Drafting With Rich – Coldsnap #1

Rich moves from the mean streets of Ravnica to the icy tundra of Coldsnap! Today’s installment of Drafting With Rich sees the Canadian maestro share a full triple-Coldsnap draft, from pick one to pick forty-five, with brief commentary on strong cards and deck performance. For a more detailed analysis, come join the forums!

By Rich Hoaen

August 21, 2006

Draft:

Pack 1:

Sound the Call, Surging Sentinels, Frost Raptor, Disciple of Tevesh Szat, Snow-Covered Forest, Ronom Unicorn, Frostweb Spider, Skred, Martyr of Bones, Rune Snag, Sun’s Bounty, Wilderness Elemental, Phyrexian Ironfoot, Kjeldoran Gargoyle, Jokulmorder

Pick: Skred

Pack 2:

Snow-Covered Island, Ohran Yeti, Frozen Solid, Chill to the Bone, Sound the Call, Aurochs Herd, Karplusan Wolverine, Surging Dementia, Thermal Flux, Ronom Unicorn, Krovikan Rot, Perilous Research, Ursine Fylgja, Shape of the Wiitigo

Pick: Shape of the Wiitigo

Pack 3:

Kjeldoran Javelineer, Frozen Solid, Zombie Musher, Orcish Bloodpainter, Squall Drifter, Martyr of Ashes, Martyr of Bones, Thermal Flux, Sun’s Bounty, Thermopod, Cryoclasm, Juniper Order Ranger, Shape of the Wiitigo

Pick: Shape of the Wiitigo

Pack 4:

Sound the Call, Frost Raptor, Bull Aurochs, Martyr of Ashes, Martyr of Bones, Thermal Flux, Sun’s Bounty, Thermopod, Counterbalance, Stromgald Crusader, Magmatic Core, Heidar, Rimewind Master

Pick: Heidar, Rimewind Master

Pack 5:

Thermopod, Into the North, Rite of Flame, Grim Harvest, Martyr of Frost, Kjeldoran Outrider, Rimewind Taskmage, Chilling Shade, Survivor of the Unseen, Mystic Melting, Karplusan Minotaur

Pick: Into the North

Pack 6:

Frostweb Spider, Martyr of Ashes, Surging Dementia, Survivor of the Unseen, Surging Might, Gelid Shackles, Snow-Covered Forest, Chilling Shade, Goblin Furrier, Flashfreeze

Pick: Snow-Covered Forest

Pack 7:

Aurochs Herd, Karplusan Wolverine, Surging Dementia, Thermal Flux, Surging Aether, Snow-Covered Swamp, Drelnoch, Mishra’s Bauble, Rimewind Cryomancer

Pick: Aurochs Herd

Pack 8:

Sun’s Bounty, Thermopod, Rite of Flame, Feast of Flesh, Martyr of Frost, Chilling Shade, Phyrexian Snowcrusher, Cover of Winter

Pick: Phyrexian Snowcrusher

Pack 9:

Ronom Unicorn, Frostweb Spider, Martyr of Bones, Rune Snag, Sun’s Bounty, Wilderness Elemental, Jokulmorder

Pick: Frostweb Spider

Pack 10:

Ohran Yeti, Frozen Solid, Karplusan Wolverine, Surging Dementia, Thermal Flux, Perilous Research

Pick: Ohran Yeti

Pack 11:

Kjeldoran Javelineer, Orcish Bloodpainter, Martyr of Bones, Thermal Flux, Sun’s Bounty

Pick: Orcish Bloodpainter

Pack 12:

Martyr of Bones, Thermal Flux, Sun’s Bounty, Thermopod

Pick: Thermopod

Pack 13:

Rite of Flame, Martyr of Frost, Mystic Melting

Pick: Mystic Melting

Pack 14:

Frostweb Spider, Goblin Furrier

Pick: Frostweb Spider

Pack 15:

Pick: Thermal Flux

Pack 16:

Swift Maneuver, Martyr of Spores, Aurochs Herd, Karplusan Wolverine, Surging Dementia, Thermal Flux, Boreal Griffin, Surging Aether, Zombie Musher, Orcish Bloodpainter, Snow-Covered Plains, Balduvian Fallen, Stalking Yeti, Karplusan Strider, Thrumming Stone

Pick: Stalking Yeti

Pack 17:

Surging Flame, Kjeldoran Javelineer, Drelnoch, Gutless Ghoul, Ronom Hulk, Bull Aurochs, Icefall, Grim Harvest, Swift Maneuver, Martyr of Spores, Juniper Order Ranger, Luminesce, Arctic Flats, Field Marshal

Pick: Surging Flame

Pack 18:

Frost Raptor, Icefall, Krovikan Scoundrel, Survivor of the Unseen, Martyr of Sands, Drelnoch, Surging Sentinels, Boreal Druid, Ohran Yeti, Snow-Covered Mountain, Gristle Grinner, Lightning Storm, Zur the Enchanter

Pick: Boreal Druid

Pack 19:

Kjeldoran War Cry, Bull Aurochs, Martyr of Ashes, Martyr of Bones, Thermal Flux, Drelnoch, Surging Sentinels, Boreal Druid, Ohran Yeti, Rimehorn Aurochs, Ursine Fylgja, Counterbalance

Pick: Rimehorn Aurochs

Pack 20:

Orcish Bloodpainter, Squall Drifter, Rimewind Taskmage, Snow-Covered Mountain, Thermopod, Rite of Flame, Grim Harvest, Martyr of Frost, Balduvian Frostwaker, Rime Transfusion, Arcum Dagsson

Pick: Snow-Covered Mountain

Pack 21:

Rimewind Taskmage, Chilling Shade, Boreal Centaur, Martyr of Spores, Karplusan Wolverine, Feast of Flesh, Bull Aurochs, Greater Stone Spirit, Tresserhorn Skyknight, Jester’s Scepter

Pick: Boreal Centaur

Pack 22:

Karplusan Wolverine, Feast of Flesh, Kjeldoran War Cry, Boreal Griffin, Zombie Musher, Orcish Bloodpainter, Snow-Covered Plains, Vanish into Memory, Herald of Leshrac

Pick: Snow-Covered Plains

Pack 23:

Orcish Bloodpainter, Rimewind Taskmage, Snow-Covered Mountain, Krovikan Scoundrel, Rune Snag, Martyr of Sands, Mystic Melting, Thrumming Stone

Pick: Snow-Covered Mountain

Pack 24:

Swift Maneuver, Martyr of Spores, Karplusan Wolverine, Surging Dementia, Thermal Flux, Boreal Griffin, Orcish Bloodpainter

Pick: Orcish Bloodpainter

Pack 25:

Kjeldoran Javelineer, Drelnoch, Swift Maneuver, Martyr of Spores, Juniper Order Ranger, Luminesce

Pick: Juniper Order Ranger

Pack 26:

Icefall, Krovikan Scoundrel, Martyr of Sands, Drelnoch, Zur the Enchanter

Pick: Zur the Enchanter

Pack 27:

Martyr of Bones, Thermal Flux, Drelnoch, Ursine Fylgja

Pick: Ursine Fylgja

Pack 28:

Rite of Flame, Martyr of Frost, Arcum Dagsson

Pick: Arcum Dagsson

Pack 29:

Chilling Shade, Karplusan Wolverine

Pick: Karplusan Wolverine

Pack 30:

Orcish Bloodpainter

Pick: Orcish Bloodpainter

Pack 31:

Frostweb Spider, Skred, Martyr of Bones, Rune Snag, Sun’s Bounty, Simian Brawler, Boreal Druid, Disciple of Tevesh Szat, Ohran Yeti, Snow-Covered Mountain, Rite of Flame, Magmatic Core, Steam Spitter, Coldsteel Heart, Heidar, Rimewind Master

Pick: Skred

Pack 32:

Goblin Rimerunner, Kjeldoran Outrider, Surging Aether, Boreal Centaur, Gutless Ghoul, Snow-Covered Swamp, Simian Brawler, Rite of Flame, Feast of Flesh, Martyr of Frost, Swift Maneuver, Sheltering Ancient, Arctic Flats, Glacial Plating

Pick: Boreal Centaur

Pack 33:

Martyr of Sands, Bull Aurochs, Icefall, Grim Harvest, Krovikan Mist, Ronom Serpent, Goblin Furrier, Rimebound Dead, Snow-Covered Island, Phyrexian Snowcrusher, Glacial Plating, Flashfreeze, Karplusan Minotaur

Pick: Snow-Covered Island

Pack 34:

Frostweb Spider, Martyr of Bones, Rune Snag, Sun’s Bounty, Ronom Serpent, Goblin Furrier, Rimebound Dead, Snow-Covered Island, Frost Marsh, Rime Transfusion, Greater Stone Spirit, Fury of the Horde

Pick: Snow-Covered Island

Pack 35:

Kjeldoran Javelineer, Frozen Solid, Zombie Musher, Frostweb Spider, Martyr of Ashes, Surging Dementia, Survivor of the Unseen, Balduvian Frostwaker, Phobian Phantasm, Balduvian Rage, Cover of Winter

Pick: Martyr of Ashes

Pack 36:

Ronom Unicorn, Krovikan Scoundrel, Rune Snag, Martyr of Sands, Boreal Griffin, Boreal Druid, Rimebound Dead, Snow-Covered Plains, Highland Weald, Heidar, Rimewind Master

Pick: Heidar, Rimewind Master

Pack 37:

Kjeldoran Javelineer, Frozen Solid, Swift Maneuver, Icefall, Krovikan Scoundrel, Survivor of the Unseen, Martyr of Sands, Freyalise’s Radiance, Kjeldoran Gargoyle

Pick: Kjeldoran Gargoyle

Pack 38:

Goblin Rimerunner, Surging Aether, Gutless Ghoul, Martyr of Spores, Karplusan Wolverine, Feast of Flesh, Perilous Research, Greater Stone Spirit

Pick: Goblin Rimerunner

Pack 39:

Frostweb Spider, Martyr of Bones, Rune Snag, Sun’s Bounty, Rite of Flame, Magmatic Core, Steam Spitter

Pick: Magmatic Core

Pack 40:

Gutless Ghoul, Rite of Flame, Martyr of Frost, Swift Maneuver, Sheltering Ancient, Glacial Plating

Pick: Sheltering Ancient

Pack 41:

Martyr of Sands, Grim Harvest, Goblin Furrier, Rimebound Dead, Glacial Plating

Pick: Grim Harvest

Pack 42:

Martyr of Bones, Sun’s Bounty, Ronom Serpent, Goblin Furrier

Pick: Ronom Serpent

Pack 43:

Kjeldoran Javelineer, Surging Dementia, Balduvian Frostwaker

Pick: Balduvian Frostwaker

Pack 44:

Krovikan Scoundrel, Martyr of Sands

Pick: Martyr of Sands

Pack 45:

Martyr of Sands

Pick: Martyr of Sands

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

1 Heidar, Rimewind Master
1 Heidar, Rimewind Master [FOIL]
1 Ronom Serpent
1 Goblin Rimerunner
1 Magmatic Core
1 Ohran Yeti
1 Orcish Bloodpainter
2 Skred
1 Stalking Yeti
1 Surging Flame
1 Aurochs Herd
2 Boreal Centaur
1 Boreal Druid
2 Frostweb Spider
1 Into the North
1 Rimehorn Aurochs
2 Shape of the Wiitigo
1 Sheltering Ancient
8 Forest
5 Mountain
1 Snow-Covered Forest
2 Snow-Covered Island
2 Snow-Covered Mountain

Sideboard:

1 Arcum Dagsson
1 Balduvian Frostwaker
1 Grim Harvest
1 Juniper Order Ranger
1 Karplusan Wolverine
1 Kjeldoran Gargoyle
1 Martyr of Ashes
2 Martyr of Sands
1 Mystic Melting
2 Orcish Bloodpainter
1 Phyrexian Snowcrusher
1 Snow-Covered Plains
1 Thermal Flux
1 Thermopod
1 Ursine Fylgja
1 Zur the Enchanter

I was pretty happy with this deck, despite some weak early picks in the second and third packs due to some extremely bad packs. I won two rounds fairly easily before splitting the finals. I never actually got to cast a Heidar, Rimewind Master, although my deck was a little short on Snow, so I’m not sure how effective he would have been. The two Shape of the Wiitigos (which are excellent, by the way) effectively won every game I played.

Until tomorrow,

Rich

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