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Drafting With Olivier – Zendikar #21


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Monday, December 21st – 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:

The classic splash for an ally deck is still a very decent creature in a regular one. Picking Kor Aeronaut could be good too but of two close picks I always go with the coolest one which obviously is the ally here.

Pack 1 pick 2:
















My Pick:

No ally in this pack which could push me to go with either of the good Red cards (Spire Barrage Zektar Shrine Expedition) or with the best card in the pack regardless of my first pick (Kor Sanctifiers). However the White guy is not good enough to make me want to throw my first pick away (as I don’t really want to have it and the Minotaur in the same deck) and dual lands are almost as precious in an ally deck as the guys themselves.

Pack 1 pick 3:















My Pick:

The substitute Ondu Cleric is a card I’m pretty glad to pick here and this is for two reasons. First having it here could mean Green is open meaning a switch wouldn’t be too hard if needed and second the 2/2 buys time which is exactly what an ally deck needs.

Pack 1 pick 4:














My Pick:

A good ally deck usually isn’t Red based. There are just not enough good allies or Red cards which fit the archetype well to make it work. But it is still the only ally here and it is probably better than Savage Silhouette in the deck.

Pack 1 pick 5:













My Pick:

This pick should mean not only Green but allies are open.

Pack 1 pick 6:












My Pick:

Tajuru Archer: useless against 80% of the decks but the deck’s MVP against the other 20%. The more good allies I’ll get from now on the stronger the 1/2 will get and the higher his chance to make it to the main deck.

Pack 1 pick 7:











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Pack 1 pick 15:



My Pick:

TPack one went well as far as allies are concerned with three of the strongest ones (Warlord Survivalist Cleric) but it is not enough. I need to get fixers and to fix my colors in a clearer way. For now I am GRw but I’ll probably end up GWr maybe with another splash.

Pack 2 pick 1:

















My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 2:






Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>








My Pick:

With an Aerialist already and the possibility to see Seijiri Refuge wheeling from the previous pack Umara Raptor is almost an option but I’d rather stick to my WGr plan for now.

Pack 2 pick 3:





Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>









My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 4:














My Pick:

Quite a bad pack with only two real options: Blazing Torch and Arrow Volley Trap. I should have early drops each game but they won’t necessarily want to block until they grow a bit. Therefore the equipment could be a precious support to them.

Pack 2 pick 5:













My Pick:

Once again fixers and allies come in the same pack. I go with the Shieldmate here as my pretty clear WG base should guarantee my deck some stability.

Pack 2 pick 6:












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Pack 2 pick 7:











My Pick:

I now have so many good allies that I barely consider the Gladehart an option.

Pack 2 pick 8:










My Pick:

I think I’m making a pretty big mistake here. My deck is already solid and pack 3has good chance to make it excellent allowing myself a much larger splash than predicted can’t be too good for my mana. It hurts to say but Kazandu Refuge was probably the right card to pick here.

Pack 2 pick 9:









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Pack 2 pick 11:

Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>





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Pack 2 pick 12:






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Pack 2 pick 15:



My Pick:

I now have countless key allies and a good curve as well. A few more allies will be needed but what I need the more now is mana fixing.

Pack 3 pick 1:

















My Pick:

The second pick in a short time which seems obvious but is far from being right. Of course I’ll go through a hard time if I face the 5/5 and of course Harrow is not amazing in my deck. However a little stability is what my deck misses and I choose to bite the bait and make my card base stronger but my mana more fragile. I’d better get some fixers now.

Pack 3 pick 2:
















My Pick:

Grazing Gladehart would be good and buy me some time but so would Journey to Nowhere which becomes my most trustable removal.

Pack 3 pick 3:















My Pick:

Nothing I’ll play one card which kills me. Next.

Pack 3 pick 4:














My Pick:

My spells are now excellent. I only need to work on my mana.

Pack 3 pick 5:













My Pick:

I guess I’m Gwr or something like that at the moment… I don’t like where this is going.

Pack 3 pick 6:












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Pack 3 pick 7:











My Pick:

Oran-Rief would be decent but I should already have enough mana troubles not to add any more.

Pack 3 pick 8:










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Pack 3 pick 15:



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4 Plains
1 Kabira Crossroads
6 Mountain
7 Forest

2 Ondu Cleric
1 Kazandu Blademaster
3 Oran-Rief Survivalist
2 Highland Berserker
2 Tajuru Archer
1 Makindi Shieldmate
1 Grazing Gladehart
1 Stonework Puma
2 Joraga Bard
1 Kazuul Warlord
1 Murasa Pyromancer
1 Hellkite Charger

1 Blazing Torch
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Savage Silhouette
1 Arrow Volley Trap

Sideboard
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Zendikar Farguide
1 Zektar Shrine Expedition
1 Plains
1 Spell Pierce
1 Cobra Trap
1 Slaughter Cry
2 Demolish
1 Spidersilk Net
1 Island
1 Trapfinder’s Trick
1 Relic Crush
1 Seascape Aerialist
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
1 Akoum Refuge
1 Sunspring Expedition
1 Oran-Rief Recluse
1 ther Figment
1 Tanglesap
1 Shieldmate’s Blessing

The deck is decent but it misses the fixers to be a 3-0 deck. It is more a double-edged sword who’s results will only depend on my mana draws.

In my first round I surprisingly run into another ally deck. The match is not very long as he twice has Turntimber Ranger when I draw pretty poorly. I do find my lands but my mediocre mana makes me keep poor hands (Forest Forest Plains Mountain Mountain Ondu Cleric Grazing Gladehart game 1 and Forest Plains Plains Mountain Mountain Makindi Shieldmate Joraga Bard game 2). They are keepable but nothing like a hand with which a deck that has so many strong spells should run. In two games I drew another three allies total (including two Archers) leaving me absolutely no chance to win. However I didn’t even feel bad about losing with my 16 allies deck to a mirror match with my opponent running Noble Vestige as my greed when picking Murasa Pyromancer and Hellkite Charger was the first reason for my defeat.

This week I’ll be bringing an walkthrough a day Monday through Thursday. So until tomorrow…

Oli