Drafting With Olivier – Zendikar #13

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My Pick:

Tough tough pick. The best three cards are Kazandu Blademaster Living Tsunami and Sea Gate Loremaster. Then the fourth best card is Steppe Lynx.

Two Blue cards two White cards and two Allies. My first reflex is to look for the fifth best card. Goblin Shortcutter? Possibly Crypt Ripper? Not really an option. Let’s get back to the top 4 cards.

Lynx is clearly the worst and I like Tsunami less and less since I want 0-3 in Minneapolis with a deck featuring 4 of them. The card is still obviously pretty good but I’ve had better experiences lately with the two allies. I’ve recently decided to stop the ally experience and not force it anymore but both cards are excellent in a non ally deck. I decide to go with the 1/3 but the call was pretty close.

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I haven’t posted all my ally drafts but I’ve been trying several types: a two-color core three-color one splash two splashes etc.

And so far what has been working the best is clearly the two-color or two + one splash. Therefore I don’t even like Gem a lot in this archetype. I just don’t like the card at all anymore. It’s a fixer which can’t replace a land (what’s the point of a fixer you can’t even cast?) and it’s a perfect target for Mold Shambler Into the Roil and Kor Sanctifiers.

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My Pick:

I know what I’ve just said but my core doesn’t have to be UR I’ve just picked the only ally in the last pack. Being Green would be ideal for a splash.

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My Pick:

I’ll keep on picking the best Ally for now and make my decision on the colors I’m running in the next 2-3 picks.

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My Pick:

This deck is not going to be offensive anyway. Hatchling should fit it no matter the colors I end up running.

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My Pick:

Makes it pretty clear I’m UW based from now on.

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My Pick:

Spreading Seas could help but probably not as much as Seismic Shudder could hurt.

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My Pick:

Not fantastic of course but still the only viable option here.

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My Pick:

Shepherd of the Lost may be a great card it’s nowhere near a third Raptor!

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My Pick:

I keep on with the five-color ally reflexes with this pick. I should have gone for Shieldmate’s Blessing here.

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My Pick:

Now that I have the Map the dual becomes the right pick but otherwise I’d have gone with Summoner’s Bane.

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My Pick:

Probably not as good as Blessing in an ally deck even though it’s a much better card but it’s still a card I am very frightened to face.

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Pack 3 pick 1:

















My Pick:

And now Umara Raptor number 5 this deck is another Ondu Cleric from being the nuts.

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My Pick:

Should help buying time while the Raptors are going all the way.

Pack 3 pick 3:















My Pick:

Roil Elemental in a perfect deck for him doesn’t even seem to be an option.

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My Pick:

I guess the guy on my left will not put me on Blue after the next pick.

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My Pick:

Aether Figment would probably not make the cut. Then of the spider and the Marauder I’ve the feeling the Green guy would be slightly more annoying. I guess I’m more scared by card advantage than I am by racing.

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9 Island
8 Plains
1 Sejiri Refuge

3 Kraken Hatchling
1 Cliff Threader
3 Ondu Cleric
5 Umara Raptor
1 Kor Hookmaster
2 Seascape Aerialist
1 Sea Gate Loremaster
1 Shepherd of the Lost

2 Shieldmate’s Blessing
1 Narrow Escape
1 Pitfall Trap
1 Windborne Charge

Sideboard
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
2 Joraga Bard
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Highland Berserker
1 Trapmaker’s Snare
1 Graypelt Refuge
1 Oran-Rief Recluse
2 Beast Hunt
1 Noble Vestige
1 Trapfinder’s Trick
1 Expedition Map
1 Relic Crush
1 Harrow
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Swamp
1 Nimbus Wings
1 Seismic Shudder
2 Sunspring Expedition
1 Heartstabber Mosquito

This is maybe the best deck I’ve had in this format. The only thing I fear is the Double Roil Elemental guy.

In the first round my opponent opens with Swamp and Mountain. Kraken Hatchling is not his friend and neither are Double Raptor + Aerialist in game 1 nor Double Ondu Cleric+Double Raptor game 2.

In the second round my opponent opens with Forest and… Island! I try to kill him quickly before he reached six mana. Turns 3 and 4 Raptor turn 5 Loremaster turn 6 Raptor/Cleric did me well. Turns 3 4 and 5 Raptor in game 2. Love this deck love my draws.

For the final match my draws are less spectacular but in a UW mirror my deck is still amazing as long as I can stay away from the 3/2 flyer. He doesn’t play it game 1 and draws only two Islands for most of game 2 allowing me a third 2-0 victory in as many rounds.

It was fun to see that just when I decide to stop drafting allies I actually get the best deck I’ve had with this archetype and probably the best deck I’ve drafted in ZZZ.

Until Wednesday…

Oli