Drafting With Olivier – Zendikar #22

  Pack 1 pick 1:









Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>







  My Pick:

1) Umara Raptor
2) Surrakar Marauder
3) Torch Slinger
In a random deck not using allies Umara Raptor is the third best card here. If I use a few allies it’s tied in first place with Surrakar Marauder. Eventually if I can play many allies it is a lot better than the 2/1.

I won’t consider the Goblin here as I feel like red is a little overdrafted on Magic: Online and as I think the card is slightly worse anyway.

  Pack 1 pick 2:
















  My Pick:

My draft could have started with Marauder-Gatekeeper but I like to open with two strong allies as much. Gatekeeper isn’t really an option here as the card may be better first pick first pack it is worse if I consider going allies an archetype in which you usually don’t run much Black.

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Merfolk Seastalkers or Heartstabber Mosquito could have been my picks here but I’d rather take allies when I can.

  Pack 1 pick 5:













  My Pick:

Awful. I know have 5 picks of 5 different colors but there isn’t really another interesting option here.

  Pack 1 pick 6:












  My Pick:

Joraga Bard could have been an option too but I won’t be able to make that deck work if I don’t take many fixers.

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  Pack 1 pick 8:


Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>







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  Pack 1 pick 9:



Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>





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  Pack 2 pick 1:

















  My Pick:

Close pick between Stonework Puma and the fetchland. Once again I don’t worry so much about getting strong spells; what I care about is getting many fixers. Then the pick is still pretty close as the Puma would be pretty helpful as well but when two picks are close and one is worth 5 tickets I usually go for that.

  Pack 2 pick 2:
















  My Pick:

It’s now to late to switch back to something traditional. I have to try and make this deck work. This is why I rather pick a card which saves time over two cards which may be better but are harder to cast (Ground Stomper) or less synergic in the deck (Surrakar Marauder).

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  My Pick:

It’s true a removal spell won’t hurt but where on earth are the allies?

  Pack 2 pick 5:













  My Pick:

Usually I don’t like to pick this card too highly in this archetype but for once it seems Black could be the core of my deck making the 3/2 a lot better than it would be as a splash.

  Pack 2 pick 6:












  My Pick:

This time I’ll pass the fixer as this spell makes my deck eventually become interesting.

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  My Pick:

Double good news. Not only do I get back the card I could have first picked but it also means it’s very likely I’m the only player on the ally strategy in this pod.

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  Pack 3 pick 1:

















  My Pick:

With this pick I surprisingly have a UB ally deck with a red splash supported by two duals and a fetch and possibly a white one. I could even get a second UW dual from that pack eight picks from now. The deck is starting to look good.

  Pack 3 pick 2:
















  My Pick:

Hurts a bit to pass the Survivalist but I must now focus on making my deck work and a fith color splash surely wont help. I shouldn’t be worried about playables otherwise I would probably have taken Heartstabber Mosquito then Lavaball Trap.

  Pack 3 pick 3:















  My Pick:

It was easy to figure Black was open but it’s still a good surprise to receive such a great card in third pick.

  Pack 3 pick 4:














  My Pick:

I’ve so many fixers that I actually don’t worry a bit about being able to kick it.

  Pack 3 pick 5:













  My Pick:

I don’t see my deck as a pure Ally deck otherwise I could take the Berserker but more as a UBr control deck in which a removal spell gives the deck the consistency it needs.

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  My Pick:

As for the previous pick I won’t play any card in this pack so I just pick the most troublesome.

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  My Pick:

Kabira Crossroads would be pretty good but Quest for the Gravelord is just better and I already have enough lands to combo with Living Tsunami.

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5 Island
1 Mountain
5 Swamp
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
1 Scalding Tarn
2 Akoum Refuge
2 Sejiri Refuge
1 Kabira Crossroads

1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Ondu Cleric
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
2 Umara Raptor
1 Stonework Puma
1 Kor Hookmaster
1 Living Tsunami
2 Bala Ged Thief
1 Seascape Aerialist
2 Hagra Diabolist
1 Tuktuk Grunts

1 Shieldmate’s Blessing
1 Quest for the Gravelord
1 Disfigure
1 Spreading Seas
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Inferno Trap
1 Lavaball Trap

Sideboard
1 Shoal Serpent
2 Desecrated Earth
1 Vampire’s Bite
1 Bog Tatters
1 Turntimber Basilisk
1 Tempest Owl
1 Savage Silhouette
1 Island
1 Spidersilk Net
1 Swamp
1 Brave the Elements
1 Territorial Baloth
1 Mindless Null
1 Plains
1 Tanglesap

This was quite an interesting draft as I could definitely have gone Mono Black and have an excellent deck. Eventually despite a weird start this deck ended up being really good.

However things didn’t start so well as after winning the first game against a GB deck I drew 4 spells and 10 lands in the second and then took a double mulligan on the play in the third. Luckily I was still able to find my mana and to win with the combination of two cards: Soul Stair Expedition and Lavaball Trap. The enchantment returned Tsunami and Gatekeeper after the Trap had cleaned the board.

In the first game of round 2 I opened a six lander with all my colors (including a pair of dual lands) and Marsh Casualties. It was probably the only six land-one spell combination I would keep in my deck as I expect the card to kill on average two guys on his side. It killed none as he was never able to draw a third land or a second color. In the following game he drew a lot better with a Surrakar Marauder/Reckless Scholar/Windrider Eel/Whiplash Trap start but it was not enough to stop my Umara Raptor/Stonework Puma/Haggra Diabolist draw and this for two reasons. First I also had Shieldmate’s Blessing to save my Puma on his turn 4 fight with the Marauder. Next when he had to try and pump his guys to regain the game’s tempo I had Marsh Casualties to kill his last two guys. I then only had to replay my guys and advance to the finals.

In the first game he opened with Geopede and a pair of Hellfire Mongrel on the play but still had to concede on turn 6 when I was on 23 as I had just the draw I needed to stop his. I opened with the UB Refuge then played Kabira Crossroad and Quest for Gravelord meaning I was still on 20 when I cast Kor Hookmaster. A trade and a Disfigure later I had a 5/5 token on the board quickly joined by Living Tsunami. When I bounced and replayed my Crossroads he conceded the first game. The second was not really close as he took a double mulligan. Even though he opened with Geopede and Gladehart it couldn’t really stop my Hatchling double Thief draw. When he had no cards in hand nor any way to attack me all I had left to do was cast Living Tsunami and he conceded.

Until tomorrow…

Oli