12-13-14 (heh) Draft Report

Enough of this hearthstone nonsense. Let's talk magical cards. Gamma Ray Games, two tables of eight and I'm assigned to the kids' table. "Kids table" in the sense that the guys with LR sleeves talking loudly about signals and draft strategy are at the other table.

Pack 1

Pick 1:

  

Pretty blah rare: narrow, costly and not that powerful. Heir vs. Feat is pretty interesting choice though. Both have strong power levels. I went with Heir of the Wilds due to better Quadrant Theory action. Tough call though.

Pick 2

 

Interesting second choice. The charm is a good one but I rate Pine Walker's overall power and flexibility to be better.

The 5th pick was a more interesting quandry

  

Interesting! Medium bomb, allied dual land, and Treasure Cruise. I went with the Cruise as it keeps me a little more open on Temur vs. Sultai (both of which felt incredibly open). Always have one cruise?

I like how I finished this pack. I feel my overall power level is pretty good with a firm blue/green base.

Pack 2

Check out this murderer's row for Pick 1:

   

I mean, Jesus. That's objectively terrible. I went with Savage Punch over the nightblade, feeling the utility there more. This may have been a mistake on sheer power grounds but sultai doesn't lack for four drops. Thoughts?

Pick 2

 

The total lack of any fixing in pack 1 is weighing on me a little, so I take the on-color dual.

Pick 4
I luck into an Opulent Palace (honing in on Sultai) on my 3rd and then for fourth pick

  

What do you think? I went with the Bitter Revelation for powering delve. Felt like the right call.

Pick 5

  

I loved the Mistfire for the combo of semi-control and evasion. However it's a bit fragile and the Mystic might be a better finisher, something I am sorely SORELY lacking. See the Unwritten looks super sexy but I'm not sure how sexy it really is without reliable Ferocious so I pass.

Pack finishes up pretty strong with a late Throttle, a Rakshasa Vizier (my first semi-bomb) and a shockingly late Sultai Flayer. Also the See the Unwritten wheeled! Uh, lol?

Pack 3

Pick 1

  

So I apparently cannot catch a break on the rare. Here I make my biggest misstep and take the Sagu Archer, feeling worried about my defenses and three-drops. However I should have at least LOOKED at the sheer power of the Aerialists, that's a card that will just flat out win games

Deck Listing

Creatures (16): Kin-Tree Warden, Heir of the Wilds, Archers' Parapet, Krumar Bond-Kin, Monastery Flock x2, Mistfire Weaver, Sagu Weaver, Scion of Glaciers x2, Sultai Flayer x2, Sultai Soothsayer, Pine Walker, Rakshasa Vizier, Shambling Attendants

Spells (6): Throttle x3 (!), Treasure Cruise, Bitter Revelation, Sultai Charm

Lands: Dismal Backwater x2, Thornwood Falls, Opulent Palace, Swamps x4, Forest x6, Island x4

Didn't make the cut: See the Unwritten, Alpine Grizzly, Scout the Borders, Rakshasa's Secret

Notice anything funny about this deck? Such great Delve enablers (Bitter Revelation, Sultai Soothsayer, Scout the Borders, Rakshasa's Vizier, hell even See the Unwritten) and ONLY TWO DELVE CARDS. WHAT THE WHAT. No Sultai Scavenger, no fricking Hooting Mandrils. Murderous Cut and Dead Drop are obviously premium so you can't count on those but really now. Also I'm alarmed by my total lack of bombs. I like my shields to defend against faster attack but once I reach parity... I do what exactly?

Tune in to next post to find out!