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Drafting With Rich – TPF #24

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:










Dark Withering, Goblin Skycutter, Crookclaw Transmuter, Strength in Numbers, Zealot il-Vec, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Phyrexian Totem, Telekinetic Sliver, Truth or Tale, Unyaro Bees, Browbeat

Pick: Strength in Numbers

Pack 2:










Drudge Reavers, Crookclaw Transmuter, Empty the Warrens, Strength in Numbers, Errant Doomsayers, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Clockwork Hydra, Fledgling Mawcor, Brine Elemental, Liege of the Pit, Ghost Ship

Pick: Clockwork Hydra

Pack 3:










Corpulent Corpse, Viscerid Deepwalker, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Icatian Crier, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Pit Keeper, Foriysian Totem, Chronatog Totem, Hypergenesis, Krosan Cloudscraper

Pick: Viscerid Deepwalker

Pack 4:







Chromatic Star, Tolarian Sentinel, Flowstone Channeler, Trespasser il-Vec, Spinneret Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, D’Avenant Healer, Wormwood Dryad, Pull from Eternity, Locket of Yesterdays

Pick: Spinneret Sliver

Pack 5:







Spiketail Drakeling, Flamecore Elemental, Mana Skimmer, Coral Trickster, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Clockspinning, Barbed Shocker, Ghostflame Sliver, Magus of the Mirror, Merfolk Assassin

Pick: Spiketail Drakeling

Pack 6:







Scarwood Treefolk, Slipstream Serpent, Gaze of Justice, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Children of Korlis, Viscid Lemures, Evil Eye of Urborg, Barbed Shocker

Pick: Slipstream Serpent

Pack 7:







Aether Web, Drudge Reavers, Jhoira’s Timebug, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Dreadship Reef, Evil Eye of Urborg, Living End

Pick: Savage Thallid

Pack 8:




Flamecore Elemental, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Venser’s Sliver, Harmonic Sliver, Durkwood Tracker, Voidmage Husher, Claws of Gix

Pick: Dream Stalker

Pack 9:




Goblin Skycutter, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Telekinetic Sliver, Truth or Tale, Unyaro Bees

Pick: Telekinetic Sliver

Pack 10:




Drudge Reavers, Crookclaw Transmuter, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder

Pick: Crookclaw Transmuter

Pack 11:




Detainment Spell, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Pit Keeper, Chronatog Totem

Pick: Chronatog Totem

Pack 12:

Clockspinning, Sangrophage, Wormwood Dryad, Locket of Yesterdays

Pick: Wormwood Dryad

Pack 13:

Two-Headed Sliver, Clockspinning, Barbed Shocker

Pick: Clockspinning

Pack 14:

Ophidian Eye, Barbed Shocker

Pick: Ophidian Eye

Pack 15:

Drudge Reavers

Pick: Drudge Reavers

Pack 16:










Saltfield Recluse, Needlepeak Spider, Poultice Sliver, Wistful Thinking, Reality Acid, Citanul Woodreaders, Pallid Mycoderm, Prodigal Pyromancer, Seal of Primordium, Mana Tithe, Serra’s Boon, Darkheart Sliver, Molten Firebird, Fungal Behemoth, Ridged Kusite

Pick: Citanul Woodreaders

Pack 17:










Erratic Mutation, Cradle to Grave, Reflex Sliver, Dreamscape Artist, Poultice Sliver, Wistful Thinking, Keldon Marauders, Dash Hopes, Piracy Charm, Essence Warden, Sunlance, Hammerheim Deadeye, Psychotrope Thallid, Torchling

Pick: Erratic Mutation

Pack 18:










Dead / Gone, Ridged Kusite, Erratic Mutation, Shade of Trokair, Vitaspore Thallid, Brain Gorgers, Fury Charm, Wistful Thinking, Gossamer Phantasm, Primal Plasma, Saltblast, Dismal Failure, Timbermare

Pick: Erratic Mutation

Pack 19:







Synchronous Sliver, Utopia Vow, Dawn Charm, Spitting Sliver, Dust Corona, Vitaspore Thallid, Dash Hopes, Gossamer Phantasm, Fa’adiyah Seer, Brute Force, Frenetic Sliver, Riptide Pilferer

Pick: Utopia Vow

Pack 20:







Whitemane Lion, Mire Boa, Utopia Vow, Veiling Oddity, Ridged Kusite, Brain Gorgers, Keldon Marauders, Ghost Tactician, Vampiric Link, Gossamer Phantasm, Lavacore Elemental

Pick: Mire Boa

Pack 21:







Mire Boa, Battering Sliver, Shade of Trokair, Uktabi Drake, Ghost Tactician, Firefright Mage, Revered Dead, Prodigal Pyromancer, Vampiric Link, Mesa Enchantress

Pick: Mire Boa

Pack 22:







Cradle to Grave, Aquamorph Entity, Evolution Charm, Brain Gorgers, Seal of Primordium, Sinew Sliver, Melancholy, Hunting Wilds, Braids, Conjurer Adept

Pick: Evolution Charm

Pack 23:




Ridged Kusite, Keldon Marauders, Dust Corona, Uktabi Drake, Brute Force, Piracy Charm, Aether Membrane, Keen Sense

Pick: Piracy Charm

Pack 24:




Needlepeak Spider, Wistful Thinking, Reality Acid, Seal of Primordium, Mana Tithe, Serra’s Boon, Fungal Behemoth

Pick: Fungal Behemoth

Pack 25:




Reflex Sliver, Wistful Thinking, Dash Hopes, Piracy Charm, Essence Warden, Psychotrope Thallid

Pick: Essence Warden

Pack 26:




Ridged Kusite, Vitaspore Thallid, Fury Charm, Wistful Thinking, Gossamer Phantasm

Pick: Gossamer Phantasm

Pack 27:

Synchronous Sliver, Dust Corona, Dash Hopes, Fa’adiyah Seer

Pick: Synchronous Sliver

Pack 28:

Ghost Tactician, Gossamer Phantasm, Lavacore Elemental

Pick: Gossamer Phantasm

Pack 29:

Ghost Tactician, Firefright Mage

Pick: Ghost Tactician

Pack 30:

Braids, Conjurer Adept

Pick: Braids, Conjurer Adept

Pack 31:










Kavu Primarch, Oblivion Crown, Emberwilde Augur, Aven Augur, Fatal Attraction, Cutthroat il-Dal, Homing Sliver, Edge of Autumn, Lymph Sliver, Blind Phantasm, Virulent Sliver, Bound in Silence, Narcomoeba, Fleshwrither, Glittering Wish

Pick: Kavu Primarch

Pack 32:










Unblinking Bleb, Llanowar Augur, Riddle of Lightning, Venser’s Diffusion, Deepcavern Imp, Flowstone Embrace, Nessian Courser, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Sarcomite Myr, Death Rattle, Witch’s Mist, Boldwyr Intimidator, Phosphorescent Feast, Rites of Flourishing

Pick: Nessian Courser

Pack 33:










Marshaling Cry, Unblinking Bleb, Lost Hours, Riddle of Lightning, Wrap in Vigor, Virulent Sliver, Frenzy Sliver, Fomori Nomad, Patrician’s Scorn, Imperiosaur, Ramosian Revivalist, Second Wind, Intervention Pact

Pick: Imperiosaur

Pack 34:







Gift of Granite, Quiet Disrepair, Foresee, Rift Elemental, Augur il-Vec, Mass of Ghouls, Vedalken Aethermage, Sporoloth Ancient, Grinning Ignus, Skizzik Surger, Centaur Omenreader, Cloud Key

Pick: Foresee

Pack 35:







Putrid Cyclops, Augur il-Vec, Petrified Plating, Bogardan Lancer, Frenzy Sliver, Mesmeric Sliver, Patrician’s Scorn, Sarcomite Myr, Storm Entity, Ramosian Revivalist, Tolaria West

Pick: Sarcomite Myr

Pack 36:







Leaden Fists, Gift of Granite, Augur of Skulls, Lost Hours, Logic Knot, Grave Scrabbler, Henchfiend of Ukor, Lymph Sliver, Storm Entity, Spellwild Ouphe

Pick: Leaden Fists

Pack 37:







Petrified Plating, Leaden Fists, Quiet Disrepair, Saltskitter, Homing Sliver, Grave Scrabbler, Lumithread Field, Mesmeric Sliver, Zoetic Cavern

Pick: Leaden Fists

Pack 38:




Llanowar Empath, Grave Peril, Marshaling Cry, Emberwilde Augur, Mass of Ghouls, Thornweald Archer, Dryad Arbor, Yixlid Jailer

Pick: Llanowar Empath

Pack 39:




Oblivion Crown, Cutthroat il-Dal, Homing Sliver, Lymph Sliver, Blind Phantasm, Virulent Sliver, Narcomoeba

Pick: Blind Phantasm

Pack 40:




Unblinking Bleb, Llanowar Augur, Deepcavern Imp, Sarcomite Myr, Witch’s Mist, Phosphorescent Feast

Pick: Unblinking Bleb

Pack 41:




Unblinking Bleb, Lost Hours, Wrap in Vigor, Virulent Sliver, Frenzy Sliver

Pick: Unblinking Bleb

Pack 42:

Quiet Disrepair, Rift Elemental, Vedalken Aethermage, Grinning Ignus

Pick: Vedalken Aethermage

Pack 43:

Petrified Plating, Frenzy Sliver, Patrician’s Scorn

Pick: Petrified Plating

Pack 44:

*, *

Pick: *

Pack 45:

*

Pick: *

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

1 Evolution Charm
2 Mire Boa
1 Spinneret Sliver
1 Strength in Numbers
1 Utopia Vow
1 Citanul Woodreaders
2 Erratic Mutation
2 Leaden Fists
1 Nessian Courser
1 Spiketail Drakeling
1 Crookclaw Transmuter
1 Foresee
1 Imperiosaur
1 Kavu Primarch
1 Llanowar Empath
1 Telekinetic Sliver
1 Clockwork Hydra
1 Synchronous Sliver
1 Viscerid Deepwalker
1 Slipstream Serpent
8 Forest
9 Island

Sideboard:

1 Blind Phantasm
1 Braids, Conjurer Adept
1 Chronatog Totem
1 Clockspinning
1 Dream Stalker
1 Drudge Reavers
1 Essence Warden
1 Fungal Behemoth
1 Ghost Tactician
2 Gossamer Phantasm
1 Henchfiend of Ukor
1 Ophidian Eye
1 Petrified Plating
1 Piracy Charm
1 Quiet Disrepair
1 Sarcomite Myr
1 Savage Thallid
2 Unblinking Bleb
1 Vedalken Aethermage
1 Wormwood Dryad


Not much to say about this draft. I got into my colors early, and stayed in them throughout. Since I got two Erratic Mutations early in pack 2, the good one-drops in Blue/Green like Essence Warden and Piracy Charm lost a lot of their value. Pack 3 wasn’t great because all the packs where I got picks had lots of cards for me, and then the other packs had next to nothing. The deck ended up reasonable, but definitely on the mediocre end of the spectrum.


Round 1 I played against a Blue/Red deck that looked like it came up a few cards short and was forced to play Sage of Epityr and Keldon Marauders. Game 1 I couldn’t draw a land past my fifth, which would have allowed me to play multiple spells in a turn, which only meant that it took me a few more turns to kill him. Game 2 he got extremely flooded, while I played around the Dismal Failure I saw in game 1.


Round 2 I played against an average White/Black deck. In the first game I had a slow draw and I was forced to trade my Kavu Primarch with his Blade of the Sixth Pride, then he had Gaze of Justice to get rid of the Clockwork Hydra that was going to destroy him. After that his Icatian Crier took over the game, and I wasn’t able to race it since I started drawing exclusively lands. Game 2 we got into a stalemate, and he won because he stopped at six lands, while I drew many more despite scrying four to the bottom with Llanowar Empath and Foresee.


Until tomorrow,


Rich

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