In the week before Worlds, the U.S. Nationals team stayed at my house and playtested. When they saw that I got assigned a stint as substitute drafter, the reaction was unanimous: “I wanna do one!!” Thus, for these, the first three days of Worlds, you can catch a glimpse of the drafting styles of the skilled magicians who are representing our country. Then, if you’re not impressed, you can call your bookie and put all your money on the Netherlands. First up, we have Ben “The Future of American Magic” Lundquist…
Pack 1:
Mogg War Marshal, Temporal Isolation, Think Twice, Ashcoat Bear, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Sudden Death, Careful Consideration, Primal Forcemage, Flagstones of Trokair, Assault / Battery
Pick: Sudden Death
Pack 2:
Grapeshot, Mindstab, Slipstream Serpent, Nantuko Shaman, Castle Raptors, D’Avenant Healer, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Prismatic Lens, Ignite Memories, Skittering Monstrosity, Sudden Death, Wall of Roots
Pick: Sudden Death
Pack 3:
Gorgon Recluse, Herd Gnarr, Fortify, Deathspore Thallid, Tolarian Sentinel, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Krosan Grip, Fury Sliver, Basalt Gargoyle, Gaea’s Liege
Pick: Gorgon Recluse
Pack 4:
Snapback, Aether Web, Drudge Reavers, Foriysian Interceptor, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Bewilder, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Ghostflame Sliver, Tectonic Fiend, Restore Balance
Pick: Snapback
Pack 5:
Deathspore Thallid, Flowstone Channeler, Herd Gnarr, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plated Pegasus, Haunting Hymn, Ghostflame Sliver, Undertaker
Pick: Undertaker
Pack 6:
Strength in Numbers, Corpulent Corpse, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Jedit’s Dragoons, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Fallen Ideal, War Barge
Pick: Corpulent Corpse
Pack 7:
Drudge Reavers, Cancel, Pentarch Ward, Jhoira’s Timebug, Chameleon Blur, Subterranean Shambler, Dreadship Reef, Dralnu, Lich Lord, Psychotic Episode
Pick: Dralnu, Lich Lord
Pack 8:
Herd Gnarr, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Two-Headed Sliver, Dread Return, Fool’s Demise
Pick: Dread Return
Pack 9:
Mogg War Marshal, Ashcoat Bear, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Primal Forcemage, Assault / Battery
Pack 10:
Nantuko Shaman, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Ignite Memories, Wall of Roots
Pick: Mystical Teachings
Pack 11:
Tolarian Sentinel, Plunder, Brass Gnat, Krosan Grip, Gaea’s Liege
Pick: Tolarian Sentinel
Pack 12:
Foriysian Interceptor, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell, Bewilder
Pick: Aetherflame Wall
Pack 13:
Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Haunting Hymn
Pick: Haunting Hymn
Pack 14:
Ancient Grudge, Call to the Netherworld
Pick: Call to the Netherworld
Pack 15:
Pick: Chameleon Blur
Pack 16:
Goblin Skycutter, Cancel, Penumbra Spider, Pentarch Ward, Assassinate, Thallid Germinator, Call to the Netherworld, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Opaline Sliver, Wipe Away, Molten Slagheap, Dralnu, Lich Lord, Desert, Mogg War Marshal
Pick: Assassinate
Pack 17:
Aether Web, Assassinate, Amrou Seekers, Temporal Eddy, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Clockwork Hydra, Fledgling Mawcor, Paradise Plume, Living End, Verdeloth the Ancient
Pick: Fledgling Mawcor
Pack 18:
Benalish Cavalry, Orcish Cannonade, Errant Ephemeron, Strangling Soot, Gemhide Sliver, Dream Stalker, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Return to Dust, Brine Elemental, Tromp the Domains, Twisted Abomination
Pick: Errant Ephemeron
Pack 19:
Amrou Scout, Grapeshot, Scarwood Treefolk, Slipstream Serpent, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Children of Korlis, Paradox Haze, Firewake Sliver, Clockwork Hydra, Return to Dust
Pick: Clockwork Hydra
Pack 20:
Deathspore Thallid, Tolarian Sentinel, Benalish Cavalry, Orcish Cannonade, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Pendelhaven Elder, Quilled Sliver, Voidmage Husher, Swarmyard
Pick: Deathspore Thallid
Pack 21:
Icatian Crier, Strength in Numbers, Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Dreadship Reef, Yavimaya Dryad, Angel’s Grace, Kobold Taskmaster
Pick: Dreadship Reef
Pack 22:
Gorgon Recluse, Scarwood Treefolk, Amrou Scout, Keldon Halberdier, Clockspinning, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Faceless Devourer, Swamp
Pick: Gorgon Recluse
Pack 23:
Viscerid Deepwalker, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Search for Tomorrow, Divine Congregation, Chameleon Blur, Cyclopean Giant, Spell Burst, Curse of the Cabal
Pick: Viscerid Deepwalker
Pack 24:
Cancel, Pentarch Ward, Call to the Netherworld, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Dralnu, Lich Lord, Mogg War Marshal
Pick: Cancel
Pack 25:
Aether Web, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Sage of Epityr, Paradise Plume, Living End
Pick: Psychotic Episode
Pack 26:
Dream Stalker, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Return to Dust
Pick: Dream Stalker
Pack 27:
Plunder, Molder, Children of Korlis, Paradox Haze
Pick: Children of Korlis
Pack 28:
Shadow Sliver, Pendelhaven Elder, Swarmyard
Pick: Swarmyard
Pack 29:
Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm
Pick: Havenwood Wurm
Pack 30:
Pick: Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Pack 31:
Zealot il-Vec, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Snapback, Aether Web, Lightning Axe, Ghitu Firebreathing, Momentary Blink, Greenseeker, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Phyrexian Totem, Scryb Ranger, Paradise Plume, Reiterate, Mystic Enforcer
Pick: Urborg Syphon-Mage
Pack 32:
Keldon Halberdier, Mana Skimmer, Durkwood Baloth, Fathom Seer, Chromatic Star, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Prismatic Lens, Fungal Reaches, Conflagrate, Premature Burial, Sudden Spoiling, Browbeat
Pick: Sudden Spoiling
Pack 33:
Gemhide Sliver, Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Durkwood Baloth, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Ignite Memories, Paradox Haze, Verdant Embrace, Merieke Ri Berit
Pick: Merieke Ri Berit
Pack 34:
Mana Skimmer, Durkwood Baloth, Fathom Seer, Chromatic Star, Two-Headed Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Fallen Ideal, Pull from Eternity, Calciform Pools
Pick: Fathom Seer
Pack 35:
Mogg War Marshal, Terramorphic Expanse, Drudge Reavers, Crookclaw Transmuter, Empty the Warrens, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Jhoira’s Timebug, Assembly-Worker, Merfolk Assassin
Pick: Crookclaw Transmuter
Pack 36:
Benalish Cavalry, Spinneret Sliver, Venser’s Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, Primal Forcemage, Gustcloak Cavalier, Voidmage Husher, Saffi Eriksdotter
Pick: Venser’s Sliver
Pack 37:
Strength in Numbers, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode, Jedit’s Dragoons, Sprout, Opaline Sliver, Voidmage Husher, Spirit Loop, Grinning Totem
Pick: Grinning Totem
Pack 38:
Zealot il-Vec, Temporal Eddy, Screeching Sliver, Momentary Blink, Ancient Grudge, Foriysian Interceptor, Smallpox, Fungal Reaches
Pick: Temporal Eddy
Pack 39:
Zealot il-Vec, Aether Web, Ghitu Firebreathing, Greenseeker, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Paradise Plume
Pick: Pit Keeper
Pack 40:
Mana Skimmer, Chromatic Star, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Fungal Reaches
Pick: Mana Skimmer
Pack 41:
Plunder, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Ignite Memories, Paradox Haze
Pick: Dream Stalker
Pack 42:
Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Fallen Ideal, Calciform Pools
Pick: Calciform Pools
Pack 43:
Drudge Reavers, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver
Pick: Drudge Reavers
Pack 44:
Pick: Clockspinning
Pack 45:
Pick: Screeching Sliver
Final Decklist:
7 Island
10 Swamp
1 Undertaker
1 Assassinate
1 Clockwork Hydra
1 Corpulent Corpse
1 Crookclaw Transmuter
1 Dralnu, Lich Lord
1 Dreadship Reef
1 Errant Ephemeron
1 Fathom Seer
1 Fledgling Mawcor
2 Gorgon Recluse
1 Haunting Hymn
1 Mana Skimmer
1 Mystical Teachings
1 Pit Keeper
1 Snapback
2 Sudden Death
1 Sudden Spoiling
1 Temporal Eddy
1 Urborg Syphon-Mage
1 Viscerid Deepwalker
Sideboard
1 Grinning Totem
1 Merieke Ri Berit
1 Nicol Bolas
1 Calciform Pools
1 Call to the Netherworld
1 Cancel
1 Chameleon Blur
1 Children of Korlis
1 Clockspinning
1 Deathspore Thallid
1 Dread Return
2 Dream Stalker
1 Drudge Reavers
1 Havenwood Wurm
1 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
1 Psychotic Episode
1 Screeching Sliver
1 Swarmyard
1 Tolarian Sentinel
1 Venser’s Sliver
1 AEtherflame Wall
One note about this draft and potentially others: The Assault/Battery in the first pack was actually a Nicol Bolas. There must be some sort of bug with DraftCap where, if it doesn’t recognize certain Timeshifted cards, it makes them into Assault/Battery. This means that in most cases, you have to disregard any of those you see in the packs.
Ben’s draft seemed pretty straightforward. The most interesting pick was Ephemeron over Soot and Abomination, which I agree with. Mr. Lundquist had no problems splitting in the finals with his deck. Since we’re at Worlds, I can’t promise that we’ll be able to address forum responses. If any questions or debates arise that the other forum posters can’t handle in a satisfactory manner, I’ll talk about them in an article when I’m back from France.
Until tomorrow,
Draft recording done by Blargware‘s MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!