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By: tcgaa, Mike Jones
Apr 22 2014 12:00pm
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BNG , THS , THS Draft - 4/10/2014

I'm back with another draft article. I've tried a few times now to stay away from red-white, but it keeps reeling me back in. Not sure what else I could have done with these packs and passes. Would you have drafted it differently?

Pack 1 Pick 1
Floodtide Serpent Rise to the Challenge Griffin Dreamfinder Nyxborn Eidolon Sudden Storm Kragma Butcher Aspect of Hydra Mortal's Resolve Divination Akroan Skyguard Kiora's Follower Thunderous Might Nessian Demolok Whelming Wave Mountain
I'm pretty sure that Whelming Wave is not a first pick, but one day I am going to try to build a draft deck around it. Pick up all the Serpents, Kraken, Leviathans, and Octopuses I can find! The problem with this pack was the blue is too strong. Sudden Storm is probably the best card in the pack. Skyguard is a solid first pick though and has the upside of not sending any good white cards to the person on my left.

My Pick:
Akroan Skyguard

Pack 1 Pick 2
Floodtide Serpent Rise to the Challenge Griffin Dreamfinder Nyxborn Eidolon Sudden Storm Fated Infatuation Aspect of Hydra Mortal's Resolve Divination Akroan Skyguard Archetype of Courage Skyreaping Pinnacle of Rage Swamp
I debated this one, but eventually decided that the Archetype is stronger than a second Skyguard. Passing another Sudden Storm, so I decide at this point that blue will not be my second colour. Also thought about Pinnacle of Rage. Not happy about passing a Skyguard - will send a bad signal.

My Pick:
Archetype of Courage

Pack 1 Pick 3
Floodtide Serpent Rise to the Challenge Griffin Dreamfinder Nyxborn Eidolon Sudden Storm Aspect of Hydra Mortal's Resolve Divination Akroan Skyguard Ashiok's Adept Thunder Brute Fanatic of Xenagos Plains
Wow - 3 Sudden Storms... not sure if I'd play them all, probably would. Blue is going to be fought over I suspect. Hopefully that bodes well for me - this is an easy Skyguard pick-up here.

My Pick:
Akroan Skyguard

Pack 1 Pick 4
Mortal's Ardor Fearsome Temper Servant of Tymaret Loyal Pegasus Grisly Transformation Nyxborn Rollicker Aspect of Hydra Claim of Erebos Gorgon's Head Sanguimancy Whims of the Fates Mountain
Am I getting any signals here? Maybe black or red are open, but these cards are not a strong signal. In general I think the red cards are better than the black cards - so this nudges me towards red as my second colour. That said, I looked at Mortal's Ardor, Temper, Servant, Pegasus, and Rollicker before deciding that I want to try for the hyper-aggressive red-white build. I like the Pegasus in that deck, and it shortens the white in the pack.

My Pick:
Loyal Pegasus

Pack 1 Pick 5
Griffin Dreamfinder Eye Gouge Evanescent Intellect Fearsome Temper Hold at Bay Setessan Starbreaker Nyxborn Rollicker Kraken of the Straits Meletis Astronomer Lightning Volley Plains
Fearsome Temper or Rollicker - Rollicker fits with my aggressive plan better as it comes down earlier.

My Pick:
Nyxborn Rollicker

Pack 1 Pick 6
Revoke Existence Evanescent Intellect Epiphany Storm Servant of Tymaret Great Hart Necrobite Loyal Pegasus Gorgon's Head Sanguimancy Swamp
Another Pegasus and I am happy about it - now maybe they can form a team. Would also like to pick up the Revoke Existence, but early creatures are more important in this deck.

My Pick:
Loyal Pegasus

Pack 1 Pick 7
Revoke Existence Evanescent Intellect Epiphany Storm Servant of Tymaret Great Hart Necrobite Loyal Pegasus Astral Cornucopia Mountain
Wow - this pack is eerily similar to the last pack. Same logic as before - not happy to see all those Servants go by.

My Pick:
Loyal Pegasus

Pack 1 Pick 8
Forsaken Drifters Scouring Sands Felhide Brawler Reckless Reveler Grisly Transformation Snake of the Golden Grove Heroes' Podium Mountain
Scouring Sands would really wreck me at this point, but more low-drop creatures are not bad. Definitely could have been a different black-white deck though.

My Pick:
Reckless Reveler

Pack 1 Pick 9
Floodtide Serpent Griffin Dreamfinder Aspect of Hydra Mortal's Resolve Thunderous Might Whelming Wave Mountain
This was a bad pick. The Griffin doesn't fit what I'm doing where Thunderous Might does. It might have made the deck depending on the next two packs.

My Pick:
Griffin Dreamfinder

Pack 1 Pick 10
Floodtide Serpent Griffin Dreamfinder Aspect of Hydra Divination Skyreaping Swamp
And I get another one - sigh. Wish I had a better memory for what was in each pack.

My Pick:
Griffin Dreamfinder

Pack 1 Pick 11
Floodtide Serpent Rise to the Challenge Griffin Dreamfinder Ashiok's Adept Plains
This will likely make the cut.

My Pick:
Rise to the Challenge

Pack 1 Pick 12
Grisly Transformation Claim of Erebos Sanguimancy Mountain
Not much to comment on for the rest of this pack.

My Pick:
Sanguimancy

Pack 1 Pick 13
Evanescent Intellect Hold at Bay Plains
My Pick:
Hold at Bay

Pack 1 Pick 14
Epiphany Storm Swamp
My Pick:
Epiphany Storm

Pack 1 Pick 15
Mountain
My Pick:
Mountain

Pack 2 Pick 1
Prescient Chimera Fleetfeather Sandals Ill-Tempered Cyclops Returned Centaur Griptide Commune with the Gods Hopeful Eidolon Spark Jolt Vaporkin Deathbellow Raider Glare of Heresy Destructive Revelry Triton Fortune Hunter Prophet of Kruphix Plains
I hate passing the Prophet - card is so good in this format. Blue is very deep again in this pack. I think there could be 4 happy blue drafters at this table. The Eidolon cuts white for the most part and is a great card to bestow on heroes.

My Pick:
Hopeful Eidolon

Pack 2 Pick 2
Dragon Mantle Omenspeaker Vulpine Goliath Asphodel Wanderer Voyaging Satyr Mountain Baleful Eidolon Deathbellow Raider Opaline Unicorn Battlewise Hoplite Vanquish the Foul Satyr Piper Akroan Horse Mountain
Dragon Mantle fits what I'm trying to do. Maybe I should have grabbed the Akroan Horse here.

My Pick:
Dragon Mantle

Pack 2 Pick 3
Leafcrown Dryad Chosen by Heliod Pheres-Band Centaurs Titan's Strength Yoked Ox Voyaging Satyr Wild Celebrants Benthic Giant Ray of Dissolution Centaur Battlemaster Sealock Monster Evangel of Heliod Island
Looks like the fight for red-white is on! Titan's Strength or Chosen were the only cards I seriously considered and strength is the aggressive card.

My Pick:
Titan's Strength

Pack 2 Pick 4
Omenspeaker March of the Returned Lagonna-Band Elder Priest of Iroas Fade into Antiquity Returned Centaur Griptide Horizon Scholar Chronicler of Heroes Flamecast Wheel Triad of Fates Swamp
Bleh... now I am wishing I had gone with black as my second colour.

My Pick:
Lagonna-Band Elder

Pack 2 Pick 5
Loathsome Catoblepas Nylea's Presence Fleetfeather Sandals Satyr Hedonist Satyr Rambler Leonin Snarecaster Scholar of Athreos Dissolve Burnished Hart Spellheart Chimera Island
If I was black-white, I'd have a Scholar here, but Snarecaster fits the plan. Very concerned that this draft is going sideways on me - have not seen another white Heroic card since pack 1 pick 3.

My Pick:
Leonin Snarecaster

Pack 2 Pick 6
Loathsome Catoblepas Nylea's Presence Fleetfeather Sandals Observant Alseid Defend the Hearth Agent of Horizons Crackling Triton Setessan Battle Priest Akroan Hoplite Island
Observant Alseid vs. Akroan Hoplite... I think the Hoplite is what we are trying for.

My Pick:
Akroan Hoplite

Pack 2 Pick 7
Fleetfeather Sandals Satyr Rambler Feral Invocation Fate Foretold Thassa's Bounty Shredding Winds Boulderfall Fanatic of Mogis Plains
Probably should have taken the Rambler here, but I was thinking that the Fanatic might just be able to get in those last few points of damage.

My Pick:
Fanatic of Mogis

Pack 2 Pick 8
Bronze Sable Ephara's Warden Asphodel Wanderer Vulpine Goliath Annul Boulderfall Sentry of the Underworld Forest
What was I saying earlier about black-white - sigh! Probably should have taken the Warden here - might come in out of the board.

My Pick:
Sentry of the Underworld

Pack 2 Pick 9
Fleetfeather Sandals Returned Centaur Commune with the Gods Spark Jolt Glare of Heresy Destructive Revelry Plains
Since I am obviously fighting for white cards, Glare looks like it could be useful.

My Pick:
Glare of Heresy

Pack 2 Pick 10
Vulpine Goliath Asphodel Wanderer Mountain Vanquish the Foul Satyr Piper Mountain
Not planning to play it, maybe should have just hated the Goliath.

My Pick:
Vanquish the Foul

Pack 2 Pick 11
Pheres-Band Centaurs Yoked Ox Benthic Giant Evangel of Heliod Island
Not what we are trying for in this deck - I'm hoping to run 16 or fewer lands, so I don't want anything over 4 mana casting cost.

My Pick:
Evangel of Heliod

Pack 2 Pick 12
March of the Returned Priest of Iroas Flamecast Wheel Swamp
Might make the deck - early drop that trades for pesky bestow creatures later.

My Pick:
Priest of Iroas

Pack 2 Pick 13
Loathsome Catoblepas Satyr Rambler Island
Happy with this one - rest of this pack speaks for itself.

My Pick:
Satyr Rambler

Pack 2 Pick 14
Loathsome Catoblepas Island
My Pick:
Loathsome Catoblepas

Pack 2 Pick 15
Plains
My Pick:
Plains

Pack 3 Pick 1
Demolish Ephara's Warden Fleshmad Steed Time to Feed Blood-Toll Harpy Breaching Hippocamp Aqueous Form Spearpoint Oread Disciple of Phenax Voyage's End Ordeal of Heliod Hunt the Hunter Evangel of Heliod Hundred-Handed One Swamp
I really wanted the Ordeal here. But if I do end up in a game that goes long, the Hundred-Handed One could be a difference maker.

My Pick:
Hundred-Handed One

Pack 3 Pick 2
Stymied Hopes Nessian Courser Lash of the Whip Priest of Iroas Read the Bones Thassa's Bounty Lost in a Labyrinth Agent of Horizons Akroan Crusader Cavern Lampad Vanquish the Foul Akroan Hoplite Flamespeaker Adept Forest
Maybe I should have taken the Crusader or Flamespeaker and tried to table the Hoplite...

My Pick:
Akroan Hoplite

Pack 3 Pick 3
Battlewise Valor Viper's Kiss Time to Feed Baleful Eidolon Traveling Philosopher Two-Headed Cerberus Aqueous Form Borderland Minotaur Scholar of Athreos Dissolve Prowler's Helm Psychic Intrusion Mountain
Happy to get a decent trick here. Also looked at the Cerberus.

My Pick:
Battlewise Valor

Pack 3 Pick 4
Nylea's Disciple Lash of the Whip Fate Foretold Thassa's Bounty Lagonna-Band Elder Priest of Iroas Fade into Antiquity Savage Surge Battlewise Hoplite Flamecast Wheel Meletis Charlatan Mountain
Sigh - maybe I should have just given in and been the blue-white drafter.

My Pick:
Lagonna-Band Elder

Pack 3 Pick 5
Guardians of Meletis Loathsome Catoblepas Wild Celebrants Two-Headed Cerberus Asphodel Wanderer Breaching Hippocamp Borderland Minotaur Artisan's Sorrow Arena Athlete Warriors' Lesson Island
Solid pick-up - the Athlete is what this deck wants - i.e., ways to sneak through damage.

My Pick:
Arena Athlete

Pack 3 Pick 6
Viper's Kiss Pheres-Band Centaurs Fade into Antiquity Satyr Rambler Scourgemark Coastline Chimera Felhide Minotaur Borderland Minotaur Insatiable Harpy Island
Should have just hated the Harpy here - doubt either of the red cards will make the deck at this point.

My Pick:
Borderland Minotaur

Pack 3 Pick 7
Messenger's Speed Gray Merchant of Asphodel Vulpine Goliath Yoked Ox Annul Ray of Dissolution Gainsay Shipwreck Singer Forest
Wow that's a late Grey Merchant. Ray is a good pick up at this point in the draft. I will likely main-deck it.

My Pick:
Ray of Dissolution

Pack 3 Pick 8
Demolish Ephara's Warden Fleshmad Steed Baleful Eidolon Annul Rescue from the Underworld Spellheart Chimera Swamp

Hate pick - this could wreck my plans...

My Pick:
Baleful Eidolon

Pack 3 Pick 9
Demolish Ephara's Warden Fleshmad Steed Blood-Toll Harpy Hunt the Hunter Evangel of Heliod Swamp
Get a Warden anyway - can bring it in against some decks. Maybe I should value this card higher in this build - just wish it didn't cost 4 mana.

My Pick:
Ephara's Warden

Pack 3 Pick 10
Stymied Hopes Priest of Iroas Thassa's Bounty Lost in a Labyrinth Flamespeaker Adept Forest
Sweet - tabled the Flamespeaker.

My Pick:
Flamespeaker Adept

Pack 3 Pick 11
Viper's Kiss Borderland Minotaur Prowler's Helm Psychic Intrusion Mountain
Rest of the picks are probably not making the deck...

My Pick:
Borderland Minotaur

Pack 3 Pick 12
Fate Foretold Thassa's Bounty Flamecast Wheel Mountain
My Pick:
Flamecast Wheel

Pack 3 Pick 13
Loathsome Catoblepas Wild Celebrants Island
My Pick:
Wild Celebrants

Pack 3 Pick 14
Felhide Minotaur Island
My Pick:
Felhide Minotaur

Pack 3 Pick 15
Forest
My Pick:
Forest

So the deck ended up as follows:

The plan was to get some early flyers down and then out-creature the opponent for the last few points. Deck is lacking removal - a few Lightning Strike, Bolt of Keranos, etc... would have gone a long way to making this deck much better. I'd probably rate this a 6.5/10 as far as examples of the archetype go. Deck is solid though and has a chance. I think that is why this archetype is so strong right now i.e., even when you are fighting for cards, you can still put together a reasonable deck. When I won games with this deck it was usually due to an early Pegasus (or two) and/or a Skyguard. I probably could have run 15 lands and put in the Priest of Iroas to be even more aggressive.

As usual took more luck than skill to get to the finals this time. In round 1, my opponent disconnected so I essentially got the bye into round 2. Round 2 I faced a blue-green splash red deck with the Prophet of Kruphix. He had some bad draws in game 1, game 2 he showed me Kiora as well (lost that one), game 3 I squeaked it out. Round 3 I played a blue-black deck (and lost 1-2). Two Grey Merchant is very difficult to get through and he had just enough removal to keep me from killing him quickly.

Thanks for reading. Good luck in all your future drafts.

majones12