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Drafting With Olivier – Zendikar #2

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Friday, October 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!

By

  Pack 1 pick 1:

















  My Pick:

One of the best rares in the format.

  Pack 1 pick 2:
















  My Pick:

1) Disfigure
2) Gatekeeper of Malakir
3) Vampire Lacerator
4) Geyser Glider
5) Kor Skyfisher
The format is so fast that a card like Geyser Glider is not nearly as good as it seems. It is so much about tempo that five-mana spells are extremely expensive here. I won’t pick the Skyfisher which is the second best card in the pack just because I’d rather not go White. The color is strong but it has so many double colored early drops that it requires being the core of a deck and most picks you will take will just commit you. Then Lacerator and Gatekeeper are about as good. The Lacerator is constantly good while Gatekeeper is sometimes useless but sometimes brilliant. The latter happens in two cases: in a Black-based aggro deck or in a midrange RB deck with cards like Dross Scorpion or Heartstabber Mosquito. The latter seems like an interesting option. But in the end Disfigure is still a level above those cards.

  Pack 1 pick 3:

Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>













  My Pick:

RB’s main fault is its difficulty to handle early three-toughness creatures (Dross Scorpion Oran-Rief Recluse) a problem the 4/3 will help resolve. The dual isn’t really an option here. I would play it if I had it but not pick it high as a tapped land is not so good in this archetype.

  Pack 1 pick 4:














  My Pick:

Zektar Shrine Expedition is pretty good too but it is just worse than the boar.

  Pack 1 pick 5:













  My Pick:

1) Molten Ravager
2) Mark of Mutiny
3) Crypt Creeper
As I am more midrange at the moment Mark of Mutiny a card I love in a pure aggro deck is not very good here. I end up picking the least powerful card as the only non Red card I have so far is the splashable Disfigure.

  Pack 1 pick 6:












  My Pick:

  Pack 1 pick 7:











  My Pick:

I probably won’t play it but I still don’t want to face it at all.

  Pack 1 pick 8:










  My Pick:

  Pack 1 pick 9:









  My Pick:

  Pack 1 pick 10:








  My Pick:

Two very clear signals Black is open; I’m RB aggro now.

  Pack 1 pick 11:

Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>





  My Pick:

  Pack 1 pick 12:






  My Pick:

Pretty good to play on your 2/1s and2/2s when your opponent has a bigger guy.

  Pack 1 pick 13:



Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>

  My Pick:

  Pack 1 pick 14:




  My Pick:

  Pack 1 pick 15:



  My Pick:

  Pack 2 pick 1:

















  My Pick:

The best RB common.

  Pack 2 pick 2:










Seeker
” “ZEN”);’>





  My Pick:

One of the best two uncommons in the format along with Marsh Casualties.

  Pack 2 pick 3:















  My Pick:

Spire Barrage is okay but nothing spectacular in RB as 5 mana for a removal spell is very expensive in this format and in particular in this archetype.

  Pack 2 pick 4:

Seeker
” “ZEN”);’>












  My Pick:

  Pack 2 pick 5:











Seeker
” “ZEN”);’>

  My Pick:

  Pack 2 pick 6:












  My Pick:

My deck is now too aggro and my two colors too balanced for the Ravager to be interesting anymore.

  Pack 2 pick 7:











  My Pick:

Antoine and Manu who are watching the draft insist I to pick the 1/1 when I would have rather counter-drafted the Hatchling. I guess I can give it a try but I was pretty disappointed last time I played it.

  Pack 2 pick 8:










  My Pick:

Close one with Adventuring Gear but I still think the equipment shines more in a White deck. What I really need at the moment is not to miss early drops.

  Pack 2 pick 9:









  My Pick:

Bog Tatters is good but a little expensive.

  Pack 2 pick 10:








  My Pick:

I like the Seeker less and less. Even though it would be good in this deck it would still be my worst two-drop.

  Pack 2 pick 11:







  My Pick:

  Pack 2 pick 12:






  My Pick:

Is it the second Bushwhacker I’ve just picked? Manu’s pressure on me to take the vampire two picks earlier? The fact I’m not willing to play 2 War Paint? Probably a bit of everything I change my pick this time.

  Pack 2 pick 13:





  My Pick:

  Pack 2 pick 14:




  My Pick:

  Pack 2 pick 15:



  My Pick:

  Pack 3 pick 1:

















  My Pick:

Electropotence would shine in a midrange deck but this one is extremely aggro and can’t waste one turn on playing a card which doesn’t do anything when it comes into play.

  Pack 3 pick 2:
















  My Pick:

That pick is wrong as the Mosquito is unlikely to make the cut. I should have better either picked the Grunts or more probably hate-drafted the Tsunami.

  Pack 3 pick 3:















  My Pick:

1) Guul Draaz Vampire
2) Adventure Gear
3) Giant Scorpion
The 1/3 fits the deck worse than the other two but it would be so annoying to face that I still consider it. Not for long though as both the Gear and the Vampire are better for me. I opt for the 1/1 as my deck is fast enough to put my opponent on ten pretty fast.

  Pack 3 pick 4:














  My Pick:

  Pack 3 pick 5:













  My Pick:

Once again not a great fan of the Barrage.

  Pack 3 pick 6:












  My Pick:

  Pack 3 pick 7:











  My Pick:

The crocodile is good on the play but it’s pretty bad on the draw while the Giant is always good.

  Pack 3 pick 8:










  My Pick:

  Pack 3 pick 9:









  My Pick:

  Pack 3 pick 10:








  My Pick:

  Pack 3 pick 11:







  My Pick:

I could almost pick the very annoying Seismic Shudder here but I like the 2/1 too much for that.

  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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8 Swamp
9 Mountain

1 Guul Draz Vampire
2 Goblin Bushwhacker
3 Vampire Lacerator
1 Highland Berserker
1 Surrakar Marauder
4 Goblin Shortcutter
1 Torch Slinger
1 Vampire Nighthawk
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Bladetusk Boar
2 Shatterskull Giant
1 Hellkite Charger

1 Disfigure
1 Burst Lightning
1 Goblin War Paint
1 Hideous End

Sideboard
1 Grazing Gladehart
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Blood Seeker
1 Molten Ravager
2 Slaughter Cry
1 Highland Berserker
1 Crypt Ripper
3 Shieldmate’s Blessing
1 Quest for Ancient Secrets
1 Lethargy Trap
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Electropotence
1 Spreading Seas
1 Predatory Urge
1 Narrow Escape
1 Heartstabber Mosquito
2 Tanglesap
1 Ravenous Trap

In the first round I’m facing a RG deck. I win the first game opening with Lacerator Marauder and Ruinblaster. Shatterskull Giant slows my beating down but my Dragon finishes the job in two blows.
As he has some big guys I bring in my two Slaughter Cry instead of my Bushwhackers. The first helps me clean the way while Ruinblaster destroys a dual and forces him to cast a pair of Torch Slingers without kicker. I’m not happy with my mana (first Black on turn 8) but still end up winning thanks to a second Slaughter Cry.

My second round opponent is RB as well. I have Vampire Nighthawk on turn 3 and Goblin War Paint to put it out of removal reach on turn 5. After the 2/3 won on its own I open with triple Shortcutter while he has still two lands when he concedes on turn 4.

The final match against UG is as fast as the previous one as I have a double turn 6 kill.

My feelings are a little mixed after this draft as Slaughter Cry won two games Bushwhackers wouldn’t have won but I feel like I haven’t really given the card its chance.

Until Monday…

Oli