Early this week, I took a day off work to deal with some stuff around the house. The roof on one of the outbuildings needs replacement, the septic alarm was going off, the garden needed work, etc. That day, we had torrential rains — bad enough that the dogs went out and came right back in. Cool. A day mostly off. I can draft!
Well — more or less. I still have some deliveries arriving, and other stuff. I need to fit the drafts in around those, as best I can. Nonetheless, I decided to try some 8-4s for a while. I did mainly M10 with a splash of MEDIII. No Zendikar — yet, and the Alara block draft queues weren’t very full whenever I looked. So, M10 it was.
My goal was to try a few 8-4s, then compare that with a 321Swiss, and maybe a 4-3-2-2, to see whether the level of play or decks were noticeably different. The answer — well, you will have to read on.
Before we start, though, I am the first to admit that I am not a Limited expert. StarCityGames.com is not going to ask me to do a daily draft series. Feel free to trash my picks in the forums, I won’t mind.
M10 Draft #1 (8-4)
Pack 1 pick 1:
Llanowar Elves, Griffin Sentinel, Snapping Drake, Child of Night, Burning Inquiry, Weakness, Safe Passage, Trumpet Blast, Bramble Creeper, Disorient, Wurm’s Tooth, Rhox Pikemaster, Flashfreeze, Manabarbs, Mountain
My pick: Rhox Pikemaster
I have read a number of articles about M10 drafts recently that started badly, but were saved in pack three when the drafter opened Baneslayer Angel. I decided to adopt that strategy.
Seriously though, I think the best cards are the Drake, the Pikemaster and maybe the Griffin. I have never played with the Pikemaster, so I thought I’d give him a try. Overall, though, I was a bit underwhelmed by this pack.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Merfolk Looter, Looming Shade, Berserkers of Blood Ridge, Oakenform, Mist Leopard, Horned Turtle, Burst of Speed, Soul Warden, Soul Bleed, Regenerate, Harm’s Way, Spellbook, Undead Slayer, Forest
My pick: Harm’s Way
Better. This would have been an interesting pick had I gone with the Drake pack one. I think I would still go with Harm’s Way over the Looter, but I’m not sure.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Giant Spider, Ponder, Veteran Swordsmith, Kelinore Bat, Craw Wurm, Merfolk Looter, Snapping Drake, Elvish Visionary, Sign in Blood, Kraken’s Eye, Alluring Siren, Haunting Echoes, Plains
My Pick: Veteran Swordsmith
Go soldiers! On the other hand, I could have had 2 Drakes and a Looter. The one thing I have done right so far — I haven’t been rare drafting.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Deadly Recluse, Dread Warlock, Canyon Minotaur, Essence Scatter, Excommunicate, Berserkers of Blood Ridge, Llanowar Elves, Silvercoat Lion, Black Knight, Wall of Fire, Mind Shatter, Plains
My Pick: Essence Scatter
I probably undervalue bears way too much — especially when the bears are lions. However, I find they just run into walls or cower before 2/4s far too often. So, my choice is UW, GW or BW — and I have been seeing a lot of good Blue in the last couple packs. Of course, there are also a couple playable Black cards here, so that could be a signal. Or not.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Safe Passage (FOIL), Viashino Spearhunter, Lava Axe, Wall of Faith, Burning Inquiry, Jump, Mind Rot, Bog Wraith, Wall of Fire, Windstorm, Island
My Pick: Bog Wraith
Should have paid attention to the Black “signals.” I’m no fan of Safe Passage — I find I can almost always play through or around it. Safe Passage seems closer to Fog or Angel’s Mercy than a viable combat trick.
Or am I completely wrong about that?
Pack 1 pick 6:
Oakenform, Cancel, Sign in Blood, Berserkers of Blood Ridge, Convincing Mirage, Lifelink, Acolyte of Xathrid, Bountiful Harvest, Polymorph, Plains
My Pick: Cancel
Blue or Black. I love Sign in Blood, but I have better Blue. I keep thinking that I could have had a couple Drakes and/or Looters, Remove Soul, Cancel and — well, I don’t.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Illusionary Servant, Warpath Ghoul, Viashino Spearhunter, Convincing Mirage, Duress, Burst of Speed, Runeclaw Bear, Mesa Enchantress, Mountain
My Pick: Illusionary Servant
Seems Blue is still here. It’s that or the amazing White beatdown machine of an Enchantress. (They so should reprint Argothian Enchantress.)
Pack 1 pick 8:
Ice Cage, Disentomb, Emerald Oryx, Shatter, Jump, Solemn Offering, Fabricate, Plains
My Pick: Solemn Offering
Another one for the forums — Ice Cage (the bad Pacifism) or Solemn Offering (the marginal Disenchant.) I opted for the Disenchant.
Going back around, I raredraft Manabarbs from an empty first pack, hate a Looming Shade, then get Sign in Blood and Dread Warlock. Not many black drafters, I guess. Plus the end-of-pack trash: Jump, Acolyte of Xathrid, Mountain.
Pack 2 pick 1:
Vampire Aristocrat, Lightning Elemental, Essence Scatter, Razorfoot Griffin, Craw Wurm, Dread Warlock, Looming Shade (FOIL), Angel’s Mercy, Horned Turtle, Soul Bleed, Whispersilk Cloak, Levitation, Inferno Elemental, Underworld Dreams, Forest
My Pick: Whispersilk Cloak
Someone should educate me on this. I like the Cloak, both for getting a non-evasive fattie through blockers, and for protecting a Blinding Mage or other fragile but important creature. The other options were probably the Razorfoot or the fear wizard. Both are highly evasive, but they seemed a bit weak as first picks.
I remind my computer that I was supposed to save my draft by opening Baneslayer.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Pacifism, Coral Merfolk, Jackal Familiar, Firebreathing, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Glorious Charge, Disentomb, Naturalize, Lava Axe, Armored Ascension, Undead Slayer, Alluring Siren, Sunpetal Grove, Swamp
My Pick: Sunpetal Grove
Pacifism is the pick, but I’m really short of all M10 staples. Sunpetal Grove is in the $2-$3 range, and I’m not really liking my chances of winning this draft with the pile I have.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Borderland Ranger, Assassinate, Goblin Piker, Ice Cage, Veteran Swordsmith, Mist Leopard, Negate, Angel’s Mercy, Soul Bleed, Angel’s Feather, Ignite Disorder, Hive Mind, Mountain
My Pick: Veteran Swordsmith
At this point, my Black was a Bog Wraith, Sign in Blood, Looming Shade and Dread Warlock. My Blue was a couple counters and an Illusion. Should I have committed to black and taken the Assassinate? Maybe. Probably.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Giant Growth, Illusionary Servant, Fabricate (FOIL), Rampant Growth, Shatter, Jump, Solemn Offering, Raging Goblin, Unholy Strength, Demon’s Horn, Rise from the Grave, Plains
My Pick: Rise from the Grave
Okay, I have seen zero Blinding Mages, but someone else must have them. Illusionary Servant sucks against the Mage — or Weakness or even Giant Growth, for that matter. No useful White — I have to decide between Black and Blue. Black it is.
I should have taken the Assassinate.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Rampant Growth, Sparkmage Apprentice, Fog, Shatter, Zephyr Sprite, Solemn Offering, Drudge Skeletons, Ornithopter, Rise from the Grave, Elvish Piper, Island
My Pick: Rise from the Grave
Over Drudge Skeletons, which seems right. On the other hand, having 2 Rise from the Grave and almost no really good creatures and no removal seems like a bad plan.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Lightning Elemental, Warpath Ghoul, Palace Guard, Unholy Strength, Emerald Oryx, Firebreathing, Disorient, Flashfreeze, Tempest of Light, Island
My Pick: Palace Guard
I’m drafting soldiers, remember. I almost didn’t. My goal, though, seems to be gumming up the ground with 1/4s and beating with evasive guys. (All my fliers, plus the Cloak. Yes, I know how many fliers I have)
Pack 2 pick 7:
Enormous Baloth (FOIL), Craw Wurm, Dread Warlock, Goblin Piker, Stampeding Rhino, Looming Shade, Elvish Visionary, Mold Adder, Plains
My Pick: Dread Warlock
Nice Green, to go with the Elvish Piper I just passed.
Pack 2 pick 8:
Elvish Visionary, Jackal Familiar, Jump, Bramble Creeper, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Holy Strength, Raging Goblin, Mountain
My Pick: Holy Strength
This seems so bad. Should I have hated something? What?
Pack 2 pick 9:
Looming Shade (FOIL), Angel’s Mercy, Horned Turtle, Soul Bleed, Levitation, Underworld Dreams, Forest
My Pick: Looming Shade (FOIL)
I avoid the temptation to rare-draft, but Underworld Dreams is worth next to nothing.
Rest of Pack 2: Looming Shade, Disentomb, Hive Mind, Holy Strength, Shatter, 2 * Unholy Strength, Plains
Pack 3 pick 1:
Unsummon, Veteran Armorsmith, Giant Growth, Vampire Aristocrat, Lightning Elemental, Essence Scatter, Runeclaw Bear, Act of Treason (FOIL), Zombie Goliath, Negate, Dragon’s Claw, Stone Giant, Fabricate, Merfolk Sovereign, Mountain
My Pick: Veteran Armorsmith
Ugh. Where’s my Baneslayer? Is my choice really rare-draft a $0.25 card or the Armorsmith? Is the random 5/3 or the Nantuko Husk a better pick? Would I have been better off out chopping wood in the monsoon?
Pack 3 pick 2:
Blinding Mage, Seismic Strike, Deadly Recluse, Illusionary Servant, Raging Goblin, Terramorphic Expanse, Unholy Strength, Naturalize, Wall of Faith, Sage Owl, Howling Banshee, Megrim, Inferno Elemental, Swamp
My Pick: Howling Banshee
Looking at the list, I see the Blinding Mage. I’m not sure why I didn’t pick it — I love Master Decoy, even under another name. Maybe I wanted a flier, maybe I was blind.
Pack 3 pick 3:
Stormfront Pegasus, Panic Attack, Oakenform, Tendrils of Corruption, Lifelink, Zombie Goliath, Horned Turtle, Kindled Fury, Bountiful Harvest, Tome Scour, Relentless Rats, Righteousness, Forest
My Pick: Tendrils of Corruption
Pack three. First removal spell. I am so going to smash this draft.
Pack 3 pick 4:
Wind Drake, Divine Verdict, Assassinate, Glorious Charge, Weakness, Fog, Shatter, Zephyr Sprite, Solemn Offering, White Knight, Act of Treason, Swamp
My Pick: Divine Verdict
Yay!
Pack 3 pick 5:
Looming Shade, Naturalize, Wall of Faith, Sage Owl, Burning Inquiry, Weakness, Safe Passage, Diabolic Tutor, Telepathy, Traumatize, Island
My Pick: Weakness
Pack 3 pick 6:
Cancel, Panic Attack, Silvercoat Lion, Duress, Regenerate, Convincing Mirage, Yawning Fissure, Acolyte of Xathrid, Diabolic Tutor, Forest
My Pick: Duress
I’m really neutral about this in draft. Take or no? It can nail a good card mid game, but it can also be a blank way too often. However, the question isn’t “is it good?” The question is “is it better than the Lion?”
Pack 3 pick 7:
Ponder, Veteran Armorsmith, Sparkmage Apprentice, Ice Cage, Razorfoot Griffin, Canyon Minotaur, Jackal Familiar, Mold Adder, Forest
My Pick: Razorfoot Griffin
Pack 3 pick 8:
Kelinore Bat, Trumpet Blast, Bramble Creeper, Disorient, Holy Strength, Drudge Skeletons, Nature’s Spiral, Swamp
My Pick: Kelinore Bat
Rest of Pack 3: Wall of Faith,2 * Zombie Goliath, trash
The Deck
Removal (4)
Harm’s Way
Tendrils of Corruption
Divine Verdict
Weakness
Critters (15)
Bog Wraith
Dread Warlock
Howling Banshee
Kelinore Bat
2 Looming Shade
Rhox Pikemaster
Palace Guard
Razorfoot Griffin
Veteran Armorsmith
2 Veteran Swordsmith
2 Zombie Goliath
Utility (4)
Duress
2 Rise from the Grave
Whispersilk Cloak
My replays are lost or inaccessible, so I’ll try to do this from memory.
Match 1 was against a player that had gone for the Red aggro plan with many Jackal Familiars. He lived the dream game 1, with a Pup, Pup, Pup and Pup start. My start, however, involved Veteran Armorer, Veteran Swordsmith and, when he drew a burn spell on turn 4 or 5, Harms’ Way. Getting double plains and the Armorer on turn 2 was lucky, but the 2/3 trumped the whole Pup plan, and I won fairly easily. Game 2 he was slower. I wasn’t.
In the second round I was blown out by a fast Green deck that curved up to Rhinos quickly, then cast Overrun. Both games were over by turn 6 or 7 — earlier, since I was reduced to reanimating Howling Banshee with Rise from the Grave to chump block. Not much more to say.
M10 Draft #2 (8-4)
Pack 1 pick 1:
Elvish Visionary, Griffin Sentinel, Tendrils of Corruption, Jackal Familiar, Bountiful Harvest, Burst of Speed, Angel’s Mercy, Horned Turtle, Soul Bleed, Mist Leopard, Pyroclasm, Serra Angel, Rod of Ruin, Great Sable Stag, Island
My Pick: Great Sable Stag
Yes, I rare drafted. Serra Angel, Tendrils, and maybe Pyroclasm are all better, but I wanted the Stag for Constructed play.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Veteran Swordsmith, Kelinore Bat, Seismic Strike, Craw Wurm, Shatter, Jump, Solemn Offering, Raging Goblin, Terramorphic Expanse, Unholy Strength, Armored Ascension, Angel’s Feather, Rise from the Grave, Forest
My Pick: Armored Ascension
The rare is gone. No signals. Armored Ascension is either very good or almost useless. Seismic Strike is decent removal, but never great.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Illusionary Servant, Vampire Aristocrat, Rampant Growth, Siege Mastodon, Fiery Hellhound, Unsummon, Stampeding Rhino, Griffin Sentinel, Cancel, Child of Night, Wall of Fire, Windstorm, Forest
My Pick: Stampeding Rhino
Stag say go Green. Seems okay for now. A Rhino with Armored Ascension is okay.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Craw Wurm, Siege Mastodon, Assassinate, Solemn Offering, Raging Goblin, Terramorphic Expanse, Naturalize, Wall of Faith, Demon’s Horn, Act of Treason, Polymorph, Forest
My Pick: Craw Wurm
Still GW — but I note three cards that can kill the Ascension (Assassinate, Polymorph, and Solemn Offering.) Seeing any of these means Ascension falls into the “not great” category.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Craw Wurm, Bramble Creeper, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Holy Strength, Raging Goblin, Glorious Charge, Weakness, Cudgel Troll, Consume Spirit, Wall of Fire, Mountain
My Pick: Cudgel Troll
Yay!
Pack 1 pick 6:
Fiery Hellhound, Ponder, Veteran Armorsmith, Kindled Fury, Negate, Lifelink, Duress, Angel’s Feather, Flashfreeze, Island
My Pick: Veteran Armorsmith
Nothing to see here, move along.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Rampant Growth, Wind Drake, Divine Verdict, Mist Leopard, Negate, Angel’s Mercy, Soul Bleed, Acidic Slime, Plains
My pick: Acidic Slime
I’m reasonably certain why I took the Slime over the Rampant Growth. I’m less certain why I took the Slime over the Divine Verdict. That might have been wrong.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Llanowar Elves, Trumpet Blast, Bramble Creeper, Disorient, Burning Inquiry (FOIL), Drudge Skeletons, Relentless Rats, Mountain
My pick: Llanowar Elves
Going back around: Elvish Visionary, Solemn Offering, Rampant Growth, Wall of Faith, Bramble Creeper, trash
Pack 2 pick 1:
Llanowar Elves, Griffin Sentinel, Snapping Drake, Child of Night, Regenerate, Tome Scour, Kindled Fury, Angel’s Mercy, Zombie Goliath, Runeclaw Bear, Mind Control, Kraken’s Eye, Tempest of Light, Sanguine Bond, Plains
My pick: Griffin Sentinel
Meh. Hate the Mind Control? Elves? Yuck.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Oakenform, Tendrils of Corruption, Merfolk Looter, Snapping Drake, Lifelink, Zombie Goliath, Horned Turtle, Kindled Fury, Bountiful Harvest, Tome Scour, Diabolic Tutor, Stone Giant, Fabricate, Island
My pick: Oakenform
Meh squared. I considered hating the Tendrils, but Oakenform on the Griffin Sentinel is fun times. Also pretty unlikely.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Fiery Hellhound, Unsummon, Kelinore Bat, Blinding Mage, Seismic Strike, Deadly Recluse, Convincing Mirage, Duress, Burst of Speed, Runeclaw Bear, Dragon’s Claw, Megrim, Plains
My pick: Blinding Mage
I’m happy now.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Dread Warlock, Goblin Piker, Divination, Blinding Mage, Drudge Skeletons, Lava Axe, Wall of Faith, Entangling Vines, Burning Inquiry, Jump, Wall of Fire, Mountain
My pick: Blinding Mage
And even happier now. Pick four Mage? Really?
Pack 2 pick 5:
Oakenform, Cancel, Zephyr Sprite, Palace Guard, Disentomb, Emerald Oryx, Shatter, Jump, Howl of the Night Pack, Wall of Frost, Plains
My pick: Howl of the Night Pack
Now I want lots of Plains for Armored Ascension, and lots of Forests for Howl. I will value Rampant Growths a bit more highly.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Ice Cage, Deadly Recluse, Canyon Minotaur, Essence Scatter, Zombie Goliath, Kindled Fury, Bountiful Harvest, Demon’s Horn, Mold Adder, Swamp
My pick: Deadly Recluse
I have goodies for the late game, so now I need stuff to get me to the late game.
Pack 2 pick 7:
Oakenform, Kindled Fury, Angel’s Mercy, Zombie Goliath, Runeclaw Bear, Convincing Mirage, Terramorphic Expanse, Act of Treason, Mountain
My Pick: Terramorphic Expanse
Mana fixing, and pumps either the Ascension or the Howl. Besides, what else is there? The bear may lap.
Pack 2 pick 8:
Coral Merfolk, Jackal Familiar, Acolyte of Xathrid, Angel’s Mercy, Soul Bleed, Bountiful Harvest, Alluring Siren, Mountain
My Pick: Alluring Siren
Whatever. It’s all not playable.
Pack 2 pick 9:
Regenerate, Tome Scour, Kindled Fury, Angel’s Mercy, Runeclaw Bear, Kraken’s Eye, Plains
My Pick: Runeclaw Bear
Rest of the pack: Bountiful Harvest and off-color garbage.
Pack 3 pick 1:
Divine Verdict, Borderland Ranger, Assassinate, Goblin Piker, Entangling Vines, Burning Inquiry, Jump, Mind Rot, Bramble Creeper, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Kraken’s Eye, Harm’s Way, Tempest of Light, Indestructibility, Plains
My Pick: Harm’s Way
Divine Verdict, Entangling Vines, or Harm’s Way? I want them all, but Harm’s Way can be a total blowout.
Pack 3 pick 2:
Kelinore Bat, Blinding Mage, Seismic Strike, Deadly Recluse, Unholy Strength, Emerald Oryx, Firebreathing, Disorient, Safe Passage, Mind Rot, Dragon’s Claw, Diabolic Tutor, Megrim, Plains
My Pick: Blinding Mage
Sweet!
Pack 3 pick 3:
Sparkmage Apprentice, Wind Drake, Divine Verdict, Borderland Ranger, Swamp (FOIL), Serpent of the Endless Sea, Glorious Charge, Disentomb, Naturalize, Lava Axe, Harm’s Way, Acidic Slime, Plains
My Pick: Harm’s Way
Another Harm’s Way? Really? And Verdict? No one can even splash White? Amazing. A better question is whether I should have taken the Verdict here. Maybe.
Pack 3 pick 4:
Merfolk Looter, Elvish Visionary, Sign in Blood, Holy Strength, Raging Goblin, Glorious Charge, Fog, Shatter, Wall of Frost, Ignite Disorder, Mind Spring, Island
My Pick: Elvish Visionary
Draw into the bombs.
Pack 3 pick 5:
Siege Mastodon, Fiery Hellhound, Unsummon, Firebreathing, Disorient, Safe Passage, Fog, Trumpet Blast, Spellbook, Righteousness, Forest
My Pick: Siege Mastodon
Pack 3 pick 6:
Island (FOIL), Rampant Growth, Siege Mastodon, Safe Passage, Mind Rot, Fog, Trumpet Blast, Zephyr Sprite, Alluring Siren, Mountain
My Pick: Rampant Growth
Pack 3 pick 7:
Coral Merfolk, Centaur Courser, Regenerate, Kindled Fury, Negate, Lifelink, Duress, Telepathy, Plains
My Pick: Centaur Courser
Pack 3 pick 8:
Craw Wurm, Siege Mastodon, Yawning Fissure, Tome Scour, Acolyte of Xathrid, Prized Unicorn, Demon’s Horn, Forest
My Pick: Craw Wurm
I wanted the fattie here, over the Lure dude. With 2 Harm’s Ways, I should have some fun with fatties.
Pack 3 pick 9:
Burning Inquiry, Jump, Bramble Creeper, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Kraken’s Eye, Tempest of Light, Plains
My Pick: Bramble Creeper
Pack 3 pick 10:
Emerald Oryx, Firebreathing, Disorient, Dragon’s Claw, Megrim, Plains
My Pick: Emerald Oryx
Pack 3 pick 11:
Swamp (FOIL), Disentomb, Naturalize, Acidic Slime, Plains
My Pick: Acidic Slime
Pack 3 pick 12:
Glorious Charge, Fog, Shatter, Island
My Pick: Glorious Charge
So nice! Pack 3 pick 13 and onwards were all trash, but I can hardly complain.
Removal (2)
2 Harm’s Way
Utility (5)
Armored Ascension
Glorious Charge
Howl of the Night Pack
Rampant Growth
Solemn Offering (probably SB — I don’t think the deck was 41)
Creatures (16)
2 Acidic Slime
3 Blinding Mage
Bramble Creeper
Centaur Courser
Craw Wurm
Cudgel Troll
Deadly Recluse
Elvish Visionary
Great Sable Stag
Griffin Sentinel
Llanowar Elves
Runeclaw Bear
Stampeding Rhino
Terramorphic Expanse
9 Forest
8 Plains
The first match was epic. My opponent opened with an Island and Terramorphic Expanse, but I had played first, so I stuck the Great Sable Stage and pretty much road that to victory. He had lots of counters, Doom Blades and things like Horned Turtle to gum up the ground, but none of that stops the Stag.
Game 2 he had a faster start, with several Snapping Drakes, an Air Elemental and Wind Drake serving. I had a couple Blinding Mages trying to keep the air force in check, and some ground pounders getting in the beats. It finally came down to him either having a Negate for my Harm’s Way or losing. He had the Negate.
Game 3 he did not.
The second round started well. My opponent had some great Zombies, including Cemetery Reaper. However, he also had a Black Knight, so one attack had my Runeclaw Bears trading for his first striker and the Reaper. It was close, and took a long time, but I ended up resolving both Howl of the Night Pack and Cudgel Troll. He could not keep up.
I was busy sideboarding when the dogs started barking. The delivery truck with the shingles was here. It wasn’t the time agreed, but I had no choice. I did one of the stupidest things I had done all day. I went to catch shingles. I told my opponent I hoped to be right back, but if I timed out, GL in the finals.
The way shingle delivery works is that the distributor will deliver the shingles. They bring them on a truck with a crane, and will lift them up to the roof. However, you — the buyer — have to be up on the roof and unload the pallet. It was raining, the roof had an 8/12 pitch (meaning 8 units up for every 12 along = steep) and the old shingles were crumbling. It was insanely slippery. I managed to unload maybe half a ton, but after slipping a half dozen times, and catching myself, I decided that running the rest up the ladder was not such a bad idea. I inched my way back down to the ladder and off the roof. I was still shaking a half hour later.
Obviously, I did not make it back to the draft. I had timed out and lost.
I had also played in a MEDIII draft earlier that morning, and I lost in the finals. That, plus some work and getting the ladders ready, etc. had made it somewhat unlikely that I could have complete all three rounds of the M10 8-4 in time. I had expected to have time to make it to the finals and offer a split.
For comparison, though, I decided to try an M10 321Swiss draft, to try to draft the same archetype, and see whether the competition was noticeably different than the 8-4s.
Well, first there was an 8-4 firing up, and none of the other queues had more than a couple players. I totally punted this draft. My only defense was that this was just after being on the roof. I was cold, only partly dried out, and still shaken. I was also a bit on tilt about timing out on the last draft.
Draft # 3 (8-4)
Pack 1 pick 1:
Giant Spider (FOIL), Jackal Familiar, Pacifism, Llanowar Elves, Trumpet Blast, Bramble Creeper, Disorient, Holy Strength, Drudge Skeletons, Lava Axe, Dragon’s Claw, Diabolic Tutor, Alluring Siren, Might of Oaks, Forest
My Pick: Pacifism
I was kinda underwhelmed by this pack. Removal over silly combat trick, right?
Pack 1 pick 2:
Cancel, Child of Night, Berserkers of Blood Ridge, Llanowar Elves, Acolyte of Xathrid, Mist Leopard, Negate, Angel’s Mercy, Soul Bleed, Awakener Druid, Consume Spirit, Act of Treason, Sunpetal Grove, Plains
My Pick: Sunpetal Grove
Rare draft.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Pacifism, Looming Shade, Disentomb, Naturalize, Lava Axe, Sage Owl, Palace Guard, Unholy Strength, Wurm’s Tooth, Gorgon Flail, Wall of Bone, Ball Lightning, Mountain
My Pick: Pacifism
Pack 1 pick 4:
Lightning Elemental, Craw Wurm, Dread Warlock, Wall of Faith, Sage Owl, Burning Inquiry, Weakness, Safe Passage, Bog Wraith, Phantom Warrior, Righteousness, Mountain
My Pick: Phantom Warrior
UW seems fun. I already did BW.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Centaur Courser, Cancel, Burning Inquiry, Weakness, Trumpet Blast, Bramble Creeper, Disorient, Spellbook, Enormous Baloth, Rootbound Crag, Swamp
My Pick: Centaur Courser
No rare draft. I have a playset of Rootbound Crags already. The beater over the Cancel — was that a mistake?
Pack 1 pick 6:
Jackal Familiar, Lifelink, Zombie Goliath, Horned Turtle, Kindled Fury, Bountiful Harvest, Tome Scour, Ornithopter, Indestructibility, Island
My Pick: Indestructibility
The Horned Turtle might be better, but the Indestructibility was rare, and I didn’t have one. I hoped to pick up a Deadly Recluse to go with it.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Essence Scatter, Lightning Elemental, Warpath Ghoul, Convincing Mirage, Duress, Burst of Speed, Runeclaw Bear, Consume Spirit, Plains
My Pick: Essence Scatter
Pack 1 pick 8:
Panic Attack, Mist Leopard, Convincing Mirage, Duress, Burst of Speed, Runeclaw Bear, Lifelink, Forest
My Pick: Mist Leopard
Still not choosing a color pair.
Rest of the pack: Bramble Creeper , Negate, Naturalize, Sage Owl, trash
Firmly WGU.
Pack 2 pick 1:
Razorfoot Griffin, Craw Wurm, Dread Warlock, Goblin Piker, Divination, Holy Strength, Solemn Offering (FOIL), Lava Axe, Wall of Faith, Entangling Vines, Whispersilk Cloak, Elite Vanguard, Acidic Slime, Underworld Dreams, Plains
My Pick: Acidic Slime
At this point, I was still thinking about the shingles, and whether I should have stayed on the roof long enough to unload everything. I was also aching. A couple times I had slipped, I had caught myself awkwardly, and I had some bad scratches. None of which explains the pick.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Snapping Drake, Centaur Courser, Looming Shade, Bountiful Harvest, Burst of Speed, Angel’s Mercy, Horned Turtle, Soul Bleed, Swamp (FOIL), Howling Banshee, Ornithopter, Windstorm, Merfolk Sovereign, Island
My Pick: Centaur Courser
The horsey over the Drake? I guess I was thinking about — no, I wasn’t thinking.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Assassinate, Goblin Piker, Ice Cage, Veteran Swordsmith, Burning Inquiry, Jump, Mind Rot, Bramble Creeper, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Holy Strength, Righteousness, Traumatize, Swamp
My Pick: Veteran Swordsmith
Pack 2 pick 4:
Siege Mastodon, Viashino Spearhunter, Raging Goblin, Terramorphic Expanse, Unholy Strength, Naturalize, Wall of Faith, Sage Owl, Levitation, Fabricate, Act of Treason, Island
My Pick: Terramorphic Expanse
I’m three colors, and indecisive.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Seismic Strike, Emerald Oryx, Firebreathing, Disorient, Safe Passage, Mind Rot, Fog, Harm’s Way, Stone Giant, Twincast, Swamp
My Pick: Harm’s Way
Fifth pick? Maybe I overvalue Harm’s Way. Seismic Strike, too. I wonder what this pack looked like when opened.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Sign in Blood, Berserkers of Blood Ridge, Stormfront Pegasus, Regenerate, Tome Scour, Kindled Fury, Angel’s Mercy, Zombie Goliath, Nature’s Spiral, Plains
My Pick: Stormfront Pegasus
Pack 2 pick 7:
Serpent of the Endless Sea, Holy Strength, Raging Goblin, Glorious Charge, Weakness, Fog, Fabricate, Polymorph, Forest
My Pick: Polymorph
Pack 2 pick 8:
Panic Attack (FOIL), Trumpet Blast, Zephyr Sprite, Palace Guard, Disentomb, Demon’s Horn, Telepathy, Mountain
My Pick: Palace Guard
Rest of the Pack: Elite Vanguard, Sage Owl, a few Angel’s Mercy and other cards not making the cut.
Pack 3 pick 1:
Lightning Elemental, Warpath Ghoul, Divination, Divine Verdict, Plains (FOIL), Fiery Hellhound, Tome Scour, Kindled Fury, Angel’s Mercy, Zombie Goliath, Dragon’s Claw, Telepathy, Celestial Purge, Garruk Wildspeaker, Island
My Pick: Garruk Wildspeaker
OBV, right. I actually right clicked it, then went to check the sell price. I was actually considering the Verdict until I realized that I was in Green, more or less.
Note that it is not Baneslayer Angel. I have played against the Angel several times in drafts. I have never opened one.
Pack 3 pick 2:
Seismic Strike, Deadly Recluse, Warpath Ghoul, Excommunicate, Viashino Spearhunter, Burst of Speed, Angel’s Mercy, Horned Turtle, Soul Bleed, Rhox Pikemaster, Angel’s Feather, Acidic Slime, Mirror of Fate, Mountain
My Pick: Deadly Recluse
A combo with my Invulnerability. *grin* I was on the fence about Rhox Pikemaster, but I was thinking GUw, so double White might have been a problem.
Pack 3 pick 3:
Wind Drake, Borderland Ranger, Assassinate, Goblin Piker, Ice Cage, Stormfront Pegasus, Panic Attack, Oakenform, Tendrils of Corruption, Armored Ascension, Angel’s Feather, Megrim, Swamp
My Pick: Wind Drake
Pack 3 pick 4:
Unsummon, Giant Growth, Lightning Elemental, Zombie Goliath, Horned Turtle, Kindled Fury, Bountiful Harvest, Howl of the Night Pack, Megrim, Inferno Elemental, Warp World, Mountain
My Pick: Giant Growth
Pack 3 pick 5:
Rampant Growth, Siege Mastodon, Fiery Hellhound, Unsummon, Kelinore Bat, Llanowar Elves, Griffin Sentinel, Kraken’s Eye, Mold Adder, Howling Mine, Island
My Pick: Rampant Growth
Pack 3 pick 6:
Lightning Elemental, Disentomb (FOIL), Giant Spider, Fiery Hellhound, Silvercoat Lion, Coral Merfolk, Telepathy, Celestial Purge, Lurking Predators, Island
My Pick: Giant Spider
Pack 3 pick 7:
Viashino Spearhunter, Horned Turtle, Burst of Speed, Soul Warden, Soul Bleed, Diabolic Tutor, Elite Vanguard, Sanguine Bond, Forest
My Pick: Soul Warden
Pack 3 pick 8:
Jackal Familiar, Raging Goblin, Glorious Charge, Fog, Zephyr Sprite, Prized Unicorn, Demon’s Horn, Mountain
My Pick: Prized Unicorn
Rest of the Pack: Tome Scour, Mirror of Fate, Howling Mine and worse.
No decklist — I ended up running a Gwu deck, and it wasn’t good. I pulled out the first match against another bad deck, and won game 1 of round 2 when my opponent mulliganed excessively. Game 2 might have clinched my first M10 prize packs for the day, but…
The guy showed up to repair my septic system. This was another reason I was off that day, and, given what these guys charge per hour, I was not going to make him wait while I took a shot at a few packs. I dropped.
Once the septic system was fixed, I decided to try for the comparative 321Swiss draft.
Draft #4 (321 Swiss)
Pack 1 pick 1:
Vampire Aristocrat, Lightning Elemental, Essence Scatter, Razorfoot Griffin, Fog, Trumpet Blast, Zephyr Sprite, Palace Guard, Disentomb, Emerald Oryx, Howling Banshee, Wurm’s Tooth, Ignite Disorder, Master of the Wild Hunt, Forest
My Pick: Master of the Wild Hunt
You know, 321Swiss does seem easier than 8-4s. I have never opened something this good in 8-4.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Enormous Baloth (FOIL), Excommunicate, Viashino Spearhunter, Giant Spider, Ponder, Veteran Swordsmith, Zombie Goliath, Negate, Duress, Regenerate, Relentless Rats, Act of Treason, Planar Cleansing, Plains
My Pick: Planar Cleansing
I had to take the rare here. I was trying to replicate the GW archetype I had earlier. Now I just need three Blinding Mages.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Vampire Aristocrat, Lightning Elemental, Essence Scatter, Razorfoot Griffin, Craw Wurm, Dread Warlock, Angel’s Mercy, Soul Bleed, Bountiful Harvest, Yawning Fissure, Dragon Whelp, Wall of Frost, Plains
My Pick: Razorfoot Griffin
Pack 1 pick 4:
Deadly Recluse, Dread Warlock, Canyon Minotaur, Essence Scatter, Excommunicate, Borderland Ranger, Snapping Drake, Elvish Visionary, Sign in Blood, Howl of the Night Pack, Fabricate, Island
My Pick: Howl of the Night Pack
No Red, but I’m not sure what people upstream are taking. As for Howl — well, I hear Wolves play well with Master of the Hunt.
Pack 1 pick 5:
Lightning Elemental, Warpath Ghoul, Mind Rot, Bramble Creeper, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Holy Strength, Raging Goblin, Glorious Charge, Act of Treason, Enormous Baloth, Swamp
My Pick: Enormous Baloth
I don’t like Bramble Creeper all that much, and Glorious Charge might table.
Pack 1 pick 6:
Coral Merfolk, Solemn Offering, Raging Goblin, Unholy Strength, Naturalize, Wall of Faith, Kraken’s Eye, Wall of Bone, Tempest of Light, Forest
My Pick: Wall of Faith
My thought was that I just had to stay alive long enough to draw into a bomb, like Cleansing or MotH.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Goblin Piker, Ice Cage, Deadly Recluse, Canyon Minotaur, Lifelink, Duress, Mist Leopard, Nature’s Spiral, Plains
My Pick: Deadly Recluse
Pack 1 pick 8:
Unsummon, Giant Growth, Zephyr Sprite, Disentomb, Shatter, Jump, Open the Vaults, Mountain
My Pick: Giant Growth
Pack 1 pick 9:
Vampire Aristocrat, Fog, Trumpet Blast, Disentomb, Emerald Oryx, Wurm’s Tooth, Forest
My Pick: Emerald Oryx
Pack 1 pick 10: Negate
Pack 1 pick 12: Borderland Ranger
Pack 1 pick 13: Bramble Creeper
Pack 2 pick 1:
Griffin Sentinel, Tendrils of Corruption, Jackal Familiar, Pacifism, Raging Goblin, Glorious Charge, Weakness, Fog, Shatter, Zephyr Sprite, Dragon’s Claw, Diabolic Tutor, Windstorm, Vampire Nocturnus, Forest
My Pick: Vampire Nocturnus
I want the Mythic for Constructed, and I don’t want to face the Mythic in this draft.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Essence Scatter, Excommunicate, Borderland Ranger, Lightning Elemental, Warpath Ghoul, Divination, Stampeding Rhino, Panic Attack, Child of Night, Elvish Visionary, Bog Wraith, Righteousness, Alluring Siren, Swamp
My Pick: Stampeding Rhino
Seems okay, but I liked being passed Wraths.
Pack 2 pick 3:
Cancel, Child of Night, Convincing Mirage, Soul Warden, Yawning Fissure, Acolyte of Xathrid, Mist Leopard, Negate, Wurm’s Tooth, Goblin Artillery, Telepathy, Dragonskull Summit, Island
My Pick: Dragonskull Summit
Because I planned on splashing, of course.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Siege Mastodon, Assassinate, Viashino Spearhunter, Unsummon, Veteran Armorsmith, Giant Growth, Cancel, Panic Attack, Merfolk Looter, Awakener Druid, Alluring Siren, Mountain
My Pick: Awakener Druid
I like playing this guy on turn 4, and Lava Axing someone. Sucks when the land is Doom Bladed, but that’s life.
Pack 2 pick 5:
Fiery Hellhound, Ponder, Sparkmage Apprentice, Burst of Speed, Runeclaw Bear, Lifelink, Zombie Goliath, Bog Wraith, Inferno Elemental, Flashfreeze, Forest
My Pick: Runeclaw Bear
Pack 2 pick 6:
Merfolk Looter, Elvish Visionary, Unholy Strength, Emerald Oryx, Firebreathing, Disorient, Safe Passage, Mind Rot, Ornithopter, Plains
My Pick: Elvish Visionary
Dig for those bombs.
Pack 2 pick 7:
Goblin Piker, Rampant Growth, Gravedigger, Sparkmage Apprentice, Silvercoat Lion, Coral Merfolk, Diabolic Tutor, Haunting Echoes, Swamp
My Pick: Rampant Growth
Pack 2 pick 8:
Sign in Blood, Jackal Familiar, Duress, Burst of Speed, Runeclaw Bear, Lifelink, Spellbook, Swamp
My Pick: Runeclaw Bear
Rest of the Pack: Glorious Charge, Righteousness, Negate, Cancel, trash.
Pack 3 pick 1:
Ice Cage, Razorfoot Griffin, Canyon Minotaur, Giant Growth, Illusionary Servant, Vampire Aristocrat, Stampeding Rhino, Looming Shade, Lightning Bolt, Elvish Visionary, Demon’s Horn, Acidic Slime, Deathmark, Time Warp, Island
My Pick: Time Warp
This thing is $10 and I don’t have enough. Three packs, three Mythics. I’m liking this 321Swiss stuff — but I’m still looking for my Baneslayer Angel that comes to rescue the draft.
Pack 3 pick 2:
Jackal Familiar, Centaur Courser, Doom Blade, Weakness, Fog, Shatter, Zephyr Sprite, Solemn Offering, Drudge Skeletons, Whispersilk Cloak, Levitation, Megrim, Polymorph, Mountain
My Pick: Whispersilk Cloak
This time it is legitimate. I have bombs, like Master of the Hunt, to shelter.
Pack 3 pick 3:
Seismic Strike, Craw Wurm, Manabarbs (FOIL), Assassinate, Viashino Spearhunter, Soul Warden, Soul Bleed, Regenerate, Tome Scour, Black Knight, Celestial Purge, Enormous Baloth, Swamp
My Pick: Soul Warden
Pack 3 pick 4:
Indestructibility (FOIL), Ponder, Kelinore Bat, Seismic Strike, Craw Wurm, Horned Turtle, Soul Bleed, Mist Leopard, Convincing Mirage, Sleep, Warp World, Island
My Pick: Indestructibility (FOIL)
For my Deadly Recluse. It could work in 321Swiss, right?
Pack 3 pick 5:
Coral Merfolk, Jackal Familiar, Firebreathing, Disorient, Mind Rot, Fog, Trumpet Blast, Dragon’s Claw, Nature’s Spiral, Elvish Piper, Forest
My Pick: Elvish Piper
I was amazed that this little kid rare was still there. I normally pass this, but I had an Enormous Baloth already.
Pack 3 pick 6:
Sage Owl, Burning Inquiry, Weakness, Safe Passage, Trumpet Blast, Bramble Creeper, Phantom Warrior, Stone Giant, Telepathy, Mountain
My Pick: Bramble Creeper
Pack 3 pick 7:
Rampant Growth, Unsummon, Firebreathing, Serpent of the Endless Sea, Glorious Charge, Disentomb, Naturalize, Awakener Druid, Swamp
My Pick: Rampant Growth
Rest of the Pack: Angel’s Mercy, Giant Growth, Solemn Offering, Regenerate, and junk.
Two games stand out from this draft.
In the second game in round 2, I dropped Soul Warden early, then Deadly Recluse. I fitted the Recluse up with Indestructibility and sat behind him. I played out six lands, and sat holding Howl of the Night Pack and Planar Cleansing. My opponent overplayed nicely, and he finally attacked with seven variously-sized creatures. Soul Warden chumped and the Recluse took down a flier. I untapped, cast Planar Cleansing, then beat with the Recluse. Indestructibility rocks — and I thought it only worked that way in my dreams.
I did lose one match. I mulliganed to four before I saw a land in hand — but I very nearly pulled that game out. In the rubber match, my opponent had Capricious Efreet. I had blockers — and the only way that he could win was to win the flips on the Efreet seven times in a row. He did — even the turn where my board was clean and he had to play a creature, then target that creature and the Efreet the next turn.
That doesn’t really answer the question about whether 321Swiss in notably easier than 8-4s, though. It is certainly easier to win If you open bomb Mythics and good rares, but that is not really conclusive.
One more for the proof, but I’ll abbreviate — otherwise Craig will kill me.
Draft #5 (321 Swiss)
Pack 1 pick 1:
Unsummon, Kelinore Bat, Blinding Mage, Seismic Strike, Disentomb, Naturalize, Veteran Armorsmith (FOIL), Sage Owl, Palace Guard, Unholy Strength, Prodigal Pyromancer, Overrun, Alluring Siren, Coat of Arms, Plains
My pick: Overrun
The difference: in 321Swiss I open great cards. In 8-4s — well, see above.
Pack 1 pick 2: Rhox Pikemaster
Pack 1 pick 3: Seismic Strike
Pack 1 pick 4: Divine Verdict
Pack 1 pick 5: Gorgon Flail
Pack 1 pick 6: Silvercoat Lion
Pack 1 pick 7: Mist Leopard
Pack 1 pick 8:Giant Spider
Pack 1 pick 9: Naturalize
(trash)
Pack 1 pick 12: Elvish Visionary
Pack 2 pick 1:
Ponder, Veteran Swordsmith, Kelinore Bat, Seismic Strike, Craw Wurm, Wind Drake, Sign in Blood, Coral Merfolk, Centaur Courser, Pacifism, Sleep, Pyroclasm, Celestial Purge, Clone, Forest
My Pick: Pacifism
Pack 2 pick 2:
Stampeding Rhino, Looming Shade, Lightning Bolt, Elvish Visionary, Zombie Goliath, Negate, Duress, Regenerate, Convincing Mirage, Soul Warden, Howl of the Night Pack, Bog Wraith, Elvish Piper, Swamp
My Pick: Howl of the Night Pack
Pack 2 pick 3:
Stampeding Rhino, Griffin Sentinel, Cancel, Child of Night, Emerald Oryx, Firebreathing, Disorient, Mind Rot, Fog, Wall of Fire, Windstorm, Open the Vaults, Island
My Pick: Stampeding Rhino
Cutting Green seems to have helped.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Pacifism, Llanowar Elves, Snapping Drake, Unholy Strength, Naturalize, Wall of Faith, Sage Owl, Burning Inquiry, Weakness, Righteousness, Wall of Frost, Island
My Pick: Pacifism
Is this evidence of a difference? Fifth pick Pacifism seems wrong to me.
Pack 2 pick 5: Craw Wurm
Pack 2 pick 6: Elite Vanguard (FOIL)
Pack 2 pick 7: Giant Growth
Pack 2 pick 8: Palace Guard
Pack 2 pick 9: Veteran Swordsmith
Pack 2 pick 10: Stampeding Rhino (Really!? — no other Green drafters?)
Pack 2 pick 13: Emerald Oryx
Pack 3 pick 1:
Cancel, Panic Attack, Merfolk Looter, Silvercoat Lion, Glorious Charge, Weakness, Fog, Shatter, Zephyr Sprite, Solemn Offering, Whispersilk Cloak, Pyroclasm, Elite Vanguard, Manabarbs, Plains
My Pick: Whispersilk Cloak
Pack 3 pick 2:
Giant Spider, Ponder, Veteran Swordsmith, Kelinore Bat, Shatter, Jump, Solemn Offering, Raging Goblin, Terramorphic Expanse, Angel’s Feather, Megrim, Stone Giant, Elvish Archdruid, Mountain
My Pick: Elvish Archdruid
Pack 3 pick 3:
Blinding Mage, Deadly Recluse, Illusionary Servant, Warpath Ghoul, Safe Passage, Mind Rot, Fog, Trumpet Blast, Zephyr Sprite, Whispersilk Cloak, Righteousness, Wall of Frost, Island
My pick: Blinding Mage
Pack 3 pick 4:
Stormfront Pegasus, Centaur Courser, Cancel, Kindled Fury, Bountiful Harvest, Tome Scour, Runeclaw Bear, Yawning Fissure, Zombie Goliath, Cudgel Troll, Rise from the Grave, Island
My pick: Cudgel Troll
I guess there really aren’t any Green drafters close by.
Pack 3 pick 5: Elvish Visionary
Pack 3 pick 6: Runeclaw Bear
Pack 3 pick 7: Overrun
Okay — this should end the debate. Seventh pick Overrun? That should not happen.
Double Overrun is pretty good, I can assure you.
PRJ
“one million words” on MTGO (and back on the roof once the rain ends.)