Origins Draft 7/25/15

The draft was pretty close to everything that could go wrong, went wrong. Neighbors moved into colors I was looking for and I never really put together a deck, really just had a pile of cards.

Pack 1 Pick 1

   

First draft tomorrow, what to watch for?

Final theorycraft post before I go wade into the trenches tomorrow. Not only is it a tournament but it's also the Capitol Hill block party; two demographics collide!

Annoying Combat Tricks

 

God, and we thought Feat of Resistance was annoying.

"Better have an answer" 5 drops

  

These bastards are at all common. COMMON. So you will see them and you will need a plan to deal with them. 5/3 first strike, 4/4 to 6/6, or a 3/3 fliers can all close out a game in a hurry. So don't blow your removal too soon.

Speaking of removal

  

 
   
   


Slim pickings my friends (lolgreen). Blue has a fair amount of tempo play as well but I would not consider that serious removal.

Blue Tempo

  

Goofy Control Deck Win Conditions

      

Can you stall your way to victory with a few of these? You betcha! They are all uncommon but if you see them late, be aware.

Turn 3 Kill in Hearthstone's Tavern Brawl

If you haven't stopped by The Inn recently to play Hearthstone, there is a new game mode out that perfectly blends a fresh challenge every week with the fun of casual spell slinging mixed in with a dash of Blizzard zaniness. Tavern Brawl is a 1v1 match that adopts new and unusual rules each week, making for constantly fresh gameplay while the hardcore player base waits for a fresh expansion. And thus far, your first win each week earns you a Classic card pack, which also makes it a great way for newer players to build their collection.

Welcome to my Inn!

The first of the crazy rulesets have allowed us to play as Nefarian and Ragnaros, starting with 60 life and including non-collectible cards in our preconstructed decks that were from the Blackrock Mountain adventure. Since then, we've had fully random decks, a free Mukla-style banana every time a minion dies, a Webspinner challenge, and a free random minion on the board every time you cast a spell. Sometimes you get to pick your entire deck, sometimes just the class, and sometimes you get whatever the game gives you

Tokens for Magic Origins

Actually a pretty tame list compared to the madness of Modern Masters. Going down the list of tokens, the source card, and overall judgment.

Angel 

(rare that will be very hard to make work in limited)
    
2014, Avacyn, Conflux, Innistrad, Zendikar
Gotta say the winner is clearly Avacyn, if a little chain-mail-bikini. 2014 is too bland, Conflux is fine but generic, and Zendikar has too much dominatrix in my angel for me. Though I imagine her hourly rate is killer. Also her wings are alarmingly undersized. I feel uncomfortable.

Origins recycled Conflux which is... fine I guess.

Demon

(also a rare, but at least it's a good one!)


Avacyn/Innistrad

Eh, fine.

Elemental

(a questionable uncommon that probably shouldn't be played)
          

So let's be clear: an elemental is a red or blue creature of somewhere between 1/0 and 7/1 unless it's green unless it's white or black or has variable power/toughness. I hate the lore team so much sometimes. Oh it's 2/2 in Origins.



I can't.. I can't talk about this any more. Moving on.

Elf Warrior

 
Shadowmoor, Lorwyn

Origins choose the Shadowmoor token, which is the correct choice. Note how clean and elegant this is: two words of importance, clearly delineated from the other Warrior tokens. Well done everyone.

Goblin

       

10th/2010, 2013/2015, DTK, Khans, Phyrexia, RTR, Mirrodin

Ah Goblins. Definitely my favorite to try to collect one of each just because they are soooo many of them. Origins recycled Mirrodin; all fine choices. Personal favorite: yeti goblin.

Knight

Wow, I really thought there were more knights than just Return to Ravnica. Huh.

Soldier 

(from a single uncommon that nobody should ever play)

        

Origins used Ravnica. Not bad, though thank god her armor exposes her upper chest. Whew.

Thopter

 
(Mirrodin/Shards)

Thopter is clearly the all-star of Origins as they not only brought in new art but there are TWO new arts.

 

Salutes all around, just fine work here really. Makes all the pawing through packs for the obsessive token collection worth it.

Zombie

         

10th/2012, 2010/2011, Avacyn/Innistrad/Conspiracy/2013/2014/2015, DTK, Nyx, KTK, Mirrodin, Alara, Innistrad (2), Innistrad (3)

There's a lot going on here. Zombie's gotta be a hard needle to thread, as you get too far from your shambling hulk you get VERY clearly non-zombies like Mirrodin and Alara. But get too creative and it's hard to remember what it is, like Nyx (which I love art direction-wise)

And of course Origins takes the art that's already been recycled six times. Well it IS a zombie I guess. Thematic!