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Drafting With Olivier – Zendikar #31


Grand Prix: Oakland!
Wednesday, January 20th – 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:

















My Pick:

Pretty good pack for me as my first pick is good and I don’t pass any relevant White card.

Pack 1 pick 2:
















My Pick:

Once again a good card while pushing my neighbors to Red and not passing any good White.



Pack 1 pick 3:















My Pick:

Windrider Eel would be good for the deck but Adventuring Gear even though it’s not a card I like that much in most decks is excellent in white.

Pack 1 pick 4:














My Pick:

I thought for a while about picking one of the two White auras here but Into the Roil is a lot better and Blue is the color I’m the most likely to play if I need a second. Indeed I’ve passed too much Red to hope for a refill in pack 2 and WG or WB are not open nor are they my favorite combinations anyway.

Pack 1 pick 5:













My Pick:

I don’t like it much but I’m not interested in anything else and I don’t feel like counterdrafting either.

Pack 1 pick 6:












My Pick:

I like Reckless Scholar in UB a lot more than I do in UW in which I want my guys to be good for combat.

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Pack 1 pick 8:










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Bold Defense would be good to combine with Conqueror’s Pledge but I should be able to get one later while Arrow Volley Trap is a card I could use as I’ll be forcing races.

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My Pick:

I didn’t pay enough attention here. Because I’ve Conqueror’s Pledge I should be taking Seismic Shudder.

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As my curve is quite low for now I don’t consider picking one of the early drops.

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Pack 2 pick 5:













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Most of my guys are White and I guess I should end up running around 12 White guys plus Pledge which is good enough to run this. If I had a little fewer I would probably have chosen Kabira Crossroads.

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Pack 2 pick 7:











My Pick:

With Sphinx Pledge and a pair of Hookmasters my deck can adapt to both fast and slow games. It’s my confidence in my deck’s ability to win long-term games which push me to pick the 0/3 here. If I didn’t already have a Sky Ruin Drake I would most probably have taken it here.

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Pack 3 pick 1:

















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I like Kor Sanctifiers a lot and I was really close to picking it mostly for a matter of curve. However I still have good three-drops and I like the flyer a little bit more.

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I’ve enough flyers not to be concerned about Nimbus Wings even though its combo with Blademaster would be good. I guess I won’t run two Blessing but I may use it against Red after board while I don’t see myself running the Aura in any situations.

Pack 3 pick 7:











My Pick:

Worse than the Drake but a four-drop will be better utilized.

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10 Plains
6 Island
1 Kabira Crossroads
1 Sejiri Refuge

1 Kor Aeronaut
2 Kor Outfitter
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Kazandu Blademaster
2 Cliff Threader
1 Gomazoa
2 Kor Hookmaster
1 Windrider Eel
1 Living Tsunami
1 Pillarfield Ox
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle

1 Adventuring Gear
1 Shieldmate’s Blessing
1 Brave the Elements
1 Bold Defense
1 Whiplash Trap
1 Arrow Volley Trap
1 Conqueror’s Pledge

Sideboard
1 Caller of Gales
2 Shoal Serpent
1 Cancel
1 Trapfinder’s Trick
1 Khalni Heart Expedition
1 Kor Cartographer
1 Spreading Seas
1 Shieldmate’s Blessing
2 Relic Crush
1 Cliff Threader
2 Lethargy Trap
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
1 Beast Hunt
2 Sunspring Expedition
1 Greenweaver Druid
1 Nimbus Wings

Facing a Blue Black deck I win the first game with turn 6 Sphinx of Jwar Isle followed by turn 8 Bold Defense with kicker which deals him 10 damage and kills three of his guys. In the second even if I draw well and feel like I’m winning the race I lose the game in an unexpected way.

He opens with Umara Raptor follows with Nimana Sell-Sword Hagra Diabolist and then when I think I have him on next turn he plays a second Diabolist!

I’m thinking to myself his UB Ally strategy must be extremely irregular and he probably won’t be drawing that well for game 3. I open with three lands and Kor Hookmaster as my only early drop but sphinx of Jwar Isle and so I keep while he mulligans down to four. While my friends are asking me if I want to go out for a drink I decline as I’ve a semi final which will be starting shortly. 6 turns later I still don’t have a fourth land but I keep on drawing my heavy drops and when I eventually find it Surrakar Marauder and Living Tsunami have already put me to 5 life. Two turns later I pick up my phone to see what my friends are up to…

Until Friday…

Oli