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Drafting With Rich – Time Spiral #6

After a short hiatus, Rich Hoaen returns to continue his daily article series! Each day, the grumpy Canadian draft master takes us through a Magic Online draft, from pick 1 to pick 45, and shares his insight into the cards, the deck, and the games themselves. For more detailed analysis, Rich answers your questions in the forums!


Draft:

Pack 1:










Trespasser il-Vec, Amrou Scout, Grapeshot, Scarwood Treefolk, Slipstream Serpent, Gaze of Justice, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Prismatic Lens, Harmonic Sliver, Durkwood Tracker, Urza’s Factory, Pentarch Paladin, Soltari Priest

Pick: Pentarch Paladin

Pack 2:










Thallid Germinator, Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Temporal Eddy, Tendrils of Corruption, Momentary Blink, Greenseeker, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Careful Consideration, Thunder Totem, Evil Eye of Urborg, Weathered Bodyguards, Witch Hunter

Pick: Witch Hunter

Pack 3:










Spinneret Sliver, Keldon Halberdier, Ivory Giant, Grapeshot, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Tectonic Fiend, Smallpox, Scryb Ranger, Spike Feeder

Pick: Ivory Giant

Pack 4:







Tolarian Sentinel, Benalish Cavalry, Orcish Cannonade, Strangling Soot, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Children of Korlis, Primal Forcemage, Tromp the Domains, *

Pick: Benalish Cavalry

Pack 5:







Think Twice, Ashcoat Bear, Jedit’s Dragoons, Sprout, Foriysian Interceptor, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell, Basalt Gargoyle, Celestial Crusader, Saltcrusted Steppe, Curse of the Cabal

Pick: Celestial Crusader

Pack 6:







Search for Tomorrow, Corpulent Corpse, Cancel, Icatian Crier, Greenseeker, Foriysian Interceptor, Drifter il-Dal, Voidmage Husher, Paradise Plume, Mindstab

Pick: Icatian Crier

Pack 7:







Chromatic Star, Herd Gnarr, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Spirit Loop, Truth or Tale, Coalition Victory

Pick: Chromatic Star

Pack 8:




Goblin Skycutter, Zealot il-Vec, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Jhoira’s Timebug, Jedit’s Dragoons, Norin the Wary

Pick: Zealot il-Vec

Pack 9:




Scarwood Treefolk, Gaze of Justice, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Harmonic Sliver, Urza’s Factory

Pick: Urza’s Factory

Pack 10:




Thallid Germinator, Greenseeker, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Thunder Totem, Evil Eye of Urborg

Pick: Thunder Totem

Pack 11:




Spinneret Sliver, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Tectonic Fiend

Pick: Thrill of the Hunt

Pack 12:

Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Molder, Children of Korlis, Primal Forcemage

Pick: Molder

Pack 13:

Foriysian Interceptor, Detainment Spell, Saltcrusted Steppe

Pick: Saltcrusted Steppe

Pack 14:

Foriysian Interceptor, Voidmage Husher

Pick: Foriysian Interceptor

Pack 15:

Children of Korlis

Pick: Children of Korlis

Pack 16:










Urborg Syphon-Mage, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Thallid Germinator, Snapback, Rift Bolt, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Bewilder, Call to the Netherworld, Cyclopean Giant, Griffin Guide, Premature Burial, Conflagrate, Hypergenesis, *, Opal Guardian

Pick: Griffin Guide

Pack 17:










Gemhide Sliver, Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Coal Stoker, Coral Trickster, Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Chronatog Totem, Spirit Loop, Cavalry Master, Magus of the Jar, Mirari

Pick: Cavalry Master

Pack 18:










Bonesplitter Sliver, Tendrils of Corruption, Think Twice, Errant Doomsayers, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit, Telekinetic Sliver, Assembly-Worker, Mangara of Corondor, Consecrate Land

Pick: Mangara of Corondor

Pack 19:







Urborg Syphon-Mage, Snapback, Aether Web, Drudge Reavers, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Wipe Away, Chronatog Totem, Scion of the Ur-Dragon, Reiterate

Pick: Snapback

Pack 20:







Mindstab, Slipstream Serpent, Gorgon Recluse, Spiketail Drakeling, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Gustcloak Cavalier, Pendelhaven Elder, Vesuva

Pick: Slipstream Serpent

Pack 21:







Flamecore Elemental, Feebleness, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Two-Headed Sliver, Locket of Yesterdays, Weatherseed Totem, Jasmine Boreal

Pick: Jasmine Boreal

Pack 22:







Deathspore Thallid, Tolarian Sentinel, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Shadow Sliver, Bogardan Rager, Traitor’s Clutch, Fungal Reaches, Moorish Cavalry

Pick: Moorish Cavalry

Pack 23:




Drudge Reavers, Cancel, Pentarch Ward, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug, Krosan Grip, Lord of Atlantis

Pick: Pentarch Ward

Pack 24:




Cloudchaser Kestrel, Thallid Germinator, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Bewilder, Call to the Netherworld, Cyclopean Giant, Hypergenesis

Pick: Cloudchaser Kestrel

Pack 25:




Mindstab, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Chronatog Totem, Magus of the Jar

Pick: Magus of the Jar

Pack 26:




Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Chameleon Blur, Assembly-Worker, Consecrate Land

Pick: Consecrate Land

Pack 27:

Drudge Reavers, Ancient Grudge, Call to the Netherworld, Scion of the Ur-Dragon

Pick: Scion of the Ur-Dragon

Pack 28:

Mindstab, Brass Gnat, Pendelhaven Elder

Pick: Pendelhaven Elder

Pack 29:

Clockspinning, Locket of Yesterdays

Pick: Locket of Yesterdays

Pack 30:

Traitor’s Clutch

Pick: Traitor’s Clutch

Pack 31:










Errant Doomsayers, Corpulent Corpse, Viscerid Deepwalker, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Search for Tomorrow, Icatian Crier, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Sage of Epityr, Sudden Death, Careful Consideration, Volcanic Awakening, Demonic Collusion, Uthden Troll, Thick-Skinned Goblin

Pick: Careful Consideration

Pack 32:










Goblin Skycutter, Cancel, Penumbra Spider, Pentarch Ward, Assassinate, Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Ghitu Firebreathing, Might of Old Krosa, Truth or Tale, Greater Gargadon, Flying Men

Pick: Greater Gargadon

Pack 33:










Deathspore Thallid, Herd Gnarr, Venser’s Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, D’Avenant Healer, Evil Eye of Urborg, Barbed Shocker, Duskrider Peregrine, Squall Line, Scragnoth, Cloudchaser Kestrel

Pick: Duskrider Peregrine

Pack 34:







Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, D’Avenant Healer, Glass Asp, Prismatic Lens, Ground Rift, Dread Return, Fool’s Demise, Phyrexian Totem, Thelon of Havenwood, Desolation Giant, Mountain

Pick: Desolation Giant

Pack 35:







Scarwood Treefolk, Orcish Cannonade, Keldon Halberdier, Mana Skimmer, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Dementia Sliver, Dread Return

Pick: Orcish Cannonade

Pack 36:







Flamecore Elemental, Mana Skimmer, Feebleness, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Two-Headed Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Gustcloak Cavalier, Fungal Reaches, Cavalry Master

Pick: Cavalry Master

Pack 37:







Assassinate, Thallid Germinator, Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Subterranean Shambler, Cyclopean Giant, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode, Fool’s Demise

Pick: Ironclaw Buzzardiers

Pack 38:




Pentarch Ward, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Momentary Blink, Ancient Grudge, Aspect of Mongoose, Angel’s Grace

Pick: Momentary Blink

Pack 39:




Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Icatian Crier, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Sage of Epityr, Volcanic Awakening, Demonic Collusion

Pick: Ironclaw Buzzardiers

Pack 40:




Pentarch Ward, Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm, Sage of Epityr, Ghitu Firebreathing, Truth or Tale

Pick: Havenwood Wurm

Pack 41:




Venser’s Sliver, Clockspinning, Sangrophage, Barbed Shocker, Cloudchaser Kestrel

Pick: Cloudchaser Kestrel

Pack 42:

Gaze of Justice, Ground Rift, Dread Return, Fool’s Demise

Pick: Dread Return

Pack 43:

Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Molder

Pick: Molder

Pack 44:

Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Shadow Sliver

Pick: Mwonvuli Acid-Moss

Pack 45:

Cyclopean Giant

Pick: Cyclopean Giant

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

1 Moorish Cavalry [FOIL]
1 Witch Hunter
1 Benalish Cavalry
2 Cavalry Master
1 Celestial Crusader
1 Cloudchaser Kestrel
1 Cloudchaser Kestrel [FOIL]
1 Duskrider Peregrine
1 Griffin Guide
1 Icatian Crier
1 Ivory Giant
1 Mangara of Corondor
1 Pentarch Paladin
1 Zealot il-Vec
1 Desolation Giant
1 Greater Gargadon
1 Orcish Cannonade
1 Havenwood Wurm
1 Thrill of the Hunt
1 Chromatic Star
1 Thunder Totem
1 Jasmine Boreal
2 Forest
5 Mountain
9 Plains
1 Saltcrusted Steppe

Sideboard:

1 Careful Consideration
1 Children of Korlis
1 Consecrate Land
1 Cyclopean Giant
1 Dread Return
1 Foriysian Interceptor
2 Ironclaw Buzzardiers
1 Locket of Yesterdays
1 Magus of the Jar
2 Molder
1 Momentary Blink
1 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
1 Pendelhaven Elder
1 Pentarch Ward
1 Scion of the Ur-Dragon
1 Slipstream Serpent
1 Snapback
1 Traitor’s Clutch
1 Urza’s Factory


I took Pentarch Paladin first even though the only good cards in the pack were White because it’s so much more powerful than any of the other options available to me. I took Witch Hunter second with the hope that the Tendrils of Despair or Careful Consideration could get some of the people directly behind me out of White. I continued taking mostly White cards through packs one and two because I never really got a chance to get into a second color. The third pack gave me some direction with a Greater Gargadon and Desolation Giant fitting perfectly into my deck. Since I didn’t find a second color until so late I ended up a few cards short and had to splash a third color, but that wasn’t a big problem since I had a couple of manafixers.

I won the first round. Pierre Canali timed out because he was (apparently) having cybersex on the side; at least, that’s what he told me. In the second round I mulliganed three times in two games and lost badly with two absolutely miserable draws.

Until tomorrow,

Rich

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