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Drafting With Nick – Shards of Alara #25

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Tuesday, December 2nd – Nick continues his Drafting With series, bringing us a triple Shards of Alara draft from the 8-4 queue on Magic Online. Along with Rich, he shares his pick process and draft thoughts with each one, and supplies more detailed analysis in the forums.

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P1P3 I’ve been told GWr is the way to go in this archetype so I see no reason to take the Druid here.
P1P4 I know some of you like Roar here but again I want a way to get my 2/2s through when the ground has stalled.
P1P5 I’ve been criticized for committing too early in these drafts but I don’t really see another choice here except possibly Necrogenesis?

P2P4 I really wanted to take Cylian Elf here but Gharial is insane every time someone has it out against me.
P2P7 I think Battlemage is the best pick here by far. Gift isn’t a creature and Behemoth is too slow.

P3P7 With Woolly Thoctar in there along with Naya Charm I want another fixer.

1 Welkin Guide
1 Hissing Iguanar
1 Rip-Clan Crasher
1 Qasali Ambusher
1 Naya Charm
1 Drumhunter
1 Sigil Blessing
1 Thorn-Thrash Viashino
1 Cylian Elf
2 Wild Nacatl
1 Scourge Devil
1 Algae Gharial
1 Branching Bolt
1 Obelisk of Naya
1 Elvish Visionary
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Woolly Thoctar
1 Druid of the Anima
1 Realm Razer
1 Rockslide Elemental
1 Knight of the Skyward Eye
1 Jungle Weaver
4 Plains
5 Mountain
6 Forest
1 Jungle Shrine
1 Naya Panorama

Sideboard
1 Sigiled Paladin
1 Plains
1 Ooze Garden
2 Rockcaster Platoon
1 Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
1 Mighty Emergence
1 Mountain
1 Savage Hunger
1 Yoked Plowbeast
1 Hindering Light
1 Thorn-Thrash Viashino
1 Undead Leotau
1 Bant Battlemage
1 Island
1 Cathartic Adept
1 Vicious Shadows
1 Jhessian Lookout
1 Coma Veil
1 Naturalize

Despite my efforts I ended up in GRw here at the end and had to cut the Sigiled Paladin and Sorcerer to make the mana better. I was still happy with how the draft went especially getting passed Realm Razer.

Round 1 I played against Grixis. Game 1 I got the Nacatl into Skyward Eye draw and killed his Creeper with Naya Charm on turn 3. He tried to come back but I just kept playing guys and he couldn’t kill them all. Game 2 he stuck on three lands and I Branching Bolted his first guy and cemented the win with Sigil Blessing two turns later.

Round 2 was against Esper. Game 1 I got super manaflooded after keeping a good opener and lost to his brigade of 2/2 fliers. For games 2 and 3 I boarded in both Rockcaster Platoons. Game 2 I got a super aggressive draw and he cast his Mosstodon (?) that he was splashing. I played out Iguanar which made trading unprofitable and finished it with an Unearthed Scourge Devil. Game 3 I went turn Nacatl turn Cylian Elf turn 3 Druid of the Anima turn 4 Drumhunter turn 5 Rockcaster Platoon and my opponent scooped after having just played a 2/2 flier.

In the finals I played two uninteresting games against someonewho seemed to have lucksacked his way there by drawing Flameblast Dragon every game. Thankfully I drew fast creatures and also drew Oblivion Ring making this a non-issue.

Until tomorrow…

Nick