Just wanted to pass you along this draft from the other night, the only real archetype i've gotten excited about. UR humans splashing white for righteous blow removal. Went 2-1 beating two watered down UG decks, losing to a super efficient BG deck that ended sweeping the draft (i actually gave him his only game loss, i got a cookie for that).
Draft Analysis:
I dont think anyone in this draft knew that they were all supposed to be drafting Green, self included. And in it's wake, 3 of my opponents seemingly were picking up each others scraps in trying to take the open green cards being passed around the table. Blue was also somewhat heavily drafted, as it should be, and I was left without many of the critical cards you want to see in U... like Into the Void, Crippling Chill, Latch Seeker, Gryph Vanguards, and no multiples of Wingcrafter or Mist Raven.
But what I did end up with was a very aggressive URw humans build (13 humans + thatcher revolt), with several bounce and blink options. Zealous Conscripts was my bomb, and top end of my curve. 11 creatures early in the curve, not includeing a Thatcher Revolt. The interaction between the various blink effects and Kessig Malcontents won me several games. And then in the last game, I was finally able to play my conscripts late in the game (with a very comfortable board position), and just for kicks I flickered the conscripts and the creature i already stole (which permanently steals him, while stealing a 2nd permanent for the turn). Most would say that's a solid turn.
Also, I have become more impressed with the Nephalia Smuggler. He's a poor man's Deadeye Navigator, and he's just pure value. For four mana and a 2nd relavent creature, you have a permanent blocker (which eliminates un-fun things like lifelink), and gets you an additional trigger on your 187 ability. This is awesome with cards like Mist Raven, Malcontents, Gryph Vanguard (if I had any), the Conscripts (if I played him more than once in the draft) and other soulbonding necessities.
I'll be looking to draft U heavy decks in the future, pairing with G or R for all the reason listen above.
P1P1: The Spear is pretty good, I find, but you're right that it's slow. It's probably not slow enough to board out unless your deck is insane(ly fast).
ReplyDeleteP1P8: Yep, Distraction is pretty good in U/R normally, I'd take it here.
P1P9: It'd take the Speed or the Ghostform here, I think.
P1P11: Again, Ghostform.
P2P5: Man, getting all that Green hurts! I'd take the Aggrevate here, though, or the Shieldmate.
P2P9: Why not another Alchemist?
P2P10: Mentor! It's fantastic.
i've never looked at mentor seriously due to the straight mill being a fringe strategy at best IMO. but milling your opp IS probably straight advantage for the millER in this set, as opposed to DII where the millEE was probably going to get a FB spell or something useful in the bin.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is that Mentor is a pretty fast clock along with any soulmate, and there's a limited amount of removal in the set which makes utility creatures harder to deal with, especially since some of the best answers to the Mentor is in Black, a color that doesn't support a lot of drafters. A lot of decks (W/G most prominently) just folds to an unanswered utility creature if they can't race it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I like the white splash. The Righteous Blows are at least removal, but the Inquisitor is just a 2/2 that won't be very relevant in the lategame. Remember that you can't always expect to hit your splash color on curve, so that white 2-drop is a virtual white 5-drop or worse, which is unexciting. I agree with Lobster that you should have picked up a couple more UR playables during the draft (like P2P10 Mentor, P1P8 Fleeting Distraction, or P2P4 Heirs). Aggressive decks, especially ones which top their curve at 5, really need to try hard to justify their splashes.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I saw you skip Guise of Fire in favor of stuff like a second Ghostly Flicker and so on. Removal that can only kill 1-toughness stuff is still removal, and there are quite a few creatures with 1 toughness that need to die. Even as sideboard material, I think it's better than you seem to think it is.
P1P5 - I think you're right about the alchemist. Your deck wants to be fast. Shieldmate is good but not fast enough for what you've taken so far.
ReplyDeleteP1P8 - Moorland isn't a terrible choice. It just keeps your options open a little more based on whats to come. Distraciton is OK too.
P2P3 - I think I take the guise over the shieldmate. Quick removal to get your quick damage in.
P2P4 - My experice with Heirs is that it's slow but at least it's in a color you're committed to and when it works it can be a run away. You've barely touched white so the WW cost is pretty hard to cast.
P2P5 - Now I'd pick up the shiled mate. Or hell pick up the familiar. That card is worth splashing and you keep regetting not getting green. Gotta start somewhere.
P2P7 - Ranger's a great pick. If you're going to splash, get something that fixes as well! Devil wouldn't have been the worst either. Sometimes the agressive deck just needs the last few points to the dome.
P2P10 - Take the mentor! White hasn't been doing much for you. Mentor gives an alternative win condition!
A few things about the deck: The biggest thing I don't like is that you're playing 41 cards. I want to see that zealous conscripts, mist raven, and spear as often as possible. I want the most likely chance to miracle the thuderous wave. Why are you reducing your odds?
Like Christian, I don't like the white splash. Righteous blow is a good card. But it's not worth the stress on your mana. How would you feel with an island, plains, and two kruin strikers in hand? Take out the white and add the bolt and another ghostly flicker to protect your guys. Or throw the devil in.
If you're dead set on the white "splash," why aren't you paying the vessel?
I think you drafted just fine. Sure life would have been better if you were drafting green early but you did what you could. I'd try making the deck a little differently though.
appreciate all the feedback guys. i will definitely take note of the power of stern mentor in the future.
ReplyDeleteand in my two rounds where i won in this swiss draft (against UG beef), i did side out the white, bringing in the borderland ranger and the vessel in it's place.
i see my mistake there with the 18-41 land deck. i had a habit of doing that in prior drafts that had a much higher curve. probably didn't need that in this one, and 17-40 would've been just fine. unfortunately i did not have enough playables.
i have some things to work on in deck building (and drafting). peace
-dhermit
I can't speak for everyone but I can only imagine we all could use some help. That's why we're here right? I'm glad I got to see your draft and I can't wait to see what you do next draft. I also hope you look at my draft and rip them to shreds so I can learn!
ReplyDeleteAgreed. We're all in this to get better, and learning means talking to each other. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete