Draft:
Pack 1:
Gorgon Recluse, Herd Gnarr, Fortify, Coal Stoker, Deathspore Thallid, Children of Korlis, Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Skittering Monstrosity, Spirit Loop, Sudden Death, Stuffy Doll, Defiant Vanguard
Pick: Stuffy Doll
Pack 2:
Empty the Warrens, Icatian Crier, Bonesplitter Sliver, Tendrils of Corruption, Penumbra Spider, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Jhoira’s Timebug, Voidmage Husher, Faceless Devourer, Molten Slagheap, Gemstone Caverns, Mindless Automaton
Pick: Mindless Automaton
Pack 3:
Keldon Halberdier, Mana Skimmer, Chromatic Star, Looter il-Kor, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Gustcloak Cavalier, Spell Burst, Phthisis, Stonewood Invocation, Dragon Whelp
Pick: Dragon Whelp
Pack 4:
Gorgon Recluse, Scarwood Treefolk, Orcish Cannonade, Ground Rift, Eternity Snare, Skulking Knight, Sidewinder Sliver, Dementia Sliver, Paradise Plume, Opaline Sliver, Magus of the Mirror, Voidmage Prodigy
Pick: Orcish Cannonade
Pack 5:
Temporal Eddy, Mogg War Marshal, Drudge Reavers, Drifter il-Dal, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Wipe Away, Basalt Gargoyle, Primal Forcemage, Wheel of Fate, Tormod’s Crypt
Pick: Basalt Gargoyle
Pack 6:
Empty the Warrens, Strength in Numbers, Errant Doomsayers, Corpulent Corpse, Ghitu Firebreathing, Greenseeker, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Ignite Memories, Fungus Sliver
Pick: Empty the Warrens
Pack 7:
Errant Doomsayers, Aether Web, Jedit’s Dragoons, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Ghostflame Sliver, Calciform Pools, Spell Burst
Pick: Ghostflame Sliver
Pack 8:
Ivory Giant, Bogardan Rager, Traitor’s Clutch, D’Avenant Healer, Glass Asp, Fallen Ideal, Firewake Sliver, Kher Keep
Pick: Bogardan Rager
Pack 9:
Gorgon Recluse, Children of Korlis, Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Wormwood Dryad, Skittering Monstrosity, Spirit Loop
Pick: Gorgon Recluse
Pack 10:
Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Jhoira’s Timebug, Faceless Devourer, Molten Slagheap
Pick: Faceless Devourer
Pack 11:
Mana Skimmer, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Gustcloak Cavalier
Pick: Mana Skimmer
Pack 12:
Ground Rift, Sidewinder Sliver, Dementia Sliver, Paradise Plume
Pick: Paradise Plume
Pack 13:
Drudge Reavers, Drifter il-Dal, Basal Sliver
Pick: Basal Sliver
Pack 14:
Ghitu Firebreathing, Divine Congregation
Pick: Ghitu Firebreathing
Pack 15:
Pick: Ancient Grudge
Pack 16:
Spitting Sliver, Veiling Oddity, Synchronous Sliver, Giant Dustwasp, Deadly Grub, Citanul Woodreaders, Brain Gorgers, Keldon Marauders, Seal of Primordium, Bog Serpent, Rathi Trapper, Timecrafting, Pouncing Wurm, Blood Knight, Extirpate
Pick: Rathi Trapper
Pack 17:
Poultice Sliver, Spitting Sliver, Veiling Oddity, Synchronous Sliver, Wistful Thinking, Keldon Marauders, Dash Hopes, Shade of Trokair, Seal of Primordium, Bog Serpent, Rathi Trapper, Lavacore Elemental, Dismal Failure, Porphyry Nodes
Pick: Rathi Trapper
Pack 18:
Erratic Mutation, Cradle to Grave, Reflex Sliver, Dreamscape Artist, Uktabi Drake, Deadly Grub, Dust Corona, Prodigal Pyromancer, Vampiric Link, Piracy Charm, Cautery Sliver, Lavacore Elemental, Spellshift
Pick: Prodigal Pyromancer
Pack 19:
Dreamscape Artist, Aven Riftwatcher, Dead / Gone, Reflex Sliver, Uktabi Drake, Ghost Tactician, Firefright Mage, Piracy Charm, Skirk Shaman, Revered Dead, Mantle of Leadership, Cautery Sliver
Pick: Dead / Gone
Pack 20:
Synchronous Sliver, Needlepeak Spider, Dreamscape Artist, Aquamorph Entity, Firefright Mage, Blightspeaker, Ghost Tactician, Mana Tithe, Vampiric Link, Stormfront Riders, Frenetic Sliver
Pick: Blightspeaker
Pack 21:
Poultice Sliver, Ridged Kusite, Erratic Mutation, Reality Acid, Shade of Trokair, Essence Warden, Gossamer Phantasm, Dismal Failure, Tidewalker, Shrouded Lore
Pick: Shrouded Lore
Pack 22:
Reflex Sliver, Midnight Charm, Fury Charm, Vitaspore Thallid, Deadly Grub, Primal Plasma, Skirk Shaman, Phantasmagorian, Hunting Wilds
Pick: Midnight Charm
Pack 23:
Reflex Sliver, Poultice Sliver, Fury Charm, Reality Acid, Piracy Charm, Skirk Shaman, Revered Dead, Auramancer’s Guise
Pick: Skirk Shaman
Pack 24:
Veiling Oddity, Synchronous Sliver, Deadly Grub, Brain Gorgers, Keldon Marauders, Bog Serpent, Timecrafting
Pick: Bog Serpent
Pack 25:
Poultice Sliver, Synchronous Sliver, Wistful Thinking, Dash Hopes, Seal of Primordium, Lavacore Elemental
Pick: Lavacore Elemental
Pack 26:
Reflex Sliver, Deadly Grub, Dust Corona, Lavacore Elemental, Spellshift
Pick: Spellshift
Pack 27:
Reflex Sliver, Ghost Tactician, Firefright Mage, Mantle of Leadership
Pick: Firefright Mage
Pack 28:
Dreamscape Artist, Ghost Tactician, Frenetic Sliver
Pick: Frenetic Sliver
Pack 29:
Pick: Tidewalker
Pack 30:
Pick: Reflex Sliver
Pack 31:
Gathan Raiders, Llanowar Augur, Augur of Skulls, Sprout Swarm, Samite Censer-Bearer, Sarcomite Myr, Death Rattle, Homing Sliver, Edge of Autumn, Lymph Sliver, Blind Phantasm, Imperiosaur, Chronomantic Escape, Delay, Tombstalker
Pick: Gathan Raiders
Pack 32:
Gift of Granite, Augur of Skulls, Lost Hours, Fatal Attraction, Henchfiend of Ukor, Thornweald Archer, Death Rattle, Blind Phantasm, Lumithread Field, Grinning Ignus, Llanowar Mentor, Sword of the Meek, Spirit en-Dal, Bitter Ordeal
Pick: Death Rattle
Pack 33:
Saltskitter, Cutthroat il-Dal, Llanowar Augur, Homing Sliver, Grave Scrabbler, Lumithread Field, Mesmeric Sliver, Deepcavern Imp, Pooling Venom, Keldon Megaliths, Sparkspitter, Darksteel Garrison, Knight of Sursi
Pick: Keldon Megaliths
Pack 34:
Aven Augur, Bogardan Lancer, Grave Peril, Wrap in Vigor, Virulent Sliver, Mass of Ghouls, Vedalken Aethermage, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Festering March, Soultether Golem, Haze of Rage, Muraganda Petroglyphs
Pick: Festering March
Pack 35:
Samite Censer-Bearer, Putrid Cyclops, Rift Elemental, Llanowar Empath, Sporoloth Ancient, Grinning Ignus, Mass of Ghouls, Lucent Liminid, Thornweald Archer, Riftsweeper, Mystic Speculation
Pick: Grinning Ignus
Pack 36:
Venser’s Diffusion, Oblivion Crown, Saltskitter, Cutthroat il-Dal, Mesmeric Sliver, Deepcavern Imp, Nessian Courser, Bonded Fetch, Snake Cult Initiation, Skizzik Surger
Pick: Skizzik Surger
Pack 37:
Petrified Plating, Quiet Disrepair, Saltskitter, Deepcavern Imp, Fomori Nomad, Logic Knot, Lucent Liminid, Pooling Venom, Keldon Megaliths
Pick: Keldon Megaliths
Pack 38:
Lost Hours, Wrap in Vigor, Frenzy Sliver, Mesmeric Sliver, Patrician’s Scorn, Minions’ Murmurs, Tolaria West, Char-Rumbler
Pick: Char-Rumbler
Pack 39:
Llanowar Augur, Augur of Skulls, Samite Censer-Bearer, Sarcomite Myr, Homing Sliver, Chronomantic Escape, Delay
Pick: Augur of Skulls
Pack 40:
Gift of Granite, Lost Hours, Blind Phantasm, Grinning Ignus, Spirit en-Dal, Bitter Ordeal
Pick: Bitter Ordeal
Pack 41:
Cutthroat il-Dal, Llanowar Augur, Homing Sliver, Mesmeric Sliver, Pooling Venom
Pick: Cutthroat il-Dal
Pack 42:
Bogardan Lancer, Virulent Sliver, Mass of Ghouls, Vedalken Aethermage
Pick: Mass of Ghouls
Pack 43:
Samite Censer-Bearer, Putrid Cyclops, Rift Elemental
Pick: Putrid Cyclops
Pack 44:
*, *
Pick: *
Pack 45:
*
Pick: *
Final Decklist:
Maindeck:
1 Dead // Gone
1 Midnight Charm
1 Augur of Skulls
1 Blightspeaker
1 Ghostflame Sliver
2 Rathi Trapper
1 Basalt Gargoyle
1 Grinning Ignus
1 Orcish Cannonade
1 Prodigal Pyromancer
1 Skirk Shaman
1 Dragon Whelp
1 Mindless Automaton
1 Cutthroat il-Dal
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Mana Skimmer
1 Festering March
1 Gathan Raiders
1 Gorgon Recluse
1 Stuffy Doll
1 Death Rattle
1 Skizzik Surger
7 Mountain
8 Swamp
2 Keldon Megaliths
Sideboard:
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Basal Sliver
1 Bitter Ordeal
1 Bog Serpent
1 Bogardan Rager
1 Char-Rumbler
1 Faceless Devourer
1 Firefright Mage
1 Frenetic Sliver
1 Ghitu Firebreathing
1 Lavacore Elemental
1 Mass of Ghouls
1 Paradise Plume
1 Putrid Cyclops
1 Quiet Disrepair
1 Reflex Sliver
1 Shrouded Lore
1 Snake Cult Initiation
1 Spellshift
1 Swamp
1 Tidewalker
I decided to take artifacts with my couple picks to leave my options open. This left me set up well to get the Red and Black cards that came through, despite having passed some good Black cards with my first few picks. This draft proved to me how good Empty the Warrens is. I think it’s become nearly as good as it is in Two-Headed Giant. The lowly Grinning Ignus combos so well with it that it’s hard to lose any game in which you draw both of them and a few Mountains.
In round 1 I played against a very mediocre Green/Black deck, played by someone who would likely be much more at home in the 4322 queue. In the first game I was short on lands thanks to his Acid-Moss, but I drew out of it in time to win with Dragon Whelp. Game 2 he played Grave Peril on turn 2, and eventually had to break it with his own Greenseeker since I just played Blightspeaker and got both of the Rathi Trappers. After that he played some big creatures, but the Trappers handled them while my other creatures killed him.
Round 2 was a close one. I played Trappers on turns 2 and 3 of game 1, but I didn’t have enough mana to use them and cast spells, which became problematic when his Giant Dustwasp and Durkwood Baloth came in on turn 6, to join the other fatties he’d played. I put up a fight, but eventually died to a Leaden Fists on his Baloth when I thought I had another turn. My Death Rattle sat uselessly in my hand the entire game. Game 2 I had a good start with Trapper, Pyromancer, Mass of Ghouls, and Stuffy Doll, but those were the only spells I drew until about turn 10. I couldn’t even get the lands out of my hand fast enough to use the Keldon Megaliths I played turn 1. Fortunately he was having mana troubles of his own, and wasn’t casting very much. Eventually I drew some spells and the combination of Pyromancer, Stuffy, and the Megaliths took him down. Game 3 he had turn 1 Baloth again, but I was able to hold him off with Rathi Trapper and Basalt Gargoyle until I could make ten tokens with Empty the Warrens. A couple alpha strikes later the game was over.
I split the finals because I needed some sleep
Until Monday,
Rich
Draft recording done by Blargware‘s MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!