Return to Ravnica Bloc #5

Draft-o time!  

So I've been reading about some more Dragon's Maze draft theories and while nothing has really stuck, I do have a few more ideas floating around in my head when it comes time to draft.

1. Pick one guild to be your main focus, then splash to four colors. You get to eliminate one color, then play your splash cluestones and guildgates. Perhaps surprisingly, your main-guild fixers are less of a priority because the majority of your lands will be those two types while you want splash mana from your fixing.
2. Pick two Return to Ravnica guilds for the first two packs and set up for the last pack but more open than just picking one. Once you see what's coming, settle into one main guild and splash the other.
3. Be more decisive earlier

That seems like plenty to ponder. Let's draft!

Pack 1 pick 1:

  My Pick:

This might have been a goofy pick. Fluxcharger, Lawmage, and Punish are all solid options. Mossdog might even be better, but I have visions of Blue, Green, Black with all kinds of evolve and scavenge counters.

  Pack 1 pick 2:

  My Pick:

Hmmm. Gaze could be fun. Plus its worth half a ticket. Other choices are unexciting. Maaka or gate.

  Pack 1 pick 3:

  My Pick:

Summoner could be big game, but I like a Hill Giant token with upside. Better than taking a 7-drop methinks.

  Pack 1 pick 4:

  My Pick:

Several pickable cards here, including gate, Krasis, and Beetlemage. The beetle is yet another color, but the most powerful. At this point, I'm looking to analyze what color power is flowing from upstram, so I take a speculative Beetle. Pick 1 Renegade is much better in Simic and Alive works reasonably even with no white.

  Pack 1 pick 5:

  My Pick:

Only two cards I would like to run here and neither are really in my colors. I take note of the late Tithe Drinker and pick it, still thinking Junk (Green-Black-White) is an option.

  Pack 1 pick 6:

  My Pick:

Second Beetlemage or Scab-Clan Giant's random destruction? In hindsight, this pick should have locked me into Simic splashing either black or white, but I chose to keep my options open by picking a green card with a fourth color pairing. Durr.

  Pack 1 pick 7:

  My Pick:

Oooo! Another one! Maybe Gruul is open?

  Pack 1 pick 8:

  My Pick:

Definitely open.

  Pack 1 pick 9:

  My Pick:

Also wheeled a Mossdog? That sounds wrong. Let's go back to that first pack and check what was taken ahead of this:

• Fluxcharger
• Ubul Sur Gatekeepers
• Punish the Enemy
• Steeple Roc
• Dimir Guildgate
• Ascended Lawmage
• Debt to the Deathless

I guess I only strongly disagree with the Debt, but I took Renegade Krasis, so I'm just as dumb.

  Pack 1 pick 10:

  My Pick:

I've heard good things about this man. Maybe Naya is the place to be. I'll have to cut Beetlemage and Gaze, but I get Alive//Well, this, and all the Gruul goodness.

  Pack 1 pick 11:

  My Pick:

I have all high drops, so I should probably focus on acceleration and fixing. The Fumes are tempting though, as is the Sentinel.

  Pack 1 pick 12:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 13:

  My Pick:

This guy shouldn't still be here.

  Pack 1 pick 14:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 15:

  My Pick:

Could run it if i get enough green evolve.

  Pack 2 pick 1:

  My Pick:

Tough pick. Bomby battalion rare in my two splash colors with no low drops, or sure-fire removal?

  Pack 2 pick 2:

  My Pick:

Easy.

  Pack 2 pick 3:

  My Pick:

Also easy.

  Pack 2 pick 4:

  My Pick:

Not much here. Better to keep accelerating and fixing than pick a dumb seven drop.

  Pack 2 pick 5:

  My Pick:

Ivy Lane comes close. It combos with the old renegade much better for sure.
  Pack 2 pick 6:

  My Pick:

I guess I'll take one then.

  Pack 2 pick 7:

  My Pick:

One-mana trick that helps the Krasis.

  Pack 2 pick 8:

  My Pick:

A good trick in my splash colors. Not the worst from an empty pack

  Pack 2 pick 9:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 10:

  My Pick:

Sure beats an off-color cluestone for ramp
  Pack 2 pick 11:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 12:

  My Pick:

Fine in the board
  Pack 2 pick 13:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 14:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 15:

  My Pick:

After pack two, I'm feeling pretty good. I need low drops. Drudge Beetle would be great. I only have cheap green, so I can go deeper into white if I get Keening Apparitions or Azorious Arresters.

  Pack 3 pick 1:

  My Pick:

Payoff pack brings...  a gate, a 2/4 and double 3/3 for six. ug
  Pack 3 pick 2:

  My Pick:

Big burn I guess. I pass a two-drop here, but it isn't a traditional two-drop and it is my splash color, so I don't think it is worth it, even though I need cheap dudes. Maybe this was wrong. It counts as a 2/1 with half first strike.

  Pack 3 pick 3:

  My Pick:

Jeez. I ponder Cackler, Seller and Eyes before landing on Cobblebrute, who holds Armed the best.

  Pack 3 pick 4:

  My Pick:

A second Impact goes by the wayside in favor of a terrible three drop because aside from pack two Boros Mastiff and that Fencing Ace, I haven't passed a two-drop in my colors.

  Pack 3 pick 5:

  My Pick:

I want Knightly Valor so hard, but I am kind of short on creatures and if I don't have early drops, a damn-well better have good defensive mid-game guys.

  Pack 3 pick 6:

  My Pick:

My choice of cheap tricks.

  Pack 3 pick 7:

  My Pick:

I only have one centaur maker.

  Pack 3 pick 8:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 9:

  My Pick:

Two centaur makers

  Pack 3 pick 10:

  My Pick:

Second Eyes or sideboard card? I have plenty of playables and I don't think populate is going to happen.

  Pack 3 pick 11:

  My Pick:

Second Eyes anyway.

  Pack 3 pick 12:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 13:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 14:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 15:

  My Pick:


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Sorely lacking turn two plays

Thoughts? I'll return tomorrow with the match wrap-ups.