Kenji Tsumura has been on fire for quite some time now. Limited, Constructed, it doesn’t seem to matter. As of this writing he has just made another Pro Tour Top 8 in Geneva, to follow up his Top 8 in Kobe.
I was flipping through the Draft Viewer on MagicTheGathering.com this weekend and noticed some serious discrepancies between what Kenji drafted and what I would have done. I’m not saying I’m right and he’s wrong, but I thought it was interesting enough to see a draft from both perspectives. While I was planning on doing a walkthrough myself sometime soon, this week we’ll be taking a walk with Kenji. If you’d rather follow along with the draft viewer, just find Kenji’s Draft Five.
I decided to put the picks before the commentary because you can already see what Kenji took in the draft viewer and there is no real surprise value. I also want to you to know when I disagree with a pick so that I can then explain my reasoning behind it.
The Draft
Pack 1
Time Spiral
Pack 1
Viashino Bladescout; Slipstream Serpent; Thrill of the Hunt; Shadow Sliver; Nantuko Shaman; Mystical Teachings; Mindstab; Gorgon Recluse; Castle Raptors; Bogardan Rager; Cavalry Master; Firewake Sliver; Scryb Ranger; Bogardan Hellkite; Dauthi Slayer
Kenji’s Pick: Bogardan Hellkite
My Pick: Bogardan Hellkite
Things start out easy enough. Hellkite is a stone cold bomb despite costing eight mana. The format is now more controlling than triple Time Spiral, and I don’t really see another pick here. The second best card here is Scryb Ranger, and it’s nowhere close in value to the mighty Hellkite.
Pack 2
Ground Rift; Grapeshot; Ironclaw Buzzardiers; Prismatic Lens; Temporal Eddy; Skulking Knight; Zealot Il-Vec; Thallid Germinator; Tendrils of Corruption; Spell Burst; Eternity Snare; Yavimaya Dryad; Ib Halfheart, Goblin Tactician; Prodigal Sorcerer
Kenji’s Pick: Tendrils of Corruption
My Pick: Grapeshot
There are three viable options here to follow up the first pick Hellkite. The first is Grapeshot, which is the same color and a very strong card. The other two options are Prodigal Sorcerer and Tendrils of Corruption, which are both also very strong removal cards.
While it could be personal bias, I don’t see how you could go with anything but the Grapeshot here. There are tons of X/1s in the format now, and also plenty of ways to set up a Storm turn. Even a Grapeshot for one is acceptable in most early-game situations. If I were going to take one of the other two options, it would definitely be the Prodigal Sorcerer, as it has a smaller second color commitment and is reusable. I can’t see wanting to jump straight into a second color here with the second pick, and while I do think Tendrils is better overall than Grapeshot, it’s also very intensive. You aren’t going to splash a Tendrils off a couple Swamps, while you might splash a Grapeshot. My main concern at this point would be to solidify Red as strongly as possible, and Grapeshot is close enough in value that we aren’t giving up much here by staying in one color.
The reasons I think that would make Kenji take the Tendrils here are the following:
He has a strong preference for B/R (looking over his day 1 decks does not support this theory).
He overvalues Tendrils (possible… or maybe I just undervalue it?).
He has a strong dislike for Grapeshot (if so, I have no idea why).
In summary, I don’t believe it is worth diving head first into a second color here when there is a very comparable on-color option.
Pack 3
Aether Web; Assassinate; Clockspinning; Prismatic Lens; Sidewinder Sliver; Temporal Eddy; Traitor’s Clutch; Volcanic Awakening; Viscid Lemures; Haunting Hymn; Mwonvuli Acid-Moss; Reiterate; Nicol Bolas
Kenji’s Pick: Prismatic Lens
My Pick: Prismatic Lens
Quite the weak pack for third pick. The only real options here are Lens and Assassinate. Lens is by far the best pick.
Pack 4
Bewilder; Cyclopean Giant; Call to the Netherworld; Mindstab; Spinneret Sliver; Thallid Shell-Dweller; Detainment Spell; Pendelhaven Elder; Thick-Skinned Goblin; Restore Balance; Suq’Ata Lancer
Kenji’s Pick: Thick-Skinned Goblin
My Pick: Suq’Ata Lancer
As I mentioned a couple weeks back, Thick-Skinned Goblin has gotten significantly better with the inclusion of Planar Chaos. Despite this, I still think Lancer is the far better card because of how good it is at getting damage through. The Goblin is more of a combo card, and the opponent can kill it with many things nowadays with the existence of Piracy Charm, Midnight Charm, Prodigal Pyromancer, etc. I know it can gain Pro Red from the last of those, but it’s still a nuisance. I guess my point here is that I’d rather have the tough-to-block guy, but I can still see where Kenji is coming from taking the Goblin. He’s hoping to get some Stingscourgers or Flamecore Elementals to use in conjunction. One thing I will say is that I would be much more likely to side with this pick if Kenji hadn’t taken Tendrils second. If the option of playing Uktabi Drakes or other “overcosted” Echo guys is still available, then the Goblin becomes a more attractive option. In B/R though, I want the Lancer.
Pack 5
Aether Web; Assassinate; Divine Congregation; Jhoira’s Timebug; Mindlash Sliver; Mogg War Marshall; Terramorphic Expanse; Thallid Shell-Dweller; Dreadship Reef; Locket of Yesterdays; Stupor
Kenji’s Pick: Assassinate
My Pick: Assassinate
Despite the fact that I would’ve taken Grapeshot over Tendrils back in the second pick, I’m going to comment on Kenji’s picks from a B/R angle. What I mean is that currently if I were doing this draft, I’d be mono-Red at this point and probably take either the Terramorphic Expanse or the Mogg War Marshall. Since I can only use this type of thinking for pack 1, however, I’m just going to comment on the picks as if I was in B/R at this point.
That being said, the decision here is between Assassinate and Stupor. I asked a few people their opinions and while some said they weren’t sure, I personally tend to agree with Kenji here and would rather have the removal than the discard. I think it’s better in this format to kill a strong creature with Assassinate than it is to have the potential to wreck someone’s hand with Stupor. This statement, of course, is opposite if you find yourself in the control mirror-match.
Pack 6
Bogardan Rager; Coal Stoker; Coral Trickster; Deathspore Thallid; Shadow Sliver; Thrill of the Hunt; Traitor’s Clutch; Thunder Totem; Ignite Memories; Living End
Kenji’s Pick: Coal Stoker
My Pick: Coal Stoker
Again, not a very difficult pick. Coal Stoker is awesome and I’d be very happy to get one this late.
Pack 7
D’Avenant Healer; Flamecore Elemental; Glass Asp; Ground Rift; Scarwood Treefolk; Traitor’s Clutch; Urza’s Factory; Spell Burst; Whispers of the Muse
Kenji’s Pick: Flamecore Elemental
My Pick: Flamecore Elemental
I guess that Goblin will be useful after all. Honestly though, paying Echo has never really been that big an issue, since Flamecore is huge and well worth the deal. I almost always like one of these in my non-U/R decks.
Pack 8
Ashcoat Bear; Skulking Knight; Ground Rift; Sidewinder Sliver; Quilled Sliver; Eternity Snare; Fallen Ideal; Curse of the Cabal
Kenji’s Pick: Ashcoat Bear
My Pick: Skulking Knight
Okay, What!?
Ashcoat Bear is barely playable on its own, and I don’t see any Green cards in our draft pile. Skulking Knight has been amazing for me in B/R, and plenty of people have had to use good removal to get rid of it. It has perhaps gotten slightly worse due to the addition of Rathi Trapper and Saltfield Recluse in Planar Chaos, but you just kill those guys in B/R anyway! Skulking Knight is something I’m more than happy to play. Had Kenji not taken Tendrils first, and taken Terramorphic Expanse over the Assassinate earlier, then this pick would make more sense as he could go G/R. As it stands, however, I have no idea why you would pass up on a good playable on the off chance you decide to switch. If I second-pick Tendrils in this draft, I’m face first into B/R and it’s unlikely I’m turning back if I turned down the Grapeshot to do so.
Pick 9 sees Kenji take Mindstab over Bogardan Rager, which I’m fine with.
Pick 10 he tables Ib Halfheart, which is never a bad thing.
The rest of the picks were uneventful.
I think I’ve made it very clear where we differ in terms of what route to take in this draft. I’m going to continue under the premise of drafting B/R, though if I were in Kenji’s shoes I’d probably still be mono-Red at this point and have all options available to me.
Pack 2
Time Spiral
Pack 1
Blazing Blade Askari; Castle Raptors; Gorgon Recluse; Mindstab; Nantuko Shaman; Shadow Sliver; Slipstream Serpent; Spiketail Drakeling; Two-Headed Sliver; Conflagrate; Foriysian Totem; Mwonvuli Acid-Moss; Phantom Wurm; Restore Balance; Avatar of Woe
Kenji’s Pick: Avatar of Woe
My Pick: Avatar of Woe
Without being cliché, I have to say… “MUST be nice.”
While this is obviously the only pick here, I should mention that if I still didn’t have a second color at this point I would strongly consider just taking Conflagrate and putting it on hold yet again. Ib Halfheart did come back as a late pick, so there’s always the option of mono-Red with a double splash, or something else crazy.
Pack 2
Chromatic Star; Clockspinning; Dream Stalker; Feebleness; Flowstone Channeler; Tolarian Sentinel; Trespasser il-Vec; Venser’s Sliver; Wormwood Dryad; Urza’s Factory; Tromp the Domains; Fallen Ideal; Psionic Sliver; Cockatrice
Kenji’s Pick: Flowstone Channeler
My Pick: Trespasser il-Vec
Channeler has definitely gotten better in the new format, but I still think I prefer Trespasser. Perhaps the Trespasser’s one toughness is now enough to make Channeler better? This much is up for debate, and I could see arguments for both sides being rational. I could also see taking Tromp here (definitely if I was in the mono-Red option), though I guess it isn’t the greatest in B/R.
I guess the verdict is that this is a personal preference pick. While I’ve had success with Channeler, I still tend to like Trespasser better as it actually kills people when the board is stalled, which happens a lot in this format.
Pack 3
Aether Web; Cloudchaser Kestrel; Cyclopean Giant; Drudge Reavers; Goblin Skycutter; Lightning Axe; Psychotic Episode; Screeching Sliver; Urborg Syphon-Mage; Subterranean Shambler; Stormcloud Djinn; Clockwork Hydra; Word of Seizing
Kenji’s Pick: Lightning Axe
My Pick: Lightning Axe
Word of Seizing is capable of breaking some backs in this new, slower format. I think I have to agree with Kenji though in that Lightning Axe is super-efficient, and more consistent than the rare in this case. Word is hard to set up sometimes, and less effective against a good player once they know you have it and can play around it. I know a few people who would take the Seizing here, though and I cannot say that I agree.
Pack 4
Basal Sliver; Call to the Netherworld; Coral Trickster; Drifter il-Dal; Feebleness; Havenwood Wurm; Keldon Halberdier; Spinneret Sliver; Chronatog Totem; Barbed Shocker; Thick-Skinned Goblin; Spike Tiller
Kenji’s Pick: Keldon Halberdier
My Pick: Keldon Halberdier
Before I looked at what Kenji took from this booster, I wondered if maybe he had some special relationship with Thick-Skinned Goblin and would move all-in on a second copy. Thankfully he didn’t, as Halberdier is a very strong man in B/R.
Pack 5
Bewilder; Call to the Netherworld; Terramorphic Expanse; Thallid Germinator; Thallid Shell-Dweller; Urborg Syphon-Mage; Detainment Spell; Voidmage Husher; Faceless Devourer; Avoid Fate
Kenji’s Pick: Urborg Syphon-Mage
My Pick: Urborg Syphon-Mage
I know it may seem like I’m agreeing with the vast majority of Kenji’s picks here. The fact of the matter is that this is true, but I also believe that the picks I disagree on are very important in terms of shaping the overall draft. I think Kenji’s deck would’ve turned out much stronger had he not taken Tendrils and ended up in G/R in this draft, and I think you’ll probably agree if you look back over the packs after it’s all said and done.
At any rate, there really is nothing to debate with this pick, as Syphon-Mage is far better than Devourer and the pack is weak overall.
Pack 6
Aether Web; Divine Congregation; Ghitu Firebreathing; Greenseeker; Jhoira’s Timebug; Pit Keeper; Voidmage Husher; Evil Eye of Urborg; Faceless Devourer; Spined Sliver
Kenji’s Pick: Pit Keeper
My Pick: Faceless Devourer
Based on the fact that B/R is usually not too creature-intense, I think I like the Devourer here. Pit Keeper is a fine man, don’t get me wrong, but if B/R plays turn 3 Devourer and then kills all of the relevant guys, it can go a good portion of the distance on its own. It’s unlikely you’ll get to dig back a creature just based on the fact that you usually don’t have a high creature count anyway. All of this is without mentioning the times it ‘Butchers a Looter or Zealot. Usually I’m not a huge supporter of the Devourer, but I feel like it’s slightly better in this situation.
Pack 7
Children of Korlis; Chromatic Star; Dream Stalker; Feebleness; Flamecore Elemental; Ground Rift; Molder; Viscid Lemures; Eron the Relentless
Kenji’s Pick: Feebleness
My Pick: Eron the Relentless
This is the point where I was reviewing the draft through the Draft Viewer and decided I wanted to write about this draft. There are other picks I have disagreements with, but few as strong as this one and the Grapeshot versus Tendrils pick.
If you take a step back and look at the game plan of a B/R deck as a whole, your main focus is going to be killing everything in sight, am I right? Why then, would you pass up the chance at a 5/2 hasted guy with the potential to regenerate in a long game? The answer is that you really shouldn’t.
Eron the Relentless may seem mediocre on the surface, since basically anything can trade with him when you’re behind on board. When you’re ahead though, or when the board is clear, he is going to be the nail in the coffin quite often. Don’t forget too that he can trade with fatties like Durkwood Baloth when you’re on the back foot. I’ve played many a long game where Eron’s regeneration has gotten online and he’s slowly functioned as The Abyss for my opponent’s side when the game was stalemated.
Long story short? Take Eron here, and I’m not kidding. Feebleness is more playable now than it was in triple Time Spiral, but Eron is a great man to finish people off with after you’ve dumped removal all over their board.
Pack 8
Chromatic Star; Divine Congregation; Feebleness; Pit Keeper; Ghitu Firebreathing; Greenseeker; Haunting Hymn; Scion of the Ur-Dragon
Kenji’s Pick: Feebleness
My Pick: Feebleness
If you’re Kenji in this situation, I think this is wrong and you should take Pit Keeper for sure. You just took Feebleness over Eron the Relentless, and you took Pit Keeper over Faceless Devourer earlier. I hate running multiple Feebleness maindeck because they flat out suck in certain matchups. It’s nice to have one for the board, sure, but if you picked Pit Keeper earlier, they get better in multiples.
From my perspective on this draft, this is close. In the end I think I’d have to go for the removal, but I’d definitely spend some time thinking about it. This is only because I took Eron with the last pick however, so don’t get confused.
Again, I believe Kenji should’ve taken the second Pit Keeper over the second Feebleness here, but if you agree with me and took Eron, then you should take Feebleness.
Man, that’s a mouthful.
Pick 9 Kenji luckily tabled Foriysian Totem, and correctly took it over Blazing Blade Askari.
Pick 10 he took a third Feebleness over Venser’s Sliver and Fallen Ideal. While I don’t like Fallen Ideal in BR, I’d definitely take Venser’s with all of the fear guys running around now.
Picks 11 and 12 were Urborg Syphon-Mage and Basal Sliver, the Syphon-Mage being very lucky.
At this point in the draft I don’t know if Kenji knows something that the rest of us don’t, which would explain why he is hoarding Feebleness, but I do know that his deck looks rather mediocre and would be even worse without the second Syphon-Mage.
Pack 3
Planar Chaos
Pack 1
Aven Riftwatcher; Battering Sliver; Cradle to Grave; Dash Hopes; Erratic Mutation; Fa’adiyah Seer; Keldon Marauders; Mire Boa; Pouncing Wurm; Primal Plasma; Revered Dead; Shade of Trokair; Dormant Sliver; Frozen Aether; Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Kenji’s Pick: Cradle to Grave
My Pick: Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Now that we’re in agreement that this pack sucks for B/R, what do we do? I’m not a fan of Cradle to Grave at all, and certainly not keen on first picking it. My suggestion here is to take the Tomb of Yawgmoth for a couple of reasons. First, it powers up the Tendrils. Second, it allows us to make sure Bog Serpent is online in all matchups assuming we get one (which isn’t really hard, since nobody seems to appreciate him). I’m not saying I’d be happy first-picking this stupid land, I’m just of the opinion that Cradle to Grave is very marginal and I honestly think I’d rather have Battering Sliver. The land is the best option from a pool of bad options.
Pack 2
Aquamorph Entity; Battering Sliver; Deadly Grub; Evolution Charm; Healing Leaves; Midnight Charm; Reality Acid; Reflex Sliver; Skirk Shaman; Vampiric Link; Whitemane Lion; Dismal Failure; Reckless Wurm; Numot, the Devastator
Kenji’s Pick: Reckless Wurm
My Pick: Reckless Wurm
Arrogant Wurm is just what the doctor ordered for the double Syphon-Mage / Channeler deck. If only we had Trespasser to make it a turn earlier. Just kidding.
It sucks to pass a dragon third pack too, but not a whole lot we can do here.
Pack 3
Aven Riftwatcher; Blightspeaker; Brute Force; Cradle to Grave; Dreamscape Artist; Erratic Mutation; Firefright Mage; Ghost Tactician; Healing Leaves; Revered Dead; Sulfur Elemental; Keen Sense; Deadwood Treefolk
Kenji’s Pick: Cradle to Grave
My Pick: Sulfur Elemental
Okay, seriously, am I missing something? I’ve talked to just about every person whose opinion on Magic I respect, and not a single one has said they like Cradle to Grave. When I explained that I was writing this article and Kenji was taking the card super-high, the most common response was “Well, he’s Japanese.” I have no clue what that means, but I do know that I still don’t like the card.
The point here is that Kenji has been putting up consistent and impressive results, and maybe I’m just wrong about Cradle to Grave. I’d be interested to hear thoughts in the forums on this one.
As far as my pick here, I definitely take Sulfur Elemental, but I’d also rather have Blightspeaker and Brute Force instead of the Cradle. Blightspeaker is actually a fine pick here in combination with the two Syphon-Mages.
Pack 4
Citanul Woodreaders; Deadly Grub; Erratic Mutation; Healing Leaves; Midnight Charm; Reality Acid; Seal of Primordium; Simian Spirit Guide; Whitemane Lion; Dormant Sliver; Dunerider Outlaw; Fatal Frenzy
Kenji’s Pick: Simian Spirit Guide
My Pick: Midnight Charm
Here’s another reason why I don’t think Feebleness should be valued so highly. Midnight Charm is essentially the same card, yet sometimes better and also cheaper. It’s also extremely easy to pick one of these up. Feebleness is more effective against 2/2s, but it still isn’t exciting in that scenario as they can then be retrieved later with Dream Stalker, Whitemane Lion, or whatever else and effectively negate the Feebleness. The goal of Feebleness is killing X/1s or killing something in combat with it, and Midnight Charm is just about as good, as both of the other abilities are somewhat relevant.
Pack 5
Citanul Woodreaders; Dawn Charm; Deadly Grub; Keldon Marauders; Melancholy; Necrotic Sliver; Piracy Charm; Primal Plasma; Spitting Sliver; Synchronous Sliver; Utopia Vow
Kenji’s Pick: Melancholy
My Pick: Melancholy
I don’t mind this pick at all if Kenji was taking creatures earlier. Another option is to consider splashing for the Necrotic Sliver, since we do have the Prismatic Lens. I can’t really take too much issue here though, as Melancholy is a fine (albeit unexciting) card.
Pack 6
Aven Riftwatcher; Brain Gorgers; Dust Corona; Needlepeak Spider; Simian Spirit Guide; Sinew Sliver; Synchronous Sliver; Vitaspore Thallid; Waning Wurm; Sulfur Elemental
Kenji’s Pick: Sulfur Elemental
My Pick: Sulfur Elemental
Just imagine for a second if we had two copies of this card. Get both out and any heavy White deck is just shut down. I love this guy for so many reasons. Not the least of which is the fact that I blew out a suspended Deep Sea Kraken with it last week.
Pack 7
Firefright Mage; Ghost Tactician; Healing Leaves; Utopia Vow; Wishful Thinking; Frozen Aether; Mantle of Leadership; Cautery Sliver; Extirpate
Kenji’s Pick: Utopia Vow
My Pick: Extirpate
I think I rock the rare draft here. Even at a Pro Tour, and considering Kenji was almost a lock for Top 8 already at this point. Hate-drafting is also fine, but I doubt Utopia Vow is wrecking your day any time soon in B/R. Firefright Mage is definitely bad though, and I can’t advocate taking him.
Pack 8
Firefright Mage; Ghost Tactician; Healing Leaves; Ridged Kusite; Veiling Oddity; Whitemane Lion; Saltblast; Kavu Predator
Kenji’s Pick: Saltblast
My Pick: Saltblast or Ridged Kusite
I like the Kusite more than most. That being said, I think it’s totally fine here to hate-draft, as Saltblast is awesome. Without going back and counting the number of playables Kenji had at this point, I think either pick is okay.
Pick 10 Kenji tabled Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, so I guess my advice is invalidated there. I still am waiting for someone to convince me why Cradle to Grave is something you want multiples of in your deck.
The rest of the draft was fairly uneventful, though he did pick up a Spitting Sliver and Deadly Grub.
I can’t really build Kenji’s deck here, or do any sort of comparison, since it wasn’t listed on the site and my picks would’ve been different. Overall, I think his deck ended up passable, but not great, due to an awful third pack. I think G/R would’ve been a stronger path overall, and committing to the Tendrils so early was a mistake. Take a look back over the packs, and I believe you’ll agree with me.
The only remaining question I have after doing this exercise is exactly how many of those Feeblenesses made it into Kenji’s maindeck?
See you in the forums.
Nick Eisel
[email protected]
Soooooo on MTGO