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SCG Daily – Sayonara, Kamigawa

Pugg takes old Kamigawa around the block for one last spin while pondering a variety of issues facing Magic writers today. No one works harder to bring you your daily dose of Star City goodness than this animated pseudonym.

I don’t like the word goodbye, which is partially why you won’t find it in this article’s title. Instead I opted for the Japanese word for “chili dog.” I’m not sure what Sayonara means.


This is my last stint writing about Kamigawa Limited, God willing. Come Friday, I’ll have a 9th Edition draft to talk about, and come, oh, probably mid December, Ravnica will be out on Magic Online and I’ll talk about that.


That leaves me with one more draft to do. This is pretty old hat to me. I want to try something different. Instead of boring you with my same old reasons for picking the same old cards, I’m just going to let the picks speak for themselves. (You guys don’t seem to read half of my explanations anyway!) I mean, I have to write something, so I’ll be chiming in with whatever comes to mind about certain cards, or games that those cards remind me of. Maybe once in a while I will defend my picks. Whatever I feel like doing; you know, sort of a stream-of-consciousness thing. (Say, that’s a Betrayers uncommon. This is exactly the kind of fascinating tidbit I’m talking about!)


So bear with me, and enjoy the show.


Pack 1, Pick 1

Nezumi Shortfang; Innocence Kami; Nezumi Bone-Reader; Hanabi Blast; Ronin Houndmaster; Kitsune Riftwalker; Battle-Mad Ronin; Terashi’s Cry; Ragged Veins; Kitsune Diviner; Eye of Nowhere (FOIL); Sakura-Tribe Elder; Hisoka’s Defiance; Akki Avalanchers; Kami of the Painted Road


Truth be told, I’m on a bit of a losing streak. Monday’s draft was just the tip of the iceberg of losses. I believe it’s got something (not everything, mind you) to do with the act of recording them.


I record nearly every draft I do. After my last walkthrough series, I knew I’d be doing another – it was only a question of when. Therefore, it made sense to have as many recorded drafts available to write about should I get the urge to set finger to keyboard. (Yeah, I wish I’d have gotten that urge a few weeks earlier too.) Last time around, I had only a couple of drafts in the can before I started writing for the week, and those last few days of both drafting and writing nearly killed me. Thank you, modern medicine. Especially you, morphine.


My pick: Nezumi Shortfang


Pack 1, Pick 2

Sensei’s Divining Top; Kashi-Tribe Reaver; Reciprocate; Teller of Tales; Kami of Fire’s Roar; Matsu-Tribe Decoy; Field of Reality; Akki Rockspeaker; Unearthly Blizzard; Lantern Kami; Cursed Ronin; Stone Rain (FOIL); Floating-Dream Zubera; Lava Spike


Hate to break from my stream-of-consciousness plan so soon, but this pack deserves some commentary. There are great cards in every color but Black, but with the rare missing, it’s impossible to tell what color was picked.


What is one to do? Take the strongest card? I’m not sure which is the strongest card. I’d lean towards Reciprocate, but it is rather situational. Ultimately, then, it probably mostly comes down to color preference, but there’s one more objective criterion that can be applied. Even though a rare is missing, Teller of Tales is the best Blue common (unless Consuming Vortex moved up that much during my last nap), while none of the other good cards represent the best card of that color in that rarity. Reciprocate and Reaver aren’t even better than some of their colors’ commons.


My pick: Teller of Tales


I have heard people lately discuss the Teller as pretty much a “vanilla” 3/3 flyer, meaning Spiritcraft is just so much weaker now than it used to be. Even so, that’s still a 3/3 flyer for five mana. My problem with it in recent drafts is more that it’s got a big fat bullseye on it.


Pack 1, Pick 3

Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep; Cut the Tethers; Brothers Yamazaki; Mothrider Samurai; Battle-Mad Ronin; Silent-Chant Zubera; Deathcurse Ogre; Harsh Deceiver; Waking Nightmare; Kashi-Tribe Warriors; Sift Through Sands; Yamabushi’s Storm; Kitsune Healer


(Every time I start to type Sift Through Sands, I do it with the lowercase t. Doesn’t it seem like Through should be lowercase?)


The part where recording drafts screws me up isn’t the part about hitting printscreen and pasting it into Paint documents. (Yes, I’m still using that old-fashioned method. I’ve tried those printscreen programs. I just don’t like them. They mess with my head. Don’t try to change me; my mom’s tried that already.) I think it’s got to do with my knowledge that any of the drafts I record could be scrutinized; picked apart. You’d think I’d be pretty used to that by now. It’s not like I make bad picks on purpose. I set out to win every draft, just like you. I get -derailed – along the way. Confused. Addled. “High as a kite.”


My pick: Mothrider Samurai


Pack 1, Pick 4

Soratami Savant; Lure; Akki Coalflinger; Kami of Twisted Reflection; Crushing Pain; Quiet Purity; Callous Deceiver (FOIL); Eye of Nowhere; Yamabushi’s Storm; Devoted Retainer; Kami of the Waning Moon; Commune with Nature


I’m convinced this reluctance to be scrutinized, to be judged, is what results in us seeing so few draft walkthrough articles. I don’t believe more than four individuals (on any of the sites I read) have tried them in the last six months. People definitely like to read them. They’re always popular. A monkey can (and does) write them.


Why so few? When people see what you pick, they open a window into your brain. It’s scary, baring yourself to the masses (figuratively; I’ve got nothing to be ashamed about in the literal sense). The world of Constructed is a little more cut-and-dry: tournament-worthy cards consist of only about ten percent of the available pool, and those cards and their interactions have been explicated hundreds of times over by many different minds. Even in that world, there’s plenty of soul to bare. A few rogue cards in an otherwise preexisting deck often earn a writer quite a few jeers.


My pick: Soratami Savant


Pack 1, Pick 5

Time of Need; Mana Seism; Consuming Vortex; Joyous Respite; Wandering Ones; Desperate Ritual; Island (FOIL); Lantern Kami; Vine Kami; Sift Through Sands; Stone Rain


In Draft, every single pick is an opportunity to be criticized. Add them together and you get forty-two chances at making the “wrong” pick (hard to screw up that last one). The word’s in quotation marks there because for every ten cards in a pack, you’ll find nine different opinions (fortunately, nobody ever sides with Unnatural Speed). I know this, intellectually, but in my gut it always feels like there is that one right card, and that I’m never picking it. After all, if I did, I’d win more drafts.


My pick: Consuming Vortex


Pack 1, Pick 6

Eerie Procession; Jade Idol; Pious Kitsune; Ashen-Skin Zubera; Joyous Respite; Floating-Dream Zubera; Stone Rain; Kitsune Healer; Commune with Nature; River Kaijin


This pack is a perfect example of what I’m talking about. It should be clear that Blue is the color to be in, and that feels great. However, there are three perfectly playable Blue cards in this pack, each serving a slightly different role in the deck. They’re all about equal in power level (that is, they’d fall in roughly similar spots on pick order lists, not that anyone makes those anymore).


I’m reminded of a political cartoon I saw in my seventh-grade Social Studies textbook. (Do people even take Social Studies anymore?) Two Soviets are walking by the Kremlin. The one says to the other, “In a democracy, it would be nothing but choice, choice, choice.”


That comic illustrates three points. One is that I’m an old, old man. Another is that sometimes you don’t want the choice. In a pack like this, I’d be far more happy with a clear best Blue card, or even a single Blue card on the power level of one of these three.


Yet I have to choose. By choosing, I make myself vulnerable to f***ing up.


My pick: River Kaijin


(The third point, of course, is that political cartoons are terrible.)


Pack 1, Pick 7

Asuza, Lost but Seeking; Lantern-Lit Graveyard; Peer Through Depths; Unnatural Speed; Terashi’s Cry; River Kaijin; Devouring Rage; Call to Glory; Orochi Ranger


It’s not that I’m that afraid of criticism! Believe me, if I were, I wouldn’t be doing this series. Mike Flores, one of my favorite writers and indeed one of the only Constructed writers I read regularly, gets more than his fair share. Nick Eisel has probably taught me more about drafting than any other writer – I mean, he’s really good – and look at the sh*t he gets. (Ok, he’s a filthy cheater. Granted.)


The difference between them and I, of course, is that they’re good. They’ve got proven track records. Me? I couldn’t pull out a win if I were handed Siron’s deck in the Top 8 of PT: London. (Speaking of people scrutinizing picks. If those 7 people could screw up that badly, I guess I shouldn’t feel all that bad.)


It’s not like I never win. I would’ve liked to showcase one of my winning decks; I really would have. It’s just that, since I discovered that replay thing, I haven’t won a single draft. Yes, I’ve endured approximately ten straight draft losses. (In 8-4, it really doesn’t matter if you win that first round, except by virtue of your rating, which is why I’m still above 1700.) Why do I keep playing? Maybe I’m a masochist. Or maybe I’m still having way too much fun.


My pick: River Kaijin


Pack 1, Pick 8

Student of Elements; Rag Dealer; Wear Away; Kami of Twisted Reflection; Orochi Ranger; Callous Deceiver; Devouring Rage; Waking Nightmare


Specifically, why do I keep bothering playing 8-4 when my track record is so hideous? First of all, it’s only hideous lately. When Saviors came out, I won (that is, split in the finals) five out of my first six drafts. Then I won two out of the next five. Then I lost a whole bunch.


Thing is, those first few wins were enough to sustain me throughout all of those next several losses. For the past few weeks I’ve done nothing but liquidate cards, just enough at a time to be able to draft again. Amazing that I could. At least ten straight losses. Never paying an additional cent back into the game.


The short reason I now play 8-4 exclusively? When you win, you win. You don’t break even.


My pick: Callous Deceiver


Pack 1, Pick 9

Nezumi Bone-Reader; Kitsune Riftwalker; Terashi’s Cry; Ragged Veins; Hisoka’s Defiance; Akki Avalanchers; Kami of the Painted Road


There are other reasons, the biggest being that I want to play against the tougher competition. I feel like I learn nothing when I’m handed a winning deck by someone completely new to the game. Sure, it feels good to win even then, but I’m trying to improve myself. In my last series, even the times I won, many of my picks were still questionable. I’m trying to get to the point where that doesn’t happen (as often).


My pick: Hisoka’s Defiance


Pack 1, Pick 10

Field of Reality; Akki Rockspeaker; Unearthly Blizzard; Cursed Ronin; Stone Rain (FOIL); Lava Spike


I know everybody claims they want to get better, but it’s not often what I see in people. When I see people discuss Magic, they seem to do so with the attitude that they’re right, that they know everything there is to know about the situation in question. I’ve done it, myself.


Oops, these packs suck. Let’s put ‘er in Turbo.


My pick: Cursed Ronin


Pack 1, Pick 11

Cut the Tethers; Silent-Chant Zubera; Deathcurse Ogre; Harsh Deceiver; Sift Through Sands


My pick: Sift Through Sands


Yep, probably should’ve taken one of the White cards.


Pack 1, Pick 12

Kami of Twisted Reflection; Crushing Pain; Quiet Purity; Eye of Nowhere


My pick: Eye of Nowhere


Pack 1, Pick 13

Joyous Respite; Wandering Ones; Desperate Ritual


My pick: Wandering Ones


Pack 1, Pick 14

Joyous Respite; Pious Kitsune


My pick: Joyous Respite


Pack 1, Pick 15

Unnatural Speed


Pack 2, Pick 1

Sickening Shoal; Kitsune Palliator; Shuko; Stream of Consciousness; Veil of Secrecy; Kumano’s Blessing; Takeno’s Cavalry; Call for Blood; Uproot; Blademane Baku; Kami of False Hope; Horobi’s Whisper; Harbinger of Spring; Teardrop Kami; Goblin Cohort


This pick reminds me of one of the reasons I decided to cover this draft over one of the multitude of others I’ve got stored away. When do you take a rare over a common with similar utility?


Sometimes as a thought exercise, I pretend the rare is common, but that never seems to work out too well, unless the cards have very similar functions. In this case, of course, they both destroy creatures. One destroys absolutely but is limited to nonblack creatures. The other is situational but can target anything. One can be spliced, though it’s a tough condition to meet. (In fact, the times I’ve spliced it I’ve usually lost! Not that that’s saying much.) The other has an alternate cost, which isn’t generally the best in Limited but still rather useful.


My pick: Sickening Shoal


Pack 2, Pick 2

Ronin Warclub; Ogre Recluse; Body of Jukai; Phantom Wings; Ire of Kaminari; Mending Hands; Stir the Grave; Matsu-Tribe Sniper; Shimmering Glasskite; Shinka Gatekeeper; Hundred-Talon Strike; Takenuma Bleeder; Scaled Hulk; Quillmane Baku


The other consideration is that the Shoal is worth (approximately) five tickets. That’s over one third the cost of another draft. That’s a significant amount.


I’ve touched on this before, and it’s a topic that very few writers seem to want to touch. There are economic realities in drafting, or at least the sort of semi-casual drafting I do.


Simply put, when a card comes up that’s worth as much as Sickening Shoal, I believe it’s in my best interest to take it, regardless of how good it is. The fact that it’s probably also the best card in the pack and that I’ve already taken a couple of Black cards is just gravy.


My pick: Shimmering Glasskite


Pack 2, Pick 3

Tomorrow, Azami’s Familiar; Eradicate; Three Tragedies; Minamo’s Meddling; Akki Blizzard-Herder; Terashi’s Grasp; Crawling Filth; Petalmane Baku; Sakura-Tribe Springcaller; Ribbons of the Reikai; Child of Thorns (FOIL); Okiba-Gang Shinobi; Child of Thorns


I think people get that just fine. I think most people take the five-ticket rare, regardless of its power in their deck and regardless of the power of the other cards in the pack. Five tickets is probably where the line begins to blur, though. I don’t think most people take a two-ticket rare first pick unless there’s really nothing else in the pack.


Everybody raredrafts. Nobody passes that foil Pithing Needle, even though Needle is probably not even playable in Limited. Everybody has his or her price.


My pick: Okiba-Gang Shinobi


Pack 2, Pick 4

Lifespinner; Faithful Squire; First Volley; Mending Hands; Bile Urchin; Vital Surge; Veil of Secrecy; Psychic Spear; Gnarled Mass; Mistblade Shinobi; Blademane Baku; Okiba-Gang Shinobi


So, everybody has his or her–


Hang on a sec. Mtg.com just updated. Lessee…


OMFG!


That tree has boobies!


My pick: Okiba-Gang Shinobi


Pack 2, Pick 5

Ashen Monstrosity; Ronin Cliffrider; Toils of Night and Day; Kumano’s Blessing; Silverstorm Samurai; Stir the Grave; Uproot; Skullmane Baku; Scaled Hulk; Ninja of the Deep Hours; Shinka Gatekeeper


So, everybody has his or her price. A raredrafting continuum exists, if you will. I’m on the end of the spectrum that believes a card worth a third of a ticket (with no chance of making my deck) is a better deal than a card worth a two hundredth of a ticket that has less than a ten percent chance of making my deck. Many of you seem to disagree.


That’s fine. I believe my position is quite defendable. Maybe people are scared to admit how often they raredraft.


Maybe some of the disagreement stems from the fact that some cards I see as unplayable, others see as quality deck filler. That’s also fine.


My pick: Ninja of the Deep Hours


Pack 2, Pick 6

Kodama of the Center Tree; Aura Barbs; Mark of Spring; Phantom Wings; Takeno’s Cavalry; Blessing of Leeches; Traproot Kami; Skullsnatcher; Roar of Jukai; Quillmane Baku


What about cases like pick 1 of this draft? Is Nezumi Shortfang the best card in the pack, or was I swayed by its rarity and the fact that it’s worth a couple tickets? Surely Innocence Kami, Hanabi Blast and Sakura-Tribe Elder are all decent first picks. It’s situations like that I can’t necessarily defend; situations where I know intuitively I’m making the wrong decision. Shortfang gets so much more weight for being rare and being worth something in my mind. I mean, it’s gotta still be first pick worthy, as it does have a strong ability. Is it better than those other cards, though?


My pick: Phantom Wings


Pack 2, Pick 7

Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker; Heed the Mists; Toils of Night and Day; Ire of Kaminari; Silverstorm Samurai; Crawling Filth; Vital Surge; Harbinger of Spring; Mistblade Shinobi


Oh. This was one of the other Shirei drafts. Perfect chance to prove my point.


What was that point again? Is it that I’m weak? Do I know that the best card for my deck is the Shinobi, or do I seriously believe Shirei fits better?


How can one quantitatively compare two cards like this, each with one easy-to-pin value and one terribly difficult-to-pin value. Shirei is worth approximately one ticket. Mistblade is worth approximately zero. Mistblade will probably make my deck, while Shirei, unless I draft at least a few more one-power creatures, at least one which has a sacrifice ability, will not. (Ironically enough, Shirei would help out Mistblade quite a bit.)


I can’t answer these questions to great satisfaction. I do know that Mistblade feels like the better card for the deck. (There’s also this, and it’s a relatively minor concern, but I’d much rather play against the Shinobi than Shirei.) I don’t think Shirei is worth enough to outweigh this, so I think this pick goes down, properly, as a mistake.


My pick: Shirei, Shizo’s Caretaker


Pack 2, Pick 8

Scour; Minamo’s Meddling; Crack the Earth; Heart of Light; Kami of False Hope; Sakura-Tribe Springcaller; Goblin Cohort; Hundred-Talon Kami


I think it’s about time I stick to the draft. For one thing, this article’s already way longer than it should be.


Packs like this really seem like good opportunities to counter, or hate draft. There are a few cards I’d rather not play against if I can avoid it, and the one card in my color (I’ve abandoned White long ago) definitely won’t make the main deck and is only a marginal sideboard card at best.


Still, none of the good cards (Kami of False Hope, Hundred-Talon Strike, Sakura-Tribe Sprincaller) are even all that good. Also, there’s the consideration that I still want to be rewarding the people not in my colors in hopes of picking up better Blue and Black cards come Saviors. This one’s a tough call, but when those cards aren’t that great, and they’re all at about the same power level, I think in cases like this it’s not unwise to take one for the team. My team. You know, me.


My pick: Minamo’s Meddling


Pack 2, Pick 9

Kitsune Palliator; Stream of Consciousness; Kumano’s Blessing; Takeno’s Cavalry; Call for Blood; Uproot; Harbinger of Spring


My pick: Stream of Consciousness


Pack 2, Pick 10

Body of Jukai; Ire of Kaminari; Mending Hands; Shinka Gatekeeper; Scaled Hulk; Quillmane Baku


Quillmanes come very late, in case you were wondering why I took Phantom Wings earlier without apparently even considering the Baku. I’m a fan of the card; believe me.


My pick: Quillmane Baku


Pack 2, Pick 11

Akki Blizzard-Herder; Crawling Filth; Petalmane Baku; Sakura-Tribe Springcaller; Ribbons of the Reikai


Should’ve taken one of the Green cards, neither of which has any business still being here. Must’ve been in a generous mood.


Or maybe I’d just read Adam Chambers‘ article.


My pick: Crawling Filth


Pack 2, Pick 12

Bile Urchin; Vital Surge; Veil of Secrecy; Psychic Spear


Either Veil or Spear is probably much better for my deck. Stupid Shirei, tainting my judgment.


My pick: Bile Urchin


Pack 2, Pick 13

Toils of Night and Day; Kumano’s Blessing; Uproot


My pick: Toils of Night and Day


Pack 2, Pick 14

Mark of Sakiko; Blessing of Leeches


My pick: Blessing of Leeches


Pack 2, Pick 15

Vital Surge


Pack 3, Pick 1

Homura, Human Ascendant; Descendant of Kiyomaro; Measure of Wickedness; Kami of the Tended Garden; Shinen of Fear’s Chill; Rending Vines; Oboro Breezecaller; Ronin Cavekeeper; Curtain of Light; Minamo Scrollkeeper; Spiraling Embers; Shinen of Stars’ Light; Kagemaro’s Clutch; Shinen of Life’s Roar; Moonbow Illusionist


My deck’s got three quality Ninjas. What it’s lacking is ninja enablers and cheap creatures in general. Thing is, you can’t pass up quality removal to fill slots in your deck like that. Can you? This is another area of drafting where feel I need improvement. I don’t know at what point to sacrifice card quality for what my deck needs.


I do know it’s not at this point.


My pick: Kagemaro’s Clutch


Pack 3, Pick 2

Maga, Traitor to Mortals; Kami of the Tended Garden; Shifting Borders; Gnat Miser; Dosan’s Oldest Chant; Into the Fray; Kitsune Bonesetter; Kitsune Dawnblade; Sink into Takenuma; Elder Pine of Jukai; Descendant of Soramaro; Shinen of Fury’s Fire; Kitsune Loreweaver


Oh, these pesky rares in my colors. This is a less-than-impressive pack for me any way you slice it, but Sink is definitely a playable card. I hate picking it second, though, and this doesn’t feel like the time to hatedraft.


My pick: Maga, Traitor to Mortals


Those pesky, pesky rares. It’s not as if Maga is unplayable, and I’ve seen him kill opponents in Limited before. It’s just probably not the best card for my deck, and it’s not even close to being the best card in the pack. I didn’t feel too awful about Shirei, but this one feels icky.


Pack 3, Pick 3

Soramaro, First to Dream; Molting Skin; Ghost-Lit Warder; Captive Flame; Matsu-Tribe Birdstalker; Dreamcatcher; Path of Anger’s Flame; Spiritual Visit; Fiddlehead Kami; Oppressive Will; Kitsune Loreweaver; Sink into Takenuma; Nightsoil Kami


Yet again, a rare of questionable quality versus Sink into Takenuma. I suppose Ghost-Lit Warder is also a consideration, as is Dreamcatcher. In fact, if I had any idea how bad Soramaro can be in draft, I’d probably go with the Warder.


Stupid rares.


My pick: Soramaro, First to Dream


Pack 3, Pick 4

Nikko-Onna; Ebony Owl Netsuke; Kuro’s Taken; Sakura-Tribe Scout; Cut the Earthly Bond; Ronin Cavekeeper; Plow Through Reito; Kagemaro’s Clutch; Inner Calm, Outer Strength; Moonbow Illusionist; Akki Underling


Not one but two quality ninja enablers compete with the removal spell this time, and my deck still needs them badly. Is this the point where the less powerful card becomes the correct pick?


I don’t know!


My pick: Kagemaro’s Clutch


Pack 3, Pick 5

Soratami Cloud Chariot; Dense Canopy; Gnat Miser; Rending Vines; Ideas Unbound; Path of Anger’s Flame; Araba Mothrider; Shinen of Life’s Roar; Descendant of Soramaro; Torii Watchward; Kami of Empty Graves


If a case could ever be made for hatedrafting, it’s in this pack. The Shinen should simply not still be in the pack.


I mean, my four-drop slot is already clogged as hell. Neither the Empty Graves nor the Descendant will make my deck. Surely this is where you bite the bullet and take the Shinen?


My pick: Soratami Cloud Chariot


I don’t get why I took it either. I must’ve been disgusted with the draft by this point. How could the Blue have been flowing so much in pack 1 and be so dry now?


Also, I admit I’ve been blinded by the Chariot before, getting lucky with it a few times. I mean, it’s a fine card once it’s in play and the board is relatively stable. Getting to that point is the hard part, and it’s not a great card, and this was not a great pick.


Pack 3, Pick 6

Soratami Cloud Chariot; Skull Collector; Dosan’s Oldest Chant; Dreamcatcher; Into the Fray; Curtain of Light; Shinen of Fear’s Chill; Kitsune Dawnblade; Okina Nightwatch; Minamo Scrollkeeper


In an alternate universe where life is fair, this pack would contain the Oboro Breezecaller or Kuro’s Taken my deck so desperately needs.


Sometimes the cards simply don’t come. I don’t know if it’s a color switch to my right or just lousy packs, but Saviors has not been kind to me. When you draft, you count on certain cards getting to you at a certain point. Average cards like Orobo Breezecaller. Cards you wouldn’t be surprised to see eleventh or twelfth or even thirteenth. Cards that don’t always make your deck.


Cards your deck needs you passed up earlier for cards any deck wants. Sometimes I just don’t get drafting.


My pick: Skull Collector


Dreamcatcher might be the correct pick here, or even Scrollkeeper, but none of those cards is gonna make much of an impact.


Pack 3, Pick 7

Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker; Godo’s Irregulars; Death of a Thousand Stings; Matsu-Tribe Birdstalker; Ideas Unbound; Glitterfang; Plow Through Reito; Torii Watchward; Shinen of Flight’s Wings


Now that’s unusual. Too bad my deck needs a five-drop less than I need a third anus.


My pick: Shinen of Flight’s Wings


Pack 3, Pick 8

Kiri-Onna; Presence of the Wise; Death of a Thousand Stings; Sakura-Tribe Scout; Murmurs from Beyond; Inner Fire; Araba Mothrider; Cowed by Wisdom


That’s even more unusual. These last couple picks would seem to indicate that the Blue was just weak in Saviors. Sucks to be me.


My pick: Kiri-Onna


Also sucks to have another five-drop.


Pack 3, Pick 9

Measure of Wickedness; Shinen of Fear’s Chill; Rending Vines; Oboro Breezecaller; Ronin Cavekeeper; Curtain of Light; Minamo Scrollkeeper


Finally. Only other card in my colors missing from this pack is the Illusionist, so there might only be one other Blue drafter after all. Not that that’s much of a consolation.


My pick: Oboro Breezecaller


Pack 3, Pick 10

Shifting Borders; Dosan’s Oldest Chant; Murmurs from Beyond; Into the Fray; Kitsune Bonesetter; Kitsune Dawnblade


See, the “from” in Murmurs from Beyond isn’t capitalized. What makes it so special?


My pick: Murmurs from Beyond


Pack 3, Pick 11

Matsu-Tribe Birdstalker; Dreamcatcher; Spiritual Visit; Fiddlehead Kami; Oppressive Will


See, it wasn’t that bad of me not to take those Dreamcatchers before. A deck only wants one, if it wants any.


My pick: Dreamcatcher


Pack 3, Pick 12

Nikko-Onna; Ebony Owl Netsuke; Cut the Earthly Bond; Ronin Cavekeeper


Can’t fathom how Nikko is still in here. Do people not realize how useful it is to block (or attack) and bounce with damage on the stack? Enchantments schmenchantments.


My pick: Nikko-Onna


Pack 3, Pick 13

Dense Canopy; Ideas Unbound; Descendant of Soramaro


Shame the Descendants don’t directly interact with the Maros. Seems like they should.


My pick: Descendant of Soramaro


Pack 3, Pick 14

Into the Fray; Kitsune Dawnblade


My pick: Kitsune Dawnblade


Pack 3, Pick 15

Ideas Unbound


So, here’s the deck:


1cc

Bile Urchin

Dreamcatcher


2cc

Consuming Vortex

Eye of Nowhere

Nezumi Shortfang

Oboro Breezecaller


3cc

Toils of Night and Day

Callous Deceiver

River Kaijin

River Kaijin


4cc

Kagemaro’s Clutch

Kagemaro’s Clutch

Ninja of the Deep Hours

Shimmering Glasskite

Soratami Savant


5cc

Kiri-Onna

Okiba-Gang Shinobi

Okiba-Gang Shinobi

Shinen of Flight’s Wings

Teller of Tales


6cc

Soramaro, First to Dream


The deck pretty much built itself. The one thing I know I dropped the ball on is Soramaro. The deck doesn’t need any more late game. I think Phantom Wings should easily go in its place.


As expected, you get to watch these games too!


http://www.geocities.com/puggfuggly/replay2.zip


Sure beats me blabbing any more about them. Instructions for viewing replays can be found in http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/10346.html .


Follow them to the letter. Don’t go deleting any files you shouldn’t be. Starcitygames.com takes no responsibility for your own callous disregard towards your files.


Tomorrow, a brand new installment of Ask Pugg! The only installment of Ask Pugg, to my knowledge.


Good night, and God bless. If you believe in that sort of thing.


Pugg Fuggly

[email protected]