Magic Origins Draft #1: You're Going to Put *What* in Your Deck?

My daughter was so eager to draft Magic Origins that she practically ran the half-mile to the game store.  Truth be told I may have been nearly as excited - but alas, when you're a parent, sometimes you just have to restrain yourself.

The Draft and the Decks

Thirty-one people showed up, which worked out to three pods of 8 and one pod of 7.  My daughter and I ended up in separate pods, and the draft began.

Much of my initial excitement waned during the draft; after M15, there is nothing quite so disheartening as opening two painlands as your rare (the third rare was even less memorable).  My first pick was an Unholy Hunger, my next an Undercity Troll.  Then two Ghirapur Gearcrafters were passed to me, and I decided to go in on Red.

Here's the deck I ended up with:

CREATURES (15)   Boggart Brute Elvish Visionary Firefiend Elemental Ghirapur Gearcrafter x2 Hitchclaw Recluse Pharika's Disciple Prickleboar x2 Seismic Elemental Separatist Voidmage Skyraker Giant Undercity Troll Vastwood Gorger Volcanic Rambler

ARTIFACTS (1)   Throwing Knife   INSTANTS (6)   Disperse Fiery Impulse Might of the Masses Ravaging Blaze x2 Send to Sleep   SORCERIES (1)   Lightning Javelin   LANDS (17)   Evolving Wilds Forest x6 Island x2 Mountain x8

SIDEBOARD   Anointer of Champions Deep-Sea Terror Eyeblight Assassin Hydrolash Macabre Waltz Maritime Guard Nivix Barrier x2 Possessed Skaab Rabid Bloodsucker Scrapskin Drake Swamp Swift Reckoning Thunderclap Wyvern Totem-Guide Hartebeest Unholy Hunger Veteran's Sidearm Volcanic Rambler

"You went three colors again?" my daughter exclaimed disapprovingly when she came by to check out my build.

I explained to her that the Blue was more of a splash, meant for the late game when I needed to temporarily remove a particularly problematic threat or blocker.  I also noted that if  I had seen better threats in Red or Green, I would have taken those instead and happily remained in two colors.  But I am of the philosophy that staying two colors for the sake of staying two colors is not the best idea, often leading to slogs of a game where an opponent plays a bomb and you just stare at it with a sinking feeling in your stomach, knowing that there's no way you can deal with it.

My daughter seemed unconvinced by my explanation.

I started looking over her deck.  And then, in my finest hour as a father, I persuaded her that putting The Great Aurora in her deck was not the best idea.  If she didn't care about winning, I wouldn't have mentioned it.  But although my daughter is very gracious when she loses, I know her heart, and I know that she lives for a chance at victory.

Here's the deck that she ended up using:

CREATURES (15)   Cobblebrute Conclave Naturalists Embermaw Hellion Goblin Glory Chaser Leaf Gilder x2 Pharika's Disciple x2 Rhox Maulers Seismic Elemental Timberpack Wolf x3 Vastwood Gorger x2

ARTIFACTS (1)   Sigil of Valor   INSTANTS (4)   Chandra's Fury Might of the Masses x2 Titan's Strength   SORCERIES (3)   Dragon Fodder Gather the Pack Wild Instincts   LANDS (17)   Foundry of the Consuls Forest x9 Mountain x7

SIDEBOARD   Akroan Jailer Call of the Full Moon Chandra's Fury Cobblebrute x2 Evolving Wilds Heavy Infantry Infectious Bloodlust Jayemdae Tome Kytheon's Tactics Maritime Guard Negate Prism Ring Send to Sleep Smash to Smithereens The Great Aurora Totem-Guide Hartebeest Undead Servant

Round 1

My opponent played a Red-White aggro deck.  He combined efficient creatures with devastating combat spells that could turn fearsome attacks into lethal damage.  In game 1, he brought me low with a Titan's Strength on Iroas's Champion, followed by Pia and Kiran Nalaar throwing a thopter in my face to finish me off.  Game 2 went better with me, as I was able to stabilize early and eventually wear him down.  Sadly for me, game 3 was much like the first.

In the meantime my daughter defeated her opponent, a young boy without much Magic experience.

Result:

• Me: L (1-2)
• My Daughter: W (2-0)

Round 2

In round 2 my opponent's deck - Green-Black - was nowhere near as fast as my round 1 opponent's.  In both games I was able to establish an early board presence, and then use my removal and combat tricks to swing in for huge chunks of damage at a time.

My daughter did not fare so well this round.

Result:

• Me: W (2-0)
• My Daughter: L (0-2)

Round 3

Round 3 played out similarly to round 2 for both my daughter and me.  This time my opponent played Green-White.  He also played a lot of early weak threats that pinged me early but could do nothing in the mid-game.  Once I got my beefier creatures in front of his, there wasn't much he could do.

Result:

• Me: W (2-0)
• My Daughter: L (0-2)

Summary

Although I was a bit saddened that I didn't get a chance to draft a beefy rare, I felt that my deck still performed well.  It was competitive in my one loss, and excelled in my wins.  Playing three colors was never an issue, and I never drew a blue spell I was unable to play.