Draft:
Pack 1:
Icatian Crier, Bonesplitter Sliver, Tendrils of Corruption, Think Twice, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Telekinetic Sliver, Knight of the Holy Nimbus, Gustcloak Cavalier, Flagstones of Trokair, Whispers of the Muse, Clockspinning
Pick: Tendrils of Corruption
Pack 2:
Gemhide Sliver, Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Coal Stoker, Durkwood Baloth, Coral Trickster, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plated Pegasus, Truth or Tale, Basalt Gargoyle, Sindbad
Pick: Durkwood Baloth
Pack 3:
Herd Gnarr, Trespasser il-Vec, Amrou Scout, Grapeshot, Scarwood Treefolk, Slipstream Serpent, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Shadow Sliver, Bogardan Rager, Smallpox, Fool’s Demise, Phyrexian Totem
Pick: Trespasser il-Vec
Pack 4:
Tolarian Sentinel, Benalish Cavalry, Orcish Cannonade, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Skittering Monstrosity, Outrider en-Kor, Ith, High Arcanist, Pandemonium
Pick: Outrider en-Kor
Pack 5:
Coral Trickster, Ivory Giant, Molder, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Fungal Reaches, Krosan Grip, Spike Feeder, Mystical Teachings
Pick: Spike Feeder
Pack 6:
Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Temporal Eddy, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Celestial Crusader, Smallpox
Pick: Celestial Crusader
Pack 7:
Cloudchaser Kestrel, Drudge Reavers, Pentarch Ward, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit, Assembly-Worker, Psionic Sliver
Pick: Cloudchaser Kestrel
Pack 8:
Ashcoat Bear, Cancel, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Voidmage Husher, Icatian Javelineers
Pick: Icatian Javelineers
Pack 9:
Icatian Crier, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Gustcloak Cavalier, Flagstones of Trokair, Clockspinning
Pick: Icatian Crier
Pack 10:
Gaze of Justice, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plated Pegasus, Truth or Tale, Sindbad
Pick: Gaze of Justice
Pack 11:
Scarwood Treefolk, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Shadow Sliver, Fool’s Demise
Pick: Thrill of the Hunt
Pack 12:
Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Brass Gnat, Skittering Monstrosity
Pick: Thrill of the Hunt
Pack 13:
Molder, Children of Korlis, Sangrophage
Pick: Molder
Pack 14:
Pick: Sprout
Pack 15:
Pick: Mindlash Sliver
Pack 16:
Mire Boa, Utopia Vow, Ridged Kusite, Saltfield Recluse, Wistful Thinking, Citanul Woodreaders, Firefright Mage, Seal of Primordium, Healing Leaves, Simian Spirit Guide, Lavacore Elemental, Deadwood Treefolk, Gaea’s Anthem, Fatal Frenzy, Rebuff the Wicked
Pick: Mire Boa
Pack 17:
Needlepeak Spider, Poultice Sliver, Giant Dustwasp, Pallid Mycoderm, Uktabi Drake, Dust Corona, Reality Acid, Gossamer Phantasm, Bog Serpent, Revered Dead, Serra’s Boon, Darkheart Sliver, Ovinize, Phantasmagorian
Pick: Giant Dustwasp
Pack 18:
Cradle to Grave, Reflex Sliver, Dreamscape Artist, Poultice Sliver, Keldon Marauders, Ghost Tactician, Wistful Thinking, Piracy Charm, Fa’adiyah Seer, Sinew Sliver, Hammerheim Deadeye, Psychotrope Thallid, Reckless Wurm
Pick: Sinew Sliver
Pack 19:
Battering Sliver, Aven Riftwatcher, Evolution Charm, Reality Acid, Deadly Grub, Citanul Woodreaders, Brain Gorgers, Sinew Sliver, Rathi Trapper, Simian Spirit Guide, Big Game Hunter, Keen Sense
Pick: Sinew Sliver
Pack 20:
Synchronous Sliver, Utopia Vow, Dawn Charm, Spitting Sliver, Blightspeaker, Ghost Tactician, Fury Charm, Piracy Charm, Healing Leaves, Frenetic Sliver, Molten Firebird
Pick: Utopia Vow
Pack 21:
Battering Sliver, Dash Hopes, Vitaspore Thallid, Brain Gorgers, Fury Charm, Primal Plasma, Timebender, Circle of Affliction, Malach of the Dawn, Fungal Behemoth
Pick: Malach of the Dawn
Pack 22:
Dreamscape Artist, Ridged Kusite, Dawn Charm, Evolution Charm, Shade of Trokair, Healing Leaves, Brute Force, Primal Plasma, Dash Hopes
Pick: Shade of Trokair
Pack 23:
Fury Charm, Vitaspore Thallid, Deadly Grub, Firefright Mage, Mana Tithe, Bog Serpent, Hunting Wilds, Heroes Remembered
Pick: Heroes Remembered
Pack 24:
Utopia Vow, Ridged Kusite, Wistful Thinking, Firefright Mage, Seal of Primordium, Healing Leaves, Lavacore Elemental
Pick: Utopia Vow
Pack 25:
Dust Corona, Reality Acid, Bog Serpent, Revered Dead, Serra’s Boon, Darkheart Sliver
Pick: Serra’s Boon
Pack 26:
Reflex Sliver, Keldon Marauders, Ghost Tactician, Wistful Thinking, Fa’adiyah Seer
Pick: Reflex Sliver
Pack 27:
Reality Acid, Brain Gorgers, Simian Spirit Guide, Keen Sense
Pick: Keen Sense
Pack 28:
Synchronous Sliver, Ghost Tactician, Healing Leaves
Pick: Healing Leaves
Pack 29:
Pick: Brain Gorgers
Pack 30:
Venser’s Diffusion, Sprout Swarm, Oblivion Crown, Saltskitter, Infiltrator il-Kor, Cutthroat il-Dal, Lymph Sliver, Homing Sliver, Sporoloth Ancient, Grave Scrabbler, Lumithread Field, Spirit en-Dal, Mystic Speculation, Minions’ Murmurs, Rites of Flourishing
Pick: Sprout Swarm
Pack 31:
Llanowar Augur, Augur of Skulls, Sprout Swarm, Samite Censer-Bearer, Mesmeric Sliver, Deepcavern Imp, Flowstone Embrace, Nessian Courser, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Sarcomite Myr, Tolaria West, Char-Rumbler, Llanowar Mentor, Akroma’s Memorial
Pick: Akroma’s Memorial
Pack 32:
Marshaling Cry, Unblinking Bleb, Lost Hours, Riddle of Lightning, Wrap in Vigor, Grinning Ignus, Whip-Spine Drake, Mass of Ghouls, Lucent Liminid, Thornweald Archer, Riftsweeper, New Benalia, Even the Odds
Pick: Riftsweeper
Pack 33:
Putrid Cyclops, Augur il-Vec, Petrified Plating, Bogardan Lancer, Patrician’s Scorn, Logic Knot, Nessian Courser, Grave Scrabbler, Henchfiend of Ukor, Soultether Golem, Haze of Rage, Riftsweeper
Pick: Nessian Courser
Pack 34:
Leaden Fists, Gift of Granite, Lost Hours, Frenzy Sliver, Mesmeric Sliver, Patrician’s Scorn, Sarcomite Myr, Henchfiend of Ukor, Pooling Venom, Tolaria West, Spellweaver Volute
Pick: Spellweaver Volute
Pack 35:
Samite Censer-Bearer, Putrid Cyclops, Rift Elemental, Llanowar Empath, Virulent Sliver, Mass of Ghouls, Vedalken Aethermage, Pooling Venom, Sparkspitter, Scout’s Warning
Pick: Llanowar Empath
Pack 36:
Gift of Granite, Augur of Skulls, Lost Hours, Petrified Plating, Grave Scrabbler, Lymph Sliver, Homing Sliver, New Benalia, Even the Odds
Pick: Lymph Sliver
Pack 37:
Bogardan Lancer, Grave Peril, Wrap in Vigor, Homing Sliver, Edge of Autumn, Lymph Sliver, Blind Phantasm, Spirit en-Dal
Pick: Spirit en-Dal
Pack 38:
Oblivion Crown, Lymph Sliver, Homing Sliver, Grave Scrabbler, Spirit en-Dal, Mystic Speculation, Rites of Flourishing
Pick: Spirit en-Dal
Pack 39:
Llanowar Augur, Samite Censer-Bearer, Mesmeric Sliver, Sarcomite Myr, Tolaria West, Llanowar Mentor
Pick: Llanowar Mentor
Pack 40:
Lost Hours, Wrap in Vigor, Grinning Ignus, New Benalia, Even the Odds
Pick: Even the Odds
Pack 41:
Putrid Cyclops, Augur il-Vec, Bogardan Lancer, Soultether Golem
Pick: Augur il-Vec
Pack 42:
Lost Hours, Frenzy Sliver, Mesmeric Sliver
Pick: Mesmeric Sliver
Pack 43:
Virulent Sliver, Pooling Venom
Pick: Pooling Venom
Pack 44:
Pick: Lost Hours
Final Decklist:
Maindeck:
1 Icatian Javelineers
2 Thrill of the Hunt
1 Mire Boa
1 Riftsweeper
2 Sinew Sliver
1 Sprout Swarm
2 Utopia Vow
1 Cloudchaser Kestrel
1 Nessian Courser
1 Outrider en-Kor
2 Spirit en-Dal
1 Celestial Crusader
1 Llanowar Empath
1 Malach of the Dawn
1 Shade of Trokair
1 Giant Dustwasp
1 Lymph Sliver
1 Durkwood Baloth
1 Akroma’s Memorial
8 Forest
9 Plains
Sideboard:
1 Augur il-Vec
1 Brain Gorgers
1 Dash Hopes [FOIL]
1 Even the Odds
1 Gaze of Justice
1 Healing Leaves
1 Heroes Remembered
1 Icatian Crier
1 Keen Sense
1 Llanowar Mentor
1 Lost Hours
1 Mesmeric Sliver
1 Mindlash Sliver
1 Molder
1 Pooling Venom
1 Reflex Sliver
1 Serra’s Boon
1 Spellweaver Volute
1 Spike Feeder
1 Sprout
1 Tendrils of Corruption
1 Trespasser il-Vec
Despite the first pick Tendrils I had to get out of Black pretty quickly because there just wasn’t any coming. I didn’t get a real indication as to what colors I should be in until the two late Thrill of the Hunts. From there, my colors and archetype were set. I knew I wanted to draft a very aggressive deck with a low curve to take advantage of the Thrills, and that’s exactly what I did. I generally don’t like to play any slivers at all, but I needed the Sinews for mana curve purposes. The only pick I’m unsure about now is the second pick of pack 3: second Sprout Swarm or Akroma’s Memorial. I haven’t played with the memorial much, and I’ve been given mixed reviews so I I wanted to try it out for myself. It has definitely been good against me.
Round 1 I played against old timer Terry Tsang. In the first game I suspended Baloth turn 1, then played Spirit en-Dal on turns 3 and 4, with Lymph Sliver on turn 5. The Sliver and Baloth held off his ground creatures while the Spirits killed him. I got stuck on six lands with the Memorial in hand, but it wasn’t really relevant because that meant I kept drawing spells. Game 2 I played a creature every turn until turn 6, then had both Thrill of the Hunts to back them up.
Round 2 I played against a Black/Red deck with tons of removal. In the first game he killed every creature I played, but had no answer for Sprout Swarm, and I eventually won after a few turns of Swarming. Game 2 I had a good curve, with Thrill backup again, but his draw was equally good, and he had all the answers. I think I could have won this game if I’d simply left Green mana open the whole time for my Mire Boa, but that would have meant I wouldn’t be able to play Giant Dustwasp for a few turns, and I felt that I was so far ahead it didn’t matter. As it turned out he killed the Boa the one turn I tapped out, and then had removal for all my other creatures, and eventually I flooded. Game 3 he killed my turn 2 Mire Boa with Smallpox, and I struggled to draw a fourth land (I needed three mana for my whole hand) for a few turns, but when I finally drew it I started to take over. Once again he had a ton of removal though, and once again I had Sprout Swarm to lock up the late game. This time he had Keldon Megaliths though. which kept me on a clock while I built up enough of a Swarm to attack. Eventually I drew Akroma’s Memorial and that let me outrace his Megaliths by a turn, although he was going to time out before he’d be able to kill me with the Megaliths anyway.
I split the finals this time.
Until Monday,
Rich
Draft recording done by Blargware‘s MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!