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Drafting With Rich – Time Spiral #8

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:










Lightning Axe, Mogg War Marshal, Temporal Isolation, Think Twice, Ashcoat Bear, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Jedit’s Dragoons, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Faceless Devourer, Basalt Gargoyle, Firewake Sliver, Fortune Thief, Sol’kanar the Swamp King

Pick: Lightning Axe

Pack 2:










Search for Tomorrow, Corpulent Corpse, Cancel, Icatian Crier, Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug, Chameleon Blur, Subterranean Shambler, Cyclopean Giant, Celestial Crusader, Faceless Devourer, Truth or Tale, Restore Balance, Grinning Totem

Pick: Corpulent Corpse

Pack 3:










Slipstream Serpent, Castle Raptors, Gorgon Recluse, Spiketail Drakeling, Scarwood Treefolk, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Locket of Yesterdays, Quilled Sliver, Nightshade Assassin, Magus of the Jar

Pick: Nightshade Assassin

Pack 4:







Flowstone Channeler, Herd Gnarr, Trespasser il-Vec, Amrou Scout, Grapeshot, Scarwood Treefolk, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Plated Pegasus, Undertaker

Pick: Undertaker

Pack 5:







Terramorphic Expanse, Strength in Numbers, Cyclopean Giant, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Calciform Pools, Truth or Tale, Candles of Leng, Claws of Gix, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss

Pick: Terramorphic Expanse

Pack 6:







Fortify, Flamecore Elemental, D’Avenant Healer, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Prismatic Lens, Aspect of Mongoose, Skittering Monstrosity, Terramorphic Expanse

Pick: Prismatic Lens

Pack 7:







Urborg Syphon-Mage, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Quilled Sliver, Magus of the Candelabra, War Barge

Pick: Urborg Syphon-Mage

Pack 8:




Tolarian Sentinel, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Shadow Sliver, Paradise Plume, Dread Return

Pick: Dread Return

Pack 9:




Think Twice, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Jedit’s Dragoons, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Firewake Sliver

Pick: Urborg Syphon-Mage

Pack 10:




Cancel, Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug, Chameleon Blur, Cyclopean Giant, Grinning Totem

Pick: Cyclopean Giant

Pack 11:




Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Locket of Yesterdays, Quilled Sliver

Pick: Skulking Knight

Pack 12:

Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Viashino Bladescout, Molder, Plated Pegasus

Pick: Viashino Bladescout

Pack 13:

Brass Gnat, Screeching Sliver, Truth or Tale

Pick: Truth or Tale

Pack 14:

Mystical Teachings, Aspect of Mongoose

Pick: Mystical Teachings

Pack 15:

Detainment Spell

Pick: Detainment Spell

Pack 16:










Amrou Scout, Keldon Halberdier, Mana Skimmer, Durkwood Baloth, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Conflagrate, Spirit Loop, Griffin Guide, Chronosavant, Krosan Cloudscraper, Rift Bolt

Pick: Rift Bolt

Pack 17:










Slipstream Serpent, Gaze of Justice, Strangling Soot, Flamecore Elemental, Children of Korlis, Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Paradise Plume, Paradox Haze, Phantom Wurm, Gemstone Mine, Magus of the Mirror

Pick: Strangling Soot

Pack 18:










Mana Skimmer, Nantuko Shaman, Coral Trickster, Feebleness, Looter il-Kor, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Assembly-Worker, Plated Pegasus, Opaline Sliver, Wall of Roots

Pick: Feebleness

Pack 19:







Errant Ephemeron, Gemhide Sliver, Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Coal Stoker, Traitor’s Clutch, D’Avenant Healer, Glass Asp, Assembly-Worker, Pendelhaven Elder, Telekinetic Sliver, Vesuva

Pick: Coal Stoker

Pack 20:







Errant Doomsayers, Viscerid Deepwalker, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Search for Tomorrow, Ancient Grudge, Greenseeker, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Might Sliver, Conflagrate, Tivadar of Thorn

Pick: Conflagrate

Pack 21:







Bonesplitter Sliver, Think Twice, Penumbra Spider, Errant Doomsayers, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode, Jedit’s Dragoons, Sprout, Primal Forcemage, Dralnu, Lich Lord

Pick: Dralnu, Lich Lord

Pack 22:







Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Ghostflame Sliver, Pull from Eternity, Curse of the Cabal, Auratog

Pick: Ghostflame Sliver

Pack 23:




Drudge Reavers, Goblin Skycutter, Cancel, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Paradox Haze, Kobold Taskmaster

Pick: Goblin Skycutter

Pack 24:




Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Spirit Loop, Krosan Cloudscraper

Pick: Blazing Blade Askari

Pack 25:




Gaze of Justice, Children of Korlis, Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Wormwood Dryad, Paradox Haze

Pick: Viscid Lemures

Pack 26:




Clockspinning, Viscid Lemures, Assembly-Worker, Plated Pegasus, Opaline Sliver

Pick: Viscid Lemures

Pack 27:

Gaze of Justice, Traitor’s Clutch, Glass Asp, Assembly-Worker

Pick: Assembly-Worker

Pack 28:

Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Ancient Grudge, Foriysian Interceptor

Pick: Ironclaw Buzzardiers

Pack 29:

Screeching Sliver, Sprout

Pick: Sprout

Pack 30:

Call to the Netherworld

Pick: Call to the Netherworld

Pack 31:










Fathom Seer, Chromatic Star, Looter il-Kor, Gorgon Recluse, Herd Gnarr, Fortify, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Aspect of Mongoose, Fungal Reaches, Sudden Shock, Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, Browbeat

Pick: Sudden Shock

Pack 32:










Spinneret Sliver, Keldon Halberdier, Ivory Giant, Grapeshot, Mindstab, Two-Headed Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Smallpox, Saltcrusted Steppe, Foriysian Totem, Word of Seizing

Pick: Word of Seizing

Pack 33:










Icatian Crier, Dark Withering, Goblin Skycutter, Strength in Numbers, Zealot il-Vec, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Thunder Totem, Fool’s Demise, Lotus Bloom, Merfolk Assassin

Pick: Dark Withering

Pack 34:







Coral Trickster, Ivory Giant, Deathspore Thallid, Prismatic Lens, Ground Rift, Eternity Snare, Skulking Knight, Sidewinder Sliver, Fallen Ideal, Ignite Memories, Fledgling Mawcor, Merieke Ri Berit

Pick: Prismatic Lens

Pack 35:







Pentarch Ward, Bonesplitter Sliver, Viscerid Deepwalker, Amrou Seekers, Ghitu Firebreathing, Momentary Blink, Greenseeker, Pit Keeper, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Conflagrate, Teferi’s Moat

Pick: Thick-Skinned Goblin

Pack 36:







Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Jhoira’s Timebug, Urza’s Factory, Haunting Hymn, Nether Traitor, Telekinetic Sliver

Pick: Haunting Hymn

Pack 37:







Amrou Seekers, Temporal Eddy, Mogg War Marshal, Detainment Spell, Bewilder, Call to the Netherworld, Dread Return, Deep-Sea Kraken, Forest

Pick: Mogg War Marshal

Pack 38:




Chromatic Star, Tolarian Sentinel, Flowstone Channeler, Venser’s Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, Harmonic Sliver

Pick: Flowstone Channeler

Pack 39:




Fathom Seer, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Aspect of Mongoose, Fungal Reaches

Pick: Fathom Seer

Pack 40:




Mindstab, Two-Headed Sliver, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Saltcrusted Steppe

Pick: Mindstab

Pack 41:




Zealot il-Vec, Mindlash Sliver, Thunder Totem, Fool’s Demise, Merfolk Assassin

Pick: Merfolk Assassin

Pack 42:

Ground Rift, Eternity Snare, Sidewinder Sliver, Fallen Ideal

Pick: Fallen Ideal

Pack 43:

Pentarch Ward, Ghitu Firebreathing, Greenseeker

Pick: Greenseeker

Pack 44:

Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver

Pick: Mindlash Sliver

Pack 45:

Detainment Spell

Pick: Detainment Spell

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

1 Undertaker
1 Corpulent Corpse
1 Dark Withering
1 Feebleness
1 Mindstab
1 Nightshade Assassin
1 Strangling Soot
2 Urborg Syphon-Mage
1 Blazing Blade Askari
1 Coal Stoker
1 Conflagrate
1 Flowstone Channeler
1 Goblin Skycutter
1 Ironclaw Buzzardiers
1 Lightning Axe
1 Mogg War Marshal
1 Rift Bolt [FOIL]
1 Sudden Shock
1 Thick-Skinned Goblin
1 Word of Seizing
1 Prismatic Lens
1 Ghostflame Sliver
8 Mountain
8 Swamp
1 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard:

1 Assembly-Worker
1 Call to the Netherworld
1 Cyclopean Giant
2 Detainment Spell
1 Dralnu, Lich Lord
1 Dread Return
1 Fallen Ideal
1 Fathom Seer
1 Greenseeker
1 Haunting Hymn
1 Merfolk Assassin
1 Mindlash Sliver
1 Mystical Teachings
1 Prismatic Lens
1 Skulking Knight
1 Sprout
1 Truth or Tale
1 Viashino Bladescout
2 Viscid Lemures


This draft was pretty simple. I got into my preferred color combination of Black/Red with my first two picks, and never strayed. The one pick I found interesting was between Conflagrate #2 and Thick-Skinned Goblin. I like Conflagrate a great deal, but mostly because of the Flashback, which obviously gets considerably worse in multiples. I took the Goblin because I felt I needed another two-drop more than I needed another removal spell. What do you think? Is the second Conflagrate worth taking? Playing?


Oh yeah, I split the finals of this draft by beating Julien Nuijten in the first round, and the excellent Blue deck I passed in the second. My games against Julien were pretty close. In each game I he got ahead early, then I came back with Coal Stoker to gain an advantage for turns 4 and 5, then he played Griffin Guide or Verdeloth to stop my attacks, at which point I burned him out with Urborg-Syphon Mage and Conflagrate. In the second round the combination of Mindstab, and a bit of a mana flood, prevented my opponent from dealing with my dorks while I removed all his blockers. Word of Seizing on his Deep-Sea Kraken was a nice finishing touch.


Until Monday,


Rich

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