How significant is learning a format — and learning what to expect — in Limited? Specifically, if I have years of drafting experience, can I simply walk into any draft format cold and do well? I tried just that. I’ll show my first, fourth, and eight draft — and we can look for improvement.
I did my drafts online, since MTGO can track both my picks and plays. MTGO also allowed me a better chance of going at a format truly cold — with almost no prior knowledge.
I could not do that with Shards of Alara, for example. In the weeks before the set released, although I tried to avoid spoilers, I did see many cards, and talked about the set with many people. I also played sealed events at the prerelease (no drafts…), so I knew a fair amount about the cards — and the Limited environment. That would have spoiled the experiment.
On the other hand, MTGO introduced a brand new set a few months ago: Masters Edition II. While MED II did not have any really new cards, since it was all reprints from sets before Mirage, it did have an unknown Limited format. I had played a bit of MED I, and had looked over the list of cards for Constructed-playable cards, but I had not played in the MED II beta at all, and had read nothing about the format. Instead, I bought a dozen MED II boosters from the store, joined a queue and saw my first MED II cards when the first pack cracked open.
One note — I was drafting mainly to get enough cards to play Classic. That means I did a bit of rare-drafting — even if the cards taken just for Constructed were usually uncommons, like Demonic Consultation.
For each draft, I’ll list the interesting picks and so forth, and comment a bit.
First Draft: Sept. 27, 2008
Pack 1 pick 1:
Folk of the Pines, Order of the Sacred Torch, Forbidden Lore, Panic, Soul Exchange, Leaping Lizard, Screeching Drake, Varchild’s Crusader, Brainstorm, Snow-Covered Plains, Thallid, Kjeldoran Skycaptain, Broken Visage, Viscerid Armor, Cloak of Confusion
My pick: Broken Visage
This was a pretty good example of my inexperience leading me into a bad pick. My thought was that this was something like Violet Pall, but at instant speed. It isn’t. First of all, it can only target attacking creatures, which sucks. Second, the tokens do not stick around.
At the same time, seeing a couple fliers made me assume that flying, and other evasion, was much more common that it actually is in MED II. Broken Visage is removal, but the fliers were probably better picks.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Soldevi Simulacrum, Viscerid Armor, Warning, Barbed Sextant, Stunted Growth, Feral Thallid, Snow-Covered Forest, Icatian Javelineers, Ashen Ghoul, Armor Thrull, Kjeldoran Dead, Orcish Conscripts, Ice Floe, Orcish Lumberjack
My pick: Stunted Growth
I remember, back in the day, having my hand shredded by Stunted Growth. I also assumed that I could draft some sort of medium beat deck, then get card advantage via the Growth. That does not work, however — too many of the common creatures in this format are 2/4s to 2/7s.
The other reason for this pick: Stunted Growth is a rare.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Kjeldoran Home Guard, Elvish Ranger, Sustaining Spirit, Conquer, Krovikan Fetish, Snow-Covered Mountain, Feral Thallid, Ambush Party, Adarkar Sentinel, Whirling Catapult, Songs of the Damned, Disenchant, Thermokarst
My pick: Feral Thallid
Meh. The Craw Wurm as a Thallid seems marginal, but it was the best Green card. I was pretty proud of myself for passing the bad rare (Sustaining Spirit.) Truth be told, though, I did pick it up the second time around.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Folk of the Pines, Reinforcements, Brassclaw Orcs, Cloak of Confusion, Kjeldoran Dead, Thallid, Narwhal, Portent, Gorilla Shaman, Wall of Kelp, Snow-Covered Plains, Phantasmal Fiend
My pick: Phantasmal Fiend
No idea what I was doing here. Folk of the Pines is better, and Green. Gorilla Shaman is a marginally playable Classic card.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Stonehands, Snow-Covered Swamp, Portent, Adarkar Sentinel, Yavimaya Ancients, Night Soil (FOIL), Aurochs, Essence Flare, Red Cliffs Armada, Kjeldoran Skycaptain, Nature’s Blessing
My pick: Yavimaya Ancients
Another flier. I did not know just how good — and scarce — evasion could be in this format.
Pack 1 pick 6:
Leaping Lizard, Funeral March, Lat-Nam’s Legacy, Demonic Consultation, Whirling Catapult, Whiteout, Snow-Covered Island, Red Cliffs Armada, Forgotten Lore, Caribou Range
My pick: Caribou Range
I pass three White fliers, then take Caribou Range. Rare draft, I guess.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Goblin Ski Patrol, Carapace, Brine Shaman, Krovikan Sorcerer, Phantasmal Fiend, Orcish Farmer, Snow-Covered Forest, Barbed Sextant, Disenchant
My pick: Phantasmal Fiend
Brine Shaman has better abilities and fits the curve better, but I did not know what it could do in this format, yet.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Varchild’s Crusader, Necrite, Foul Familiar, Royal Trooper, Thallid, Misinformation, Songs of the Damned, Snow-Covered Mountain
My pick: Foul Familiar
I guess I was thinking GB here.
On the lap: Kjeldoran Dead, Snow-Covered Swamp, Whiteout, 2 Snow-Covered Forest
Pack 2 pick 1:
Lat-Nam’s Legacy, Roterothopter, Armored Griffin, Goblin Ski Patrol, Carapace, Narwhal, Musician, Armor of Faith, Shield Bearer, Snow-Covered Island, Icequake, Farrel’s Mantle, Meteor Shower, Necrite, Order of the White Shield
My pick: Musician
Hey, a rare! I had some vague thought that this could function like Giant Clam, which could — albeit very slowly — dispose of an opponent’s creatures. It’s a rare, so it must be better than a random removal spell like Meteor Shower, right?
Pack 2 pick 2:
Gorilla Shaman, Meteor Shower, Stone Spirit, Reinforcements, Icy Prison, Krovikan Fetish, Stonehands, Earthlink, Aurochs, Kjeldoran Home Guard, Panic, Snow-Covered Swamp, Farrel’s Zealot (FOIL), Wall of Kelp
My pick: Aurochs
I guess I was having flashbacks to Coldsnap drafts, where Aurochs were not all that bad. I should have listened to Obi Wan, “these are not the ‘rocs you are looking for. Move along.” Note that I could have had another Meteor Shower, here.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Shyft, Balduvian Dead, Combat Medic, Personal Tutor, Kaysa, Shrink, Kjeldoran Dead, Woolly Mammoths, Funeral March, Orcish Conscripts (FOIL), Snow-Covered Plains, Reinforcements, Phyrexian Devourer
My pick: Kaysa
If I stay heavy Green, this rare is not all that bad. It is nothing really special, though. The other options were Phyrexian Devourer and Balduvian Dead — at least I didn’t pass another removal spell.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Armor Thrull, Roterothopter, Stonehands, Lim-DÔl’s High Guard, Snow-Covered Mountain, Shyft, Necrite, Helm of Obedience, Disenchant, Reprisal, Karplusan Giant, Songs of the Damned
My pick: Helm of Obedience
Another rare draft — and my first money pick. It is not terrible in Limited, either.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Foul Familiar, Juniper Order Advocate, Icatian Phalanx, Snow-Covered Forest, Folk of the Pines, Balduvian Conjurer, Armor of Faith, Carapace, Whiteout, Krovikan Fetish, Soul Exchange
My pick: Folk of the Pines
Pack 2 pick 6:
Shrink, Dry Spell, Ruins of Trokair, Roterothopter, Orcish Conscripts, Essence Flare, Royal Trooper, Sacred Boon, Leaping Lizard, Snow-Covered Island
My pick: Leaping Lizard
At least I am figuring out this whole “Green creatures” thing.
Pack 2 pick 7:
Wings of Aesthir, Lat-Nam’s Legacy, Icatian Scout, Funeral March, Elvish Hunter, Misinformation, Shyft, Panic, Snow-Covered Swamp
My pick: Lat-Nam’s Legacy
Hmmm — I don’t really know what I was thinking, here. This format is short on mana fixers, and I don’t think I could ever splash for this card. Maybe I was still thinking about Musician, or maybe I thought it might be useful in some Constructed decks.
Pack 2 pick 8:
Balduvian Conjurer, Shrink, Dry Spell, Snow-Covered Plains, Dwarven Ruins, Errantry, Woolly Mammoths, Brine Shaman
My pick: Woolly Mammoths
Okay — still got that Green creatures / Kaysa / Stunted Growth idea going on. That’s fine.
On the lap back around:
Snow-Covered Island
Gorilla Shaman
Shrink
Roterothopter
Krovikan Fetish
Ruins of Trokair
Panic
Pack 3 pick 1:
Elvish Hunter, Viscerid Armor, Armor Thrull, Errantry, Warning, Æther Storm, Kjeldoran Elite Guard, Incinerate, Elvish Ranger, Brainstorm, Wind Spirit, Enervate, Kjeldoran Outpost, Lim-DÔl’s High Guard, Snow-Covered Mountain
My pick: Armor Thrull
I have an Outpost from an old premium deal. I have a playset of Brainstorms.
I took the Armor Thrull.
I could have splashed the Incinerate. I was already thinking of splashing Blue, and Wind Spirit is the nuts.
Pack 3 pick 2:
Krovikan Sorcerer, Armor of Faith, Enervate, Elven Lyre, Phyrexian Devourer (FOIL), Snow-Covered Island, Drift of the Dead, Brainstorm, Lava Burst, Imperial Recruiter, Dark Banishing, Tinder Wall, Soldevi Digger, Juniper Order Advocate
My pick: Dark Banishing
Finally, finally: removal is good. Imperial Recruiter is worth a couple bucks, but removal is worth a couple packs. On the other hand, note that I could also have had a Lava Burst here, to go with the Incinerate and a couple Meteor Showers.
Pack 3 pick 3:
Screeching Drake, Withering Wisps, Magus of the Unseen, Armor Thrull, Orcish Conscripts, Giant Growth, Combat Medic, Thermokarst, Elven Lyre, Spore Flower, Death Spark, Shield Bearer, Snow-Covered Forest
My pick: Giant Growth
Well, I’m Green and combat tricks are good. Death Spark, though, to go with all the above. I grieve for what could have been.
Pack 3 pick 4:
Woolly Mammoths, Mishra’s Groundbreaker, Snow-Covered Mountain, Cloak of Confusion, Orcish Veteran, Knight of Stromgald, Combat Medic, Warning, Ironclaw Orcs, Wall of Kelp, Reprisal (FOIL), Diabolic Vision
My pick: Knight of Stromgald
Pack 3 pick 5:
Snow-Covered Plains, Icy Prison, Aysen Bureaucrats, Errantry, Havenwood Battleground, Drift of the Dead, Essence Flare, Phantasmal Fiend, Barbed Sextant, Sea Spirit, Essence Flare (FOIL)
My pick: Phantasmal Fiend
Pack 3 pick 6:
Jeweled Amulet, Thermokarst, Ambush Party, Drift of the Dead, Elvish Ranger, Icy Prison, Balduvian Conjurer, Portent, Icatian Phalanx, Snow-Covered Swamp
My pick: Jeweled Amulet
Pack 3 pick 7:
Icequake, Night Soil, Snow-Covered Island, Goblin Ski Patrol, Red Cliffs Armada, Viscerid Armor, Orc General, Warning, Dystopia
My pick: Dystopia
Pack 3 pick 8:
Icequake, Brine Shaman, Pillage, Forgotten Lore, Icatian Phalanx, Snow-Covered Forest, Orcish Lumberjack, Whiteout
My pick: Pillage
Let’s do some rare drafting, some random grabs in roughly the right colors, etc.
On the way back around:
Elvish Ranger
Soldevi Digger
Armor Thrull
Wall of Kelp
Snow-Covered Plains
Drift of the Dead
Goblin Ski Patrol
You can guess what my deck looked like. I have lots of 2/3s. 2/4s and 2/5s, many of which were pumpable. I had a tiny bit of removal and not much else.
My first round opponent had a bunch of fliers, a couple My Little Blue Ponies (Phantasmal Mount) to give his guys flying, and some Icatian Phalanxes to mess up my attacks. He had Kjeldoran Elite Guard to pump his guys. He also had most of the fliers I had passed. One turn I was able to ambush his fliers with Whiteout, but since his attackers had banding, I did not accomplish much.
It was about what I expected for my first draft — a round 1 loss that was not even close.
Fourth Draft: October 5, 2008
Pack 1 pick 1:
Orcish Veteran, Aurochs, Soldevi Simulacrum, Nature’s Blessing, Red Cliffs Armada, Cloak of Confusion, Woolly Mammoths, Kjeldoran Skycaptain, Snow-Covered Forest, Combat Medic, Zuran Spellcaster, Barbed Sextant (FOIL), Wall of Kelp, Glacial Chasm, Yavimaya Ancients
My pick: Kjeldoran Skycaptain
I learned a bit from my first draft blowout — fliers are pretty good. I almost took the rare. I play Glacial Chasm in my mono-Red EDH deck, so I wanted one. On the other hand, it is cheap — if I miss it, I can always get another. The Skycaptain might win me a pack.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Gangrenous Zombies, Orcish Veteran, Essence Flare, Phantasmal Fiend, Funeral March, Enervate, Leaping Lizard, Aysen Bureaucrats, Errantry, Forgotten Lore, Barbed Sextant, Whirling Catapult, Snow-Covered Mountain, Demonic Consultation
My pick: Demonic Consultation
Pack 1 pick 3:
Tinder Wall, Inheritance, Portent, Ambush Party, Snow-Covered Forest (FOIL), Icy Prison, Balduvian Conjurer, Counterspell, Drift of the Dead, Elvish Ranger, Sustaining Spirit, Snow-Covered Plains, Icatian Javelineers
My pick: Counterspell
Pack 1 pick 4:
Orcish Veteran, Meteor Shower, Viscerid Armor, Warning, Icequake, Phantasmal Mount, Elven Lyre, Red Cliffs Armada, Fumarole, Goblin Ski Patrol, Misinformation, Snow-Covered Swamp
My pick: Meteor Shower
The first two picks are just taking the Constructed goodies. At that time, Consultation was a $3.00 card, and I have always liked the Ica Age art on Counterspell. For years and years, I played either the Ice Ages counterspells or the old Revised versions — not the strange and ugly Tempest and Masques versions.
Meteor Shower, however, I have finally recognized. It would have destroyed my first draft opponent, with all his little 1/1s.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Icatian Scout, Forbidden Lore, Whiteout, Snow-Covered Island, Tinder Wall, Icatian Phalanx, Icequake, Brine Shaman, Orcish Lumberjack, Kjeldoran Elite Guard, Soul Exchange
My pick: Kjeldoran Elite Guard
The pumper dude destroyed me in earlier drafts, so I want to do some payback. The other option might be Brine Shaman — but it would be a couple drafts before someone played that against me, and showed just how good it could be.
Pack 1 pick 6:
Snow-Covered Forest, Feral Thallid, Enervate, Errantry, Kjeldoran Dead, Diabolic Vision, Viscerid Armor, Dwarven Ruins, Warning, Brainstorm
My pick: Enervate
Wow — mainly crap — but I’m slowly learning that slow-trips are decent.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Snow-Covered Swamp, Disenchant, Whirling Catapult, Ambush Party, Conquer, Krovikan Fetish, Enervate, Orcish Farmer, Drift of the Dead
My pick: Whirling Catapult
This is the wrong catapult. I know there is a good catapult, because a previous opponent had talked about losing to it, but this is not it. I’ll find that out by the end of the draft.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Cloak of Confusion, Elven Lyre, Gorilla Shaman, Snow-Covered Mountain (FOIL), Armor Thrull, Kjeldoran Dead, Thermokarst, Snow-Covered Island
My pick: Snow-Covered Mountain (FOIL)
Pack 1 pick 9:
Red Cliffs Armada, Cloak of Confusion, Woolly Mammoths, Snow-Covered Forest, Combat Medic, Barbed Sextant (FOIL), Glacial Chasm
My pick: Glacial Chasm
Foil snow lands are still worth something, and I get my Glacial Chasm. The Combat Medic was probably a better choice.
One the return lap:
Snow-Covered Mountain
Snow-Covered Forest (FOIL)
Snow-Covered Swamp
Orcish Lumberjack
Errantry
Drift of the Dead
In other words, crap.
Pack 2 pick 1:
Soul Exchange, Icatian Phalanx, Giant Growth, Portent, Rogue Skycaptain, Stonehands, Kjeldoran Elite Guard, Essence Flare, Adarkar Sentinel, Foul Familiar, Juniper Order Advocate, Death Spark, Whiteout, Abbey Gargoyles, Snow-Covered Plains
My pick: Abbey Gargoyles
A flying 3/4 is just fine. That’s the Gargoyle — not the Rogue Skycaptain.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Snow-Covered Mountain, Reinforcements, Portent, Phantasmal Mount, Phantasmal Fiend, Roterothopter, Mesmeric Trance, Reprisal, Brassclaw Orcs, Royal Trooper, Sacred Boon, Fyndhorn Pollen (FOIL), Thallid, Ruins of Trokair
My pick: Royal Trooper
This is a decent defender, and a marginal attacker. Probably the best of the lot.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Feral Thallid, Adarkar Sentinel, Phyrexian Portal, Elvish Ranger, Misinformation, Lat-Nam’s Legacy, Phantasmal Mount, Songs of the Damned, Thermokarst, Elvish Hunter, Snow-Covered Forest, Spore Cloud, Wings of Aesthir
My pick: Phyrexian Portal
Rare drafting when I should have been taking a useful card — but there really isn’t much else.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Orcish Lumberjack, Snow-Covered Plains, Brine Shaman, Woolly Mammoths, Icatian Scout, Icatian Javelineers, Shrink, Barbed Sextant, Winter’s Night, Foul Familiar, Johtull Wurm, Orcish Conscripts
My pick: Icatian Javelineers
Pack 2 pick 5:
Panic, Order of the White Shield, Goblin Ski Patrol, Thallid, Narwhal, Varchild’s Crusader, Viscerid Armor, Cloak of Confusion, Snow-Covered Mountain, Leaping Lizard, Folk of the Pines
My pick: Order of the White Shield
Pack 2 pick 6:
Varchild’s Crusader, Songs of the Damned, Gorilla Shaman, Lodestone Bauble, Snow-Covered Forest, Thallid, Elvish Hunter, Feral Thallid, Foul Familiar, Kjeldoran Home Guard
My pick: Varchild’s Crusader
Pack 2 pick 7:
Goblin Ski Patrol, Barbed Sextant, Disenchant, Orcish Farmer, Brine Shaman, Snow-Covered Island, Carapace, Personal Tutor, Krovikan Sorcerer
My pick: Orcish Farmer
Pack 2 pick 8:
Lat-Nam’s Legacy, Orcish Farmer, Ironclaw Orcs, Karplusan Giant, Snow-Covered Swamp, Aurochs, Lim-DÔl’s High Guard, Whiteout
My pick: Ironclaw Orcs
Strange — suddenly I’m RW, I guess. Well, I do have a Meteor Shower.
One the way back around:
Icatian Phalanx
Mesmeric Trance (rares that lap — too bad they suck.)
Snow-Covered Forest
Snow-Covered Plains
Goblin Ski Patrol
Snow-Covered Forest
Goblin Ski Patrol
Pack 3 pick 1:
Folk of the Pines, Varchild’s Crusader, Krovikan Fetish, Carapace, Drift of the Dead, Icy Prison, Balduvian Conjurer, Ironclaw Orcs, Retribution, Shield Bearer, Snow-Covered Island, Armor of Faith, Havenwood Battleground, Ebon Praetor, Sea Spirit
My pick: Ironclaw Orcs
See — this is why I draft. I can pick up all these powerful Constructed cards. I guess I could have rare-drafted, but the only thing Ebon Praetor has going for it is a strange name and cute art. Where are my dual lands?
Pack 3 pick 2:
Armor Thrull, Necrite, Snow-Covered Forest, Brassclaw Orcs, Stonehands, Roterothopter, Infernal Darkness, Zuran Spellcaster, Funeral March (FOIL), Spore Cloud, Disenchant, Reprisal, Shyft, Jeweled Amulet
My pick: Reprisal
Reprisal seems like good removal — but it is conditional. Very few cards in the set actually have four power. Sometimes you can kill a good beater — and sometimes it sits in your hand while you die to 3/xs. However, I have managed, when necessary, to pump my opponent’s creatures with a Kjeldoran Eilte Guard, then killed it with Reprisal. That makes it a two for one against me — Elite Guard dies, too — but sometimes needs must.
Pack 3 pick 3:
Shyft, Woolly Mammoths, Funeral March, Reinforcements, Ambush Party, Orc General, Night Soil, Combat Medic, Shrink, Mudslide, Snow-Covered Mountain, Icatian Javelineers, Kjeldoran Dead
My pick: Icatian Javelineers
I think this is the best pick — I don’t know.
Pack 3 pick 4:
Krovikan Fetish, Stonehands, Pillage, Snow-Covered Plains, Meteor Shower, Fyndhorn Pollen, Icy Prison, Reinforcements, Panic, Krovikan Sorcerer, Zuran Spellcaster, Wall of Kelp
My pick: Meteor Shower
Pack 3 pick 5:
Lat-Nam’s Legacy, Roterothopter, Shield Bearer, Icequake, Lim-DÔl’s High Guard, Kjeldoran Elite Guard, Carapace, Aether Storm, Snow-Covered Swamp, Armor of Faith, Necrite
My pick: Kjeldoran Elite Guard
I’m happy with these two picks. I was RW — these are the best cards in RW.
Pack 3 pick 6:
Errantry, Armor of Faith, Essence Filter, Orcish Farmer, Balduvian Conjurer, Burnout, Krovikan Sorcerer, Dry Spell, Snow-Covered Island, Tinder Wall
My pick: Burnout
Maybe Orcish Farmer was a better option. As it happened, I played a Blue deck, and lost to – among other cards — Ray of Command. Burnout might have stopped that — had I drawn it.
Pack 3 pick 7:
Shyft, Combat Medic, Panic, Spore Flower, Orcish Conscripts, Shield Bearer, Funeral March, Snow-Covered Plains, Withering Wisps
My pick: Orcish Conscripts
I’m getting better. At least my picks don’t suck completely.
Actually, I lied. Orcish Conscripts sucks.
Pack 3 pick 8:
Orcish Lumberjack, Essence Flare, Errantry (FOIL), Marjhan, Ironclaw Orcs, Orcish Conscripts, Shrink, Snow-Covered Swamp
My pick: Marjhan
Random rare draft. The Ironclaw Orcs would have been a better option, but I like the broken jawed fish in casual play.
And going back around:
Varchild’s Crusader
Disenchant
Snow-Covered Mountain
Snow-Covered Plains
Snow-Covered Swamp
Snow-Covered Island
Panic
Game 1 of the match did not go so well. Once again, my opponent had drafted the My Little Blue Ponies deck. I killed the first two with Meteor Shower, but the third, plus a Foul Familiar, killed me slowly while I draw land after land. The game ended on turn 14 — and I had 14 lands either in hand or in play. Game 2 I hit a bug — I attacked with both Varchild’s Crusader and Icatian Phalanx, and banded them. My opponent blocked with Narwhal — and his Narwhal killed the Crusaders. That was a bug, and I reported it. I got a refund, later, but it cost me the match.
I also made a mistake with a Meteor Shower against an Armored Thrull. The Thrull adds and +1/+2 counter to target creature — I didn’t read / realize that, and something survived that I thought was dead. A bad mistake, but it is all part of the learning process.
I lost in the first round, again, but I had a decent chance. He also had a great deck — plenty of fliers, the good catapult, etc. He even opened an Underground Sea — I was so jealous.
Eighth Draft: October 22, 2008
Pack 1 pick 1:
Brainstorm (FOIL), Meteor Shower, Soul Kiss, Marjhan, Krovikan Fetish, Zuran Spellcaster, Wall of Kelp, Inheritance, Reinforcements, Skull Catapult, Panic, Krovikan Sorcerer, Snow-Covered Swamp, Aurochs, Icy Prison
My pick: Skull Catapult
See, I learned to open the good catapult. In this format, x/1s and x/2s are everywhere, and reusable removal is broken. It’s a bomb.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Ebon Praetor, Gorilla Shaman (FOIL), Shield Bearer, Snow-Covered Island, Necrite, Armored Griffin, Goblin Ski Patrol, Ruins of Trokair, Icequake, Armor of Faith, Roterothopter, Carapace, Stampede, Giant Trap Door Spider
My pick: Armored Griffin
The foil Shaman is a pretty card. The Armored Griffin is actually useful.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Dry Spell, Ebon Stronghold, Snow-Covered Forest, Icatian Scout, Tinder Wall, Soldevi Digger, Aysen Bureaucrats, Errantry, Armor of Faith, Infernal Darkness, Krovikan Sorcerer, Balduvian Conjurer, Krovikan Vampire
My pick: Aysen Bureaucrats
The rare stinks, and I’m not really sure that anything else is any good. (Okay — Dry Spell is situationally insane, but I have had bad experiences with black.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Snow-Covered Island (FOIL), Combat Medic, Shyft, Icatian Scout, Funeral March, Snow Fortress, Personal Tutor, Mudslide, Snow-Covered Mountain, Shield Bearer, Panic, Orcish Conscripts
My pick: Personal Tutor
It was worth a buck and a half at that point, and I wanted to try one in my EDH deck. About half the cards in the pack are better.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Warning, Orcish Conscripts, Fyndhorn Pollen, Snow-Covered Plains, Ironclaw Orcs, Shrink, Dry Spell, Orcish Lumberjack, Essence Flare, Errand of Duty, Iceberg
My pick: Errand of Duty
Errr — oops?
Pack 1 pick 6:
Snow-Covered Swamp, Icy Prison, Balduvian Conjurer, Folk of the Pines, Carapace, Drift of the Dead, Essence Flare, Varchild’s Crusader, Shield Bearer, Ironclaw Orcs
My pick: Folk of the Pines
GW seems to fit my play style best.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Roterothopter, Stonehands, Songs of the Damned, Snow-Covered Island, Necrite, Soldevi Digger, Shyft, Drift of the Dead, Elvish Ranger
My pick: Elvish Ranger
A Green guy — and one that I will probably end up loading in the Catapult, since it dies to everything.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Funeral March, Shrink, Gustha’s Scepter, Snow-Covered Plains, Kjeldoran Dead, Reinforcements, Orc General, Shyft
My pick: Gustha’s Scepter
Pack 1 pick 9:
Soul Kiss, Marjhan, Krovikan Fetish, Inheritance, Reinforcements, Snow-Covered Swamp, Icy Prison
My pick: Marjhan
I have very little idea what I was doing here — probably just rare drafting. Nothing interesting.
Coming back around:
Shield Bearer
Soldevi Digger
Snow-Covered Mountain
Orcish Conscripts
Balduvian Conjurer
Drift of the Dead
Pack 2 pick 1:
Icequake, Brine Shaman, Phyrexian Devourer, Snow-Covered Forest, Folk of the Pines (FOIL), Dry Spell, Whiteout, Glacial Chasm, Elvish Spirit Guide, Icatian Scout, Wind Spirit, Adarkar Sentinel, Tinder Wall, Orcish Lumberjack, Kjeldoran Elite Guard
My pick: Elvish Spirit Guide
The best card is probably the Wind Spirit – but the Elvish Spirit Guide is a Constructed-worthy card, and an uncommon.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Viscerid Armor, Red Cliffs Armada, Goblin Ski Patrol, Krovikan Vampire, Warning, Orcish Veteran, Personal Tutor, Havenwood Battleground, Ritual of the Machine, Meteor Shower, Snow-Covered Island, Icequake, Phantasmal Mount, Elven Lyre
My pick: Phantasmal Mount
I have no idea why I decided to splash for the 1/1 instead of Meteor Shower.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Barbed Sextant, Whirling Catapult, Ambush Party, Conquer, Kjeldoran Home Guard, Icatian Phalanx, Icy Prison, Balduvian Conjurer, Icatian Javelineers, Thermokarst, Tinder Wall, Portent, Snow-Covered Mountain
My pick: Icatian Phalanx
Pack 2 pick 4:
Ice Floe, Imperial Recruiter, Funeral March, Barbed Sextant, Enervate, Leaping Lizard, Kjeldoran Skycaptain, Snow-Covered Forest, Orcish Veteran, Aysen Bureaucrats, Errantry, Soldevi Simulacrum
My pick: Imperial Recruiter
Once again, I took a money card with Constructed applications over a playable Skycaptain.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Wall of Kelp, Snow-Covered Island, Kjeldoran Skycaptain, Combat Medic, Cloak of Confusion, Red Cliffs Armada, Woolly Mammoths, Leaping Lizard (FOIL), Havenwood Battleground, Orcish Veteran, Aurochs
My pick: Kjeldoran Skycaptain
Pack 2 pick 6:
Thermokarst, Stampede, Giant Growth, Folk of the Pines, Armored Griffin, Cloak of Confusion, Snow-Covered Swamp, Aysen Bureaucrats, Kjeldoran Dead, Elven Lyre
My pick: Armored Griffin
Another flier — this is going well.
Pack 2 pick 7:
Pillage, Enervate, Elven Lyre, Viscerid Drone, Orcish Farmer, Snow-Covered Plains (FOIL), Brainstorm, Sustaining Spirit, Snow-Covered Plains
My pick: Sustaining Spirit
Late pick rare — and another card I can load in my Catapult.
Pack 2 pick 8:
Sacred Boon, Elvish Hunter, Viscerid Armor, Errantry, Æther Storm, Warning, Elvish Ranger, Brainstorm
My pick: Brainstorm
I ended up splashing the Brainstorm and a Phantasmal Mount.
And on the return trip, I picked up these cards.
Folk of the Pines (FOIL)
Personal Tutor
Snow-Covered Mountain
Leaping Lizard
Kjeldoran Dead
Snow-Covered Plains
Pack 3 pick 1:
Screeching Drake, Varchild’s Crusader, Nature’s Blessing, Kjeldoran Skycaptain, Dance of the Dead, Brainstorm, Snow-Covered Plains, Leaping Lizard, Gorilla Shaman, Misinformation (FOIL), Panic, Viscerid Armor, Cloak of Confusion, Rogue Skycaptain, Folk of the Pines
My pick: Dance of the Dead
Wrong. I probably wanted the Dance for use in a combo deck (e.g. Worldgorger Dragon.) The Screeching Drake, Kjeldoran Skycaptain, or even Leaping Lizard might be a better pick.
Pack 3 pick 2:
Fungal Bloom, Brine Shaman, Spore Flower, Stone Spirit, Shrink, Feral Thallid, Foul Familiar, Icatian Javelineers, Dwarven Ruins, Snow-Covered Swamp, Orcish Lumberjack, Kjeldoran Dead, Orcish Conscripts, Barbed Sextant
My pick: Icatian Javelineers
Pack 3 pick 3:
Lat-Nam’s Legacy, Elvish Spirit Guide, Phantasmal Mount, Songs of the Damned, Snow-Covered Island, Elvish Hunter, Thermokarst, Ashen Ghoul, Incinerate, Feral Thallid, Adarkar Sentinel, Juniper Order Advocate, Stunted Growth
My pick: Adarkar Sentinel
Pack 3 pick 4:
Snow-Covered Forest, Phantasmal Fiend, Roterothopter, Conquer, Reinforcements, Thallid, Varchild’s Crusader (FOIL), Brassclaw Orcs, Reprisal, Portent, Wall of Kelp, Lodestone Bauble
My pick: Lodestone Bauble
Rare drafting bad cards is not too smart…
Pack 3 pick 5:
Joven’s Ferrets, Essence Flare, Armor of Faith, Burnout, Portent, Foul Familiar, Death Spark, Whiteout, Stonehands, Snow-Covered Mountain, Broken Visage
My pick: Burnout
Pack 3 pick 6:
Snow-Covered Plains, Whiteout, Winter’s Night, Dwarven Ruins, Lat-Nam’s Legacy, Browse, Armor Thrull, Aurochs, Orcish Farmer, Disenchant
My pick: Aurochs
Pack 3 pick 7:
Brine Shaman, Snow-Covered Swamp, Reinforcements, Goblin Ski Patrol, Misinformation, Disenchant, Carapace, Wings of Aesthir, Icequake (FOIL)
My pick: Wings of Aesthir
Pack 3 pick 8:
Songs of the Damned, Necrite, Snow-Covered Mountain, Mesmeric Trance, Diabolic Vision, Thallid, Elvish Hunter, Feral Thallid
My pick: Feral Thallid
What can I say? Wings of Aesthir?
And on the way back around:
Gorilla Shaman
Feral Thallid
Snow-Covered Island
Conquer
Whiteout
Whiteout
Reinforcements
My first match was almost a mirror — my opponent was playing GWr — splashing for the Meteor Showers I should have taken. He had good cards — including monsters like Yavimaya Ancients that I have a hard time getting past. Of course, I don’t really have to get past them on the ground — I did a fair amount of damage with fliers, then Skull catapult killed him. I did notice a couple instances where I played around cards, or tricks, that were actually relevant.
In the second round, I was paired against a RB deck with plenty of 2/2s. I resolved an Aurochs early via Spirit Guide — and that 2/3 held off a lot of 2/2s. He started beating with a Stone Spirit, which I had some trouble with — and he managed to get a Meteor Shower or two off. In the end, though, the Skull Catapult pulled it out.
I cannot get the replays of the final match to fire. I know I won it in two.
Conclusions
Some of the cards I drafted are sub-optimal picks. That’s not too surprising — I am an incorrigible rare-drafter. Still — I think I have a slightly better ability to find necessary cards in the later drafts.
I also noted that I had a significantly better ability to play around various cards in the later drafts. Early on, I got blown out by Dry Spell and so forth. Later on, I did not. Likewise, in the later drafts, I expected cards like Armored Thrull to give +1/+2 counters, and did not lose to them.
I could also point to the fact that I won the final draft. I did — but I had Skull Catapult. I have now opened Skull Catapult twice, and won both of those drafts. Skull Catapult is just that good.
PRJ
“one million words” on MTGO