Pack 1 pick 1:
My Pick:
I think this pick is pretty easy as nothing else in the pack would convince me to give up the Stag.
Pack 1 pick 2:
My Pick:
I could have stayed with green by taking the Primal Druid but I'm willing to gamble on blue coming through and losing the Druid for a Drag Under.
Pack 1 pick 3:
My Pick:
Shrill Howler is a great 3rd pick and can get out of hand if the opponent can'd find a way to deal with it.
Pack 1 pick 4:
My Pick:
The deck is starting to look like UG emerge. Hopefully some Primal Druids and Exultant Cultist come my way.
Pack 1 pick 5:
My Pick:
I like Identity Thief, especially copying my own Somberwald Stag. Maybe I'll get other come into play creatures. The issue with the Thief is that the opponent can just trade for it in battle since it only activates after attacking.
Pack 1 pick 6:
My Pick:
The Geist helps smooth out my draws and is big enough to hold off early attacks. I can always get a Swift Spinner later.
Pack 1 pick 7:
My Pick:
A good speed bump that gets better if I have more emerge creatures.
Pack 1 pick 8:
My Pick:
I'll run 2 of these. Besides, there's nothing else in the pack.
Pack 1 pick 9:
My Pick:
This helps fill out the 2 slot and get in some early damage from above.
Pack 1 pick 10:
My Pick:
Pack 1 pick 11:
My Pick:
I don't think I'll run 2 of these but we'll see what happens at the end of the draft.
Pack 1 pick 12:
My Pick:
Pack 1 pick 13:
My Pick:
A good sideboard card against the deck with unlimited removal.
Pack 1 pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 1 pick 15:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 1:
My Pick:
The Selfless Spirit is worth over a tix but a second Stag would take this deck to the next level... I'm really liking how the deck is shaping up so let's pass on the spirit this time. To be honest this was one of the harder picks for me. Hopefully it pays off.
Pack 2 pick 2:
My Pick:
Hopefully It of the Horrid Swarm comes back around.
Pack 2 pick 3:
My Pick:
The skaab is a great pick up here. If it wasn't here I would probably pick Scour the Laboratory.
Pack 2 pick 4:
My Pick:
I'm picking up more creatures to sacrifice but only have the Wretched Gryff right now. I should keep that in mind for the remainder of this pack.
Pack 2 pick 5:
My Pick:
There isn't anything else in in my colours and sometimes a pair of Haunters can do some serious damage. That's a late Boon coming around.
Pack 2 pick 6:
My Pick:
Playable at the 4 slot. Gets out of hand if I can hit delirium consistently.
Pack 2 pick 7:
My Pick:
I'll take the emerge creature here to get more use our of my Cultists and Druid.
Pack 2 pick 8:
My Pick:
This should help me hit delirium.
Pack 2 pick 9:
My Pick:
I already have the Cultists and Shrill Howler at 3 and the deck is shaping up nicely. I took the Otherworldly Journey for PDC.
Pack 2 pick 10:
My Pick:
Well I guess I could have just waited a pick and grabbed the journey here.
Pack 2 pick 11:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 12:
My Pick:
I don't think I'll run 2 of the Brute.
Pack 2 pick 13:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 14:
My Pick:
Spectral Reserves shouldn't be going this late.
Pack 2 pick 15:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 1:
My Pick:
There are a few cards that I want in this pack. Solitary Hunter, Just the Wind, True-Faith Censer, Aim High, Might Beyond Reason are all playable cards. Hopefully something comes back to me. Right now I'll take the Scholar as it'll help smooth out draws and help me hit delirium.
Pack 3 pick 2:
My Pick:
Ongoing investigations will help me in the late game where card advantage matters the most. The life gain adds up as well.
Pack 3 pick 3:
My Pick:
I probably should have taken the Homunculus. I looked at what I already had and the 2 slot was pretty full. I took the sideboard card that may help me pull out some games instead of a creature I would probably cut during deckbuilding.
Pack 3 pick 4:
My Pick:
The Censer helps me get through for more damage or break stalemates. It also lets me keep a blocker. I think it's better than the land that would smooth out my mana. The Swine would have been another option.
Pack 3 pick 5:
My Pick:
I don't think it's the place to take the 0.5 tix land.
Pack 3 pick 6:
My Pick:
This can be a gamebreaker if I can pull it off with madness. The Scholar just got a lot better. I wouldn't have mind a second Scholar or the Quilled Wolf as well.
Pack 3 pick 7:
My Pick:
This can get pretty ridiculous with the Ongoing Investigations. Niblis would have been my other option but I feel that the deck needs more tricks.
Pack 3 pick 8:
My Pick:
Speaking of more tricks. Also combos with the Scholar
Pack 3 pick 9:
My Pick:
Okay maybe I should have grabbed the Niblis.
Pack 3 pick 10:
My Pick:
Alright that's a tad too many but there's nothing else here for me.
Pack 3 pick 11:
My Pick:
Got the Homunculus anyway.
Pack 3 pick 12:
My Pick:
I've had this played against me very effectively. Maybe there will be a situation where I can board this in.
Pack 3 pick 13:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 15:
My Pick:
This is what I end up running:
Main:
2 Somberwald Stag
1 Drag Under
1 Shrill Howler
1 Wretched Gryff
1 Identity Thief
1 Geist of the Archives
2 Exultant Cultist
2 Tattered Haunter
1 Press for Answers
10 Island
1 Ingenious Skaab
1 Primal Druid
1 Backwoods Survivalists
1 It of the Horrid Swarm
7 Forest
1 Prey Upon
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Ongoing Investigation
1 Confront the Unknown
1 Just the Wind
1 Welcome to the Fold
1 True-Faith Censer
Sideboard:
1 Inquisitor's Ox
1 Island
1 Mountain
1 Furtive Homunculus
1 Root Out
1 Spectral Reserves
1 Ironwright's Cleansing
2 Thraben Standard Bearer
2 Fogwalker
2 Laboratory Brute
1 Wolfkin Bond
1 Turn Aside
2 Skirsdag Supplicant
1 Otherworldly Outburst
1 Jace's Scrutiny
1 Press for Answers
2 Just the Wind
Match 1 looks like I'm paired against monowhite. He plays a Sigardian Priest and taps out for a Fiend Binder as I curve out a Tattered Haunter, Geist of the Archives and instead of playing an Identity Thief I drop a Exultant Cultist to make attacks more difficult and get in with the Haunter. He taps out again for a Faithbearer Paladin so my spirit gets in for another 2. He swings in with his Bender and Paladin, tapping down the Cultist with the Bender. I put the Geist in front of the Bender and Borrowed Grace kills the Geist, drops me to 15 and brings him back up to 21. I throw my hand onto the board, adding Reckless Scholar and Ingenious Skaab to the table. He puts a mantle on his Bender and does some serious damage leaving me at 7 life and him at a perfect 20. I try to race, swinging in with the team but his Priest stops my Thief from copying the Paladin to gain some life back. I play Press for Answers to lock down his team. Unfortunately a Blessed Alliance untaps his side and he counterattacks for the win.
Game 2 has my opponent start off with a Topplegeist, True-Faith Censer and a Dawn Gryff to my lone Shril Howler which is quickly joined by a Skaab. Fiend Bender comes down on his side of the table and I play a Stag to kill his Gryff. In hindsight I should have just traded it with his Bender, as the Censer makes the human so much better. He drops a Thraben Inspector and gives it the Censer, which trades for the Stag on my attack, post combat I play a Haunter and a Scholar. His Bender comes in again, tapping down the Cultist and I trade my Haunter for his Topplegeist. I bring him down to 6 while I'm at 4 life and play 2 blockers to his lone Bender. He Angelic Purges one of them and taps down the other blocker, coming in for lethal damage. Ouch. The pressure is now on to win the next two matches to at least come away with 2 booster packs.
Match 2 I'm up against what looks like monogreen. He plays a Veteran Cathar and a Shrill Howler which I bounce back with Just the Wind as I play a Tattered Haunter and a Backwoods Survivalists. He replays his Howler and tries to trade for my Survivalists but Confront the Unknown helps me win that fight. He finally finds a mountain but still plays a green card in the form of a Solitary Hunter. I trade the Survivalists for his Hunter and play 2 Cultists. He finally uses his red mana and plays a Gatslaf Arsonists. I play a Shrill Howler of my own and he stops my aerial attacks with a Watcher in the Web. We have a bit of a stalemate and his Arsonists transforms as I run out of gas. The werewolf comes through, dropping me to 12 while he is at 10 life. He follows up with a Kessig Dire Swine while I transform my Howler. I'm still drawing blanks and get hit again, falling to 6 while he follows up with a Tangleclaw Werewolf. Ongoing Investigations on my side gives me a glimmer of hope. He taps out to transform his Tangleclaw so I take this opportunity to double block his Ravagers with my Howling Chorus and a Cultist while throwing the other Cultist in front of his Chorus. This gives me a lot of gas and I use all my mana with the Ongoing Investigations to draw more cards and gain back some life. I sacrifice my Haunter for my It of the Horrid Swarm and drag under his Entangler. He replays the Tangleclaw and adds a Hanweir Garrison. He only has 1 card type in his bin so the Swine stays at home instead of trampling over. Since he only has 1 mountain up, I play a stag on his Tangleclaw before it becomes a problem again. Prey Upon and Alchemist's Greeting take out It and my Stag but I'm back up to a comfortable 14 life and drawing a lot of cards. Unfortunately most are lands. I hit Welcome to the fold but need the Scholar so I hold back. Luckily my opponent is reluctant to attack with the Swine so I'm getting time to find it. Just as that thought crosses my mind, he sends in the pig and I throw an insect token in front to soak up the damage. At this point I'm at 18 life and have 10 cards left in my library. I finally find the Scholar and I'm able to play it and hardcast a Wretched Gryff. Just when it looks like I'm about to get through, he actually plays Hanweir Battlements! His Garrison transforms and he attacks with it. I take 7 and take out his Eldrazi horrors. I trade my second Stag for his Hanweir, the Writhing Township. I finally get to steal his Swine with 5 cards left in my library. He seems to be out of gas and starts throwing his team in front of the Swine and trading his Noose Constrictor plus some cards for my Gryff. Eventually I grind this one out.
Game 2 he starts with a Kessig Prowler and Woodland Patrol to my Primal Druid and Ingenious Skaab. I block his Patrol with my Druid to grab a land and accelerate into a Stag. I try to kill of his Prowler before it can transform but Inner Struggle on my Stag stops my plan. He transforms it and comes in for 7. Drag Under sends his Predator back and a Reckless Scholar holds off his Patrol. Wretched Gryff on my side allows me to stabilize at 11 life. He transforms the Prowler again and attacks with both his creatures. My Gryff eats his Patrol but then Prey Upon post combat finishes the job. I'm not exactly sure why he attacked with the Patrol since the Prey Upon would have worked regardless. A Stag on my side stops his Ulvenwald Captive from transforming and I finally start attacking bringing him to 13 life. Just the Wind bounces his Predator again and my team bring shim to 1 life and he scoops them up.
My opponent is running WR for Match 3. He has a fast start with Steadfast Cathar, Dawn Gryff and Fiend Bender against my Cultist and an Ongoing Investigations. Drag Under on his Bender give ms a little breathing space but he takes it right back, putting a Gryff Boon on his Cathar and replaying his Bender, leaving me at 9. Just the Wind on his Cathar slows him down a bit but his aggressive start is too much for me and I die on turn 7. Game 2 he starts off with the Cathar and Galvanic Bombardment on my Shrill Howler. I'm afraid of a trick so I let his Cathar past my Geist of the Archives. He then plays Courageous Outrider. Unfortunately it seems that everytime an opponent searches his library with a card, the replay crashes so I don't know exactly how this one plays out. What I can tell you though is that remember that I was on my back foot the whole game and lost pretty quickly.
This was the first time I came away from the draft with nothing going 1-2. It's not a good feeling. I also thought the deck was good so I'm probably misplaying a lot. Hopefully I can learn from this and play better for the next one!
- ThePaperboy
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