Saturday, November 13, 2010

Draftsies!

Event #: 1763664
Time: 11/11/2010 8:38:52 PM
Players:
TheHappyRedDoll
--> bat_matt
FaddyJosh2
agrammalech
Jasfer
Pokiita_sk
j1mgpratt
sharksNurmouth

------ SOM ------

Pack 1 pick 1:
Wing Puncture, Melt Terrain, Halt Order, Blight Mamba, Dross Hopper, Loxodon Wayfarer, Slice in Twain, Plague Stinger, Vulshok Replica, Echo Circlet, Auriok Replica, Stoic Rebuttal, Mountain, Sunblast Angel, Skinrender

Ooh! An interesting choice right away. There are some ok choices in this pack, but it really comes down to Sunblast vs Skinrender. I chose Sunblast due to the higher upside and the fact that I think white is stronger in the format in general than black. Certainly, I wouldn't fault anybody for going the other way and I made this pick with 3 seconds left on the clock.

Pack 1 pick 2:
Memnite (FOIL), Neurok Invisimancer, Darkslick Drake, Kuldotha Rebirth, Vulshok Heartstoker, Contagion Clasp, Infiltration Lens, Blunt the Assault, Carapace Forger, Flight Spellbomb, Disperse, Chrome Steed, Mountain, Fulgent Distraction

I probably should have taken the Chrome Steed here on the "take a good guy over good removal" rule that Jake B taught me. I am super enamored of Contagion Clasp and, in my defense, he won me a game that I never would have taken in a million years with Chrome Steed.

Pack 1 pick 3:
Ghalma's Warden, Culling Dais, Untamed Might, Leaden Myr, Oxidda Daredevil, Moriok Reaver, Ferrovore, Silver Myr, Cystbearer, Bladed Pinions, Darksteel Sentinel, Golden Urn, Plains

U over B on the potential WU fliers plan and the "I passed a ridiculous black card in pack one" plan.

Pack 1 pick 4:
Plated Seastrider, Iron Myr, Barrage Ogre, Ferrovore, Inexorable Tide, Tel-Jilad Fallen, Salvage Scout, Auriok Sunchaser, Tainted Strike, Razorfield Thresher, Trigon of Mending, Plains

This was kind of a sad pack, but I like red, and he helps splash random red removal later in the draft. Was hoping to wheel the Sunchaser. Check pick 12 to see how that worked out.

Pack 1 pick 5:
Copper Myr, Oxidda Daredevil, Blistergrub, Infiltration Lens, Salvage Scout, Withstand Death, Moriok Replica, Screeching Silcaw, Golden Urn, Mountain, Scrapdiver Serpent

I took the dude, as he says "draw two cards" and I still had no idea what color I was in. Could be Infiltration Lens I suppose.

Pack 1 pick 6:
Halt Order, Kuldotha Rebirth, Copperhorn Scout, Furnace Celebration, Dissipation Field, Vedalken Certarch, Bleak Coven Vampires, Disperse, Swamp, Fulgent Distraction

Ok, I admit I am overly enamored of Furnace Celebration (probably because I undervalued it when the set came out. Still, what would you rather take in there?). <---Obnoxious punctuation alert!!!

Pack 1 pick 7:
Neurok Invisimancer, Tel-Jilad Defiance, Alpha Tyrranax, Psychic Miasma, Flesh Allergy, Razorverge Thicket, Razorfield Thresher, Scoria Elemental, Mountain

Yeesh. Invisimancer maybe? I don't know. I had the Celebration, and removal is nice. This didn't end up getting played but I can't say it was necessarily the wrong pick.

Pack 1 pick 8:
Melt Terrain, Vault Skyward, Golem Foundry, Blunt the Assault, Loxodon Wayfarer, Flameborn Hellion, Molten Psyche, Plains

Hellion will occasionally get played, depending on the deck. I probably should have taken the Wayfarer to sideboard vs Infect.

Pack 1 pick 9:
Wing Puncture, Melt Terrain, Dross Hopper, Loxodon Wayfarer, Plague Stinger, Echo Circlet, Mountain

Because then I would have taken another Wayfarer. As it was I was still trying to live the Celebration dream. Also, yes, that is a Plague Stinger. Ugh.

Pack 1 pick 10:
Kuldotha Rebirth, Blunt the Assault, Flight Spellbomb, Disperse, Mountain, Fulgent Distraction

Wayyy too enamored of Furnace Celebration. Also, Flight Spellbomb is amazing, which I found out later in the draft.

Pack 1 pick 11:
Culling Dais, Oxidda Daredevil, Ferrovore, Golden Urn, Plains

Maybe I should write a song about Furnace Celebration. Actually, I shouldn't hate. Ferrovore definitely won me my awesomest game since I restarted MTGO

Last Picks
Tainted Strike (Yeah Sunchaser wasn't going to happen)
Golden Urn
Fulgent Distraction
Mountain

------ SOM ------

Pack 2 pick 1:
Sky-Eel School, Melt Terrain, Blight Mamba, Blade-Tribe Berserkers, Necrogen Censer, Bloodshot Trainee, Copperhorn Scout, Blackcleave Goblin, Golem Foundry, Silver Myr, Loxodon Wayfarer, Trinket Mage, Ezuri's Brigade, Liquimetal Coating, Swamp

This is the type of pick where you tell your friends about it later and they say "that's fine." So much 3rd-8th pick quality in here. The Brigade is a house, if only you are green, which I'm not. Not even remotely.

Pack 2 pick 2:
Glimmerpoint Stag, Glint Hawk Idol, Blight Mamba, Lumengrid Drake, Vulshok Heartstoker, Corpse Cur, Trigon of Thought, Glint Hawk, Arrest, Sylvok Replica, Painful Quandary, Chrome Steed, Forest, Fume Spitter

I could actually hear Jake B shedding a tear as I once again took quality removal over a Chrome Steed. And a Glimmerpoint, Glint Hawk and Glint Hawk Idol. I'm not going to defend this pick, but given how the draft was going, it's not necessarily wrong.

Pack 2 pick 3:
Neurok Invisimancer, Lumengrid Drake, Ichorclaw Myr, Razor Hippogriff, Corpse Cur, Corrupted Harvester, Tel-Jilad Fallen, Plague Stinger, Bleak Coven Vampires, Sunspear Shikari, Molder Beast, Saberclaw Golem, Forest

I feel a little bad for whomever is to my right, because they were obviously cutting white in the first pack and the only reason I am hosing it now is due to Sunblast. See the post about Signaling.

Pack 2 pick 4:
Sky-Eel School, Painsmith, Moriok Reaver, Riddlesmith, Blistergrub, Glint Hawk, Tainted Strike, Heavy Arbalest, Saberclaw Golem, Golden Urn, Mountain, Fume Spitter

No white for you. Evil laugh.

Pack 2 pick 5:
Blade-Tribe Berserkers, Necrogen Censer, Copperhorn Scout, Dross Hopper, Goblin Gaveleer, Golem's Heart, Auriok Replica, Exsanguinate, Saberclaw Golem (FOIL), Forest, Fulgent Distraction

This doesn't feel wrong to me, but I like Lava Axe....

Pack 2 pick 6:
Assault Strobe, Blackcleave Goblin, Alpha Tyrranax, Infiltration Lens, Snapsail Glider, Moriok Replica, Flight Spellbomb, Soul Parry, Swamp, Scrapdiver Serpent

If you told me Infiltration Lens should have been the pick here, I wouldn't argue with you. I'd still pick the Snapsail, but I wouldn't argue.

Pack 2 pick 7:
Glint Hawk Idol, Gold Myr, Cystbearer, Carapace Forger, Flameborn Hellion, Bleak Coven Vampires, Copperline Gorge, Island, Ogre Geargrabber

Plan "get a ton of playable white in pack 2" is in effect.

Pack 2 pick 8:
Wing Puncture, Steady Progress, Loxodon Wayfarer, Flesh Allergy, Sunspear Shikari, Echo Circlet, Heavy Arbalest, Swamp

I was still feeling a little removal light. I could see the Shikari if I had picked up one or both of those Infiltration Lenses.

Pack 2 pick 9:
Melt Terrain, Necrogen Censer, Copperhorn Scout, Blackcleave Goblin, Golem Foundry, Loxodon Wayfarer, Swamp

Given how sucky my first pick was, I am happy to wheel the very playable with Glint Hawk Censer here.

Pack 2 pick 10:
Glimmerpoint Stag, Glint Hawk Idol, Blight Mamba, Vulshok Heartstoker, Painful Quandary, Forest

Ohhhkay then.

Last picks
Tel-Jilad Fallen
Tainted Strike
Goblin Gaveleer (actually going to play this for some reason)
Assault Strobe
Island

------ SOM ------

Pack 3 pick 1:
Neurok Invisimancer, Shatter, Untamed Might, Embersmith, Carrion Call, Alpha Tyrranax, Trigon of Corruption, Psychic Miasma, Bladed Pinions, Sylvok Lifestaff, Putrefax, Screeching Silcaw, Razorfield Thresher, Scoria Elemental, Island

Somebody's going to have to hate that Putrefax, but it's not going to be me.

Pack 3 pick 2:
Ezuri's Archers, Melt Terrain, Lumengrid Drake, Embersmith, Dross Hopper, Ferrovore, Steady Progress, Silver Myr, Trigon of Rage, Necrogen Scudder, Cystbearer, Darksteel Juggernaut, Nihil Spellbomb, Plains

Okay, so that was a foil missing from this pack right? Sheesh. This is the pick in the draft that took me the longest. I desperately wanted to take a second Embersmith, the Juggernaut is a house, especially in my deck so far and the Trigon is awesome and I can add counters. I landed on the Trigon, but I'd love to hear arguments about what else to take. I'm not sure there's a wrong pick here.

Pack 3 pick 3:
Turn Aside, Corpse Cur, Tangle Angler, Salvage Scout, Arc Trail, Whitesun's Passage, Vedalken Certarch, Auriok Edgewright, Neurok Replica, Accorder's Shield, Molder Beast, Scoria Elemental, Plains

I only saw Arc Trail once, but I am pretty sure he won me an unwinnable game, getting 2-for-1 on a Myrsmith and Palladium Myr with my opponent on two lands.

Pack 3 pick 4:
Leaden Myr, Kuldotha Rebirth, Copperhorn Scout, Dross Hopper, Riddlesmith, Glimmerpost, Heavy Arbalest, Nihil Spellbomb, Saberclaw Golem, Mountain, Fume Spitter, Fulgent Distraction

Not sure what I was thinking here other than "weak pack" and "offcolor Myr are good".

Pack 3 pick 5:
Contagious Nim, Ichor Rats, Steady Progress, Abuna Acolyte, Goblin Gaveleer, Alpha Tyrranax, Loxodon Wayfarer, Loxodon Wayfarer (FOIL), Carapace Forger, Glimmerpost, Island

Here's to uninteresting picks.

Pack 3 pick 6:
Copper Myr, Untamed Might, Seize the Initiative, Turn Aside, Vulshok Heartstoker, Wall of Tanglecord, Psychic Miasma, Bladed Pinions, Golem Artisan, Forest

I so wish there was a way to do a windmill slam online.

Pack 3 pick 7:
Seize the Initiative, Turn Aside, Tel-Jilad Fallen, Vulshok Replica, Withstand Death, Grafted Exoskeleton, Tainted Strike, Saberclaw Golem, Mountain

I like Vulshok Replica a lot, but I think this is clearly the pick here, right?

Pack 3 pick 8:
Assault Strobe, Blackcleave Goblin, Ferrovore, Vigil for the Lost, Echo Circlet, Flight Spellbomb, Soul Parry, Island

In my last draft walkthrough, someone mentioned how awesome Flight Spellbomb was so I picked it here over a second Ferrovore. It is awesome. I have been undervaluing these, though pick 8 seems about right for it. I just wasn't picking them at all.

Pack 3 pick 9:
Neurok Invisimancer, Untamed Might, Carrion Call, Alpha Tyrranax, Psychic Miasma, Razorfield Thresher, Island

I do love hating the infect deck, not that it would help me in round 1.

Last Picks
Nihil Spellbomb
Scoria Elemental
Fulgent Distraction
Goblin Gaveleer
Psychic Miasma
Mountain

Round 1 was a quick death, round 2 was awesome sauce and round 3 was a win as well, but the story will have to wait. How'd I do?

Edited to add:

Here's what I played

1 Grafted Exoskeleton
1 Liquimetal Coating
1 Necrogen Censer
1 Trigon of Rage
1 Flight Spellbomb
1 Glint Hawk Idol
1 Glimmerpoint Stag
1 Snapsail Glider
1 Golem Artisan
1 Sunblast Angel
1 Leaden Myr
1 Silver Myr
1 Embersmith
1 Furnace Celebration
1 Glint Hawk
1 Goblin Gaveleer
1 Abuna Acolyte
1 Arrest
1 Iron Myr
1 Blade-Tribe Berserkers
1 Contagion Clasp
1 Arc Trail
1 Razor Hippogriff
1 Ferrovore
7 Mountain
8 Plains
1 Heavy Arbalest

Sideboard
2 Fulgent Distraction
1 Kuldotha Rebirth
1 Moriok Replica
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Goblin Gaveleer
1 Mountain
1 Mountain
1 Island
1 Scoria Elemental
1 Golden Urn
1 Psychic Miasma
1 Carrion Call
1 Flesh Allergy
1 Flameborn Hellion
1 Tel-Jilad Fallen
1 Assault Strobe
1 Dross Hopper
2 Tainted Strike

I will happily admit the Furnace Celebration is wrong, right as soon as you tell me what in that train wreck of a sideboard you play over it.

5 comments:

TooSarcastic said...

Jake is better drafter than I, but I don't think you should be taking good dudes over removal in this format. The exception might be R/W metalcraft (which you looked to be drafting and which Jake enjoys) because removal is really only relevant for a few midgame blockers before you just win (or lose). Removal is still really good in this format. Why beat yourself up over taking Arrest? It's in the running for the best limited common in the set. The stag might have been the pick only because of the removal you could reuse with it (you had Clasp and Sunblast at that point), but I still think I take Arrest there, because it just deals with anything.

Matt said...

Sure, but what do you think about Trigon vs 2nd Embersmith vs Darksteel Juggernaut in pack 3?

Matt said...

Also, there's very little 2 for 1 removal in the format. Contagion Engine, Sunblast, Arc Trail... If you go threat, threat, threat, threat on turns 2-5 and they go answer, answer, answer, nothing, you win.

TooSarcastic said...

I like Trigon of Rage there because it ends games so efficiently. You need on unblocked dude to just wreck them. Or trade your weenie with their fatty. Embersmith is repeatable removal but you'd be drafting a less aggressive deck then, more of a combo deck. Actually, looking at it maybe that's what you were trying to do. If so, then you probably wanted Stag over Arrest (but Arrest never would have tabled). Juggernaut is not the pick. It's only good if you're already winning. And indestructible is useless against infect. RE: 2 for one removal- I think this format is a lot about aggression and tempo swings. They don't need to have answer, answer, answer. They can just have mana Myr random guy, random guy, Trigon of Corruption, machine gun your team and just win. It's like the 12 life you took off them is irrelevant when suddenly you find out you really you AREN'T the beatdown after all. There are just a bunch of spells and dudes that do that, that are not necessarily repeatable removal (though I mentioned one repeatable removal spell at uncommon you missed).

Matt said...

I didn't mention Trigon Corruption because I think it's so bad against so many decks. I originally undervalued it, got wrecked by it, overvalued it, had it be terrible for me. Now I am mediocre on it. It's great against infect if you have time to get it going. Of course, you might be dead on turn 5 vs aggro infect, and it's worse than useless vs more controlling builds of infect. It's sad panda vs multi Chrome Steeds, or multi Ghalma's Wardens or multi "anything awesome that people play". It can be fine, but it needs so much to go right.

I agree about the Juggernaut. I definitely beat him + True Conviction in the awesome sauce game I alluded to earlier. I was beating down with Sunblast+TrigoRage, when he goes Juggernaut, True Conviction, gain 8. He also had a mana Myr or something. I have to leave people back to make him make some trades, so he doesn't just keep accumulating an army. He hits a bit of a land pocket, and I hit that Contagion Clasp to start shrinking the Juggernaut, who is obviously still hitting me. He drops a 3/3 but I hit Glint Hawk to reset the Clasp on that guy and am finally able to start chipping away, with him at 38 and me at 4. I draw like 3 more guys and kill his dudes (except for one). He draws and plays Heavy Arbalest, shoots me once and passes the turn. He's on 21, but a full team swing with a Ferrovore eating 3 artifacts hits him for 24 in one swing (and I have to kill in one since the Arbalest and a drawn dude kills me) and yay! Win.

Oh and re: this "They can just have mana Myr random guy, random guy" is why you take guys over removal. Because there aren't enough 2 for 1s for removal to be better than guys. Of course, this is all said by the guy who took the removal so grains and salt and pots and kettles or something.