And for the final draft in the "Drafting with the Nationals Team" series, we have Luis "fob on Modo" Scott-Vargas…
Draft:
Pack 1:
Coral Trickster, Benalish Cavalry, Feebleness, Looter il-Kor, Spinneret Sliver, Dream Stalker, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Brine Elemental, Primal Forcemage, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Stonewood Invocation, Teferi’s Moat
Pick: Looter il-Kor
Pack 2:
Empty the Warrens, Icatian Crier, Bonesplitter Sliver, Think Twice, Penumbra Spider, Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Ghostflame Sliver, Tromp the Domains, Molten Slagheap, Demonic Collusion, Browbeat
Pick: Tromp the Domains
Pack 3:
Ashcoat Bear, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Thallid Germinator, Terramorphic Expanse, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Sage of Epityr, Might Sliver, Durkwood Tracker, Disenchant, Undying Rage
Pick: Might Sliver
Pack 4:
Gaze of Justice, Flamecore Elemental, Gemhide Sliver, Feebleness, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Pendelhaven Elder, Tectonic Fiend, Vampiric Sliver, Vesuva
Pick: Gemhide Sliver
Pack 5:
Mana Skimmer, Chromatic Star, Bogardan Rager, Traitor’s Clutch, D’Avenant Healer, Glass Asp, Harmonic Sliver, Skittering Monstrosity, Phantom Wurm, Magus of the Mirror, Suq’Ata Lancer
Pick: Phantom Wurm
Pack 6:
Gaze of Justice, Children of Korlis, Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Dementia Sliver, Paradise Plume, Opaline Sliver, Merfolk Assassin
Pick: Wormwood Dryad
Pack 7:
Cloudchaser Kestrel, Drudge Reavers, Goblin Skycutter, Cancel, Momentary Blink, Ancient Grudge, Foriysian Interceptor, Thunder Totem, Krosan Grip
Pick: Momentary Blink
Pack 8:
Strength in Numbers, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode, Jedit’s Dragoons, Sprout, Foriysian Interceptor, Ignite Memories, Candles of Leng
Pick: Strength in Numbers
Pack 9:
Coral Trickster, Feebleness, Dream Stalker, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Brine Elemental, Primal Forcemage
Pick: Brine Elemental
Pack 10:
Empty the Warrens, Drifter il-Dal, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Molten Slagheap, Demonic Collusion
Pick: Molten Slagheap
Pack 11:
Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Sage of Epityr, Durkwood Tracker
Pick: Durkwood Tracker
Pack 12:
Gaze of Justice, Clockspinning, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Pick: Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
Pack 13:
Bogardan Rager, Traitor’s Clutch, Glass Asp
Pick: Bogardan Rager
Pack 14:
Children of Korlis, Ground Rift
Pick: Children of Korlis
Pack 15:
Pick: Foriysian Interceptor
Pack 16:
Errant Doomsayers, Rift Bolt, Aether Web, Assassinate, Amrou Seekers, Ghitu Firebreathing, Momentary Blink, Greenseeker, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Sporesower Thallid, Spell Burst, Tivadar of Thorn, Faceless Butcher
Pick: Rift Bolt
Pack 17:
Pentarch Ward, Assassinate, Thallid Germinator, Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Voidmage Husher, Faceless Devourer, Return to Dust, Living End
Pick: Havenwood Wurm
Pack 18:
Keldon Halberdier, Ivory Giant, Mindstab, Slipstream Serpent, Nantuko Shaman, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Dementia Sliver, Chronatog Totem, Fledgling Mawcor, Spitting Slug
Pick: Fledgling Mawcor
Pack 19:
Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Icatian Crier, Goblin Skycutter, Crookclaw Transmuter, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Bewilder, Might of Old Krosa, Molten Slagheap, Ib Halfheart, Goblin Tactician, Lord of Atlantis
Pick: Crookclaw Transmuter
Pack 20:
Chromatic Star, Tolarian Sentinel, Trespasser il-Vec, Two-Headed Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Pull from Eternity, Molten Slagheap, Sol’kanar the Swamp King
Pick: Watcher Sliver
Pack 21:
Snapback, Pentarch Ward, Viscerid Deepwalker, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Jhoira’s Timebug, Urza’s Factory, Fool’s Demise, Mishra, Artificer Prodigy
Pick: Snapback
Pack 22:
Looter il-Kor, Gorgon Recluse, Herd Gnarr, Ground Rift, Eternity Snare, Sidewinder Sliver, Plated Pegasus, Dreadship Reef, Claws of Gix
Pick: Looter il-Kor
Pack 23:
Coral Trickster, Deathspore Thallid, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, Gustcloak Cavalier, Spell Burst, War Barge
Pick: Coral Trickster
Pack 24:
Errant Doomsayers, Aether Web, Ghitu Firebreathing, Momentary Blink, Greenseeker, Divine Congregation, Spell Burst
Pick: Greenseeker
Pack 25:
Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Mindlash Sliver, Voidmage Husher, Return to Dust
Pick: Drifter il-Dal
Pack 26:
Eternity Snare, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Dementia Sliver, Chronatog Totem
Pick: Venser’s Sliver
Pack 27:
Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell, Bewilder
Pick: Detainment Spell
Pack 28:
Tolarian Sentinel, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye
Pick: Shadow Sliver
Pack 29:
Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug
Pick: Jhoira’s Timebug
Pack 30:
Pick: Ground Rift
Pack 31:
Deathspore Thallid, Tolarian Sentinel, Benalish Cavalry, Orcish Cannonade, Errant Ephemeron, Strangling Soot, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Fallen Ideal, Firewake Sliver, Vampiric Sliver, Vesuvan Shapeshifter, Verdeloth the Ancient, Skittering Monstrosity
Pick: Vesuvan Shapeshifter
Pack 32:
Ashcoat Bear, Amrou Seekers, Search for Tomorrow, Cancel, Jedit’s Dragoons, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Faceless Devourer, Basalt Gargoyle, Volcanic Awakening, Moonlace, Krosan Cloudscraper
Pick: Search for Tomorrow
Pack 33:
Trespasser il-Vec, Amrou Scout, Grapeshot, Scarwood Treefolk, Slipstream Serpent, D’Avenant Healer, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Prismatic Lens, Skittering Monstrosity, Spirit Loop, Kobold Taskmaster
Pick: Prismatic Lens
Pack 34:
Temporal Eddy, Mogg War Marshal, Think Twice, Flickering Spirit, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Outrider en-Kor, Premature Burial, Stormcloud Djinn, Evangelize, Orcish Librarian
Pick: Temporal Eddy
Pack 35:
Castle Raptors, Scarwood Treefolk, Orcish Cannonade, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Shadow Sliver, Ignite Memories, Saltcrusted Steppe, Swamp
Pick: Castle Raptors
Pack 36:
Spinneret Sliver, Fortify, Flamecore Elemental, Mana Skimmer, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Brass Gnat, Smallpox, Opaline Sliver, Dodecapod
Pick: Spinneret Sliver
Pack 37:
Temporal Eddy, Mogg War Marshal, Drudge Reavers, Jhoira’s Timebug, Chameleon Blur, Subterranean Shambler, Cyclopean Giant, Faceless Devourer, Academy Ruins
Pick: Temporal Eddy
Pack 38:
Strength in Numbers, Aether Web, Call to the Netherworld, Cyclopean Giant, Brass Gnat, Screeching Sliver, Voidmage Husher, Fallen Ideal
Pick: Strength in Numbers
Pack 39:
Tolarian Sentinel, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Fallen Ideal, Firewake Sliver, Verdeloth the Ancient
Pick: Verdeloth the Ancient
Pack 40:
Ashcoat Bear, Jedit’s Dragoons, Ancient Grudge, Call to the Netherworld, Volcanic Awakening, Moonlace
Pick: Ashcoat Bear
Pack 41:
Wormwood Dryad, Two-Headed Sliver, Skittering Monstrosity, Spirit Loop, Kobold Taskmaster
Pick: Wormwood Dryad
Pack 42:
Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Orcish Librarian
Pick: Orcish Librarian
Pack 43:
Sangrophage, Shadow Sliver, Ignite Memories
Pick: Shadow Sliver
Pack 44:
Thrill of the Hunt, Brass Gnat
Pick: Thrill of the Hunt
Pack 45:
Pick: Chameleon Blur
Draft recording done by Blargware‘s MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!
7 Forest
7 Island
1 Mountain
2 Plains
1 Verdeloth the Ancient
1 Brine Elemental
1 Castle Raptors
1 Coral Trickster
1 Crookclaw Transmuter
1 Fledgling Mawcor
1 Gemhide Sliver
2 Looter il-Kor
1 Might Sliver
1 Momentary Blink
1 Phantom Wurm
1 Prismatic Lens
1 Rift Bolt
1 Search for Tomorrow
1 Snapback
1 Spinneret Sliver
1 Temporal Eddy
1 Thrill of the Hunt
1 Tromp the Domains
1 Venser’s Sliver
1 Vesuvan Shapeshifter
1 Watcher Sliver
Sideboard:
1 Orcish Librarian
1 Ashcoat Bear
1 Bogardan Rager
1 Chameleon Blur
1 Children of Korlis
1 Detainment Spell
1 Drifter il-Dal
1 Durkwood Tracker
1 Foriysian Interceptor
1 Greenseeker
1 Ground Rift
1 Havenwood Wurm
1 Jhoira’s Timebug
1 Molten Slagheap
1 Mwonvuli Acid-Moss
2 Shadow Sliver
2 Strength in Numbers
1 Temporal Eddy
2 Wormwood Dryad
Pick 1: Ben Lundquist agreed with taking the Looter; Paul Cheon and I both thought the Stonewood Invocation was a better choice.
Pick 10: I would have taken the Empty the Warrens to keep my options open. After tabling the Brine Elemental, it seemed likely Luis would be G/U/x. X could have been White for the Blink or (potentially) Red for Empty, but it didn’t seem like there was any need for a Red/Black land.
Pick 31: I believe the Shapeshifter is the best Blue card in the set, so I agree with this decision. For the record, I think Ephemeron is the third best (with Psionic Blast ahead of it).
Luis and Paul are both a little greedier than I with the number of colors they play (in general), but it seems to work for them. Luis, in fact, did complete the trifecta, splitting in the finals with this deck. I decided not to go to Worlds (as you may have surmised), so I can address questions and comments in the forums as usual.