So, Scars colors?

Well, what colors would you like to be when playing Scars? Me, I 2-1'ed in another draft with a red deck so I think I am gonna say red. Turns out removal is still good and with solid interactions with the main theme of the set (artifacts), red is very strong. Black has great removal as always (hi, Skinrender and Carnifex Demon!), white has a nice weenie metalcraft deck, green has infect and elves (what up, Ezuri?) and blue is blue (although it seems less blue to me than usual...).

It's actually starting to get to the point where I'd like to force red, but it's easy to end up with a pile of Ferrovores and Goblin Gaveleers in that situation. Better to let it come to you. I think.

TooSarcastic's Cube Draft List v4.1 (Through Zendikar)

WHITE
Abolish
Academy Rector
Ajani Goldmane
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Archon of Justice
Armageddon
Austere Command
Aven Mindcensor
Aven Riftwatcher
Balance
Baneslayer Angel
Battlegrace Angel
Calciderm
Captain of the Watch
Conquerer's Pledge
Cloudchaser Kestrel
Crovax, Ascendant Hero
Crusade
Day of Judgment
Disenchant
Elite Vanguard
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Emeria Angel
Eternal Dragon
Exalted Angel
Faith's Fetters
Flickerwisp
Galepowder Mage
Ghostly Prison
Glorious Anthem
Glory
Goldmeadow Harrier
Guardian Seraph
Hand of Honor
Harm's Way
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Journey to Nowhere
Kami of Ancient Law
Knight of Meadowgrain
Knight of the White Orchid
Kor Hookmaster
Kor Skyfisher
Longbow Archer
Luminarch Ascension
Martial Coup
Mirror Entity
Momentary Blink
Mother of Runes
Oblivion Ring
Pacifism
Paladin en-Vec
Path to Exile
Prison Term
Ranger of Eos
Return to Dust
Reveillark
Safe Passage
Samurai of the Pale Curtain
Savannah Lions
Soltari Crusader
Soltari Monk
Soltari Priest
Soul Warden
Spectral Procession
Stonecloaker
Stonehewer Giant
Story Circle
Swords to Plowshares
Temporal Isolation
Twilight Shepherd
Wall of Reverence
White Knight
White Shield Crusader
World Queller
Wrath of God
Yosei, the Morning Star

BLUE
Aeon Chronicler
Ancestral Vision
Arcanis the Omnipotent
Body Double
Boomerang
Braingeyser
Brainstorm
Brine Elemental
Cache Raiders
Capsize
Clone
Compulsive Research
Confiscate
Control Magic
Counterspell
Cryptic Command
Deep Analysis
Dismiss
Djinn of Wishes
Draining Whelk
Ethersworn Adjudicator
Fact or Fiction
Fathom Seer
Force of Will
Frantic Search
Gifts Ungiven
Glen Elendra Archmage
Guile
Impulse
Into the Roil
Jace Beleren
Keiga, the Tide Star
Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
Looter il-Kor
Magus of the Future
Mana Drain
Mana Leak
Man-o'-War
Master Transmuter
Meloku the Clouded Mirror
Merfolk Looter
Mulldrifter
Mystical Teachings
Mystical Tutor
Ninja of the Deep Hours
Ophidian
Opposition
Pestermite
Ponder
Ray of Command
Remand
Repeal
Repulse
Riftwing Cloudskate
Rite of Replication
Roil Elemental
Rushing River
Serendib Efreet
Sleep
Sower of Temptation
Sphinx of Jwar Isle
Sphinx of Lost Truths
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
Tezzeret the Seeker
Tidespout Tyrant
Tidings
Time Walk
Tradewind Rider
Trinket Mage
Vendilion Clique
Venser, Shaper Savant
Vesuvan Shapeshifter
Voidmage Prodigy
Wake Thrasher
Waterfront Bouncer
Willbender

BLACK
Animate Dead
Ashling, the Extinguisher
Avatar of Woe
Beacon of Unrest
Bitterblossom
Bloodchief Ascension
Bloodghast
Bone Shredder
Braids, Cabal Minion
Cemetery Reaper
Chainer's Edict
Child of Night
Corpse Connoisseur
Damnation
Dark Ritual
Darkblast
Dauthi Slayer
Death Baron
Decree of Pain
Diabolic Edict
Doom Blade
Dusk Urchins
Enslave
Entomb
Eyeblight's Ending
Graveborn Muse
Haakon, Stromgald Scourge
Halo Hunter
Hand of Cruelty
Hymn to Tourach
Hypnotic Specter

Incremental Blight

Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Liliana Vess
Living Death
Lord of the Undead
Malakir Bloodwitch
Makeshift Mannequin
Mind Twist
Nameless Inversion
Nantuko Husk
Nantuko Shade
Necromancy
Nezumi Graverobber
Night’s Whisper
Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
Okiba-Gang Shinobi
Oona's Prowler
Phyrexian Arena

Phyrexian Gargantua

Phyrexian Scuta
Profane Command
Promise of Power

Puppeteer Clique
Quest for the Gravelord

Rend Flesh
Sarcomancy
Shriekmaw
Slaughter Pact

Sorin Markov

Stromgald Crusader
Sudden Death
Tendrils of Corruption
Terror
Thoughtseize
Twisted Abomination
Undead Gladiator
Undead Warchief

Vampire Hexmage

Vampire Nighthawk

Vampire Nocturnus
Visara the Dreadful
Viscera Dragger
Withered Wretch
Yawgmoth's Will

RED
Akroma, Angel of Fury
Ancient Grudge
Avalanche Riders
Blistering Firecat
Blood Knight
Bogardan Hellkite
Burst Lightning
Chandra Nalaar
Chandra Ablaze
Countryside Crusher
Dead // Gone
Demonfire
Earthquake
Fiery Temper
Fire Imp
Fireblast
Firebolt
Flame Fusillade
Flame Javelin
Flameblast Dragon
Flametongue Kavu
Fork
Gathan Raiders

Goblin Bushwhacker

Goblin Chieftain

Goblin Guide

Goblin Matron

Goblin Ruinblaster
Goblin Shortcutter

Godo, Bandit Warlord
Gorilla Shaman
Greater Gargadon
Hearth Kami
Hellkite Charger
Hell's Thunder
Hellspark Elemental
Incinerate
Insurrection
Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
Jokulhaups
Kamahl, Pit Fighter
Keldon Marauders
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Kird Ape
Knollspine Invocation
Kumano, Master Yamabushi
Lash Out
Lava Hounds

Lavaball Trap

Lightning Bolt
Magma Jet
Magus of the Scroll
Mogg Fanatic

Obsidian Fireheart

Plated Geopede
Predator Dragon
Puncture Blast
Pyroclasm
Reckless Wurm
Rolling Thunder
Ryusei, the Falling Star
Shivan Hellkite
Siege-Gang Commander
Squee, Goblin Nabob
Stigma Lasher
Sudden Shock
Sulfur Elemental
Tahngarth, Talruum Hero
Tarfire
Taurean Mauler
Threaten
Thundermare
Tin Street Hooligan
Tribal Flames
Warren Instigator
Wheel of Fortune
Word of Seizing

GREEN
Acidic Slime
All Suns' Dawn
Ant Queen
Beastmaster Ascension
Berserk
Birds of Paradise
Blastoderm
Borderland Ranger
Briarhorn
Call of the Herd
Carven Caryatid
Civic Wayfinder
Chameleon Colossus
Chord of Calling
Cloudthresher
Defense of the Heart
Devoted Druid
Eternal Witness
Fertile Ground
Fyndhorn Elves
Garruk Wildspeaker
Grazing Gladehart
Genesis
Golgari Grave-Troll
Harmonize
Harrow
Hystrodon
Indrik Stomphowler
Kodama of the North Tree
Kodama's Reach
Krosan Grip
Life from the Loam
Llanowar Elves
Lotus Cobra

Mold Shambler

Moldervine Cloak
Mycoloth
Naturalize
Noble Hierarch

Oracle of Mul Daya

Overrun
Phantom Centaur
Plow Under
Primal Command
Rampaging Baloths
Rancor
Regrowth
River Boa
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Saproling Burst
Scryb Ranger
Scute Mob
Seal of Primordium
Seedborn Muse
Simian Grunts
Spectral Force
Stonewood Invocation
Survival of the Fittest
Sylvan Scrying
Tarmogoyf
Terra Stomper
Thelonite Hermit
Tooth and Nail
Troll Ascetic
Uktabi Orangutan
Verdant Force
Vines of Vastwood
Viridian Shaman
Wall of Blossoms
Wall of Roots
Werebear
Wickerbough Elder
Wild Mongrel
Wild Nacatl
Wood Elves

MULTICOLORED
Ajani Vengeant
Angel of Despair
Armadillo Cloak
Ashenmoor Liege
Azorius Guildmage
Balefire Liege
Bituminous Blast
Blitz Hellion
Bloodbraid Elf
Boartusk Liege
Boggart Ram-Gang
Brion Stoutarm
Broodmate Dragon
Court Hussar
Creakwood Liege
Deathbringer Thoctar
Debtors' Knell
Doran, the Siege Tower
Electrolyze
Enlisted Worm
Figure of Destiny
Fire//Ice
Fires of Yavimaya
Goblin Trenches
Iridescent Angel
Izzet Chronarch
Kitchen Finks

Lavalanche

Lightning Helix
Lord of Extinction
Lorescale Coatl
Loxodon Hierarch
Maelstrom Pulse
Mirrorweave
Mortify
Murderous Redcap
Mystic Enforcer
Mystic Snake
Necromancer's Covenant
Nemesis of Reason

Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker

Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
Nucklavee
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Pernicious Deed

Plumeveil

Prophetic Bolt
Psychatog
Putrefy
Putrid Leech
Qasali Pridemage
Rafiq of the Many
Rakdos Guildmage
Recoil
Sarkhan Vol
Selesnya Guildmage
Shadowmage Infiltrator
Shambling Remains
Simic Sky Swallower
Snakeform
Soul Manipulation

Sphinx of the Steel Wind

Sphinx Summoner
Spiritmonger
Spitting Image
Stillmoon Cavalier
Stun Sniper
Swans of Bryn Argoll
Terminate
Tidehollow Sculler
Trygon Predator
Vindicate
Vithian Renegades
Voidslime
Woolly Thoctar

ARTIFACTS
Æther Vial
Azorius Signet
Boros Signet
Bottle Gnomes
Chrome Mox
Coalition Relic
Crystal Shard
Cursed Scroll
Dimir Signet
Duplicant
Golgari Signet
Gorgon Flail
Grim Poppet
Gruul Signet

Isochron Scepter

Izzet Signet
Juggernaut
Lightning Greaves
Loxodon Warhammer
Masticore
Mox Diamond
Mox Emerald
Mox Jet
Mox Pearl
Mox Ruby
Mox Sapphire
Nevinyrral's Disk
Orzhov Signet
Phyrexian Furnace
Platinum Angel
Rakdos Signet
Razormane Masticore
Selesnya Signet
Sensei's Divining Top
Sigil of Distinction
Simic Signet
Skullclamp
Sol Ring
Solemn Simulacrum
Sundering Titan
Sword of Fire and Ice
Sword of Light and Shadow
Tormod's Crypt
Triskelion
Umezawa's Jitte

LANDS
Academy Ruins
Azorius Chancery
Badlands
Bayou
Blood Crypt
Boros Garrison
Breeding Pool
City of Brass
Dimir Aqueduct
Gargoyle Castle
Godless Shrine
Golgari Rot Farm
Gruul Turf
Hallowed Fountain
Izzet Boilerworks
Library of Alexandria
Maze of Ith
Murmuring Bosk
Mutavault
Orzhov Basilica
Overgrown Tomb
Plateau
Rakdos Carnarium
Riptide Laboratory
Sacred Foundry
Savannah
Scrubland
Selesnya Sanctuary
Simic Growth Chamber
Steam Vents
Stomping Ground
Strip Mine
Taiga
Temple Garden
Tropical Island
Tundra
Underground Sea
Volcanic Island
Volrath's Stronghold
Watery Grave

I am very proud of our recent changes. This Cube still has a few stinkers but the quality has been much improved as of late. I really could not say what color is strongest right now.

There will be some cuts for the following cards (once they're in my possession) -
Chandra Ablaze, Goblin Guide, Malakir Bloodwitch and Eldrazi Monument.

Also any thoughts regarding Night's Whisper versus Sign in Blood (versus both being included)?

T

Ravnica Rotisserie Draft Pick Orders

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

They keep coming back.

Well after a little less than a week, the 12 man cube is alive and doing okay. I hesitate to say well, as it has become quite apparent that we have successfully nerfed green-white aggro, but have made black-x reanimator too powerful. After a short conversation with TS this morning, we agree that something needs to be done. While we do agree on what needs to happen, as usual, we disagree on how to get their. Before I get into where we differ in opinion, let me first go over what we agree on.

First, a five man draft should never be able to support two high powered reanimator decks. Second, there are too many redundant reanimation engine parts. Third, there are several very powerful pieces to the reanimation engines. And finally, there isn't much in the way of grave yard hate.

I do agree with Tabasco that we need to include more graveyard hate, but I think it should solely come at the expense of reanimation pieces. TS wants to reduce the number or redundant pieces (spells that function almost identically to other spells already in the cube). We disagree on the power level of cards to come out. I think that one or more of the high powered cards needs to exit stage right, while TS thinks that all of the high powered pieces can stay, but the redundancy needs to be thinned out. Discuss further in the comments.

Until next time, may the mana gods not hate you.

EDH Holiday

Only have a few minutes for a short post.

This week's been especially bad. I didn't manage to make it down for Old Farte like I had wanted to but won't be able to go next week either (my grandmother passed away yesterday, so I'll be up in the Twin Cities for the funeral on Monday). The rest of my plans for this weekend kind of got kebashed as well. My folks had planned on coming up this weekend, but now I'll be heading up their way instead.

Well enough about me. I do agree that our group has gotten away from our roots in casual limited play and moved whole heartedly into EDH or bust. I admit that I am just as guilty of favoring EDH over draft. I also am more excited to see us moving back to more limited play. With that said, I am proposing that we go on an EDH holiday for the month of August. Please discuss this further @ CBGs on Sunday or in the comments, but I think that we need to take a break and give up the format for the month of August.

Until next time, may the mana gods not hate you.

Cube Draft!

I know Wizards is pushing the idea of Cube Draft as a cool format, etc. etc. Thus I kind of feel guilty jumping on the bandwagon now, since I know many people have been doing it forever. However, reading on SCG like a year ago, it seemed like everyone's Cube needed to be fully powered and had a shit load of older cards that I did not have. But in the Invitational List and (even more so) in Wizard's current Cube List, it seems that cards from all eras were chosen, maybe even with an emphasis on newer sets. It made me optimistic that I could throw an interesting 8-person Cube together with a little effort. There won't be any moxen or Timewalks in this cube, but I am still trying to base the first run-through on the Wizard's lists, replacing cards that I don't have. Later on we could add or remove based on what people liked. If the idea is popular I may ask to trade for some of the older rares. Likewise I might just buy a bunch of the budget uncommons I don't yet have. And hey, it gives me a chance to show off my promo Rakdos Guildmage, foily Ascendent Evincar and the like. It's not like I'm going to be throwing them in decks anyway. A rough count of Wizards' Cube shows 714 cards, which seems a little overboard. I'm guessing I miscounted and there are 720 (enough for 16 people). I highly doubt we'll ever have 16 people desperate to draft my Cube at once, so I am going to set the bar a little lower, at 360 (enough for an 8-man). Would you guys like to try this? If nobody really cares, then I won't bother gathering it up, since you are the only guys I play with anyway. A man can't cube draft by himself.
T

What have we learned?

(1) My blue was a lot better on paper than in real life. In 4 matches, I think I picked up a total of 2 games. I would have sold my soul for a Mulldrifter.

(2) Playing multiple builds doesn't work when there are so many people. We should do an inner-circle testing session just for that. Sorry TS and Major_luck. You guys definitely had the correct mindset. My fault for not planning better.

(3) When you get 8 Magic players together, they will draft. Even if 4 of them are supposed to be practicing for a sealed ptq. Even if it's 10 pm and 4 of them have a vintage tourney with a playset of Bazaars on the line in 12 hours. Even if one of them has a wife who wouldn't mind getting to sleep sometime. They will draft.

(4) The Elemental deck works okay. You really have to be the only one at the table. But it works. It helps to have somebody passing all the good red in favor of Flamekin Bladewhirls. It also helps to get 2 X Mulldrifter, 2 X Aethersnipe, and 2 X Smokebraider. Was the phrase, "It's a 1/1!" heard? Yes, it was. Also heard was, "I'll hardcast Mulldrifter on turn 3" and "I think I just win now. You're on 18? Yeah. Good games."

(5) Mulldrifter has flying. Yes, I know I should have known this. If you ever needed any kind of proof that development is unreasonably fond of blue, think of this. Counsel of the Soratami reads 2U, draw 2 cards. Mulldrifter costs 4U as a hardcast. So apparently, the correct costing of a 2/2 flier is 2 colorless. Or something like that. I realize that isn't quite how the evoke creatures are costed. But holy cow. I would hardcast Mulldrifter for 7. Would that be a lot worse? Yes! But it would still be playable at 7. Sheesh.

Edit to add: I actually checked Gatherer twice while writing point 5 despite the fact that I hardcast the damn thing like 5 times last night. So. Broken.

Some Musings on Lorwyn Limited (In the form of a Release Tournament Report)

It’s not bragging if you’re learning, right? Seriously, I realize no one wants to slog through page after page of some schmuck alternately stating “I won” or “I got hosed.” So I will try to toss in some strategic insights on this still young format based on my results. Here goes!

The Deck: I was blessed with several possible directions for a build, but none of them felt overpowering for me. I had about half of a stellar Faerie deck (Faerie Harbinger, Peppersmoke, Pestermite, dubs Dreamspoiler Witches, Faerie Trickery, and Oona's Prowler) and some other good back up cards (dubs Æthersnipe, Liliana Vess, Nameless Inversion, Cairn Wanderer and Ponder. Yes, I did consider splashing the Æthersnipes, thank you. But I’m getting ahead of myself. This was a very solid dozen or so cards. Another direction was Elves, given my dubs Elvish Promenade, but sadly I had merely five other Elf creatures. And there was an Austere Command to consider. Given that my pool had great creatures but was light on removal, I decided a build-your-own Wrath of God would be good idea. So I decided I would play white if at all possible. In the end, my choice was to play all my Kithkin and all but two of my Treefolk, with a splash for the Nameless Inversion and Cairn Wanderer. What about Liliana Vess? I felt like it was too greedy to depend on getting double black given my dearth of fixing. She got cut. Here’s what I ran.

The List:
Kithkin Creatures:
Goldmeadow Harrier
Kithkin Daggerdare
Plover Knights
2 x Springjack Knight (Surprisingly good)
Wizened Cenn

Treefolk Creatures:
2 x Battlewand Oak (Without these a Treefolk deck doesn’t work)
Bog-Strider Ash
Cloudcrown Oak (The best Treefolk at common, I believe)
Oaken Brawler
Oakgnarl Warrior
Sentry Oak (Quite good)

Shapeshifter Creatures:
Cairn Wanderer
Changeling Titan

Elemental Creatures:
Briarhorn (Play it. If you have to, splash for it. Amazing.)

Total Creatures: 16

Spells:
Oblivion Ring (Play it)
Austere Command (Duh)
Dolmen Gate (It fits this deck’s strategy. I would play it in a Kithkin, Faerie, or maybe Merfolk deck)
Lace with Moonglove
Nameless Inversion (Best common after O-ring in the set)
Surge of Thoughtweft
Incremental Growth (A real skill tester. Goes up in value the better the player you are.)
Total Spells: 7

Land:
7 x Plains
7 x Forests
2 x Swamps
Vivid Marsh
Total Land: 17

Other possible playables: Kinsbaile Skirmisher, Fistful of Force, Runed Stalactite.
I won’t lie: the first match I had the Skirmisher and the Stalactite in the main instead of Lace with Moonglove and Bog-Strider Ash. People told me the Fistful of Force was good, but I just couldn’t see it being better than any spell other than maybe Lace with Moonglove, and I refused to cut a creature for it. Anyone want to make an argument for any of the board cards? Let me hear it.

Round 1: Scott
Scott says that we’ve played before, at a different release tourney. I smile and say “I think that we have.” Then he says with an edge of resentment that he is pretty sure that I beat him in that tournament. I tell him I don’t remember, but he cuts me off and says that he knows this because he lost every match of that tournament. Is it wrong of me to feel some relief when an opponent tells you that? Should “easy win” be floating through your mind? Or would that make you a dick? Just asking. We both mull to six and he asks me if we can just draw seven again. “I wish,” I reply, “but we better keep this match within the official rules.” He keeps a two lander after the Paris and I proceed to roll over him as he discards every three casting cost Kithkin ever printed. Dude got screwed. At this point I was thinking about round 2 already. That may have been a mistake. Next game he makes some guys, I kill them and I am looking at overwhelming board position. Then he drops foily Garruk Wildspeaker, untaps two lands and drops Ajani Goldmane, gaining himself 2 life. This is like turn six. Next turn he makes a beast and gives it a +1/+1 counter. I tap the 4/4 beastie with my Goldmeadow Harrier, play Incremental Growth and manage to kill both Planeswalkers that turn. Crisis averted. I also inform him that his foily Garruk should net him around $10 if he so desires. That’s the match. Moral: Planeswalkers are good. But I also think they are a little skill testing. Scott could have waited until he had just one creature down, then dropped the Planeswalkers and made a Beast. Even if I knocked one of ‘Walkers out, I still probably would have lost the tempo I had and likely the game. Instead they just sucked up one turn of attacks before I began beating on Scott.

Round 2: Ryan
Ryan is Scott’s buddy. He is one of those guys who plays like they have five minutes to win every game. In game one it actually took Ryan about five minutes to pound me into oblivion with Merfolk and Elementals. I took 13 damage on the last turn of the game. He was still at 20 life. Game two I was pinging away with some weenies and able to activate Springjack Knight multiple times to force through lots of damage. Unfortunately, he had Judge of Currents gaining him a total of nine extra life this game. I managed to kill a Sygg, River Guide and Veteran of the Depths before finally taking him out. We had 12 minutes to finish game three. This game I got the sense that he was more interested in tapping his Merfolk to do extraneous stuff than he was focused on winning. He took me to seven, but I managed to get him. After he lost Ryan told me that he had the perfect answer to my deck- Soaring Hope. Suffice it to say I would have been fine with him playing that card instead of actual threats. Moral: Lifegain is bad, but you already knew that. Clashing every turn is good. I know it helps your opponent too, smoothing his draws and letting him see your cards, but if you’re clashing then occasionally you get an added benefit as well, like a doublestriking a creature. Sentry Oak was great for that reason. You don’t even have to throw the guy in the red zone if you win the clash. You can just write down the removal spell that your opponent revealed, put the land you revealed on the bottom of your library and make plays to reflect this new information.

Round 3: Joey McHaines
We all know Joseph by now. I will withhold comments accordingly. He was listening to the Packer game on his radio, which was a nice bonus. His deck was a dedicated Elf creation with about twelve creatures and about eight hojillion removal spells. Seriously, he was splashing white for double O-ring and Neck Snap. Healso ran dubs Eyeblight’s Ending, a Weed Strangle, a Lignify etc. We both mulled to six and both had very slow hands. I was stuck on two land, swinging with a Kithkin Daggerdare and he was stuck on three with a Avian Changeling beating me above. He swung in for five turns before we really started to get rolling. He Lignified my Sentry Oak, which was fine, because I gave it three +1/+1 counters with an Incremental Growth. A 0/4 Treefolk with no abilities can still swing, and often should if it is now a 3/7. He finally played Nath of the Gilt-Leaf and started removing all my blockers with his, uh removal. It was elementary after that. Game 2 our decks actually came to play. I feel like he killed about eight of my guys, but I think I Wrathed the board with Austere Command, so I may have helped him out in that regard. He of course played Footbottom Feast to reload. He also was apparently gaining life (according to the life totals recorded), although I’m not sure how. He got this game and the match with what seemed like four total creatures that he just recurred. Joe went on to go 4-0-2 and made the top 8. Moral: Removal is SO good in this format. Lorwyn is about creatures, yes? If you can remove creatures, not only do you stop ridiculous synergies from occurring, you also can win the game yourself- with YOUR creatures. Wizards supposedly dialed back the amount of removal for this set, so I suggest taking it over bomb creatures in this format.

Round 4: Dylan
It was win or go home time. Dylan came out packing a base-blue deck that splashed white (Veteran of the Depths, probably other stuff), black (Nameless Inversion) and red (Tarfire). Also he had Merfolk, at least one Æthersnipe and a Benthicore. I couldn’t stop the Benthicore game one. That thing is a house. He got me when I was one White mana shy of the Austere Command. But I was ready for Benthicore game two. He was beating me in the air with some 2 power flyer for about four turns. Then drops the big guy and next turn tries to turn it sideways. Down comes Briarhorn, giving itself +3/+3. Go ahead, tap your Merfolk and give Benthicore shroud. I don’t have to target your guy. That swung the game around. My Treefolk had time to come down and after that it was lights out. Game 3 he was on his back foot the whole time. I would see him keep a Tarfire on top of his library after a clash with no Mountains in play. Same thing would happen with Nameless Inversion. By the time he got mana I had him at 13 with no chump blockers. I Surge of Thoughtweft with a bunch of dudes to drop him to 3 and that’s too far for him to recover. He takes me down to 18 and scoops them up. Moral: Briarhorn. Is. Amazing. Splash for him, draft him first pick, do whatever you have to do to play him. He is removal for all non-evasive creatures 6/6 and smaller. Draft him like a removal spell that also happens to give you a dude. The only time I didn’t kill an opponent’s creature with this guy was when I cast him at the end of my opponent’s turn so I would have enough bodies to swarm for the win on my next turn. Some cards are skill testers. This card will get you raped by thirteen year-olds because anyone with even a vague notion of Magic’s turn structure can destroy people with this. Okay, I’m done ranting.

Round 5: Keith
I have played with Keith before and there was something about him that made me dislike him. He seemed fine on the surface; a clean-cut guy with a good poker face. I usually appreciate opponents who don’t show any emotion because I can (mostly) rely on them to keep any psychiatric and or personality disorders to themselves. I hate the guy who is socially retarded, or gregariously condescending, or wants to tell you about how hot his girlfriend is, and how also he makes millions of dollars and definitely doesn’t have a really, really small penis. I prefer losing to emotionless killing machines than dealing with the same bizarre shit I slog through working at a mental health clinic. Sorry about the aside. Back to Keith. I am probably slandering Keith here, but I have a vague intuition that the last time we played he won, and was just the tiniest bit smug about it- just smug enough to let me notice. Now I sound like the crazy one. But hey, everyone likes winning and has a right to happy about it, so I should probably stop whining about that. It’s Magic-playin’ time. Keith is running a base-red Elemental deck with Blue as the secondary color. The first game he removes some of my early drops then has some strange combo-esque play involving Inner-Flame Acolyte pumping up a Changeling Berserker after equipping it with Runed Stalactite. I was at a healthy 17 life and two turns later I was dead. The Elementals can come out of nowhere to win. Very anxiety producing. Game 2 I had the perfect curve. Turn 2 Wizened Cenn, turn 3 Springjack Knight, turn 4 swing with both Kithkin, win the clash, Springjack gets doublestrike, cast Surge of Thoughtweft after Keith chooses not to block, take eleven sir- wait, you what? You Familiar's Ruse, countering my Surge of Thoughtweft, returning your Inner-Flame Acolyte? Ugh. I guess you just take 8 instead. After I dropped Plover Knights on turn 5 his mask cracked a little. “Of course. Of course you have Plover Knights on turn five.” He started to turn the game around and then I three-for-oned him with the Austere Command. He scooped on 7 life. We shuffled up for game 3. When I dropped turn two Dolmen Gate he got real salty. He threw up his hands and exclaimed, “Great, just great. That card!” I had seen mixed success with it previously (I was able to continue to attack in for a few damage per turn during a creature stall against Dylan, but against Joe I wished it had been another dude), and to be honest the card itself did less for me this game than the knowledge that my opponent was frustrated. We were both racing and I doubt Keith would have blocked more often if the Gate hadn’t been there. He had me down to 10, which I knew would go fast if he drew a hasty Changeling Berserker with any amount of pump or burn. Still I had no real option but to hope he didn’t draw the right cards and try to end the game as quickly as possible. After he went to 7 life he started holding his Elementals back to chump block. He was land flooded and I started to suspect his last 2 cards in hand were also lands. One more all-in attack took him to 3. He tossed his hand of two basics onto the table, conceding in disgust. Wary of returning the smugness he may have possibly given me in the past, I told Keith that he had me scared the whole time because I knew his deck could drop large amounts of damage from nowhere. “It’s a good deck,” he replied, shaking his head. “When I draw non-land cards.” We’ve all been there. Moral: Dolmen Gate is a fine card in an aggressive deck. Still, I would definitely relegate it to the sideboard in matches where you know your opponent has lots of removal or has a good chance of outracing you. In draft, even if you are building a mid-range deck I would snag a late Dolmen Gate for sideboarding in against decks where you know you will be the aggressor. It remains to be seen what pick will end up being “late” for a rare like this. I’m predicting if you see this coming anywhere after fourth pick it’s probably better than the other cards still in the pack- unless you’re running the slowest and of control decks.

Round 6: Tom
I found my opponent. I explained to him that looking at the standings we were guaranteed a Top 8 berth with a draw in this round. “Okay.” He replied. “So, where do you want to play?” I was confused. “Do you… mean for fun?” I asked. “No. I came here to play. And I think I have a pretty good chance.” “You don’t understand,” I countered. “If you lose this round there’s a good chance you won’t make it in to the Top 8. I don’t care how good you think your deck is, you have to admit there’s still a chance of you losing. If we draw, it’s a guarantee. Why would you want to take the risk?” He looked at me with the tiniest hint of smile. “I think my tiebreaks will get me in even if I lose. And besides; if I want to play, you have to play.” “Fair enough.” I replied, cursing inwardly that I got paired against the one cowboy still left in this tournament. We finished shuffling. Before presenting my deck I said, “One last chance. Will you ID with me?” Now he was smiling wide. “Nope.” I took a deep breath. Here we go. I throw back a one-lander. He blithely keeps immediately, not waiting for me to finish mulling. My six card hand features two Forests, a Dolmen Gate and three White creatures. I think for a while, then decide five is better. I keep on two lands and three spells I can’t cast. He starts laying dudes a’plenty, capping it off with a Brion Stoutarm. I have an O-ring ready for big bad Brion, but before I lay the removal he drops Purity. Okay, I have to remove that from the game before I can kill Brion with damage anyway. I have no other way of dealing with the Incarnation, but at least if he starts swinging with the Giant I could slide a Briarhorn in front of Brion. He doesn’t swing with Brion. And I don’t draw Briarhorn. He gets me with weenies and flings the last four damage at me. Game 2. It’s ugly. Turn 4 Brion Stoutarm for him. I’m “racing” him, but with the lifelink I really feel like I’m racing on a treadmill. He gains 15 life over the course of the game. He O-rings my Cairn Wanderer. I O-ring his Stoutarm. He O-rings my O-ring. I may have said some sarcastic comments at that point. I also lose badly. At the end of the game I told him “I feel no compulsion to be nice to you if I don’t make the Top 8.” That, kids, is me admitting right here and now that I am a dick. I realized this about four minutes later and apologized to Tom. Perhaps because of this apology, Providence decided to let two losers on 4-2 make the cut. I was one of them. Moral: Don’t be a dick. If there is some doubt in your mind as to whether or not you have been dick, rest assured you have. If you find yourself admitting that you are, in fact, a dick, make amends as best you can. It won’t always get you into a Top 8, but it will dampen the flames of whatever B.O. perfumed inferno awaits gamer assholes like us on the Other Side.

Top 8 Draft: We set up for the draft. Fugie, having been knocked from the tourney, is judging this show. I have recorded my picks.
Pack 1 Pick 1: Oblivion Ring
Best common removal in the set. Mise.
P1P2: Cloudthresher
A guy would have to be pretty heavy green to pay the GGGG in the casting cost, but it’s the second pick and I might as well shoot for it.
P1P3: Silvergill Douser
Nothing in Green. I’ll take the best card left in the pack.
P1P4: Thundercloud Shaman
I’m not seeing a lot of solid signaling, but if I end up in red this guy gets in there for sure. 4/4 for five is just fine thanks. Killing weenies is gravy.
P1P5: Wanderwine Prophets
I don’t know the set well enough to know if this is a signal or not. This guy seems abusable in the right deck.
P1P6: Silvergill Douser
Now we’re talking. I know these dudes are good. If people want to ship me more Merfolk I will snap them up.
P1P7: Battlewand Oak
I really like Treefolk. They’ve been good to me in one draft and in this sealed pool. This guy is excellent in a Treefolk deck. I will look out for more coming.
P1P8: Amoeboid Changeling
I seem to be shifting toward Blue, and this guy is capable of creating two extra Merfolk (or Treefolk, or whatever).
P1P9: Giant Harbinger
I don’t know if I’m in Red or not, but all the Harbingers have been really good for me prior. This one seems like it won’t be any different.
P1P10: Glimmerdust Nap
First removal I’ve picked since O-ring.
P1P11: Springleaf Drum
I don’t know if this is good fixing, but it’s fixing.
P1P12: Deeptread Merrow
Solid dude that will make the maindeck. Not a bad 12th pick.
P1P13: Mournwhelk
Really? 13th? This seems better that 13th pick to me. Maybe 7 is just too much to pay. We’ll see.
P1P14: Ponder
I think Blue is open. Can you imagine passing this- twice?
P1P14: Wellgabber Apothecary
Playable 15th pick. Nice.
Pack 2 Pick 1: Guile
The on-color Incarnation. How lucky.
P2P2: Mulldrifter
Daddy like.
P2P3: Mulldrifter
For reals. Blue is WIDE open. This deck is almost built.
P2P4: Briarhorn
I’m pretty sure by Christmas a Briarhorn will never, ever, ever go fourth pick. I know I will at least splash for green now.
* * *
It’s at this point that a guy on the other side of the table raises his hand and says, “I think this pile has too many cards in it.” He was right. The pack he was passing should have had 10 or 11 cards, but had 14. He was short 2 cards that he drafted (from his picked cards, but then some other dude next me was also short one card in his draft pile. WTF? Judge Fugie takes about ten minutes to gather info and contemplate what could have gone wrong. When he returns from his monastic hideout behind the store counter, Fugie is unhappy. “The mistakes made are incorrectable. Take the cards you have drafted so far and put them as far away from the table as possible. We will start the draft over and the packs used to do so will come out of the prize payout.” Oh shit. Also, The Fugitive Wizard explains that we will be doing this thing “all the way Pro Tour,” counting every single pack and passing on his command. Timed review periods, picks, and deck building. Oh, and the genius with 14 cards in his pack got a game loss. When Fugie ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.
The next draft took twice as long. I won’t bore you with my picks, since I didn’t bother writing them down anyway. I was very tired by this point and somehow managed to try drafting Black/White Treefolk. Moral: Don’t try to draft Black/White Treefolk. Some of the best Treefolk are in Black and White, but you’ll never get enough to make it work. At least I didn’t. I realized this halfway through and ended up drafting some shitty Boggarts as well. It was B/R/w. I barely got sleeved in time to sit down for the Quarters. I faced Tom- again.

Quarterfinals: Tom
Neither of us were feeling very good about our decks, but his came to play. He had a U/W Merfolk deck with so much card draw. Dubs Mulldrifter for starters. Must be nice. Reminds me of a deck I drafted once... Game 2 I dropped him to 7 before he stabilized, but I was never able to punch through for enough damage. I remember ripping a crucial Fodder Launch with two guys (one a Gob) on board; a Lowland Oaf and a Spiderwig Boggart. I give the Boggart +1/+0 and flying with the Oaf and swing for three in the air. We go to the second main. I sac the Boggart and target his Stonybrook Angler with the Fodder Launch. In hand I have the Warren Pilferers to return the Spiderwig from the graveyard, but he has the key Faerie Trickery to counter the Fodder Launch. As a result he stays out of alpha strike range. He mops me up after drawing (literally) seven more cards than me. Moral: I don’t know how to do a successful draft of Lorwyn if people around you are switching tribes midstream, or sending terrible signals. You need to go tribal to have any chance of winning a draft, but if your tribe of choice dries up, I have this feeling you could just be fucked. I’m not sure how good drafters will end up compensating for this. There must be more complexity to the format than I’m giving it credit for, but it certainly feels easier to get hosed by people switching (or dipping in) to other tribes. Be ready for it to happen to you, boys.

Finally, Finish This Damn Article!
Well, I finished pretty poorly after a strong start. I lost four games straight at the end of the night (to the same guy!), and finished a middling 4-3. But I somehow made Top 8, and I got 1.5 free drafts out of the deal, along with another deck box. One final moral: In Lorwyn Sealed your ideal deck will be two tribes only, with a few supporting off-tribe bombs. Do not play a Merfolk/Faerie/Elemental deck because they’re all base blue. Color doesn’t matter as much as tribe. I was happy with Kithkin/Treefolk, and would build it again if the cards were there.
One thing’s for sure: Those of you waiting for TooSarcastic to win a Release tournament may have a long wait.
T

I Pulled a Fugie

When in a 6 man, look for White Weenie. I take no credit for this.

1 Bandage
1 Angelic Wall
1 Ghost Warden
1 Samite Healer
2 Youthful Knight
2 Steadfast Guard
1 Mind Stone
1 Venerable Monk
1 Benalish Knight
1 Skyhunter Prowler
2 Skyhunter Skirmisher
3 Wild Griffin
2 Warrior's Honor
1 Aven Cloudchaser
1 Ballista Squad
1 Skyhunter Patrol
1 Serra Angel
1 Kjeldoran Royal Guard
16 Plains

I bounced around colors until I wheeled a Wild Griffin in pack one. It really helps to open incredible, unspeakable white uncommons in pack 2. It also really helps to have 3 people fighting over red in a pool without a single Shock, Incinerate or Guerilla Tactics in it.

I dropped a game in matches 2 and 3. So broken.

So Hungover...

There was a bachelor party last night and all the Fugitive Wizards posters were present. Dale (aka "Scoop Phase" aka :Dirty Old Man") decided he needed to come late to the party because HE WAS DRAFTING at Game Universe. That jerk ran the pod and finished 3-0 with a deck sporting Fiery Justice and Desolation Giant. Nice deck, man. Of course the only reason he did so well was because myself, Captain Bondage Goth, The Fugitive Wizard, and Super Beer Geek were all drinking at an East Side Pub waiting for the old man to show up. We would have given him some real competition. In other news, I was forced to do shots with The Fugitive Wizard, who was not even buzzing by the time I was wasted. Finally, disgusted with me being unable to finish drinks that were being bought for me, he left to go to On the Border. I mean, to go to sleep so he could get up for work today.