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Drafting With Olivier – Zendikar / Zendikar / Worldwake #3

The StarCityGames.com Open Series returns to Atlanta!
Thursday, April 8th – 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:

There are two possibilities here: Hideous End and Punishing Fire. I like Hideous End a little more but I like Red a lot more than Black which tends to be overdrafted at the moment.

Pack 1 pick 2:
















My Pick:

Steppe Lynx and Kor Skyfisher are better cards than the Boar but I still go with the 3/2. The thing is I don’t feel like going WR and passing a very good Red card and a very good white card. As far as signals are concerned not passing any good Red should be much better.

Pack 1 pick 3:















My Pick:

Pack 1 pick 4:














My Pick:

It’s unbelievable to see cards like Sea Gate Loremaster Kor Skyfisher and obviously Plated Geopede still here. I’m glad I didn’t pick that Hideous End because Black couldn’t be less open.

Pack 1 pick 5:













My Pick:

Okay there is so much White coming that it would be a waste not to enjoy it. Even if it doesn’t come back in pack 2 my pack 3 should be awesome. Concerning the pick itself it is once again not an easy one. I think both cards were ready close in ZZZ but the format has now gotten a little slower. Right now I think the Angel is a better card.

Pack 1 pick 6:












My Pick:

Pack 1 pick 7:











My Pick:

Pack 1 pick 8:










My Pick:

Kor Cartographer would be pretty good with already three cheap Landfall guys but Windborne Charge is a great card possibly the most underrated in Zendikar. The card is probably worth pick 3 or 4.

Pack 1 pick 9:









My Pick:

I like Celestial Mantle but as far as synergy is concerned I’d like my deck to be focused on aggression.

Pack 1 pick 10:








My Pick:

Pack 1 pick 11:







My Pick:

Makindi Shieldmate just doesn’t fit the global stategy of the deck at all.

Pack 1 pick 12:






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:

Pack 2 pick 2:
















My Pick:

I actually considered picking Teetering peaks here as it’d be great for my deck but the 4/3 is good for my curve and the Peaks have a pretty decent chance to be wheeling.

Pack 2 pick 3:















My Pick:

I like Torch Slinger but I think he’s just no match for the Fire.

Pack 2 pick 4:














My Pick:

Electropotence is decent but most of my small guys are actually pretty small (Lynx both Geopedes) and I like Teetering Peaks which fits much better the deck’s synergy.

Pack 2 pick 5:













My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 6:












My Pick:

Kor Outfitter may be a better card I am still concerned by two things at the moment.
A – Most of my spells are two-drops already.
B – I’ve many more Red cards than White ones and two of them already cost WW. Picking a third one would make my deck less stable.

Pack 2 pick 7:











My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 8:










My Pick:

I have enough playables to counterdraft a good card over a Minotaur I won’t be running anyway.

Pack 2 pick 9:









My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 10:








My Pick:

Glad I didn’t pick it in the first place!

Pack 2 pick 11:







My Pick:

The wrong hatedraft as Cancel would have been a more useful hate here. I don’t really mind facing a five-mana 4/2 anyway.

Pack 2 pick 12:






My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 13:





My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 14:




My Pick:

Pack 2 pick 15:



My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 1:

















My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 2:
















My Pick:

The card which crushed my last PT. Time for payback!

Pack 3 pick 3:















My Pick:

Iona’s Judgment would be good but I already have lots of removal and I’m still missing three-drops.

Pack 3 pick 4:














My Pick:

A three-drop or a five-drop precisely what I need.

Pack 3 pick 5:













My Pick:

I don’t have enough equipment to make me want to pick the apprentice. Cosi’s Ravager could be good for a matter of curve but Marsh Threader will be great against 3 (if not 4) players at this table considering how few Black cards I’ve seen through this draft.

Pack 3 pick 6:












My Pick:

A good sideboard card against Zendikons and possibly against Quicksand as well.

Pack 3 pick 7:











My Pick:

Once again I favor curve as I have plenty of two-drops already.

Pack 3 pick 8:










My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 9:









My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 10:








My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 11:







My Pick:

Guardian Zendikon is annoying too but it won’t block in the first three turns so it should be a little less annoying.

Pack 3 pick 12:






My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 13:





My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 14:




My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 15:



My Pick:


9 Plains
7 Mountain
2 Teetering Peaks
1 Steppe Lynx
2 Skitter of Lizards
1 Kor Outfitter
2 Plated Geopede
1 Marsh Threader
1 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Goblin Roughrider
1 Shatterskull Giant
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Battle Hurda
1 Shepherd of the Lost
1 Cosi’s Ravager
1 Admonition Angel
1 Windborne Charge
1 Adventuring Gear
2 Burst Lightning
1 Searing Blaze
2 Punishing Fire

Sideboard
1 Island
1 Bog Tatters
1 Roiling Terrain
1 Dispel
1 Hagra Crocodile
1 Slaughter Cry
2 Spidersilk Net
1 Plains
2 Halimar Excavator
1 Swamp
1 Relic Crush
1 Bold Defense
1 Kabira Crossroads
1 Expedition Map
1 Gnarlid Pack
1 Vines of Vastwood
1 Beast Hunt
1 Nature’s Claim
1 Caravan Hurda

The tournament doesn’t start so well as I misclick “yes” and keep a Mountain Teetering Peaks Battle Hurda Shepherd of the Lost Kor Outfitter Bladetusk Boar Punishing Fire hand. Still I topdeck so many times that I managed to win the first even though my opponent played Marsh Casualties and Hellkite Charger.

In game 2 we both make a terrible game-losing mistake. At first he attacks with a 4/4 Nimana Sell-Sword into 2 first strikers. That creature he literally gave me allows me to attack and I’m convinced I have the match until he plays Marsh Casualties and kills all my guys but Battle Hurda and then swings with his team including a 5/3 Hagra Crocodile. I think the man definitely has a problem with the first strike concept and block with my now 1/1 creature when any other play would probably have won me the game.

In the final game I open with Steppe Lynx and Plated Geopede for which he has no removal. Good news as I follow up with a pair of Peaks Searing Blaze and Burst Lightning for a Standard-like draw which takes me to the semifinals.

My second opponent chooses to go last. He opens with a turn 1 Hedron Crab and follows with a decent draw but the fact that he’s mono Blue along with the fact he chose to draw first give me the advantage until he draws Basilisk Collar. The card gives him a small advantage but I know I’ll take it back whenever I get one of my two Punishing Fires which the Crab should help happen fast. It eventually takes 28 cards but I do get one which immobilizes his equipment and I win the game three turns later.

I don’t draw too well in game 2 and this time he plays better creatures including Sphinx of Jwar Isle. I make some sacrifice attacks in order to put him down to 4 leaving me a little time to draw Burst Lightning and win. He had opened with Crab again and I reach the point when I’ve four cards left in my deck and draw… Mountain. There will be a game 3.

I win game three with turn 6 Admonition Angel but something pretty interesting happened in this game as he brought in Bojuka Bog. The card may be pretty bad most of the time but I’ll bear in mind to draft it in future as it can be used.

I mulliganed to 5 and didn’t draw the right lands in game 1 of the finals. In the second I was in a close game with a flyer to kill quickly with 5 lands in play and Admonition Angel in hand. I needed a removal or a land for a probable win but drew Adventuring Gear.

Until next time…

Oli