That's the case when I head in for my third ACR draft. The Swiss is near-empty, and the 8-4 sat at 7, as did the 4322. I take the higher risk for the higher payout, and insta-fire the 84 upon entering.
As it often happens, the draft capture didn't snag my first pick. Perhaps it happens when you are the 8th in, and it starts immediately? I'll have to keep an eye on this.
My Pick:
I don't remember the details of the first pack, other than it being underpowered and a spot for a first-pick triland, particularly in a comfort shard of mine after two weeks of storming RRR queues with aggro Jund decks.
Pack 1 pick 2:
My Pick:
(Infest) gets a pretty bum rap in a format where some of the best decks just roll over to a weenie sweeper. Part of the problem, it goes, is that one of the decks that rolls over to (Infest) is the deck that can cast it. This is true, but it's still mass removal, and when you are the one deciding when to pull the trigger, it can still win you games.
Pack 1 pick 3:
My Pick:
I'm continuing to overvalue trilands a bit right now, but there are worse things to overvalue. I would have passed on any triland without black for the (Hissing Iguanar), but I'm OK with having multiple base-black options after this pick.
Pack 1 pick 4:
My Pick:
This was an important crossroads for my draft. (Fatestitcher), (Sprouting Thrinax) and (Hell's Thunder) are the considerations. Fatestitcher may be the best card of the three, but it's the worst with (Infest). (Hell's Thunder) puts me on a very black/red path and works well with Infest, but the thrinax does as well, and it's a comfortable pick for me, so I take it.
Pack 1 pick 5:
My Pick:
Sure! Two (Infest)s by pick five is something I can build around.
Pack 1 pick 6:
My Pick:
My thinking in the moment was the (Arcane Sanctum) made the potential for an easy white splash by the end of the draft worth the loss of a (Cavern Thoctar) to take the superior (Rakeclaw Gargantuan). It’s not terrible reasoning, but since my main color is black with double (Infest), the rakeclaw is stretching pretty far, while the (Cavern Thoctar) is on plan, on shard, and was the safer pick here.
Pack 1 pick 7:
My Pick:
I don't have a (Rakeclaw Gargantuan) clouding my judgement on this pick.
Pack 1 pick 8:
My Pick:
This is a perfect example of a guy that black decks want that doesn't like (Infest), but really, his job is to hit for 3 or 6 before trading with a creature or single-use removal (ideal) or becoming useless or dead in the face of first strike, 1/1 tokens, or pingers. If (Infest) clears him away after he's done his job, it's no big tragedy, and sometimes he can come in on turn five or six after an Infest to deal some damage.
Pack 1 pick 9:
My Pick:
No contest. This was the pack I opened.
Pack 1 pick 10:
My Pick:
I am not a fan of devour despite being a fan of Jund, because I am also a fan of winning consistently. However, it's a mechanic that has some synergy with (Infest) when the pieces come together. Dropping (Thunder-Thrash Elder) on turn six, devouring my one- and two-toughness men and then (Infest)ing a vulnerable opponent is a solid play. Hopefully after drawing out their removal.
Unfortunately, that's it for Shards playables; I didn't even counterdraft any playables from here.
Pack 2 pick 1:
My Pick:
The easy money pick, and actually playable-but-not-great as a (Llanowar Elves) with exalted in my deck. Without ticket considerations I would take the (Drag Down) since I was trying to be more black-red than black-green, and (Noble Hierarch) likes a turn-one Forest.
Pack 2 pick 2:
My Pick:
Once I add Reborn goodies to the pile, this should be a (Terminate) more often than not. I expect the (Suicidal Charge) to table, and I will run one of them more happily than I would in most decks because of the potential here for (Infest) augmentation.
Pack 2 pick 3:
My Pick:
This was a borderline rare draft for me. That three-to-four-ticket range is right on the edge when there's a great spell for my deck to be had. (Drag Down) is again the pick without money considerations, but I have just about paid for the draft now, and will live with the results.
Pack 2 pick 4:
My Pick:
Pretty straightforward to snag the flexible removal/fixer when red is a core color.
Pack 2 pick 5:
My Pick:
(Suicidal Charge) works very well with (Infest) as noted, but I felt certain the pack-two (Suicidal Charge) would table. I know I have the (Fiery Fall) and the Esper triland to help support a possible white splash, which contributed to the decision. This just isn’t a very good pack for me.
Pack 2 pick 6:
My Pick:
Um, goes well with (Infest)? Not really. (Gluttonous Slime) feels clearly superior in hindsight. I dismissed (Kederekt Parasite) for being basically non-interactive after turn two and for being dead after (Infest). I'd take (Gluttonous Slime) on a do-over.
Pack 2 pick 7:
My Pick:
A pretty lousy card, but I'm developing a minor devour theme [/me throws up a little in his mouth], so I pass another (Suicidal Charge) for it.
Pack 2 pick 8:
My Pick:
A counterdraft with no playables in the pack.
Pack 2 pick 9:
My Pick:
While annoying to see a (Sludge Strider) 9th when you aren't in Esper, I should have taken the weak (Nacatl Outlanders) that at least has some chance of making my deck.
Pack 2 pick 10:
My Pick:
Yep, there it is. (Voices of the Void) was secret killer tech in triple Conflux drafting, but not here.
Pack 2 pick 11:
My Pick:
Not great because of the threat-of-activation mana it demands, but (Pestilent Kathari) is surprisingly annoying for decks with big guys and no pingers. If you have time to set it up, it can actually draw out top-shelf removal, which isn't bad for 11th pick when you are low on playables.
Pack 2 pick 12:
My Pick:
It does make its wearer immune to (Infest), but that doesn't make it good.
Pack 2 pick 13:
My Pick:
If I play two of these, something has gone horribly wrong. Heck, if I play one, it can't possibly be a draft to brag about.
Pack 3 pick 1:
My Pick:
This deck doesn't pass a (Terminate) for much, but the incredible, game-swinging (Bituminous Blast) is certainly one of them.
Pack 3 pick 2:
My Pick:
(Mage Slayer) is slow and risky, and belongs in fattie-drenched Naya for the rewards to be worth that risk. (Demonspine Whip) is playable but not exciting, so I basically commit to a white splash over taking the (Monstrous Carabid). I'm clearly sacrificing consistency for power with this pick, but given my playable count, I will likely be forced to play (Rakeclaw Gargantuan) and (Paragon of the Amesha) as it is, so I might as well take a white card worth splashing for.
Pack 3 pick 3:
My Pick:
The (Infest)-friendly (Rhox Brute) is the clear pick over the one-toughness flyer.
Pack 3 pick 4:
My Pick:
I'm hoping to see multiple (Putrid Leech)es in this pack, as it's a close-to-ideal two drop for me.
Pack 3 pick 5:
My Pick:
I didn't have the guts to try (Necromancer's Covenant), especially when it involved pushing a white splash even farther. I'm generally resistent to taking a chance on untested rares that aren't obvious bombs, especially ones that four other players passed. Would I like this card if, for the same cost, it said, "Put three black 2/2 zombie tokens with lifelink into play?" I probably would.
Pack 3 pick 6:
My Pick:
On color, cycles, survives (Infest), and can be a two-for-one.
Pack 3 pick 7:
My Pick:
The obvious pick, and I'm relieved to add more fixing.
Pack 3 pick 8:
My Pick:
The late (Ethersworn Shieldmage) combined with those late Esper cards in Conflux suggest there's only one Esper drafter at the table. Maybe I should jump into it. It probably wouldn't hurt my deck quality all that much at this point.
Pack 3 pick 9:
My Pick:
Since it appears I will be playing at least one or two devour creatures, I'm happy to pick up a (Kathari Bomber).
Pack 3 pick 10:
My Pick:
I rare draft in wonderment at the Esper deck I could have had.
Pack 3 pick 11:
My Pick:
Seriously? This is 84! I've counterdrafted so much Esper I might actually have a legitimate Esper build at this point.
Pack 3 pick 12:
My Pick:
This draft’s (Vedalken Heretic) makes it back to me. I close it out with (Etherwrought Page) and (Esper Sojourners). Not that those are great Esper cards, but the blatantly unpicked Epser cards make me want to take a look at the first pack again. Was there a crossroads where I could have ended up with a bonkers Esper deck if I’d read the signs?
Looking back, P1P4 (Sprouting Thrinax) over (Fatestitcher) is really where I turned hard into Jund. I don't think it was an incorrect pick at the time given the Infest, but if I take the Fatestitcher there, my next few picks would have actually been more Grixis than Esper anyway, so who knows. By the time strong Esper picks were showing up late in Conflux, it felt way too late to jump in.
Well, this is a bit of a train wreck, with many clear pick mistakes. The top half of my deck looks great, but the bottom half is a real pile. I make the best of it and submit the following deck:
| Creatures 1 Ridge Rannet 1 Rakeclaw Gargantuan 1 Putrid Leech 1 Igneous Pouncer 1 Kathari Bomber 1 Pestilent Kathari 1 Hellkite Hatchling 1 Sprouting Thrinax 1 Rhox Brute 1 Paragon of the Amesha 1 Thunder-Thrash Elder 1 Cavern Thoctar 1 Deadshot Minotaur 1 Maniacal Rage 1 Noble Hierarch 1 Goblin Deathraiders 16 cards Other Spells 1 Dark Temper 1 Fiery Fall 1 Veinfire Borderpost 1 Bituminous Blast 1 Firewild Borderpost 2 Infest 1 Suicidal Charge 1 Crystallization 9 cards | Lands 1 Plains 3 Swamp 1 Savage Lands 3 Mountain 5 Forest 1 Arcane Sanctum 1 Exotic Orchard 15 cards Sideboard 1 Spore Burst 1 Hellkite Hatchling 1 Asha's Favor 1 Etherwrought Page 1 Glassdust Hulk 1 Controlled Instincts 1 Sludge Strider 1 Esper Sojourners 1 Filigree Angel 1 Windwright Mage 10 cards |  |
In Editor
The manabase was tricky on this one. I’m obviously spread pretty thin, with black demanding a heavy commitment for the (Infest)s, the weakest (Noble Hierarch) you’ve ever seen wanting to hit the board early along with (Putrid Leech) and (Goblin Deathraiders), and there are more red symbols in my casting costs than any other. Oh yeah, and I’m splashing white.
I do have some solid fixing, though, and my submitted build provides seven sources of red, seven sources of black, seven sources of green, and two sources of white. The Fiery Fall gives an additional green, black, and white source if I have the red for the cycle, and the (Exotic Orchard) is going to help with at least a couple of my colors. The even demands on my Jund colors is a definite liability, but this is a solid base given that circumstance.
I’m going in to the games with tempered expectations. I have a lot of weak cards and a stretched mana base, but my top end is solid and the mana isn’t a disaster—I’ll make the best of it.
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