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Drafting With Olivier – ME3 #3

SCG 10K Philadelphia... the first major event featuring Zendikar!
Wednesday, September 30th – Hall of Famer Olivier Ruel takes us through an 8-4 draft queue on Magic Online. He shares some comprehensive thoughts about both the picks and the games, and talks us through each step of the way! If you’re looking to improve your Limited game, this is the article series for you!

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Pack 1 pick 1:

















My Pick:

Firestorm Phoenix and Brillant Plan are quite good but I think Famine is even better.

Pack 1 pick 2:
















My Pick:

The only interesting Black card even though it’s a bit disappointing for pick 2.

Pack 1 pick 3:















My Pick:

In this quite slow format the card reminds me of Disintegrate.

Pack 1 pick 4:














My Pick:

No idea how good it is but picking it is the fastest way to figure it out!

Pack 1 pick 5:













My Pick:

I’ll probably try and build an aggro deck from now on so to optimize Cinder Storm and Black Vise.

Pack 1 pick 6:












My Pick:

Pack 1 pick 7:











My Pick:

The format is so slow that it could turn out to be pretty good if I can be as aggressive as I want to be.

Pack 1 pick 8:










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Pack 1 pick 9:









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My Pick:

Pack 1 pick 11:







My Pick:

Okay okay I should stop picking those Kobolds…

Pack 1 pick 12:






My Pick:

Sweet.

Pack 1 pick 13:





My Pick:

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Pack 1 pick 15:



My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 1:

















My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 2:
















My Pick:

Not exactly a pick 2 but there are so many slow decks around here than any two-power two-drop has a big potential.

Pack 2 pick 3:















My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 4:














My Pick:

I’m not even sure what the card exactly does at the moment I pick it but it seems to fit the deck pretty well.

Pack 2 pick 5:













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Pack 2 pick 6:












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Pack 2 pick 7:











My Pick:

Quite good with flyers and Horsemen.

Pack 2 pick 8:










My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 9:









My Pick:

I think this card is actually good.

Pack 2 pick 10:








My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 11:







My Pick:

I don’t want to face that.

Pack 2 pick 12:






My Pick:

Still don’t.

Pack 2 pick 13:





My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 14:




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My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 1:

















My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 2:
















My Pick:

Better than pretty much any other ME3 card in this archetype.

Pack 3 pick 3:















My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 4:














My Pick:

Excellent with double Blood Lust.

Pack 3 pick 5:













My Pick:

One day I’ll open this guy and actually go Kobold!

Pack 3 pick 6:












My Pick:

The Drake would be good but I’m not guaranteed having double Red on turn 3 so I’d rather go with the safe and good two-drop.

Pack 3 pick 7:











My Pick:

Spirit Shackle has no interest when my opponent shouldn’t be attacking with small guys anyway. I’d rather counterdraft here.

Pack 3 pick 8:










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Pack 3 pick 15:



My Pick:

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9 Swamp
8 Mountain

3 Young Wei Recruits
3 Wei Infantry
1 Fire Drake
1 Hurloon Minotaur
1 Wei Strike Force
1 Raging Minotaur
1 Wei Night Raiders
1 Wei Elite Companions
1 Cosmic Horror

1 Black Vise
1 Chain Lightning
1 Storm World
1 Immolation
1 Fire Ambush
2 Blood Lust
1 Ghostly Visit
1 Ashes to Ashes
1 Famine
1 Cinder Storm

Sideboard
1 Disenchant
1 Crimson Kobolds
2 Willow Priestess
1 Tuknir Deathlock
1 Anaba Spirit Crafter
1 Rohgahh of Kher Keep
2 Kobolds of Kher Keep
2 Kobold Taskmaster
1 Wu Longbowman
1 Desperate Charge
1 Gaea’s Touch
1 Mountain
1 Ghosts of the Damned
2 Plains
1 Force Spike
1 Disharmony
1 Boris Devilboon

In the first round I don’t miss my early drops and win easily once with Searing Flesh and the other time with a Blood Lust finish. My match last 8 minutes and I don’t know yet I’m going to wait for an hour before my second round start.

No bug no downtime only a match which ended with the clock while in game 5!

My second round is not much longer. I open with two creatures and Ashes to Ashes game 1. In order to slow my beating down he plays everything he has in hand and Storm World (which I actually managed to understand before I cast it) finishes him.

In game 2 before I take my opening hand I think to myself maybe I should have taken Black Vise out on the draw. He chooses to draw first and Black Vise leads me to a turn 5 win. Lucky lucky!

Third round and third fast win. We both play a fast Ashes to Ashes but the 5 damage we take don’t have the same weight considering our decks. A few Fire Drake attacks and a Cinder Storm later we move to game 2. This time he probably thinks he manages to stop my beating but when he’s on 8 and I launch a suicidal attack I have double Blood Lust for my unblocked creature.

This archetype was quite interesting and I’ll definitely be willing to test it again!

Until Friday…

Oli