Draft:
Pack 1:
Mogg War Marshal, Terramorphic Expanse, Drudge Reavers, Temporal Isolation, Crookclaw Transmuter, Ancient Grudge, Greenseeker, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Fledgling Mawcor, Sporesower Thallid, Evil Eye of Urborg, Unyaro Bees, Lightning Angel
Pick: Fledgling Mawcor
Pack 2:
Strength in Numbers, Zealot il-Vec, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Snapback, Aether Web, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Might Sliver, Fool’s Demise, Norin the Wary, Essence Sliver
Pick: Snapback
Pack 3:
Tendrils of Corruption, Mogg War Marshal, Temporal Isolation, Think Twice, Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm, Basal Sliver, Ghitu Firebreathing, Celestial Crusader, Might Sliver, Aspect of Mongoose, Deep-Sea Kraken, Orcish Librarian
Pick: Deep-Sea Kraken
Pack 4:
Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Coal Stoker, Coral Trickster, Ivory Giant, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Dread Return, Griffin Guide, Celestial Dawn
Pick: Griffin Guide
Pack 5:
Temporal Eddy, Terramorphic Expanse, Temporal Isolation, Screeching Sliver, Momentary Blink, Ancient Grudge, Greenseeker, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Volcanic Awakening, Sengir Autocrat, Divine Congregation
Pick: Temporal Isolation
Pack 6:
Fortify, Deathspore Thallid, Tolarian Sentinel, Benalish Cavalry, Bogardan Rager, Traitor’s Clutch, D’Avenant Healer, Haunting Hymn, Barbed Shocker, Tormod’s Crypt
Pick: Benalish Cavalry
Pack 7:
Mindstab, Castle Raptors, Gorgon Recluse, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Aspect of Mongoose, Dreadship Reef
Pick: Castle Raptors
Pack 8:
Mana Skimmer, Watcher Sliver, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Gustcloak Cavalier, Phantom Wurm, Opal Guardian, Scarwood Treefolk
Pick: Opal Guardian
Pack 9:
Drudge Reavers, Ancient Grudge, Greenseeker, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Evil Eye of Urborg, Unyaro Bees
Pick: Unyaro Bees
Pack 10:
Zealot il-Vec, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Sprout, Pit Keeper, Fool’s Demise, Norin the Wary
Pick: Zealot il-Vec
Pack 11:
Havenwood Wurm, Basal Sliver, Ghitu Firebreathing, Aspect of Mongoose, Orcish Librarian
Pick: Orcish Librarian
Pack 12:
Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Children of Korlis, Viashino Bladescout
Pick: Gaze of Justice
Pack 13:
Ancient Grudge, Volcanic Awakening, Divine Congregation
Pick: Divine Congregation
Pack 14:
Traitor’s Clutch, D’Avenant Healer
Pick: D’Avenant Healer
Pack 15:
Pick: Aspect of Mongoose
Pack 16:
Empty the Warrens, Strength in Numbers, Errant Doomsayers, Corpulent Corpse, Viscerid Deepwalker, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Riftwing Cloudskate, Undying Rage, Stormcloud Djinn, Scion of the Ur-Dragon, Squire
Pick: Riftwing Cloudskate
Pack 17:
Empty the Warrens, Strength in Numbers, Errant Doomsayers, Corpulent Corpse, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Celestial Crusader, Faceless Devourer, Assembly-Worker, Mangara of Corondor, Voidmage Prodigy
Pick: Mangara of Corondor
Pack 18:
Gorgon Recluse, Herd Gnarr, Fortify, Deathspore Thallid, Tolarian Sentinel, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Tectonic Fiend, Smallpox, Swarmyard, Feldon’s Cane
Pick: Fortify
Pack 19:
Icatian Crier, Tendrils of Corruption, Think Twice, Penumbra Spider, Foriysian Interceptor, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Faceless Devourer, Basalt Gargoyle, Paradox Haze, Whispers of the Muse
Pick: Icatian Crier
Pack 20:
Deathspore Thallid, Herd Gnarr, Trespasser il-Vec, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Shadow Sliver, Bogardan Rager, Traitor’s Clutch, Spirit Loop, Truth or Tale, Hypergenesis
Pick: Hypergenesis
Pack 21:
Cloudchaser Kestrel, Cancel, Penumbra Spider, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Jhoira’s Timebug, Jedit’s Dragoons, Saltcrusted Steppe, Pendelhaven
Pick: Cloudchaser Kestrel
Pack 22:
Scarwood Treefolk, Mana Skimmer, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser’s Sliver, Haunting Hymn, Stormcloud Djinn, Vampiric Sliver
Pick: Venser’s Sliver
Pack 23:
Mindstab, Two-Headed Sliver, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Pull from Eternity, Locket of Yesterdays, Cavalry Master
Pick: Cavalry Master
Pack 24:
Corpulent Corpse, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Squire
Pick: Squire
Pack 25:
Errant Doomsayers, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Faceless Devourer, Assembly-Worker
Pick: Errant Doomsayers
Pack 26:
Gorgon Recluse, Brass Gnat, Blazing Blade Askari, Tectonic Fiend, Smallpox
Pick: Smallpox
Pack 27:
Foriysian Interceptor, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell, Paradox Haze
Pick: Detainment Spell
Pack 28:
Traitor’s Clutch, Spirit Loop, Truth or Tale
Pick: Spirit Loop
Pack 29:
Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug
Pick: Jhoira’s Timebug
Pack 30:
Pick: Plunder
Pack 31:
Benalish Cavalry, Orcish Cannonade, Errant Ephemeron, Strangling Soot, Gemhide Sliver, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Gustcloak Cavalier, Pendelhaven Elder, Weatherseed Totem, Ith, High Arcanist, Uncle Istvan
Pick: Ith, High Arcanist
Pack 32:
Icatian Crier, Dark Withering, Goblin Skycutter, Crookclaw Transmuter, Flickering Spirit, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Outrider en-Kor, Calciform Pools, Krosan Grip, Living End, Hunting Moa
Pick: Outrider en-Kor
Pack 33:
Fathom Seer, Chromatic Star, Looter il-Kor, Gorgon Recluse, Children of Korlis, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Krosan Grip, Brine Elemental, Opaline Sliver, Fiery Temper
Pick: Looter il-Kor
Pack 34:
Errant Doomsayers, Aether Web, Assassinate, Amrou Seekers, Bewilder, Call to the Netherworld, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Ghostflame Sliver, Tromp the Domains, Quilled Sliver, Consecrate Land
Pick: Amrou Seekers
Pack 35:
Errant Doomsayers, Aether Web, Assassinate, Amrou Seekers, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Momentary Blink, Might of Old Krosa, Truth or Tale, Scarwood Treefolk
Pick: Momentary Blink
Pack 36:
Pentarch Ward, Assassinate, Zealot il-Vec, Temporal Eddy, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Calciform Pools, Restore Balance, Craw Giant
Pick: Temporal Eddy
Pack 37:
Gorgon Recluse, Spiketail Drakeling, Scarwood Treefolk, Amrou Scout, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Two-Headed Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Barbed Shocker
Pick: Amrou Scout
Pack 38:
Feebleness, Ivory Giant, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Quilled Sliver, Phantom Wurm
Pick: Ivory Giant
Pack 39:
Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Gustcloak Cavalier, Pendelhaven Elder
Pick: Eternity Snare
Pack 40:
Icatian Crier, Flickering Spirit, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Calciform Pools
Pick: Flickering Spirit
Pack 41:
Gorgon Recluse, Children of Korlis, Sangrophage, Mystical Teachings, Krosan Grip
Pick: Krosan Grip
Pack 42:
Aether Web, Assassinate, Call to the Netherworld, Quilled Sliver
Pick: Quilled Sliver
Pack 43:
Errant Doomsayers, Aether Web, Brass Gnat
Pick: Errant Doomsayers
Pack 44:
Pick: Pentarch Ward
Pack 45:
Pick: Barbed Shocker
Final Decklist:
Maindeck:
1 Amrou Scout
1 Amrou Seekers
1 Benalish Cavalry
1 Castle Raptors
1 Cavalry Master
1 Cloudchaser Kestrel
1 Errant Doomsayers
1 Fortify
1 Griffin Guide
1 Icatian Crier
1 Ivory Giant
1 Mangara of Corondor
1 Momentary Blink
1 Opal Guardian
1 Outrider en-Kor
1 Temporal Isolation
1 Zealot il-Vec
1 Deep-Sea Kraken
1 Fledgling Mawcor
1 Looter il-Kor
1 Riftwing Cloudskate
1 Snapback
1 Ith, High Arcanist
7 Island
10 Plains
Sideboard:
1 Aspect of Mongoose
1 Barbed Shocker
1 D’Avenant Healer
1 Detainment Spell
1 Divine Congregation [FOIL]
1 Errant Doomsayers
1 Eternity Snare
1 Flickering Spirit
1 Gaze of Justice
1 Hypergenesis [FOIL]
1 Jhoira’s Timebug
1 Krosan Grip
1 Orcish Librarian
1 Pentarch Ward
1 Plunder
1 Quilled Sliver
1 Smallpox
1 Spirit Loop
1 Squire
1 Temporal Eddy
1 Unyaro Bees
1 Venser’s Sliver
As much as I don’t like White cards, I have trouble passing up a fourth pick Griffin Guide. At that point it was very obvious that White was very open. From there I was able to simply remain in my colors, taking the best card out of each pack, and ending up with quite a good deck, topped off by Ith in pack 3.
In the first round I beat a decent Blue/Green deck. In game 1 I suspended Ith turn 2, played turn 3 Amrou Scout and fourth turn Griffin Guide. I don’t think I needed to play another spell to win that game. Game 2 was closer because he Willbendered my Riftwing Cloudskate, but I was eventually able to lock down the game with Fledgling Mawcor which took out his Crookclaw Transmuter and Looter il-Kor. From there I was able to win with the Deep-Sea Kraken I’d suspended early, since I had Cloudchaser Kestrel for his Eternity Snare.
In round 2 I played against Pro Tour San Diego: champion Farid (lemon) Meringue. On the draw in game 1 I kept a hand of Plains, Ivory Giant, and five two-mana spells. I didn’t draw a land until turn 4, and that was that. Game 2 he inexplicably conceded on turn 4 after two spells being played on each side. Game 3 was close and I was barely able to win by Blinking my Ivory Giant and Fortifying the next turn for exactly enough damage.
I was forced to play the finals, and played two very short, very frustrating games. In the first I was without Blue mana, and all I did was search out rebels with Amrou Scout. Eventually he played Desolation Giant and a few more spells, and was able to win because I was still without Blue. Game 2 I mulliganed on the play into a hand of Ith, Mangara, Doomsayers, Cavalry, Griffin Guide, and Plains. I felt that my chances of drawing an Island were better than my chances of winning off a mulligan to five.
Until tomorrow,
Rich
Draft recording done by Blargware‘s MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!