Drafting with Jim #15

By Jim Marlow

Hey everyone,

Against all odds i won a couple of drafts recently, meaning i could draft a few times as a bit of downtime after revision, and i will be posting all of them up here over the next few days and weeks.

This draft i did on wednesday night, after magic, accompanied by Andy and Martin, and various delicious foods.

Also of note, i was lucky enough to draft with Darren Grafham of both Cambridge and generally a bloody good guy fame, how nice.

Event #: 848474
Time: 1/6/2010 10:09:19 PM
Players:
djseb
syska
SOLTYS
darrengrafham
--> wiggi1
timcampbell
rapdjdragon
just_add_water

------ ZEN ------

Pack 1 pick 1:
Desecrated Earth
Seascape Aerialist
Paralyzing Grasp
Plains
Turntimber Grove
Disfigure
Mind Sludge
--> Burst Lightning
Eternity Vessel
Kraken Hatchling
Island (FOIL)
Timbermaw Larva
Seismic Shudder
Bladetusk Boar
Khalni Gem

Burst lightning is quite a lot better than anything else in the pack, which is nice

Pack 1 pick 2:
Explorer's Scope
Tempest Owl
--> Trusty Machete
Kazandu Blademaster
Zektar Shrine Expedition
Noble Vestige
Sky Ruin Drake
Plains
Pillarfield Ox
Hedron Scrabbler
Quest for the Gemblades
Disfigure
Grappling Hook
Scythe Tiger

Machete is the nuts, i hate passing blademaster because i love w/r and im pretty sure i have won games single handedly with this guy.

Pack 1 pick 3:
Cliff Threader
Savage Silhouette
Surrakar Marauder
Giant Scorpion
Greenweaver Druid
Oran-Rief Recluse
--> Torch Slinger
Reckless Scholar
Carnage Altar
Plains
Umara Raptor
Geyser Glider
Blood Tribute

This was a really good pack, and was the source of the first of many lovers tiffs between the 3 bears huddled round my computer (mostly ending in me just making the incorrect pick). Its pretty tough, but i though staying on colour here was best, and i prefer torch slinger to geyser glider, especially if we end up going into a second/different colour.

Pack 1 pick 4:
Goblin Bushwhacker
Spreading Seas
Ondu Cleric
Hedron Scrabbler
Tajuru Archer
--> Nissa's Chosen
Quest for Pure Flame
Emeria, the Sky Ruin
Oran-Rief Survivalist
Goblin Ruinblaster
Forest
Steppe Lynx

Im still not sure this is the pick over survivalist, but apparently getting on the pro tour means something.

Pack 1 pick 5:
Tempest Owl
Cancel
Whiplash Trap
--> Teetering Peaks
Swamp
Mindless Null
Sunspring Expedition
Runeflare Trap
Feast of Blood
Joraga Bard
Noble Vestige

Pack 1 pick 6:
--> Grazing Gladehart
Bog Tatters
Slaughter Cry
Kor Outfitter
Shieldmate's Blessing
Needlebite Trap
Beast Hunt
Summoner's Bane
Cancel
Swamp

Dabbling with green looks to be possibly the correct choice, i absolutely love gladeheart.

Pack 1 pick 7:
Soaring Seacliff
Seascape Aerialist
Caravan Hurda
Seismic Shudder
Plains
--> Greenweaver Druid
Spreading Seas
Kraken Hatchling
Turntimber Grove

this guy is pretty good, lots of blue stuff going round, someone may have some blue based ally deck to worry about.

Pack 1 pick 8:
Nimbus Wings
Sejiri Refuge
Swamp
--> Vastwood Gorger
Zendikar Farguide
Khalni Heart Expedition
Trapfinder's Trick
Teetering Peaks

fat.

Pack 1 pick 9:
Desecrated Earth
Seascape Aerialist
Paralyzing Grasp
Plains
Turntimber Grove
Island (FOIL)
--> Seismic Shudder

I think i preferred hating the aerialist, but shudder is a pretty key sideboard card so our combined decision was that. pretty sure island is the irl pick right?

Pack 1 pick 10:
Tempest Owl
Noble Vestige
Plains
Hedron Scrabbler
--> Grappling Hook
Scythe Tiger

this can be annoying so take it out, scrabbles is a house, but we can pick some up later if needed

Pack 1 pick 11:
Savage Silhouette
--> Greenweaver Druid
Carnage Altar
Plains
Blood Tribute

Pack 1 pick 12:
Spreading Seas
--> Hedron Scrabbler
Quest for Pure Flame
Forest

DING!

Pack 1 pick 13:
Swamp
Sunspring Expedition
--> Noble Vestige

Pack 1 pick 14:
Shieldmate's Blessing
--> Beast Hunt

Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Turntimber Grove

------ ZEN ------

Pack 2 pick 1:
Highland Berserker
Windborne Charge
Soul Stair Expedition
Quest for the Holy Relic
--> Oracle of Mul Daya
Joraga Bard
Turntimber Basilisk
Kabira Crossroads
Molten Ravager
Mold Shambler
Disfigure
Tempest Owl
Island
Mindless Null
Sunspring Expedition

There seems to be lots of mixed opinion about this guy, i like him a lot.

Pack 2 pick 2:
Grazing Gladehart
Gomazoa
Mountain
Vampire Hexmage
Bold Defense
Shatterskull Giant
Tanglesap
--> Kazuul Warlord
Vines of Vastwood
Lethargy Trap
Jwar Isle Refuge
Goblin War Paint
Into the Roil
Blood Seeker

This guy is pretty big, if we can get any allies he will get pretty saucy. Gladeheart would have been nice esp with oracle, but can you pass this guy?

Pack 2 pick 3:
--> Timbermaw Larva
Mark of Mutiny
Zektar Shrine Expedition
Quest for Ancient Secrets
Bladetusk Boar
Piranha Marsh
Scythe Tiger
Forest
Archive Trap
Slaughter Cry
Hedron Scrabbler
Mire Blight
Tempest Owl

Clearly commiting to heavy green, all our red cards are splashable,

Pack 2 pick 4:
Beastmaster Ascension
Stonework Puma
--> Baloth Woodcrasher
Tuktuk Grunts
Island
Paralyzing Grasp
Oran-Rief Survivalist
Frontier Guide
Vines of Vastwood
Ruinous Minotaur
Trapmaker's Snare
Pillarfield Ox

annoyingly this guy is pretty saucy, becuase it means passing a survivalist, again.

Pack 2 pick 5:
Highland Berserker
Slaughter Cry
Mire Blight
Sunspring Expedition
Inferno Trap
Swamp
Shoal Serpent
--> Baloth Woodcrasher
Kor Duelist
Grim Discovery
Joraga Bard

not really sure why we didnt take the inferno trap. I think we were at the time thinking we could splash only for the burst lightning, and 2 woodcrashers plus oracle, and double greenweaver druid makes for a nice deck.

Pack 2 pick 6:
Mire Blight
Zendikar Farguide
Merfolk Wayfinder
Cancel
--> Magma Rift
Trapmaker's Snare
Spire Barrage
Swamp
Khalni Heart Expedition
Kazandu Refuge

Pack 2 pick 7:
--> Kazandu Refuge
Lethargy Trap
Savage Silhouette
Goblin Bushwhacker
Forest
Primal Bellow
Shatterskull Giant
Tanglesap
Cosi's Trickster

Pack 2 pick 8:
Akoum Refuge
Caller of Gales
Teetering Peaks
Mountain
--> Nissa's Chosen
Quest for the Gemblades
Narrow Escape
Kabira Crossroads

Pack 2 pick 9:
Quest for the Holy Relic
Joraga Bard
--> Turntimber Basilisk
Tempest Owl
Island
Mindless Null
Sunspring Expedition

Pack 2 pick 10:
Mountain
Bold Defense
Tanglesap
Lethargy Trap
--> Goblin War Paint
Blood Seeker

Pack 2 pick 11:
Quest for Ancient Secrets
Scythe Tiger
--> Forest
Mire Blight
Tempest Owl

Pack 2 pick 12:
Island
--> Ruinous Minotaur
Trapmaker's Snare
Pillarfield Ox

Pack 2 pick 13:
Mire Blight
Sunspring Expedition
--> Swamp

Pack 2 pick 14:
--> Mire Blight
Trapmaker's Snare

Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Tanglesap

------ ZEN ------

Pack 3 pick 1:
Bog Tatters
Demolish
Mountain
Heartstabber Mosquito
Soaring Seacliff
Vampire's Bite
Oran-Rief Recluse
Spell Pierce
Sadistic Sacrament (FOIL)
Pitfall Trap
--> Terra Stomper
Merfolk Wayfinder
Kor Outfitter
Graypelt Refuge
Relic Crush

stomp!

Pack 3 pick 2:
Khalni Heart Expedition
Mountain
Ior Ruin Expedition
Molten Ravager
Kor Hookmaster
Territorial Baloth
--> Blazing Torch
Conqueror's Pledge
Mire Blight
Zendikar Farguide
Heartstabber Mosquito (FOIL)
Arrow Volley Trap
Soul Stair Expedition
Landbind Ritual

Blazing torch is pretty good, green tends to lack removal, and we are not sure how much of our red removal, if any we will be playing, so a decent pick i think.

Pack 3 pick 3:
Magosi, the Waterveil
Molten Ravager
Cancel
Heartstabber Mosquito
--> Blazing Torch
Swamp
Demolish
Spidersilk Net
Noble Vestige
Relic Crush (FOIL)
Beast Hunt
Hedron Crab
Kor Sanctifiers

dubs.

Pack 3 pick 4:
Blood Seeker
Tanglesap
Needlebite Trap
Luminarch Ascension
Mountain
Teetering Peaks
Savage Silhouette
Hagra Crocodile
Caller of Gales
Mark of Mutiny
Whiplash Trap
--> Goblin Shortcutter

not a great pack for us, could have hated the luminarch or considered splashing white, but its not that busted in draft, so hopefully it wont come back to haunt us.

Pack 3 pick 5:
Kor Skyfisher
Plains
Bold Defense
Piranha Marsh
Living Tsunami
Into the Roil
Kor Hookmaster
Territorial Baloth
--> Timbermaw Larva
Jwar Isle Refuge
Welkin Tern

Pack 3 pick 6:
Forest
Cliff Threader
Narrow Escape
--> Mold Shambler
Windrider Eel
Cobra Trap
Quest for Pure Flame
Magosi, the Waterveil
Hagra Crocodile
Goblin Shortcutter

Pack 3 pick 7:
Sejiri Refuge
--> Steppe Lynx
Hagra Diabolist
Caravan Hurda
Ior Ruin Expedition
Kraken Hatchling
Turntimber Grove
Swamp
Desecrated Earth

Pack 3 pick 8:
Mindless Null
Swamp
Spell Pierce
--> Baloth Cage Trap
Nimbus Wings
Relic Crush
Archmage Ascension
Vampire's Bite

this is nice, people seem to walk into it all the time, despite there being so few tricks to think about, which is pretty awesome.

Pack 3 pick 9:
Mountain
Soaring Seacliff
Vampire's Bite
Spell Pierce
Merfolk Wayfinder
Graypelt Refuge
--> Relic Crush

Pack 3 pick 10:
Mountain
Ior Ruin Expedition
Territorial Baloth
Mire Blight
--> Zendikar Farguide
Landbind Ritual

Pack 3 pick 11:
Magosi, the Waterveil
Swamp
--> Demolish
Noble Vestige
Beast Hunt

Pack 3 pick 12:
Needlebite Trap
--> Mountain
Hagra Crocodile
Caller of Gales

Pack 3 pick 13:
Bold Defense
Piranha Marsh
--> Jwar Isle Refuge

Pack 3 pick 14:
Forest
--> Cobra Trap

Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Turntimber Grove

This was the deck we made

1 x burst lightning
1 x trusty machete
2 x blazing torch
1 x torch slinger
1 x goblin shortcutter
1 x magma rift
1 x kazuul warlord
2 x nissa's chosen
1 x grazing gladeheart
2 x greenweaver druid
2 x baloth woodcrasher
2 x timbermaw larva
1 x baloth cage trap
1 x mold shambler
1 x oracle of mul daya
1 x turntimber basalisk
1 x terra stomper

1 x kazandu refuge
5 x mountain
12 x forest

So we ended up winning the draft with this deck - the deck was ok, there was plenty of fat, and ways to get to the fat really quickly, which made for some blowouts. We ended up playing more red that we imagined due to a pretty dry pack 3, but this was fine. Kazuul warlord was fine as a 4/4 for 5, although looking back double survivalist would have been nice. There were some pretty contentious picks in the draft, but i think there weren't any glaring errors on reading it back quickly.

Hopefully see you all this wednesday.

The deck im hoping to play at the nottingham PTQ will be going up here in a couple days, along with some more drafts and some other fun.


Until then,


See you all soon,


Jim


As always, feel free to post comments underneath. If you would like to contribute anything to the blog, email anything you want published to ss07jm@leeds.ac.uk (for severe editing!)