run back to the infect deck at this point? I don't know.
Pack 2 pick 8:
Plated Seastrider, Trigon of Corruption, Salvage Scout, Sunspear Shikari, Withstand Death, Razorfield Thresher, Golden Urn, Plains
Colorless (if slow) removal seems fine right now.
Pack 2 pick 9:
Ezuri's Archers, Wing Puncture, Assault Strobe, Ferrovore, Lifesmith, Relic Putrescence, Swamp
So monobrown goes well with this guy I guess.
Pack 2 pick 10:
Contagious Nim, Blade-Tribe Berserkers, Flesh Allergy, Bleak Coven Vampires, Island, Fume Spitter
This was probably wrong. Either Blade-Tribe or Bleak Coven will usually be on, and one Galvanic Arc and a couple of Vulshok Replicas is not enough to pull me out of heavy black for my Skithiryx.
Last 5 picks:
Carapace Forger
Echo Circlet
Oxidda Daredevil
Blunt the Assault
Mountain
------ SOM ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Glimmerpoint Stag, Kemba's Skyguard, Shape Anew, Kuldotha Rebirth, Carrion Call, Instill Infection, Gold Myr, Bonds of Quicksilver, Blunt the Assault, Clone Shell, Flight Spellbomb, Panic Spellbomb, Disperse, Mountain, Fulgent Distraction
Ok, so I probably should have taken Glimmerpoint as the strongest card in the pack or Carrion Call as the very late better infect card. I don't think Clone Shell is very good, although there are some very strong plays with it.
Pack 3 pick 2:
Glint Hawk Idol, Blight Mamba, Untamed Might, Blade-Tribe Berserkers, Ichor Rats, Seize the Initiative, Glint Hawk, Flesh Allergy, Accorder's Shield, Tainted Strike, Heavy Arbalest, Sylvok Replica, Island, Fume Spitter
Monobrown over infect just seems worse and worse the further I get into this draft. Ugh.
Pack 3 pick 3:
Glimmerpoint Stag, Kemba's Skyguard, Contagious Nim, Ezuri, Renegade Leader, Bloodshot Trainee, Golem's Heart, Soliton, Auriok Sunchaser, Flameborn Hellion, Vedalken Certarch (FOIL), Neurok Replica, Origin Spellbomb, Mountain
Now, I decide to go white? Ugh. In my defense, Contagious Nim is pretty filler-y
Pack 3 pick 4:
Melt Terrain, Halt Order (FOIL), Ichor Rats, Bloodshot Trainee, Vulshok Heartstoker, Steady Progress, Vedalken Certarch, Echo Circlet, Molder Beast, Nihil Spellbomb, Stoic Rebuttal, Island
This is getting a little creepy. I'm starting to have PTSD flashbacks. 4th pick Nihil Spellbomb? The horror.
Pack 3 pick 5:
Plated Seastrider, Neurok Invisimancer, Ghalma's Warden, Moriok Reaver, Alpha Tyrranax, Cystbearer, Sylvok Lifestaff, Origin Spellbomb, Trigon of Mending, Forest, Ogre Geargrabber
No comment.
Pack 3 pick 6:
Blight Mamba, Seize the Initiative, Ichorclaw Myr, Wall of Tanglecord, Throne of Geth, Whitesun's Passage, Withstand Death, Auriok Replica, Clone Shell, Island
No, seriously. No comment.
Pack 3 pick 7:
Ghalma's Warden, Seize the Initiative, Trigon of Infestation, Bonds of Quicksilver, Salvage Scout, Vulshok Replica, Accorder's Shield, Turn to Slag, Plains
Um. Removal is fine. Right? Right?!?
Pack 3 pick 8:
Copper Myr, Neurok Invisimancer, Ferrovore, Vulshok Heartstoker, Silver Myr, Glint Hawk, Semblance Anvil, Swamp
I don't know.
Pack 3 pick 9:
Shape Anew, Kuldotha Rebirth, Bonds of Quicksilver, Blunt the Assault, Disperse, Mountain, Fulgent Distraction
Pack 3 pick 10:
Blight Mamba, Untamed Might, Seize the Initiative, Flesh Allergy, Accorder's Shield, Island
Yes. I get it. I should have gone infect.
Last 5 picks
Auriok Sunchaser
Bloodshot Trainee
Trigon of Mending
Whitesun's Passage
Plains
The one thing I will say in my admittedly pathetic defense is that I never saw the cards that make me excited to play infect. No Tangle Anglers, no Corpse Cur, no Contagion Clasp. But yes, I should have gone infect, even if it would have been infect with little reach. Here's what ended up playing...
1 Trigon of Corruption
5 Swamp
1 Accorder's Shield
1 Wall of Tanglecord
1 Rusted Relic
2 Moriok Replica
2 Vulshok Replica
1 Necropede
2 Glint Hawk Idol
1 Glimmerpoint Stag
1 Horizon Spellbomb
1 Sylvok Lifestaff
1 Snapsail Glider
2 Glint Hawk
1 Blade-Tribe Berserkers
1 Precursor Golem
1 Liquimetal Coating
4 Mountain
1 Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
8 Plains
1 Chrome Steed
1 Auriok Sunchaser
Sideboard
1 Disperse
1 Vault Skyward
1 Ichorclaw Myr
1 Bloodshot Trainee
1 Glimmerpost
1 Echo Circlet
1 Mountain
1 Oxidda Daredevil
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Turn to Slag
1 Island
1 Whitesun's Passage
1 Trigon of Mending
1 Plains
1 Liquimetal Coating
1 Blunt the Assault
1 Ferrovore
1 Galvanic Blast
1 Clone Shell
1 Blackcleave Goblin
1 Auriok Replica
1 Carapace Forger
I never saw the Skithiryx and interestingly, I went 1-2 (3-5) with it, so it's obviously not a horrendous pile. Arc and Turn to Slag came in post board each match because why the fuck were they out in the first place? Other than not playing infect, what did I do wrong?
3 comments:
I think you figured out your own problem. This set is a very very linear set. If you spend the first half of the first pack picking infect cards, you're going to have a hard time getting a non infect deck. Passing the Untamed Might was fine, and I don't mind taking Necropede over the Fallen pick 2, but picking up Skithyx and 3 or 4 other infect dudes in pack 1 is going to set you up to be in fine shape if you stick to your guns.
Incidentally, you definitely should have grabbed that Arbalest in pack 1.
But, I think this entire draft derailed for you when you started questioning in Pack 1 whether Infect would be open. The key to infect is to either load up with tons of infect guys, disregarding quality (the general B/G deck), get solid infect guys and proliferate (B/U or G/U infect), good infect + removal (adding W or R to an infect color), or infect and evasion (usually G/U for Tanglewurm and Flight Spellbomb). The key here is that you only need 16+ infect dudes if you can't find proliferate, ways to add evasion, or removal. Most good infect decks run between 12-14, and 4 guys in the first pack (including a bomb) is on track for that number.
Also, Precursor over Cystbearer can be real cute if you're planning on running a bunch of Replicas and other support dudes with Tainted Strikes.
Ok, first off Precursor Golem is what you take regardless of if you are drafting infect or not because it has the ability to win the game by itself (same goes for the Dragon in a non-infect deck).
The lack of poison creatures you saw in pack 1 can be attributed to just weak packs in general. You should have taken the Iron Myr to leave your options open if you were not taking the Untamed might and reserving hope for a better pack 2 for your infect deck.
The pick before that (P1P3) should have been Turn to Slag because Blackcleave Goblin is pretty unplayable, and removal is always picked over cards like this regardless of whether you are trying to prevent people from jumping into infect. If they take BCG you are more than happy.
Starting in Pack 2 You take the Precursor Golem, then the Nim (looking at B/R), then I would have probably taken the ogre to give you removal/reach and if you end up in poison it is a card you really do not want to see. After that infect was clearly flowing and if you would have just held out for the first 3 picks of pack 2 you would have been fine. As it was you had 2 Bombs (Precursor and Skithiryx and could have picked up some red removal and been fine)
Pack 3 should have been Panic Spellbomb if you were taking the red cards I listed above since it is a good effect and the cantrip is even better.
I also think you are highly undervaluing Tel-Jilad Fallen (psuedo-unblockable). While Tangle Anglers and Corpse Phalluses are good, Contagious Nim and Cystbearer are very important aggressive options that I think you overlooked.
Thanks for the advice guys. Looking back, I think I was waiting for a marquee flashing "Infect" because it's so terrible if you are getting cut. The advice on non GB strategies is super helpful, since it allows for so much more flexibility.
Post a Comment