BSS draft

Oh god. My BSS drafting is just terrible, which is unfortunate, as I like the format quite a bit more than triple Scars and I should be doing it over and over, by all rights. Here's an example of the ugly trainwreck monstrosities I end up drafting.

Event #: 2192577
Time: 3/20/2011 4:18:50 PM
Players:
josephus
BenRon
timpysan
--> bat_matt
ADHDan
Benton613
mvsusp
Zoltantf

------ MBS ------

Pack 1 pick 1:
Island
Vedalken Infuser
Myr Sire
Concussive Bolt
Tine Shrike
Gnathosaur
Mirran Spy
Plague Myr
Caustic Hound
Phyresis
Hexplate Golem
Mirran Mettle
Mirrorworks
--> Spread the Sickness
Skinwing

This is just a terrible open. I went back and forth between the Skinwing, Plague Myr and Spread the Sickness. Ultimately, the removal won out.

Pack 1 pick 2:
Piston Sledge
Phyrexian Digester
Rusted Slasher
Myr Turbine
--> Flesh-Eater Imp
Loxodon Partisan
Leonin Skyhunter
Virulent Wound
Unnatural Predation
Shriekhorn
Banishment Decree
Spire Serpent
Mountain
Signal Pest

The Myr Turbine is obviously very strong but I felt like Flesh-eater was is enough of a bomb to warrant taking it. At the time, I really agonized over this, but I think that's just because I have a thing against infect. Imp is the strongest card here.

Pack 1 pick 3:
--> Pierce Strider
Fangren Marauder
Ichor Wellspring
Scourge Servant
Gust-Skimmer
Serum Raker
Blisterstick Shaman
Melira's Keepers
Gore Vassal
Copper Carapace
Forest
Oculus
Master's Call

Tempting to go blue here. I do love me some Oculus and some Serum Raker. Again, on sheer power level Pierce Strider seems like the play.

Pack 1 pick 4:
Mountain
Concussive Bolt
--> Divine Offering
Gust-Skimmer
Unnatural Predation
Caustic Hound
Brass Squire
Crush
Priests of Norn
Flensermite
Dross Ripper
Kemba's Legion

I took the divine offering on the theory that it's really strong, but looking at this pack again, I think I hook up the Brass Squire instead. I like that card a lot

Pack 1 pick 5:
Mountain
Bladed Sentinel
Fuel for the Cause
Glissa's Courier
Shriekhorn
Caustic Hound
Brass Squire
Crush
Turn the Tide
--> Master's Call
Flayer Husk

This is fine, if unspectacular

Pack 1 pick 6:
Swamp
Razorfield Rhino
Tangle Mantis
Neurok Commando
Ogre Resister
Phyresis
Spire Serpent
--> Phyrexian Rager
Oculus
Gruesome Encore

What up another Oculus?

Pack 1 pick 7:
Forest
Razorfield Rhino
Vivisection
Loxodon Partisan
Quicksilver Geyser
Banishment Decree
Metallic Mastery
Knowledge Pool
--> Morbid Plunder

And the Vivisection to make it good.

Pack 1 pick 8:
--> Fangren Marauder
Rusted Slasher
Tine Shrike
Training Drone
Kuldotha Ringleader
Frantic Salvage
Swamp
Spiraling Duelist

This draft walkthrough is already making me sad.

Pack 1 pick 9:
Island
Vedalken Infuser
Concussive Bolt
--> Mirran Spy
Caustic Hound
Phyresis
Hexplate Golem

Like, really sad

Pack 1 pick 10:
Loxodon Partisan
--> Leonin Skyhunter
Shriekhorn
Banishment Decree
Spire Serpent
Mountain

Just incredibly sad

Pack 1 pick 11:
Gust-Skimmer
--> Serum Raker
Melira's Keepers
Forest
Oculus

ugh

Pack 1 pick 12:
--> Dross Ripper

Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Turn the Tide

Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Spire Serpent

Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Forest

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

Pack 2 pick 1:
--> Necropede
Memnite
Shatter
Kuldotha Rebirth
Barrage Ogre
Alpha Tyrranax
Blunt the Assault
Moriok Replica
Spikeshot Elder
Relic Putrescence
Flight Spellbomb
Disperse
Swamp
Fulgent Distraction
Scrapdiver Serpent

Again with a terrible open. Super duper Spikeshot Elder that I can't even dream of playing and a whole lot of nothing else whatsoever. I mean, I like Necropede but I don't typically want to first pick it. Combos nicely with the imp. I guess I should stop complaining, as if.

Pack 2 pick 2:
--> Glimmerpoint Stag
Plated Seastrider
Melt Terrain
Ghalma's Warden
Necrogen Censer
Copperhorn Scout
Blackcleave Goblin
Moriok Reaver
Furnace Celebration
Darksteel Sentinel
Loxodon Wayfarer
Panic Spellbomb
Origin Spellbomb
Island

Wait, now we are back on the BW plan? I have no idea what is going on.

Pack 2 pick 3:
Blight Mamba
Blade-Tribe Berserkers
Silver Myr
Vigil for the Lost
Salvage Scout
Glint Hawk
Withstand Death
--> Sylvok Replica
Clone Shell
Razorfield Thresher
Golden Urn
Mountain
Fulgent Distraction (FOIL)

Or maybe the GB plan.

Pack 2 pick 4:
Seize the Initiative
Turn Aside
Wall of Tanglecord
--> Necrogen Scudder
Whitesun's Passage
Sylvok Lifestaff
Withstand Death
Trinket Mage
Molder Beast
Trigon of Mending
Forest
Asceticism

Ok, Scudder is good and strong. Maybe this will be ok.

Pack 2 pick 5:
--> Kemba's Skyguard
Wing Puncture
Goblin Gaveleer
Soliton
Auriok Sunchaser
Flameborn Hellion
Snapsail Glider
Relic Putrescence
Flight Spellbomb
Stoic Rebuttal
Plains

Or not.

Pack 2 pick 6:
Neurok Invisimancer
--> Embersmith
Seize the Initiative
Vulshok Heartstoker
Blistergrub
Auriok Edgewright
Accorder's Shield
Tainted Strike
Mountain
Mountain (FOIL)

I am hating 6th pick. This walkthrough is making me the saddest of sad pandas. I have already quit writing once due to how sad this draft makes me.

Pack 2 pick 7:
Iron Myr
Seize the Initiative
Trigon of Thought
Salvage Scout
Tunnel Ignus
Auriok Sunchaser
Accorder's Shield
Forest
--> Fume Spitter

At least it will be played.

Pack 2 pick 8:
--> Contagious Nim
Ezuri, Renegade Leader
Turn Aside
Riddlesmith
Blistergrub
Psychic Miasma
Golden Urn
Plains

Incidentally, that Ezuri will completely dominate the shit out of me match 2.

Pack 2 pick 9:
Kuldotha Rebirth
--> Barrage Ogre
Blunt the Assault
Flight Spellbomb
Swamp
Fulgent Distraction
Scrapdiver Serpent

oh. There's this nausea and disorientation that goes along with reliving a draft this bad. I am literally starting to shake.

Pack 2 pick 10:
Plated Seastrider
Melt Terrain
Copperhorn Scout
--> Moriok Reaver
Furnace Celebration
Island

existential scream

Pack 2 pick 11:
--> Fulgent Distraction (FOIL)

Pack 2 pick 12:
--> Turn Aside

Pack 2 pick 13:
--> Soliton

Pack 2 pick 14:
--> Mountain (FOIL)

Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Forest

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

Pack 3 pick 1:
Vector Asp
--> Grasp of Darkness
Ghalma's Warden
Kuldotha Rebirth
Copperhorn Scout
Dross Hopper
Bonds of Quicksilver
Corrupted Harvester
Ratchet Bomb
Soliton
Darksteel Myr
Darksteel Axe
Glimmerpost
Nihil Spellbomb
Island

This is a really deep interesting pick, and I have zero idea what is best. Grasp is amazing. Ratchet Bomb is obviously quite strong. Darksteel Axe is just right for a lot of decks. I don't know. I just...don't know. I'm tearing up now. Just give me a minute. I'll be fine.

Pack 3 pick 2:
Plated Seastrider
Copper Myr
Grasp of Darkness
Ghalma's Warden
Painsmith
Ferrovore
Abuna Acolyte
Gold Myr
Alpha Tyrranax
Soliton
Strider Harness
--> Mimic Vat
Barbed Battlegear
Island

AAAAAAAAAAAAGH. Is this wrong? Maybe this is wrong and I should just take the extra Grasp here.

Pack 3 pick 3:
Untamed Might
Lumengrid Drake
Seize the Initiative
Barrage Ogre
Tel-Jilad Fallen
Plague Stinger
Volition Reins
Accorder's Shield
Tainted Strike
Origin Spellbomb
Saberclaw Golem
Forest
--> Argent Sphinx

I don't know what to say. WTF, I guess. Plague Stinger I never saw, maybe?

Pack 3 pick 4:
Corpse Cur
Blistergrub
Infiltration Lens
Psychic Miasma
Whitesun's Passage
Vedalken Certarch
Darksteel Myr
--> Neurok Replica
Molder Beast
Razorfield Thresher
Scoria Elemental
Forest

So we are UB now?

Pack 3 pick 5:
Plated Seastrider
Ghalma's Warden
Untamed Might
Viridian Revel
Turn Aside
Wall of Tanglecord
--> Trigon of Thought
Bellowing Tanglewurm
Origin Spellbomb
Golden Urn
Swamp

Yeah, this'll work.

Pack 3 pick 6:
--> Necropede
Melt Terrain
Leaden Myr
Necrogen Censer
Blackcleave Goblin
Golem Foundry
Thrummingbird
Blunt the Assault
Loxodon Wayfarer
Plains

What up, 6th pick Necropede. Sure glad I first picked you last pack. Asshole.

Pack 3 pick 7:
--> Copper Myr
Turn Aside
Psychic Miasma
Whitesun's Passage
Withstand Death
Accorder's Shield
Scoria Elemental
Trigon of Mending
Mountain

Replica splash!

Pack 3 pick 8:
--> Ichor Rats
Turn Aside
Whitesun's Passage
Sunspear Shikari
Withstand Death
Scoria Elemental
Mountain
Ogre Geargrabber

Maybe this won't be terrible (Note: this'll be terrible)

Pack 3 pick 9:
Kuldotha Rebirth
Copperhorn Scout
Dross Hopper
Corrupted Harvester
Glimmerpost
--> Nihil Spellbomb
Island

At least I can get value out of this.

Pack 3 pick 10:
Plated Seastrider
Ferrovore
--> Abuna Acolyte
Alpha Tyrranax
Soliton
Island

As opposed to this, which I can in no circumstances get value from.

Pack 3 pick 11:
--> Lumengrid Drake
Seize the Initiative
Tainted Strike
Origin Spellbomb
Forest

O_O

Pack 3 pick 12:
--> Whitesun's Passage

Pack 3 pick 13:
--> Plated Seastrider

Pack 3 pick 14:
--> Blunt the Assault

Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Whitesun's Passage

I'm pretty sure this is Psychic Miasma.dec because that's what i feel right now. I have no desire to show you my final 40. I did win in the last round to pick up a pack. Ugh.

I will say this. Honestly, I don't know what i could have done differently. There was no deck that was flowing consistently. I think I could have made a good blue deck if I had committed earlier, but that was not at all obvious in the first pack. Please, tear me a new one in the comments. What did I miss?

So much pirate booty

The pirate draft league has fired a couple more times and updated standings are below...

Name	Record	Points/Event
Jacob B. Matt F. Jonathan B. Tim N. Greg O. Brendan H. Thomas C. Bobby H. Ryan S. Alexis R. Matt R. Rob B. Ash O. Caleb R.	11-4 5-1 15-5 12-6 12-10 5-5 5-6 4-5 3-3 3-5 9-19 2-4 1-6 1-8	6.57 6.29 6.24 6.24 4.95 4.50 4.50 4.20 4.10 4.00 3.23 3.00 1.81 1.81

Big movement this week as Jacob B finally fell back to earth and is in reachable position. Matt F joined the standings as he finally participated in a 2nd draft and Jonathan B passed Tim for 3rd overall. Also new on the chart is Ryan S and I expect him to grind his way up the standings as his first draft was a train wreck, which is pulling him down right now. Thanks to Greg O, I am now no longer the only Pirate with double digit losses. Also, I barely avoided making 20 losses total! Woohoo!

Future drafts...Team Rochester!?! (do people want to do this again?) Ravnica Rotisserie! (I might retire the format after this) Besieged/Scars/Scars!

Fun statistics.

Pirate Drafts: 10
Venues: 2
Formats: 4
Total Players: 28
Players with a winning record: 11
Players with a tied record: 2
Number of times Civic Wayfinder has killed someone: 1
Drafts I have 0-X'ed: 3