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Drafting With Rich – TPF #19

Draft With Rich Hoaen every day... at StarCityGames.com!
You all know the drill by now… Rich Hoaen, Canada’s finest and grumpiest draft export, takes us by the hand and drags us through the rollercoaster ride of an 8-4 TPF Draft on Magic Online. From pick 1 to pick 45, Rich shares them all, and his final deck and draft performance are analyzed in the article, the forums, and beyond. Come join in the fun!


Draft:

Pack 1:










Empty the Warrens, Icatian Crier, Bonesplitter Sliver, Tendrils of Corruption, Think Twice, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit, Ghitu Firebreathing, Opaline Sliver, Voidmage Husher, Dementia Sliver, Tivadar of Thorn, Gaea’s Blessing

Pick: Tendrils of Corruption

Pack 2:










Durkwood Baloth, Ivory Giant, Deathspore Thallid, Errant Ephemeron, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Spell Burst, Ignite Memories, Calciform Pools, Dauthi Slayer, Plains

Pick: Errant Ephemeron

Pack 3:










Coal Stoker, Tolarian Sentinel, Orcish Cannonade, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Thrill of the Hunt, Firewake Sliver, Spell Burst, Magus of the Mirror, Leviathan, Telekinetic Sliver

Pick: Coal Stoker

Pack 4:







Gemhide Sliver, Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Coal Stoker, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Paradise Plume, Primal Forcemage, Faceless Devourer, Bad Moon

Pick: Coal Stoker

Pack 5:







Errant Doomsayers, Aether Web, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Ghostflame Sliver, Gustcloak Cavalier, Academy Ruins, Resurrection

Pick: Thick-Skinned Goblin

Pack 6:







Viscerid Deepwalker, Ashcoat Bear, Search for Tomorrow, Cancel, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Thunder Totem, Fallen Ideal, Demonic Collusion

Pick: Viscerid Deepwalker

Pack 7:







Flowstone Channeler, Scarwood Treefolk, Eternity Snare, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Spirit Loop, Molten Slagheap, Basalt Gargoyle, Swamp

Pick: Basalt Gargoyle

Pack 8:




Temporal Eddy, Drudge Reavers, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Wipe Away, Skittering Monstrosity, Plains

Pick: Temporal Eddy

Pack 9:




Icatian Crier, Think Twice, Mindlash Sliver, Chameleon Blur, Ghitu Firebreathing, Voidmage Husher, Dementia Sliver

Pick: Think Twice

Pack 10:




Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Ignite Memories, Calciform Pools, Plains

Pick: Calciform Pools

Pack 11:




Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Firewake Sliver, Spell Burst, Leviathan

Pick: Spell Burst

Pack 12:

Plunder, Brass Gnat, Paradise Plume, Faceless Devourer

Pick: Paradise Plume

Pack 13:

Psychotic Episode, Gustcloak Cavalier, Academy Ruins

Pick: Academy Ruins

Pack 14:

Fallen Ideal, Demonic Collusion

Pick: Demonic Collusion

Pack 15:

Swamp

Pick: Swamp

Pack 16:










Reflex Sliver, Dreamscape Artist, Poultice Sliver, Dead / Gone, Ridged Kusite, Citanul Woodreaders, Brain Gorgers, Keldon Marauders, Sunlance, Mana Tithe, Prodigal Pyromancer, Timecrafting, Pouncing Wurm, Shrouded Lore, Braids, Conjurer Adept

Pick: Dead / Gone

Pack 17:










Battering Sliver, Whitemane Lion, Mire Boa, Utopia Vow, Veiling Oddity, Citanul Woodreaders, Firefright Mage, Pallid Mycoderm, Essence Warden, Bog Serpent, Primal Plasma, Deadwood Treefolk, Mantle of Leadership, Hedge Troll

Pick: Primal Plasma

Pack 18:










Battering Sliver, Aven Riftwatcher, Cradle to Grave, Fury Charm, Reality Acid, Deadly Grub, Rathi Trapper, Fa’adiyah Seer, Merfolk Thaumaturgist, Auramancer’s Guise, Waning Wurm, Porphyry Nodes, Stingscourger

Pick: Stingscourger

Pack 19:







Dead / Gone, Dreamscape Artist, Dawn Charm, Blightspeaker, Evolution Charm, Seal of Primordium, Essence Warden, Brute Force, Tidewalker, Frozen Aether, Heroes Remembered, Dreamscape Artist

Pick: Dead / Gone

Pack 20:







Cradle to Grave, Stingscourger, Fury Charm, Vitaspore Thallid, Deadly Grub, Aquamorph Entity, Mana Tithe, Primal Plasma, Vampiric Link, Phantasmagorian, Hunting Wilds

Pick: Stingscourger

Pack 21:







Synchronous Sliver, Dawn Charm, Mire Boa, Firefright Mage, Blightspeaker, Ghost Tactician, Skirk Shaman, Healing Leaves, Revered Dead, Frenetic Sliver

Pick: Skirk Shaman

Pack 22:







Reflex Sliver, Ghost Tactician, Wistful Thinking, Dash Hopes, Reality Acid, Healing Leaves, Dormant Sliver, Mantle of Leadership, Magus of the Coffers

Pick: Magus of the Coffers

Pack 23:




Ridged Kusite, Deadly Grub, Dust Corona, Simian Spirit Guide, Gossamer Phantasm, Cautery Sliver, Mesa Enchantress, Imp’s Mischief

Pick: Gossamer Phantasm

Pack 24:




Reflex Sliver, Poultice Sliver, Ridged Kusite, Brain Gorgers, Mana Tithe, Timecrafting, Shrouded Lore

Pick: Poultice Sliver

Pack 25:




Battering Sliver, Veiling Oddity, Firefright Mage, Pallid Mycoderm, Essence Warden, Bog Serpent

Pick: Veiling Oddity

Pack 26:




Battering Sliver, Reality Acid, Deadly Grub, Fa’adiyah Seer, Waning Wurm

Pick: Battering Sliver

Pack 27:

Dawn Charm, Seal of Primordium, Tidewalker, Frozen Aether

Pick: Frozen Aether

Pack 28:

Fury Charm, Deadly Grub, Phantasmagorian

Pick: Fury Charm

Pack 29:

Ghost Tactician, Healing Leaves

Pick: Healing Leaves

Pack 30:

Mantle of Leadership

Pick: Mantle of Leadership

Pack 31:










Kavu Primarch, Oblivion Crown, Emberwilde Augur, Aven Augur, Fatal Attraction, Cutthroat il-Dal, Nessian Courser, Grave Scrabbler, Henchfiend of Ukor, Whip-Spine Drake, Lymph Sliver, Shivan Sand-Mage, Cyclical Evolution, Sliversmith, Whetwheel

Pick: Whip-Spine Drake

Pack 32:










Venser’s Diffusion, Oblivion Crown, Saltskitter, Infiltrator il-Kor, Cutthroat il-Dal, Mass of Ghouls, Vedalken Aethermage, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Sporoloth Ancient, Grinning Ignus, Festering March, Keldon Megaliths, Ravaging Riftwurm, Horizon Canopy

Pick: Infiltrator il-Kor

Pack 33:










Llanowar Empath, Grave Peril, Marshaling Cry, Kavu Primarch, Foresee, Emberwilde Augur, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Sarcomite Myr, Death Rattle, Llanowar Reborn, Utopia Mycon, Haze of Rage, Spellweaver Volute

Pick: Foresee

Pack 34:







Grave Peril, Marshaling Cry, Kavu Primarch, Foresee, Emberwilde Augur, Deepcavern Imp, Flowstone Embrace, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Sarcomite Myr, Chronomantic Escape, Delay, Festering March

Pick: Foresee

Pack 35:







Oblivion Crown, Emberwilde Augur, Aven Augur, Cutthroat il-Dal, Logic Knot, Grave Scrabbler, Whip-Spine Drake, Lymph Sliver, Dryad Arbor, Bonded Fetch, Muraganda Petroglyphs

Pick: Whip-Spine Drake

Pack 36:







Putrid Cyclops, Petrified Plating, Bogardan Lancer, Homing Sliver, Lymph Sliver, Blind Phantasm, Virulent Sliver, Dakmor Salvage, Dust of Moments, Darksteel Garrison

Pick: Blind Phantasm

Pack 37:







Gift of Granite, Quiet Disrepair, Rift Elemental, Augur il-Vec, Grave Scrabbler, Mesmeric Sliver, Deepcavern Imp, Chronomantic Escape, Cloudseeder

Pick: Cloudseeder

Pack 38:




Gift of Granite, Quiet Disrepair, Rift Elemental, Augur il-Vec, Llanowar Empath, Homing Sliver, Grave Scrabbler, Snake Cult Initiation

Pick: Llanowar Empath

Pack 39:




Oblivion Crown, Emberwilde Augur, Cutthroat il-Dal, Grave Scrabbler, Shivan Sand-Mage, Sliversmith, Whetwheel

Pick: Whetwheel

Pack 40:




Oblivion Crown, Saltskitter, Cutthroat il-Dal, Mass of Ghouls, Grinning Ignus, Ravaging Riftwurm

Pick: Grinning Ignus

Pack 41:




Grave Peril, Emberwilde Augur, Sarcomite Myr, Llanowar Reborn, Haze of Rage

Pick: Emberwilde Augur

Pack 42:

Grave Peril, Emberwilde Augur, Sarcomite Myr, Chronomantic Escape

Pick: Emberwilde Augur

Pack 43:

Oblivion Crown, Grave Scrabbler, Dryad Arbor

Pick: Grave Scrabbler

Pack 44:

Virulent Sliver, Dakmor Salvage

Pick: Dakmor Salvage

Pack 45:

Chronomantic Escape

Pick: Chronomantic Escape

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

1 Blind Phantasm
1 Errant Ephemeron
2 Foresee
1 Infiltrator il-Kor
1 Primal Plasma
1 Temporal Eddy
1 Think Twice
1 Viscerid Deepwalker
2 Whip-Spine Drake
1 Basalt Gargoyle
2 Coal Stoker
1 Emberwilde Augur
1 Grinning Ignus
1 Skirk Shaman
1 Stingscourger
1 Stingscourger [FOIL]
1 Thick-Skinned Goblin
1 Whetwheel
2 Dead // Gone
9 Island
8 Mountain

Sideboard:

1 Academy Ruins
1 Battering Sliver
1 Calciform Pools
1 Chronomantic Escape
1 Cloudseeder
1 Dakmor Salvage
1 Demonic Collusion
1 Emberwilde Augur
1 Frozen Aether
1 Fury Charm
1 Gossamer Phantasm
1 Grave Scrabbler
1 Healing Leaves
1 Llanowar Empath
1 Magus of the Coffers
1 Mantle of Leadership
1 Paradise Plume
1 Poultice Sliver
1 Spell Burst
1 Swamp [FOIL]
1 Tendrils of Corruption
1 Veiling Oddity


This deck ended up pretty good, although I was scared I would end up short on playables for a little while. Blue/Red is usually a fairly controlling color combination, but since I had so much bounce I was forced to play this deck very aggressively. It worked well though because I had the Foresees to restock if they survived the early attack. The draft was pretty easy once I figured out that Black was cut off and Blue and Red were wide open. Future Sight bailed me out, as usual, with five excellent cards in my first five picks, then a few playables later on to finish off the deck.


Round 1 I played against a slow Green/Red deck with lots of slivers. The first game was looking good for a while. I was attacking with two Drakes and he had no blockers. I think I made a mistake that came very close to costing me this game. He was at eleven and I was at six. The board was his Battering Sliver and Llanowar Empath, and untapped Giant Dustwasp against my two Whip Spine Drakes. I had Primal Plasma, Stingscourger and Think Twice in hand. I decided to Stingscourger the Dustwasp, attack with the drakes, then make the Plasma a 3/3 to play around a pump or removal spell. This gives him more time, but I figured I should win a longer game because I have Think Twice to his one card in hand. On the extra turn I gave him he drew Needlespeak Spider to stop the Drake, but that was okay because I drew Basalt Gargoyle off one of the Think Twices. He then drew into Citanul Woodreaders, and Sudden Shock for the Gargoyle, and I was left with just lands to his board advantage. Fortunately I drew Infiltrator il-Kor just in time, and won with it the turn before he killed me. Game 2 he had a very fast draw, with Battering Sliver on turn 4, while I got quite flooded. Game 3 my draw was insane with turn 1 Deepwalker, turn 2 Infiltrator, turn 3 Gargoyle, turn 4 echo Dead, turn 5 Coal Stoker Stingscourger. Without a Sulfurous Blast or Damnation involved, that draw isn’t losing.


Round 2 I played against a Black/Red deck with tons of removal, including Pyrohemia, and very few creatures. Game 1 I got ahead early, and I didn’t think I could lose, but he drew into Pyrohemia, which killed all my creatures, and let his mediocre collection of creatures kill me while I drew tons of land. Game 2 we raced and I had Gone for his Skizzik Surger to win the race by a turn. Game 3 he got stuck on two lands for a couple turns and I finally drew a Foresee which meant he had no chance.


I split the finals because it was bedtime.


Until tomorrow,


Rich

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