R1G1
I lose the flip and check my seven on the draw:
This is an awkward opener. My hope was to hit my mana and avoid my worst cards—this hand nails the former and fails the latter. It contains three of the bottom-rung cards in my deck, one of which I can’t cast yet, but it tempts me with the turn-three Jundatron, a creature, and removal. I don’t like it, but I can't bring myself to ship it, either.
It drives the draft home, though: I'm splashing a (Paragon of the Amesha). This thing went off the rails somewhere.
From You Might Have a Train Wreck If... (in your best Jeff Foxworthy). "If your white splash includes a (Paragon of the Amesha) that you can't realistically activate...you might have a train wreck."
First action is on my T3 when he counters my (Pestilent Kathari) with (Lapse of Certainty), then untaps for a T4 (Messenger Falcon).
I replay the (Pestilent Kathari) on my turn over (Dark Temper). I've drawn land, a borderpost, and the next-worst (Hellkite Hatchling). He gets in an extra point with a main-phase (Leonin Amorguard) to buff his falcon, and I'm in a tight spot straight away.
I pull a (Rhox Brute) on T5 which gives me some hope, but now I face a choice: play out the (Rhox Brute) or leave (Pestilent Kathari) activation mana up?
I passed the turn. The critical piece that led to this choice was the (Dark Temper). With instant-speed removal as a response, a couple of good things can happen: ideally, the threat of the kathari holds off his attack, he casts a great creature, and I (Dark Temper) it. Alternately, he could opt to use removal on the (Pestilent Kathari), which I can respond to with (Dark Temper).
A (Pestilent Kathari) drawing out removal is a good result in general, but it's a fantastic result when you have something else to do with the activation mana. You’ve traded your late pick for their early pick and you've wasted no mana. If I don't have the (Dark Temper) here, I swing for one and play the (Rhox Brute) to ensure good tempo.
He untaps, plays a land, and (Resounding Thunder)s my (Pestilent Kathari). (Pestilent Kathari) ties up too much mana to be a great, but at its best, your opponent has to spend quality removal on it in order to accomplish anything. Frequently, you have no way to utilize the mana you were saving for his ability, and that's when (Pestilent Kathari) justifies its 11th-pick status.
We are going to respond with (Dark Temper), but on which creature? The evasive 2-power, or the non-evasive 3-power?
I chose the (Leonin Armorguard), but this seems incorrect unless I’m fairly certain he has removal for the (Rhox Brute). My thinking was that I'd eventually cast the (Hellkite Hatchling) with devour to deal with the (Messenger Falcons), but I have the (Rhox Brute) to deal with the (Leonin Armorguard) right now. If he doesn't have an answer, the (Messenger Falcons) will do far more damage than the (Leonin Armorguard). As it stands, the (Rhox Brute) will be staring up at the flacons hitting me for 2 each turn.
Honestly, part of what affected my decision was the psychological impact of using good removal on cantrip creatures. It feels like burning money, no matter what set. Ever (Tarfire) a (Mulldrifter)? Physically painful. The board is the board, though; it doesn't matter what else the permanent that's killing you has done, deal with it!
He casts (Cylian Sunsinger) post combat, which is pretty grim for me. I need to draw help or set up a desperation double block. Instead of help, I draw a (Thunder-Thrash Elder) to showcase how badly this deck whiffs when I mostly draw the bottom end of it.
R1G2
I swap in the (Spore Burst) for the (Maniacal Rage) and am greeted with these on the play:
I hate to mulligan with this deck, especially on the play, but I can't keep this. The (Paragon of the Amesha) is an albatross around my neck. Paragon of the Virtual Six is more like it. Perhaps I should be cutting the knight for (Spore Burst) instead of the (Maniacal Rage).
I draw into (Sprouting Thrinax), and drop the leech on T2. He has a Forest and a Plains but no play, which means he is going to fall way behind without a (Path to Exile). I draw (Igneous Pouncer), swing for 4, and drop the (Sprouting Thrinax).
Villain hits Nayatron and passes the turn without a play. I pull a Mountain and hastily play it, regretting it instantly. The (Exotic Orchard) enables my only play in the (Paragon of the Amesha), so I feel like I've given my opponent a Timewalk. I need to play out the rest of the turn correctly at least. What's your plan with this board? Attack with both, yes, but pump the leech for maximum damage?
The no-play from Villain is extremely suspicious. We've seen (Resounding Thunder), and that feels like the setup here. The play is to attack without pumping the leech. If he doesn't have removal and we've played around nothing, fine; he's at 11 having not played a spell yet. If he does have removal and I pump the leech, he is immediately back in this game when he takes it out in response.
It may be just as well I biffed the land play. If I play the (Paragon of the Amesha), he has a good target for his burn. In the same way I hated using removal on his (Messenger Falcon), he probably can't bring himself to thunder the (Sprouting Thrinax), whether it would be correct or not.
He untaps and drops a (Rhox Brute), and I hope to pull something good while he's tapped out. I rip (Spore Burst) and, ironically, I wish it were a (Maniacal Rage). With Villain this far back on my heels, the (Spore Burst) doesn't stink, though.
What's your plan for the turn given the board below?
The (Spore Burst) is actually pretty good for us if he has (Resounding Thunder). The play is to swing with both and cast the (Spore Burst) regardless of his block. Either he trades with the leech, takes 7, or takes 4 and makes three 1/1s. Those are all great results, and then we add three more threats to the table.
I make another mistake and hold the (Sprouting Thrinax) back, instinctively wanting to keep my thrinax alive. In actuality, I want the (Rhox Brute) to break him into pieces; there's no good reason to hold him back unless he has (Volcanic Fallout) and a second red source by his next main phase.
I'm still in a strong position, but I make another error and drop the (Paragon of the Amesha) instead of casting the (Spore Burst). Part of this was thinking about how I should have had the paragon out last turn, and trying to fix it here. With the correct plays this turn, I would have a (Putrid Leech) and six 1/1s with an opponent at 7 life—almost insurmountable.
He plays a Mountain and passes with six cards in hand. I draw a (Hellkite Hatchling), swing with the team, and he blocks the (Paragon of the Amesha). Pump (Putrid Leech) for the win?
He makes no play, so either I'm playing around nothing, or he just can't see a way to win if he takes out my thrinax. I make tokens, he untaps and taps out for a couple of chumps, but it's not enough to stop my swarm.
I made some misplays in this game, but the hand was strong enough for it not to matter. I’d be curious to see his hand. What was I playing around? If it was truly nothing, it didn’t matter, I was going to win handily if he had nothing.
R1G3
I find another strong seven:
Go go T2 leech!
He summons a T1 (Wild Nacatl), I drop (Savage Lands), he plays (Cylian Sunsinger) off a Plains and hits me for 2. The leech will be vital to combating his hot start, especially if he hits T3 Nayatron.
I drop the leech, and he does have the Mountain for the(Wild Nacatl) buff and (Cylian Sunsinger) activation threat. He doesn't swing with the (Wild Nacatl), which suggests he has no burn or pump. If he's holding (Magma Spray) or (Resounding Thunder), he has a free attack with the 3/3.
Post combat he brings out a borderpost and a (Stun Sniper), and the leech I was so excited about initially suddenly looks meek. This would be a great spot for an (Infest) to bring us closer to even again.
I don't pull the (Infest), but I do find a (Dark Temper). What's the play on this board?
That (Stun Sniper) is a huge pain, but if I take it out, I just end up taking five a turn from the (Cylian Sunsinger). The other option is to bait a sunsinger pump and then take it out in response, dealing with the creature the leech can't and using up his turn in the process.
The problem with that play is that it leaves me unable to cast (Goblin Deathraiders) until I can deal with the (Stun Sniper). If I can find an answer for the sniper or another body, I should be in decent shape, though, and I think that's what to play for in this spot.
It goes as planned; he taps my leech, swings and pumps, and I take out the sunsinger as he drops me to 13 with the (Wild Nacatl).
I rip (Infest) off the top, and looking at it now, the play here seems clear:
Go to 11 to pump the leech, and take out the (Stun Sniper) with (Infest). I have solid options for the next couple turns, and should play to them.
Instead I get cute, stubborn, and greedy and pass the turn, willing to take 3 damage for a shot at a 2:1 with the (Infest) instead of trading it for the (Stun Sniper). Mistake? I think so. The risk would be more justified if I had a Swamp or a Mountain instead of the Plains, then I could at least count on (Infest) into (Goblin Deathraiders) next turn.
The greedy play could work out, but I'll feel awfully stupid if he hits me for three and then plays something that doesn't die to (Infest).
In an interesting play on his part, he doesn't tap my leech; he swings in with the Wild Nacatl and offers the trade. Accept?
In lieu of playing well, I decide to be lucky instead, ripping (Bituminous Blast).
I manage not to get cute, and I cast the blast targeting the Wild Nacatl while he's tapped out. Sadly, it flips a (Pestilent Kathari), which will at least distract the (Stun Sniper) for a turn.
You know, that same (Stun Sniper) that would be dead right now if I play the (Infest) correctly two turns ago.
Instead, on his sixth turn he casts (Beacon Behemoth) and takes out the kathari. I draw a Mountain, and can either Infest and then play the (Goblin Deathraiders) to trade with the behemoth, or drop the (Cavern Thoctar).
I decide to maximize mana and play the Thoctar, despite knowing he can tap it down and swing for 5. My theory is that I can stabilize right after that at 6 life, but this again feels like the wrong play in the rear-view mirror, putting too much emphasis on maximizing mana. My immediate goal is to kill the sniper and trade with the behemoth, something perfectly set up with an Infest/Deathraiders play.
Instead, he draws into (Demonspine Whip), plays a land, taps my 5/5, equips, pumps, and hits me for 8, leaving me at 3 life. I appear determined to find a way to lose this match.
Unfortunately for Villain, my deck won't let me, feeding me a (Crystallization) to deal with the (Beacon Behemoth) and finally, at long last, three turns later than I should have, I (Infest) away the (Stun Sniper).
After I attack, of course. I manage not to screw that up.
He makes no play on his turn, while I pull another land to reach (Ridge Rannet) mana. I knock him down to 10 and drop the 6/4, giving him a one-turn clock.
He finds (Vagrant Plowbeasts) and I'm thinking I'm in trouble again, but he taps out to do it and has to trade with the (Cavern Thoctar) next turn.
He untaps, whiffs, and shows me what he was talking about by casting (Soul's Fire), but the behemoth is exiled (see what I did there?) in response.
I win despite all my best efforts to throw game three. Better lucky than good? Sheesh. Here's the sick part: I really thought my review of this match was going to show how my solid play overcame a train-wreck draft. Instead, the review shows my train-wreck play failing to fail because I'm a lucksack. Humbling.
Self delusion was easier when replays were busted and I wasn't writing walkthroughs.
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