Pack 1 pick 1:
My Pick:
Pretty easy first pick here. WU is also a strong colour combination with cards like Cloudblazer. Aerial Responder is also a very good card and I wouldn't mind having both of them in my pile. Picking Dovin doesn't necessarily commit me to WU but at least one of them should be a main colour as splashing the other one is easy in this format.
Pack 1 pick 2:
My Pick:
This was a bad 2nd pick as Tradewinds go around very late. Nature's Way or Riparian Tiger would have been better as green can help with the mana fixing.
Pack 1 pick 3:
My Pick:
I was so locked into WU that I didn't even consider the other colours. The Bruiser is good and the 2nd Tiger would have been better.
Pack 1 pick 4:
My Pick:
Malfunction is an expensive Revoke Privileges but it'll do. I think the Wanderer and Attune with Aether would have been better though and Subtle Strike would have worked if I took the Bruiser in the previous pick.
Pack 1 pick 5:
My Pick:
Impeccable Timing is good removal but clearly green is open, with the Peema Outrider and Thriving Rhino still in the pack.
Pack 1 pick 6:
My Pick:
The Sentry is good if I can find cards that generate some energy counters. Besides, there's not much else here based off what I already took.
Pack 1 pick 7:
My Pick:
I should try to keep the deck creature-light to take advantage of the Summonings.
Pack 1 pick 8:
My Pick:
The Prowess also goes well in the creature-light deck.
Pack 1 pick 9:
My Pick:
I feel that Fragmentize can easily go into the maindeck as there are bound to be targets for it.
Pack 1 pick 10:
My Pick:
I'll probably play the Ambition as it helps refill my hand and makes a 5/5 with the Summonings.
Pack 1 pick 11:
My Pick:
Inspired Charge goes against the kind of deck I'm trying to build so it probably won't make the deck but I'm trying to cut white.
Pack 1 pick 12:
My Pick:
I don't need 2 of these but I'll cut my colours here.
Pack 1 pick 13:
My Pick:
Pack 1 pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 1 pick 15:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 1:
My Pick:
I picked the money card but the pick is pretty clear. Fairgrounds Warden is a very good card.
Pack 2 pick 2:
My Pick:
Horrible pick. Just horrible. The pick is either the Freighter or the Skywhaler's Shot. I would actually take the Shot over the Freighter if the plan is to play with the Summonings but the Freighter can make any creature hit like a train.
Pack 2 pick 3:
My Pick:
Removal is always a good choice. Fabrication Module can easily get out of hand if the games get drawn out though and that would have been my alternate pick. It also would have worked well with the Sentry. The Prism isn't as important as I'm not splashing anything.
Pack 2 pick 4:
My Pick:
I guess I felt that it was still early enough to get a second Self-Assembler later in the draft.
Pack 2 pick 5:
My Pick:
Eddytrail Hawk was the pick but I grabbed the rare.
Pack 2 pick 6:
My Pick:
This is a nice gift at pick 6.
Pack 2 pick 7:
My Pick:
I'm not sure why I picked the Crane as I don't have a lot of artifacts. The Ibex or the Mastodon would have been better. They can hold off attackers as Dovin and Summonings help me win the late game.
Pack 2 pick 8:
My Pick:
Maybe the Charger was the pick here?
Pack 2 pick 9:
My Pick:
Select for Inspection would help me stall the game but the Theorist can help smooth my draws and having 3 toughness makes it a good blocker as well.
Pack 2 pick 10:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 11:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 12:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 13:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 15:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 1:
My Pick:
Filigree Familiar is a great card and goes in almost every deck. Welding Sparks is card with splashing for but why splash if I can pick a solid card in my colour?
Pack 3 pick 2:
My Pick:
Maybe I should have taken a second Impeccable Timing but the Aviator puts a lot of blockers on the table to stall the game.
Pack 3 pick 3:
My Pick:
This was a bad pick as well (looking back at the early drafts cause me to cringe). The Serpent would have been a good way to end games or Decoction Module would have been a great way to generate energy counters needed for the Sentry.
Pack 3 pick 4:
My Pick:
2 Malfunctions and 2 Revoke Privileges. Too bad they don't trigger the Summonings.
Pack 3 pick 5:
My Pick:
Even without a lot of artifacts I think it's one of the best cards in the pack.
Pack 3 pick 6:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 7:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 8:
My Pick:
At this point I'm still underestimating the Ibex for some reason.
Pack 3 pick 9:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 10:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 11:
My Pick:
This is a very late Subtle Strike. The card can net you a 2-for-1 very consistently.
Pack 3 pick 12:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 13:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 15:
My Pick:
Here's the deck:
Main:
6 Plains
2 Revoke Privileges
3 Nimble Innovator
1 Janjeet Sentry
1 Tezzeret's Ambition
2 Vedalken Blademaster
1 Select for Inspection
11 Island
1 Dovin Baan
1 Long-Finned Skywhale
1 Aviary Mechanic
1 Aether Tradewinds
2 Malfunction
2 Aether Theorist
1 Hightide Hermit
1 Impeccable Timing
1 Experimental Aviator
1 Eddytrail Hawk
1 Fragmentize
Sideboard:
2 Forest
1 Subtle Strike
1 Swamp
1 Botanical Sanctum
1 Demolish
1 Metallurgic Summonings
1 Inspired Charge
1 Glassblower's Puzzleknot
1 Gearseeker Serpent
1 Ninth Bridge Patrol
1 Aether Tradewinds
1 Tezzeret's Ambition
1 Glint-Nest Crane
1 Revolutionary Rebuff
1 Failed Inspection
1 Workshop Assistant
1 Toolcraft Exemplar
1 Noxious Gearhulk
1 Self-Assembler
1 Curio Vendor
1 Weldfast Wingsmith
Match 1 has me up against WG and he starts off with a Scrapheap Scrounger and Sage of Shalia's Claim. I have my Blademaster and Skywhale but I'm behind in the race being at 12 life to his 18. I Revoke Privileges the Scrounger since there's a Prophetic Prism to reanimate the Scrounger. I hit back hard with the pumped Blademaster and Skywhale dropping him to 11. Arborback Stomper tilts the race right back in his favour. I fly over one more time but then the Skywhale is Captured by the Consulate. I Fragmentize the aura and stick a second Revoke Privleges on the Stomper. He plays a Revoke of his own on the Skywhale, a 4/3 Visionary Augmenter and Consulate Skygate to protect his 4 life. I play Malfunction and hit with the Blademaster and a Aether Theorist but only get through for 1. I repeat the same play but this time on a Skyswirl Harrier. I almost get there but a Wispweaver Angel on the Stomper ends the game in his favour.
Game 2 is a slower start as my Blademaster holds off his Sage. He plays Larger Than Life on the Sage but I bounce it with Select for Inspection. I get down a Hightide Hermit and attack for 6 as he only replay the Sage. I follow up with the Skywhale but it meets a Take Down. Revoke on my Hermit slows me down as I bounce the crab back with my Aviary Mechanic. Augmenter hits his side of the board and he makes some blockers to stop my double Blademaster. Looks like I'm in control of the board but the Stomper shows up again and he's back up to a comfortable 13 life. I make and mistake and hold my Hermit back when I should have offered the trade with the Stomper. I lose my chance a it gets locked down by Revoke Privileges again. A Harrier starts taking chunks of my life as I try to find and answer with a Theorist. I Fragmentize the Revoke Privileges and swing with the team. The Stomper eats a Blademaster and I take him down to 6. He hits back for 8 and leaves me at 8. Wispweaver on the Stomper once again sends this game out of reach and I lose a few turns later. The combo is brutal.
For the next match I play what looks like monoblack as he starts off with 3 Swamps and Underhanded Designs. My Blademaster gets past his Eager Construct and a Maulfist Squad comes down with a Servo. My Nimble Innovator trades with the Construct and I play Dovin whichstarts to go to work nullifying the Squad. A Dukhara Scavenger brings the Construct back and the artifact creature helps me out of a mana screw. The crocodile kills of Dovin though. I catch him blocking my Blademaster with the Squad. I pump the Blademaster by bouncing the Scavnger with Select for Inspection. This sets off a crazy chain as he tried to save the Maulfist with Rush of Vitality. I respond with Impeccable Timing but he plays a second Rush to give the Squad Indestructable. He then kills my Janjeet Sentry with the Underhanded Designs with the Construct and a Prism on the table. This leaves me defenseless and I play a Nimble Innovator to dig further as I drop to 9 life. The Scavenger comes back and I play Revoke Privileges on the Squad and Scavenger. This finally stops the bleeding so I play Tezzeret's Ambition to try and find more land as I'm stuck on 6 and can certainly use more. Still hit no lands and a Marionette Master makes it look like I'm going to lose this game fairly soon. I trade an Innovator for the Construct and go to 5 life. I play a second Innovator and Cultivator's Caravan come down on his side, which is much more impressive. I lock down the Master with malfunction so that nothing can Crew the Caravan and I hit with the Innovator as I have Aether Tradewinds mana up. A Foundry Screecher comes down and I have to bounce the Caravan and one of my lands. I play a second Malfunction on his Caravan this time and a Long-Finned Skywhale to block the Screecher. I decide to let the bat through though and go to 2 life. I play Experimental Aviator to get some blockers out. Subtle Strike messes up combat for me and the bat survives, along with w 4/3 Lawless Broker. The Skywhale and a Eddytrail Hawk put in some work and gets my opponent down to 10. I play a Hermit to hold off the ground and chump his bat with the Aviator. The Hawk give the Hermit a lift and I get in for lethal.
In the second game I see that my opponent is also running white as there are Plains on his side of the table. I Revolutionary Rebuff a Aetherborn Marauder and Malfunction a Lawless Broker. a Construct on his side is met by an Experimental Aviator on my side. Subtle Strike again messes up combat for me and allows his Dhund Operative to survive. I cast Dovin as there are plenty of blockers to help him survive. Rush of Vitality lets the Consrtuct kill off my Aviator but I kill the Operative with Impeccable Timing. I keep a Thopter at home to hold of a Screecher and he throws away the Construct to trigger the Marionette Master. He's at 8 life while I'm at 13 and Dovin is up to 6 counters. He swings in with the bat, the Master and a Prakhata Club Security to cut Dovin down a little bit. I hit back with a Skywhale and the 2 Thopters and win the turn after as he has no answers to the fliers.
In the final match my opponent is also playing WU and he starts of with a Thriving Turtle. My first play is on turn 3 as I cast a Janjeet Sentry. Skywhale and Ovalchase Dragster join his team as I replenish my hand with Tezzeret's Ambition. I bounce the Skywhale to buy some time and play a Blademaster. The Skywhale comes in but meets an Impeccable Timing. My opponent replaces it with a Cloudblazer. He calls my bluff with the Blademaster and puts his Turtle in front of it. I have no tricks and the Vedalken bounces right off the Turtle. I follow up with an Experimental Aviator to stop the Cloudblazer. My opoonent is digging with a Aether Theorist and he finds a Fleetwheel Cruiser. He gets in with it and I fall to 9 life while he sits at a perfect 20. Propeller Pioneer joins his team to further muck up with sky. I trade a Hightide Hermit for his Cruiser and the board is at a bit of a stalemate. Turns out my opponent is splashing black as Aetherborn Marauder comes down on his side, taking 2 counters from the Turtle. and the Pioneer. I cast Revoke Privileges on the Marauder and send in the Thopters. He lets them through and hits back with his fliers. I untap a Thopter with teh Sentry to trade with the Pioneer and the Cloudblazer bounces off the Aviator. My Thopter keeps pecking away at his life as the Aviator holds back his Cloudblazer. He casts Malfunction on the Aviator and and tap down the Cloudblazer with the Sentry. My opponent sends in a Lawless Broker and I block with the Blademaster. I use Prowess by playing Aether Tradewinds to bounce his Swamp and my locked down Aviator. This pumps the Blademaster enough to kill the Broker. The Cloudblazer receives the +1/+1 counter but I lock it down with a Malfunction of my own. The Aviator makes a return, bringing another 2 Thopters with it. My little fliers are enough to get the job done.
Game 2 I stumble on land drops and he capitalizes by punching through with a Turtle and Cruiser. I take the hit as the Theorist I have is needed to help me dig for land. I hit my third land drop on turn 4 and Fragmentize the Cruiser. His Dragster comes down next and this time I trade the Theorist for it because the damage is getting a little out of hand. I'm at 12 while again my opponent is at 20 life. I play a Skywhale which ends up trading for his Snare Thopter before it could get in for some damage. With nothing but his 1/4 Turtle on the board, I thought it would be a perfect time to play Dovin. He replies with a Cloudblazer and Propeller Pioneer to try and get rid of Dovin through the air. Luckily Dovin is pretty good at defending himself with his first ability and I play an Experimental Aviator to put blockers in the sky while a Hermit blocks the ground. He starts to build quite and army but it's too small to punch through without losing most of the team. With all the protection, Dovin gets up to ultimate but I'm even able to go past it and keep him after casting the ultimate. My opponent it still at 20 life though and there's still a huge stalemate. On top of that he has about 2 more minutes on the clock than me. We play draw-go for a few turns but I'm running out of cards in the library and time.I find an Eddytrail Hawk and replay my Aviator after I bounce it with a Mechanic. I send the Hermit into the sky with the Hawk and 2 Thopter tokens. This brings him to 19 life... I have a long way to go. I hit again, this time with 2 extra tokens. I kill the Cloudblaze with Impeccable Timing to save my Hawk and he's down to 15 life while I'm at 10. He plays a Skywhale to stem the bleeding but I caste Aether Tradewinds to bounce it and my Aviator. Due to Dovin's ultimate, my opponent doesn't have the mana to immediately recast the Skywhale and I get through for 9 damage. I cast the Aviator one more time and my Thopter squad grows to 6. This is enough to overrun him and take the match.
I don't think this draft went too poorly. It's tough to beat an opponent who not only had a 4/4 flier but it able to blink the Arborback Stomper in the process. I come out with 2 booster packs and still in search for my first draft win. Hopefully it comes soon.
-thePaperboy
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