The Fugitive Wizard: casual limited

I had the opportunity to Rotisserie Draft Ravnica yesterday. It was really fun and I would recommend it to anyone with a complete set of Rav available. I don't know how many times you could draft a whole set like that before it became rote, though. Anyway, I managed to record the first 8 or so picks for all eight drafters. After that the picks became too fast to record. I make no assertions that these are "correct" pick orders, but at least people can see them and judge for themselves. Caleb, who was in Seat 7, decimated the competition with his mill strategy, not dropping a single game. This is interesting since it was Dale's Glare of Subdual tokens deck, in Seat 1 that was the favorite going into the draft (though it did go 2-1). I was in Seat 5.

Seat 1: Pick 1 Glare of Subdaual, 2 Selesnya Guildmage, 3 Vinleasher Kudzu, 4 Watchwolf, 5 Char, 6 Privileged Position, 7 Doubling Season, 8 Hour of Reckoning, 9 Selesnya Evangel

Seat 2: Pick 1 Disembowel, 2 Dimir Guildmage, 3 Vedalken Dismisser, 4 Ribbons of Night, 5 Mausoleum Turnkey, 6 Helldozer, 7 Cerulean Sphinx, 8 Mindleech Mass

Seat 3: Pick 1 Firemane Angel, 2 Boros Signet, 3 Golgari Signet, 4 Brightflame, 5 Devouring Light, 6 Sunhome Enforcer, 7 Auratouched Mage, 8 Razia's Purifiaction

Seat 4: Pick 1 Civic Wafinder, 2 Loxodon Hierarch, 3 Tolsimir Wolfblood, 4 Blazing Archon, 5 Seed of Strength, 6 Seed Spark, 7 Razia Boros Archangel, 8 Selesnya Sagittars

Seat 5: Pick 1 Sunforger, 2 Lightning Helix, 3 Faith's Fetters, 4 Skyshroud Legionnaire, 5 Flame Fusillade, 6 Rally the Righteous, 7 Galvanic Arc, 8 Viashino Fangtail, 9 Flamekin Zealot

Seat 6: Pick 1 Dream Leash, 2 Hex, 3 Gleancrawler, 4 Keening Banshee, 5 Moroii, 6 Brainspoil, 7 Spectral Force, 8 Graveshell Scarab 9 Carven Caryatid

Seat 7: Pick 1 Circu, Dimir Lobotomist, 2 Szadek, Lord of Secrets, 3 Glimpse of the Unthinkable, 4 Belltower Sphinx, 5 Mark of Eviction, 6 Remand, 7 Compulsive Research, 8 Vedalken Entrancer, 9 Twisted Justice

Seat 8: Pick 1 Plague Boiler, 2 Moldervine Cloak, 3 Putrefy, 4 Last Gasp, 5 Golgari Grave Troll, 6 Siege Wurm, 7 Necroplasm, 8 Scatter the Seeds, 9 Golgari Rotwurm, Vulturous Zombie

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Bladders Empty?

So, I take it that the pissing match is over. Fugie wonders why I haven't posted in more then a month (I used to believe that October thru March was my busy period at work with reduced production volumes & greated demands to schedule in annual maintenance work and capital projects, but now it seems that it is always very busy). Being busy is only part of it.

With the very vocal and very public break up of Fugie and coyoeugly earlier this summer and the recent pissing match about racism and "imappropriate" analogies I have no longer been motivated to play MTG much less post about it. As anyone who goes to olde fart night can attest to, I used to be part of the core group that showed up every week reguardless. And now I haven't gone more then three consecutive weeks in a row since April or March (by the way I missed yesterday).

I know better then to promise that I'll post next week, after the new Shards league starts, but you'll all have to wait until then to find out.

Until next time, may the mana gods not throw a temper tantrum in the soup isle

ML

Thursday, August 14, 2008

And the beats go on...

As the song goes . . . La de da de de, la de da de da

That's kind of my view on the last week of magic, at least for me. If you are unsure of what I speak, I mean my luck has changed (an abysmal 4-7 in games and 1 in 3 in matches). Where last week I dominated with my white blue build, everyone else has passed me up with the addition of one lonely pack of Eventide. I am still puzzled how one pack can make all that difference, but I am sure it is probably that many people were able to successfully switch colors and build more powerful decks then me. So if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Here's what I opened:

Wickerbough Elder
Stream Hopper
Gift of the Deity
Aeries Ouphes
Beckon Apparition
Monstrify
Clout of the Dominous
Smoldering Butcher
Wilderness Hypnotist
Duergar Assailant
Ballynock Trapper
Outrage Shaman
Cache Raiders
Suture Spirit
Worm Harvest

As you may notice, a 2nd Ballynock Trapper, but not a lot else for blue white. So I added the Ballynock Trapper in favor of the Belligerent Hatchling and proceeded to get my face crushed by all but Bill (thanks for playing a higher curve then me). It was at the end of the night that I decided to give red white a try and here's what I came up with.

Creatures/Spells/Lands:
Archon of Justice
(2) Ballynock Trapper
Belligerent Hatchling
Briarberry Cohort
Hobgoblin Dragoon
Kithkin Spellduster
Mistmeadow Skulk
(2) Noggle Bandit
Noggle Hedge-Mage
Rune-Cervin Rider
Safehold Elite
Tatterkite
Twilight Shepherd
Windbrisk Raptor
Aethertow
Armored Ascension
Cenn's Enlistment
Fire at Will
Last Breath
Recumbent Bliss
Unmake
10 Plains
7 Mountains

Well, we'll see how this latest build fairs. Until next time, may the mana gods not hate you.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Back on Track, Old Fart resumes, Week #2

Greetings and salutations. To all of you fortunate to make it down to nationals last week, I hope you had a good time. While I was not so fortunate, I was able to get so other things I had been putting off completed and was able to get down last Tuesday for my second taste of Eventide Sealed (see previous post about Eventide launch party).

I am definitely more excited then I have been in quite a while, about the release of Eventide. I definitely believe that Shaddowmoor, Shaddowmoor, Eventide drafts will be much more fun (I haven't drafted it yet, but look forward). I liken this to the same type of excitement when Guildpact first came out (Guildpact was very good to me, 15-1-2 in matches).

Well enough about draft and on to sealed. Before I post my pool, a couple of thoughts about the format. First, hybrids make almost mono decks viable (restating the obvious). Second, white continues to be very powerful (thanks for the assist TS). And finally, Bombs continue to win games are still quite prevalent.

Here's the pool by color (Eventide in italics):

White:
Apothecary Initiate
Armored Ascension
Last Breath
Mistmeadow Skulk
Rune-Cervin Rider
Twilight Shepherd
Windbrisk Raptor
Cenn's Enlistment
Kithkin Spellduster
Recumbent Bliss

Blue:
Briarberry Cohort
(2) Cerulean Wisps
Deepchannel Mentor
(2) Parapet Watchers
Sinking Feeling
Dream Thief
Wilderness Hypnotist

Black:
Disturbing Plot
Hollowsage
Sickle Ripper
Smolder Initiate

Red:
Blistering Dieflyn
Crimson Wisps
(2) Ember Gale
Power of Fire

Green:
Gloomwidow's Feast
Howl of the Night Pack
Toil to Renown

Hybrid:
Aethertow
Mistmeadow Witch
Thoughtweft Gambit
Turn to Mist
Divinity of Pride (foil)
Nightsky Mimic
Nip Gwyllion
Unmake
Fate Transfer
Gravegill Duo
Inkfathom Infiltrator
Scarscale Ritual
Inside Out
(2) Noggle Bandit
Noggle Hege-Mage
Unnerving Assault
Din of the Fireherd
Emberstrike Duo
Sootwalkers
Drain the Well
Odious Trow
Sapling of Colfenor
Stalker Hag
Woodlurker Mimic
Mudbrawler Raiders
Scuzzback Marauders
Belligerent Hatchling
Hobgoblin Dragoon
Moonhold
Barkshell Blessing
Safehold Elite
(2) Favor of the Overbeing
Sturdy Hatchling
Shorecrasher Mimic
Chainbreaker
Chainbreaker (foil)
Elsewhere Flask
Tatterkite
Altar Golem
(2) Antler Skulkin
Shell skulkin

A quick couple of notes about the pool. First no mono black, green, or red cards from Eventide. Second, White has access to all of the amazing bombs. And third, white has access to all of the amazing bombs (white is so good, it warrants mentioning twice). Without further ado, here is what I played last Tuesday.

Creatures/Spells/Lands:
Belligerent Hatchling
Briarberry Cohort
Divinity of Pride
Dream Thief
Hobgoblin Dragoon
Kithkin Spellduster
Mistmeadow Skulk
Mistmeadow Witch
Nip Gwyllion
(2) Parapet Watchers
Rune-Cervin Rider
Safehold Elite
Tatterkite
Twilight Shepherd
Windbrisk Raptor
Aethertow
Armored Ascension
Cenn's Enlistment
Last Breath
Recumbent Bliss
Turn to Mist
Unmake
12 Plains
5 Islands

Seems pretty solid, and it was, for the most part. I did manage to go 6-1 in games on the back of getting to one of my bombs (four of the six wins ended after I got one of my three bombs on board). I do have to give props to Scoop_Phase for managing to curve out on turn four. While, for the most part, I did have good draws, I like to think that I did out play some of my opponents.

Looking ahead to next week, here is the pack of Eventide that I opened:
Wickerbough Elder
Ballynock Trapper
Stream Hopper
Gift of the Deity
Fire at Will
Raven's Crime
Aerie Ouphes
Cenn's Enlistment
Wilderness Hypnotist
Drain the Well
Hobgoblin Dragoon
Bloodied Ghost
Savage Conception
Duergar Cave-Guard
Archon of Justice

Quick note on changes for next week:
- Belligerent hatchling (need to make room at the four slot.)
- Dream Thief (Only once did I get to draw a card.)

+ Ballynock Trapper (auto include when playing almost mono white).
+ Archon of Justice (bomb creature #4)

Well, until next time, may the mana gods not hate you.