Drafting With Rich – 999 #4

Rich continues his excellent Draft series. The Canadian maestro turns his back on the cooling Coldsnap, and heads for the balmy waters of sweeter formats. From now until the online release of Time Spiral, Rich will draft a number of formats, from RGD to 999 to CBS to CCC… whatever takes his fancy at the time. He’ll supply each pick, from pick one to pick forty-five, and pen a brief commentary on hs deck and performace. For more detailed comments, visit the forums!

By Rich Hoaen

September 26, 2006

Draft:

Pack 1:

Dark Banishing, Elvish Berserker, Crafty Pathmage, Hill Giant, Demystify, Enfeeblement, Stone Rain, Aven Fisher, Elvish Warrior, Unholy Strength, Drudge Skeletons, Icy Manipulator, Gift of Estates, Ancient Silverback, Swamp

Pick: Icy Manipulator

Pack 2:

Suntail Hawk, Balduvian Barbarians, Boomerang, Overgrowth, Foul Imp, Skyhunter Prowler, Kavu Climber, Fugitive Wizard, Shock, Holy Day, Dancing Scimitar, Phyrexian Gargantua, Tempest of Light, Island

Pick: Shock

Pack 3:

Giant Growth, Balduvian Barbarians, Boomerang, Overgrowth, Foul Imp, Skyhunter Prowler, Natural Spring, Reflexes, Aven Flock, Needle Storm, Execute, Maro, Forest

Pick: Aven Flock

Pack 4:

Venerable Monk, Goblin Mountaineer, Sleight of Hand, Tree Monkey, Festering Goblin, Rampant Growth, Sea’s Claim, Anaba Shaman, Sacred Nectar, Urza’s Power Plant, Blood Moon, Forest

Pick: Anaba Shaman

Pack 5:

Bog Imp, Scaled Wurm, Goblin Chariot, Honor Guard, Goblin Piker, Horned Turtle, Mind Rot, Veteran Cavalier, Angel’s Feather, Booby Trap, Plains

Pick: Veteran Cavalier

Pack 6:

Venerable Monk, Goblin Mountaineer, Sleight of Hand, Tree Monkey, Festering Goblin, Giant Growth, Fishliver Oil, Shatter, Contaminated Bond, Island

Pick: Venerable Monk

Pack 7:

Contaminated Bond, Remove Soul, Seething Song, Fear, Stone Rain, Unholy Strength, Slay, Peace of Mind, Island

Pick: Remove Soul

Pack 8:

Fear, Mending Hands, Goblin Piker, Horned Turtle, Mind Rot, Flashfires, Goblin King, Island

Pick: Horned Turtle

Pack 9:

Elvish Berserker, Crafty Pathmage, Hill Giant, Demystify, Stone Rain, Gift of Estates, Swamp

Pick: Hill Giant

Pack 10:

Suntail Hawk, Overgrowth, Fugitive Wizard, Holy Day, Tempest of Light, Island

Pick: Suntail Hawk

Pack 11:

Overgrowth, Natural Spring, Reflexes, Execute, Forest

Pack 12:

Tree Monkey, Sea’s Claim, Sacred Nectar, Forest

Pick: Sacred Nectar

Pack 13:

Bog Imp, Goblin Piker, Angel’s Feather

Pick: Goblin Piker

Pack 14:

Shatter, Contaminated Bond

Pack 15:

Pick: Island

Pack 16:

Razortooth Rats, Natural Spring, Time Ebb, Reflexes, Aven Flock, Plague Beetle, Lava Axe, Counsel of the Soratami, Treetop Bracers, Serpent Warrior, Vulshok Morningstar, Nantuko Husk, Leonin Skyhunter, Oracle’s Attendants, Island

Pick: Vulshok Morningstar

Pack 17:

Dark Banishing, Elvish Berserker, Crafty Pathmage, Hill Giant, Demystify, Enfeeblement, Lava Axe, Counsel of the Soratami, Treetop Bracers, Serpent Warrior, Viridian Shaman, Gluttonous Zombie, Ornithopter, Forest

Pick: Dark Banishing

Pack 18:

Samite Healer, Panic Attack, Mana Leak, Naturalize, Ravenous Rats, Scaled Wurm, Dehydration, Goblin Chariot, Honor Guard, Boiling Seas, Annex, Imaginary Pet, Swamp

Pick: Mana Leak

Pack 19:

Samite Healer, Panic Attack, Mana Leak, Naturalize, Ravenous Rats, Norwood Ranger, Wind Drake, Goblin Sky Raider, Quicksand, Rewind, Defense Grid, Forest

Pick: Wind Drake

Pack 20:

Fishliver Oil, Shatter, Pegasus Charger, Rogue Kavu, Sea Monster, Grizzly Bears, Scathe Zombies, Goblin Balloon Brigade, Reminisce, Demon’s Horn, Forest

Pick: Pegasus Charger

Pack 21:

Plague Beetle, Rampant Growth, Sea’s Claim, Sacred Nectar, Rogue Kavu, Sea Monster, Scathe Zombies, Withering Gaze, Web, Swamp

Pick: Sea Monster

Pack 22:

Warrior’s Honor, Flowstone Shambler, Lumengrid Warden, Foot Soldiers, Llanowar Elves, Seething Song, Zombify, Circle of Protection: Black, Forest

Pick: Foot Soldiers

Pack 23:

Warrior’s Honor, Flowstone Shambler, Lumengrid Warden, Coercion, Foot Soldiers, Groundskeeper, Horror of Horrors, Swamp

Pick: Foot Soldiers

Pack 24:

Razortooth Rats, Natural Spring, Time Ebb, Reflexes, Plague Beetle, Counsel of the Soratami, Island

Pack 25:

Elvish Berserker, Crafty Pathmage, Hill Giant, Demystify, Ornithopter, Forest

Pick: Hill Giant

Pack 26:

Samite Healer, Panic Attack, Scaled Wurm, Annex, Swamp

Pick: Samite Healer

Pack 27:

Samite Healer, Norwood Ranger, Goblin Sky Raider, Forest

Pick: Samite Healer

Pack 28:

Fishliver Oil, Shatter, Forest

Pack 29:

Pick: Forest

Pack 30:

Gravedigger, Norwood Ranger, Wind Drake, Goblin Sky Raider, Aven Cloudchaser, Sandstone Warrior, Wanderguard Sentry, Order of the Sacred Bell, Spineless Thug, Angelic Blessing, Anarchist, Azure Drake, Summer Bloom, Will-o’-the-Wisp, Mountain

Pick: Aven Cloudchaser

Pack 31:

Crossbow Infantry, Lightning Elemental, Storm Crow, Trained Armodon, Highway Robber, Infantry Veteran, Natural Spring, Time Ebb, Reflexes, Aven Flock, Nekrataal, Spirit Link, Rod of Ruin, Island

Pick: Rod of Ruin

Pack 32:

Holy Strength, Goblin Brigand, Sage Aven, Wood Elves, Looming Shade, Giant Growth, Fishliver Oil, Shatter, Contaminated Bond, Demolish, Ley Druid, Death Pits of Rath, Forest

Pick: Death Pits of Rath

Pack 33:

Holy Strength, Goblin Brigand, Wood Elves, Looming Shade, Rootwalla, Flight, Mending Hands, Hollow Dogs, Blaze, Dragon’s Claw, Dream Prowler, Plains

Pick: Blaze

Pack 34:

Plague Beetle, Rampant Growth, Sea’s Claim, Anaba Shaman, Sacred Nectar, Sandstone Warrior, Wanderguard Sentry, Spineless Thug, Kraken’s Eye, Telepathy, Swamp

Pick: Anaba Shaman

Pack 35:

Crossbow Infantry, Lightning Elemental, Storm Crow, Highway Robber, Infantry Veteran, Elvish Berserker, Crafty Pathmage, Demystify, Blackmail, Swamp

Pick: Infantry Veteran

Pack 36:

Reclaim, Firebreathing, Bog Imp, Raging Goblin, Ur-Golem’s Eye, Deathgazer, Seasoned Marshal, Teferi’s Puzzle Box, Plains

Pick: Seasoned Marshal

Pack 37:

Raise Dead, Fugitive Wizard, Holy Day, Raging Goblin, Giant Cockroach, Yavimaya Enchantress, Swarm of Rats, Island

Pick: Yavimaya Enchantress

Pack 38:

Norwood Ranger, Goblin Sky Raider, Sandstone Warrior, Spineless Thug, Angelic Blessing, Summer Bloom, Mountain

Pick: Angelic Blessing

Pack 39:

Crossbow Infantry, Lightning Elemental, Highway Robber, Natural Spring, Reflexes, Island

Pick: Crossbow Infantry

Pack 40:

Goblin Brigand, Shatter, Contaminated Bond, Demolish, Forest

Pick: Goblin Brigand

Pack 41:

Goblin Brigand, Looming Shade, Dragon’s Claw, Plains

Pick: Goblin Brigand

Pack 42:

Sea’s Claim, Spineless Thug, Swamp

Pick: Spineless Thug

Pack 43:

Elvish Berserker, Swamp

Pick: Elvish Berserker

Pack 44:

Pick: Plains

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

1 Angelic Blessing
1 Aven Cloudchaser
1 Aven Flock
1 Crossbow Infantry
2 Foot Soldiers
1 Infantry Veteran
1 Pegasus Charger
2 Samite Healer
1 Suntail Hawk
1 Venerable Monk
1 Veteran Cavalier
2 Anaba Shaman
1 Blaze
1 Goblin Piker
2 Hill Giant
1 Shock
1 Icy Manipulator
1 Rod of Ruin
1 Vulshok Morningstar
8 Mountain
9 Plains

Sideboard:

1 Dark Banishing
1 Death Pits of Rath
1 Elvish Berserker
1 Execute
1 Forest
2 Goblin Brigand
1 Horned Turtle
1 Island
1 Mana Leak
1 Plains [FOIL]
1 Remove Soul
1 Sacred Nectar
1 Sea Monster
1 Seasoned Marshal
2 Shatter
1 Spineless Thug
1 Swamp
1 Time Ebb
1 Wind Drake
1 Yavimaya Enchantress

I don’t play Blue and look what happens… a disaster. I was too indecisive in this draft, and let my distaste for Black have too much influence on the draft. I won a pretty close round 1 against someone who threw away about three cards per game, but the games were still close because my deck was so bad. Next round I lost a very frustrating match to a Green/White deck splashing Grave Pact. We played two long games, and one manascrew (of mine, of course) and I saw one other Black card from him. I expected to lose with this deck, but not like that.

Until tomorrow,

Rich

Draft recording done by Blargware‘s MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!