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Drafting With Tim – Time Spiral #2

With Mr Hoaen off galavanting around the world, top-eighting Grand Prix tournaments left and right, the brave Mr Aten steps into the “Drafting With X” breach until the grumpy Canadian’s return. Tim will be presenting a draft a day, sharing picks one through forty-five, and adding his own brand of lyrical commentary at the end of each article. For a more in-depth critique of his process, be sure to visit the forums!


Draft:

Pack 1:










Lightning Axe, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Drudge Reavers, Goblin Skycutter, Cancel, Penumbra Spider, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Thunder Totem, Cavalry Master, Yavimaya Dryad, Academy Ruins, Orgg

Pick: Lightning Axe

Pack 2:










Amrou Scout, Grapeshot, Scarwood Treefolk, Slipstream Serpent, Gaze of Justice, D’Avenant Healer, Prismatic Lens, Ground Rift, Tectonic Fiend, Smallpox, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Serra Avenger, Browbeat, Weatherseed Totem

Pick: Serra Avenger

Pack 3:










Empty the Warrens, Strength in Numbers, Errant Doomsayers, Viscerid Deepwalker, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Momentary Blink, Ancient Grudge, Duskrider Peregrine, Paradise Plume, Lim-Dul the Necromancer, Mystic Enforcer

Pick: Duskrider Peregrine

Pack 4:







Flamecore Elemental, Mana Skimmer, Coral Trickster, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Venser’s Sliver, Clockspinning, Spirit Loop, Truth or Tale, Swarmyard, Merieke Ri Berit

Pick: Flamecore Elemental

Pack 5:







Castle Raptors, Scarwood Treefolk, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Spirit Loop, Brine Elemental, Might Sliver, Celestial Dawn, Swamp

Pick: Castle Raptors

Pack 6:







Spiketail Drakeling, Scarwood Treefolk, Amrou Scout, Keldon Halberdier, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Two-Headed Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Pendelhaven Elder, Giant Oyster

Pick: Keldon Halberdier

Pack 7:







Icatian Crier, Penumbra Spider, Subterranean Shambler, Cyclopean Giant, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode, Basalt Gargoyle, Saltcrusted Steppe, Merfolk Assassin

Pick: Basalt Gargoyle

Pack 8:




Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Ancient Grudge, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Outrider en-Kor, Harmonic Sliver, Reiterate

Pick: Outrider en-Kor

Pack 9:




Drudge Reavers, Goblin Skycutter, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Academy Ruins

Pick: Goblin Skycutter

Pack 10:




Scarwood Treefolk, Gaze of Justice, D’Avenant Healer, Ground Rift, Tectonic Fiend, Thick-Skinned Goblin

Pick: Thick-Skinned Goblin

Pack 11:




Strength in Numbers, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Ancient Grudge

Pick: Strength in Numbers

Pack 12:

Ground Rift, Clockspinning, Spirit Loop, Truth or Tale

Pick: Ground Rift

Pack 13:

Scarwood Treefolk, Glass Asp, Spirit Loop

Pick: Scarwood Treefolk

Pack 14:

Scarwood Treefolk, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss

Pick: Scarwood Treefolk

Pack 15:

Saltcrusted Steppe

Pick: Saltcrusted Steppe

Pack 16:










Fathom Seer, Flamecore Elemental, Gemhide Sliver, Feebleness, Castle Raptors, Eternity Snare, Skulking Knight, Sidewinder Sliver, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Viashino Bladescout, Gustcloak Cavalier, Pendelhaven Elder, Opaline Sliver, Bogardan Hellkite, Faceless Butcher

Pick: Bogardan Hellkite

Pack 17:










Mogg War Marshal, Think Twice, Ashcoat Bear, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Fledgling Mawcor, Might Sliver, Pull from Eternity, Mishra, Artificer Prodigy, Disenchant

Pick: Cloudchaser Kestrel

Pack 18:










Mana Skimmer, Fathom Seer, Chromatic Star, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Ignite Memories, Paradox Haze, Careful Consideration, Eron the Relentless, Gorgon Recluse

Pick: Eron the Relentless

Pack 19:







Errant Doomsayers, Rift Bolt, Aether Web, Assassinate, Jedit’s Dragoons, Sprout, Foriysian Interceptor, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell, Conflagrate, Ib Halfheart, Goblin Tactician, War Barge

Pick: Rift Bolt

Pack 20:







Benalish Cavalry, Feebleness, Spinneret Sliver, Keldon Halberdier, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, D’Avenant Healer, Wormwood Dryad, Fungal Reaches, Conflagrate, Undertaker

Pick: Conflagrate

Pack 21:







Orcish Cannonade, Keldon Halberdier, Mana Skimmer, Durkwood Baloth, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Barbed Shocker, Chronatog Totem

Pick: Orcish Cannonade

Pack 22:







Aether Web, Drudge Reavers, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell, Bewilder, Call to the Netherworld, Chronatog Totem, Lim-Dul the Necromancer, Pendelhaven Elder

Pick: Aetherflame Wall

Pack 23:




Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Goblin Skycutter, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Urza’s Factory, Assembly-Worker, Trickbind

Pick: Goblin Skycutter

Pack 24:




Flamecore Elemental, Eternity Snare, Skulking Knight, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Viashino Bladescout, Gustcloak Cavalier, Opaline Sliver

Pick: Flamecore Elemental

Pack 25:




Mogg War Marshal, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Mishra, Artificer Prodigy

Pick: Subterranean Shambler

Pack 26:




Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Plunder, Ignite Memories, Paradox Haze

Pick: Plunder

Pack 27:

Sprout, Foriysian Interceptor, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell

Pick: Aetherflame Wall

Pack 28:

Sangrophage, Wormwood Dryad, Fungal Reaches

Pick: Fungal Reaches

Pack 29:

Molder, Venser’s Sliver

Pick: Venser’s Sliver

Pack 30:

Detainment Spell

Pick: Detainment Spell

Pack 31:










Temporal Eddy, Mogg War Marshal, Terramorphic Expanse, Drudge Reavers, Temporal Isolation, Crookclaw Transmuter, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Bewilder, Call to the Netherworld, Cyclopean Giant, Careful Consideration, Cavalry Master, Aspect of Mongoose, Walk the Aeons, Kobold Taskmaster

Pick: Temporal Isolation

Pack 32:










Goblin Skycutter, Cancel, Penumbra Spider, Pentarch Ward, Thallid Germinator, Cyclopean Giant, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Sulfurous Blast, Thunder Totem, Evil Eye of Urborg, Wurmcalling, Craw Giant

Pick: Sulfurous Blast

Pack 33:










Spinneret Sliver, Ivory Giant, Slipstream Serpent, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Primal Forcemage, Volcanic Awakening, Calciform Pools, Serra Avenger, Uncle Istvan, Watcher Sliver

Pick: Serra Avenger

Pack 34:







Ashcoat Bear, Amrou Seekers, Greenseeker, Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug, Chameleon Blur, Ghostflame Sliver, Calciform Pools, Fool’s Demise, Reiterate, Verdeloth the Ancient, Plains

Pick: Amrou Seekers

Pack 35:







Mindstab, Slipstream Serpent, Nantuko Shaman, Castle Raptors, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Dread Return, Fool’s Demise, Chronosavant

Pick: Castle Raptors

Pack 36:







Chromatic Star, Tolarian Sentinel, Flowstone Channeler, Trespasser il-Vec, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Children of Korlis, Viscid Lemures, Dementia Sliver, Dread Return

Pick: Flowstone Channeler

Pack 37:







Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Shadow Sliver, Durkwood Tracker, Truth or Tale, Swarmyard, Spitting Slug

Pick: Spitting Slug

Pack 38:




Aether Web, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Might of Old Krosa, Weatherseed Totem, Auratog

Pick: Subterranean Shambler

Pack 39:




Drudge Reavers, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Bewilder, Call to the Netherworld, Cyclopean Giant, Aspect of Mongoose, Kobold Taskmaster

Pick: Kobold Taskmaster

Pack 40:




Cancel, Cyclopean Giant, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Craw Giant

Pick: Craw Giant

Pack 41:




Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Volcanic Awakening

Pick: Dream Stalker

Pack 42:

Jhoira’s Timebug, Chameleon Blur, Ghostflame Sliver, Fool’s Demise

Pick: Ghostflame Sliver

Pack 43:

Two-Headed Sliver, Clockspinning, Fool’s Demise

Pick: Two-Headed Sliver

Pack 44:

Molder, Dementia Sliver

Pick: Molder

Pack 45:

Sangrophage

Pick: Sangrophage


10 Mountain
8 Plains
1 Amrou Seekers
1 Basalt Gargoyle
1 Bogardan Hellkite
2 Castle Raptors
1 Conflagrate
1 Duskrider Peregrine
1 Flamecore Elemental
1 Flowstone Channeler
2 Goblin Skycutter
1 Keldon Halberdier
1 Lightning Axe
1 Orcish Cannonade
1 Outrider en-Kor
1 Rift Bolt
2 Serra Avenger
1 Sulfurous Blast
1 Temporal Isolation
1 Thick-Skinned Goblin
1 Eron the Relentless

Sideboard
1 Craw Giant
1 Kobold Taskmaster
1 Spitting Slug
1 Cloudchaser Kestrel
1 Detainment Spell
1 Dream Stalker
1 Flamecore Elemental
1 Fungal Reaches
1 Ghostflame Sliver
1 Ground Rift
1 Molder
1 Plunder
1 Saltcrusted Steppe
1 Sangrophage
2 Scarwood Treefolk
1 Strength in Numbers
2 Subterranean Shambler
1 Two-Headed Sliver
1 Venser’s Sliver
2 Aetherflame Wall


A monkey could have drafted this deck. I won.


To expound just a little, I’ll talk about the lands. I find myself having to play 18 lands in Red/White a decent amount. Often, mana symbols are a concern, plus in the case of this and some other decks, the cards are so powerful that you can risk being a little flooded in order to play your spells more consistently. Some decks in this format definitely want 17 lands, and others definitely want 18. There is a gray area between the two, however. In general, in the scenarios where you can’t decide between 17 and 18 for a particular deck, lean toward 18 if your deck is good/powerful, and go for 17 if you feel like you need to mise.


Also, I left Kestrel-san in the board because I didn’t figure I’d hit WW reliably on turn 3; it seemed more likely to happen between turn 4-6, at which time a 2/2 flier isn’t quite as impressive. Questions, comments, and “blah blah you’re the luckiest blah blah”s are welcome in the forums.


Until Friday,


Tim Aten

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