Rerutn to Ravnica Bloc - Draft #8

 It's draft night o'clock!

  Pack 1 pick 1:

Super Helix! Passing Punish and Tithe Drinker and not a lot else. I don't love taking a two-color card first, but I love four-thirds of a Lightning Helix.

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 2:

If this was pick 1, the cards I want are Kraul Warrior, Makka, then Plans. Here's where taking the multi-color spell pick one hurts. Rather than going into a third color already, I think the red and green cards are close enough in power level that I will try to remain open. Boros Mastiff tries to remind me how good two-drops are, but vanilla bear is too boring for pick 2.

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 3:

The fact that there are three strong green cards in this pack could be a signal or it might be an anomaly. Beetlemage is a decent Simic signal, but it is pretty far away from Boros color-wise. I'll take the powerful green card that shares one of my colors and wistfully yearn after last pack's insect.

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 4:

This pack is so empty I forgot what I took from in while writing up this recap. I like a cyclops, but a speculative gate from this pack doesn't cost me much. I could take a Gruul stone because it is in my colors, but I expect stones to come around late these days. If the gate was Boros, Gruul, or Selesnya, it wouldn't be close.

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 5:

Yet another strong green card, a nice removal aura for blue, but a power Boros common is the easy pick for me.

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 6:

Another blank pack. I consider another off-color gate, but this time I take the stone that looks like it will be my colors.

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 7:

Wolf Rider could have cemented me in Naya, but have you read Burst of Genius? 4UR: Draw three cards, one of which is a burn spell you get to play for free. Looking at my pile, my only actual green card is Zur-Taa Druid. Red-White-Blue is equally an option at this point.

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 8:

Remember when I first-picked that Krasis? Me neither. It and the draw spell are the best cards here, but double green seems tough with what I have going on so far. There are four stones in this pack and I don't really want any of them. Gruul seems the best and could either enable a big Naya deck or four-color red. (Is that a thing?)

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 9:

Wheeling a gate from the first pack? People took Debt to the Deathless and Orzhov stone over Deputy and Guidgate? Azorius looks like it might have the potential to be open, so I scoop up another fixer.

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 10:

With two gates already, the black gatekeeper screams out to me, but not as my first black card. Gleam of battle could get interesting if I pick up a whole pack worth of cheap small fliers.

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 11:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 12:

Oooo!I already have two blue gates. This could happen.

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 13:

Blue early defense works with my current plan

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 14:

As does white big-butt.

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 15:

That seems wrong. Awe for the Guilds was in this pack.

  My Pick:


After pack one, the pile looks thusly:

That doesn't look too good, does it?

There is potential here, but certainly not a deck yet. I could have gone deep into Naya if I decided early, including a Kraul Warrior, some Mossdogs, Wolf Rider, Renegade Krasis, and maybe even Gruul War Chant. Instead, I have four powerful red multicolor cards spread over three guilds, plus two Azorius gates and a few supporting wall-like creatures. RWU or RWG still seem equally likely options, although the gates and my play style are drawing me closer to blue.

  Pack 2 pick 1:

Not a lot in this pack. Halberdiers for a faster Boros-style deck or expensive unconditional removal? Removal please. Our best bet on the wheel is probably Keymaster Rogue.

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 2:

The format is now slow enough that the primordials are pretty sweet (except the green one).

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 3:

This may have been better off as Guildgate, but on the heels of taking a powerful seven-mana card, I snap up a powerful six-mana card and make a note to take Keyrunes in my colors.

   My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 4:

Woo! This guy is fantastic, although he is another six. There is no chance I take anything else, but I immediately remove Urbis Protector from the main deck.

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 5:

Pit Fight, Smite, and Bomber Corps all fit, but I am very short on early creatures and the Skynight is the best of this bunch.

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 6:

Mugging is obviously the right pick but I do heart Basilica Guards.

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 7:

Excellent.

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 8:

Oof. That's a late croc here. I grab another unexciting three-drop.

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 9:

I don't think I am aggressive enough for act, but it is that or Riot Gear, which I hate.

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 10:

This guy should gum up the board while I wait for six and seven mana.

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 11:

Trick or Zarichi is a tough one. This deck looks like it could need the life, but the cheap trick is my first.

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 12:

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  Pack 2 pick 13:

This could happen if I pick up enough fliers in the last pack.

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 14:

"Foil"!

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 15:

  My Pick:

This looks more like a deck.

After two packs, my biggest problems are that I have only one two-drop and no on-color ramp to get me to my top end. Will I play a Selesnya Cluestone that is only half on color (with no chance of trading it back for a card later) just to accelerate? Probably not, but it is on the radar at this point. I need defensive two-drops the most heading into pack three.

  Pack 3 pick 1:

Explosive Impact is nice here, but I already have two sixes and a seven that I am going to run. New Prahv Guildmage seems perfect for what I need, but did you see the rare land? I did, and I'm taking the four tix.

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 2:

This is disappointing. Again the six-drop is discarded and it boils down to Eyes, Crew or Pegasus. Lobber Crew is the best of this bunch, but remember what I said about needing two-drops?

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 3:

I love Knightly Valor, but it's not what I need here. Splatter Thug may be the best common Rakdos creature to leash, due to the defensive power of first strike.

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 4:

The mana cost is a little rough, but as long as I can cast it, the Griffin is much better than the Security Blockade. The fours here are possibly better in a vacuum, but I am staying on course and picking up the cheaper option.

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 5:

Oh my! I would take this entire pack if I could. Two defensive early drops, a bounce spell, a removal spell, and a huge bomb aura for five mana. There are ten cards left in this pack, most of which are blue or white, which seems pretty open. There is a long shot I can pick up the Doorkeeper later. This card is so much better than Knightly Valor (which is great) I will disregard any other needs. Plus, the curve is looking better after the last three picks.

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 6:

When it comes to cheap, flexible burn, a cheap dude, or good fixing, my heart will always remain with cheap burn. It sure looks like we made a good decision on colors at this point.

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 7:

Judgment is just too expensive for my deck, so I take the four-drop removal instead. This guy suited up with Righteous Authority would be nice. </foreshadowing>

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 8:

I think this one is close between Courier and Electromancer. Courier is only one color, but he has no upside for me and milling could be downside with scavenge around and only one toughness and blue is my lightest color anyway (I think), so I convinced myself that the extra mana requirement is worth the small upside for my 3-4 sorceries and instants that could be cheaper.

Turn 2 Electromancer into turn 3 Sunspire Griffin is only possible if I have a guildgate though.

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 9:

I skip the vanilla three-drop (unless I add Selesnya Cluestone!) in favor of another cheap trick. This one could be quite nice defensively to gain life and kill a dude.

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 10:

Rare Draft #2

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 11:

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  Pack 3 pick 12:

Rare Draft #3

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 13:

This was the pack I predicted Doorkeeper might come back. Rescue is much finer.

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 14:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 15:

  My Pick:


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So here's the deck I assembled:

Despite two gates and 18 land, the mana is still going to be tough. I went 9-6-5, although 8-6-6 might have been better. I decided 18 land was better than an off-color cluestone. My plan is to trade and survive long enough to get my big cards going. I have some serious card advantage in the top end.

If I have all three basic land in my opening hand, unless I have a gate, the correct land sequence is Island, Plains, Mountain. That will let me play any two-or three- drop in the deck on time, assuming I draw the correct lands.

Leading with Island lets me choose whether to play Mountain or Plains turn two if I draw Electromancer, Mugging, or Dramatic Rescue. If I don't have Electromancer, then Plains on turn two allows for Mountain or Plains on turn three for Suspire Griffin or any red card.

This is an important step of preparation you should take before shuffling up your deck the first time. That way when you have an awkward land decision to make, you don't have to try to remember what cards are in your deck.

On to the matches.

Match one is against an opponent with a strong-looking Simic deck.

Game one, Villain has a sweet curve while I get stuck with no Islands and four blue cards.

Note I have already traded off for Kraul Warrior, Drakewing Krasis and Runewing. I lose shortly thereafter.

Game two, goes much better as my Hussar Patrol eats his Simic guildmage for free, then gets immediately suited up with Righteous Authority pants and wins going away, despite never drawing a mountain. These two games have not been good signs for my manabase.

Game three, my bomby bombs get there. I get to Foundry Champoin, Urbis Protector (I sided in the flying package), and Righteous Authority all in reasonable time.

In match two, Villain seems to be on a 5-color gates and gatekeepers deck. Game one, I mull to six, but he mulls to four.

Righteous Pants on a Pegasus takes the day, fueling my hand while bashing in the air.

Game two, I open this hand on the draw:

Against a slow 5-color deck? Snap. Keep.

Vigilant guy with big pants does the trick. Yes, I have six cards in hand to his one, plus my 8/10 on the board.

Into the finals, where I mulligan into the following six-card hand:

Obviously I kept, since there is a land on the battlefield. Any land gets me two defensively-minded creatures.

I draw the first land, which I needed, but Villain runs me over with a fast Gruul deck, backed up by Gruul War Chant a.k.a. Madcap Skills All My Guys.

Game two goes real long, with us trading haymakers. He starts to build a Croconura, I can't allow that, so I Helix it. I trade off some guys. He cracks Grove of the Guardian for an 8/8 vigilance elemental. I Luminate Primordial, sending him to 24. He Trostani's Judgments it. He drops Skarrg Goliath with me at low life. I "cycle" Izzet Charm into an Angelic Edict. I get down Basilica Guards and start whittling away, plus a flier. He gets a war pig and the race is on; will my chumpers or his life total dwindle first? I'm winning the race until Villain Gruul War Chants, which changes all the math considerably, but I manage to drain him out with extort on turn 19. On the plus side, I got him without Righteous Pants, Foundry Champion, or Blast of Genius.

Check out those graveyards and exiled zones.

The deciding game is another close one, but doesn't go nearly as long. I trade burn spells for his early creatures, then suit up Skyknight Legionnaire quite righteously. Villain sticks Bomber Corps and Brushstrider, which don't frighten me until the war chant makes its third appearance. I am ahead in the race, but with him at 11, me at 15, and him already not blocking my 7/7 Skynight, I pause to consider what I lose to. He showed me Zur-Taa Swine and Skarrg Goliath previously, so who knows what kinds of bloodrush he has (it isn't goliath, because he only has 5 land in play). Villain could be able to ruin my day with Wrecking Ogre or Rubblehulk and win, so I play Swift Justice on my attacker, making it into a 7/6 lifelinker and going to a comfortable 24 while taking him to 4.

I am great at taking screenshots immediately after making a tough decision.

He untaps, and turns out to have Explosive Impact to kill my flier, but I have Urbis Protector in hand, so a backup 4-power flier is on its way. I draw Blast of Genius which domes Villain to finish him off, but I think that Swift Justice was a good call. The next attack with the Skynight was lethal so this was my chance to create some breathing room. If I don't Justice, then he impacts my guy and follows up next turn with Goliath, I am probably just dead.

So I win the draft plus take home a Temple Garden, which is a nice result for such a flaky manabase.