In the past four or six weeks, I’ve been going through a pretty strange period of my life. In my senior year at Carnegie Mellon, I decided that I hated what I was studying and needed to change my major. I would assume that most people who figure out that they hate what they’re studying do so in the first year or two of college, but I didn’t. As such, taking care of school and living situations has been out-ranking Magic and writing in general, and the Thanksgiving holiday didn’t exactly provide me with a ton of available time.
However, things have settled down and I should be able to start writing again. I know that Time Spiral has been discussed and debated non-stop over the past few months, but I figured that I would still share my thoughts on the draft format with those who were interested. If, in fact, you don’t want to hear about Green or Blue, please let me know, and I will move on to more interesting topics. I have been playing a decent amount of Standard in an effort to get the people I know who are playing in Worlds into the Top 8, so if that interests you more than belated draft pick orders, say so in the forums.
The task at hand, of course, is the Red pick order that I promised so long ago. When I started writing this series of articles, I had a theory on Time Spiral draft that was something like "most successful decks in Time Spiral draft will pair a ‘creature’ color with a ‘spell’ color." Since then, I have decided that this rule is too simplistic, and that following it too strictly may lead you down the wrong path. For instance, one of my favorite decks to draft is White / Green, both colors of which I would classify as creature colors. However, the pairing of those two colors often leads to an extraordinarily aggressive deck that has all of the best tricks available in draft and potentially a removal spell or two.
Even if I think that the rule is not worth worrying too much about, I think you still must understand the strength of each color. If you go into Black or Red looking to get high-quality creatures, you are going to be disappointed. Red’s best creatures are relatively underwhelming when you compare them to Errant Ephemeron, Amrou Scout, or Durkwood Baloth. On the other hand, Red’s spells are extraordinarily powerful, providing some of the cheapest and most versatile removal available.
Common Pick Order
Rift Bolt – Three mana for three damage is the standard for a Limited removal spell, but this one comes with another option. You might think that having to wait a turn to kill the man you want to kill is a bad thing, but there is a side-effect to suspending Rift Bolt that is not immediately obvious: during the turn you give your opponent, they are usually reluctant to develop their board, since they don’t want to give you a better target for the Bolt. This means that you can buy a sort of Time Walk effect and kill a creature, all for just one mana. Plus sometimes you just kill people with it.
Lightning Axe – There are a few common creatures that Rift Bolt can’t kill, like Ephemeron or Durkwood Baloth. There is only one common creature that will survive a Lightning Axe to the face. However, the ability to kill nearly anything you see comes with a price: you must either spend a whole turn to do it or you must pitch a card. Spending a turn to kill a creature isn’t so bad; you’re still stopping the problem at hand. Pitching a card isn’t so bad either, especially if you can take advantage of it with Black’s Madness cards. Any combat involving Lightning Axe and Gorgon Recluse is going to be a huge problem for your opponent.
Coal Stoker – Nearly everyone recognizes the power of Serra Avenger: on turn 4 you can play it and still have mana up for a second spell. Coal Stoker is almost exactly the same thing; on turn 4 you get a 3/3 and still have three mana left over for your next creature or spell. Aggressive decks will get to add two creatures to the board in one turn, and control decks will get to play a threat and remove an opposing threat in one turn. In addition, the Stoker is very good at powering up the big Storm turn. Note that Halberdiers and Stoker both have the perfect costs for a fifth-turn Empty the Warrens.
Blazing Blade Askari – The special ability on this creature is mostly irrelevant, since the most likely use for it is a mana sink. Because of this, I am evaluating him simply as a 2/2 for three mana… with Flanking. Flanking is simply amazing, and any deck that curves out with Flanking creatures and can back them up with tricks or removal will go a long way in this format, even against objectively "more powerful" decks.
Bonesplitter Sliver – As a 4/2 for four mana, Bonesplitter isn’t exactly the world’s most impressive creature. However, Red is home to two of the best aggressive slivers (Bonesplitter and Two-Headed), and picking these guys up early will allow you a fairly good shot at building 6/2, nigh-unblockable, creatures on the cheap. Either way, you could do worse than playing four power on turn 4, since you should be able to support his low toughness with your spells.
Grapeshot – Speaking of the big Storm turn, a Grapeshot for three or more copies is going to be devastating. Usually you will get only one or two copies, but there are plenty of x/1 creatures for you to pick off, so the standard-issue Grapeshot will usually still kill one or two opposing men.
Flamecore Elemental – There’s not much to say about Flamecore… he’s very big for a Red creature. If you’re looking for a way to win the game in a deck filled with removal spells, a 5/4 is a pretty good deal. Like any spell with Echo, you need to make sure you won’t run into a removal spell, bounce spell, or at the absolute worst Temporal Eddy. If you can manage to make it to a true untap step with the Elemental in play, he’ll go a long way towards winning you the game.
Flowstone Channeler – I have already pointed out the applications that Spellshapers have for Madness decks, and this is no exception. The body is reasonable for its cost, and the ability is good both offensively and defensively. Usually he will pick off utility creatures or help you trade up in combat, but every now and again you’ll be able to do something like play a giant monster or flier and haste it across the red zone.
Keldon Halberdier – 4/1 is certainly fragile, but Keldon Halberdier is similar to Skulking Knight in that he will rule the board when unanswered. There are a handful of common creatures that deal with him, with the scariest being Errant Doomsayers and Zealot il-Vec, but when those men aren’t on the other side of the table, combat will be great. The Suspend cost is just right, too, since Red decks don’t have much to do on turn 1 and will love to Storm up a big Empty the Warrens or Grapeshot on turn 5.
Goblin Skycutter – This is an aggressive format, and Red is fairly lacking in strong early-game plays. Weighing in at 2/1 for two mana, the Skycutter is fine on size merits alone, but the built-in removal spell is a very legitimate threat to good commons like Mana Skimmer, Crookclaw Transmuter, and Cloudchaser Kestrel.
Orcish Cannonade – Removal is removal, and this removal even draws you a card. Unfortunately, you will usually be killing a creature that cost only two or three mana, since the higher-cost threats in Time Spiral are usually fairly beefy. In addition, some decks will be able to capitalize on the three damage that the Cannonade deals you, so be ready to board it out against super-fast White and / or Green decks.
Empty the Warrens – Unless you’ve managed to build your deck around Storm and Suspend, you will usually only play one of these. However, there are plenty of interactions that will push this card over the edge, from simply playable to very good. Some of the more common ones are a first-turn Suspended Search for Tomorrows, a first-turn Suspended Keldon Halberdier (and potentially a Coal Stoker on turn 5), pump effects such as Fortify or Strength in Numbers, or even something with a low Suspend number, like Nantuko Shaman or Rift Bolt at any point in the game.
Bogardan Rager – The main downside to Bogardan Rager is its high cost. At six mana, you might expect more than a 3/4 creature for your trouble. However, when you play him mid-combat, he’ll get to trade off as a 7/4, or even take out a smaller creature while your smallest man is suddenly big enough to take out their best attacker. When all is said and done, a 3/4 creature is usually going to be a relevant board presence, even if it is slightly overcosted.
Subterranean Shambler – In Blue / Red, you won’t have to worry too much about killing your own creatures with the Tremor, so that is the best home for the Shambler. In other archetypes, you’ll have to worry about your Amrou Scouts, Gemhide Slivers, and Trespasser il-Vecs. In all archetypes, beware of playing this man into a removal spell, because you may find a large portion of your side disappearing if they can turn him into a Pyroclasm.
Two-Headed Sliver – If you’re drafting "the sliver deck," then this man’s value rises dramatically. Without a bunch of slivers backing him up, however, he is just a 1/1 for two that has the potential to backfire horribly. If you do happen to be living the dream when you see this sliver, pick him around the same level as Grapeshot.
Ironclaw Buzzardiers – If your deck is very aggressive, and you need some way to get through a ground stall, this is your man. Unfortunately, your man costs an extra mana every turn. White and Blue both offer Red decks better flyers, Black gives you a critical mass of removal that you can use to simply punch through, and Green’s tricks are good enough that simply slamming into your opponent every turn should get you rolling. Therefore, you really shouldn’t find yourself playing this creature very often.
Aetherflame Wall – Walls in Time Spiral don’t get me very excited; I either want to be attacking immediately or playing a utility creature. That said, this wall will sometimes hold off more than one creature, given the threat of pumping it to kill an attacker, and that makes it worth much more than usual. In addition, it blocks the Shadow utility creatures such as Looter il-Kor and Zealot il-Vec.
Mogg War Marshal – Sometimes all you need is a way to hold the ground for two or three turns while you set up your overpowering late-game, and that’s exactly what the War Marshal offers. As an aggressive creature, however, he’s lacking, since you will either need to sink four mana for your two-plus power worth of attackers, or you will have to wait a turn to attack for the max (and lose out on the delayed bonus goblin).
Viashino Bladescout – Giving something First Strike in the middle of combat is certainly a potent ability. However, if you plan on playing him on turn 3, there’s a good chance that he won’t be able to pick anyone off on the way in, and if you plan on playing him later, the 2/1 that you’re left with will likely have little to no impact on the board.
Ground Rift – In order to get this to actually break you through a defensive ground force in the late-game, you’re going to have to Storm it up for at least two or three copies. Since you usually find yourself wanting to draw a Falter in topdecking positions, the chance that you will be able to effectively use the Rift is very slim.
Ghitu Firebreathing – I have seen people use this in mono-Red decks, and even when every land they had in play could be used to cast / pump / return with this card, it was unimpressive. If you find yourself in the Brass Gnat deck and need a way to win the game, I suppose you could do worse than Ghitu Firebreathing.
Ancient Grudge – There are a decent number of artifact threats at uncommon (the Totems), so having one of these in the board can be very nice. However, even in Green / Red, you won’t find yourself maindecking this card unless you are really hurting for that last card, and even then you might just want to run an extra land.
Plunder – The Suspend cost is too expensive, the Suspend clock is too slow, and playing this for the fair price is just atrocious.
Notable Uncommons
Sulfurous Blast – This is the only sweeper at common or uncommon, so it will often catch people off guard. In addition, you can customize it so that it has maximum effect, and you can even use it to deal the last few points to your opponent. It does so much that you will find yourself picking it over any common unless you are drafting White / Red, in which case it will kill most, if not all, of your creatures.
Fury Sliver – On his own, a 3/3 Double Strike for six mana would be good. However, Fury Sliver comes in the color where Bonesplitter and Two-Headed Slivers live, and having either of those on the board when you drop this man will lead very quickly to a dead opponent. Since his power level is directly dependant on the rest of your pile, it is impossible to say exactly where to pick him, but I can see situations where I would take it over Rift Bolt as well as situations where I would pick him as low as Keldon Halberdier.
Undying Rage – This is not Moldervine Cloak for a number of reasons: it only returns if it actually resolves, +2/+2 is very different from +3/+3, and you won’t be able to use your now-gigantic creature to hold off your opponent if you’re behind. However, it has some benefits too: when it returns it doesn’t cost you a draw step and you can use it as a removal spell in a pinch. As such, in an aggressive deck I would pick the Rage around the same place as Coal Stoker or Askari, and in a controlling deck I would usually pass it for something else.
Sudden Shock – Like the Cannonade, Sudden Shock isn’t going to kill the biggest creature on the other side of the board. On the other hand, utility creatures won’t get a final activation, tricks won’t save your opponent’s guys (or face), and you get all of that for just two mana. Personal preference will tell you what to take when you look at this and Rift Bolt or Lightning Axe, but I would usually take the Shock.
Creatures (14)
- 2 Thornscape Battlemage
- 1 Ashcoat Bear
- 1 Durkwood Baloth
- 1 Durkwood Tracker
- 1 Flamecore Elemental
- 1 Gemhide Sliver
- 1 Greenseeker
- 1 Herd Gnarr
- 1 Penumbra Spider
- 1 Spinneret Sliver
- 1 Sporesower Thallid
- 2 Thallid Germinator
Lands (17)
Spells (9)
I drafted this deck in the Top 8 of a Pittsburgh PTQ, and to say that I was happy with my deck would have been an understatement. The main component may be Green and not Red, but I think you will find few decks that are primarily Red. The main plan for this deck is very straightforward: get good men into play fast, and back them up with Red and White spells (plus a FTK or two). The Greenseeker is a little bit out of place in an aggressive deck, but I had two creature enchantments that I wanted to be able to play on turn 3, and I also wanted to be able to splash my White cards painlessly.
In the quarterfinals, I played an aggressive W / r deck that was essentially white Flanking creatures and some splashed Bolts and Axes. In the first game, I Suspended Search on turn 1, played a 2/2 on turn 2, a 4/4 on turn 3, and backed that up with both Battlemages and a Thrill of the Hunt. In game 2 my opponent mulliganed down to four cards, so I kept a hand that I would usually mulligan (Forest, Forest, Mountain, Mountain, Plains, Herd Gnarr, Durkwood Tracker). While I do have the ability to cast any of my spells with those lands, having my first play be a 2/2 on turn 4 is not something I would usually risk on the draw against the Benalish Cavalry deck. However, with my opponent starting off down three cards, I figured that I would be able to take that risk profitably. I did not end up drawing any two- or three-drops on time, but I did draw tricks and a Sporesower, so when my plays were "Gnarr into Tracker, attack for four into Sporesower, attack for eight into Battlemage, attack for twelve, Strength in Numbers,” he died while choking on mana.
In the semifinals I played versus the table’s Mono-Black deck. Usually I wouldn’t worry about anything at all with my deck, but I knew that I had passed some very good Black in the first pack, and the absolute insane Black in the third pack. The offenders in pack 1 were fairly innocent, from Nightshade Assassin to some late Mana Skimmers, but in pack 3 I looked at a third pick Stronghold Overseer that I simply couldn’t take and an eighth pick Sudden Death that I nearly hate-drafted. I decided not to hate-draft it because there was an Ironclaw Buzzardiers in the pack, and I had gone into pack 3 light on three-drops. In game 1 I got off to an amazing Search for Tomorrow start, and had lethal with Word of Seizing on turn 4, but decided not to risk it. I attacked with my side, he Madnessed out Gorgon Recluse through a Trespasser, and I Strengthed over it for four points. On my end step he Madnessed Call to the Netherworld and re-Madnessed the Gorgon. He untapped into Sengir Nosferatu, so on my turn I Worded the vampire, swung for more than lethal, and even had the capability to RFG the Sengir with my Gemhide Sliver.
In game 2, my start was a little bit slow, but so was his. I had a first-turn Suspended Baloth, but unfortunately, at one point he Madnessed out Nightshade Assassin, revealing a hand filled with Tendrils of Corruptions, so even though he only had four Swamps in play, the moment he drew another I was going down. He drew his Swamp before I killed him.
In game 3 I drew an opener of Forest, Mountain, Plains, Strength in Numbers, Search for Tomorrow, Spinneret Sliver, and Sudden Shock. I kept the hand, which I believe is correct but close, and drew only a Greenseeker by turn 3. I played it and swung for two, and drew Griffin Guide on my next turn. I went to enchant my Greenseeker and swing for five, but my opponent had the Sudden Death that he got tenth pick… while the Buzzardiers that I took over it rested in my sideboard. With just two power on my board on turn 5, he was able to fire off a few random spells and overwhelm me. Luckily for the home team, my friend Mike Patnik was able to take him down in the finals, but I don’t think I ever expected to win a PTQ as much as when I was done drafting that deck.
Thank you for staying with me through the outdated article and miniature tournament report. I would honestly like to know whether you guys would rather hear about my thoughts on Blue and Green (my new favorite color) or if you’d rather hear about what I played on Magic Online in preparation for Worlds. Either way, I should be back to writing regularly now that things have settled down.
Benjamin Peebles-Mundy
ben at mundy dot net
SlickPeebles on AIM