Pack 1 pick 1:
My Pick:
I tried to make this harder than it was. I stopped and considered taking the tri-land. I then smacked myself and took the ex cap.
Pack 1 pick 2:
My Pick:
Yeah. I tried to make this harder than it was too. But then I figured that (a) two removal spells in two picks is good; (b) no matter what I take, Esper is going to be closed to me in the second pack; and (c) Sanctum Gargoyle is just not as good with only one pack in which to get them. Don't get me wrong, they are still good, just not crazy.
That and Mr. Bowles's ribbing regarding my unhealthy love of Esper may be having an effect.
Pack 1 pick 3:
My Pick:
This was a mistake. I should have taken the Court Archers, and gone aggro B/G, planning to get the Putrid Leech hookup in 3. Maybe I'm still nuts for Esper.
Pack 1 pick 4:
My Pick:
Love me the cultist. She's hawt. You know, in a goth kind of way. Okay, not hot, but a good card. I was really torn here, as if I end up going Jund, the Fodder or the Visionary is good sacrifice bait for a thrinax, etc. But, in the end, the repeatable grower is just better for me, in my opinion.
Pack 1 pick 5:
My Pick:
This is where my choice is. I could have tried to force aggro esper with the Duelist or more controling with Kiss. But I saw the Ogre and the Screetcher and figured that those were a pretty good signal on Grixis being open. Also, with the esper I've passed, I miss out on pack two. Finally, I really have only seen mediocre Esper cards. So, this is where I made the decision to move in.
Pack 1 pick 6:
My Pick:
I considered the Leotau, as the unearth makes him pretty solid, but blister beetle can be an underrated answer to an early blade, if they do not have
Pack 1 pick 7:
My Pick:
I didn't see that much for me, so I went with the triland, figuring that it might fall apart, and I might have to end up playing a domain-ish deck.
Pack 1 pick 8:
My Pick:
I considered the Reaver, as he's a solid dude, but in the end I went with the Ranneret. It's a cycler early and a big dude later. Also, if you cycle him turn two, you can get a two for one with soul manipulation anytime thereafter.
Pack 1 pick 9:
My Pick:
This was a mistake. I was not going to take the Ogre. Maybe that was wrong, as he's an aggressive 4. But even if I made this pick to again hedge on domain, I should have taken the Obelisk, as it would set up the rainbow, with the G and the W. But I don't like the tempo problem associated with the Obelisk.
Pack 1 pick 10:
My Pick:
I think this was a great tenth pick for me. I kind of wish I was jund because of the Thrash, but the Raider fits my colors.
Pack 1 pick 11:
My Pick:
This may have been a mistake. With Grixis, the Deathbringer can actually make a difference. But I really wanted the option to sideboard in a cancel to fight a huge bomb. Or at least, I thought I was more likely to side in the Cancel than to side in the Deathbringer.
Pack 1 pick 12:
My Pick:
Yea! Sideboard card with 12th pick.
Pack 1 pick 13:
My Pick:
Whatever.
Pack 1 pick 14:
My Pick:
Yeah.
Pack 1 pick 15:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 1:
My Pick:
I admit it. A straight up raredraft. I missed a vis (which I probably would have taken) or a Hellspark. But after consulting via messaging with Mr. Bowles, I feel the raredraft was justified.
Pack 2 pick 2:
My Pick:
I love Man O'War. I need to consider his trigger in close cases in the future.
Pack 2 pick 3:
My Pick:
Drag down is the pick. I dare you to take a contra position in the comments.
Pack 2 pick 4:
My Pick:
I've soured on Septre of Insight after playing it a couple of times. I'd rather have Mask of Riddles. And, Strix is pretty awesome considering that I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to turn his trigger on with the way the deck is shaking up. I can't tell you the number of times that I dropped an ex cap first turn, cycled for land on two and Strix on three.
Pack 2 pick 5:
My Pick:
I'm pretty sure that this was right. I'm looking pretty tempoish right now, and Remains is awesome in that role. Hell, it's just awesome period. I briefly tried to talk myself out of it in for the Outlander. But again, I'm pretty certain Remains is the pick.
Pack 2 pick 6:
My Pick:
This may have been a mistake. I possibly should have taken the Hellspark. But I'm B/U/r, so I can't be sure that I'll be able to get the Spark early. Also, the Controlled Instinct turns on the Alchemist, if played on a red or green two drop, which is a tempo beating, even if all you bounce is a borderpost.
Pack 2 pick 7:
My Pick:
Manafixing is good. I'd hear arguments regarding the Minotaur, but as Mr. Bowles told me today, in Alara, manabase is king.
Pack 2 pick 8:
My Pick:
Okay, this may have been a mistake. Unsummon is a true tempo card. But I went with the conditional removal.
Pack 2 pick 9:
My Pick:
Why is the Outlander and the Bounty in this pack? This made me wonder whether I should have been Jund. I went with Yoke. It's pretty good with the Unearth guys, as well as given the three other true removal spells I have. And I'm hoping for at least one Terminate.
Pack 2 pick 10:
My Pick:
Yeah, I'm just hating because I will not play view from above. This should not be here.
Pack 2 pick 11:
My Pick:
Okay, this officially makes the Unsummon non-pick awkward. If, however, I'm up against red or green . . . I've got some stops.
Pack 2 pick 12:
My Pick:
Hating Sporeburst, as I won't play Tendrils.
Pack 2 pick 13:
My Pick:
Whatever. I hope to have better two drops.
Pack 2 pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 2 pick 15:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 1:
My Pick:
To say I was disappointed with this pack is an understatement. Taking the Soul Manipulation first I really did not like, although I specifically wanted one for this deck. Oh well. In its defense, it was always great when I drew it. With all the cyclers I end up with, it's always replaces itself.
Pack 3 pick 2:
My Pick:
Hackblade is the pick. I was pretty certain that the one mana cycler or the two mana land cycler would wheel.
Pack 3 pick 3:
My Pick:
Not super happy taking the land cycler this early. But, you do what you can.
Pack 3 pick 4:
My Pick:
I soooo wished I was Jund at this point. Vengeful Rebirth is so good. See also, putrid leech. But the Flyer seemed like the pick.
Pack 3 pick 5:
My Pick:
This one was tough for me. If I were Jund, I'd take the bomber. But the Architect just seems better, as at this point, I'm light on fours and I have threes. And, again the cycling just makes things so much smoother. And if you actually play it, it smooths you or screws the opponent as well.
Pack 3 pick 6:
My Pick:
Landcycling is good, especially for mountains at this point. I love the Necro Covenant, but alas, twas not to be. I'm interested in your views on the land cycler versus the 5 mana cycler.
Pack 3 pick 7:
My Pick:
I always thought that Mask of Riddles was good, but after watching LSV's 4th ACR draft, and the way he used Mask, I was happy to get it at this point. In at least two matches, the Mask just allowed me to bury my opponent in cards, once to stay ahead and once to just get better topdecks.
Pack 3 pick 8:
My Pick:
I'm not a fan of the Grixis Sojourner, as it might be the worst of the Sojourners. So I went with the smoother 4 drop again.
Pack 3 pick 9:
My Pick:
I'm happy to get another unearth guy in my main colors.
Pack 3 pick 10:
My Pick:
Ecstatic to get the 4/4 cycler.
Pack 3 pick 11:
My Pick:
The whip actually helped me win one game. It made my race just better than his race, and also allowed me to power through a shroud wall. Not a great card, but good to side in if it's the right matchup.
Pack 3 pick 12:
My Pick:
Meh.
Pack 3 pick 13:
My Pick:
I have like three or four copies of this, just because no one picks it.
Pack 3 pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 15:
My Pick:
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Here's the deck build, with side board:
Round 1: I play against a bad Bant deck. I roll him the first game, as he's a bit mana screwed. In the second game, it's my turn to be mana screwed, but double using a land cycler thanks to Soul Manipulation allows me to slow down his exaulted chain (his second court archers) and get out of mana problems. The Controlled instincts shut down his two biggest threats, and I just overwhelm him. I did, however, neglect to play around offering to asha, so I felt bad about that.
Round 2:
I played an Esper deck, without any real bombs. I won the first game on tempo, after winning the die roll and getting two ex caps and a drag down with the Esper blade, followed by Mask. The second game was much closer. I beat down early, but he stabilized. With the Shroud wall, his own esper blade and a bant blade. Eventually, I was able to push through, with Alchemist after combat to kill the Esper blade.
Round 3:
I played a 5 color deck. I won the first game when he didn't do anything really until the fifth turn. By that time, I Alchemist, swing, Soul Manipulate and swing with everyone and the hasty Pouncer for lethal. The second game, I lose because I counter his Necromancer's covenant, but he gets it back with Vengeful Rebirth to the face and then casts it for 5 zombies. In the third game, I have Esper blade, Jund Blade, Mask, Shambling Remains, Architect, Mountain, Swamp. I keep, as if I draw an island second turn, it's over. If I draw another land by third turn, he's still in trouble. I drop swamp, cycle Architect for an ex cap on his turn, draw alchemist, drop mountain, pass, draw swamp, drop Remains, next turn, draw island, swing drop esper blade, next turn, drop mask, equip, swing with esper blade and I just get so far ahead with the ex cap and the alchemist, as well as another ex cap, it's over.
I think I'm learning that a consistent mana base and good quick creatures and removal can win you a good deal of games.
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