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Drafting With Rich – TPF #30

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:










Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Temporal Eddy, Tendrils of Corruption, Lightning Axe, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Sudden Shock, Scryb Ranger, Quilled Sliver, Gemstone Caverns, Psionic Blast

Pick: Psionic Blast

Pack 2:










Deathspore Thallid, Tolarian Sentinel, Benalish Cavalry, Orcish Cannonade, Errant Ephemeron, Two-Headed Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Assembly-Worker, Pendelhaven Elder, Vampiric Sliver, Ovinomancer

Pick: Errant Ephemeron

Pack 3:










Snapback, Aether Web, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Drudge Reavers, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit, Might of Old Krosa, Weatherseed Totem, Lotus Bloom, Nicol Bolas, Prismatic Lens

Pick: Prismatic Lens

Pack 4:







Nantuko Shaman, Gorgon Recluse, Spiketail Drakeling, Scarwood Treefolk, Orcish Cannonade, Venser’s Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, Spirit Loop, Wipe Away, Gaea’s Liege

Pick: Spiketail Drakeling

Pack 5:







Dark Withering, Strength in Numbers, Zealot il-Vec, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Greenseeker, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Undying Rage, Urza’s Factory, Truth or Tale

Pick: Dark Withering

Pack 6:







Mana Skimmer, D’Avenant Healer, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Prismatic Lens, Aspect of Mongoose, Fungal Reaches, Vesuva, Twisted Abomination

Pick: Twisted Abomination

Pack 7:







Pentarch Ward, Assassinate, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Thunder Totem, Fool’s Demise, Mirari, Angel’s Grace

Pick: Assassinate

Pack 8:




Chromatic Star, Gorgon Recluse, Clockspinning, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Paradise Plume, Dread Return, Mountain

Pick: Gorgon Recluse

Pack 9:




Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Sprout, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Quilled Sliver, Gemstone Caverns

Pick: Pit Keeper

Pack 10:




Two-Headed Sliver, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Assembly-Worker, Pendelhaven Elder

Pick: Assembly-Worker

Pack 11:




Aether Web, Drudge Reavers, Mindlash Sliver, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit

Pick: Drudge Reavers

Pack 12:

Venser’s Sliver, Clockspinning, Sangrophage, Spirit Loop

Pick: Venser’s Sliver

Pack 13:

Foriysian Interceptor, Drifter il-Dal, Truth or Tale

Pick: Truth or Tale

Pack 14:

Two-Headed Sliver, Aspect of Mongoose

Pick: Aspect of Mongoose

Pack 15:

Detainment Spell

Pick: Detainment Spell

Pack 16:










Stingscourger, Whitemane Lion, Erratic Mutation, Midnight Charm, Needlepeak Spider, Evolution Charm, Shade of Trokair, Fury Charm, Sinew Sliver, Rathi Trapper, Simian Spirit Guide, Rough / Tumble, Pouncing Wurm, Riptide Pilferer, Fungal Behemoth

Pick: Rathi Trapper

Pack 17:










Stingscourger, Saltfield Recluse, Veiling Oddity, Midnight Charm, Shaper Parasite, Blightspeaker, Ghost Tactician, Fury Charm, Bog Serpent, Skirk Shaman, Essence Warden, Treacherous Urge, Sulfur Elemental, Braids, Conjurer Adept

Pick: Shaper Parasite

Pack 18:










Needlepeak Spider, Mire Boa, Dreamscape Artist, Aven Riftwatcher, Brain Gorgers, Fury Charm, Wistful Thinking, Citanul Woodreaders, Healing Leaves, Primal Plasma, Hunting Wilds, Timebender, Body Double

Pick: Dreamscape Artist

Pack 19:







Reflex Sliver, Poultice Sliver, Firefright Mage, Pallid Mycoderm, Uktabi Drake, Essence Warden, Mana Tithe, Bog Serpent, Dormant Sliver, Stormfront Riders, Mycologist, Temporal Extortion

Pick: Bog Serpent

Pack 20:







Veiling Oddity, Synchronous Sliver, Dawn Charm, Deadly Grub, Dust Corona, Reality Acid, Blightspeaker, Piracy Charm, Healing Leaves, Tidewalker, Treacherous Urge

Pick: Blightspeaker

Pack 21:







Reflex Sliver, Whitemane Lion, Saltfield Recluse, Dash Hopes, Vitaspore Thallid, Gossamer Phantasm, Bog Serpent, Revered Dead, Big Game Hunter, Timecrafting

Pick: Big Game Hunter

Pack 22:







Vitaspore Thallid, Deadly Grub, Aquamorph Entity, Firefright Mage, Piracy Charm, Fa’adiyah Seer, Rebuff the Wicked, Auramancer’s Guise, Dunerider Outlaw

Pick: Aquamorph Entity

Pack 23:




Utopia Vow, Reality Acid, Deadly Grub, Merfolk Thaumaturgist, Vampiric Link, Dismal Failure, Porphyry Nodes, Riptide Pilferer

Pick: Dismal Failure

Pack 24:




Whitemane Lion, Midnight Charm, Needlepeak Spider, Fury Charm, Simian Spirit Guide, Riptide Pilferer, Fungal Behemoth

Pick: Midnight Charm

Pack 25:




Midnight Charm, Blightspeaker, Ghost Tactician, Fury Charm, Bog Serpent, Braids, Conjurer Adept

Pick: Blightspeaker

Pack 26:




Brain Gorgers, Fury Charm, Wistful Thinking, Healing Leaves, Timebender

Pick: Timebender

Pack 27:

Reflex Sliver, Firefright Mage, Dormant Sliver, Mycologist

Pick: Dormant Sliver

Pack 28:

Dust Corona, Reality Acid, Tidewalker

Pick: Reality Acid

Pack 29:

Dash Hopes, Vitaspore Thallid

Pick: Dash Hopes

Pack 30:

Auramancer’s Guise

Pick: Auramancer’s Guise

Pack 31:










Putrid Cyclops, Augur il-Vec, Ichor Slick, Petrified Plating, Bogardan Lancer, Venser’s Diffusion, Lumithread Field, Mesmeric Sliver, Deepcavern Imp, Flowstone Embrace, Nessian Courser, Cyclical Evolution, Sliversmith, Chronomantic Escape, Pact of Negation

Pick: Ichor Slick

Pack 32:










Unblinking Bleb, Llanowar Augur, Venser’s Diffusion, Judge Unworthy, Kavu Primarch, Lumithread Field, Grinning Ignus, Edge of Autumn, Deepcavern Imp, Fomori Nomad, Ravaging Riftwurm, Lost Auramancers, Delay, Heartwood Storyteller

Pick: Deepcavern Imp

Pack 33:










Oblivion Crown, Saltskitter, Cutthroat il-Dal, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Sarcomite Myr, Death Rattle, Homing Sliver, Edge of Autumn, Lymph Sliver, Cloudseeder, Skirk Ridge Exhumer, Llanowar Reborn, Slaughter Pact

Pick: Slaughter Pact

Pack 34:







Grave Peril, Marshaling Cry, Kavu Primarch, Emberwilde Augur, Henchfiend of Ukor, Whip-Spine Drake, Lymph Sliver, Homing Sliver, Grave Scrabbler, Stronghold Rats, New Benalia, Shivan Sand-Mage

Pick: Whip-Spine Drake

Pack 35:







Judge Unworthy, Leaden Fists, Quiet Disrepair, Saltskitter, Patrician’s Scorn, Sarcomite Myr, Henchfiend of Ukor, Death Rattle, Blind Phantasm, Pooling Venom, Tolaria West

Pick: Death Rattle

Pack 36:







Gift of Granite, Quiet Disrepair, Rift Elemental, Augur il-Vec, Llanowar Empath, Patrician’s Scorn, Logic Knot, Grave Scrabbler, Mystic Speculation, Jhoira of the Ghitu

Pick: Grave Scrabbler

Pack 37:







Leaden Fists, Gift of Granite, Augur of Skulls, Lost Hours, Petrified Plating, Frenzy Sliver, Mesmeric Sliver, New Benalia, Gibbering Descent

Pick: Augur of Skulls

Pack 38:




Oblivion Crown, Cutthroat il-Dal, Logic Knot, Vedalken Aethermage, Virulent Sliver, Frenzy Sliver, Sparkspitter, Cyclical Evolution

Pick: Cutthroat il-Dal

Pack 39:




Petrified Plating, Bogardan Lancer, Venser’s Diffusion, Mesmeric Sliver, Cyclical Evolution, Sliversmith, Chronomantic Escape

Pick: Venser’s Diffusion

Pack 40:




Unblinking Bleb, Llanowar Augur, Venser’s Diffusion, Ravaging Riftwurm, Delay, Heartwood Storyteller

Pick: Delay

Pack 41:




Oblivion Crown, Saltskitter, Cutthroat il-Dal, Homing Sliver, Lymph Sliver

Pick: Cutthroat il-Dal

Pack 42:

Grave Peril, Homing Sliver, Grave Scrabbler, New Benalia

Pick: Grave Scrabbler

Pack 43:

Saltskitter, Patrician’s Scorn, Pooling Venom

Pick: Pooling Venom

Pack 44:

Gift of Granite, Quiet Disrepair

Pick: Quiet Disrepair

Pack 45:

*

Pick: *

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

8 Island
9 Swamp
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Midnight Charm
1 Augur of Skulls
2 Blightspeaker
1 Dreamscape Artist
1 Prismatic Lens [FOIL]
1 Rathi Trapper
1 Psionic Blast [FOIL]
1 Assassinate
1 Big Game Hunter
1 Deepcavern Imp
1 Ichor Slick
1 Shaper Parasite
1 Spiketail Drakeling
1 Aquamorph Entity
1 Dismal Failure
1 Gorgon Recluse
1 Whip-Spine Drake
1 Twisted Abomination
1 Dark Withering
1 Death Rattle
1 Errant Ephemeron

Sideboard:

1 Aspect of Mongoose
1 Assembly-Worker
1 Auramancer’s Guise
1 Bog Serpent
2 Cutthroat il-Dal
1 Dash Hopes
1 Delay
1 Detainment Spell
1 Dormant Sliver
1 Drudge Reavers
1 Frenzy Sliver
2 Grave Scrabbler
1 Pit Keeper
1 Pooling Venom
1 Quiet Disrepair
1 Reality Acid
1 Timebender
1 Truth or Tale
1 Venser’s Diffusion
1 Venser’s Sliver


I think Lightning Axe is slightly better than Psionic Blast, but the Blast was foil so I had to take it. With the second pick Ephemeron, I was very glad I did. From there I got into Black, which was wide open, and ended up with a pretty good deck. I like to get more madness outlets so that I can play Grave Scrabblers in my Blue/Black decks, but they just weren’t there. I think that Piracy Charm is generally better than Aquamorph Entity, but this deck just wanted a dude it could play in the midgame. The other reason I didn’t take Piracy Charm was that I thought some Midnight Charms were going to come back, and they do essentially the same thing


Round 1 I played against a good Blue/White deck. Game one he had a quick start and I was without Blue mana for most of the game so I just died when he played and flashbacked Marshalling Cry on consecutive turns when he already had a significant board advantage. Game 2 I again fell behind early, but I was able to get my rebel engine going, as well as using Shaper Parasite to hold him off while my Errant Ephemeron went to work. Game 3 he had another good curve, but I had Shaper Parasite to kill his Zealot il-Vec which was keeping my Blightspeaker and Augur of Skulls in hand. Once my Ephemeron came in I started to take over. He had Leaden Fists for the Ephemeron, but I was able to stall his attack and ping him to death with the Blightspeakers, with a Psionic Blast to finish him off.


Round 2 I played against another Blue/White deck, this time splashing Red for some removal. Game 1 he got me pretty good with Even the Odds on my Augur of Skulls, when I stupidly played a spell before combat, but it wouldn’t have been relevant as he cast Crovax a couple turns later, and I had no answers. Game 2 I got ahead early, but he had Even the Odds again to slow me down. The game bogged down into a state of me attacking each turn with Twisted Abomination, while he used things like Reality Strobe, Whitemane Lions, and chump blockers to hold it off, while my Gorgon Recluse held him off. Eventually he ran out of resources and the Abomination got him. Game 3 he mulliganed on the play, and drew from the bad half of his deck, so he had very little action, while I had Spiketail Drakeling and Gorgon Recluse attacking into nothing, with two removal spells and a counter to back them up when he conceded.


I split the finals in order to draft again.


Rich

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