Rune Drafting #2 – LLM (Before the storm)

As Shadowmoor release events tick ever closer (Or have already gotten here depending on this article’s publishing date), I figured now is the perfect time to try to get rid of those nifty Lorwyn and Morningtide packs and hopefully bust a Mutavault. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. However, I did gain one awesome draft to share with you people.

Draft Part 1

Draft Part 2

Since apparently people can’t get a total look at the decklist from the video, here’s my list:

Rune Drafting #2 LLM Deck

Lorwyn Lorwyn Morningtide Draft Deck by Sebastian Park

Creatures 2 Kithkin Zephyrnaut 1 Preeminent Captain 1 Thoughtweft Trio 1 Shapesharer 1 Hillcomber Giant 1 Kithkin Greatheart 1 Fallowsage 1 Veteran of the Depths 1 Avian Changeling 1 Plover Knights 2 Changeling Sentinel 1 Stonybrook Schoolmaster 1 Wizened Cenn 1 Kinsbaile Skirmisher Other Spells 1 Coordinated Barrage 1 Swell of Courage 1 Triclopean Sight 1 Diviner's Wand 1 Æthersnipe 1 Surge of Thoughtweft 1 Springleaf Drum

Lands 12 Plains 5 Island Sideboard 1 Nath's Buffoon 1 Luminescent Rain 1 Horde of Notions 1 Forfend 1 Needle Drop 1 Kithkin Healer 1 Adder-Staff Boggart 1 Wispmare 1 Mosquito Guard 2 Faultgrinder 1 Secluded Glen 1 Herbal Poultice 1 Merrow Witsniper 1 Skeletal Changeling 1 Ingot Chewer 1 Inner-Flame Acolyte 1 Burrenton Shield-Bearers 1 Amoeboid Changeling 1 Jagged-Scar Archers 1 Hunter of Eyeblights 1 Pulling Teeth

Round 1:

Rune Drafting is still a work in progress. Unfortunately, the 2^nd round footage came out so disjointed that I couldn’t edit it into a coherent game. I can summarize my loss though. I lost the 2^nd round to a W/g/b Kithkin deck that featured Changeling Titan, Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile, and a comprehensive removal suite featuring Nameless Inversion, Oblivion Ring, and his own set of Coordinated Barrages.

One of the things I'd like to talk about today is what I call agressive mulliganing. I'm an advocate of agressive mulligans as a means to win. What is agressive mulliganing? Well, it's the use of the mulligan in situations where, while your hand is playable, you understand the need for a faster start, or more playable curve, and thus take the mulliagn. In my two Rune Drafting drafts, I have drafted an agressive curve. When drafting an agressive curve, you have to realize your method of victory is dealing 20 as fast as you possibly can. Thus you must adjust your gameplay and your mulliganing strategy.

Here's an example of a hand I would have mulliganed with this deck, but many people may find acceptable:

Island, Island, Plains, Æthersnipe, Changeling Sentinel, Hillcomber Giant, Coordinated Barrage 

So to a regular player, would this hand be playable to them? It does have three lands, and a good mix of creatures and a removal spell so you may be thinking it's a keeper. However, I would without question mulligan this hand, given this deck. Why? Because it doesn't have a legitimate play until turn 4. In a deck that wants to win in the early game, that's too slow to hope that one top decks starting plays. Thus, even a hand that may look good on paper in the abstract must be put into the perspective of the deck in order to make mulligan decisions. (As a sidenote, if I had a similar hand with UW Merfolk Control, it would be a keeper).

Feel free to comment!

Follow my commentary within the videos to get a grasp of what I think went wrong(Here’s a hint, the deck lacked something important).

-Sebastian Park

 AKA runeliger

Airizel AT Gmail DOT Com