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By: draftbetter, Draftbetter
Nov 05 2008 7:31am
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This article is part of an ongoing series of articles being published on my website; http://draftbetter.com.  Check it out for even more MTGO drafts and other MTGO stuff.

I'm back after a longish lay-off. It's been crazy busy at work but I did manage to squeeze in a Shards of Alara Draft and here it is.

I managed to make it into the 8-4 queue and it didn't even take that long to fire.

Pack One

Pick One:

p1p1

Some decent cards here. I'm interested in the Spearbreaker Behemoth and the Oblivion Ring. By taking the removal, I leave myself open to Bant, Naya and Esper. I'll have to see what comes around to see what shard I will end up in.

Oblivion Ring

Pick Two:

p1p2

I think the Esper Charm is good, but with many of the other charms doubling as removal, this one seems a notch below those others. For now, I'll try the 4/4 flier for four mana.

Tower Gargoyle

Pick Three:

p1p3

Not a very strong pack. only two good choices with what's in my pile up to this point. The Bant Panorama or the Duelist. If I consider that I have made a semi-commitment to Esper with my last pick, then taking a card that requires red will either nullify itself or nullify a previous pick. I think there is still a chance for good fixing in the future so I can try the excellent two drop.

Deft Duelist

Pick Four:

p1p4

I like the stats on the Gargoyle while the Sigiled Paladin will be harder to cast reliably. I think I want to commit a bit more to Esper with the Gargoyle.

Sanctum Gargoyle

Pick Five:

p1p5

The ever necessary blue bounce spell is definitely in order here. If cycled, I can't imagine losing but multiple uses make it a pretty easy pick out of this pack.

Resounding Wave

Pick Six:

p1p6

Another bounce spell I guess. Not a lot here that I want to play anyway as I didn't feel like branching into a fourth color at this point.

Call to Heel

Pick Seven:

p1p7

At 2/2 Lifelinke for three mana, I like the Windwright Mage's stats. I think I can engineer a spot where I can get it evasive fairly easily. I'm hoping for at least one Executioners Capsule by the end of the draft.

Windwright Mage

Pick Eight:

p1p8

Now there really is nothing here. I will take the land fetcher in case I need it or just to take it away from someone else.

Naya Panorama

Pick Nine:

p1p9

There is a chance that I am in the right colors. This guy coming through late is always appreciated. I also really considered the Esper Panorama, but I also figured I had two more packs to pick up fixing.

Cloudheath Drake

Pick Ten:

p1p10

I seem to be pretty strongly committed to Esper now so I will play two of these guys.

Windwright Mage

Pick Eleven:

p1p11

Steelclad Serpent

Pick Twelve:

p1p12

With many of my creatures being artifacts, I might play this guy.

Glaze Fiend

Pick Thirteen:

p1p13

Sideboard.

Shore Snapper

Pick Fourteen:

p1p14

Shadowfeed

Pick Fifteen:

Forest

Pack Two

Pick One:

p2p1

With the amount of good Esper cards in this pack, I'm bound to still get something back on the loop. Since I didn't open an Executioner's Capsule, I better take some excellent removal.

Agony Warp

Pick Two:

p2p2

A lot of red cards in this pack and it's somewhat disheartening as I didn't take anything red. I didn't see anything red either so someone to my right is definitely picking those cards up. I'll take the charm for now. I think it will have it's uses.

Esper Charm

Pick Three:

p2p3

I could take another 2/2 for three mana here or I could do like I promised myself and take some fixing.

Grixis Panorama

Pick Four:

p2p4

Now that is what I'm talking about.

Arcane Sanctum

Pick Five:

p2p5

I'm in white and I'm bound to get a quality creature of my opponent's out of the game by the time I can cast this.

Resounding Silence

Pick Six:

p2p6

I suppose I could try branching out, but I don't think I should. For now, I'll try the white Time Ebb.

Excommunicate

Pick Seven:

p2p7

I'm not as high on the Obelisks as I was in my first Shards draft. I'm not sure if this guy will end up in my deck, but I'm willing to take it in case I need it.

Dawnray Archer

Pick Eight:

p2p8

The picks have not been coming as I hoped they would. I'm not even sure if I will play any of the cards that are in this pack, no matter what I picked.

Cancel

Pick Nine:

p3p9

More fixing is good.

Grixis Panorama

Pick Ten:

p3p10

More bounce is also good.

Resounding Wave

Pick Eleven:

p3p11

Three? I can trade one off early to give the bonus to the other two.

Windwright Mage

Pick Twelve:

p2p12

Cancel

Pick Thirteen:

p2p13

Jhessian Lookout

Pick Fourteen:

p2p14

Lush Growth

Pick Fifteen:

Mountain

Pack Three

Pick One:

p3p1

No bomb rare here for me. I like the Grixis Battlemage but if I'm going to take a three drop, I like the flier better.

Kathari Screecher

Pick Two:

p3p2

Two of these seems so good.

Agony Warp

Pick Three:

p3p3

Now this guy has to be good right. Almost every one of my creatures is an artifact and playing him on turn four or five has to lead somewhere good.

Mater of the Etherium

Pick Four:

p3p4

More fixing for now out of a relatively weak pack.

Bant Panorama

Pick Five:

p3p5

Again, with so many artifact creatures, I have a very good chance of trading an early drop then getting it right back with a 2/3 flier left behind. Plus, I can nullify creature removal.

Sanctum Gargoyle

Pick Six:

p3p6

Nothing from here is going in my deck. I'll cut the spell that could hurt me.

Naturalize

Pick Seven:

p3p7

Two spells that I want here. The flier and the untapper. I thought the artifact creature went better in my deck.

Filigree Sages

Pick Eight:

p3p8

Not much here really.

Cancel

Pick Nine:

p3p9

I almost took this one the first time around. I'll happily take it now.

Grixis Battlemage

Pick Ten:

p3p10

I think I'll give the Sculler a try. I'll take something, then my opponent will waste a spell on it and I will get it back with a Gargoyle and hopefully take something better.

Tidehollow Sculler

Pick Eleven:

p3p11

Relic of Progenitus

Pick Twelve:

p3p12

Vectis Silencers

Pick Thirteen:

p3p13

Sphinx's Herald

Pick Fourteen:

p3p14

Cathartic Adept

Pick Fifteen:

Island

Final Deck

Final Deck

Four removal and four bounce spells coupled with an army of almost all artifact creatures. I thought I would try the Glaze Fiend as it kind of reminded me of that Ravnica spell Halcyon Glaze.

Matches

If you've been following the series, then you know from my last draft that I managed to raise my rating up to 1736. My opponent for this first round in the 8-4 queue is rated at 1718. Here we go with my first hand:

r1g1 Open

Seems like an easy keeper. I have all the colors I will need and plenty of removal. I just need creatures and will have to draw them. My opponent gets a fast start with the 2/2 haster for two mana and gets in a couple hits before I play out my first Windwright Mage. We exchange those creatures and I play out my second Mage the next turn. Meanwhile, I have been killing his bigger and more troublesome creatures with my other removal spells while bringing my life total back up with the Lifelink ability on the Mage.

r1g1 Midgame

I'm really hoping to be able to cycle these Resounding Waves that I've drawn, but we will have to see. I get down an army of fliers and I do end up being able to cycle one of the Waves and I pull way ahead and into the win column.

r1g1 End

Not a bad start. I weathered a fast start into big creaatures just fine. Let's see how game two goes with this opener:

r1g2 Open

Seems just fine to me. I draw some lands and my early Glaze Fiend gets in for some good damage. I again exchange early creatures for his while he is using his naya Battlemage to tap down my bigger creatures. We fill up the board a little, but I am pulling ahead in card quality.

r1g1 Midgame

I have backup for his creatures and decide to take out his Jund Battlemage to prevent him from generating a throw-away blocker every turn. Plus, I have the Filigree Sages to untap my guys if he tries to tap them down. he does pull back into the game with some high quality creatures and well timed removal.

r1g1 Midgame2

I have the Sanctum Gargoyle to get back my Master of Etherium and that pretty much seals the deal as he is really unable to do anything against my board.

r1g2 End

One match win away from the prize. I'm not sure how I will handle a finals match in the 8-4 queue as it has been many years since I've played in these queues and actually made it there. (I once joined an 8-4 queue on accident back in the Onslaught days and made it to the finals before I realized I was actually in the 8-4 queue. I happilly split that one)

I got myself up to 1744 with that win and will face another tough opponent rated at 1765. Here's my opening hand for round two:

r2g1 Open

Seems pretty good to me, I keep. I get down the Duelist on turn two using the Arcane Sanctum. I get in a couple swings with him before he stops me cold with the Topan Ascetic. Fortunately, I have a couple other creatures that can continue the attack.

r2g1 Midgame1

It doesn't take long for him to stop me though and get back to better than even with a Kiss of the Amesha. From there he really man-handles me with card advantage.

r2g1 Midgame2

I manage to cycle the Resounding Wave, but I'm still too far behind to be able to use it and I am dead to his many quality creatures.

r2g1 End

That seemed like a really good draw for him though, let's hope that was the pinnacle of his deck. I sideboard in the Shore Snapper for the Glaze Fiend as it seems like it might come in more useful in this match. as he was pretty bleh last game. Here's my opener for game two:

r2g2 Open

Three land that will get me everything I need plus my sideboard card and other good stuff. I keep. I get down some creatures, but so does my opponent. I am unable to attack effectively and I miss more than a couple land drops.

r2g2 Midgame1

My hand has been filling up with four drops while I'm stuck on three land. I use the Tidehollow Sculler to take out his three drop Topan Ascetic and I use the Excommunicate to get ahead in the race, but my opponent drops his hand and things are just not looking good for me.

r2g2 Midgame2

I stay in it for a while though and get to the point where one more attack and I can win it all. My opponent picks this time though to get through for that last bit of damage and I'm toast.

r2g2 End

Obviously, another blue land there and I probably win this game and give myself a chance to win into the finals.

Summary

As I have said before though, can't win 'em all. I felt a bit unlucky in that last game there as I didn't draw a single piece of removal and I managed to have mana problems as well. I really felt that I had a game against this opponent and came up short. My opponent did mention that he pretty much got a god-draw in game one and one card would have made all the difference in game two.

I end that draft back at 1736 for exactly no change in rating and, since it was an 8-4 queue, no prize. I did feel like I had another good draft making this the second good feeling in a row and I am glad to be headed in that direction.

See you next week,

draftbetter

1 Comments

by Francisco(Unregistered) 189.120.175.87 (not verified) at Mon, 11/10/2008 - 13:23
Francisco(Unregistered) 189.120.175.87's picture
p1 p5 I would get the benedction.
p1 p6 I would get the guardians (they can ensure ground defense for esper flyers)
P2 p1 I would get the gargoyle for sure.
P2 p2, deft duelist makes sure people will not attack you when you fly over their head. Esper charm is the worse charm in draft.
p2 p3 the flyer
 
 
This archetype for me is to have a stall on the ground and beat the oppo using the flyers. Deft duelist and guardians hold all the ground you will need to make the flyers finish the job.