Waiting for Godot: Don’t Pass Judgment, Pt. 2

Last week I started an 84 Zendikar walkthrough, and after first-picking a (Day of Judgment), I ended up with a mostly-white deck that splashed a bit of green, and took down the first match.

I forgot to mention this last week, but a player named SamuelBeckett was in this draft. I thought we were fated to play each other, but the playwright lost in the first round and, perhaps appropriately, never played me. Between rounds, I scouted my possible opponents and generated this partial decklist for the round-two Villain:

I found out something interesting while putting together this partial deck: after 27 drafts and two sealed events, I had zero copies of (Timbermaw Larva)—in fact it was the only common I was missing. Apparently heavy-green, non-evasive four drops that die to all the set’s best common removal spells just don’t make it into my pile a lot in this format, but it’s still surprising. I would call the lack of (Timbermaw Larva)e after 27 drafts a leak, actually. I almost certainly missed an opportunity to (correctly) move into heavy green as some point in those 27 drafts. I do pick full-arts pretty aggressively late, so I’m pretty low on cards I consider unplayable (not that (Timbermaw Larva) is unplayable). I have only one (Desecrated Earth) and one (Sunspring Expedition), while my most-owned card in Zendikar, at 21 copies, is (Burst Lightning).

R2G1

Sadly, this game is missing. I’m used to finding games that are corrupted, but this one just wasn’t there at all. It’s a shame, because I had been looking forward to breaking it down. I had (Day of Judgment) fairly early if not in my starter, and I set it up as best as I could reasonably hope for. I had (River Boa) forcing Villain to commit to the board to get damage through, and managed to fire off the judgment with (Journey to Nowhere), (Arrow Volley Trap), and a threat in hand (although my boa was trapped under a (Paralyzing Grasp)). I took out a (Territorial Baloth), a (Living Tsunami), and one or two other creatures, leaving Villain with two cards and no board.

Well, I lost. My removal went to Villain’s first two creatures and I thought I thought my one threat was going to get there, but I lost the ability to attack profitably, and then began drawing lands while Villain drew gas. Eventually, a (Windrider Eel) went the distance on the back of multiple landfall activations.

While I got a bit unlucky post-sweeper, the game reinforced what I said about the (Day of Judgment) pick last week: it’s an excellent card in Limited, but I’d rather just have a big threat. I resolved it and lost in a spot where I probably would have won if I’d resolved a bomb finisher instead. That being said, I probably would have lost many turns earlier with a random creature instead of the (Day of Judgment).

R2G2

Against (mana=g)(mana=u), my (Cliff Threader) and (Shieldmate's Blessing) are considerably worse, so I swapped them out along with a Plains for the (Zendikar Farguide), a (Kor Outfitter), and (Relic Crush) (I’d seen multiple targets in game one, including equipment and (Savage Silhouette)). Down 0-1, I opt to play and check my seven:

A solid starter, but one that again presents the wrath dilemma: how should I develop my board with a sweeper in my opener? With a starter like this, I’m just going to go aggressive and use (Day of Judgment) as a bailout plan if my early aggression becomes outclassed. On turn two I draw into a Plains and decide between the (Kor Aeronaut) and the (Kor Outfitter). What do you lead with, here?

 R2G2 #1

Villain has (Nissa's Chosen) in the deck so going with the outfitter could be incorrect, but turn two is the best-case scenario for the outfitter, while the aeronaut can get in extra damage on turn four while being a relevant threat in the later turns. I risk the 2/3 blocker and play out the (Kor Outfitter), setting up a turn-three (Grazing Gladehart) and a turn-four kicked (Kor Aeronaut). After an Island and no play from Villain, I draw (Kor Skyfisher), but this doesn’t change my plan, I still cast the (Grazing Gladehart) to maximize my mana and not disrupt its development.

A second Forest leads into to a (Frontier Guide), suggesting it was Villain’s draw, or it would have come down last turn. I draw (River Boa) and plan the turn.

R2G2 #2

The Forest up could be (Primal Bellow), but I’m not going to play around it here. It would be unfortunate to lose the gladehart, but I’m not going to let up on maximum aggression for fear of that trick given the evasive pressure I still have to come. It is (Primal Bellow) and I lose the gladehart, but the boa and skyfisher come out to play right after. I bounce a Plains, not the refuge, because I want to be sure I can cast a kicked (Kor Aeronaut) next turn to launch the outfitter.

Villain has a land and (Timbermaw Larva)—probably the one I passed that could have been my first ever. That leaves me free to kick the aeronaut and send the (Kor Outfitter) into the air, although he probably would have gone unblocked anyway. The attack puts Villain to 10, who then attacks me back with a 5/5 larva, but has no other play and passes. I draw (Territorial Baloth) and I’m feeling pretty invincible against Villain’s three Forests and single Island, with a kicked (Into the Roil), a (Summoner's Bane), (Baloth Cage Trap) and a full-price (Whiplash Trap) all being out of the question. I swing in, the (Frontier Guide) chumps and searches for a land, but my post-combat baloth earns a concession on the next draw step, no (Day of Judgment) required.

R2G2 #3

Turn-six wins are a nice confidence-booster, and a reminder of the power of a low curve. Two drops aren’t just great because you can play them on turn two, but because you can play two of them on turn four.

R2G3

Back on the draw, I have a promising seven:

Another aggressive start backed by an emergency (Day of Judgment). The (Adventuring Gear) comes down on turn one, and Villain has (Frontier Guide) and (Spidersilk Net) for turn two. I draw (Vines of Vastwood) and (Kor Sanctifiers) and drop the (Kazandu Blademaster). The (Frontier Guide) dons the (Spidersilk Net) and I take the turn back, drawing (Graypelt Refuge). What’s the play this turn?

R2G3 #1

I can either use the (Kor Hookmaster) on the (Frontier Guide), or equip the (Adventuring Gear) and drop the (Graypelt Refuge). I like the gear/refuge play because (Primal Bellow) isn't a threat to my blademaster at 4/4, and Villain will have to start taking 4 each turn despite having used a lot of tempo to create a blocker with the (Spidersilk Net). I also like getting the enters-the-battlefield-tapped land out of the way now, and putting the (Adventuring Gear) to work while it’s still relevant.

The play goes as expected, and after dropping an Island and passing, Villain passes the turn back to me again. I draw a Plains and assess my options.

R2G3 #2

Scouting showed (Summoner's Bane) and (Into the Roil), plus Villain has guide mana up, so there are a lot of possibilities, here. (Summoner's Bane) is the main concern, and it becomes so much better with alternative mana sinks like the guide or (Into the Roil), as they give Villain something to do if I don’t cast a creature. It’s the same principle that made blue a constructed powerhouse in the era of good, instant-speed card drawing: have countermagic at the ready, then draw cards at the end of the turn if nothing happened worth countering. This is why R&D now rarely makes instant-speed card drawing in blue, and has set the bar for unconditional counterspells at 3 mana.

I start by dropping the Forest and attacking, hoping for an (Into the Roil) I can respond to with (Vines of Vastwood), but the blademaster connects for 4 with no response. This is strong evidence that (Into the Roil) is not in hand, which further suggests that (Summoner's Bane) is. I know it means that the guide gets to fetch a land, but I really don’t want to play right into a bane in this spot, so I pass, content to hit for 4 each turn until Villain finally does something about it.

After fetching a Forest, Villain untaps, drops another one, and enchants the guide with (Savage Silhouette) before passing the turn. I draw (Oran-Rief Recluse), and now have a great window to use the (Kor Hookmaster), who effectively does triple duty by neutering three cards this turn and at least two next turn even if the net moves onto something else. Even if Villain has (Vines of Vastwood), the play forces his hand and I at least won’t attack into it. No response again, and I attack Villain down to 8, now fairly confident that neither (Vines of Vastwood) nor (Into the Roil) are a concern right now. I pass the turn with kicked-vines mana up, and Villain casts (Harrow), leaving two cards in hand, one of which may be (Summoner's Bane).

Another land later, (Territorial Baloth) joins the opposition, and the guide tosses it the (Spidersilk Net) before I take the turn back, drawing a Plains. What’s the play, now that Villain has a legitimate defender, here?

R2G3 #3

While my read is that Villain's card is (Summoner's Bane), that’s hardly guaranteed—it could also be (Primal Bellow). Is it worth playing around the bellow, though? I don’t think so, not with (Day of Judgment) in hand to bail me out of any unfortunate results.

The first option I saw was to sanctify the net and swing in with both. If the baloth blocks the hookmaster, I can vines for the win, and if the baloth blocks the blademaster, I can save vines to effectively counter a potential (Primal Bellow). That play is fine and may well win the game right there, but if Villain plays it correctly and finds any kind of beef on top, I could suddenly find it difficult to push any damage through.

I change my mind and go for more patented Paranoid Magic™, deciding that I want to save the kicked (Kor Sanctifiers) for the (Savage Silhouette), which is the far more annoying than the net should Villain survive the turn. I’m going to swing in with both creatures, ready to use (Vines of Vastwood) on the blademaster either to win if it goes unblocked, or to remove the baloth if it is blocked. If I’m running into a bellow, I can wrath in my second main and hope my two cards to Villain’s none are enough to finish the job. (How good would (Relic Crush) be on this turn? Blowout good.)

It’s the nitty play, but it does the trick. My 8/8 blademaster takes down the baloth, and a kicked sanctifiers in my second main leaves Villain with a (Frontier Guide), a (Spidersilk Net), one card, and six life to my three two-powered creatures. Villain draws and casts (Living Tsunami), and fortunately has to equip it with (Spidersilk Net), eliminating the possibility of (Summoner's Bane). I draw (Relic Crush) and have the kicked (Oran-Rief Recluse) for the tsunami.

This is about the time I’d expect a lot of players to call me a lucksack and rage quit on me. Instead, before conceding after the next draw, Villain chats:

What a classy opponent. Sadly, a rare thing, but imagine how pleasant online gaming would be if everyone brought that attitude instead of proving the Greater Internet *&^%wad Theory over and over again.

R3G1

With four games to scout that went fairly long, I have a much better idea of the deck my finals opponent is bringing to the table:

I would call this a below-average (mana=b)(mana=r) deck, which of course means it’s plenty good enough to make the finals of an 84. I like my chances though, and I’m already making a mental note to bring in the second (Cliff Threader), the (Kabira Crossroads), and the (Relic Crush) for game two.

I win the toss and evaluate my seven for the play:

Missing a Forest, but an otherwise great starter, particularly with the (Adventuring Gear) as bounce fodder for the (Kor Skyfisher). Villain mulligans to six before I drop the gear and pass. A Mountain means no turn-one vampire, and I untap and draw (Blazing Torch). The skyfisher comes down and bounces the gear, and Villain has a turn-two (Goblin Shortcutter).

I pull the missing Forest on my draw and plot the turn. What’s the play, here?

R3G1 #1

I have a lot of options given that it's only the third turn. I can cast and equip the gear before dropping a land, then play the (Blazing Torch), or leave (Shieldmate's Blessing) mana up if I play the Plains. I could also cast the (River Boa) with blessing mana up, but that's incorrect. The (Adventuring Gear) becomes worthless when I run out of land drops, so I want to get in 4-6 damage with it while I can.

I drop and equip the gear, play the Plains, hit for 4, and pass. I was leaving blessing mana up, but really, if Villain wants to use (Magma Rift) turn three, fine, otherwise there's nothing really to protect against with the (Shieldmate's Blessing), so I like simply playing out the torch in the rear view. At least my ability to deal two damage stays hidden for another turn.

Villain drops a second Mountain, then casts and equips the swingy-but-underwhelming (Blade of the Bloodchief), hitting me for 2 before passing. I rip my other (Kor Skyfisher), and again have options. What’s the optimal play?

R3G1 #2

Note that life is a little easier if I’d just played out the torch last turn and I don’t have to worry about when to sneak it down. I’d like to avoid playing the (River Boa) until I can protect it with the blessing or regeneration mana, so for this turn my play is to drop the second skyfisher, bounce a land for another assured (Adventuring Gear) trigger, then play the torch, but leave blessing mana up rather than equip it. Villain may be desperate enough to use (Magma Rift) now that I have 6 damage flying over next turn.

Sure enough, I pass the turn and (Magma Rift) targets my untapped skyfisher, but (Shieldmate's Blessing) swoops in to break Villain’s heart, soul, and back. I draw (Kazandu Blademaster), and with no fear of a sweeper spell punishing overcommitment, I drop Villain to 6 before dumping my hand and earning a concession.

Why We Like Low Curves

The game was over in a heartbeat, and I sideboard in (Relic Crush), (Cliff Threader), and (Kabira Crossroads) for two plains and the (Vastwood Gorger), which feels too slow here.

R3G2

On the draw now, I check my seven after Villain keeps:

Two green cards and no Forests is hardly ideal, but the start afforded to me by the other cards makes this hand a keeper. I'll be in trouble with a steady draw of Plains and green cards, but other than that, I should draw just fine from here. Of course my first draw is a Plains and I drop the (Blazing Torch), and Villain responds with a turn-two (Zektar Shrine Expedition). I find my Forest off the top and drop the (Kor Aeronaut) (Who, let’s face it, seems less like he’s flying and more like he’s just falling with style).

A turn-three (Stonework Puma) is about as innocuous as I could hope for, and I pull my third land in three draws with my (Graypelt Refuge). I play the refuge and swing, equipping the torch because I can. Villain’s (Piranha Marsh) pings me for 1 and the puma hits for 2, but the turn comes back to me with no other plays. This was a window to use (Hideous End) on the aeronaut so perhaps it’s not in hand, but I think it’s inconclusive at this point, many players make the mistake of not using their instants as sorceries when the opponent is tapped out. 

The flood continues, and I drop a Forest before deciding whether to attack with the (Kor Aeronaut) or defend against the shrine. Who is aggro, here?

R3G2 #1

It would be easy to accept the 7 damage from the shrine if I had more of a team to race with, but with only the aeronaut in play, it’s a tougher choice. With the (Territorial Baloth) about to hit play, I decide I'm willing to take the 7, hoping that Villain runs out of gas and can’t deal with the baloth while I hit for 2 in the air.

Villain has a land and (Tuktuk Grunts), but decides not to crack the shrine, probably in fear of my four untapped lands and five cards in hand. I’m glad I appear suspicious and not flooded, because I’d be in trouble down to 6 instead of 13. I pull a (Cliff Threader), and I’m feeling up against it. The aeronaut has to stay back for shrine defense, but do I cast the (Territorial Baloth), or the (Cliff Threader) with (Vines of Vastwood) mana up?

R3G2 #2

I feel like Villain has had windows to remove the aeronaut and declined them, so removal feels unlikely unless just drawn or about to be drawn. I play the baloth and hope he stays in place for a turn. It goes as planned, and the beats are ground to a halt by the big body. Villain passes without a land drop or an action, suggesting that all four cards in hand are spells. I pull a Plains and plot the turn.

R3G2 #3

There are two ways to go, here: First, I could move the torch to the baloth, have him hold the ground, play the (Cliff Threader), and swing in the air with (Vines of Vastwood) mana up. More aggressively, I could attack with the 6/6 baloth, play the (Cliff Threader), and leave the aeronaut back on D. Villain’s unused mana has me concerned, but I decide to play for the most damage, and attack with the baloth. No blocks and no plays after I cast the (Cliff Threader) and pass the turn. Either Villain has no removal, or has sniffed out the (Vines of Vastwood), and we are in a game of chicken where the first one to flinch loses. Which is it?

Villain drops a Swamp and casts a second (Stonework Puma), but still has (Hideous End) mana up. The shrine stays intact, but the puma and the grunts crash in. Blocks? Are we playing around removal?

R3G2 #4

It sure feels like (Hideous End) at this point. It would explain why Villain didn’t play the second puma last turn. With a land off the top this turn, the puma can come down and still leave (Hideous End) mana up. But if I assume (Hideous End), what’s the correct play? While risky, I think at this point I should continue to play chicken and take the damage, trying to draw out the apparent removal or trick.

I take 6, Villain passes, and I draw more land. After dropping one, I again have to assess how aggressive to be. Can I actually attack with the baloth here, or does he need to stay back on D?

R3G2 #5

Let's say Villain has (Hideous End) and I swing. How does it play out? Obviously, if he tries to take out the baloth, I kick the vines and the puma will chump the 10/10. More likely, he'll chump the baloth and take 2, leaving the life totals at 7 - 9. Then, if he moves to take out the aeronaut at any point, I again have the vines.

The worst case in the (Hideous End) scenario is that I block the grunts, attempt to vines, and have to use the torch in response to the end on the puma or the elemental token, if Villain cracks the shrine. That’s not disastrous, but it’s pretty bad, as it would then be my baloth and threader against Villain’s 4/4 grunts and puma, with the difference being the three spells presumably in Villain’s hand.

Given that, I like the Paranoid Magic™ line, leaving back both aeronaut and baloth while sending in the (Cliff Threader) for 2-point chunks. Apparently I wasn’t feeling very paranoid at the time, because I sent in both the baloth and the threader in the actual game. Give the possibility of (Hideous End), I’m not thrilled with the risk in this play. I cannot take the grunt attack again, so I’m about to lose the game of chicken, if we are indeed in one.

The puma chumps as expected, the (Cliff Threader) gets in for 2, and I pass. Villain drops a Mountain, then, unexpectedly, casts (Grim Discovery) to return the puma and recasts it. This creates a 5/5 grunts, but also shuts off (Hideous End). I’m still vulnerable to (Disfigure) and (Burst Lightning), but those weren’t in the scouting, and it doesn’t matter: I committed to using the vines when I attacked with the baloth anyway.

Villain cracks the shrine and swings in everything but the freshly-cast puma. I block the grunts, pump, and after no response, take out the 7/1 with the torch. Have I completely misjudged this situation? Does Villain not have the (Hideous End) after all? It’s funny, against good players, it can be very confusing to read the situation when you have green mana up. Are you reading “no removal” or “fear of vines?”

I’m down to 5, and a (Hedron Scrabbler) joins enemy ranks in the second main. I draw my second non-land card of the game, and it ends it: (Windborn Charge). With Villain tapped out, a flying baloth finishes things with a little help from his friends:

R3G2 #6

That was an odd game. I'm dying to know what that final card was, but by game's end, it just doesn't feel like it was (Hideous End) (Who goes down with top-shelf removal still in hand?), and I was perhaps giving Villain too much credit for playing around my vines, when it was simply that the (Hideous End) wasn't there. That’s going to happen to me sometimes with my paranoid play, but I avoid a lot of disasters to make up for it. (Vines of Vastwood) can be quite powerful, but it can lead to blowouts with removal in response, so I'm very hesitant to use it first when such a 2:1 is possible and I have other options.

Well, that’s technically my first win with a (mana=w)(mana=g) deck, but it feels more like a monowhite deck that decided to splash green for some improved creatures at the low end. Either way, I’ll take it!

Oliver Online

A few articles back, starting with this one, I began detailing my seven-year-old son Oliver’s early experiences with Magic, which kicked off with the Zendikar prerelease he attended with me. His favorite deck remains the monogreen landfall deck that he used to create a 41/41 trampling (Woodcrasher Baloth). For his seventh birthday, I decided to give him a Magic Online account stocked with playsets of most non-black common and uncommon Standard cards, as well as some bargain-but-fun rares, and an online version of his beloved monogreen landfall deck.

I anticipated several benefits from having Oliver play online. First, I figured it would help clarify timing nuances, like it tends to do even for experienced players when they begin playing online. Second, I expected that it would help him explore deckbuilding without my direct involvement, as browsing cards online is much easier than going through my large, half-sorted paper collection. Also, I have a larger online collection than I do a paper one so it is easier for me to supply him with current cards, and the automatic errata makes everything feel like a current card anyway. Finally, I knew managing cards during the game itself would be much easier, with shuffling and tutoring all being automated (Oliver can’t shuffle well, and his favorite deck runs playsets of (Harrow), (Khalni Heart Expedition), (Rampant Growth), and (Terramorphic Expanse). My hands hurt.)

He was quite excited to have his own MTGO account, but my visions of many hours of laptop-against-laptop Magic fun were dashed on the harsh rocks of reality: Magic Online didn’t “clarify timing nuances” for Oliver, it revealed their existence to him. I’m so used to blithely F2, F4, F6, and F8ing my way through a given online game that it didn’t occur to me that the task of micromanaging your priority in a game of Magic Online would be more overwhelming than instructional for him. He’s still interested in learning it, but he is painful to play against online right now. Imagine the slowest player you’ve ever faced, and triple it. No, imagine the slowest player you’ve ever faced, but encased in carbonite. It’s Magic: The Torturing.

Needless to say, I introduced Oliver to the joy of playing Magic Online in solitaire mode, which he has fully embraced. He feels like he wins every game, he’s steadily learning the controls and timing, he has fun pulling off the various landfall engines in his deck, and I’m not muttering, “Hit F2, or click ‘OK’” every thirty seconds while contemplating suicide at the other end of the table.

Our other digital alternative has been playing Duels of the Plansewalkers together on Xbox Live Arcade. He picks what deck we use and what deck we face, but I man the controller because the whole “clock winding down” aspect of DotP stresses him out, even though he can pause it. We plan our moves together, united in the goal of taking down the AI, sharing the victories and the defeats (which he takes much better when I’m not the one defeating him).

It has been great fun to share Magic with Oliver these past few months, both to bond with him over a good game, and to vicariously relive the thrill of early Magic discovery that experienced players never truly feel again. The Liliana vs. Garruk set awaits under our tree this year, and while I’m looking forward to many planeswalker duels with that set (it has scary black cards, but we’ll figure something out), playing Magic with Oliver in itself has been a gift that trumps anything you can box and wrap.

I’ll see all you back here in 2010, as I’ll be too busy playing Garruk vs. Liliana to write an article next week. Until January, then, happy drafting, and happy holidays!

Waiting for Godot – Don’t Pass Judgment, Pt. 1

Most of the comments in last week’s article requested more walkthrough goodness, and who am I to deny the people what they want? Back from my Thanksgiving hiatus, I reviewed some of my older drafts looking for a good one, but I felt too out of touch with them—I like writing up a draft when it’s a little fresher in my mind.

Accordingly, I headed into the draft room, determined to join an 84 and write up whatever came of it. (Unless it became a frustrating train wreck, in which case I decided I’d bury it and never speak of again. Besides, I’ve already done a walkthrough of a frustrating Zendikar train wreck.) The 43 queue lapped the 84 queue a couple of times (stop letting Wizards keep an extra pack per draft and play 84 or Swiss, people!), but in fairly short order, the 84 fired.

Pack 1 pick 1:

My Pick:

An obvious first pick both for money and for power, although wrath effects can be trickier to play and ultimately less powerful in Limited than one might think. In constructed, (Day of Judgment) tends to end up in decks with a creature-light control plan, putting creature-based opponents in a position of either over committing to the board and suffering a wrath blowout, or sandbagging creatures in hand to play around the wrath, but lowering their damage-per-turn in the process.

In Limited, wrath effects are certainly quite powerful, but you are inevitably playing a heavy creature strategy yourself, so it can be hard to set up for a big post-wrath momentum swing without either telegraphing the wrath by not playing creatures, taking an uncomfortable amount of damage while luring Villain into overcommitting, or both. Not only that, casting the wrath is frequently your only play for the turn, meaning Villain gets the first shot at rebuilding after the dust settles.

Clean sweepers like (Day of Judgment) are still excellent first picks, but I have definitely lost a higher percentage of Limited games in which I’ve resolved a wrath effect than I have when I’ve resolved a six-mana evasive beater like (Hellkite Charger), (Sphinx of Jwar Isle) or whatever the dragon du jour is.

When you have an obvious first pick like this, take the time to count off the next seven best cards, and see if you can predict what will come back to you for pick nine. In this case, I’d say the top seven, roughly in order, are:

1. (Surrakar Marauder)
2. (Windrider Eel)
3. (River Boa)
4. (Spire Barrage)
5. (Mold Shambler)
6. (Reckless Scholar)
7. (Hagra Crocodile)

That leaves (Mark of Mutiny), (Teetering Peaks), (Kabira Crossroads), and (ugh) (Ior Ruin Expedition) as playable cards that I expect to wheel in this pack. If any of the top seven are left in the pack when I get it back, it can be an important signal, which is why it’s worth doing this for P1P1, as well as any particularly deep second and third packs. It also gives you an idea of what you might expect your neighbors to be taking.

Pack 1 pick 2:

My Pick:

This was a last-minute bail on (Blazing Torch), which I’d had control-clicked for most of my clock, and wouldn’t fault anyone for taking. It’s colorless removal. I don’t generally care for (mana=w)(mana=g) in Limited unless the white in the environment has lots of good removal, but there were a couple things at play, here. For one, I’ve been keeping an eye out for paths into green, which, even taking into account the fact that it’s the weakest Zendikar color, is still being underdrafted. Second, the regeneration ability gave me visions of regenerating, casting (Day of Judgment), and emerging with the only creature on board.

The six cards I expect to table are the land, (Goblin War Paint), (Pillarfield Ox), (Runeflare Trap), (Ruinous Minotaur), and either the (Kraken Hatchling) or the (Paralyzing Grasp). (Luminarch Ascension) isn’t great in limited since it’s a dead topdeck and you can’t build around not taking damage the way you can in constructed, but as a rare, I still don’t expect it to table.

Pack 1 pick 3:

My Pick:

I got greedy here, I admit it. My deck as it is shaping up would love the (Kor Sanctifiers), (Kor Aeronaut), or (Grazing Gladehart), but I went for the money card. If I pass on the money rare, I would take the (Kor Aeronaut). It’s heavy white, but it’s uncommon and I figure I’ll have other shots at sanctifiers and gladeharts.

This is a pretty deep pack. Two picks are already gone, and it’s still full of good stuff. The five cards I expect to table are the land, (Spidersilk Net), (Akoum Refuge), (Ruinous Minotaur), and, wow…something really good. Packs like this contain good signals when they wheel. There will be five cards in this pack when I see it next, and there are only four cards that I see as clear candidates for tabling. That means the other cards will be taken along color lines, and whatever fifth “good” card is still left on the wheel will likely be in an underdrafted color at the table. Hopefully it will be one of the white cards for me.

Pack 1 pick 4:

My Pick:

Geopedes are usually all gone by pick four, and it was tempting to head into WR, a strong Zendikar draft archetype. The (Plated Geopede), (Kor Hookmaster), and (Grazing Gladehart) were the three finalists, and I don’t hate any of those three for this pick. I control-clicked the gladehart and then timed out while debating the relative merits of the three. With more time to think, I actually think gladehart comes in third place, as it’s more important to cut white than green for signaling, and (Plated Geopede) is the best card in the pack and it’s in the stronger archetype.

Still, with no significant red passed to me in P1P2 or P1P3, the geopede here could be a false signal from a powerful pack, and taking it means I will only have two spells from my first four picks in my deck (the (Day of Judgment) and either the (River Boa) or the (Plated Geopede)), so I stay on color. Plus, I’m a bit sick of red, and as mentioned previously, I was looking for reasons to give green more of a shot right now.

Pack 1 pick 5:

My Pick:

The (Mold Shambler) is the more abstractly powerful card in my colors here, but it is slow, and I expect to pick up a (Kor Sanctifiers) at some point. Effectively, the sanctifiers trade a point of power over the shambler to be two mana cheaper. Also, (Cliff Threader)s are pretty nuts against the always-tough red matchup, and my mindeset at this point was that I was drafting a Wg deck, not a Gw deck. (Mold Shambler) is a fine pick here too, and starts pushing the deck farther into green.

Pack 1 pick 6:

My Pick:

It’s possible I’ll develop an ally sub-theme, and there’s nothing else for me in green or white. I should be seriously putting my neighbor into red, hopefully that will pay dividends in pack two.

Pack 1 pick 7:

My Pick:

Not a big fan of (Cobra Trap), and the (Kor Cartographer) is solid. I like (Narrow Escape) as well, but I try to pick those up as random 10th+ picks, not over solid creatures.

Pack 1 pick 8:

My Pick:


Pack 1 pick 9:

My Pick:

So my prediction for what would wheel was off by one: the (Reckless Scholar) made it, and the (Teetering Peaks) did not. Somewhat surprising, as I like (Mark of Mutiny) more for a red deck than (Teetering Peaks). I take the card I thought wouldn’t wheel in the pack, and with only two green cards, I can definitely swerve into blue if my pack-two options suggest it.

Pack 1 pick 10:

My Pick:

My wheel prediction again is off by one. I thought the (Kraken Hatchling) or the (Paralyzing Grasp) would still be here, but not both. Instead, the (Ruinous Minotaur) is gone, so my decision to pass on that (Plated Geopede) P1P4 is looking better. I take the unexciting (Pillarfield Ox) over one of the playable blue cards, as I know for sure I’m playing white.

Pack 1 pick 11:

My Pick:

What the hell? My wheel predictions are off by two in this pack.I knew one good card would come back, but three? The (Ruinous Minotaur) and the (Akoum Refuge) were taken when I expected them to wheel, again making me feel good about passing on the tempting (Plated Geopede) P1P4. And what a choice! I follow up pick 11 with the pick I would have taken pick three had it not been for the money rare. I would think I might be the only white drafter at the table, but the (Ondu Cleric) is gone from the previous pack.

Pack 1 pick 12:

My Pick:

There’s all sorts of wrong with this. First, this pack contained a (Ruinous Minotaur), and minotaur over the (Shatterskull Giant) just can’t be correct. Second, the (Kor Hookmaster) wheeled? Wow. I may be the only white drafter not specifically taking allies. This pack contained a (Stonework Puma), so maybe the white drafter who took the (Ondu Cleric) took either the (Stonework Puma) or the (Murasa Pyromancer) out of this pack. Sounds good to me, I am pretty thrilled with being in white now, and can expect some good white to table in packs two and three as well.

I took full-frame lands the rest of the way in this pack.

Pack 2 pick 1:

My Pick:

This will be an interesting wheel. The (Kor Outfitter) will almost certainly be there, but if the (Kor Hookmaster) is there as well, it may be a sign that the only other white drafter at the table is purely interested in allies. The (Kazandu Blademaster) is my favorite ally and super strong as the only one. If I can snag some green or white ally support along the way, all the better, but I’m not going to force it.

Pack 2 pick 2:

My Pick:

Pretty straightforward, and I’m again eyeing that (Steppe Lynx) to see if it makes it around. Am I the only white drafter, or one of two?

Pack 2 pick 3:

My Pick:

White can outrace black and red with enough cheap, aggressive drops, and this helps that cause. (Vastwood Gorger) is fine, but I would only want to play one, and I bet I can snag one much later than this.

Pack 2 pick 4:

My Pick:

Close between the (Territorial Baloth) and the (Turntimber Basilisk), but I have a (Kor Aeronaut) and a (Kazandu Blademaster), and may end up playing a (Kor Outfitters). My white-X decks usually contain 10+ white sources because of cards like those, and the basilisk really wants 9 or so green sources, so I go with the more splash-like baloth.

Pack 2 pick 5:

My Pick:

That’s what I’m talking about. These are the kinds of gifts I expected after those pack-one signals.

Pack 2 pick 6:

My Pick:

I’m not going to force the allies for weak ones like the (Jorga Bard), but I would have taken an (Oran-Rief Survivalist) here. As it is, (Vines of Vastwood) is super solid.

Pack 2 pick 7:

My Pick:

It doesn’t take much to activate this, and four +1/+1 counters is a lot. The problem is, it becomes tough to squeeze in these kinds of spells after putting in your creatures, removal, tricks, and good equipment.

Pack 2 pick 8:

My Pick:

(Shieldmate's Blessing) is worse than (Healing Salve), yes, but one-mana tricks are a good thing have when you are hoping to dump creatures and swing, and it’s particularly good against red. That’s two (Hedron Crab)s I’ve passed, so I expect someone will attempt the crab deck.

Pack 2 pick 9:

My Pick:

I almost just rare or hate drafted because I expect to have lots of playables given how white is flowing, but took the white dork. The (Kor Hookmaster) is gone, so I seem to be one of two white drafters.

Pack 2 pick 10:

My Pick:

The (Steppe Lynx) is also gone, but I’m still happy to be in white right now. The (Oran-Rief Recluse) is more important and a better fit mana-wise for my deck than the clunky (Turntimber Basilisk).

Pack 2 pick 11:

My Pick:

There’s the late (Vastwood Gorger) I hoped would find its way into my pile at some point.

Pack 2 pick 12:

My Pick:

I should have just “uncommon drafted” the quest or taken the pretty land, none of these are making my deck.

Pack 2 pick 13:

My Pick:

A playable sideboard card against green is the last relevant pick for pack two.

Pack 3 pick 1:

My Pick:

A total bummer of a P3P1. Nothing at all to be happy about for my deck, either clunky, blah removal in (Arrow Volley Trap), a second (Vastwood Gorger), or a sideboard ally in the (Tajuru Archer). The removal is ultimately the right pick, but this pack is terrible.

Pack 3 pick 2:

My Pick:

Having established that there is another white drafter, I’m not counting on the (Kor Aeronaut) to table, but I have to take the (Blazing Torch), especially with no (Journey to Nowhere)s in my pile at this point.

Pack 3 pick 3:

My Pick:

I’m not going to play a second (Kor Outfitter) and I don’t like (Bold Defense), so I take the rare. Hate drafting any of the red is also fine with this pack.

Pack 3 pick 4:

My Pick:

Fantastic!

Pack 3 pick 5:

My Pick:

And here’s the (Kor Sanctifiers) I’d been hoping for. The holes are really filling up now.

Pack 3 pick 6:

My Pick:

There are conceivably some matchups where I’d bring this in so I took it, but a second (Zendikar Farguide) to really crush the green-on-green matchup is also fine. I didn’t want a second (Shieldmate's Blessing), and (Khalni Heart Expedition) is more for heavy green decks with lots of landfall and splash colors.

Pack 3 pick 7:

My Pick:

A fine finisher, especially if I have the (Vastwood Gorger) in play. (Savage Silhouette) is another aura that will be decent in some matchups, but it is effectively a (mana=3)(mana=g)(mana=g) spell, and I have trouble overcoming my innate dislike/distrust of auras anyway.

Pack 3 pick 8:

My Pick:

A great sideboard card. Maindeckable in a pinch, but unlikely for this deck.

Pack 3 pick 9:

My Pick:

I generally don’t like this main when I’m trying to cast lots of (mana=w)(mana=w) creatures on turn two, and generally curve out, but it can help the race against aggressive decks, particularly with (Kor Skyfisher) recursion.

Pack 3 pick 10:

My Pick:

Excellent, the aeronaut wheeled, and the (Narrow Escape) didn’t. Seems like the other white drafter is not heavy white. I wish I’d found another (Journey to Nowhere) in this draft, but other than that, it’s turning out fairly well.

Pack 3 pick 11:

My Pick:


Pack 3 pick 12:

My Pick:


Pack 3 pick 13:

My Pick:

This is an enters-the-battlefield-tapped land I’ll surely be playing. The refuges are frequently taken when there’s nothing playable in a pack, so I’m happy to snag it 13th. Nothing playable in the final two picks.

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Deckbuilding

I explored a monowhite option and even saved it out, but it felt a little too weakened for no great gain. If there were some kind of Plains-loving (Armored Ascension) in my pile it might have been worth it, but the consistency of all-white mana didn’t seem worth the drop in power that came with running cards like (Kor Outfitter) over green options like (Grazing Gladehart) and (River Boa).

Here is the decklist I submitted:

Never Pass Judgment

84 Zendikar Draft Deck

Creatures 1 Grazing Gladehart 2 Kor Aeronaut 2 Kor Skyfisher 1 Kor Cartographer 1 River Boa 1 Kor Hookmaster 1 Kor Sanctifiers 1 Kazandu Blademaster 1 Cliff Threader 1 Territorial Baloth 1 Oran-Rief Recluse 1 Vastwood Gorger 14 cards Other Spells 1 Blazing Torch 1 Windborne Charge 1 Journey to Nowhere 1 Vines of Vastwood 1 Adventuring Gear 1 Shieldmate's Blessing 1 Arrow Volley Trap 1 Day of Judgment 8 cards

Lands 11 Plains 6 Forest 1 Graypelt Refuge 18 cards Sideboard 1 Zendikar Farguide 1 Cobra Trap 1 Relic Crush 1 Cliff Threader 1 Kabira Crossroads 1 Pillarfield Ox 1 Marsh Flats 2 Kor Outfitter 1 Quest for the Gemblades 1 Luminarch Ascension 1 Ondu Cleric 1 Nimbus Wings 13 cards

In Editor

Notable exclusions:

(Marsh Flats): I decided that it wasn’t worth a point of damage for the chance at double landfall, but I think this was a mistake. The (Adventuring Gear) and (Territorial Baloth) are enough to make it worth it. The (Grazing Gladehart) is a marginal reason, since I would be paying 1 life to gain 2.

(Quest for the Gemblades): If I run this, it has to be over a non-creature spell, and past my removal and equipment, that means over the (Vines of Vastwood), (Shieldmate's Blessing), or (Windborne Charge) and I liked all of those for the deck over the on-board pump threat, although I kept it in mind for sideboarding against removal-light opponents where I could expect a lot of creature clashes.

(Kabira Crossroads): With the (Graypelt Refuge) in, I didn’t want to add another “ETB tapped” land main.

(Cobra Trap): I find this card extremely underwhelming. The tokens come out much too late to be very relevant, and firing the trap is highly unlikely.

(Cliff Threader): I liked one maindeck over a (Kor Outfitter), ready to swap it out against non-red, or the other one in against red.

I went with 18 land, but also found that to be more than I really wanted. Yes I had a couple of landfall guys, but for the most part the deck is trim and speedy. I find the choice between 17 and 18 land can be fairly tough in many Zendikar builds.

I’m only playing five green cards, so I do have the monowhite build at the ready, which runs 2x (Kor Outfitter), (Pillarfield Ox), (Cliff Threader), and (Nimbus Wings) instead.

To battle!

R1G1

I win the roll and draw the following seven on the play:

Looks good, I have aggressive early drops and my mana covered. Villain has a turn-one (Adventuring Gear) off a Swamp. I draw a Plains, then cast the reliably-evasive (Kor Aeronaut) over the (Cliff Threader), even though threader turn 2, (Kor Hookmaster) turn 3, and a kicked (Kor Aeronaut) turn four is a solid sequence.

A Mountain and a (Zektar Shrine Expedition) ensure the evasiveness of both my two drops, and after hitting for 2, I cast (Cliff Threader) with a Forest up for my just-drawn (Vines of Vastwood). I’m liking my start, but Villain has another (Zektar Shrine Expedition) and a land drop on turn three. I’m at 20 life, but it’s feeling a lot like 6 right now. Where’s my (Kazandu Blademaster) when I need him?

Hoping to draw more gas, I instead find another Plains. This is a tricky spot: Am I casting the Kor Hookmaster as a (Gray Ogre), or should he wait for a target?

R1G1 #1

Unless the effect is extremely minor, I tend to think of creatures with ETB abilities as sorceries that leave a body behind. In this case, though, the ability doesn’t actually do anything to help get damage through unless Villain casts a flyer next turn. However, locking down an opposing creature could be quite relevant to the race, especially if Villain has one of those (Ruinous Minotaur)s that were snapped up during the draft. I decide to hold off for a turn, but I’m not certain this was correct, even reflecting on it now.

Villain plays an unkicked (Torch Slinger), plays a land, and equips the Adventuring gear. This is very disconcerting, as playing a (Torch Slinger) when he has a fourth land drop suggests that Villain intends to win the game before a kicked (Torch Slinger) is even relevant. A Mountain and a (Spire Barrage) represent 22 points of damage, so I’m thinking that may be it. Hookmaster to the rescue!

I draw (Graypelt Refuge) and play it to put my virtual life total at 7, attack for 4, then hook the (Torch Slinger) before passing the turn back, bracing for a wave of damage.

A fourth Mountain comes down and I’m thinking my read was correct, but Villain has a different surprise: (Elemental Appeal)! Suddenly there are three 7/1 tramplers with haste staring me down, and I’m wondering if I have any shot to win this at the 2 life I’ll find myself at after I throw the hookmaster under one of the three busses. But Villain wasn’t done, casting (Vampire's Bite) targeting an elemental to set up 24 points of trample damage:

R1G1 #2

So, did you see it? Did you remember that the (Vines of Vastwood) can give “enemy shroud” to opposing creatures in spots like this? Sadly, I biffed it, realizing what I had done right after allowing the bite to resolve. This was a terrible oversight, and a complete failure on my part to be aware of all the possibilities of my spells. Embarrassing! Particularly because this game was far from over, given Villain’s single card left in hand. I would still have been up against it, but any kind of action would give me a solid shot here if Villain were out of gas.

As it is, I gave up my chance to pull this one out with my failure to think outside the box a bit on (Vines of Vastwood). Funny, too, because I have a casual constructed deck that runs (Vines of Vastwood), and I’ve pulled “shroud opposing creature” with it on multiple occasions. I think I was just in shock at suddenly facing three 7/1 trampling, hasty elemental tokens, and allowed the game-winning spell to resolve before I’d fully considered my options. Well, do as I say, not as I do, mmmmkay?

R1G2

With concerns about too much mana and having seen (Adventuring Gear) and double (Zektar Shrine Expedition), I make the following changes:

-2 Plains, –1? ((Vastwood Gorger)? My notes are a bit of a mess)

+1 (Cliff Threader), +1 (Kabira Crossroads), +1 (Relic Crush)

On the play again, I look at my seven hoping to avoid the 0-2-and-done:

Annoying that I can’t lead with (Adventuring Gear) on turn one (yes, it turns out entering the battlefield tapped is indeed a drawback), but a clear keeper with the ability to cast every spell in my hand off the two land I have. Villain keeps as well, and I play the refuge and ship the turn. In response to Villain casting a turn-one (Vampire Lacerator), I groan.

I draw my other (Cliff Threader) and assess which of my two-drops to cast. What’s your choice?

R1G2 #1

I could risk the (River Boa) and hope the snake lives and I draw into land, which would then allow me to play a threat while keeping regeneration mana up. That’s an unrealistic expectation early on against red-black, though, which has no shortage of cheap ways to deal with a vulnerable boa. With the proven explosiveness of Villain’s deck, I also don’t want to take too much damage early on. I like leading with the (Kor Aeronaut) and trading for the lacerator if possible. If the Aeronaut doesn’t draw a (Disfigure), (Burst Lightning), or (Punishing Fire), I’ll have strong evidence that those cards are not in hand.

Well, (Punishing Fire) is in hand, as it turns out, and my aeronaut crashes and burns before I take two from the lacerator. I draw my other aeronaut, and face a repeat of turn two with less of a chance of facing removal for the boa. Any difference this turn?

R1G2 #2

I’m still content to offer up an aeronaut, drawing out further removal, saving the (Cliff Threader)s as eventual win conditions and the boa for when I can reliably regenerate it. No removal for the second aeronaut, so I accept the trade for the lacerator, only to stare down a (Ruinous Minotaur) after combat. I rip the not-at-all-helpful (Oran-Rief Recluse) (which probably should have been what I boarded out), and again weigh my two-mana options:

R1G2 #3

Now I'm convinced Villain is out of removal, but I'm not sure I want to cast the boa and take 5 from the minotaur while I wait a turn to have regeneration mana available. Normally, I’m fine with that play at 19 life in Limited, but in Zendikar limited against red-black, things can get so out of hand so quickly. Still, I think I have to play the boa, take the 5, and set up a solid defense, so the right play is to cast the (River Boa) and try to hold the ground with my meager mana.

Villain drops a fourth land, casts (Bloodseeker), and enchants it with (Goblin War Paint). Ouch. Initially, both creatures are tagged as attackers, but then the (Ruinous Minotaur) “unattacks” in what feels like a mistake, although I don’t know what plans Villain may have for all that land. In any case, I am thankful to only be facing 3 damage instead of 8, and I drop to 16 before untapping.

I rip a glorious Plains off the top, and my mind reels at the possibilities with my 50% increase in mana. What would you do with this mana infusion?

R1G2 #4

Needing regeneration mana, the (Graypelt Refuge) will remain untapped, but what to do with two Plains? If I can solidify my defense, I can bring the (Cliff Threader)s in later. The play here is to cast and equip the (Blazing Torch) to set up for some block-and-burn defensive capabilities. I do just that and pass it back. Villain untaps and swings in without a land drop, this time with both. I’m not sure what to make of the willingness to send in the minotaur this turn, but not last turn. What is your blocking plan?

R1G2 #5

I have two choices: block the (Blood Seeker), regenerate and throw the torch at it, taking 5 from the minotaur but costing Villain a land, or blocking the minotaur, regenerating, and waiting until next turn to threaten with the torch. Looking at this now, I like just blocking the minotaur and dealing with the (Blood Seeker) next turn, assuming the minotaur actually dies. If Villain has drawn some removal to use in response to my regeneration of the boa, this game will turn into a blowout. That’s unlikely, though, and I couldn’t really play afford to play around it if it weren’t.

In the game, I elect to leave the minotaur unblocked and block-and-torch the (Blood Seeker). As expected, there is no removal in response to regeneration, but there is a (Vampire’s Bite) targeting the minotaur, who proceeds to cut my life total in half. Weird plays from both of us. I effectively exchange two life for one of Villain’s lands with this play, which is a trade that doesn’t make sense to me in retrospect. I think I wanted to take out the (Blood Seeker) before something unexpected disrupted my ability to do so, as I had two creatures in hand that could trade with the minotaur. I play fairly paranoid Magic, and generally that serves me well, but sometimes it leads me to defend against or play around phantom plays, and I think that’s what happened here—it’s very unlikely that the block-and-torch play won’t be around for me next turn, and I should have taken the least amount of damage possible in this spot.

Interestingly, Villain sacrifices the singleton Swamp to the minotaur and passes the turn without a land drop, clarifying a few things: one of the two cards in his hand is (Elemental Appeal), the other one is not a land, and Villain didn’t expect me to block the seeker in that spot. Hopefully that lost land will hurt more than the extra two damage did.

I pull (Kor Skyfisher) and plan the turn.

R1G2 #6

I’m still on defense, and I have to be prepared to deal with a 7/1 trampler as soon as Villain finds another Mountain. I cast the (Kor Skyfisher), bounce and replay a Plains, and cast (Adventuring Gear). The refuge stays up to regenerate the boa, and I pass. Villain rips a Mountain and casts the (Elemental Appeal) as expected. Less expected is the decision to attack with both the minotaur and the 7/1 trampling token. This is minotaur suicide for one extra point of damage, as I block the 7/1 with the skyfisher and the minotaur with the boa, and after regeneration, I have 4 life and the only creature in play.

I untap and draw a Plains. Four mana feels like a thousand, so what’s the play?

R1G2 #7

Equip the (Adventuring Gear), play the Plains, attack for 4, and drop a (Cliff Threader). Tapping out to get both threaders down doesn’t actually change my expected damage, so there’s no reason to leave the boa without regeneration mana. I pass the turn, Villain pulls a Swamp, and casts Mindless LOL. The tide has turned, and I am now aggro. A (Territorial Baloth) off the top can’t hit the battlefield yet, but I move the gear onto (Cliff Threader) A, cast (Cliff Threader) B, and attack for 2.

Villain casts and equips a currently-useless (Adventuring Gear) and passes it back. I pull a Forest, and I put the nail in the coffin by playing the Forest, attacking for 8 to bring the life totals even at 4, and casting the (Territorial Baloth). Villain has no outs, and I attack for lethal the following turn.

R1G3

I think I did bench the (Oran-Rief Recluse) here due to lack of opposing flyers, but I’m not certain. On the draw after Villain keeps, I check my seven:

A solid starter with a nice life boost out of the gate. The first spell of the game is Villain’s turn-two (Zektar Shrine Expedition), and I plan my second turn having drawn (Kor Skyfisher) and (Cliff Threader). I play out the (Cliff Threader) to avoid disrupting my land drops with the skyfisher or exposing the boa to removal without regeneration, and pass. A third Mountain adds a counter to the (Zektar Shrine Expedition), and the (Ruinous Minotaur) makes a return appearance. I draw (Relic Crush) and plan the future before making my land drop:

R1G3 #1

I attack for 2, then cast the (Kor Skyfisher), bounce the (Kabira Crossroads), and play the Plains. (Shieldmate's Blessing) can now trade 1:1 with the minotaur, barring (Goblin War Paint) or (Slaughter Cry) (a spell I’m not going to play around, given villain’s demonstrated willingness to send that minotaur headlong into unfavorable battle). The (Kor Skyfisher) won’t even alter my mana development unless I draw a land next turn, so playing the skyfisher may not have a drawback at all.

A (Teetering Peaks) puts a second counter on the (Zektar Shrine Expedition) and makes the (Ruinous Minotaur) a 7/2. This diffuses the (Shieldmate's Blessing) plan and I’m thinking I’ll have to trade the skyfisher now, but Villain declines to attack! These plays led to me believe I had a lot of rating points on the line, which strengthened my resolve to take this down.

I pull a Forest, welcoming some additional land, and with it, more options.

R1G3 #2

Villain passing with three mana up has me thinking (Punishing Fire), especially with the open knowledge that I hold (Kabira Crossroads). Since I have good plays that don’t involve gaining life this turn, I decide to play around (Punishing Fire), which starts by attacking—maybe I’ll draw it out. There is no response to my attack, so I play the Forest and the (River Boa). I wish I had my refuge to have both regeneration mana and blessing mana up, but boa regeneration will have to do.

Villain untaps, drops a Swamp, casts (Quest for the Gravelord) and a kicked (Goblin Bushwhacker) and swings in. At 22 life and suspecting burn, do I block here?

R1G3 #3

Perhaps my (Punishing Fire) read is off. It can be a lot harder to read lower-ranked players because their decisions don’t always make complete sense or tell a consistent story. I could take this, but I’m fine if Villain wants to use burn to take out the boa with regeneration on the stack. I still have the skyfisher/blessing play in my back pocket to take out the minotaur, I’m ahead on cards, and my life total is going to climb shortly. Villain has no response, and the suicidal minotaur again hits the graveyard after a profit-free attack. I draw a plains, now what?

R1G3 #4

The events of the last combat phase suggest Villain does not have the (Punishing Fire), but that read assumes good play, which has not been the case, so I really don’t know what to think. I start by attacking with all three, and again there is no response, dropping Villain to 8. I know I’m casting the (Grazing Gladehart) here. The trickier question is whether or not I’m dropping the Plains to have blessing mana, or the (Kabira Crossroads) to get that down while Villain can’t recur a (Punishing Fire), also guaranteeing five mana for a turn-six (Relic Crush).

It’s a bit of a tossup, but either way things look very good for me. In the game I decide to play the Plains and maintain some protection for my creatures, but in my head as I write this, I decided on the crossroads. I’m the aggressor, and no single targeted removal spell is going to swing things to Villain’s favor anyway, so go ahead and set up for the sure (Relic Crush) next turn and gain crossroads life while (Punishing Fire) recursion isn’t possible (although if I’m up against (Punishing Fire), Villain has now brutally misplayed it). It’s a fairly moot point, as the land drop decision has a minimal impact on my EV.

Villain untaps and casts a main-phase (Punishing Fire) on my (Cliff Threader), which I save with the blessing. Either the fire was the most recent draw, or Villain misplayed the burn. The remaining mana goes towards a (Giant Scorpion), and I draw a Plains to set up the (Relic Crush) for the two enchantments anyway. Two swings with my (Cliff Threader) and (Kor Skyfisher) later, and the match is mine, a victory that netted me two whole rating points, or, as I like to think of it, kept me from losing 14. Given my early surrender in game one, I’m thankful to have pulled out the next two. If I had lost the match and the 14 rating points, I’d only have myself and my mistakes to blame.

Next Week…

I’ll be back next week to wrap up this draft, and I’ll also update my Oliver’s progress at Magic (for new readers, he is my seven-year-old who started playing a few months ago). Also, I’ll either be playing in the live PTQ this Saturday in Seattle or in Sunday’s online PTQ. With some luck (and better play than I managed in round one of this draft), my article two weeks from now will be about how I landed on the Pro Tour!

Until next week, happy drafting!