I mean this is a good analysis, but I have to put in a token of advice.
An amazing drafter once told me that a draft is actually a process in which one decides what sealed pool he/she gets. IE you want some consistency and some bombs.
That said, I feel your second deck really lacked a solid deck construction. It was decent, and it had potential to win you game one,but I think trying to splash Changling titan would have improved your list. Perhaps pass one some of those mid picks in order to pick up a vivid land and/or a twig.
The key in any draft is to strike a balance between power consistency.
I don't know about some of the card choices in Spicestorm, but I definitely played against a similar deck in the Extended 8 mans, and I have to say it was quite the beast.
I tried the SpiceStorm deck in the casual tourney room last week after seeing it in the mtg.com article and I gave up after 3 matches...it just seemed awful.
I think you got pretty lucky to even win one match with that first deck, and a little unlucky not to win a match with your second deck (although as mentioned below your construction might have been off).
deck 2 you had only 2 cards to use with dreamspoiler, necter faerie sucks. Both shouldve been replaced with paperfin rascals/skeletal changeling. Also shelldock isle is basically free card advantage. There is no reason not to maindeck them.
Bombs are fun, but I would definitly not pick incremental growth over galepowder mage. Mage is just way better, and though not always a bomb, can be easily made into one with a shriekmaw on the board.
Just like you, I drafted a deck very similar to your Incremental Growth deck. I had 2 Growths, plus the Thorntooth and a few other really nice synergistic treefolk backed up by black faeries. Unfortunately, my experience with the Growths was less than impressive, I think it just depends on what you end up playing against. But I'm pretty unlucky, so my opinion may be ... kinda useless.
Chain in general locks down card advantage, and turns +n card draw with a gain of nothing by removing the ability to actually get more cards in hand than you would get per turn. So just chains in play means each player gets one new card each turn. Chains + Anvil means that you don't even get that +1 card each turn and will always be locked at a maximum of what you have in hand. When Chains + Anvil are in play you will never end up with more cards in hand than you have when they resolve.
It shouldn't destroy entire hands like it currently is though. Just Chains = one new card in hand per turn. Chains + Anvil = no increase of card per turn.
Are you planning on finishing your distribution over at GCBC? Everyone is still waiting for their coffee they paid for and never received from you. You should probably do the right thing and return everyones money that is still outstanding.
Thank you Hammy, its always great to see our group highlighted. And actually we have added Onslaught Block to our future extended in PDC starting in March with the new season. We did this to keep in line with the new DCI rotations schedule. For dates on our next seasons and other PDC info please go to PDCMagic.com.
I've tested this pretty heavily tonight, and this version of the dek runs much smoother. You can use the rift elementals to either pump out the wheels faster, or just use lotus to power out more mana for a bigger pump. I think it might be worth dropping 1 land to be replaced with either a Tormods or 3rd spell book, but the shuffler hates me so I tend to overcommit on mana. again any ideas or thoughts would be awesome.
I've tested this pretty heavily tonight, and this version of the dek runs much smoother. You can use the rift elementals to either pump out the wheels faster, or just use lotus to power out more mana for a bigger pump. I think it might be worth dropping 1 land to be replaced with either a Tormods or 3rd spell book, but the shuffler hates me so I tend to overcommit on mana. again any ideas or thoughts would be awesome.
I've tested this pretty heavily tonight, and this version of the dek runs much smoother. You can use the rift elementals to either pump out the wheels faster, or just use lotus to power out more mana for a bigger pump. I think it might be worth dropping 1 land to be replaced with either a Tormods or 3rd spell book, but the shuffler hates me so I tend to overcommit on mana. again any ideas or thoughts would be awesome.
This is the deck that I've come up with it all comes down to being able to get profusion into play asap addn then decking yourself with 0 cost cards or cards that pay back thier own mana to push a massive tendrils or grapeshot.
"Again a Shriekmaw. This one and the one from the last draft were the first I've seen in 30+ LLL drafts."
I feel your pain on this one...
I have done close to 50 LLL drafts, and a good dozen sealed/league pools, and I only had 4 when I cashed in my x4 sets :-(
Shriekmaw is such a beating, would much rather have seen 12 of him rather than the 12+ Fathom Trawl that I'v got...
Thanks for the Walkthroughs, looking foward to some LLM action.
___helper_monkey on MTGO
whats the point of not running hellkites
I mean this is a good analysis, but I have to put in a token of advice.
An amazing drafter once told me that a draft is actually a process in which one decides what sealed pool he/she gets. IE you want some consistency and some bombs.
That said, I feel your second deck really lacked a solid deck construction. It was decent, and it had potential to win you game one,but I think trying to splash Changling titan would have improved your list. Perhaps pass one some of those mid picks in order to pick up a vivid land and/or a twig.
The key in any draft is to strike a balance between power consistency.
But hey... I'm still learning too :P
I don't know about some of the card choices in Spicestorm, but I definitely played against a similar deck in the Extended 8 mans, and I have to say it was quite the beast.
I tried the SpiceStorm deck in the casual tourney room last week after seeing it in the mtg.com article and I gave up after 3 matches...it just seemed awful.
I think you got pretty lucky to even win one match with that first deck, and a little unlucky not to win a match with your second deck (although as mentioned below your construction might have been off).
deck 2 you had only 2 cards to use with dreamspoiler, necter faerie sucks. Both shouldve been replaced with paperfin rascals/skeletal changeling. Also shelldock isle is basically free card advantage. There is no reason not to maindeck them.
Bombs are fun, but I would definitly not pick incremental growth over galepowder mage. Mage is just way better, and though not always a bomb, can be easily made into one with a shriekmaw on the board.
Just like you, I drafted a deck very similar to your Incremental Growth deck. I had 2 Growths, plus the Thorntooth and a few other really nice synergistic treefolk backed up by black faeries. Unfortunately, my experience with the Growths was less than impressive, I think it just depends on what you end up playing against. But I'm pretty unlucky, so my opinion may be ... kinda useless.
Chain in general locks down card advantage, and turns +n card draw with a gain of nothing by removing the ability to actually get more cards in hand than you would get per turn. So just chains in play means each player gets one new card each turn. Chains + Anvil means that you don't even get that +1 card each turn and will always be locked at a maximum of what you have in hand. When Chains + Anvil are in play you will never end up with more cards in hand than you have when they resolve.
It shouldn't destroy entire hands like it currently is though. Just Chains = one new card in hand per turn. Chains + Anvil = no increase of card per turn.
When i first started, i got my hand slammed down to empty by the Anvil n' Chains Combo. I didn't think it should work this way.
So, if chains doesn't work right, it is pretty much a useless card,
How are u supposed to use a chains of mephistopholes?
Can someone write an article on non-cheating ways to win stuff. Like, give hints at how us bums can expand our collection?
Is it unethical to try to get all my friends to join a league with me, so we have more chances to play games?
Hilarious, well written article. More please!
That's a lot of new bugs. I'll also try to verify and add them in as I can!
Thanks for reading and for reporting!
~Erik
Begging is the generally accepted method.
Thank you all for the kind words! The article was loads of fun to write, and it's great to hear that many people enjoyed it.
Just remember don't drink and draft, unless you're Jon Finkel.
Morningtide also generated some bugs that I have heard about.
Rhox (and other cards with his ability like Thorn Elemental) no longer deal damage. At all.
Shah of Naar Isle does not trigger when you pay his echo.
Mycosynth Lattice has been working from the hand.
I will post more if I hear about them and can confirm them.
how can I make my fnm do limited?! I get bored of constructed
+1! Write more!!
Hey Buttwhiskers,
Are you planning on finishing your distribution over at GCBC? Everyone is still waiting for their coffee they paid for and never received from you. You should probably do the right thing and return everyones money that is still outstanding.
Thank you Hammy, its always great to see our group highlighted. And actually we have added Onslaught Block to our future extended in PDC starting in March with the new season. We did this to keep in line with the new DCI rotations schedule. For dates on our next seasons and other PDC info please go to PDCMagic.com.
sorry for the dup posts. :/ The site of giving me erros when I tried to send, guess it posted anyways.
I've tested this pretty heavily tonight, and this version of the dek runs much smoother. You can use the rift elementals to either pump out the wheels faster, or just use lotus to power out more mana for a bigger pump. I think it might be worth dropping 1 land to be replaced with either a Tormods or 3rd spell book, but the shuffler hates me so I tend to overcommit on mana. again any ideas or thoughts would be awesome.
Qty Card Name
Lands (21)
1 Barren Moor
2 Forgotten Cave
3 Graven Cairns
4 Snow-Covered Mountain
4 Snow-Covered Swamp
2 Spinerock Knoll
3 Sulfurous Springs
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Mana Accel
4 Lotus Bloom
4 Rite of Flame
4 Mind Stone
4 Cabal Ritual
Cards that replace themselves:
4 Mishra's Bauble
2 Spellbook
2 Wheel of Fate
Card that is very important vs discard due to flashback:
2 Coffin Purge
This card wins the game with Null Out. Set the deck mid draw? It's almost unfair.
2 Insidious Dreams
Win Conditions:
2 Grapeshot
2 Tendrils of Agony
4 Null Profusion
3 Rift Elemental
I've tested this pretty heavily tonight, and this version of the dek runs much smoother. You can use the rift elementals to either pump out the wheels faster, or just use lotus to power out more mana for a bigger pump. I think it might be worth dropping 1 land to be replaced with either a Tormods or 3rd spell book, but the shuffler hates me so I tend to overcommit on mana. again any ideas or thoughts would be awesome.
Qty Card Name
Lands (21)
1 Barren Moor
2 Forgotten Cave
3 Graven Cairns
4 Snow-Covered Mountain
4 Snow-Covered Swamp
2 Spinerock Knoll
3 Sulfurous Springs
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Mana Accel
4 Lotus Bloom
4 Rite of Flame
4 Mind Stone
4 Cabal Ritual
Cards that replace themselves:
4 Mishra's Bauble
2 Spellbook
2 Wheel of Fate
Card that is very important vs discard due to flashback:
2 Coffin Purge
This card wins the game with Null Out. Set the deck mid draw? It's almost unfair.
2 Insidious Dreams
Win Conditions:
2 Grapeshot
2 Tendrils of Agony
4 Null Profusion
3 Rift Elemental
I've tested this pretty heavily tonight, and this version of the dek runs much smoother. You can use the rift elementals to either pump out the wheels faster, or just use lotus to power out more mana for a bigger pump. I think it might be worth dropping 1 land to be replaced with either a Tormods or 3rd spell book, but the shuffler hates me so I tend to overcommit on mana. again any ideas or thoughts would be awesome.
Qty Card Name
Lands (21)
1 Barren Moor
2 Forgotten Cave
3 Graven Cairns
4 Snow-Covered Mountain
4 Snow-Covered Swamp
2 Spinerock Knoll
3 Sulfurous Springs
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Mana Accel
4 Lotus Bloom
4 Rite of Flame
4 Mind Stone
4 Cabal Ritual
Cards that replace themselves:
4 Mishra's Bauble
2 Spellbook
2 Wheel of Fate
Card that is very important vs discard due to flashback:
2 Coffin Purge
This card wins the game with Null Out. Set the deck mid draw? It's almost unfair.
2 Insidious Dreams
Win Conditions:
2 Grapeshot
2 Tendrils of Agony
4 Null Profusion
3 Rift Elemental
This is the deck that I've come up with it all comes down to being able to get profusion into play asap addn then decking yourself with 0 cost cards or cards that pay back thier own mana to push a massive tendrils or grapeshot.
Qty Card Name
Lands
1 Barren Moor
2 Forgotten Cave
3 Graven Cairns
4 Snow-Covered Mountain
4 Snow-Covered Swamp
2 Spinerock Knoll
3 Sulfurous Springs
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Mana Accel
4 Lotus Bloom
4 Rite of Flame
4 Mind Stone
4 Cabal Ritual
Cards that replace themselves:
4 Mishra's Bauble
3 Spellbook
2 Tormod's Crypt
1 Thrumming Stone
Card that is very important vs discard due to flashback:
2 Coffin Purge
This card wins the game with Null Out. Set the deck mid draw? It's almost unfair.
2 Insidious Dreams
Win Conditions:
2 Grapeshot
3 Tendrils of Agony
4 Null Profusion
I would REALLY like to find a way to get null out on turn 3. The only thing I can think of that's left would be a septer....