Actual insight alert: blue/black isn't control

Okay, enough ripping off Limited Resources. I think I have the beginnings of the germ of a thread that may eventually lead to an insight about magic cards. That may be putting it too strongly. But it goes like this: I don't think blue/black is control is this expansion.

"Whaaaat?!" you cry. "But look at all these sexy controlling cards!"

  

And I think you have a good point. But the problem is that it just doesn't WORK very well. I ran this on Saturday and you land some sweet combos, unsummon a creature... and doink them for 1 damage with your Benthic Infiltrator. They resummon their 2/3 griffin and we're back where we started. The pace isn't there. Let's start with the basics: a tempo deck is an archetype that trades cards for time. The vanilla tempo cards are tappers and unsummons.

Decks to target in Zendikar

This is basically a transcription of the LR episode that goes over this. I mean, even more so than the normal posts we write. But by researching and cut and pasting cards helps me remember, rather than just passively listening. Their thesis (one I entirely agree with) is that Zendikar is heavy on the synergy decks. The individual card strength is pretty low; you can't just have a smooth 2-3-4 curve out and beat down. Any draft in Zendikar needs a synergistic deck where you are enabling a lot of low-power cards. This makes it a lot more important to know the archetypes, know how to get into them, and what the most important pieces are.

Lacking a punchline

Pack 1 Pick1

   

This is a pretty tough call imo. The power level is pretty high on Brutal Expulsion but I really don't like taking a gold card dead first. I went with pretty solid removal with Complete Disregard, a card that will go into any black deck on the planet.

Worst. Draft. Ever. 10-4-15

Pack 1 Pick 1

  

Drowner of Hope is a pretty clear win here as it's pretty close to a quadrant all-star. 7 points of stats for 6 mana and a non-insignificant ability to break a stalemate is pretty sweet.

What is the world coming to?

In preparation for my glorious return to playing magic I was flipping through the card list for the new set. And then I stumbled across this surprise:

So white does this now? I know I've been away for too long but certainly not long enough for the world to be flipped upside down. Bring back ...

Which, by the way, hasn't been reprinted since M11.