Yawgmoth's Whimsy #294 - Drafting to Distraction

Early this week, I took a day off work to deal with some stuff around the house. The roof on one of the outbuildings needs replacement, the septic alarm was going off, the garden needed work, etc. That day, we had torrential rains — bad enough that the dogs went out and came right back in. Cool. A day mostly off. I can draft!

Well — more or less. I still have some deliveries arriving, and other stuff. I need to fit the drafts in around those, as best I can. Nonetheless, I decided to try some 8-4s for a while. I did mainly M10 with a splash of MEDIII. No Zendikar — yet, and the Alara block draft queues weren’t very full whenever I looked. So, M10 it was.

My goal was to try a few 8-4s, then compare that with a 321Swiss, and maybe a 4-3-2-2, to see whether the level of play or decks were noticeably different. The answer — well, you will have to read on.

Before we start, though, I am the first to admit that I am not a Limited expert. StarCityGames.com is not going to ask me to do a daily draft series. Feel free to trash my picks in the forums, I won’t mind.

M10 Draft #1 (8-4)

Pack 1 pick 1:
Llanowar Elves, Griffin Sentinel, Snapping Drake, Child of Night, Burning Inquiry, Weakness, Safe Passage, Trumpet Blast, Bramble Creeper, Disorient, Wurm’s Tooth, Rhox Pikemaster, Flashfreeze, Manabarbs, Mountain

My pick: Rhox Pikemaster

I have read a number of articles about M10 drafts recently that started badly, but were saved in pack three when the drafter opened Baneslayer Angel. I decided to adopt that strategy.

Seriously though, I think the best cards are the Drake, the Pikemaster and maybe the Griffin. I have never played with the Pikemaster, so I thought I’d give him a try. Overall, though, I was a bit underwhelmed by this pack.

Pack 1 pick 2:
Merfolk Looter, Looming Shade, Berserkers of Blood Ridge, Oakenform, Mist Leopard, Horned Turtle, Burst of Speed, Soul Warden, Soul Bleed, Regenerate, Harm’s Way, Spellbook, Undead Slayer, Forest

My pick: Harm’s Way

Better. This would have been an interesting pick had I gone with the Drake pack one. I think I would still go with Harm’s Way over the Looter, but I’m not sure.

Pack 1 pick 3:
Giant Spider, Ponder, Veteran Swordsmith, Kelinore Bat, Craw Wurm, Merfolk Looter, Snapping Drake, Elvish Visionary, Sign in Blood, Kraken’s Eye, Alluring Siren, Haunting Echoes, Plains

My Pick: Veteran Swordsmith

Go soldiers! On the other hand, I could have had 2 Drakes and a Looter. The one thing I have done right so far — I haven’t been rare drafting.

Pack 1 pick 4:
Deadly Recluse, Dread Warlock, Canyon Minotaur, Essence Scatter, Excommunicate, Berserkers of Blood Ridge, Llanowar Elves, Silvercoat Lion, Black Knight, Wall of Fire, Mind Shatter, Plains

My Pick: Essence Scatter

I probably undervalue bears way too much — especially when the bears are lions. However, I find they just run into walls or cower before 2/4s far too often. So, my choice is UW, GW or BW — and I have been seeing a lot of good Blue in the last couple packs. Of course, there are also a couple playable Black cards here, so that could be a signal. Or not.

Pack 1 pick 5:
Safe Passage (FOIL), Viashino Spearhunter, Lava Axe, Wall of Faith, Burning Inquiry, Jump, Mind Rot, Bog Wraith, Wall of Fire, Windstorm, Island

My Pick: Bog Wraith

Should have paid attention to the Black “signals.” I’m no fan of Safe Passage — I find I can almost always play through or around it. Safe Passage seems closer to Fog or Angel’s Mercy than a viable combat trick.

Or am I completely wrong about that?

Pack 1 pick 6:
Oakenform, Cancel, Sign in Blood, Berserkers of Blood Ridge, Convincing Mirage, Lifelink, Acolyte of Xathrid, Bountiful Harvest, Polymorph, Plains

My Pick: Cancel

Blue or Black. I love Sign in Blood, but I have better Blue. I keep thinking that I could have had a couple Drakes and/or Looters, Remove Soul, Cancel and — well, I don’t.

Pack 1 pick 7:
Illusionary Servant, Warpath Ghoul, Viashino Spearhunter, Convincing Mirage, Duress, Burst of Speed, Runeclaw Bear, Mesa Enchantress, Mountain

My Pick: Illusionary Servant

Seems Blue is still here. It’s that or the amazing White beatdown machine of an Enchantress. (They so should reprint Argothian Enchantress.)

Pack 1 pick 8:
Ice Cage, Disentomb, Emerald Oryx, Shatter, Jump, Solemn Offering, Fabricate, Plains

My Pick: Solemn Offering

Another one for the forums — Ice Cage (the bad Pacifism) or Solemn Offering (the marginal Disenchant.) I opted for the Disenchant.

Going back around, I raredraft Manabarbs from an empty first pack, hate a Looming Shade, then get Sign in Blood and Dread Warlock. Not many black drafters, I guess. Plus the end-of-pack trash: Jump, Acolyte of Xathrid, Mountain.

Pack 2 pick 1:
Vampire Aristocrat, Lightning Elemental, Essence Scatter, Razorfoot Griffin, Craw Wurm, Dread Warlock, Looming Shade (FOIL), Angel’s Mercy, Horned Turtle, Soul Bleed, Whispersilk Cloak, Levitation, Inferno Elemental, Underworld Dreams, Forest

My Pick: Whispersilk Cloak

Someone should educate me on this. I like the Cloak, both for getting a non-evasive fattie through blockers, and for protecting a Blinding Mage or other fragile but important creature. The other options were probably the Razorfoot or the fear wizard. Both are highly evasive, but they seemed a bit weak as first picks.

I remind my computer that I was supposed to save my draft by opening Baneslayer.

Pack 2 pick 2:
Pacifism, Coral Merfolk, Jackal Familiar, Firebreathing, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Glorious Charge, Disentomb, Naturalize, Lava Axe, Armored Ascension, Undead Slayer, Alluring Siren, Sunpetal Grove, Swamp

My Pick: Sunpetal Grove

Pacifism is the pick, but I’m really short of all M10 staples. Sunpetal Grove is in the $2-$3 range, and I’m not really liking my chances of winning this draft with the pile I have.

Pack 2 pick 3:
Borderland Ranger, Assassinate, Goblin Piker, Ice Cage, Veteran Swordsmith, Mist Leopard, Negate, Angel’s Mercy, Soul Bleed, Angel’s Feather, Ignite Disorder, Hive Mind, Mountain

My Pick: Veteran Swordsmith

At this point, my Black was a Bog Wraith, Sign in Blood, Looming Shade and Dread Warlock. My Blue was a couple counters and an Illusion. Should I have committed to black and taken the Assassinate? Maybe. Probably.

Pack 2 pick 4:
Giant Growth, Illusionary Servant, Fabricate (FOIL), Rampant Growth, Shatter, Jump, Solemn Offering, Raging Goblin, Unholy Strength, Demon’s Horn, Rise from the Grave, Plains

My Pick: Rise from the Grave

Okay, I have seen zero Blinding Mages, but someone else must have them. Illusionary Servant sucks against the Mage — or Weakness or even Giant Growth, for that matter. No useful White — I have to decide between Black and Blue. Black it is.

I should have taken the Assassinate.

Pack 2 pick 5:
Rampant Growth, Sparkmage Apprentice, Fog, Shatter, Zephyr Sprite, Solemn Offering, Drudge Skeletons, Ornithopter, Rise from the Grave, Elvish Piper, Island

My Pick: Rise from the Grave

Over Drudge Skeletons, which seems right. On the other hand, having 2 Rise from the Grave and almost no really good creatures and no removal seems like a bad plan.

Pack 2 pick 6:
Lightning Elemental, Warpath Ghoul, Palace Guard, Unholy Strength, Emerald Oryx, Firebreathing, Disorient, Flashfreeze, Tempest of Light, Island

My Pick: Palace Guard

I’m drafting soldiers, remember. I almost didn’t. My goal, though, seems to be gumming up the ground with 1/4s and beating with evasive guys. (All my fliers, plus the Cloak. Yes, I know how many fliers I have)

Pack 2 pick 7:
Enormous Baloth (FOIL), Craw Wurm, Dread Warlock, Goblin Piker, Stampeding Rhino, Looming Shade, Elvish Visionary, Mold Adder, Plains

My Pick: Dread Warlock

Nice Green, to go with the Elvish Piper I just passed.

Pack 2 pick 8:
Elvish Visionary, Jackal Familiar, Jump, Bramble Creeper, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Holy Strength, Raging Goblin, Mountain

My Pick: Holy Strength

This seems so bad. Should I have hated something? What?

Pack 2 pick 9:
Looming Shade (FOIL), Angel’s Mercy, Horned Turtle, Soul Bleed, Levitation, Underworld Dreams, Forest

My Pick: Looming Shade (FOIL)

I avoid the temptation to rare-draft, but Underworld Dreams is worth next to nothing.

Rest of Pack 2: Looming Shade, Disentomb, Hive Mind, Holy Strength, Shatter, 2 * Unholy Strength, Plains

Pack 3 pick 1:
Unsummon, Veteran Armorsmith, Giant Growth, Vampire Aristocrat, Lightning Elemental, Essence Scatter, Runeclaw Bear, Act of Treason (FOIL), Zombie Goliath, Negate, Dragon’s Claw, Stone Giant, Fabricate, Merfolk Sovereign, Mountain

My Pick: Veteran Armorsmith

Ugh. Where’s my Baneslayer? Is my choice really rare-draft a $0.25 card or the Armorsmith? Is the random 5/3 or the Nantuko Husk a better pick? Would I have been better off out chopping wood in the monsoon?

Pack 3 pick 2:
Blinding Mage, Seismic Strike, Deadly Recluse, Illusionary Servant, Raging Goblin, Terramorphic Expanse, Unholy Strength, Naturalize, Wall of Faith, Sage Owl, Howling Banshee, Megrim, Inferno Elemental, Swamp

My Pick: Howling Banshee

Looking at the list, I see the Blinding Mage. I’m not sure why I didn’t pick it — I love Master Decoy, even under another name. Maybe I wanted a flier, maybe I was blind.

Pack 3 pick 3:
Stormfront Pegasus, Panic Attack, Oakenform, Tendrils of Corruption, Lifelink, Zombie Goliath, Horned Turtle, Kindled Fury, Bountiful Harvest, Tome Scour, Relentless Rats, Righteousness, Forest

My Pick: Tendrils of Corruption

Pack three. First removal spell. I am so going to smash this draft.

Pack 3 pick 4:
Wind Drake, Divine Verdict, Assassinate, Glorious Charge, Weakness, Fog, Shatter, Zephyr Sprite, Solemn Offering, White Knight, Act of Treason, Swamp

My Pick: Divine Verdict

Yay!

Pack 3 pick 5:
Looming Shade, Naturalize, Wall of Faith, Sage Owl, Burning Inquiry, Weakness, Safe Passage, Diabolic Tutor, Telepathy, Traumatize, Island

My Pick: Weakness

Pack 3 pick 6:
Cancel, Panic Attack, Silvercoat Lion, Duress, Regenerate, Convincing Mirage, Yawning Fissure, Acolyte of Xathrid, Diabolic Tutor, Forest

My Pick: Duress

I’m really neutral about this in draft. Take or no? It can nail a good card mid game, but it can also be a blank way too often. However, the question isn’t “is it good?” The question is “is it better than the Lion?”

Pack 3 pick 7:
Ponder, Veteran Armorsmith, Sparkmage Apprentice, Ice Cage, Razorfoot Griffin, Canyon Minotaur, Jackal Familiar, Mold Adder, Forest

My Pick: Razorfoot Griffin

Pack 3 pick 8:
Kelinore Bat, Trumpet Blast, Bramble Creeper, Disorient, Holy Strength, Drudge Skeletons, Nature’s Spiral, Swamp

My Pick: Kelinore Bat

Rest of Pack 3: Wall of Faith,2 * Zombie Goliath, trash

The Deck

Removal (4)
Harm’s Way
Tendrils of Corruption
Divine Verdict
Weakness

Critters (15)
Bog Wraith
Dread Warlock
Howling Banshee
Kelinore Bat
2 Looming Shade

Rhox Pikemaster
Palace Guard
Razorfoot Griffin
Veteran Armorsmith
2 Veteran Swordsmith
2 Zombie Goliath

Utility (4)
Duress
2 Rise from the Grave
Whispersilk Cloak

9 Swamps
8 Plains

My replays are lost or inaccessible, so I’ll try to do this from memory.

Match 1 was against a player that had gone for the Red aggro plan with many Jackal Familiars. He lived the dream game 1, with a Pup, Pup, Pup and Pup start. My start, however, involved Veteran Armorer, Veteran Swordsmith and, when he drew a burn spell on turn 4 or 5, Harms’ Way. Getting double plains and the Armorer on turn 2 was lucky, but the 2/3 trumped the whole Pup plan, and I won fairly easily. Game 2 he was slower. I wasn’t.

In the second round I was blown out by a fast Green deck that curved up to Rhinos quickly, then cast Overrun. Both games were over by turn 6 or 7 — earlier, since I was reduced to reanimating Howling Banshee with Rise from the Grave to chump block. Not much more to say.

M10 Draft #2 (8-4)

Pack 1 pick 1:
Elvish Visionary, Griffin Sentinel, Tendrils of Corruption, Jackal Familiar, Bountiful Harvest, Burst of Speed, Angel’s Mercy, Horned Turtle, Soul Bleed, Mist Leopard, Pyroclasm, Serra Angel, Rod of Ruin, Great Sable Stag, Island

My Pick: Great Sable Stag

Yes, I rare drafted. Serra Angel, Tendrils, and maybe Pyroclasm are all better, but I wanted the Stag for Constructed play.

Pack 1 pick 2:
Veteran Swordsmith, Kelinore Bat, Seismic Strike, Craw Wurm, Shatter, Jump, Solemn Offering, Raging Goblin, Terramorphic Expanse, Unholy Strength, Armored Ascension, Angel’s Feather, Rise from the Grave, Forest

My Pick: Armored Ascension

The rare is gone. No signals. Armored Ascension is either very good or almost useless. Seismic Strike is decent removal, but never great.

Pack 1 pick 3:
Illusionary Servant, Vampire Aristocrat, Rampant Growth, Siege Mastodon, Fiery Hellhound, Unsummon, Stampeding Rhino, Griffin Sentinel, Cancel, Child of Night, Wall of Fire, Windstorm, Forest

My Pick: Stampeding Rhino

Stag say go Green. Seems okay for now. A Rhino with Armored Ascension is okay.

Pack 1 pick 4:
Craw Wurm, Siege Mastodon, Assassinate, Solemn Offering, Raging Goblin, Terramorphic Expanse, Naturalize, Wall of Faith, Demon’s Horn, Act of Treason, Polymorph, Forest

My Pick: Craw Wurm

Still GW — but I note three cards that can kill the Ascension (Assassinate, Polymorph, and Solemn Offering.) Seeing any of these means Ascension falls into the “not great” category.

Pack 1 pick 5:
Craw Wurm, Bramble Creeper, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Holy Strength, Raging Goblin, Glorious Charge, Weakness, Cudgel Troll, Consume Spirit, Wall of Fire, Mountain

My Pick: Cudgel Troll

Yay!

Pack 1 pick 6:
Fiery Hellhound, Ponder, Veteran Armorsmith, Kindled Fury, Negate, Lifelink, Duress, Angel’s Feather, Flashfreeze, Island

My Pick: Veteran Armorsmith

Nothing to see here, move along.

Pack 1 pick 7:
Rampant Growth, Wind Drake, Divine Verdict, Mist Leopard, Negate, Angel’s Mercy, Soul Bleed, Acidic Slime, Plains

My pick: Acidic Slime

I’m reasonably certain why I took the Slime over the Rampant Growth. I’m less certain why I took the Slime over the Divine Verdict. That might have been wrong.

Pack 1 pick 8:
Llanowar Elves, Trumpet Blast, Bramble Creeper, Disorient, Burning Inquiry (FOIL), Drudge Skeletons, Relentless Rats, Mountain

My pick: Llanowar Elves

Going back around: Elvish Visionary, Solemn Offering, Rampant Growth, Wall of Faith, Bramble Creeper, trash

Pack 2 pick 1:
Llanowar Elves, Griffin Sentinel, Snapping Drake, Child of Night, Regenerate, Tome Scour, Kindled Fury, Angel’s Mercy, Zombie Goliath, Runeclaw Bear, Mind Control, Kraken’s Eye, Tempest of Light, Sanguine Bond, Plains

My pick: Griffin Sentinel

Meh. Hate the Mind Control? Elves? Yuck.

Pack 2 pick 2:
Oakenform, Tendrils of Corruption, Merfolk Looter, Snapping Drake, Lifelink, Zombie Goliath, Horned Turtle, Kindled Fury, Bountiful Harvest, Tome Scour, Diabolic Tutor, Stone Giant, Fabricate, Island

My pick: Oakenform

Meh squared. I considered hating the Tendrils, but Oakenform on the Griffin Sentinel is fun times. Also pretty unlikely.

Pack 2 pick 3:
Fiery Hellhound, Unsummon, Kelinore Bat, Blinding Mage, Seismic Strike, Deadly Recluse, Convincing Mirage, Duress, Burst of Speed, Runeclaw Bear, Dragon’s Claw, Megrim, Plains

My pick: Blinding Mage

I’m happy now.

Pack 2 pick 4:
Dread Warlock, Goblin Piker, Divination, Blinding Mage, Drudge Skeletons, Lava Axe, Wall of Faith, Entangling Vines, Burning Inquiry, Jump, Wall of Fire, Mountain

My pick: Blinding Mage

And even happier now. Pick four Mage? Really?

Pack 2 pick 5:
Oakenform, Cancel, Zephyr Sprite, Palace Guard, Disentomb, Emerald Oryx, Shatter, Jump, Howl of the Night Pack, Wall of Frost, Plains

My pick: Howl of the Night Pack

Now I want lots of Plains for Armored Ascension, and lots of Forests for Howl. I will value Rampant Growths a bit more highly.

Pack 2 pick 6:
Ice Cage, Deadly Recluse, Canyon Minotaur, Essence Scatter, Zombie Goliath, Kindled Fury, Bountiful Harvest, Demon’s Horn, Mold Adder, Swamp

My pick: Deadly Recluse

I have goodies for the late game, so now I need stuff to get me to the late game.

Pack 2 pick 7:
Oakenform, Kindled Fury, Angel’s Mercy, Zombie Goliath, Runeclaw Bear, Convincing Mirage, Terramorphic Expanse, Act of Treason, Mountain

My Pick: Terramorphic Expanse

Mana fixing, and pumps either the Ascension or the Howl. Besides, what else is there? The bear may lap.

Pack 2 pick 8:
Coral Merfolk, Jackal Familiar, Acolyte of Xathrid, Angel’s Mercy, Soul Bleed, Bountiful Harvest, Alluring Siren, Mountain

My Pick: Alluring Siren

Whatever. It’s all not playable.

Pack 2 pick 9:
Regenerate, Tome Scour, Kindled Fury, Angel’s Mercy, Runeclaw Bear, Kraken’s Eye, Plains

My Pick: Runeclaw Bear

Rest of the pack: Bountiful Harvest and off-color garbage.

Pack 3 pick 1:
Divine Verdict, Borderland Ranger, Assassinate, Goblin Piker, Entangling Vines, Burning Inquiry, Jump, Mind Rot, Bramble Creeper, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Kraken’s Eye, Harm’s Way, Tempest of Light, Indestructibility, Plains

My Pick: Harm’s Way

Divine Verdict, Entangling Vines, or Harm’s Way? I want them all, but Harm’s Way can be a total blowout.

Pack 3 pick 2:
Kelinore Bat, Blinding Mage, Seismic Strike, Deadly Recluse, Unholy Strength, Emerald Oryx, Firebreathing, Disorient, Safe Passage, Mind Rot, Dragon’s Claw, Diabolic Tutor, Megrim, Plains

My Pick: Blinding Mage

Sweet!

Pack 3 pick 3:
Sparkmage Apprentice, Wind Drake, Divine Verdict, Borderland Ranger, Swamp (FOIL), Serpent of the Endless Sea, Glorious Charge, Disentomb, Naturalize, Lava Axe, Harm’s Way, Acidic Slime, Plains

My Pick: Harm’s Way

Another Harm’s Way? Really? And Verdict? No one can even splash White? Amazing. A better question is whether I should have taken the Verdict here. Maybe.

Pack 3 pick 4:
Merfolk Looter, Elvish Visionary, Sign in Blood, Holy Strength, Raging Goblin, Glorious Charge, Fog, Shatter, Wall of Frost, Ignite Disorder, Mind Spring, Island

My Pick: Elvish Visionary

Draw into the bombs.

Pack 3 pick 5:
Siege Mastodon, Fiery Hellhound, Unsummon, Firebreathing, Disorient, Safe Passage, Fog, Trumpet Blast, Spellbook, Righteousness, Forest

My Pick: Siege Mastodon

Pack 3 pick 6:
Island (FOIL), Rampant Growth, Siege Mastodon, Safe Passage, Mind Rot, Fog, Trumpet Blast, Zephyr Sprite, Alluring Siren, Mountain

My Pick: Rampant Growth

Pack 3 pick 7:
Coral Merfolk, Centaur Courser, Regenerate, Kindled Fury, Negate, Lifelink, Duress, Telepathy, Plains

My Pick: Centaur Courser

Pack 3 pick 8:
Craw Wurm, Siege Mastodon, Yawning Fissure, Tome Scour, Acolyte of Xathrid, Prized Unicorn, Demon’s Horn, Forest

My Pick: Craw Wurm

I wanted the fattie here, over the Lure dude. With 2 Harm’s Ways, I should have some fun with fatties.

Pack 3 pick 9:
Burning Inquiry, Jump, Bramble Creeper, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Kraken’s Eye, Tempest of Light, Plains

My Pick: Bramble Creeper

Pack 3 pick 10:
Emerald Oryx, Firebreathing, Disorient, Dragon’s Claw, Megrim, Plains

My Pick: Emerald Oryx

Pack 3 pick 11:
Swamp (FOIL), Disentomb, Naturalize, Acidic Slime, Plains

My Pick: Acidic Slime

Pack 3 pick 12:
Glorious Charge, Fog, Shatter, Island

My Pick: Glorious Charge

So nice! Pack 3 pick 13 and onwards were all trash, but I can hardly complain.

Removal (2)
2 Harm’s Way

Utility (5)
Armored Ascension
Glorious Charge
Howl of the Night Pack
Rampant Growth
Solemn Offering (probably SB — I don’t think the deck was 41)

Creatures (16)
2 Acidic Slime
3 Blinding Mage
Bramble Creeper
Centaur Courser
Craw Wurm
Cudgel Troll
Deadly Recluse
Elvish Visionary
Great Sable Stag
Griffin Sentinel
Llanowar Elves
Runeclaw Bear
Stampeding Rhino

Terramorphic Expanse
9 Forest
8 Plains

The first match was epic. My opponent opened with an Island and Terramorphic Expanse, but I had played first, so I stuck the Great Sable Stage and pretty much road that to victory. He had lots of counters, Doom Blades and things like Horned Turtle to gum up the ground, but none of that stops the Stag.

Game 2 he had a faster start, with several Snapping Drakes, an Air Elemental and Wind Drake serving. I had a couple Blinding Mages trying to keep the air force in check, and some ground pounders getting in the beats. It finally came down to him either having a Negate for my Harm’s Way or losing. He had the Negate.

Game 3 he did not.

The second round started well. My opponent had some great Zombies, including Cemetery Reaper. However, he also had a Black Knight, so one attack had my Runeclaw Bears trading for his first striker and the Reaper. It was close, and took a long time, but I ended up resolving both Howl of the Night Pack and Cudgel Troll. He could not keep up.

I was busy sideboarding when the dogs started barking. The delivery truck with the shingles was here. It wasn’t the time agreed, but I had no choice. I did one of the stupidest things I had done all day. I went to catch shingles. I told my opponent I hoped to be right back, but if I timed out, GL in the finals.

The way shingle delivery works is that the distributor will deliver the shingles. They bring them on a truck with a crane, and will lift them up to the roof. However, you — the buyer — have to be up on the roof and unload the pallet. It was raining, the roof had an 8/12 pitch (meaning 8 units up for every 12 along = steep) and the old shingles were crumbling. It was insanely slippery. I managed to unload maybe half a ton, but after slipping a half dozen times, and catching myself, I decided that running the rest up the ladder was not such a bad idea. I inched my way back down to the ladder and off the roof. I was still shaking a half hour later.

Obviously, I did not make it back to the draft. I had timed out and lost.

I had also played in a MEDIII draft earlier that morning, and I lost in the finals. That, plus some work and getting the ladders ready, etc. had made it somewhat unlikely that I could have complete all three rounds of the M10 8-4 in time. I had expected to have time to make it to the finals and offer a split.

For comparison, though, I decided to try an M10 321Swiss draft, to try to draft the same archetype, and see whether the competition was noticeably different than the 8-4s.

Well, first there was an 8-4 firing up, and none of the other queues had more than a couple players. I totally punted this draft. My only defense was that this was just after being on the roof. I was cold, only partly dried out, and still shaken. I was also a bit on tilt about timing out on the last draft.

Draft # 3 (8-4)

Pack 1 pick 1:
Giant Spider (FOIL), Jackal Familiar, Pacifism, Llanowar Elves, Trumpet Blast, Bramble Creeper, Disorient, Holy Strength, Drudge Skeletons, Lava Axe, Dragon’s Claw, Diabolic Tutor, Alluring Siren, Might of Oaks, Forest

My Pick: Pacifism

I was kinda underwhelmed by this pack. Removal over silly combat trick, right?

Pack 1 pick 2:
Cancel, Child of Night, Berserkers of Blood Ridge, Llanowar Elves, Acolyte of Xathrid, Mist Leopard, Negate, Angel’s Mercy, Soul Bleed, Awakener Druid, Consume Spirit, Act of Treason, Sunpetal Grove, Plains

My Pick: Sunpetal Grove

Rare draft.

Pack 1 pick 3:
Pacifism, Looming Shade, Disentomb, Naturalize, Lava Axe, Sage Owl, Palace Guard, Unholy Strength, Wurm’s Tooth, Gorgon Flail, Wall of Bone, Ball Lightning, Mountain

My Pick: Pacifism

Pack 1 pick 4:
Lightning Elemental, Craw Wurm, Dread Warlock, Wall of Faith, Sage Owl, Burning Inquiry, Weakness, Safe Passage, Bog Wraith, Phantom Warrior, Righteousness, Mountain

My Pick: Phantom Warrior

UW seems fun. I already did BW.

Pack 1 pick 5:
Centaur Courser, Cancel, Burning Inquiry, Weakness, Trumpet Blast, Bramble Creeper, Disorient, Spellbook, Enormous Baloth, Rootbound Crag, Swamp

My Pick: Centaur Courser

No rare draft. I have a playset of Rootbound Crags already. The beater over the Cancel — was that a mistake?

Pack 1 pick 6:
Jackal Familiar, Lifelink, Zombie Goliath, Horned Turtle, Kindled Fury, Bountiful Harvest, Tome Scour, Ornithopter, Indestructibility, Island

My Pick: Indestructibility

The Horned Turtle might be better, but the Indestructibility was rare, and I didn’t have one. I hoped to pick up a Deadly Recluse to go with it.

Pack 1 pick 7:
Essence Scatter, Lightning Elemental, Warpath Ghoul, Convincing Mirage, Duress, Burst of Speed, Runeclaw Bear, Consume Spirit, Plains

My Pick: Essence Scatter

Pack 1 pick 8:
Panic Attack, Mist Leopard, Convincing Mirage, Duress, Burst of Speed, Runeclaw Bear, Lifelink, Forest

My Pick: Mist Leopard

Still not choosing a color pair.

Rest of the pack: Bramble Creeper , Negate, Naturalize, Sage Owl, trash

Firmly WGU.

Pack 2 pick 1:
Razorfoot Griffin, Craw Wurm, Dread Warlock, Goblin Piker, Divination, Holy Strength, Solemn Offering (FOIL), Lava Axe, Wall of Faith, Entangling Vines, Whispersilk Cloak, Elite Vanguard, Acidic Slime, Underworld Dreams, Plains

My Pick: Acidic Slime

At this point, I was still thinking about the shingles, and whether I should have stayed on the roof long enough to unload everything. I was also aching. A couple times I had slipped, I had caught myself awkwardly, and I had some bad scratches. None of which explains the pick.

Pack 2 pick 2:
Snapping Drake, Centaur Courser, Looming Shade, Bountiful Harvest, Burst of Speed, Angel’s Mercy, Horned Turtle, Soul Bleed, Swamp (FOIL), Howling Banshee, Ornithopter, Windstorm, Merfolk Sovereign, Island

My Pick: Centaur Courser

The horsey over the Drake? I guess I was thinking about — no, I wasn’t thinking.

Pack 2 pick 3:
Assassinate, Goblin Piker, Ice Cage, Veteran Swordsmith, Burning Inquiry, Jump, Mind Rot, Bramble Creeper, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Holy Strength, Righteousness, Traumatize, Swamp

My Pick: Veteran Swordsmith

Pack 2 pick 4:
Siege Mastodon, Viashino Spearhunter, Raging Goblin, Terramorphic Expanse, Unholy Strength, Naturalize, Wall of Faith, Sage Owl, Levitation, Fabricate, Act of Treason, Island

My Pick: Terramorphic Expanse

I’m three colors, and indecisive.

Pack 2 pick 5:
Seismic Strike, Emerald Oryx, Firebreathing, Disorient, Safe Passage, Mind Rot, Fog, Harm’s Way, Stone Giant, Twincast, Swamp

My Pick: Harm’s Way

Fifth pick? Maybe I overvalue Harm’s Way. Seismic Strike, too. I wonder what this pack looked like when opened.

Pack 2 pick 6:
Sign in Blood, Berserkers of Blood Ridge, Stormfront Pegasus, Regenerate, Tome Scour, Kindled Fury, Angel’s Mercy, Zombie Goliath, Nature’s Spiral, Plains

My Pick: Stormfront Pegasus

Pack 2 pick 7:
Serpent of the Endless Sea, Holy Strength, Raging Goblin, Glorious Charge, Weakness, Fog, Fabricate, Polymorph, Forest

My Pick: Polymorph

Pack 2 pick 8:
Panic Attack (FOIL), Trumpet Blast, Zephyr Sprite, Palace Guard, Disentomb, Demon’s Horn, Telepathy, Mountain

My Pick: Palace Guard

Rest of the Pack: Elite Vanguard, Sage Owl, a few Angel’s Mercy and other cards not making the cut.

Pack 3 pick 1:
Lightning Elemental, Warpath Ghoul, Divination, Divine Verdict, Plains (FOIL), Fiery Hellhound, Tome Scour, Kindled Fury, Angel’s Mercy, Zombie Goliath, Dragon’s Claw, Telepathy, Celestial Purge, Garruk Wildspeaker, Island

My Pick: Garruk Wildspeaker

OBV, right. I actually right clicked it, then went to check the sell price. I was actually considering the Verdict until I realized that I was in Green, more or less.

Note that it is not Baneslayer Angel. I have played against the Angel several times in drafts. I have never opened one.

Pack 3 pick 2:
Seismic Strike, Deadly Recluse, Warpath Ghoul, Excommunicate, Viashino Spearhunter, Burst of Speed, Angel’s Mercy, Horned Turtle, Soul Bleed, Rhox Pikemaster, Angel’s Feather, Acidic Slime, Mirror of Fate, Mountain

My Pick: Deadly Recluse

A combo with my Invulnerability. *grin* I was on the fence about Rhox Pikemaster, but I was thinking GUw, so double White might have been a problem.

Pack 3 pick 3:
Wind Drake, Borderland Ranger, Assassinate, Goblin Piker, Ice Cage, Stormfront Pegasus, Panic Attack, Oakenform, Tendrils of Corruption, Armored Ascension, Angel’s Feather, Megrim, Swamp

My Pick: Wind Drake

Pack 3 pick 4:
Unsummon, Giant Growth, Lightning Elemental, Zombie Goliath, Horned Turtle, Kindled Fury, Bountiful Harvest, Howl of the Night Pack, Megrim, Inferno Elemental, Warp World, Mountain

My Pick: Giant Growth

Pack 3 pick 5:
Rampant Growth, Siege Mastodon, Fiery Hellhound, Unsummon, Kelinore Bat, Llanowar Elves, Griffin Sentinel, Kraken’s Eye, Mold Adder, Howling Mine, Island

My Pick: Rampant Growth

Pack 3 pick 6:
Lightning Elemental, Disentomb (FOIL), Giant Spider, Fiery Hellhound, Silvercoat Lion, Coral Merfolk, Telepathy, Celestial Purge, Lurking Predators, Island

My Pick: Giant Spider

Pack 3 pick 7:
Viashino Spearhunter, Horned Turtle, Burst of Speed, Soul Warden, Soul Bleed, Diabolic Tutor, Elite Vanguard, Sanguine Bond, Forest

My Pick: Soul Warden

Pack 3 pick 8:
Jackal Familiar, Raging Goblin, Glorious Charge, Fog, Zephyr Sprite, Prized Unicorn, Demon’s Horn, Mountain

My Pick: Prized Unicorn

Rest of the Pack: Tome Scour, Mirror of Fate, Howling Mine and worse.

No decklist — I ended up running a Gwu deck, and it wasn’t good. I pulled out the first match against another bad deck, and won game 1 of round 2 when my opponent mulliganed excessively. Game 2 might have clinched my first M10 prize packs for the day, but…

The guy showed up to repair my septic system. This was another reason I was off that day, and, given what these guys charge per hour, I was not going to make him wait while I took a shot at a few packs. I dropped.

Once the septic system was fixed, I decided to try for the comparative 321Swiss draft.

Draft #4 (321 Swiss)

Pack 1 pick 1:
Vampire Aristocrat, Lightning Elemental, Essence Scatter, Razorfoot Griffin, Fog, Trumpet Blast, Zephyr Sprite, Palace Guard, Disentomb, Emerald Oryx, Howling Banshee, Wurm’s Tooth, Ignite Disorder, Master of the Wild Hunt, Forest

My Pick: Master of the Wild Hunt

You know, 321Swiss does seem easier than 8-4s. I have never opened something this good in 8-4.

Pack 1 pick 2:
Enormous Baloth (FOIL), Excommunicate, Viashino Spearhunter, Giant Spider, Ponder, Veteran Swordsmith, Zombie Goliath, Negate, Duress, Regenerate, Relentless Rats, Act of Treason, Planar Cleansing, Plains

My Pick: Planar Cleansing

I had to take the rare here. I was trying to replicate the GW archetype I had earlier. Now I just need three Blinding Mages.

Pack 1 pick 3:
Vampire Aristocrat, Lightning Elemental, Essence Scatter, Razorfoot Griffin, Craw Wurm, Dread Warlock, Angel’s Mercy, Soul Bleed, Bountiful Harvest, Yawning Fissure, Dragon Whelp, Wall of Frost, Plains

My Pick: Razorfoot Griffin

Pack 1 pick 4:
Deadly Recluse, Dread Warlock, Canyon Minotaur, Essence Scatter, Excommunicate, Borderland Ranger, Snapping Drake, Elvish Visionary, Sign in Blood, Howl of the Night Pack, Fabricate, Island

My Pick: Howl of the Night Pack

No Red, but I’m not sure what people upstream are taking. As for Howl — well, I hear Wolves play well with Master of the Hunt.

Pack 1 pick 5:
Lightning Elemental, Warpath Ghoul, Mind Rot, Bramble Creeper, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Holy Strength, Raging Goblin, Glorious Charge, Act of Treason, Enormous Baloth, Swamp

My Pick: Enormous Baloth

I don’t like Bramble Creeper all that much, and Glorious Charge might table.

Pack 1 pick 6:
Coral Merfolk, Solemn Offering, Raging Goblin, Unholy Strength, Naturalize, Wall of Faith, Kraken’s Eye, Wall of Bone, Tempest of Light, Forest

My Pick: Wall of Faith

My thought was that I just had to stay alive long enough to draw into a bomb, like Cleansing or MotH.

Pack 1 pick 7:
Goblin Piker, Ice Cage, Deadly Recluse, Canyon Minotaur, Lifelink, Duress, Mist Leopard, Nature’s Spiral, Plains

My Pick: Deadly Recluse

Pack 1 pick 8:
Unsummon, Giant Growth, Zephyr Sprite, Disentomb, Shatter, Jump, Open the Vaults, Mountain

My Pick: Giant Growth

Pack 1 pick 9:
Vampire Aristocrat, Fog, Trumpet Blast, Disentomb, Emerald Oryx, Wurm’s Tooth, Forest

My Pick: Emerald Oryx

Pack 1 pick 10: Negate
Pack 1 pick 12: Borderland Ranger
Pack 1 pick 13: Bramble Creeper

Pack 2 pick 1:
Griffin Sentinel, Tendrils of Corruption, Jackal Familiar, Pacifism, Raging Goblin, Glorious Charge, Weakness, Fog, Shatter, Zephyr Sprite, Dragon’s Claw, Diabolic Tutor, Windstorm, Vampire Nocturnus, Forest

My Pick: Vampire Nocturnus

I want the Mythic for Constructed, and I don’t want to face the Mythic in this draft.

Pack 2 pick 2:
Essence Scatter, Excommunicate, Borderland Ranger, Lightning Elemental, Warpath Ghoul, Divination, Stampeding Rhino, Panic Attack, Child of Night, Elvish Visionary, Bog Wraith, Righteousness, Alluring Siren, Swamp

My Pick: Stampeding Rhino

Seems okay, but I liked being passed Wraths.

Pack 2 pick 3:
Cancel, Child of Night, Convincing Mirage, Soul Warden, Yawning Fissure, Acolyte of Xathrid, Mist Leopard, Negate, Wurm’s Tooth, Goblin Artillery, Telepathy, Dragonskull Summit, Island

My Pick: Dragonskull Summit

Because I planned on splashing, of course.

Pack 2 pick 4:
Siege Mastodon, Assassinate, Viashino Spearhunter, Unsummon, Veteran Armorsmith, Giant Growth, Cancel, Panic Attack, Merfolk Looter, Awakener Druid, Alluring Siren, Mountain

My Pick: Awakener Druid

I like playing this guy on turn 4, and Lava Axing someone. Sucks when the land is Doom Bladed, but that’s life.

Pack 2 pick 5:
Fiery Hellhound, Ponder, Sparkmage Apprentice, Burst of Speed, Runeclaw Bear, Lifelink, Zombie Goliath, Bog Wraith, Inferno Elemental, Flashfreeze, Forest

My Pick: Runeclaw Bear

Pack 2 pick 6:
Merfolk Looter, Elvish Visionary, Unholy Strength, Emerald Oryx, Firebreathing, Disorient, Safe Passage, Mind Rot, Ornithopter, Plains

My Pick: Elvish Visionary

Dig for those bombs.

Pack 2 pick 7:
Goblin Piker, Rampant Growth, Gravedigger, Sparkmage Apprentice, Silvercoat Lion, Coral Merfolk, Diabolic Tutor, Haunting Echoes, Swamp

My Pick: Rampant Growth

Pack 2 pick 8:
Sign in Blood, Jackal Familiar, Duress, Burst of Speed, Runeclaw Bear, Lifelink, Spellbook, Swamp

My Pick: Runeclaw Bear

Rest of the Pack: Glorious Charge, Righteousness, Negate, Cancel, trash.

Pack 3 pick 1:
Ice Cage, Razorfoot Griffin, Canyon Minotaur, Giant Growth, Illusionary Servant, Vampire Aristocrat, Stampeding Rhino, Looming Shade, Lightning Bolt, Elvish Visionary, Demon’s Horn, Acidic Slime, Deathmark, Time Warp, Island

My Pick: Time Warp

This thing is $10 and I don’t have enough. Three packs, three Mythics. I’m liking this 321Swiss stuff — but I’m still looking for my Baneslayer Angel that comes to rescue the draft.

Pack 3 pick 2:
Jackal Familiar, Centaur Courser, Doom Blade, Weakness, Fog, Shatter, Zephyr Sprite, Solemn Offering, Drudge Skeletons, Whispersilk Cloak, Levitation, Megrim, Polymorph, Mountain

My Pick: Whispersilk Cloak

This time it is legitimate. I have bombs, like Master of the Hunt, to shelter.

Pack 3 pick 3:
Seismic Strike, Craw Wurm, Manabarbs (FOIL), Assassinate, Viashino Spearhunter, Soul Warden, Soul Bleed, Regenerate, Tome Scour, Black Knight, Celestial Purge, Enormous Baloth, Swamp

My Pick: Soul Warden

Pack 3 pick 4:
Indestructibility (FOIL), Ponder, Kelinore Bat, Seismic Strike, Craw Wurm, Horned Turtle, Soul Bleed, Mist Leopard, Convincing Mirage, Sleep, Warp World, Island

My Pick: Indestructibility (FOIL)

For my Deadly Recluse. It could work in 321Swiss, right?

Pack 3 pick 5:
Coral Merfolk, Jackal Familiar, Firebreathing, Disorient, Mind Rot, Fog, Trumpet Blast, Dragon’s Claw, Nature’s Spiral, Elvish Piper, Forest

My Pick: Elvish Piper

I was amazed that this little kid rare was still there. I normally pass this, but I had an Enormous Baloth already.

Pack 3 pick 6:
Sage Owl, Burning Inquiry, Weakness, Safe Passage, Trumpet Blast, Bramble Creeper, Phantom Warrior, Stone Giant, Telepathy, Mountain

My Pick: Bramble Creeper

Pack 3 pick 7:
Rampant Growth, Unsummon, Firebreathing, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Glorious Charge, Disentomb, Naturalize, Awakener Druid, Swamp

My Pick: Rampant Growth

Rest of the Pack: Angel’s Mercy, Giant Growth, Solemn Offering, Regenerate, and junk.

Two games stand out from this draft.

In the second game in round 2, I dropped Soul Warden early, then Deadly Recluse. I fitted the Recluse up with Indestructibility and sat behind him. I played out six lands, and sat holding Howl of the Night Pack and Planar Cleansing. My opponent overplayed nicely, and he finally attacked with seven variously-sized creatures. Soul Warden chumped and the Recluse took down a flier. I untapped, cast Planar Cleansing, then beat with the Recluse. Indestructibility rocks — and I thought it only worked that way in my dreams.

I did lose one match. I mulliganed to four before I saw a land in hand — but I very nearly pulled that game out. In the rubber match, my opponent had Capricious Efreet. I had blockers — and the only way that he could win was to win the flips on the Efreet seven times in a row. He did — even the turn where my board was clean and he had to play a creature, then target that creature and the Efreet the next turn.

That doesn’t really answer the question about whether 321Swiss in notably easier than 8-4s, though. It is certainly easier to win If you open bomb Mythics and good rares, but that is not really conclusive.

One more for the proof, but I’ll abbreviate — otherwise Craig will kill me.

Draft #5 (321 Swiss)

Pack 1 pick 1:
Unsummon, Kelinore Bat, Blinding Mage, Seismic Strike, Disentomb, Naturalize, Veteran Armorsmith (FOIL), Sage Owl, Palace Guard, Unholy Strength, Prodigal Pyromancer, Overrun, Alluring Siren, Coat of Arms, Plains

My pick: Overrun

The difference: in 321Swiss I open great cards. In 8-4s — well, see above.

Pack 1 pick 2: Rhox Pikemaster
Pack 1 pick 3: Seismic Strike
Pack 1 pick 4: Divine Verdict
Pack 1 pick 5: Gorgon Flail
Pack 1 pick 6: Silvercoat Lion
Pack 1 pick 7: Mist Leopard
Pack 1 pick 8:Giant Spider
Pack 1 pick 9: Naturalize
(trash)
Pack 1 pick 12: Elvish Visionary

Pack 2 pick 1:
Ponder, Veteran Swordsmith, Kelinore Bat, Seismic Strike, Craw Wurm, Wind Drake, Sign in Blood, Coral Merfolk, Centaur Courser, Pacifism, Sleep, Pyroclasm, Celestial Purge, Clone, Forest

My Pick: Pacifism

Pack 2 pick 2:
Stampeding Rhino, Looming Shade, Lightning Bolt, Elvish Visionary, Zombie Goliath, Negate, Duress, Regenerate, Convincing Mirage, Soul Warden, Howl of the Night Pack, Bog Wraith, Elvish Piper, Swamp

My Pick: Howl of the Night Pack

Pack 2 pick 3:
Stampeding Rhino, Griffin Sentinel, Cancel, Child of Night, Emerald Oryx, Firebreathing, Disorient, Mind Rot, Fog, Wall of Fire, Windstorm, Open the Vaults, Island

My Pick: Stampeding Rhino

Cutting Green seems to have helped.

Pack 2 pick 4:
Pacifism, Llanowar Elves, Snapping Drake, Unholy Strength, Naturalize, Wall of Faith, Sage Owl, Burning Inquiry, Weakness, Righteousness, Wall of Frost, Island

My Pick: Pacifism

Is this evidence of a difference? Fifth pick Pacifism seems wrong to me.

Pack 2 pick 5: Craw Wurm
Pack 2 pick 6: Elite Vanguard (FOIL)
Pack 2 pick 7: Giant Growth
Pack 2 pick 8: Palace Guard
Pack 2 pick 9: Veteran Swordsmith
Pack 2 pick 10: Stampeding Rhino (Really!? — no other Green drafters?)

Pack 2 pick 13: Emerald Oryx

Pack 3 pick 1:
Cancel, Panic Attack, Merfolk Looter, Silvercoat Lion, Glorious Charge, Weakness, Fog, Shatter, Zephyr Sprite, Solemn Offering, Whispersilk Cloak, Pyroclasm, Elite Vanguard, Manabarbs, Plains