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Drafting With Olivier – Zendikar #26

The StarCityGames.com Open Series returns to Dallas/Fort Worth!
Wednesday, January 6th – 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!

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Pack 1 pick 1:








Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>








My Pick:

I felt like not drafting Green today for a change but the Mob is better than any other card in this pack.

Pack 1 pick 2:
















My Pick:

I was wondering what was the best pick Kor Hookmaster or Oran-Rief Survivalist when I noticed with 5 seconds left on the clock the best Green common was also in the pack.

Pack 1 pick 3:















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Pack 1 pick 4:














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Pack 1 pick 5:







Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>





My Pick:

Not much about to talk about in these packs. Worse the TV is currently broadcasting 27 Dresses… and I’m actually watching it.

Pack 1 pick 6:


Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>









My Pick:

As I’m probably going to run some Khalni Heart Expeditions / Harrows in this deck maybe I’ll bring it in against a Black deck even if I’m not Black. Shieldmate’s Blessing and Cliff Threader could be options as well but they are not cards I’m going to splash for. They are more likely cards I could play in a balanced two-color deck which considering what I’ve been passed in white so far is rather unlikely.

Pack 1 pick 7:











My Pick:

Most likely to be the splash I was looking for.

Pack 1 pick 8:










My Pick:

A card I never like facing when running a slow deck.

Pack 1 pick 9:









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Pack 1 pick 10:








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Pack 1 pick 11:







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Pack 1 pick 12:






My Pick:

I’ve never played the card but I guess it’s an option when you run Electropotence.

Pack 1 pick 13:





My Pick:

Pack 1 pick 14:




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Pack 1 pick 15:



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Pack 2 pick 1:

















My Pick:

As far as casting big guys fixing mana and making Electropotence and Landfall work I like Harrow much more than Bladetusk Boar in this deck even though the 3/2 is undoubtedly a much better card.

Pack 2 pick 2:
















My Pick:

My manabase is more likely to be between 14/4 and 12/6 in which case the board no matter how good it is once again is less good than the larva. Also with only a few Mountains I don’t know for sure either I can make Electropotence work good with Red guys.

Pack 2 pick 3:















My Pick:

The Druid would be pretty good in the deck but it’s still far from Nissa’s Chosen.

Pack 2 pick 4:














My Pick:

Hard to find a card I could be interested in (possibly Relic Crush for the sideboard) and almost as hard to find something to counterdraft. I could possibly pick Magma Rift but the card by itself is anti-synergic with all of my deck.

Pack 2 pick 5:













My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 6:












My Pick:

It would seem like my left neighbors have been very sensitive to my signals in pack 1. Where are the Green cards?

Pack 2 pick 7:











My Pick:

Being short in playables in pack 1 pushes me to change my strategy a bit and consider running more Red cards than I originally wanted.I guess it’s not that bad as it will make Electropotence better and also help me deal with the two Boars I have passed.

Pack 2 pick 8:










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Pack 2 pick 9:









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Pack 2 pick 10:








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Pack 2 pick 11:







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Pack 2 pick 13:





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Pack 2 pick 14:




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Pack 2 pick 15:



My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 1:

















My Pick:

Probably the best card I could open.

Pack 3 pick 2:
















My Pick:

I’d rather pick a Green card if I could even a weaker option. My deck is now most likely to have at least 7 Mountains.

Pack 3 pick 3:















My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 4:














My Pick:

Now with two of them I definitely have enough to try and build my deck around it.

Pack 3 pick 5:













My Pick:

With multiple Gladehart Electropotence and also Rempaging Baloth I surprisingly don’t really consider the excellent Timbermaw Larva an option. My deck seems pretty good already; it has enough ways to win. What I need now is cards to make them work.

Pack 3 pick 6:












My Pick:

Another double!

Pack 3 pick 7:











My Pick:

Lavaball Trap would have been pretty good in the deck but once again I’ve enough winning conditions already. I just need to get to them as fast as possible and the Expedition is great for that.

Pack 3 pick 8:










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Pack 3 pick 9:









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Pack 3 pick 10:








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Pack 3 pick 11:







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Pack 3 pick 12:






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Pack 3 pick 13:





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Pack 3 pick 14:




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Pack 3 pick 15:



My Pick:

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Pack two had been pretty bad to me but thanks to an awesome pack three my deck is the best I have had in quite a while. I end up running Scythe Tiger because of the double Electropotence.

12 Forest
7 Mountain

1 Scythe Tiger
2 Scute Mob
1 Goblin Shortcutter
2 Nissa’s Chosen
1 Oran-Rief Recluse
1 Torch Slinger
3 Grazing Gladehart
1 Turntimber Basilisk
1 Shatterskull Giant
1 Timbermaw Larva
1 Rampaging Baloths

3 Khalni Heart Expedition
2 Electropotence
1 Harrow

Sideboard
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Zendikar Farguide
1 Shoal Serpent
1 Quest for the Gemblades
1 Joraga Bard
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Bog Tatters
1 Trailblazer’s Boots
1 Savage Silhouette
1 Island
1 Mire Blight
1 Swamp
1 Trapfinder’s Trick
1 Relic Crush
1 Scythe Tiger
1 Kabira Crossroads
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
1 Akoum Refuge
1 Paralyzing Grasp
2 Sunspring Expedition
1 Gomazoa

In my first game of the draft I have to face an aggro draw from a mono white deck as he opens with Kor Duelist Kor Skyfisher and then Nimbus Wings on the 1/1. In the meantime I slow him down with a Khalni Heart Expedition/Grazing Gladehart draw. When I play Oran-Rief Recluse with kicker on the Duelist I take control of the game. Then on the next turn once I drew a second deer the game is pretty much over as every land I draw gains me four life and my deck is made to win long games while he focuses on killing quickly. When I eventually find one of my Electropotences it’s only a matter of a few turns until we move to game 2.

In the second game I have a funny draw as after taking a mulligan I draw only three spells by turn 4: Khalni Heart Expedition Harrow and Rampaging Baloths. This is enough to play my bomb on turn 4 but not enough to do a thing against his Journey to Nowhere. Therefore I decide to bring Relic Crush in for the final game.

This was a good call as on turn 5 of game 3 while he attacks me with Steppe Lynx (equipped with Adventuring Gear) and Ondu Cleric when I have no guys on the board (since he played Journey on Grazing Gladehart) I destroy his equipment his enchantment and his 1/1 that I can now block with my 2/2. Two turns later the situation is as follows: he has 19 life Steppe Lynx six lands and two cards in hand (I know he’s playing both White traps so there is no point in attacking) versus me on 19 life with 2 Gladehart Shatterskull Giant 7 lands an Expedition with three counters and a Torch Slinger in hand. From then on I’ll draw 6 straight lands while he finds a Mountainwalker and two flyers in the meantime. My lands still allow me to buy some time but my next draws come in the wrong order (Nissa’s Chosen then two straight Electropotence) and I end up losing to his three two-power guys.

Until Friday…

Oli