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Draft  - KHM Draft #1 Premier

1/31/2021

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Here's the Draft Log for KHM Draft #1:

Since they don't currently save P1P1, here it is:
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As this is the first draft, I wanted to just try the cards and see how they fit together. But I think it's useful for learning to just go over thoughts.

KHM Premier #1

I used Lords of Limited/Limited Level Ups' (Raw Power vs Reasons vs Rewards vs Roleplayer vs Replaceable spreadsheet to help guide my thoughts on cards). I played one sealed event (4-3 with a Blue/White Niko/Doomskar deck). I'll put their "R" category rating next to card introduction.


  • P1P1. Waking the Trolls (Roleplayer) seems like a support card - doesn't pull me hard as the critical card to build around/give me direction. Skemfar Shadowsage (Roleplayer). Interestingly Littjara Glade-Warden (Replaceable), I am not sure that rating is right. I think shapeshifter/+1 counters will work in a specific deck, not strong enough. The last uncommon is Aegar (Reason) , it seems in a red deck this will trigger a good amount and get cards (I see you Frost Bite in this pack, but very little chance of that wheeling). Scanning the commons - nothing terribly strong. According to 17lands, Frost Bite (Reward) is the highest taken. I did hear Ben Warne (MisterMetronome) on his twitch stream say he thought Blue-Red was one of the stronger colors and I do like myself some big creature smash. So Aegar it is.
  • P1P2. Rare and 3 Uncommons. Some bold choice by person next to me. Mystic Reflection (Replaceable) - a lot of text, trying to understand. Now post draft, it might have been the choice given the Giant theme (to bring out multiple Giants for cheap). I don't think it's Replaceable, given the Foretell and cheap creatures, and also you can screw with the opponent with Instant but it feels very conditional/niche. 17lands ATA (Average taken at) around 3.04. Fall of the Impostor (Reason), but I don't see it that strong and fighting with Aegar colors.  Frost Augur (Reward), pushing towards snow. Not sure I want it so early but this is the time. But Provoke the Trolls (Reward) works well with both Giants and Aegar's ability. I'm leading towards that. Let's look at commons. Highest ATA is the Snow Dual Land and then Elderfang Disciple (Roleplayer). Provoke the Trolls it is.
  • P1P3. Pathway flip land - I'd actually rather have a snow land at this time. I guess I should have considered it since it's Blue. Then I have a bunch of nothing great. The uncommon Divine Gambit (Replaceable), just not meaningful. The Cinderheart Giant (Replaceable) isn't great but I do take it as the only red card left in this pack to send a message. 
  • P1P4. The two uncommons are interesting. Inga (Roleplayer) which can help find the right cards for land or the right Giant. Valkyrie's Sword (Reward) - very tempting and probably would have given me more leeway. Rum Amok (Roleplayer) useful in this UR deck. No giants. Yeti isn't a giant :D I notice another Snow land as well. So I took Inga in color and to try out, Valkyrie's Sword not aligned with what we have already. 
  • P1P5. Again, nothing exciting here. Run Amok seems reasonable here. 
  • P1P6. Interesting. Surtland Frostpyre (Roleplayer) is definitely in our color BUT we do want that Squash (Reward). Nothing else really stands out. I do hope that the Frostpyre wheels. Would help us understand if our colors are open.
  • P1P7. Okay nothing really screamed it belonged in the deck OR that was powerful and The Hagi Mob feels better in Rakdos (this is where in ZNR, I would have just taken all the Red cards). I take the Alpine Meadow to give me option if I need snow in future cards. Also gives me a chance to splash white. The Hawk (Replaceable) seems to work really in a heavy snow deck which we are not. 
  • P1P8. Okay Giant went all the way around, so I think I should have more opportunity in the future packs if I wanted a 2nd. Run Amok is also interesting. Harbinger (Roleplayer) is exactly that, but I don't have a foretell deck. Now I think I might have jumped on the Snow Mountain too quickly, as the Shimmerdrift Vale (Roleplayer) is a bit of mana fixing and Snow. Let's see how snow plays out.
  • P1P9. The Wheel. Look a Giant. And interesting Snow Plains wheels. Let's take the Giant. 
  • P1P10. Fall of the Impostor did wheel, interesting. very far from our colors. Everything is generic, but I'll take the Littjara Kinseekers (Replaceable) Shapeshifter as a Giant for this deck. Shackles of Treachery (Replaceable) feels more at home in Rakdos (black sacrifices). 
  • P1P11. Annul (Replaceable) is not main deckable and we're bo1. Raiders Karve (Replaceable) or Scorn Effigy (Replaceable) seem like the only choices here. I do think it's more likely to have the Vehicle in this deck because maybe I need to ramp to be able to cast Giants. Again, not sure I would have thought this way in ZNR. 
  • P1P12. Immersturm Raider (Replaceable), why not, it's in my color. The other cards are white, eh. 
  • P1P13. Intruder, sure I'll take this set's Duelist
  • P1P14. And look at that, the FrostPyre wheeled. I feel good about our seat for sure.
  • P1P15. Sideboard
  • P2P1. Toralf, God of Fury (Raw Power). Slam. But let's get a sense of what else is in this pack. Dwarven Hammer (Reason) skews towards Boros dwarves, which we are not. Could be useful but no way it wheels. Koll, the Forgemaster (Reason) - a second Boros card. Last uncommon, Rune of Flight (Roleplayer). Looking over the commons, Sarulf's Packmate (Reason). Battlefield Raptor (Roleplayer) and the Snow Dual Lands are good cards. But Toralf is clearly the winner here. 
  • P2P2. Basalt Ravager (Reason). Red, Giant, and works well with our shapeshifters/Giants. Clearly the card. And let's hope to wheel the FrostPyre again. Don't think I need a 2nd Inga. Obviously Ravager is the clear card. Nothing that excited elsewhere.
  • P2P3. Bloodline Pretender (Replaceable). I think this works really well in a Giants deck. At a minimum it counts as a Giant and it grows if Giant or Changelings land. I'm looking at the Rune of Speed (Roleplayer) and the Tormentor''s Helm (Roleplayer) as cards I hope to wheel. 
  • P2P4. Sigh. Nothing exciting. The Frenzied Raider (Reason) would have been my pick in early ZNR drafts last time. I have learned that it might be more "powerful" but only in the right deck. The Goldvein Pick (Replaceable) might have been interesting here as treasures may help me cast Giants earlier. But I choose my second Kinseekers (again changeling). Packmate/Icehide Troll for other people. 
  • P2P5. Bind the Monster (Roleplayer). Need some removal as I don't have any direct damage - where's my Demon Bolt! I heard on a podcast that Run Ashore (Replaceable) is actually really powerful but I clearly need the removal. I just noticed there's no red as well as lots of blue - something I did NOT notice while drafting.
  • P2P6. Okay here's more red and one blue. I'll take my 2nd Provoke the Trolls happily. Again, Giants have higher toughness so it's an interesting 2 way combat trick that makes sense in this deck. Oh I just noticed the White Rare, Search for Glory (Replaceable). I totally tuned out the card when I was drafting since it was white.
  • P2P7. Gladly take a 2nd Squash given nothing really else. 
  • P2P8. Wow, 2nd Kaya's Onslaught. White was WIDE open, and an Doomskar Oracle as well. Fine I'll take the Run Ashore. Also Boros looks open too. 
  • P2P9. Let's look at the wheel. I'll take the Helm over the Giant. All the Boros cards gone of course. 
  • P2P10. Okay, I'll take my second Inga, though looking at it now, maybe should have taken the Snow Island, though I don't have any snow things at the moment. 
  • P2P11. Rune of Speed wheels. Happy to take that given that there's really nothing else in the pack for us.
  • P2P12. Okay, I'll take the Pick I thought about. 
  • P2P13. And the Run Ashore. The things I thought about taking a bit are wheeling. That's nice.
  • P2P14-15. Likely sideboard
  • P3P1. Ooh. Maskwood Nexus (Reason). Make everything Giant! Also create more Shapeshifters. Though it's hard to skip on the Demon Bolt (Raw Power). I do wonder given that I already have a bunch of Shapeshifters whether this was the right call. Given that it's the first draft, probably best to try the rare that fits your deck. But man, Demon Bolt is #2. There's also a Poison the Cup (Raw Power)! Some really good cards here. 
  • P3P2. Yuck. Graven Lore (Reward) I don't have enough snow but we can use Pack 3 to go get some, it looks open from what's been passed. Colossal Plow (Replaceable) is white. Kardur (Reason) - not in our color. Nothing else really for our deck, so let's just rare draft at a minimum. 
  • P3P3. Icebind Pillar (Reason). Okay, now we should definitely get into snow. Saw it coming (Reward) is interesting. Lots of interesting cards to wheel: Helm, Snow-Covered Island. Pillar is basically an icy manipulator, so let's take it. And the rare, Skemfar Avenger (Reason) is just too far for us and really wants a supported Rakdos or Golgari deck but curious how many rares I could have gotten.
  • P3P4. Dual Strike (Roleplayer). I didn't have that many direct damage cards 4 CMC or less. Two Provoke the Trolls and I guess Run Amok. But given the need for snow lands, bumped up. Craven Hulk (Roleplayer) should have been in consideration (maybe wheels). Helm could wheel but I already have one. Hadn't seen this before but I assume Giants are good targets to be blocked or take a lot of damage. 
  • P3P5. Not sure what I was thinking here besides needing more creatures/Giants. Bind the Monster otherwise would have been a good pick up.
  • P3P6. Wow look at all the Red/Blue Cards. Nothing jumps out besides possibly Run Amok. But I'll take the Snow land.
  • P3P7. Augury Raven (Reward) - fliers and can be cast over two turns. Especially while waiting for Giants to come out. Fearless Pup (Replaceable) feels out of place in this deck unless I'm just trying to throw a cheap creature out there. Nothing else speaks up to me.
  • P3P8. Frostpyre over the Giant. I think in hindsight I probably should have taken the Giant. I played a game where the fact it comes out tapped limits options, since it needs to much mana. 
  • P3P9. Okay, let's look at the wheel. Okay. Gladly take the Snow Island.
  • P3P10. Nothing I really want, so I'll take the uncommon.
  • P3P11. Gladly take another Snow Island.
  • P3P12. Helm wheels. 
  • P3P13. I do wonder on this now later. I took Mists of Littjara (Roleplayer) over Open the Omenpaths (Replaceable) but Open actually fits our Giants deck better to get us 4 mana to bring out creatures. It's a slight mana fixing/one more mana too. 
  • P3P14. Creature over 3rd Run Ashore
  • P3P15. Sideboard
The interesting thing for me is seeing how much more intentional I am about picks and why. Understanding the synergies. Obviously room for growth and getting better. But this makes me happy. And originally I am dying to just go play but this analysis makes me feel much more comfortable with the cards and my thought process. 
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Game Analysis - ZNR #65 - Match 3

1/18/2021

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First time one of my Traditional Draft have gone to a game 3. 

My second game, I never drew a swamp - kind of hard to play without one. Will analyze and update tomorrow.
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Game Analysis - ZNR #65 - Match 2

1/18/2021

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Their Blue White Party deck got to full party quickly both games. I'll do an analysis on what I should be looking for next time I see a Blue/White deck.

Lost 0-2
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Game Analysis - ZNR #65 - Match 1

1/17/2021

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ZNR D65 - Match 1 Game 1
  • Opening Hand/Turn 1. Two plains. Expedition Healer and Orah. Will cast Expedition Healer on turn 1 and hope to get plains/swamp to be able to curve 3 and 4.
  • Turn 2. Expedition Healer - Nahiri's Binding is not needed but okay. 
  • Turn 3. Swampy. Wondered about giving OP a card with Farsight Adept when they didn't cast anything Turn 2. Into the Roil, fine waste of that card.
  • Turn 4. Definitely cast Orah to get Cleric out there for Lifelink for Expedition and 3/3 Lifelink on board. Debated trading but we need life gain for Attended Healer, not that we have it yet.
  • Turn 5. Nahiri's Binding helps us get 5 life and hit OP for 5. Otherwise there's be a trade. 
  • Turn 6. Interesting, After Umara Wizard came out, maybe I should have killed it here. I think this was a very weird line by me. Protection from Red does give me the 3 life and kills the Electromancer, which lets me kill the Umara Wizard later. 
  • OP Turn 6. SO Happy they didn't get to use the Sea Game Stormcaller ability. 
  • Turn 7. Again, worried about casting Adept to give them a card. I don't have 6 lands yet for the Sentinel. Trading the Sell-Sword for the Stormcaller, was probably fine, though it would have been nice to have the Warrior. 
  • Turn 8. Fine to trade the Adept for the Diviner - flier. Again, I don't have any party cards in hand, but it would be nice to keep party. Getting rid of flier is more important. Fine with OP casting the Glacial Grasp on their turn, so it'll be just one turn without it. Especially since it's an instant. 
  • Turn 9. Thought it was more important to get Gloomhunter on board as well as nothing else that critical in graveyard. Fine trading Orah for either Wizards. Thought I forgot that removes Lifelink from Expedition healer. I don't see any life gain cards and I know that Gloomhunter will be back in a few turns. Nice to know I have a few turns to figure out game plan.
  • Turn 10. Ah Shepherd of Heroes, where I wish I still had my Sell-Sword and Adept. But alas, flier is important. Did not cast Smite because they would just into the roil, sadly there's just the right amount of mana to cast Into the Roil to save their Wizard. So let's cast Shepherd. Also lifelink the Expedition Healer again.
  • OP Turn 10. I guess lifelink on Healer doesn't matter with that Molten blast. And the Sizzling Barrage. Oh my. 
  • Turn 11. Deadly Alliance, okay that's good. Probably should have cast Smite after attacking since they are all tapped. Now looking back, I would have been able to cast Deadly Alliance on their Diviner and then Smite their Umara Wizard next turn. Bad play here by me. Could have saved the gloomhunter. I knew 100% what they had. 
  • Turn 12. Okay then. Straight forward. 

Sideboard. They have fliers and I thought about removing the Dauntless Unity for the Pressure Point (to tap a specific creature to get in). But I decided to just keep it going. 

Match 1 - Game 2
  • Opening Hand/Turn 1. I like the 2+2 for lands. Spells though not strong, but I know that it'll likely go long. Can't give up the lands. And  I get to draw first. 
  • Turn 2. Another land. Oh well.
  • Turn 3. Farsight Adept time. Not happy about giving them a card but it's useful to get the Wizard out there. And look at that Celebrant. I see Attended Healer and Celebrant. 
  • Turn 4. Attack with the Adept - happy to trade for the Diviner. But later I realize I should protect against Electromancer. Let's play Celebrant, so when I cast Attended Healer it does it's magic. 
  • OP Turn 5. uh oh. Spellcraft to remove the Celebrant. 
  • Turn 5. Okay Blood Beckoning to bring back the Celebrant, so we can do the Attended Healer thing. Debated binding here, but Celebrant to get the engine going. 
  • OP Turn 6. Roilmage brings back the Spellcraft. Diviner attacks by itself. 
  • Turn 7. I know it'll get spell crafted but I have two Attended Helaers and only one Celebrant. So let's let the Attended Healer/Celebrant do its thing. 
  • OP Turn 7. Yep. Take another Diviner attack as well as bye bye Attended healer.
  • Turn 8. Let's stabilize with the Sentinel kicked. 
  • OP Turn 8. Sentinel back to my hand and another Diviner. 
  • Turn 9. Instead of trying to bring back Sentinel back kicked, let's have it trade for one of the Diviners while binding the other one. 
  • OP Turn 9. Need to make the blocks otherwise I'm dead. 
  • Turn 10. Okay Shepherd of Heroes time to block the flier. Do I need the 3 damage from the Adept. Probably puts small amount of pressure.
  • Turn 11. Okay Orah is interesting. Have to read the card a few times and look at the CMC costs. Protector won't bring back Attended Healer. And then I realize that Shepherd of Heroes is enough CMC to bring it back. Yes I'm sacrificing the flier but I'll get the engine going. Any creature card will bring another 1/1 cat as well as 2 life. Guess that was enough. 
  • OP Turn 11. I guess they didn't draw anything good enough to stop engine. Seemed like the game was still in doubt but I built back from 5 life to 14. 
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Draft Analysis - ZNR Draft #65 Traditional

1/17/2021

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Here's the Draft Log for ZNR Draft #65:

Since they don't currently save P1P1, here it is:
Picture
I got away from posting here to just be playing. I think I missed my own analysis and thinking about what I could do better.
  • Draft 62 was a Kicker Warriors Deck (as weird as it sounds) that went 1-3.
  • Draft 63 was a UB Rogues/Roost Draft that went 4-3
  • Draft 64 Traditional was a WB Clerics/WU Party that went 1-2 
As always, here's my thoughts post draft but before playing a game:
  • P1P1. Inscription of Ruin. Kargan Warleader maybe, Relic Amulet. Those are the three. Feels like Ruin gives the most options and I haven't played with it before. I know Warleader pushes to WR while Relic Amulet can work in multiple decks, obviously best in Wizards.
  • P1P2. Emeria's Captain would lean us to WB but obviously not the best card in that group. Umara Wizard is interesting - would have worked well with Amulet. But Deadly Alliance is good removal in most cases. Packbeast and Shepherd of Heroes were noteworthy but not next to Deadly Alliance. 
  • P1P3. Attended Healer could go well in a WB deck. Interesting that Goma Fada Vanguard would have gone well in WR Warriors. While Electromancer would have worked with Wizards. Now, I haven't played with Coveted Prize and don't think what I have now would really warrant it. 
  • P1P4. Archon of Emeria looks clunky - not sure on use cases. Gnarlid Colony seems like the best card out of group. Nahiri's Binding is medium removal. Cleric might have been the pick in hindsight here, as flyer and tap creatures. 
  • P1P5. Ghastly Gloomhunter works well with our Attended Healer. Lotus Cobra too far from us right now.
  • P1P6. Nothing great debating between Sell-Sword and Outrider. Felt the cheaper creature is better
  • P1P7. Two Clerics. the MDFC land is not useful to us. Expedition Healer and Lifelink > Protector
  • P1P8. Seeing a lot of red, maybe pivot into it? Kind of late. Mesa Lynx - maybe I should have taken for stalling the board?
  • P1P9. The Wheel. Warleader and Amulet gone of course. Sea Gate Banneret works well with Attended healer go wide. 
  • P1P10. Anything good for my deck gone. Take the Night-Runner in case we pivot to BR party
  • P1P11. Electromancer just in case. 
  • P1P12. White Wizard over the not useful R and G cards. 
  • P1P13-14. Sideboard filler
  • P2P1. Okay. Orah vs Roil Eruption. Obviously Orah fits my deck really well, so easy choice. Another healer (hope it wheels). 
  • P2P2. In hindsight, probably should have taken the Feed the Swarm. Rogue is good for RB Party and as MDFC. Feed would have been better back up for removal. 
  • P2P3. There was clearly a RW warrior deck for me. Blood Beckoning good to bring back key creatures.
  • P2P4. Nothing clearly for WB clerics. Ravager's Mace just in case we go RB party though I debated the Bug-Catcher
  • P2P5. Yuck choices. Worried about not seeing a Kor Celebrant yet. Take the Binding. 
  • P2P6. Shepherd of Heroes over the WB flip land
  • P2P7. No white really, so let's just take the best card for RB party. 
  • P2P8. Again, best card (which still isn't good) for RB party.
  • P2P9. Healer wheels, that's interesting. Where are my Kor Celebrants. Relic Axe wheels, probably would have been a great WR warriors deck here.
  • P2P10. Probably should have taken the Silencer over the speculative RB party Rage
  • P2P11-14. Garbage picks
  • P3P1. Oh Thought-Thief and a 2nd Amulet. Wow. Emeria's Call if I can get to the long game. Need more Lifelink. Praying for Kor Celebrants. 
  • P3P2. Debated on Rebuke for pivot to RB party. But ended with the Shelter to protect my key creatures
  • P3P3. Hello second Attended Healer. Need enough life gain!
  • P3P4. No life gain/clear WB cards - take the Raptop for flying.
  • P3P5. Cleric. Nothing else makes sense.
  • P3P6. Another Sell-Sword
  • P3P7. OMG P3P7 first Celebrant. Stampede and other Cleric would have been useful in other packs. But I'll take the Kor Celebrant here. 
  • P3P8. Sentinel useful in stalling board.
  • P3P9. Smite - only choice here but very conditional removal
  • P3P10. Not terribly happy to pick, but I'll take the Dauntless Unity if I can go wide
  • P3P11. Rare drafting. I guess Ox might have helped in hindsight
  • P3P12-13. Black Warrior.
  • P3P14. Garbage

Definitely stuck with not finding the basic clerics needed. Clearly a WR warrior deck was good for this seat. 

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    Started playing Magic in 1993 and played a lot until 1996. Sold my collection. Magic is now my mid-life crisis obsession, restarting in 2018. Spending a lot of my hobby/free time on Arena now.

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