Drafting With Olivier – Zendikar #19

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  My Pick:

Quite a weak pack here. Crypt Ripper could be the best card but it would only be strong if I were Mono Black which is not something I want to commit myself into so early in the draft. Steppe Lynx will be better 90% of the time.

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Blessing
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I’d like to avoid WG and WB but still this card is much better than any White Blue or Red card in that pack.

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If I was 100% sure I would be WB I may pick Sanctifiers here. Giant Scorpion may not be very good in WB but it’s pretty good in any other Black archetype so it is a much safer pick.

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About as good as Vampire’s Bite but I don’t want to face the 4/2.

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Such a late Gladehart seems like a signal.

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Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>





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White playables are coming late… maybe the color is open and only the first few packs were bad.

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Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>















  My Pick:

This pack makes things simpler: I am WB. Now which is better out of Steppe Lynx and Kazandu Blademaster? The latter is a better card but being WB I may not receive any more allies I’m willing to run. Also as I’m currently Black dominant the first striker would not be so easy to cast. I’ll go with the kitty again.

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I’ve currently already one Kor Duelist and two pieces of Equipment one of which would only make the Kor a 1/1 double strike. On the other hand it shouldn’t be too hard to put my opponent to 10 life.

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With a very low curve but in a deck in which I’ll play at least 18 lands the 3/1s are perfect for my strategy.

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  My Pick:

Once again I don’t feel like the best card in my colors (Skyfisher) is the best one for my deck. If the games are long I’ll lose them. I want to kill my opponent as fast as possible which makes Steppe Lynx the best common creature my deck can get.

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So do I pick Soul Stair Expedition number 2 for my sideboard do I counterdraft River Boa or do I draft my 4th Cobra so I don’t have to buy it for 13 ticks? I guess I’ve made my choice.

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I don’t have enough White guys for Brave the Elements to be good at the moment.

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I already have enough playables to be sure I won’t run two Shieldmate’s Blessing.

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10 Plains
9 Swamp
3 Steppe Lynx
1 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Vampire Lacerator
1 Cliff Threader
1 Hedron Scrabbler
1 Kor Aeronaut
1 Kor Outfitter
1 Surrakar Marauder
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Giant Scorpion
1 Kor Hookmaster
3 Hagra Crocodile
1 Adventuring Gear
2 Disfigure
1 Explorer’s Scope

Sideboard
1 Island
1 Grazing Gladehart
2 Bog Tatters
1 Turntimber Basilisk
1 Khalni Heart Expedition
1 Kor Duelist
1 Blood Tribute
1 Spreading Seas
1 Spidersilk Net
1 Lotus Cobra
1 Shieldmate’s Blessing
1 Relic Crush
1 Scythe Tiger
1 Mountain
1 Lethargy Trap
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Island
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Trapfinder’s Trick
1 Heartstabber Mosquito
1 Archive Trap
2 Tanglesap

As often in this format and most particularily with my decks the match is decided on the die roll which I win. Round 1 was two slaughters to one when it would have been the exact opposite if I had drawn first.

I did win game 3 with a card I should have maindecked: Heartabber Mosquito. It may be slow but it still has flying. I am running 19 lands meaning I’ve pretty good chance to kick it someday. I played it on turn 4 and my opponent ended up unable to deal with a flyer as he had played his first (and last) removal spell on Surrakar Marauder.

Round 2 is quite similar. I win the die roll and am only winning because of it until I draw 5 lands straight and leave him on one life. These things happen when you run 19 lands. In the next game he can’t find a Black source in the early game and I kill him on turn 6. He still is a huge favorite in our WB mirror as he will be going first in the last game. That’s when he decides to draw first!

Sadly I guess it was a good call as I’m “stuck” on three lands for a while. It’s a very weird format in which you’re screwed when you miss your fourth land drop with a very low curve. I still take the advantage from him after my early beating in a game I would have had no chance to win on the draw and I’m surprisingly about to win with my Bog Tatters when he topdecks Marsh Casualties cleans my board and finishes me in three turns.

Until Friday…

Oli