Pack 1 pick 1:
My Pick:
Rise of the Eldrazi Draft is much slower than Zendikar meaning expensive cards do have an impact on the game. And as far as a card like Disaster Radius is concerned its impact is huge. The card can fit in two archetypes. The classic is a RG based eldrazi deck but it can be either classic (RG RGb) or more surprising (RGu 4 or 5cc). 5cc is not an archetype you can draft easily as it was in Alara but it is still an option in this format thanks to the many fixers (Growth Spasm Ondu Giant Evolving Wilds and the excellent Prophetic Prism).
Pack 1 pick 2:
My Pick:
No matter what archetype I want to play it will need Growth Spasm which is the best card in this pack anyway.
Pack 1 pick 3:
My Pick:
This pick is a little more difficult. Sphinx Bone-Wand is excellent in the right deck I hope it will wheel but I can’t seriously pick it this high. Then Brimstone Mage is pretty good and kills decks on its own but the comment applies even more to Artisan of Kozilek which also is great with my first pick.
Pack 1 pick 4:
My Pick:
I am in theory picking the worst Blue card here. However I’d like to go for five color a deck which relies mostly on fixers and removal. If I do manage to make this work and if I can get Sphinx Bone-Wand on the wheel then Mnemonic Wall will be the best card for my deck.
Pack 1 pick 5:
My Pick:
Once again the card may not be great and be much worse than Might of the Masses but it is still the best one for the archetype I’m aiming for.
Pack 1 pick 6:
My Pick:
This card is the reason why 5CC is a playable archetype. When most fixers actually only help you fixing one color the Prism almost guarantees you won’t be having any problem casting your spells for a whole game. And it’s a cantrip!
Pack 1 pick 7:
My Pick:
I’m now pretty sure being 4 or 5 color won’t be a problem.
Pack 1 pick 8:
My Pick:
Guard Duty would be excellent in this deck but Keening Stone is a great kill for my deck as well as the card I fear facing the most.
Pack 1 pick 9:
My Pick:
Pack 1 pick 10:
My Pick:
The card is a filler in most decks but it is excellent in mine as it saves a lot of time for my bombs to arrive and will keep me from having to play removal (assuming I’ll get some!) on every early guy.
Pack 1 pick 11:
My Pick:
I was excessively optimistic thinking a rare would make this far but it’s still an excellent 11th pick.
Pack 1 pick 12:
My Pick:
Pretty good when you have artifacts and Eldrazis.
Pack 1 pick 13:
My Pick:
Pack 1 pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 1 pick 15:
My Pick:
Only one pack and already 11 cards (10 spells) I can see myself playing. I have winning cards and fixers so I now need to focus on removal and guys.
Pack 2 pick 1:
Vengeance
” “ROE”);’>
My Pick:
That’s a lot of cards I’d like for my deck. I have fixers and I need removal so Ondu Giant is not an option here. Neither is Vendetta which is excellent but simply worse than the two Red removal spells. Then it leaves me with a difficult choice between the possibility to kill any guy or to kill two small ones. To be honest I don’t know which is best but my attraction for card advantage makes me go with the Rebound spell.
Pack 2 pick 2:
My Pick:
I like Spiritdancer in this kind of deck but I have no Narcolepsy or Guard Duty yet. On the other hand the Invoker is a pretty solid guy as well as a card which can win games on its own.
Pack 2 pick 3:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 4:
My Pick:
I did get it in the end!
Pack 2 pick 5:
Vengeance
” “ROE”);’>
My Pick:
I’ve enough fixers to splash it and as I am not planning on winning by attacking it should be a true one-mana pacifism in my deck.
Pack 2 pick 6:
My Pick:
There’s nothing I’d like to play here but Shrivel is at least a very good sideboard card.
Pack 2 pick 7:
My Pick:
Skeletal Wurm could be useful but I doubt the card will make the cut and I like Ancient Stirrings a lot when it can get my three non-land targets and put counters on Sphinx-Bone Wand if my artifact is already in play.
Pack 2 pick 8:
My Pick:
Just what is this still doing here? The card could easily be first picked.
Pack 2 pick 9:
Vengeance
” “ROE”);’>
My Pick:
A card I must consider playing with Disaster Radius and so many accelerators.
Pack 2 pick 10:
My Pick:
I’ll pick it just in case but would be surprised to actually run it.
Pack 2 pick 11:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 12:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 13:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 15:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 1:
My Pick:
Not only a very good removal Staggershock is also fantastic with Sphinx-Bone Wand.
Pack 3 pick 2:
My Pick:
Ulamog’s Crusher would be great as casting it on turn 6 shouldn’t be so hard but I’ve so far drafted more cards which put me in a good situation from there than until there. This is why I can’t neglect such a good early drop as Overgrown Battlement.
Pack 3 pick 3:
My Pick:
Not only is the card excellent I also have many many ways to accelerate into it and having two of them + two Ancient Stirrings means I won’t have to play tons of guys in order for Disaster Radius to be excellent.
Pack 3 pick 4:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 5:
My Pick:
I may not have as many removal spells as I’d like but Mnemonic Wall still goes for all my Green spells and integrates pretty well the deck’s global strategy.
Pack 3 pick 6:
My Pick:
Devastating Summons may be an interesting card but I don’t think it has a place in my deck and I consider my deck able to stop it so I think Naturalize would be more helpful in general.
Pack 3 pick 7:
My Pick:
Fixer early drop and win condition all at once. Also knowing the top card will help me decide when to cast Ancient Stirrings Growth Spasm or even make me mill myself with Keening Stone (which 2 Mnemonic Walls already make an option).
Pack 3 pick 8:
My Pick:
Deals with Staggershock and Guard Duty so you’ll easily understand I don’t want to be facing it.
Pack 3 pick 9:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 10:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 11:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 12:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 13:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 15:
My Pick:
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10 Forest
3 Mountain
Plains
Island
Evolving Wilds
Overgrown Battlement
Mull Daya Channelers
Sporecap Spider
Wildheart Invoker
Ondu Giant
2 Mnemonic Wall
Pelakka Wurm
2 Artisan of Kozilek
Guard Duty
4 Ancient Stirrings
Prophetic Prism
Awakening Zone
Spawning Breath
2 Staggershock
2 Growth Spasm
Keening Stone
Sphinx-Bone Wand
Disaster Radius
The deck is strong and stable. It needs a few more removal spells but I should be able to accelerate into my expensive spells fast enough for it not to matter too much.
Round 1 vs GR
In the first game he opens with Beastbreaker of Bala Ged. Luckily I won the toss and can play Staggershock in response to its leveling up. I follow up with turn 5 Keening Stone mill on turn 6 and 7 then I’m one card short of killing him on turn 8 so I play it safe and cast Pelakka Wurm. I win the first on the next turn.
In game 2 he plays first and wins by playing Bear Umbra on turn three targeting his Beastbreaker. I do manage to draw Guard Duty at some point but it’s a little late and he finishes me off with Esssence Feed.
In game 3 my draw is nearly unstoppable as I have Pelakka Wurm on turn 5 quickly followed by a turn 6 Sphinx-Bone Wand and a magical double Staggershock + Spawing Breath turn 7 for a win on the next upkeep.
Round 2 vs UW
Just as in the previous round I have the right card at the right time as I can play Spawning Breath in response to his first level up of the match on Caravan Escort. His loss of tempo is too much as I can cast Pelakka Wurm and Artisan of Kozilek while he’s still trying to get his small guys pumped and I take the first one without too much trouble. I decide not to board in the Nausea effect as I haven’t seen any Dawnglare Invokers nor any non level up one-toughness guy. This time his start is fast with an Escort Knight of Cliffhaven Venerated Teacher draw but a turn 6 Pelakka Wurm gives me enough time to cast Disaster Radius kill 5 of his guys and take the game.
Round 3 vs RGB
He wins the toss and starts with turn 6 Ulamog’s Crusher. Too bad I don’t draw a land for a turn 6 Artisan of Kozilek and lose that one. In game 2 my 10/9 shows up on turn 7 and we quickly move on to game 3. In that third game he opens with triple Overgrown Battlement by turn 3 making me think the game is over but he can’t follow up with anything better than Wildheart Invoker. It may be pretty annoying but far less than what I had imagined. I cast Artisan of Kozilek which doesn’t bring anything back but at least stops the 4/3 by trading with it and on the next turn I draw Ancient Stirrings which reveals… another Artisan! With two 10/9s on the board I now have an advantage I won’t lose until the end of the match.
Until next time…
Oli