AAA 01 & 02

Can't breath? Doped up on Benedryl? Sounds like a perfect time to draft! I ran two practice drafts before these with 2nd and 1st place finishes.

(I'm trying out a different video host, as the FileFront solution wasn't cutting it. Viddler seems like an amazing host, as the videos are nearly full screen resolution and they stream quickly. If you are having issues with the videos let me know and I will try to resolve them, and in the meantime I will mirror the .avi files on FileFront.)

AAA 01 - Draft



A bit all over the place here, but we kept a focus on R/B with splashes on the sides for U and G. I'm interested to see where others would have diverged from my draft as there were many directions that we could of gone. We end up with a deck that has to stretch on playables and lacks focus and is creature light. Still we have a lot of removal, so we might be ok.

AAA 01 - Round 1



Blah, Devour and lack of creatures is a pain. Dealing with a Broodmate isn't a picnic either. I make a few mistakes (like not pinging a creature about to die with the Cultist) but ultimately I just ran out of gas in game 3.

AAA 02 - Draft



Things come together pretty well, except in pack 3 we end up a little heavier in red than I would of liked to be with 3x Squires and 2x Nacatl. Maybe I should of put in the Thorn-Trash, but I was a little turned off to it (and Devour) in the last draft. The mana was a bit weird, but with luck we'll be able to get our aggressive starts and use our removal and finishers to end the game.

AAA 02 - Round 1



The tension between mana fixing and early drops is on full display in this draft, fortunately he only gets the 2 Tower Gargoyles in game one and we are able to keep up pressure on him through out games 2 and three.

AAA 02 - Round 2



I make a huge mistake in game one when I didn't tap and ping correctly to ensure he wouldn't have enough damage to kill me on the next turn. I put this mistake behind me and move on to win the match.

AAA 02 - Round 3



Besides a brain freeze that makes me look like I'm slow rolling my opponent, I win this round pretty handily.

So far I'm impressed with Angelic Benediction (even though I was tapping the wrong creature left and right). In a heavy Exalted deck taking out their best blocker gives you a lot of power in the mid-game, forcing them into bad blocks or taking a lot of damage. I've seen some people down this card, but these matches show that they can be a total beating.

Well, thanks for watching, and we'll see you next time.

AverageDrafter - SSE 05

I'm going to try to squeeze in some more SSE before the Alara drafts start firing and we can put this whole silly 2 set block nonsense behind us.

The Draft


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So, the first round of packs seemed to have very little depth in them. Our early decision to go white was reasonably rewarded with Skulk, Cohort, and Procession. Not bad for such terrible packs.

In pack two we seem to be heading back to G/W with a pair of Hungry Spriggans, but a 5th pick Puncture Bolt forces us to reconsider red as our second color. At the end of Pack 2 we are firmly ensconced in white, but are still on the fence about our second color.

Pack 3 beefs up our removal with 2 Unmakes and a Bliss. We also pick up a nice sub-theme of U/B Mimics and Aura.

I also make a last minute (literally!) change to the deck by switching to B/W to run Soul Snuffers over Puncture Bolt. You can see these changes in the beginning of Round 1. The only problem was that I didn't have time to properly make the adjustment. I should have included Scar and Corrosive Mentor in the main deck, but pressed for time (and wanting to record the change) I made the 1 for 1 swap and adjusted my mana.

Round 1

I want you to pause this video at 31:45 (right after his Flame Jab to my dome), and try to figure out what he is up to. I think this exercise will help everyone add another layer of thinking to their play. You have to remember their is another human being across the table from you. If they do something weird or out of place you really have to stop and figure out what they are up to before you continue.


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So... did you figure it out? There was a proper course of action to take here had I reasoned out his side of the equation. His activation of the Scrapbasket during his main phase should of been my second clue.

Draft 2


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Wow, I just ripped everything I needed, right when I needed it in this round. Not much else to say really. Sometimes Mimics just go off.

Round 3


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Pretty straight forward play here. I hate Parapet Watchers!

Well, another 1st in SSE. I'd like to play in the 8-4, but they never fill. With the new set I will start running in more 8-4s if I can.

Till then!

AverageDrafter - SSE 04

Kind of a weird one this trip round. Lets get to it shall we?

Draft


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Ok, so what can I say? I was a little perplexed in the first pack as I pick up a 10th pick Puncture Bolt. 10th. Lets take a look at what cards were taken out of the pack once we passed it for Glamer Spinners...

Spawnwrithe
Safehold Sentry
Wanderbrine Rootcutters
Last Breath
Safehold Duo
Loch Korrigan
Cursecatcher

Lets just move on then shall we...

White was cut a bit (no surprise given the list above), but green seemed to be wide open. The 8th Pick Seedcradle Witch foreshadowed my eventual color selection even if it did take me a while to get there.

I was really pleased with my deck and I think my drafting has improved quite a bit since I started playing again these last few videos.

Round 1


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Game 1 was a bit odd. I got greedy and Blissed the Duo rather than getting rid of the Steel of the Godhead on it with my Wickerbough Elder. Greedy, but fine until I blew the Elder counter on the Elsewhere Flask for the pump (I didn't even do it for fear of a splashed Jaws of Stone or something) and he was able to get rid of the Bliss. Fortunately his misplays outweighed mine, and I squeaked by with a victory.

Game 2 he was mana light and I had a boatload of excellent tricks at my disposal.

Round 2

My opponent no shows - he was a 1300 when the draft started. I think we can account for one of those non-Puncture Bolt picks.

Round 3


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Game 1 again my opponent has mana problems.

Game 2 my opponent makes some poor mana tapping choices and cannot save himself some damage via regeneration. This sets me up for a probably ill advised but nonetheless successful finish with Barkshell Blessing and Seedcradle Witch. After the match he IMs me asking me if I topdecked the Blessing and that he had Firespout in hand and was ready to wreck me with it.

Now looking back at those games, if it was true, I would call it greedy and a mistake on his part to wait another turn. If he Firespouts and regens the Duo then Unmakes the next turn he's in a much better position than if he just Unmakes (on his main phase at that). Getting rid of the Seedcradle (and his pumpable buddies) is more important than dealing with the Caviler at that stage of the game. Damage wise he's better off taking three from the Caviler next turn than 5 from my unblocked team with pump. I'm also not likely to commit more to the board when I have Seedcradle active and am not under any pressure.

Not very compelling matches, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

SSE 03

So, I wanted to burn through the remaining SSE I have before Shards hits MTGO (have you noticed the big price gap between S and E packs? I don't recall it ever being that big for other packs). I haven't posted in about a week, so I thought I'd bring you guys along for the ride.

Draft


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So, there were some choices here between power and constancy, especially pack 3 pick 2. I think I made the right call for the most part, as I tend to prefer consistency. In deck construction I had the option to mess around with including some lower power cards in favor of heavier red and/or splashing blue for the Banishing Knack. I like had I ended up though, but I could see going another way with it...

Round 1


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Like I say, I'm a little distracted for much of this video. I miss two obvious points of damage in game one, and misplay Turn to Mist in game 2 (an earlier Scar on the Troll would of been good as well, but that was more of a play decision for good or bad).

Round 2


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I play solidly here and win both games in short order. Game two could of gotten out of hand if my opponent had shown more aggression.

Round 3


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A weird round to say the least. I'll just leave it at that.

Thanks for watching!

SSE 02 - Full clout y'all! Full clout y'all!

And when the mic is in my mouth I turn it out y'all!

Back again for another SSE 4-3-2-2.

Draft (text version of this draft appears at the end of the post)


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I think the only major blunder here was taking the Finks over the Stinger P1P1. I was still of the mindset that I could go white, but the first pack clearly was pushing my blue/black.

Round 1


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I made a few mistakes in game one, but the Valleymaker was going to make life difficult anyway, and the Rise of the Hobgoblins sealed the deal.

Game 2 things get a little tense with the return of the Hobgoblins and the Druegar Mine-Captain. Despite a nasty trick late in the game, I pull out enough defense to end the race in my favor.

Game 3 Clout on a Hedge-Mage give me the muscle and Sigg gives me the fuel for an easy victory.

Round 2


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Game one I could of won a turn earlier if I had used my Leechbonder on my big attack. Game two shows a perfect example of trying to get greedy with Firespout. I knocked him down so low that the Clouted Bandit took him out in two turns.

Round 3


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Game 1 a Clouted Bandit does the job as I hold down the fort against his formidable offense.

Game 2 a mistake passes a tap down of his Marauders, and the damage puts me in lethal range of his Flame Javelin.

Game 3 he lures my team into blocking his Marauders and wipes my board. He then proceeds to put gas on the table as I muster up land.

All in all a good draft, I have some play errors to be sure, but I also made some sound decisions in tough situations. I actually feel like I'm getting better with these last two drafts.

Pack 1 pick 1:
Crabapple Cohort, Traitor's Roar, Gravelgill Duo, Torture, Fists of the Demigod, Rune-Cervin Rider, Rustrazor Butcher, Safewright Quest, Aphotic Wisps, Woeleecher, Memory Sluice, Reknit, Spiteflame Witch, Spectral Procession, Worldpurge
--> Spectral Procession

Pack 1 pick 2:
Juvenile Gloomwidow, Tattermunge Duo, Sickle Ripper, Torpor Dust, Blight Sickle, Somnomancer, Giantbaiting, Blazethorn Scarecrow, Emberstrike Duo, Gleeful Sabotage, Kithkin Shielddare, Moonring Island, Drove of Elves, Spiteful Visions
--> Somnomancer

Pack 1 pick 3:
Rattleblaze Scarecrow, Fists of the Demigod, Helm of the Ghastlord, Gravelgill Duo, Emberstrike Duo, Barrenton Medic, Whimwader, Giantbaiting, Viridescent Wisps, Reknit, Merrow Grimeblotter, Thoughtweft Gambit, Enchanted Evening
--> Barrenton Medic

Pack 1 pick 4:
Rune-Cervin Rider, Revelsong Horn (FOIL), Disturbing Plot, Parapet Watchers, Watchwing Scarecrow, Ashenmoor Cohort, Thornwatch Scarecrow, Mine Excavation, Spell Syphon, Inescapable Brute, Madblind Mountain, Crowd of Cinders
--> Watchwing Scarecrow

Pack 1 pick 5:
Sootstoke Kindler, Faerie Macabre, Helm of the Ghastlord, Foxfire Oak, Splitting Headache, Woeleecher, Prismwake Merrow, Crimson Wisps, Kithkin Rabble, Horde of Boggarts, Wound Reflection
--> Kithkin Rabble

Pack 1 pick 6:
Juvenile Gloomwidow, Gravelgill Axeshark, Rattleblaze Scarecrow, Viridescent Wisps, Cinderbones, Mine Excavation, Blazethorn Scarecrow, Spell Syphon, Moonring Island, Fossil Find
--> Gravelgill Axeshark

Pack 1 pick 7:
Disturbing Plot, Nurturer Initiate, Rustrazor Butcher, Aphotic Wisps, Kithkin Shielddare, Fate Transfer, Poison the Well, Flow of Ideas, Mana Reflection
--> Flow of Ideas

Pack 1 pick 8:
Blight Sickle, Ashenmoor Cohort, Apothecary Initiate, Whimwader, Thornwatch Scarecrow, Raking Canopy, Beseech the Queen, Cauldron of Souls
--> Beseech the Queen

Pack 1 pick 9:
Traitor's Roar, Gravelgill Duo, Torture, Fists of the Demigod, Aphotic Wisps, Memory Sluice, Worldpurge
--> Gravelgill Duo

Pack 1 pick 10:
Blight Sickle, Blazethorn Scarecrow, Emberstrike Duo, Gleeful Sabotage, Moonring Island, Spiteful Visions
--> Spiteful Visions

Pack 1 pick 11:
Rattleblaze Scarecrow, Fists of the Demigod, Gravelgill Duo, Whimwader, Merrow Grimeblotter
--> Merrow Grimeblotter

Pack 1 pick 12:
Disturbing Plot, Ashenmoor Cohort, Mine Excavation, Madblind Mountain
--> Madblind Mountain

Pack 1 pick 13:
Splitting Headache, Prismwake Merrow, Crimson Wisps
--> Prismwake Merrow

Pack 1 pick 14:
Mine Excavation, Moonring Island
--> Moonring Island

Pack 1 pick 15:
Disturbing Plot
--> Disturbing Plot

Pack 2 pick 1:
Consign to Dream, Oona's Gatewarden, Runes of the Deus, Safehold Duo, Scuttlemutt, Medicine Runner, Loamdragger Giant, Drowner Initiate, Pili-Pala, Bloodshed Fever, Reknit (FOIL), Wasp Lancer, Kitchen Finks, Deepchannel Mentor, Wort, the Raidmother
--> Kitchen Finks

Pack 2 pick 2:
Merrow Wavebreakers, Scar, Mudbrawler Cohort, Raven's Run Dragoon, Chainbreaker, Silkbind Faerie, Hollowsage (FOIL), Zealous Guardian, Loch Korrigan, Ember Gale, Niveous Wisps, River's Grasp, Tatterkite, Lockjaw Snapper
--> Silkbind Faerie

Pack 2 pick 3:
Medicine Runner, Kinscaer Harpoonist, Cinderhaze Wretch, Farhaven Elf, Scuttlemutt, Sinking Feeling, Inquisitor's Snare, Gloomwidow's Feast, Manaforge Cinder, Scuzzback Scrapper, Faerie Swarm, Horde of Boggarts, Mossbridge Troll
--> Scuttlemutt

Pack 2 pick 4:
Merrow Wavebreakers, Gloomlance, Boggart Arsonists, Runes of the Deus, Scrapbasket, Strip Bare, Drowner Initiate, Scarscale Ritual, Intimidator Initiate, Gnarled Effigy, Umbral Mantle, Sygg, River Cutthroat
--> Sygg, River Cutthroat

Pack 2 pick 5:
Consign to Dream, Woodfall Primus (FOIL), Blistering Dieflyn, Wingrattle Scarecrow, Put Away, Elvish Hexhunter, Smash to Smithereens, Smolder Initiate, Leech Bonder, Flourishing Defenses, Advice from the Fae
--> Leech Bonder

Pack 2 pick 6:
Wanderbrine Rootcutters, Scar, Boggart Arsonists, Presence of Gond, Briarberry Cohort, Niveous Wisps, Zealous Guardian, Rite of Consumption, Bloodshed Fever, Loamdragger Giant
--> Briarberry Cohort

Pack 2 pick 7:
Ghastly Discovery, Oona's Gatewarden, Cinderhaze Wretch, Cerulean Wisps, Strip Bare, Intimidator Initiate, Elsewhere Flask, Gloomwidow, Bloodmark Mentor
--> Oona's Gatewarden

Pack 2 pick 8:
Ghastly Discovery, Gloomlance, Chainbreaker, Turn to Mist, Scarscale Ritual, Cerulean Wisps, Ember Gale, Repel Intruders
--> Gloomlance

Pack 2 pick 9:
Oona's Gatewarden, Runes of the Deus, Loamdragger Giant, Drowner Initiate, Bloodshed Fever, Reknit (FOIL), Deepchannel Mentor
--> Oona's Gatewarden

Pack 2 pick 10:
Merrow Wavebreakers, Chainbreaker, Hollowsage (FOIL), Zealous Guardian, Loch Korrigan, Ember Gale
--> Merrow Wavebreakers

Pack 2 pick 11:
Kinscaer Harpoonist, Sinking Feeling, Manaforge Cinder, Scuzzback Scrapper, Horde of Boggarts
--> Kinscaer Harpoonist

Pack 2 pick 12:
Merrow Wavebreakers, Strip Bare, Drowner Initiate, Intimidator Initiate
--> Intimidator Initiate

Pack 2 pick 13:
Put Away, Smash to Smithereens, Smolder Initiate
--> Put Away

Pack 2 pick 14:
Rite of Consumption, Bloodshed Fever
--> Rite of Consumption

Pack 2 pick 15:
Ghastly Discovery
--> Ghastly Discovery

Pack 3 pick 1:
Grazing Kelpie, Double Cleave, Talara's Bane, Duergar Assailant, Scourge of the Nobilis, Heartlash Cinder, Shell Skulkin, Nettle Sentinel, Snakeform, Wilderness Hypnotist, Soul Reap, Bloodied Ghost, Quillspike, Duergar Mine-Captain, Inundate
--> Soul Reap

Pack 3 pick 2:
Noggle Bandit, Merrow Levitator, Banishing Knack, Slippery Bogle, Cenn's Enlistment, Battlegate Mimic, Rendclaw Trow, Clout of the Dominus, Gwyllion Hedge-Mage, Rise of the Hobgoblins, Jawbone Skulkin, Fire at Will, Stalker Hag, Springjack Shepherd
--> Noggle Bandit

Pack 3 pick 3:
Fire at Will, Stream Hopper, Hag Hedge-Mage, Slippery Bogle, Phosphorescent Feast, Gift of the Deity, Dream Thief, Noggle Bridgebreaker, Wilderness Hypnotist, Raven's Crime, Ballynock Trapper, Duergar Hedge-Mage, Cenn's Enlistment
--> Dream Thief

Pack 3 pick 4:
Nightsky Mimic, Inside Out, Moonhold, Kithkin Spellduster, Shell Skulkin, Noggle Bandit, Shorecrasher Mimic, Antler Skulkin, Hobgoblin Dragoon, Drain the Well, Odious Trow, Favor of the Overbeing
--> Noggle Bandit

Pack 3 pick 5:
Hoof Skulkin, Nip Gwyllion, Hotheaded Giant, Grazing Kelpie, Banishing Knack, Merrow Bonegnawer, Noggle Hedge-Mage, Selkie Hedge-Mage, Woodlurker Mimic, Creakwood Ghoul, Battlegate Mimic
--> Noggle Hedge-Mage

Pack 3 pick 6:
Batwing Brume, Raven's Crime, Harvest Gwyllion, Favor of the Overbeing, Unwilling Recruit, Sanity Grinding, Jawbone Skulkin, Heartlash Cinder, Kithkin Zealot, Monstrify
--> Harvest Gwyllion

Pack 3 pick 7:
Merrow Levitator, Tilling Treefolk, Nip Gwyllion, Cinder Pyromancer, Trapjaw Kelpie, Merrow Bonegnawer, Gilder Bairn, Fang Skulkin, Crumbling Ashes
--> Crumbling Ashes

Pack 3 pick 8:
Monstrify, Inside Out, Smoldering Butcher, Clout of the Dominus, Idle Thoughts, Altar Golem, Marshdrinker Giant, Beckon Apparition
--> Smoldering Butcher

Pack 3 pick 9:
Double Cleave, Talara's Bane, Duergar Assailant, Scourge of the Nobilis, Heartlash Cinder, Shell Skulkin, Wilderness Hypnotist
--> Wilderness Hypnotist

Pack 3 pick 10:
Slippery Bogle, Cenn's Enlistment, Battlegate Mimic, Clout of the Dominus, Jawbone Skulkin, Springjack Shepherd
--> Clout of the Dominus

Pack 3 pick 11:
Stream Hopper, Phosphorescent Feast, Noggle Bridgebreaker, Wilderness Hypnotist, Raven's Crime
--> Noggle Bridgebreaker

Pack 3 pick 12:
Shell Skulkin, Antler Skulkin, Drain the Well, Odious Trow
--> Odious Trow

Pack 3 pick 13:
Hotheaded Giant, Merrow Bonegnawer, Creakwood Ghoul
--> Hotheaded Giant

Pack 3 pick 14:
Jawbone Skulkin, Heartlash Cinder
--> Heartlash Cinder

Pack 3 pick 15:
Nip Gwyllion
--> Nip Gwyllion