Magic Origins Draft #7: Vying for Victory in Vegas

My daughter and I are visiting my parents in Las Vegas.  There's lots of fun things to do in Vegas, or so I hear, and of course what I did was drag my daughter to a Tuesday night draft at a local game store.

The Draft and the Decks

The draft was broken up into two pods, and naturally I ended up seated next to my daughter.  My first pick was Hixus, Prison Warden; my second a Patron of the Valiant; and then the White promptly disappeared.  Hm.  I started drafting Red... and then that dried up as well.

There were Claustrophobias floating around however, and past experience had taught me that Blue is often underdrafted, and so I started dipping my toes into Blue, thinking that I might go Blue-Red.

The second pack had a Disciple of the Ring, which seemed to confirm my choice.  But a couple of wheeled Thunderclap Wyverns just confused me even further, and by the end of pack 2 I started thinking... three colors?

My snap pick in the third pack was Liliana, Heretical Healer, but I resisted the urge to taste the rainbow by leaping into Black (despite the Priest of the Blood Rite I had hate-drafted earlier).  My third pick in the third pack was a Sentinel of the Eternal Watch, and that was when it became clear that Blue-White was a very viable option.

CREATURES (15)   Bonded Construct Disciple of the Ring Guardian Automaton Hixus, Prison Warden Maritime Guard Patron of the Valiant Ringwarden Owl Scrapskin Drake Sentinel of the Eternal Watch Thunderclap Wyvern x2 Totem-Guide Hartebeest Watercourser x3

ENCHANTMENTS (5)   Claustrophobia x3 Knightly Valor Stratus Walk   INSTANTS (2)   Hydrolash Send to Sleep   SORCERIES (1)   Anchor to the Aether   LANDS (17)   Evolving Wilds Island x9 Plains x7

SIDEBOARD   Acolyte of the Inferno Act of Treason Alchemist's Vial Fiery Impulse Ghirapur Gearcrafter Healing Hands Infectious Bloodlust Island Lightning Javelin Liliana, Heretical Healer Macabre Waltz Meteorite Prickleboar Priest of the Blood Rite Undead Servant Volcanic Rambler x2 Yoked Ox

Yep, I played Disciple of the Ring despite only having three instants and sorceries total.  Hey, I thought, it really only needs to trigger once or twice...

Meanwhile, my daughter exhibited her remarkable draft discipline by creating a mono-White deck.  And at an age when I would have merrily snapped up every single rare I saw, she had the fortitude to only pick up a single rare, which was in her colors.

CREATURES (14)   Akroan Jailer x2 Charging Griffin x2 Consul's Lieutenant Heavy Infantry x3 Knight of the Pilgrim's Road Kytheon's Irregulars Patron of the Valiant Stalwart Aven x2 Topan Freeblade

ENCHANTMENTS (2)   Grasp of the Hieromancer Suppression Bonds   ARTIFACTS (2)   Sigil of Valor x2   INSTANTS (4)   Celestial Flare x3 Mighty Leap   SORCERIES (1)   Kytheon's Tactics   LANDS (17)   Foundry of the Consuls Plains x16

SIDEBOARD   Akroan Jailer x2 Aven Battle Priest x2 Elemental Bond Enlightened Ascetic Gather the Pack Healing Hands Hitchclaw Recluse x2 Infectious Bloodlust Jayemdae Tome Meteorite Might of the Masses Nightsnare Pharika's Disciple Timberpack Wolf War Horn

The matchups for the first round were announced... and I was startled to learn that players would be matched up across pods, a policy that was foreign to me.  But as I constantly tell my daughter, different people do different things and that's perfectly fine.

Round 1

I don't have many details about this round.  I faced a player who had just returned to the game, and beat him quite handily.  Meanwhile my daughter got mana-screwed her first game and mana-flooded her second.  "It happens," she said, putting on her philosophical face.

Result:

• Me: W (2-0)
• My Daughter: L (0-2)

Round 2

I faced a nightmarish Red-Black deck with 11-12 removal spells, everything from three Fiery Impulse to a couple of the black 5-cost kill spells - and his many Fetid Imps might as well have counted as even more removal.  But although he could deal with my early game quite easily, the late game became far more difficult for him, and I eked out the game 1 victory with a Toten-Guide Hartebeest retrieving Knightly Valor.

But in game 2 I was never able to find my footing, and game 3 started out extremely badly for me when he cast Infinite Obliteration to rip out both my Thunderclap Wyverns.  Fortunately the rest of the game was a repeat of game 1, and once again I ended up on top.

My daughter won her matches, and ran up to me proudly declaring that "Sigil of Valor is awesome!"

Result:

• Me: W (2-1)
• My Daughter: W (2-0)

Round 3

My opponent this round was also playing a Black-Red deck... except his featured Blazing Hellhound, Enthralling Victor, and Act of Treason.  Ugh.  Once I realized his game plan, I decided there wasn't much I could do... but attack, attack, and attack some more.

This plan failed in game 2; fortunately it worked out in games 1 and 3 when my opponent didn't draw the cards he needed, and I was able to take the round.

My daughter faced my second round opponent, and much to my surprise, managed to win a game with the help of Heavy Infantry.  Sadly for her, in game 3 her opponent used Infinite Obliteration to, well, obliterate her Heavy Infantry.

Result:

• Me: W (2-1)
• My Daughter: L (1-2)

Round 4

My opponent had a Green-Blue control deck, with big blockers and walls and cards like Sphinx's Tutelage, Harbinger of the Tides, and Separatist Voidmage, as well as a Gaea's Revenge to quickly close games out.

Fortunately I was able to maintain a board state in the face of his temporary removal.  Both of our games were extremely close, but I won them both by relying on my 5+ cost creatures such as Hixus, Totem-Guide Hartebeest, Disciple of the Ring, and Sentinel of the Eternal Watch.

Meanwhile my daughter played against my first round opponent and quickly ran away with a victory.

Result:

• Me: W (2-0)
• My Daughter: W (2-0)

Summary

I guess I read the signals correctly this draft, executing a proper course-change near the end of pack 1 and keeping enough options open to finally settle on the Blue-White combination.  I don't think my deck has any one overwhelming strategy; instead it has many minor synergies that helped me narrowly win several close games.

The prize was store credit, and I promptly and happily expended it by purchasing a Demonic Pact for myself - I swear that there's a deck that wants that card!

I let my daughter spend much of the rest, and her eye was immediately caught by a tray of custom Magic tokens.

"Hey, that Germ..." I began.

"LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE YOU!" she shrieked, right before launching into a tickle assault on my poor defenseless armpits.  Ah well.  Such is life.

Magic Origins Draft #6: I Fail At Reading Signals

The Draft and the Decks

I chose not to take Willbreaker or any of the uncommons in my first pack, grabbing a Topan Freeblade instead.  My second pick was Chandra's Ignition, my third was Celestial Flare, and life looked good.  Well, it was good until I realized I was getting zero cheap Red or White creatures.

I compensated by tentatively moving into Black.  But as the first pack morphed into the second pack and then into the third, it became clear that none of my three colors were particularly open.

This is the monstrously ugly deck I ended up playing.

CREATURES (17)   Boggart Brute Deadbridge Shaman Despoiler of Souls Eyeblight Assassin Ghirapur Gearcrafter Guardian Automaton Malakir Cullblade x2 Prickleboar Rabid Bloodsucker Seismic Elemental Shambling Ghoul x2 Skyraker Giant Undead Servant x2 Volcanic Rambler

ENCHANTMENTS (1)   Shadows of the Past   INSTANTS (4)   Clash of Wills Titan's Strength Touch of Moonglove Unholy Hunger   SORCERIES (1)   Chandra's Ignition   LANDS (17)   Evolving Wilds Island Mountain x7 Swamp x8

SIDEBOARD   Blood-Cursed Knight Caustic Caterpillar Celestial Flare Citadel Castellan Cleric of the Forward Order Displacement Wave Forest Healing Hands Hitchclaw Recluse Might of the Masses Nissa's Pilgrimage Outland Colossus Psychic Rebuttal Reclaim Stalwart Aven Topan Freeblade Vine Snare Yoked Ox

Okay, the Clash of Wills is stupid; I should have just gone with 18 lands.


Round 1

The mystery of what had happened to the cheap Red/White creatures was quickly answered.  My first round opponent had been sitting to my right in the draft pod, and he overran me with Akroan Sergeant and Stalwart Aven and combat tricks.  I did eke out the first game due to mana issues on his part, only to have the favor returned in the next two.  I think he would have handily beaten me anyway.

Result: L (1-2)


Round 2

The first game my opponent played Islands and Separatist Voidmages. They were annoying but ultimately inconsequential; I suspected that he had failed to draw lands to support his second color.  Game 2 proved me right as he played a Plains and went over me with an army of flyers.  Unfortunately for him, I curved out perfectly game 3 and overran him before he could mount a substantial board presence.

Result: W (2-1)


Round 3

My third round opponent was also playing Black-Red.  In the first game my first opening hand had no lands; my second opening hand had five.  That set the tone for the ensuing mana flood.

I was far more successful on the play; it turns out that when two aggressive decks face each other, the first player has the advantage.  But sadly for me, the maxim held true for game 3, where I was on the draw and was never able to keep up with my opponent's board.

Result: L (1-2)


Summary

My draft was ugly, my deck was ugly, and my frequent mulligans were ugly.  Ah well, these things happen - and at least all the ugliness was contained in a single draft experience!

Magic Origins Draft #5: And I Shall Never See the Like Again

The second FNM after the release of Magic Origins was just as crowded as the first, except eight people felt ready to play in the Standard event.  That left 25 people for the draft, split into two pods of 8 and one pod of 9.  I was placed in the 9-man pod.

The Draft and the Decks

My first pack contained Kothophed, Soul Hoarder and Sentinel of the Eternal Watch.  In the past I would have taken Kothophed without a second thought, gloating over its power and - more important - its beautiful rarity.  But now...

I think Kothophed probably is a slightly stronger card than the Sentinel... but in Magic Origins, White is a stronger color than Black.  So I made my choice and took the Sentinel.

It should be mentioned now that there were a bunch of newer people at this FNM, mostly players who had stopped playing a few years ago and come back to try out Origins.  And card evaluations in the draft pod may have been a bit off as a result.

And that's how I managed to grab a second Sentinel of the Eternal Watch as a fifth pick in pack 1.  My fourth pick in pack 2 was Kytheon's Irregulars.  The last card in one of the packs was Suppression Bonds.

This is the White-Red deck I ended up playing.

CREATURES (15)   Acolyte of the Inferno Akroan Sergeant Blessed Spirits Boggart Brute x2 Cleric of the Forward Order Ghirapur Gearcrafter Iroas's Champion Kytheon's Irregulars Patron of the Valiant Sentinel of the Eternal Watch x2 Stalwart Aven Thopter Engineer War Oracle

ENCHANTMENTS (3)   Knightly Valor Suppression Bonds x2   INSTANTS (2)   Celestial Flare Fiery Impulse   SORCERIES (3)   Exquisite Firecraft Swift Reckoning Tragic Arrogance   LANDS (17)   Plains x10 Mountain x7

SIDEBOARD   Akroan Sergeant Alchemist's Vial Blessed Spirits Citadel Castellan Enlightened Ascetic Evolutionary Leap Ghriapur Aether Grid Grasp of the Hieromancer Healing Hands Heavy Infantry Knightly Valor Kytheon's Tactics Pharika's Disciple x2 Reave Soul Ringwarden Owl Separatist Voidmage Volcanic Rambler War Horn

Round 1

My first round opponent was one of the aforementioned returning players.  He had a Blue-White deck that was simply no match for mine in terms of speed or power.

Result: W (2-0)


Round 2

My opponent this round was playing Black-Green Elves, and although I won both games, they were both extremely close.  His early Elvish Visionarys and Dwynen's Elites provided problematic board states, especially since my deck was light on two-drops.  Touch of Moonglove pushed through lots of damage, and his two Eyeblight Massacres were adept at clearing away most of my creatures.  I was simply fortunate enough to stabilize both games before it was too late, and to be able to win before he drew his possible salvation: a Joraga Invocation.

Result: W (2-0)


Round 3

My opponent was another returning player, which is the only reason why I managed to win.  He played a Black-Green deck with lots of early two-drops - once again, problematic - and Touch of Moonglove - once again, quite painful.  In game 1 I managed to stabilize before it was too late.  In game 2 I wasn't in time - that is, I shouldn't have been in time.  If he had remembered that his Alchemist's Vial could neutralize my blocker, he would have won.

Result: W (2-0)


Summary

My deck was quite powerful, and yet my near-losses in the last two rounds reminded me: Magic Origins is not a slow format.  In this draft, I should have prioritized additional Clerics of the Forward Order over the mass of strong three-drops that I ended up with.

I'll remember that for next time: fail to plan for a quick deck and even the strongest deck may pay the (ultimate) price!

Let's Try This Again!

I admit that my first title for this blog - 'Dad Magic' - was completely uninspired, a throwaway name that I was quick to decide upon so that I could do what I really wanted to do: write a bash script to parse my decklist notations into HTML.

I've since had time to reflect, and my new title is both far more inspired and fully approved by my daughter.  "That's exactly what I want to do when I play Magic!" she said.  "Smashy face you for twenty!"

Magic Origins Draft #4: Wow, What a Mean Teacher

The Draft and the Decks

My first pick was Liliana, Heretical Healer.  My second was Wild Instincts.  And after that... well, no color really seemed open, so I vacillated between picking up some White, or maybe some Blue...

That's how I ended up playing Black-Green-White.  It's true that I could have made a two color deck - but that deck seemed a little light on oomph.  I'll take higher power and higher variance any day of the week.

CREATURES (16)   Citadel Castellan Eyeblight Assassin Fetid Imp Leaf Gilder Liliana, Heretical Healer Llanowar Empath Malakir Cullblade Nantuko Husk Orchard Spirit Pharika's Disciple Shambling Ghoul Somberwald Alpha Stalwart Aven Topan Freeblade Valeron Wardens Yeva's Forcemage

INSTANTS (3)   Reclaim Unholy Hunger x2   SORCERIES (4)   Macabre Waltz Reave Soul Wild Instincts x2   LANDS (17)   Caves of Koilos Forest x7 Plains x2 Swamp x6

SIDEBOARD   Aerial Volley Auramancer Bonded Construct Bone to Ash Brawler's Plate Cleric of the Forward Order Dark Dabbling x2 Heavy Infantry Maritime Guard Necromantic Summons x2 Nivix Barrier Prickleboar Reclaim Unholy Hunger Watercourser Zendikar's Roil

Round 1

My opponent played a Blue-White deck full of flyers, especially Scrapskin Drakes.  But they were no match for the Liliana I played both games, especially when she started repeatedly punching them with Wild Instincts that I could Reclaim, and lifelink to boot. 

Result: W (2-0)


Round 2

Oh dear god Sphinx's Tutelage.  My opponent played a mono-Blue deck full of counters and draw; in his first game he had his Sphinx's Tutelage out on turn 5, and in his second he had it out on turn 3.  Both games played the same after that: he countered my threats or stalled them out with creatures like Guardians of Meletis, and all the while he drew card after card with Artificer's Epiphany and other effects, and murdered my deck as a side effect.  I knew I should have drafted a Caustic Caterpillar!

Result: L (0-2)


Summary

Well, okay, lesson learned: Sphinx's Tutelage is a nightmare.  I've seen a thread on a Magic message board bemoaning the lack of control decks in Magic Origins draft.  That simply isn't true; the control deck of this format just plays differently than control decks from past formats.

Magic Origins Draft #3: Don't Underestimate the Little Guys

There's a bar near where I live that hosts casual Magic drafts every Tuesday.  I'm not a drinker though, so I've always avoided the place.  But, ah, the lure of drafting a new set was too strong to resist...

The Draft and the Decks

I rejected the rare in my first pack - Talent of the Telepath - and instead chose a card that's been very good to me in Limited: Seismic Elemental.  After that I flirted with the idea of picking White as my secondary color... but the siren song of playing with Big Stompy Creatures was too hard to resist.  A mid-pack Zendikar Incarnate solidified my choice: Red-Green.

CREATURES (17)   Akroan Sergeant Boggart Brute x2 Chief of the Foundry Embermaw Hellion Gaea's Revenge Ghirapur Gearcrafter Guardian Automaton Hitchclaw Recluse Llanowar Empath Pharika's Disciple Prickleboar x2 Rhox Maulers Seismic Elemental Undercity Troll Zendikar Incarnate

ARTIFACTS (1)   Meteorite   INSTANTS (4)   Fiery Conclusion Fiery Impulse Titan's Strength x2   SORCERIES (1)   Joraga Invocation   LANDS (17)   Forest x8 Mountain x9

SIDEBOARD   Bellows Lizard Bounding Krasis Caustic Caterpillar Chandra's Fury Cobblebrute Deep-Sea Terror Demolish Goblin Piledriver Might of the Masses Prickleboar Sigil of Valor Smash to Smithereens Subterranean Scout Throwing Knife Thunderclap Wyvern Topan Freeblade Undead Servant Vastwood Gorger Watercourser

My biggest worry?  My deck felt a little top-heavy, and I idly hoped I wouldn't have to face a blazing fast Red-White or Green-White deck.


Round 1

My opponent played a Black-Red deck that was heavy on the removal.  But it didn't seem to have early creatures, and so although he picked off my initial onslaught both games, I was able to play threat after threat after threat until he had no defenses left.

Result: W (2-0)


Round 2

My opponent played my greatest fear: a Green-White deck full of two- and three-drops.  In the first game he jumped out to an early lead, and although I stabilized late, a surprise Gideon's Phalanx wiped my board and that was that.

The second game was even worse.  By turn 4 he had two renowned Consul's Lieutenants, while I was stuck on three mana and playing down Boggart Brutes in a wasteful attempt to fend them off.  Needless to say I lost quickly.

Result: L (0-2)


Summary

There's a price for being a top-heavy deck!  I guess that's a lesson learned: be prepared for a quick rush, or be prepared to get knocked out.

My Daughter's Proxies; or, The Cutest Goyf in the World

I think I've mentioned that whenever I buy a box of Magic cards, my daughter and I simulate a Sealed format by opening six packs at a time, building Limited decks, and playing each other.  It's great fun, and educational to boot.

But when my Modern Masters 2015 box arrived, I fell prey to my American capitalistic sensibilities: I insisted that any 'money' cards could not be used.  "That's not fun!" my daughter said, and you know what, she's entirely right.  So we arrived at a compromise that lit up her little eyes: she would draw proxies for the money cards.  Here are a few; see if you can guess what cards they represent before reading the explanation.

This is a Vendilion Clique (or, as my daughter used to say, "the Vendilion Snap"; it took me a while to understand her confusion).  I have no idea why the sun in the picture is wearing glasses.

This is a proxy for a foil Vraska the Unseen that we opened in a Return to Ravnica box.  My daughter thought it would be hilarious to give her a big smile.  You know, she's kinda right.

And these are her pride and joy: a rather cheerful pair of Tarmogoyfs.  One is a boy and one is a girl (note the ribbon on the girl Tarmogoyf).