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Drafting With Jeroen – Time Spiral #4

With everyone’s favorite grumpy Canadian on his way to Geneva (to let those PT hopefuls do some real Drafting With Rich), Jeroen “Ask The Drama” Remie has stepped manfully into the breach. For the rest of the week, Jeroen will bring us a draft each day, sharing each pick and ponderance along the way. For more protracted discussion on his card choices, come visit the forums!


Draft:

Pack 1:










Scarwood Treefolk, Gaze of Justice, Strangling Soot, Fathom Seer, Flamecore Elemental, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Return to Dust, Brine Elemental, Griffin Guide, Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder, Verdeloth the Ancient, Spinneret Sliver

Pick: Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder

Pack 2:










Aether Web, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Drudge Reavers, Goblin Skycutter, Cancel, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Might of Old Krosa, Clockwork Hydra, Molten Slagheap, Evangelize, Krosan Cloudscraper, Benalish Cavalry

Pick: Clockwork Hydra

Pack 3:










Cloudchaser Kestrel, Drudge Reavers, Cancel, Penumbra Spider, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Clockwork Hydra, Dreadship Reef, Fool’s Demise, Fungus Sliver, Gaea’s Blessing

Pick: Clockwork Hydra

Pack 4:







Mana Skimmer, Nantuko Shaman, Benalish Cavalry, Feebleness, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Chronatog Totem, Harmonic Sliver, Kobold Taskmaster

Pick: Feebleness

Pack 5:







Ashcoat Bear, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Might of Old Krosa, Haunting Hymn, Academy Ruins, Pit Keeper

Pick: Urborg Syphon-Mage

Pack 6:







Flamecore Elemental, Feebleness, Viashino Bladescout, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Shadow Sliver, Fallen Ideal, Ignite Memories, Wipe Away, Gauntlet of Power

Pick: Feebleness

Pack 7:







Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Venser’s Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, D’Avenant Healer, Molten Slagheap, Pendelhaven Elder

Pick: Mindstab

Pack 8:




Flickering Spirit, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Calciform Pools, Spirit Loop, Moonlace

Pick: Psychotic Episode

Pack 9:




Gaze of Justice, Flamecore Elemental, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Return to Dust, Brine Elemental

Pick: Brine Elemental

Pack 10:




Aether Web, Drudge Reavers, Cancel, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver

Pick: Cancel

Pack 11:




Drudge Reavers, Drifter il-Dal, Mindlash Sliver, Dreadship Reef, Fool’s Demise

Pick: Dreadship Reef

Pack 12:

Plunder, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Harmonic Sliver

Pick: Venser’s Sliver

Pack 13:

Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Haunting Hymn

Pick: Haunting Hymn

Pack 14:

Shadow Sliver, Fallen Ideal

Pick: Fallen Ideal

Pack 15:

Sangrophage

Pick: Sangrophage

Pack 16:










Coal Stoker, Durkwood Baloth, Coral Trickster, Ivory Giant, Deathspore Thallid, Errant Ephemeron, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Prismatic Lens, Fallen Ideal, Pull from Eternity, Foriysian Totem, Magus of the Jar, Suq’Ata Lancer

Pick: Errant Ephemeron

Pack 17:










Penumbra Spider, Pentarch Ward, Assassinate, Thallid Germinator, Zealot il-Vec, Ancient Grudge, Greenseeker, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Fledgling Mawcor, Smallpox, Psionic Sliver, Browbeat

Pick: Fledgling Mawcor

Pack 18:










Chromatic Star, Tolarian Sentinel, Flowstone Channeler, Trespasser il-Vec, Spinneret Sliver, Bogardan Rager, Traitor’s Clutch, D’Avenant Healer, Glass Asp, Prismatic Lens, Plated Pegasus, Foriysian Totem, Celestial Dawn

Pick: Prismatic Lens

Pack 19:







Feebleness, Chromatic Star, Tolarian Sentinel, Thrill of the Hunt, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Volcanic Awakening, Chronatog Totem, Phantom Wurm, Sprite Noble, Merfolk Assassin, Swamp

Pick: Sprite Noble

Pack 20:







Ivory Giant, Deathspore Thallid, Flowstone Channeler, Herd Gnarr, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Paradise Plume, Dread Return, Leviathan

Pick: Deathspore Thallid

Pack 21:







Pentarch Ward, Assassinate, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Urza’s Factory, Quilled Sliver, Nether Traitor

Pick: Assassinate

Pack 22:







Bonesplitter Sliver, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Barbed Shocker, Demonic Collusion, Merieke Ri Berit

Pick: Pit Keeper

Pack 23:




Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Goblin Skycutter, Jedit’s Dragoons, Sprout, Foriysian Interceptor, Aetherflame Wall, Urza’s Factory, Disenchant

Pick: Urza’s Factory

Pack 24:




Coral Trickster, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Fallen Ideal, Pull from Eternity, Magus of the Jar

Pick: Coral Trickster

Pack 25:




Pentarch Ward, Assassinate, Ancient Grudge, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal

Pick: Assassinate

Pack 26:




Tolarian Sentinel, Bogardan Rager, Traitor’s Clutch, D’Avenant Healer, Plated Pegasus

Pick: Tolarian Sentinel

Pack 27:

Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Volcanic Awakening, Swamp

Pick: Dream Stalker

Pack 28:

Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder

Pick: Plunder

Pack 29:

Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder

Pick: Bewilder

Pack 30:

Barbed Shocker

Pick: Barbed Shocker

Pack 31:










Crookclaw Transmuter, Strength in Numbers, Zealot il-Vec, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Snapback, Detainment Spell, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Bewilder, Call to the Netherworld, Firemaw Kavu, Phthisis, Tectonic Fiend, Weathered Bodyguards, Ghost Ship, Forest

Pick: Phthisis

Pack 32:










Temporal Eddy, Tendrils of Corruption, Lightning Axe, Mogg War Marshal, Temporal Isolation, Think Twice, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Phthisis, Paradox Haze, Wurmcalling, Cockatrice

Pick: Tendrils of Corruption

Pack 33:










Zealot il-Vec, Snapback, Aether Web, Screeching Sliver, Momentary Blink, Ancient Grudge, Greenseeker, Foriysian Interceptor, Ghostflame Sliver, Phyrexian Totem, Conflagrate, Angel’s Grace, Forest

Pick: Phyrexian Totem

Pack 34:







Flowstone Channeler, Trespasser il-Vec, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Two-Headed Sliver, Krosan Grip, Cavalry Master, Gauntlet of Power, Claws of Gix, Swamp

Pick: Trespasser il-Vec

Pack 35:







Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Temporal Eddy, Tendrils of Corruption, Mogg War Marshal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Undying Rage, Primal Forcemage, Mishra, Artificer Prodigy

Pick: Tendrils of Corruption

Pack 36:







Fortify, Tolarian Sentinel, Benalish Cavalry, Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Ignite Memories, Skittering Monstrosity, Spitting Slug

Pick: Dream Stalker

Pack 37:







Fortify, Flamecore Elemental, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Evil Eye of Urborg, Telekinetic Sliver, War Barge, Mountain

Pick: Telekinetic Sliver

Pack 38:




Gaze of Justice, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Sangrophage, Assembly-Worker, Pendelhaven Elder

Pick: Eternity Snare

Pack 39:




Zealot il-Vec, Detainment Spell, Bewilder, Call to the Netherworld, Tectonic Fiend, Weathered Bodyguards, Forest

Pick: Weathered Bodyguards

Pack 40:




Mogg War Marshal, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Paradox Haze

Pick: Psychotic Episode

Pack 41:




Zealot il-Vec, Screeching Sliver, Ancient Grudge, Foriysian Interceptor, Forest

Pick: Zealot il-Vec

Pack 42:

Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Claws of Gix

Pick: Viscid Lemures

Pack 43:

Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Mindlash Sliver, Chameleon Blur

Pick: Ironclaw Buzzardiers

Pack 44:

Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift

Pick: Viscid Lemures

Pack 45:

Glass Asp

Pick: Glass Asp

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

1 Coral Trickster
1 Dream Stalker
2 Feebleness
1 Pit Keeper
1 Prismatic Lens
2 Assassinate
1 Phyrexian Totem
1 Sprite Noble
1 Trespasser il-Vec
1 Urborg Syphon-Mage
1 Fledgling Mawcor
2 Tendrils of Corruption
2 Clockwork Hydra
1 Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
1 Brine Elemental
1 Mindstab
1 Errant Ephemeron
1 Phthisis
6 Island
10 Swamp
1 Dreadship Reef
1 Urza’s Factory

Sideboard:

1 Barbed Shocker
1 Bewilder
1 Cancel
1 Deathspore Thallid
1 Dream Stalker
1 Eternity Snare
1 Fallen Ideal
1 Glass Asp
1 Haunting Hymn
1 Ironclaw Buzzardiers
1 Plunder
2 Psychotic Episode
1 Sangrophage
1 Telekinetic Sliver
1 Tolarian Sentinel
1 Venser’s Sliver
2 Viscid Lemures
1 Weathered Bodyguards
1 Zealot il-Vec


Wow, was that a first pick! I literally stared at the cards for the full time, having no clue what to take. Eventually I narrowed it down to Endrek or Strangling Soot, since signaling was going to be tough anyway I looked at it, and I couldn’t justify taking a White card or taking the less powerful Blue or Green card. I then chose the pure power, with Endrek sometimes winning games just by himself. This meant I would be looking for B/R, as that is the only combo I really like that includes Black, or otherwise just splash the bomb in a Green deck.


The next two packs helped perfectly, as the best cards were colorless in the Hydras, which I think are really underrated. Nothing ever came to make me change out of Black, and when Brine Elemental wheeled I just picked that up as a huge signal that Blue was open. Now I don’t like U/B, so I still wasn’t locked, First pick second pack took care of that, though. I was pretty worried going into pack 3 with little good removal, but luckily it showed up with Tendrils. I didn’t take Meriki ri Berit after thinking about it, because my mana just couldn’t take it, and i wanted to be sure I could cast my spells.


During deck construction I lacked a little reach, with no card draw, but I don’t think i could have helped it, and ended up with a passable but not stunning deck.


Of course, I didn’t lose a game.


Round 1 I played against U/W that had problems with its mana twice, getting no White in game 1, and being stuck on three mana for a bit in game 2 when I played turn 4 Endrek, turn 5 Hydra. He then reached 4 mana and played Magus of the Disk, but ofcourse that isn’t all that hot versus the Assasinate deck.


Round 2 started with my opponent trashtalking me for not making round 2 in two drafts that were posted on this very site. I guess that means I am a bad player, but I managed to beat his U/W deck in two games anyway. Game 1 I actually got some early pressure when he had a hand full of fat flyers, but nothing early to stop my morphs. I then put on some pressure by Draining him with Syphon-Mage, and by the time he had a way to take care of that (I was at thirty life) I had drawn Endrek and finished him off with Thrulls. Second game he didn’t take a mulligan and I didn’t need an island, which I never drew, to beat him with some morphs and Hydras.


I drew round 3 since I wasn’t going to take the risk with this deck, and was happy with what I had. I almost always draw, since the first two rounds you play for three packs a round, and the last is only for two, so it’s worth less to play. I’d rather do another draft.


Jeroen

Draft recording done by Blargware‘s MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!