Draft:
Pack 1: Lowland Oaf, Lignify, Weed Strangle, Kithkin Healer, Deeptread Merrow, Lash Out, Skeletal Changeling, Aquitect's Will, Kinsbaile Skirmisher, Spring Cleaning,Blind-Spot Giant, Captivating Glance, Giant Harbinger, Inner-Flame Igniter, Immaculate Magistrate
Pick: Immaculate Magistrate
He's pretty crazy. I don't like Red so I avoid Lash Out.
Pack 2:Herbal Poultice, Kithkin Greatheart, Oakgnarl Warrior, Hornet Harasser, Deeptread Merrow, Goldmeadow Harrier, Skeletal Changeling, Shields of Velis Vel, Fire-Belly Changeling, Elvish Branchbender, Merrow Harbinger, Burrenton Forge-Tender, Fallowsage, Dolmen Gate
Pick: Goldmeadow Harrier
I like GW a lot.
Pack 3: Silvergill Douser, Quill-Slinger Boggart, Bog-Strider Ash, Aethersnipe, Tarfire, Lace with Moonglove, Blind-Spot Giant, Ponder, Heal the Scars, *, *, Thorntooth Witch, Springleaf Drum
Pick: Silvergill Douser
It's pretty awesome. Nothing in my GW preferences.
Pack 4: Bog-Strider Ash, Springleaf Drum, Oakgnarl Warrior, Goldmeadow Harrier, Glimmerdust Nap, Spring Cleaning, Shields of Velis Vel, Mournwhelk, Lys Alana Scarblade, Elvish Promenade, Silvergill Adept, Plains
Pick: Silvergill Adept
Wheels come off here. I should have grabbed the Harrier and ran. Instead I take the last two packs to indicate Blue being open...
Pack 5: Warren Pilferers, Soulbright Flamekin, Surge of Thoughtweft, Weed Strangle, Needle Drop, Springjack Knight, Heal the Scars, Inkfathom Divers, Boggart Birth Rite, Turtleshell Changeling, Faerie Tauntings
Pick: Warren Pilferers
Should have stuck with White again, Surge would have been nice. Instead I go for one of my favorite men.
Pack 6: Springleaf Drum, Kithkin Healer, Footbottom Feast, Axegrinder Giant, Lignify, Ingot Chewer, Soaring Hope, Shimmering Grotto, Judge of Currents, Familiar's Ruse
Pick: Lignify
Pack 7: Fistful of Force, Glimmerdust Nap, Amoeboid Changeling, Kinsbaile Skirmisher, Lace with Moonglove, Springjack Knight, Crush Underfoot, Hoarder's Greed, Forest
Pick: Amoeboid Changeling
I should have taken the Fistful and still been GW.
Pack 8: Hornet Harasser, Axegrinder Giant, Footbottom Feast, Ponder, Bog Hoodlums, Protective Bubble, Fire-Belly Changeling, Incremental Growth
Pick: Incremental Growth
Pack 9: Lowland Oaf, Kithkin Healer, Aquitect's Will, Kinsbaile Skirmisher, Spring Cleaning, Blind-Spot Giant, Captivating Glance
Pick: Blind-Spot Giant
Skirmisher would have been perfect here if I had been in the White.
Pack 10:
Herbal Poultice, Kithkin Greatheart, Deeptread Merrow, Shields of Velis Vel, Fire-Belly Changeling, Burrenton Forge-Tender
Pick: Deeptread Merrow
Greatheart is better in my correct picks.
Pack 11:
Quill-Slinger Boggart, Lace with Moonglove, Heal the Scars, Sylvan Echoes, Rebellion of the Flamekin
Pick: Lace with Moonglove
Pack 12: Oakgnarl Warrior, Spring Cleaning, Shields of Velis Vel, Plains
Pick: Oakgnarl Warrior
Pack 13: Heal the Scars, Boggart Birth Rite, Faerie Tauntings
Pick: Heal the Scars
Pack 14: Ingot Chewer, Soaring Hope
Pick: Ingot Chewer
Pack 15: Hoarder's Greed
Pick: Hoarder's Greed
Pack 16:
Neck Snap, Sentinels of Glen Elendra, Smokebraider, Gilt-Leaf Ambush, Moonglove Winnower, Kinsbaile Balloonist, Spiderwig Boggart, Boggart Forager, Ringskipper,Triclopean Sight, *, *, Crush Underfoot, Gaddock Teeg, Island
Pick: Sentinels of Glen Elendra
I could have rare-drafted and been right to do so :/
Pack 17: Moonglove Extract, Hillcomber Giant, Sentinels of Glen Elendra, Stinkdrinker Daredevil, Dreamspoiler Witches, Battlewand Oak, Broken Ambitions, Nath's Buffoon, Faultgrinder, Rootgrapple, Goldmeadow Dodger, Changeling Hero, Merrow Harbinger, Nova Chaser
Pick: Merrow Harbinger
Hero!
Pack 18: Whirlpool Whelm, Leaf Gilder, Adder-Staff Boggart, Wispmare, Streambed Aquitects, Consuming Bonfire, Boggart Loggers, Giant's Ire, Dawnfluke, Spellstutter Sprite, Black Poplar Shaman, Changeling Hero, Kithkin Harbinger
Pick: Streambed Aquitects
More Hero! Or even Leaf Gilder. But seriously, HERO!
Pack 19: Runed Stalactite, Inner-Flame Acolyte, Pestermite, Leaf Gilder, Elvish Eulogist, Wings of Velis Vel, Caterwauling Boggart, Goldmeadow Dodger, Faerie Trickery, Squeaking Pie Sneak, Prowess of the Fair, Lace with Moonglove
Pick: Pestermite
Gilder!
Pack 20: Peppersmoke, Paperfin Rascal, Boggart Sprite-Chaser, Oaken Brawler, Nath's Buffoon, Caterwauling Boggart, Tideshaper Mystic, Elvish Handservant, Vivid Creek, Sentry Oak, Entangling Trap
Pick: Vivid Creek
Pack 21: Thieving Sprite, Boggart Loggers, Adder-Staff Boggart, Fertile Ground, Nightshade Stinger, Elvish Handservant, Dawnfluke, Elvish Promenade, Rings of Brighthearth, Plains
Pick: Fertile Ground
Pack 22: Smokebraider, Plover Knights, Cenn's Heir, Boggart Forager, Facevaulter, Hunt Down, Ethereal Whiskergill, Goldmeadow Stalwart, Howltooth Hollow
Pick: Ethereal Whiskergill
Plover Knights.
Pack 23: Oaken Brawler, Wispmare, Wings of Velis Vel, Flamekin Brawler, Facevaulter, Warren-Scourge Elf, Goldmeadow Stalwart, Shelldock Isle
Pick: Shelldock Isle
Pack 24: Smokebraider, Spiderwig Boggart, Boggart Forager, Ringskipper, Triclopean Sight, Seedguide Ash, Island
Pick: Seedguide Ash
Pack 25: Hillcomber Giant, Battlewand Oak, Nath's Buffoon, Faultgrinder, Rootgrapple, Goldmeadow Dodger
Pick: Battlewand Oak
Pack 26: Adder-Staff Boggart, Wispmare, Giant's Ire, Dawnfluke, Black Poplar Shaman
Pick: Wispmare
Pack 27: Elvish Eulogist, Caterwauling Boggart, Goldmeadow Dodger, Lace with Moonglove
Pick: Goldmeadow Dodger
Pack 28:Boggart Sprite-Chaser, Oaken Brawler, Entangling Trap
Pick: Boggart Sprite-Chaser
Pack 29: Elvish Handservant, Dawnfluke
Pick: Elvish Handservant
Pack 30: Boggart Forager
Pick: Boggart Forager
Pack 31: Dewdrop Spy, Earthbrawn, Kithkin Zephyrnaut, Fire Juggler, Weed-Pruner Poplar, War-Spike Changeling, Prickly Boggart, Hostile Realm, Everbark Shaman,Pulling Teeth, Mosquito Guard, Rivals' Duel, Sage of Fables, Research the Deep, Indomitable Ancients
Pick: Sage of Fables
Zephyrnaut would be awesome given the Kithkin I SHOULD have.
Pack 32: Fire Juggler, Weed-Pruner Poplar, War-Spike Changeling, Violet Pall, Distant Melody, Fertilid, Ballyrush Banneret, Ink Dissolver, Coordinated Barrage, Merrow Witsniper, Blightsoil Druid, Orchard Warden, Diviner's Wand, Offalsnout
Pick: Violet Pall
Barrage here, although Banneret is fanastic too.
Pack 33: War-Spike Changeling, Ambassador Oak, Kithkin Zephyrnaut, Moonglove Changeling, Shard Volley, Changeling Sentinel, Roar of the Crowd, Everbark Shaman, Shinewend, Merrow Witsniper, Morsel Theft, Daily Regimen, Cream of the Crop
Pick: Cream of the Crop
Cream is awesome, and would have been fine either way. (Editor's Note: I think Cream of the Crop is a very solid card in the format, and may be bomb worthy, that's just my thought on the card though.)
Pack 34: Squeaking Pie Grubfellows, Reins of the Vinesteed, Burrenton Bombardier, Distant Melody, Game-Trail Changeling, Kindled Fury, Bosk Banneret, Mothdust Changeling, Pulling Teeth, Wandering Graybeard, Spitebellows, Stomping Slabs
Pick: Game-Trail Changelin
Pack 35: Ballyrush Banneret, Fencer Clique, Lunk Errant, Stream of Unconsciousness, Final-Sting Faerie, Morsel Theft, Stingmoggie, Lys Alana Bowmaster, Stonybrook Schoolmaster, Negate, Heritage Druid
Pick: Lys Alana Bowmaster
Banneret!
Pack 36: Order of the Golden Cricket, Sunflare Shaman, Stream of Unconsciousness, Elvish Warrior, Everbark Shaman, Shinewend, Merrow Witsniper, Nightshade Schemers, Thornbite Staff, Indomitable Ancients
Pick: Elvish Warrior
Order of the Golden Cricket would have been so nice here.
Pack 37: Fire Juggler, Squeaking Pie Grubfellows, Fencer Clique, Changeling Sentinel, Prickly Boggart, Hostile Realm, Pulling Teeth, Mosquito Guard, Redeem the Lost
Pick: Fencer Clique
Probably the Guard (play him vs slow decks for a few quick beats, save him as a trick against quick decks).
Pack 38: Seething Pathblazer, Burrenton Shield-Bearers, Elvish Warrior, Stingmoggie, Stonybrook Schoolmaster, Negate, Wandering Graybeard, Recross the Paths
Pick: Elvish Warrior
Pack 39:Kithkin Zephyrnaut, Fire Juggler, Prickly Boggart, Hostile Realm, Everbark Shaman, Pulling Teeth, Rivals' Duel
Pick: Kithkin Zephyrnaut
Pack 40: Fire Juggler, Fertilid, Ballyrush Banneret, Ink Dissolver, Merrow Witsniper, Blightsoil Druid
Pick: Ballyrush Banneret
Pack 41:Roar of the Crowd, Everbark Shaman, Shinewend, Merrow Witsniper, Daily Regimen
Pick: Everbark Shaman
Pack 42:Reins of the Vinesteed, Kindled Fury, Pulling Teeth, Stomping Slabs
Pick: Reins of the Vinesteed
Pack 43:Lunk Errant, Stream of Unconsciousness, Stingmoggie
Pick: Stream of Unconsciousness
Pack 44:Shinewend, Merrow Witsniper
Pick: Merrow Witsniper
Pack 45:Hostile Realm
Pick: Hostile Realm
Final Decklist:
Maindeck:
1 Amoeboid Changeling
1 Deeptread Merrow
1 Ethereal Whiskergill
1 Merrow Harbinger
1 Pestermite
1 Sentinels of Glen Elendra
1 Silvergill Adept
1 Silvergill Douser
1 Streambed Aquitects
1 Fencer Clique
1 Sage of Fables
1 Warren Pilferers
1 Violet Pall
2 Elvish Warrior
1 Fertile Ground
1 Battlewand Oak
1 Immaculate Magistrate
1 Incremental Growth
1 Lignify
1 Cream of the Crop
1 Game-Trail Changeling
1 Lys Alana Bowmaster
6 Island
1 Shelldock Isle
1 Vivid Creek
8 Forest
1 Swamp
Sideboard:
1 Ballyrush Banneret
1 Blind-Spot Giant
1 Boggart Forager
1 Boggart Sprite-Chaser
1 Elvish Handservant
1 Everbark Shaman
1 Goldmeadow Dodger
1 Goldmeadow Harrier
1 Heal the Scars
1 Hoarder's Greed
1 Hostile Realm
1 Ingot Chewer
1 Kithkin Zephyrnaut
1 Lace with Moonglove
1 Merrow Witsniper
1 Oakgnarl Warrior
1 Reins of the Vinesteed
1 Seedguide Ash
1 Stream of Unconsciousness
1 Wispmare
Draft recording done by Blargware <http://www.blargware.com/> 's MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware <http://www.blargware.com/support.html> !
I feel pretty safe saying that I should have stuck to the GW plan. I got distracted by solid Blue men, then stubbornly stuck WITH those men, even when White was flowing more easily. I won my first round, then lost in three close games in the second round, but felt like if I HAD gone White, I would have rolled him (barring mana-screw and whatnot).
I also played in a PDC PRE on Saturday. It was a lot of fun (Thanks for hosting Evu!). I was running with Deep Dog, since it impressed me by beating me last week. I tested it a grand total of three matches. I ran Lost but Seeking's list from PDCmagic.com, (he got it from SpikeBoyM), tweaking it only a little (adding Exclude instead of Liquify, because I love Exclude, among other changes). http://www.pdcmagic.com/gatherling/deck.php?mode=view&id=3149 Here's his list. I cut the Brownscale from the sideboard to add one more Echoing Truth (who wants to die to freaking tokens?). So, same maindeck, and four sideboard changes. Nothing major. GJ to Alex and LBS one a ridiculous list (and anyone else who contributed, innovated or invented it. I'll add your names if you have some claim to it).
In the first round, I was up against ChronicHeaves with Bu Control, pretty much Grim Drifter. He rocked me game one. I was ahead, then he started repeatedly with his Grim Harvest. Oh... maybe I should have kept Liquify in the side? Bad times. Games two and three I win on the back of more counters (Exclude is still wonderful since it still slows down his blockers and makes him Harvest again, losing a lot of time in the process), and River Boa is incredible. I won on the strength of my deck to be honest. Awful mis-play I made no. 1: CH's Turn four, EOT: I have a counter in my hand, and he ends his turn with four mana up. I have Looter il-Kor out, ready to start beating and sifting next turn. I PLAY THINK TWICE! He obviously has the Tendrils of Corruption to off my Looter, and I go on to lose that game (I might have lost anywaym but that was truely awful).
An interesting note: Despite our protestations not to drop, CH does. He feels like he might miss Top Four with an X-1 record... I say he WILL make it if he X-1s, but he decides against it, since his buddy missed it in a STD PDC event at X-1.
The next round I'm up against Colakim3. He is running Stars and Cogs. I do not know this matchup at ALL (I had to look up the deckname on PDC I was so unfamiliar with it). I made a TON of errors in these games. The worst was the following situation. Early in the game I want to keep countermana up to stop him from running Trinket Mage into (Viridan Longbow), so instead I tap out for a 1/1 Werebear who is killed by the Mage in two turns when he summons it on his next turn. This was brutal, but after it was over, I had a plan if I faced it again.
The third round was Gimmie with Grand Entrance (had to look it up again). He spanks me with ease. I can't really put it into better terms... He just has a nice matchup against me. Round four I'm at 1-2, trying to sneak into Top 4... I'm still in contention at 1-2, which means that an X-1 would have been in... I'm matched up again Borekmarek. He is with a RB tokens/Husk-style concotion that I don't know the name of. It seemed solid. I lost game one, then won games two and three off the back of regenerators, bounce (his dudes don't enjoy being sacced only to see the beneficiary of the saccing jump back to his hand) and Exclude. Game three I countered all of his Husk-type creatures, and his tokens just aren't very good without something to pump up.
I lucksack into Top Four at 2-2. I'm rematched in what felt like a nightmare matchup with Colakim3 again. However, I feel a little better knowing what to watch for now. I also feel like I am the control in this matchup early, then shift to the aggressor once I can drop a duder and counter relevant spells in the same turn. Game one, I am the winnar!! (Of the die roll). We trade land drops for two turns, and he drops a Pyrite Spellbomb on his second turn. We land-go another turn, and then I drop (Simic Growth-Chamber) to pick up a Lonely Sandbar so I can spice up my hand. He drops an Izzet Boilerworks, and I cycle the Sandbar AND Tranquil Thicket too. We both have more land, and he tries an Aven Riftwatcher. I let this stick. I have another Growth Chamber and have to discard a Deep Analysis due to a full hand.
He hits me with his flyer, and I Snag his second one; he pays the mana for it (I had another in-hand, but they're useless if I can't ever counter ANYTHING). He follows up with another Spellbomb. I Snag that and get it. I untap and drop WerebearSpringing Tiger, no Thresh yet. He untaps and pops Tiger with Incinerate, attacking and then popping Bear with Spellbomb. I have Looter and Mongrel on my turn, and counter-mana up. He Incinerates the Mongrel. I let it go. He lets one Riftwatcher die, and hits me with the other. I take it. I attack him with my Looter. He sacs the Aven. I hit him again. He does nothing on his turn. EOT I cast two Think Twice, and flash one back. I hit him again, and drop a second Looter. He has another Aven. I Think the second time, then cast another from my hand. I Snag his Aven and he pays it. He drops ANOTHER PSpellbomb. I hit him again, and with Think Twice in my graveyard, gain six life between Looters and the TT. He hits me, then follows up with Mulldrifter and Trinket Mage, fetching Viridian Longbow... I Negate the Longbow when he tries it!
He tries to pop a Looter with Spellbomb, but I Burst it and his Trinket Mage back to our hands. I Looter him. Rootwalla is madnessed out. I drop Looter again, flashback Deep Anal (Dig deep!) and drop Springing Tiger, which I'm pretty sure he can't deal with ever. He drops Trinket Mage for Aether Spellbomb. I take four from his flyers. He then bounces the Drifter and replays it. I hit him with my Tiger and Looters. I dredge and discard Brownscale twice. Werebear and Mongrel join my team. He sacs his Aven on upkeep, then drops a Mulldrifter and Leonin Squire for Pyrite Spellbomb. Drifter hits me. I Burst back both Drifters and his Squire. He plays Spellbomb and the Squire for his other Pyrite. I'm low enough here that if he can recur his Pyrite two more times, I'm dead. I dredge and pitch Brownscale to Mongrel, putting me into safer lands. I hit him with my team. Squire blocks Mongrel and Mage blocks Tiger. At this point I'm 90% certain I have won. I have another Burst in hand, so those silly 2/2 flyers will take too much mana to cast, and he doesn't have his 2/2s to swing over on his next turn, so he doesn't have a way to recur and Spellbomb me out.
I channel Brownscale through both Looters, gaining six life for the turn. He untaps and drops two Drifters and an Aven Riftwatcher. Interesting... I bounce them all back to his hand on EOT. My alpha-strike kills him.
Game two was pretty much a blow-out, since I can actually get a two-for-one or two with Exclude on his Steamcore Weird and and he doesn't get his Ninja's going quickly enough to keep up with my fat once I start dropping 4/4s. In the finals, I don't know what Evu is running, or how to beat it. Cloak aggro blows me out. I misplayed by keeping slow hands and never seeing Nantuko Vigilante hurt in game two. So, second again. This was fairly frustrating (going 3-3), but also nice (taking 2nd). I'm now fourth in points on the Season, and plan to play when I can.
Last, I would like to recommend picking up a few cards. Bitterblossom seems wonderful in every format (including Classic). Mono-Black Pox seems like it has a very nice finisher with this card, as it avoids Smallpox and Pox, while churning out an army. I think it can replace the always-awesome Dark Confidant since he was great, but somewhat vurnerable to much of the decks own cards. It has already made a big splash in all the other online formats. Chameleon Colossus is fanastic and borderline IMPOSSIBLE to kill in block, so I would recommend four of him too. The reason these cards would be wise to grab is the fact that we aren't likely to get all THAT long to draft Morningtide. Get'em while you can. Mutavault fits in here too and any other cards that can be played in more than one deck in Block/STD this season from Morningtide.
Thanks for reading, and I REALLY hope we have MODO back next week!!
5 Comments
Glad you all enjoyed DD. Hopefully we'll be able to do another PDC event by Saturday!
If the servers are up, we will be playing. I'm waiting to post the official thread until we have a bit more certainty. But with drafts and multiplayer and all sorts of other stuff not working, what else will there be to do but play in PREs? :)
Nice article. I especially loved the PDC breakdown of games. I could see more of that, since for one reason or another, I can never get the time to play in a PDC event, sigh. Anyhow, good job.
Walkerdog, thanks once again for playing in the tournament and writing about it. Back-to-back second places is not bad for being relatively new to the format. Keep it up! Fourth in the points race is pretty good too; remember we have prizes for the top 5 points earners at the end of the season. :)
Deep Dog used to be big back when I first started playing Pauper, then it disappeared for a while. I'm glad to see it doing well again.
Nice breakdown. As far as developing the list for Deep Dog, I was presented with a UG Madness list a long long time ago (almost three years) and gamed with that. Over time, I tweaked the list to the one you saw me win iwth earlier this season (not without some egregious errors; Gathan Raiders, what was I thinking?).
Lost is a lovely woman and she is one of the best deck pilots I have seen for decks she has not designed herself.
-Alex