SSS 02 - A Window of Opportunity

Back in action again after the servers were sick all week. I was kinda surprised to draft queues back up Friday night after all the doom and gloom on the MTGO boards about not being able to locate the problems with the game.

So I check around 9:30 and see them firing... well whats an addict to do. Despite being a bit groggy I forged ahead anyways and drafted.

Lets watch shall we? BTW, I'm using google videos for the stream as the player works a lot better (particularly moving around the stream quickly), and if you want to download the video you still can via Filefront link below each video.



Click here to download SSS_02_-_Draft.avi

P1P1 - This is on the weak side for sure. I think all of the possible picks are close to the same level of power, but Aethertide wins out since it has a slight edge power wise, and doesn't commit me heavily to a particular strategy like Rabble, Lancer, or Cohort does. The Oracle was very tempting, as being able to convert spare mana into life every turn does seem to be pretty damn good in a long game situation.

P1P4 - I think I should of taken puncture bolt, and W/R makes for a good gun combo (provided you see more untappers than I did). The Sentry is a nice creature, but had I picked up on red early I would of made a better, more focused deck.

P2P1 - I think I was overvaluing Sigg quite a bit, particularly with how my deck had been shaping up at that point. He was all right during my games, but never the blowout card I wanted it to be or thought it was. The Cohort is probably the right pick here, or the Redcap had I decided to go with red.

P2P2 - The pumpable flier fell off my radar for some reason. Not spectacular but solid as I was heavy white no matter what. Definitely better than the useless Pili-Pala I panic picked as time ran out.

P2P3 - I like the mutt, but the red removal splash (or as a replacement for blue) would of made my deck very nice.

P2P4 - See above. There is also a case to be made for the Spinners, but I like the Rabble even though I wasn't that heavy into white yet.

P2P5 - Still not sure which is the correct pick. If you hit the colors Snare is better, if you don't then its Consign. Well some of the times. If there is a lot of creature on creature action then Snare is still really good, so I think the Snare is the pick.

P2P7 - Effigy is a pretty good card once it gets going, but getting there is tough in some games.

The rest of the draft went according to plan I think.



Click here to download SSS_02_-_Round_1.avi

Game 1 - I commited the same error that plagues me throughout this draft - not getting my Effigy down and active as early as possible. With the Effigy down I can control the board and play me creatures at my leisure, particularly if my opponent is vulnerable to its effects as this one was. Lucky for me I won this game because my opponent chose to block with the Witch when a counter attack would of been lethal. He might have suspected a trick, but he needed to go for it regardless.

Game 2 - I kept an iffy hand as it didn't really have much action in it, and consign is a card I should of sided out against U/B. I should of used the Snare as straight damage prevention on the Warcrawler with a lethal block the first time it successfully attacked. All his other creatures were in check with a combination of -1/-1 counters and the Scarecrows, and I should of held of on my aggression so I could use the Effigy to tear down his offensive capability.

Game 3 - Was all about the one hit with Steel of the Godhead. 10 point life swings will tend to win you games, even if it costs you a 2 for 1. I corrected my mistake from the game before and used the Snare to kill his Warcrawler, and the Tether cleared the way for me to finish him off with a comfortable margin.

Moving on...



Click here to download SSS_02_-_Round_2.avi

Game 1 - Godhead and Duo... too awesome to contain.

Game 2 - I again delayed the Effigy when it would dominate my opponent. Wanting to get the Sigg drawing cards was a major error in my strategy in all my games where he was a potential factor. In the future if I have him I'll think of him as a nice defender early that has some drawing power in the mid to late game.

A nice quick one, which is good because...



Click here to download SSS_02_-_Round_3_Part_1.avi

Game 1 - Eek, he bent me over with the Puncture Bolt and he reamed me with the Liege.

Game 2 - Prison Term is awesome. Effigy is too. Snares and Tether... who needs creatures?



Click here to download SSS_02_-_Round_3_Part_2.avi

Game 3 - Effigy is awesome... when you play it. Again and again I waited too long to play out the Effigy and it cost me dearly. The longer I waited the more I had to delay getting it out as I back pedaled to get creatures out to protect me and it destroyed me this game. Again I was too aggressive for the game I wanted to play, particularly when I attacked with the Sentry that caused him to burn out the Mutt to get attackers through. Had I not, he might not of burned out the Mutt (to punch damage through) and I might of made the correct play of Effigy/Wisps the next turn.

I should have this question tattooed on my forehead. With the Effigy so disruptive to his plans, I needed to preserve my life total and keep him from attacking long enough to make it work for me. Again I screw up when I play the Cragtreads (in hopes of drawing with Sigg) instead of laying the Effigy. I allow him to blow me out with Liege/Scar on his turn, and the game is more or less over as I try to recover. Even then I delay playing Effigy AGAIN as I try to run out more dudes for defense, when Effigy/Wisps is the clear favorite play here as it does the same thing as Duo/Wisps but gives me a fighting chance to kill his Liege next turn and play a 1/3. Bah I was terrible here.

Well, I'm going to try to make another video this weekend... enjoy the drafts while they are up and we will see you next time!