I 3-0'ed a 4-3-2-2 (and raredrafted a Jace)

This is a story about a man with a dream. This man had never in his life won a 4-3-2-2, despite the constant urgings of his Magic buddies.

"What? 4-3-2-2s are easy."

"You are totally good enough to win a 4-3-2-2."

"Stop whining so much."

Back in the day, I had drafted maybe a dozen times in different formats but the ridiculous problems with MTGO 2.x, the expense and my divorce conspired to keep me away from regular drafting for awhile. I once reached the finals with a UW TPF deck but got rolled. A more typical event was (1) draft something that seems good (2)get killed in 10 minutes. When I started playing paper magic again in the late summer, my magic buddies (y'all) informed me that WoTC had finally implemented Swiss drafts. This caused much excitement as I could finally spend my $17 or so and get the same 3 rounds I get in real life. No longer would mana screw keep me from getting to know my deck a little better.

Anyhow, I've done quite a few Swiss drafts since SOM came out in both the SOM and M11 queues. I'm way better at M11 since it's easier. I don't know if it's more fun but I understand what's important. This morning, I got up early as is my habit, and the M11 queue just wasn't filling. Fine, I would peruse the competitive Pauper decklists as there is a daily event coming up and maybe I could play that. As I was assembling a monoblue list (Islands appeared in 6 of the top 8 from the last PE) I noticed the M11 4-3-2-2 queue was at 6. Maybe I could do that? I joined and the draft fired immediately as somebody else had just hopped in. Here we go.

Event #: 1822121
Time: 11/27/2010 7:01:15 AM
Players:
--> bat_matt
Barbelith
rokumonsen
Jazziefran
nothing_mirage
satsubatu
Nicoskywalker
Liptonik123

------ M11 ------

Pack 1 pick 1:
Unholy Strength, Safe Passage, Palace Guard, Solemn Offering, Forest, Harbor Serpent, Ancient Hellkite, Liliana's Specter, Liliana's Caress, Hunters' Feast, Crystal Ball, Chandra's Outrage, Volcanic Strength, Fireball, Goblin Balloon Brigade

Wow, that Ancient Hellkite was tempting to me but then I remembered my personal rule for M11. Stop passing Fireball. Yes, I know there are picks above it (Titans, Planeswalkers). Ancient Hellkite is not one of them. The color commitment could cause me to abandon it and Fireball is so amazing. Spoiler alert: All 6 wins ended in a lethal Fireball. Admittedly, one of those is because I had never cast Fling before and managed to target my own Mitotic Slime, but still. Yes that really happened.

Pack 1 pick 2:
Holy Strength, Unholy Strength, Safe Passage, Act of Treason, Ornithopter, Plains, Primal Cocoon, Cultivate, Bloodcrazed Goblin, Preordain, Æther Adept, Mitotic Slime, Brindle Boar, Back to Nature

Well, here's where the rubber meets the road. If I take the Æther Adept, I am on the road to my preferred archetype for M11, U/R control. On the other hand, Mitotic Slime is pretty freaking bomby and I have felt green is pretty underdrafted in this format. Nothing else in this pack calls to me. I felt like the Slime was a safer pick at this point.

Pack 1 pick 3:
Unholy Strength, Safe Passage, Sleep, Act of Treason, Island, Voltaic Key, Harbor Serpent, Cultivate, Æther Adept, Leyline of Vitality, Hunters' Feast, Blood Tithe, Goblin Balloon Brigade

Ugh. You probably think I should have jumped ship here and you might be right. A couple of things go into this. (1) Veteran Armorer is often surprisingly relevant. (2) Essence Warden is often surprisingly relevant. You may now commence telling me I should have jumped ship.

Pack 1 pick 4:
Tome Scour, Goblin Piker, Mountain, White Knight, Bloodthrone Vampire, Tireless Missionaries, Plummet, Manic Vandal (FOIL), Mighty Leap, Back to Nature, Naturalize, Flashfreeze

Conditional removal is still removal and this was likely to be relevant if I made it to rounds 2 and 3.

Pack 1 pick 5:
Mountain, Negate, Goldenglow Moth, Nature's Spiral, Spined Wurm, Wall of Vines, Leyline of Anticipation, Armored Cancrix, Manic Vandal, Vulshok Berserker, Kraken's Eye

I am finally seeing cards for the deck I hoped would be there. I took the Wurm because he's bigger. Such an insightful thought process I have.

Pack 1 pick 6:
Giant Growth, Tome Scour, Swamp, Mind Rot, Safe Passage, Arc Runner, Chandra's Spitfire, Maritime Guard, Temple Bell, Naturalize

I have nothing other than the Fireball that makes this card good and almost took the Temple Bell, but belief is a powerful thing and I believed I was going to get a G/R deck despite a lot of info to the contrary at this point. Maybe this should have just been the Giant Growth?

Pack 1 pick 7:
Runeclaw Bear, Prized Unicorn, Palace Guard, Swamp, Preordain, Incite, Elixir of Immortality, Dryad's Favor, Nightwing Shade

Lure would have been reasonably powerful in the deck I was trying to draft, but I keep ending up with too many 4s in this format. The Grizzly Bears was surprisingly relevant.

Pack 1 pick 8:
Island, Duress, Jace's Erasure, Goblin Tunneler, Tireless Missionaries, Phantom Beast, Inspired Charge, Call to Mind

Here's where I really regretted not going U because I will slam dunk Phantom Beast in the second half of a pack. Why was I convinced I was going to get G/R? I don't know.

Pack 1 pick 9:
Unholy Strength, Palace Guard, Forest, Liliana's Caress, Hunters' Feast, Volcanic Strength, Goblin Balloon Brigade

Ugh.

Last Picks:
Ornithopter
Goblin Balloon Brigade
Goblin Piker
Kraken's Eye
Naturalize
Incite


------ M11 ------

Pack 2 pick 1:
Silvercoat Lion, Tome Scour, Holy Strength, Giant Spider, Mountain, Ice Cage, Armored Ascension, Goblin Tunneler, Harbor Serpent, Nether Horror, Primal Cocoon, Destructive Force, Ajani's Pridemate, Sorcerer's Strongbox, Terramorphic Expanse

This is a clear mispick. Should have been Spider. You can't have enough flying hate in this format and the last thing my hopefully topheavy deck wants to do is destroy five lands.

Pack 2 pick 2:
Sign in Blood, Dragonskull Summit, White Knight, Plains, Jace's Erasure, Thunder Strike, Arc Runner, Tireless Missionaries, Roc Egg, Plummet, Sorcerer's Strongbox, Naturalize, Llanowar Elves, Goblin Balloon Brigade

In my defense, it's not like I was passing the goods here.

Pack 2 pick 3:
Infantry Veteran, Fog, Goldenglow Moth, Unsummon, Black Knight, Disentomb, Forest, Cultivate, Pyretic Ritual, Chandra's Outrage, Juggernaut, Volcanic Strength, Call to Mind

I'm really not sure why I passed the Juggernaut here. Removal is good and I was removal light but this seems wrong to me. OTOH, it got to my round 1 opponent. Hmm...

Pack 2 pick 4:
Infantry Veteran, Fog, Silvercoat Lion, Sylvan Ranger, Lava Axe, Disentomb, Lightning Bolt, Demolish, Forest, Liliana's Caress, Crystal Ball, Viscera Seer

Strangely, this Bolt and that Juggernaut would meet one another in round 1.

Pack 2 pick 5:
Giant Growth, Unholy Strength, Ice Cage, Palace Guard, Mountain, Preordain, Hunters' Feast, Chandra's Outrage, Dryad's Favor, Ember Hauler, Goblin Balloon Brigade

Belief is a very powerful thing.

Pack 2 pick 6:
Berserkers of Blood Ridge, Mountain, Siege Mastodon, Demolish, Ajani's Mantra, Merfolk Spy, Garruk's Companion, Quag Sickness, Hornet Sting, Diminish

I was briefly tempted by the Hornet Sting but there's a lot of x/2s in the format. It's terrible right?

Pack 2 pick 7:
Silvercoat Lion, Goblin Piker, Plains, Goldenglow Moth, Disentomb, Act of Treason, Demolish, Wall of Vines, Hornet Sting

Threaten is fine, if unspectacular.

Pack 2 pick 8:
Tome Scour, Mind Rot, Island, Goblin Tunneler, Brindle Boar, Incite, Inspired Charge, Flashfreeze

Oh, Brindle Boar. If only you were pre-rules update.

Pack 2 pick 9:
Silvercoat Lion, Tome Scour, Holy Strength, Mountain, Goblin Tunneler, Harbor Serpent, Nether Horror

And here we are. Hatedrafting 9 picks in.

Last picks
Arc Runner
Pyretic Ritual
Demolish
Dryad's Favor
Merfolk Spy
Plains

------ M11 ------

Pack 3 pick 1:
Prodigal Pyromancer, Diabolic Tutor, Infantry Veteran, Fog, Silvercoat Lion, Sylvan Ranger, Jace Beleren, Lava Axe, Ice Cage, Disentomb, Lightning Bolt, Demolish, Swamp, Combust, Viscera Seer

Obviously this is a rare draft in case of washing out in the first round. Still, what's the pick here? I personally would rather have the Lightning Bolt due to the aforementioned dearth of relevant x/1s. I don't know.

Pack 3 pick 2:
Azure Drake, Mind Rot, Prized Unicorn, Wall of Frost, Swamp, Solemn Offering, Bloodthrone Vampire, Barony Vampire, Bloodcrazed Goblin, Sacred Wolf, Maritime Guard, Cyclops Gladiator, Dryad's Favor, Manic Vandal

It's too late to pick that Azure Drake right?

Pack 3 pick 3:
Gravedigger, Fling, Wild Griffin, Bog Raiders, Negate, Lava Axe, Canyon Minotaur, Mountain, Thunder Strike (FOIL), Fire Servant, Armored Cancrix, Relentless Rats, Assassinate

You know what's really good? 6 damage for one mana.

Pack 3 pick 4:
Azure Drake, Cloud Elemental, Island, Merfolk Sovereign, Voltaic Key, Thunder Strike, Cultivate, Barony Vampire, Liliana's Caress, Inspired Charge, Yavimaya Wurm, Cloud Crusader

It's too late to pick that Azure Drake right?

Pack 3 pick 5:
Diabolic Tutor, Solemn Offering, Swamp, Harbor Serpent, Mass Polymorph, Tireless Missionaries, Blood Tithe, Diminish, Naturalize, Vulshok Berserker, Goblin Balloon Brigade

Hasty!

Pack 3 pick 6:
Bog Raiders, Excommunicate, Nature's Spiral, Berserkers of Blood Ridge, Forest, Merfolk Spy, Garruk's Companion, Demon's Horn, Terramorphic Expanse, Child of Night

I was a little hesitant because of the GG. Terramorphic was tempting but I was pretty sure I was going to play 18 lands at this point so access to both colors wasn't going to be a problem.

Pack 3 pick 7:
Silvercoat Lion, Unholy Strength, Cancel, Awakener Druid, Swamp, Primal Cocoon, Bloodcrazed Goblin, Preordain, Angel's Feather

I've never played with this. Is this good? I feel like it's about the same power level as Phantom Beast.

Pack 3 pick 8:
Cancel, Palace Guard, Sign in Blood, Forest, Hunters' Feast, Maritime Guard, Blood Tithe, Call to Mind

Pack 3 pick 9:
Diabolic Tutor, Fog, Disentomb, Demolish, Swamp, Combust, Viscera Seer

Combust is strong simply because blue and white are strong in the format.

Pack 3 pick 10:
Swamp, Bloodthrone Vampire, Bloodcrazed Goblin, Maritime Guard, Dryad's Favor, Manic Vandal

I had passed the Juggernaut earlier

Pack 3 pick 11:
Fling, Bog Raiders, Mountain, Thunder Strike (FOIL), Armored Cancrix

See here I think I am being rewarded for believing earlier.

Pack 3 pick 12:
Voltaic Key, Cultivate, Liliana's Caress, Inspired Charge

I'm sorry. Is Kodama's Reach not good anymore? I suppose if there's only one other green drafter at the table and he took the pack one Cultivate, then that explains this. Still, I can't believe it's here.

Last Picks:
Goblin Balloon Brigade
Demon's Horn
Swamp

Here's my build:

Deck	Sideboard
1 Fire Servant 1 Cyclops Gladiator 1 Mitotic Slime 1 Leyline of Vitality 1 Vulshok Berserker 1 Brindle Boar 1 Awakener Druid 1 Fling 1 Chandra's Spitfire 1 Garruk's Companion 1 Runeclaw Bear 1 Fireball 1 Plummet 1 Chandra's Outrage 1 Lightning Bolt 1 Act of Treason 1 Spined Wurm 1 Berserkers of Blood Ridge 1 Ember Hauler 1 Llanowar Elves 1 Cultivate 1 Yavimaya Wurm 9 Mountain 9 Forest	2 Goblin Balloon Brigade 1 Demon's Horn 1 Dryad's Favor 1 Goblin Piker 1 Arc Runner 1 Naturalize 1 Pyretic Ritual 1 Kraken's Eye 1 Swamp 1 Incite 1 Harbor Serpent 1 Combust 1 Merfolk Spy 1 Goblin Tunneler 1 Call to Mind 1 Manic Vandal 1 Destructive Force 1 Demolish 1 Volcanic Strength 1 Plains 1 Ornithopter 1 Jace Beleren

Interesting Game
I mull to 6 and my opponent drops a turn 2 Stormfront Pegasus and hits me with it. I chose not to Bolt it because I had a Spined Wurm in hand who can end things quickly. He hits 3 colors on turn 3 and plays an Augury Owl turn 4. I respond with Runeclaw Bear (ugh). I am glad I let the Stormfront hit me because it means I have the Lightning Bolt in hand for the Juggernaut on turn 5. I then drop Fire Servant and life totals are 18-12 in his favor. He alpha strikes, I choose not to block since he's representing a pump spell and Giant Growth would kill my Fire Servant and only take me to 5. Unfortunately, it's Inspired Charge and I am at 2 instead. I attack with the Fire Servant and ship the turn. He attacks with his 2 fliers and I Chandra's Outrage the Pegasus, taking him to 10 and I fall to 1. He drops Whispersilk Cloak and a dude, but it's irrelevant because I have a lethal Fireball (x=5). Fire Servant is good. For your reference, I played my first spell (a vanilla 2/2) on turn 4 and killed him on turn 7.

Match one had the aforementioned game against UGW tempo. 2-1
Match two was against UB with multiple Æther Adept and a Conundrum Sphinx. I won a close game 1 on the back of a lethal Fireball. I lost game 2 when he Man'o'wared my 4/5 forest and I drew 5 lands to start the game. I won Game 3 on the back of 4 large threats in a row and a lethal Fireball.
Match three was a horrendous beatdown against BW Vampires/Fliers. This was the game where I misplayed the Fling but it didn't matter because I had lethal Fireball. Game 2, he kept a 2 Plains hand and never saw a swamp. I put him out of his misery with a lethal Fireball.

I sold the Jace for 7, putting me up 9 tix on the morning. Plus I got a post out of it! Sweet.