fbpx

Drafting With Olivier – Zendikar #4

Visit the StarCityGames.com booth at Grand Prix Minneapolis
Wednesday, November 4th – 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:

1) Vampire Nighthawk
2) Bladetusk Boar
3) Roil Elemental
Roil Elemental may be a bomb in sealed but it is less impressive in draft. I probably even take the Boar over it.

Pack 1 pick 2:
















My Pick:

1) Journey to Nowhere
2) Nimana Sell-sword
3) Glazing Gladehart
I don’t like WB. I’ve never tried the archetype but it seems to be it can’t work as both colors rely on double colored mana costs. However a few cards like Kor Hookmaster Kor Skyfisher or Journey to Nowhere could make extremely decent splashes. The other two options don’t really tempt me here. One is not good enough and the other is too Green.

Pack 1 pick 3:















My Pick:

Pack 1 pick 4:


Cartographer
” “ZEN”);’>



Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>







My Pick:

The best Blue common still being in the pack has to be a sign.

Pack 1 pick 5:













My Pick:

1) Mind Sludge
2) Stonework Puma
3) Inferno Trap
I’m in big trouble if I pick the Trap here. Even if it’s the best card in the pack it is not an option at all. Then I can either pick the decent Stonework Puma which has good chance to make it to the maindeck or Mind Sludge which is pretty good if Black is a dominant color but finishes in the sideboard otherwise. If I had one Ally already I’d go with the 2/2 but I want to keep the hope I’ll be running my Vampire.

Pack 1 pick 6:












My Pick:

Pack 1 pick 7:











My Pick:

This pick should pretty much settle my draft into UW unless I open a very powerful Black card pack 2.

Pack 1 pick 8:







Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>


My Pick:

A very underrated card. In such a fast format any cheap trick is good.

Pack 1 pick 9:









My Pick:

One of the very few cards in the format which can get you the tempo of a game back.

Pack 1 pick 10:








My Pick:

I’ve no interest into cutting a Red card when Narrow Excape is a very decent sideboard card against Red decks.

Pack 1 pick 11:







My Pick:

One of the most underrated cards in the format this card is top class!

Pack 1 pick 12:



Blessing
” “ZEN”);’>


My Pick:

Pack 1 pick 13:





My Pick:

Pack 1 pick 14:




My Pick:

Pack 1 pick 15:



My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 1:

















My Pick:

Picking Hideous End is the best way to get into trouble now. What will happen if I take the removal now? I’ll probably end up with a White based WB splashing for 5 cards including two or thre double Black cards. Doesn’t sound so good when I’m aiming at being consistent. I’ll just stick to the plan and remain UW. Then with only one White card and one Blue card in the pack the choice is not so difficult.

Pack 2 pick 2:
















My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 3:















My Pick:

Windrider Eel looks like some kind of four-mana Air Elemental at first glance. It is nothing of the sort. It is good but often slow and fragile for the format so not a match for the Blademaster.

Pack 2 pick 4:










Cartographer
” “ZEN”);’>



My Pick:

Here’s when I’m pretty glad I didn’t first-pick Black. Apparently the Roil Elemental I’ve passed P1P1 didn’t have bad consequences.

Pack 2 pick 5:













My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 6:












My Pick:

Emeria is not interesting at all outside a mono-White deck.

Pack 2 pick 7:











My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 8:










My Pick:

Usually a pretty good card in UW but I don’t have any equipment yet. If I can get two or three from now on it may make it to the main deck.

Pack 2 pick 9:









My Pick:

Probably more annoying to face than a Shrine in a UW deck. Also a card you can definitely play maindeck in sealed.

Pack 2 pick 10:








My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 11:







My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 12:






My Pick:

In a deck a little short in playables I like Blessing more but it is unlikely I decide to run 3.

Pack 2 pick 13:





My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 14:




My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 15:



My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 1:

















My Pick:

The Stalkers are pretty good too but the Hookmaster will be better most of the time.

Pack 3 pick 2:
















My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 3:















My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 4:








Cartographer
” “ZEN”);’>





My Pick:

If Cartographer was to make the cut it would be the worst card in the pack. I rather like picking a card to which I could lose.

Pack 3 pick 5:













My Pick:

Sweeeeet.

Pack 3 pick 6:












My Pick:

My curve is pretty low making Outfitters less important. On the other hand a few 4-5 drops wouldn’t hurt and now that I’ve 3 pump-type allies I definitely want to help them grow.

Pack 3 pick 7:











My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 8:










My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 9:









My Pick:

Same comment as earlier on when I picked Slinger over Cartographer. I’d rather have another filler than the 2/4 and not face the spider.

Pack 3 pick 10:








My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 11:







My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 12:






My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 13:





My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 14:




My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 15:



My Pick:

This draft converter created by Benjamin Peebles-Mundy.
Visit the draft converter today!

8 Plains
7 Island

1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Kabira Crossroads

1 Steppe Lynx
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Ondu Cleric
2 Welkin Tern
2 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Stonework Puma
1 Umara Raptor
1 Kor Hookmaster
2 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Living Tsunami
1 Merfolk Seastalkers
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Seascape Aerialist

2 Shieldmate’s Blessing
1 Nimbus Wings
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Into the Roil
1 Windborne Charge
1 Whiplash Trap

Sideboard
1 Mind Sludge
1 Forest
1 Mountain
1 Landbind Ritual
1 Noble Vestige
1 Slaughter Cry
1 Greenweaver Druid
1 Spreading Seas
1 Relic Crush
2 Lethargy Trap
1 Torch Slinger
1 Mindless Null
1 Vampire Nighthawk
1 Narrow Escape
1 Teetering Peaks
1 Oran-Rief Recluse
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Kor Duelist
1 Frontier Guide

I’m a little land scewed in the early game of my quarterfinal versus RB which helps him take the lead. Still he draws a few too many lands so I’m not so far behind in the race. The turning point off the game happens when he plays Magma Rift on my Kor Sanctifiers but I have Shieldmage’s Blessing to save it. This loss of tempo helps me catch up and I soon finish him off with Windborne Charge.

Game 2 is pretty similar. We race but I win with the double +2/+2.

In my second round I have to face Luis Scott-Vargas. Not the easiest opponent I can meet online! My deck understands this and offers me what can be called god draws. My turn 1 Steppe Lynx turn 2 Kazandu Blademaster turn 3 Welkin Turn turn 4 Living Tsunami is not something an ordinary deck can stop.

In game 2 even though he plays first I take control of the tempo with my Lynx/Tern start. In he meantime Luis is playing enchantments and artifacts (Puma Machete Soul Stair Expedition) while I’m holding my two Sanctifiers. I eventually (and surprisingly) take that match without much trouble.

My final starts soon after and my opponent is playing mono red. I think I’ve barely managed to stop his beating when he stills my Merfolk Seastalkers with Mark of Munity and swings for the game.

Game 2 is won by one of my surprising MVP – Shieldmage’s Blessing – as the cheap trick allows me to save a Living Tsunami from a Spire Barrage and win with the 4/4 a little later.

In the final game of this draft he opens with a pair of Shrines but will never be able to take me to less than ten life for several reasons:

– I destroy one of his enchantments with Sanctifiers.
– I play Kabira Crossroads twice thanks to Kor Skyfisher.
– He doesn’t draw well enough to send a second wave of attackers once I’ve stopped the first.

In this format and in particular when playing Mountains you usually don’t get a second chance when your beating is stopped. He didn’t and I didn’t have much trouble finishing him as my guys were better than his when the first 5-6 turns were past.

Until Friday…

Oli