Pro Perspective – Pimp My Draft!

When I accepted this weekly writing gig for StarCityGames.com, I knew situations like the one I’ve been through the last couple of days would occur. I do dedicate a lot of time to my favorite game, but sometimes I have to take a break. Three Grand Prix tournaments in three weeks, not counting the Pro Tour two weeks earlier… that’s a lot of Magic, even for a Pro Player (or at least, for me). It’s also the reason I didn’t want to go to Kyoto. The other reason I didn’t go to Kyoto was that I don’t have a single clue about Standard.

I asked around, looking for general topics to talk about, but nothing interesting came up. When I asked Craig for inspiration, he told me to talk about Standard. As mentioned above, I don’t know anything about it, and I really don’t want to pretend that I do.

He then asked me:

“So what are you playing these days?”
“Final Fantasy XII…”
“I’m not sure our readers will be interested in that…”

I needed something: a concept. A concept I would be able to reuse again if I’m out of content in any given week, if readers enjoy it.

I came up with an idea, with the help of a friend: a column that would be similar to Rich Hoaen’s “Drafting with Rich” column, with a few subtle differences:

The concept?

Pimp My Draft!

Using the DraftCap software, I sit and draft with an “amateur” player, comparing picks along the way. However, this isn’t simply a “Drafting With Raph” approach… there are subtle differences.

I wouldn’t pick the first cards myself. The amateur player would start the draft and make the first three picks. He would then tell me what he would pick for the rest of the draft, but I would be the one having the last word in picking the card. The reason why I leave the first picks to him is to let him decide which way the draft should start. I’ve drafted too much, and would be therefore influenced by my personal preferences. I’d pick the colors I prefer, which is not the point of the exercise. When I take over and start making the picks, the exercise remains in the context of a real draft. It doesn’t create a strange “alternate reality” draft where my partner would pick a card and I would pick another, with both of us coming to separate decklists. I would still be following the primary idea of his draft, hopefully making the best of it.

The whole point is to argue the picks, and see the difference between an amateur’s point of view and (I hate calling myself this) a pro. I will, of course, give you tips on the way, and the reasons why I make certain picks. We’ll see how expandable the concept is. It may be possible for one of you to take part in one of the drafts in future articles (more about this later).

For the first instalment, Yohan (who came up with the “Pimp My Draft” concept), launched an 8-4 on MTGO, and started picking:

(NB: This is my first ever attempt at DraftCapping, and it proved to be a little tricky. All packs are here, but a few cards are missing. I hope this isn’t to distracting, and I’ll iron out the problems for the next instalment.)

Draft:

Pack 1:

Spinneret Sliver, Keldon Halberdier, Grapeshot, Mindstab, Slipstream Serpent,
Wormwood Dryad, Venser’s Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Dread Return,
Conflagrate, Undying Rage, Squall Line, Undead Warchief, Spirit Loop

Yohan:
Pick: Squall Line
The only good cards are Red, and there are four of them —Keldon Halbardier, Grapeshot, Conflagrate, and Undying Rage (which I personaly dislike). A Green pick is safe, so I go for the X direct damage spell, Squall Line.

My response: The first pick is, in my opinion, definetely wrong. The reason why Yohan stayed away from the Red cards is acceptable, although I believe Grapeshot and Conflagrate may be splashable Red cards, but Yohan went for the wrong card. I would prefer having a Mindstab that I would almost always play if I’m Black, than Squall Line that I sometimes leave in the board.

Pack 2:

Coal Stoker, Deathspore Thallid, Tolarian Sentinel, Benalish Cavalry, Orcish
Cannonade, Errant Ephemeron, Watcher Sliver, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder,
Skulking Knight, Quilled Sliver, Fallen Ideal, Calciform Pools

Yohan:
Pick: Errant Ephemeron
The best card in the pack.

My response: The second pick is correct.

Pack 3:

Amrou Scout, Keldon Halberdier, Mana Skimmer, Durkwood Baloth, Fathom Seer,
Prismatic Lens, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Conflagrate,
Paradise Plume, Swarmyard

Yohan:
Pick: Fathom Seer

Fathom Seer or Durkwood Baloth… Fathom seer is probably better.

My response: The third pick is correct as well, but for different reasons. You’re passed an Errant Ephemeron in pack 2 and a Fathom Seer in pack 3. It is a pretty clear signal that your right neighbor isn’t Blue. Not only is Fathom Seer the better card, but it’s also the safer pick.

From then on, Yohan would suggest the pick, but I would have the last word.

Pack 4:

Coral Trickster, Ivory Giant, Deathspore Thallid, Flowstone Channeler,
Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Haunting Hymn, Paradise Plume, *, Spike Feeder,
Swamp

Yohan would take: Spike Feeder.
I would take: Coral Trickster.

Yohan wants to play his first pick and would like to go for the Spike Feeder. Spike Feeder is probably better than Coral Trickster, but the merfolk is just a safer pick. With two Blue cards that you’re going to play for sure, you want your neighbours to forget about Blue entirely. With the Trickster being the only playable Blue card in the pack, that will send the right signal.

It’s interesting to point there that it’s a draft strategy of it’s own, and one I use often. Early in the draft, when I’m set on a color and not sure about the second one, I like to cut every good playable in my color that I see. I’d rather pick a good card in my main color than a better card in a second color. It is safer for two reasons:

There’s a chance that you won’t be playing the card you picked
Unless your left neighbor first picked a card of the same color and is totally stubborn, he won’t be the same color as you (which is what signals are for).

Final Pick: Coral Trickster

Pack 5:

Coral Trickster, Benalish Cavalry, Feebleness, Looter il-Kor, Molder,
Children of Korlis, Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Pendelhaven
Elder, Saltcrusted Steppe

Yohan: Looter il-kor
Raph: Looter il-kor

In this pack, it’s pretty clear that Blue is open. Red and Green are cut, and Yohan started to realize he wouldn’t have been able to go Green. Feebleness is still in the pack, which doesn’t mean much at that point as not enough cards have been drafted, but it can indicate that your neighbours are not cutting Black (yet).

Pick: Looter il-Kor

Pack 6:

Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Watcher Sliver, Blazing
Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Paradox Haze, Yavimaya Dryad

Yohan: Yavimaya Dryad
Raph: Mindstab

I have the feeling that no one is drafting Black. Picking the Dryad would put you in the situation where you want Green as a your second color. With only Squall Line (double Green), the Dryad would be another double Green card in a color that you doubt is available. With the idea that Black may be open, especially in the second pack as you passed only two mediocre Black cards – and considering that Mindstab is at the same level, if not better, than the Dryad – it seems to me that the Black suspend card is the right pick.

Pick: Mindstab

Pack 7:

Gorgon Recluse, Scarwood Treefolk, Sangrophage, D’Avenant Healer, Mystical
Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Truth or Tale, Aspect of Mongoose

Yohan/Raph: Gorgon Recluse

Pack 8:

Chromatic Star, Gorgon Recluse, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian
Eye, Fool’s Demise, Assembly-Worker, Ovinomancer

Yohan/Raph: Gorgon Recluse

It’s now clear now that Black is open, so U/B it is!

We now go on auto-pick for the rest of the pack… the choices I made were accpeted and obvious.

Pack 9:

Slipstream Serpent, Wormwood Dryad, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Dread
Return, Undying Rage, Spirit Loop

Pick: Slipstream Serpent

Pack 10:

Deathspore Thallid, Tolarian Sentinel, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Fallen
Ideal, Calciform Pools

Pick: Tolarian Sentinel

Pack 11:

Mana Skimmer, Clockspinning, Viscid Lemures, Paradise Plume, Gaea’s Blessing

Pick: Mana Skimmer

Pack 12:

Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Haunting Hymn

Pick: Haunting Hymn

Pack 13:

Feebleness, Children of Korlis, Ground Rift

Pick: Feebleness

Pack 14:

Brass Gnat, Glass Asp

Pick: Brass Gnat

Pack 15:

Truth or Tale

Pick: Truth or Tale

After pack 1, we’re definitely set on U/B. We were sent signals that we read, and sent the signals that both Black and Blue were cut. The rest of the draft should go smoothly.

Pack 16:

Corpulent Corpse, Cancel, Empty the Warrens, Icatian Crier, Bonesplitter Sliver, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm, Griffin Guide, Riftwing Cloudskate, Dementia Sliver, Liege of the Pit, Whirling Dervish, Island

Yohan/Raph: Riftwing Cloudskate

Pack 17:

Tendrils of Corruption, Think Twice, Penumbra Spider, Errant Doomsayers, Rift Bolt, Aether Web, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Momentary Blink, Phantom Wurm, Outrider en-Kor, Spirit Loop, Dralnu, Lich Lord, Mountain

Yohan/Raph: Tendrils of Corruption

Pack 18:

Bonesplitter Sliver, Viscerid Deepwalker, Ashcoat Bear, Amrou Seekers, Search for Tomorrow, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Jhoira’s Timebug, Jedit’s Dragoons, Savage Thallid, Fledgling Mawcor, Gustcloak Cavalier, Reiterate, Goblin Snowman

Yohan/Raph: Fledgling Mawcor

Pack 19:

Assassinate, Temporal Eddy, Mogg War Marshal, Greenseeker, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug, Chameleon Blur

Yohan/Raph: Assassinate

Pack 20:

Drudge Reavers, Crookclaw Transmuter, Strength in Numbers, Errant Doomsayers, Subterranean Shambler, Cyclopean Giant, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode, Weatherseed Totem

Yohan/Raph: Crookclaw Transmuter

It seems that Yohan and I are now on the same page… the first five picks go smoothly. The sixth, hoever, throws us a debatable choice.

Pack 21:

Corpulent Corpse, Viscerid Deepwalker, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Search for Tomorrow, Jedit’s Dragoons, Sprout, Foriysian Interceptor, Detainment Spell, Pendelhaven Elder

Yohan: Viscerid Deepwalker

Raph: Corpulent Corpse

This is a tough one. I don’t think one is strictly better than the other in the abstract. But in this case, I believe the Corpse is better. The reason is that we’ve drafted more Blue cards than Black cards so far, and that our only good removal is a Tendrils of Corruption. We’ll want to play at least eight Swamps along with this, so we should start picking Black cards over Blue cards to have around 50% of each. And that’s a perfect example of the kind of choice you’ll have to make in this situation.

Another interesting pick: Dralnu, Lich Lord. To Yohan and I, there was no real question about taking it over Think Twice. We took Tendril of Agony over it the first time, but I am big fan of the Legend and kinda hoped it would wheel. No one really likes him and I was pretty sure no one else was Black/Blue. So unless there was a rare drafter at the table, it would be ours…

Pick: Corpulent Corpse

Again, we now go on auto-pick for the rest of the pack. Yohan and I seem to be getting the goods here.

Pack 22:

Aether Web, Drudge Reavers, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Ancient Grudge, Plated Pegasus, Academy Ruins, Lord of Atlantis

Pick: Lord of Atlantis

Pack 23:

Goblin Skycutter, Zealot il-Vec, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Bewilder, Call to the Netherworld, Cyclopean Giant, Ignite Memories

Pick: Urborg Syphon-Mage

Pack 24:

Cancel, Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm, Dementia Sliver, Whirling Dervish, Island

Pick: Cancel

Pack 25:

Think Twice, Aether Web, Sage of Epityr, Spirit Loop, Dralnu, Lich Lord, Mountain

Pick: Dralnu, Lich Lord

Pack 26:

Ashcoat Bear, Jhoira’s Timebug, Savage Thallid, Reiterate, Goblin Snowman

Pick: Jhoira’s Timebug

Pack 27:

Temporal Eddy, Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug, Chameleon Blur

Pick: Temporal Eddy

Pack 28:

Drudge Reavers, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode

Pick: Psychotic Episode

Pack 29:

Foriysian Interceptor, Detainment Spell

Pick: Detainment Spell

Pack 30:

Brass Gnat

Pick: Brass Gnat

Pack 31:

Shaper Parasite, Utopia Vow, Spitting Sliver, Aven Riftwatcher, Reality Acid, Blightspeaker, Evolution Charm, Shade of Trokair, Primal Plasma, *, *, Sophic Centaur, Dormant Sliver, Dunerider Outlaw, Oros, the Avenger

Yohan/Raph: Shaper Parasite

Pack 32:

Cradle to Grave, Reflex Sliver, Poultice Sliver, Spitting Sliver, Vitaspore Thallid, Brain Gorgers, Fury Charm, Primal Plasma, Seal of Primordium, *, Psychotrope Thallid, Hedge Troll, Magus of the Library, Vampiric Link

Yohan/Raph: Cradle to Grave

Pack 33:

Needlepeak Spider, Mire Boa, Dreamscape Artist, Aven Riftwatcher, Wistful Thinking, Keldon Marauders, Dash Hopes, Shade of Trokair, Melancholy, Piracy Charm, Jodah’s Avenger, Big Game Hunter, Frozen Aether

Yohan/Raph: Jodah’s Avenger

Again, the signs are good in our first three picks… we both agree.

Pack 34:

Battering Sliver, Whitemane Lion, Mire Boa, Aquamorph Entity, Firefright Mage, Blightspeaker, Ghost Tactician, Healing Leaves, Rathi Trapper, Venarian Glimmer, Treacherous Urge, Benalish Commander

Yohan : Treacherous Urge
Raph: Rathi Trapper

The reason why Yohan wanted to pick Treacherous Urge was that he wasn’t sure how good the card was. When you haven’t played a card yet, it’s often better to try it out at least once or twice. In a PTQ final or on a Grand Prix Day 2, unless you’ve heard that a card was awesome first-hand, I advise you to go for the safe pick. In this case, the safe pick – Rathi Trapper – is a better card.

He also mentioned the synergy with Dralnu. I didn’t really think that made the card much better, as Dralnu with any Instant / Sorcery in the bin works just as well.

Pick: Rathi Trapper

Sadly for this experiment, but not so for the draft, we agreed on the rest of the picks… so auto-pick mode is officially engaged!

Pack 35:

Whitemane Lion, Midnight Charm, Saltfield Recluse, Synchronous Sliver, Ghost Tactician, Firefright Mage, Merfolk Thaumaturgist, Healing Leaves, Frenetic Sliver

Pick: Midnight Charm

Pack 36:

Erratic Mutation, Midnight Charm, Needlepeak Spider, Uktabi Drake, Deadly Grub, Dust Corona, Revered Dead, Healing Leaves

Pick: Erratic Mutation

Pack 37:

Veiling Oddity, Midnight Charm, Fury Charm, Vitaspore Thallid, Deadly Grub, Bog Serpent, Piracy Charm, Dichotomancy, Vampiric Link

Pick: Midnight Charm

Pack 38:

Veiling Oddity, Synchronous Sliver, Dawn Charm, Wistful Thinking, Firefright Mage, Gossamer Phantasm, Bog Serpent, Dismal Failure

Pick: Dismal Failure

Pack 39:

Spitting Sliver, Reality Acid, Blightspeaker, Primal Plasma, Mana Tithe, Sophic Centaur, Dormant Sliver

Pick: Primal Plasma

Pack 40:

Spitting Sliver, Vitaspore Thallid, Brain Gorgers, Seal of Primordium, Psychotrope Thallid, Vampiric Link

Pick: Brain Gorgers

Pack 41:

Dreamscape Artist, Wistful Thinking, Dash Hopes, Melancholy, Piracy Charm

Pick: Dreamscape Artist

Pack 42:

Aquamorph Entity, Firefright Mage, Ghost Tactician, Healing Leaves

Pick: Aquamorph Entity

Pack 43:

Ghost Tactician, Firefright Mage, Healing Leaves

Pick: Healing Leaves

Pack 44:

Deadly Grub, Dust Corona

Pick: Deadly Grub

Pack 45:

Deadly Grub

Pick: Deadly Grub

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

The draft went exactly according to plan. With 35 playables, we had options in deckbuilding. This doesn’t always happen, as when a draft goes wrong, deck construction can sometimes lasts less than two minutes: gather the playables, cut one or two cards, add lands, submit.

The main difference in the direction of our respective drafts would have gone, was that Yohan would probably have tried harder to force Green, when it seemed that there was no real way to draft a Green deck. The way the signals were received and sent both contributed to the success of this draft. The way we valued certain cards was different.

I’m not saying that I’ll always be right, as there were probably many ways to run this draft, but experience and the knowledge of the format play a major role in pick decisions.

We played out the three rounds (I usually play the finals when I feel my deck is good… sorry to my last opponent about that), losing only one game… to Akroma, Angel of Wrath in round 1.

If you enjoyed “Pimp My Draft,” would like to take part in it, or have any suggestions to improve the concept, feel free to leave feedback in the forums. If you’re interested in reading more of these, I’ll try to find a way for two of us to draft remotely together, using a shared screen tool or similar… watch this space!

Until next week,

Raph