Magic Origins Pre-Release #1: No Reason to Feel Blue

The first thing I saw when I opened my pre-release box was a foil Jace, Vryn's Prodigy.  I took that as a good sign, and resolved to play Blue no matter what.  I am superstitious, and not playing a foil planeswalker feels like blasphemy against the Magic gods.

In retrospect, perhaps it would have been better to be an atheist.  Both White and Green had decent creatures with top-end forces like Kytheon's Irregulars, Rhox Maulers, Sentinel of the Eternal Watch, and Gaea's Revenge.  Red had some good removal.  Eventually I decided that creatures were better than removal, and built a Blue-Green-White deck.

CREATURES (18)   Bounding Krasis Elvish Visionary Gaea's Revenge Hitchclaw Recluse Jace, Vryn's Prodigy Jhessian Thief Kytheon's Irregulars Leaf Gilder x3 Rhox Maulers Sentinel of the Eternal Watch Separatist Voidmage Sigiled Starfish x2 Topan Freeblade Undercity Troll Yeva's Forcemage   ENCHANTMENTS (2)   Claustrophobia Stratus Walk   ARTIFACTS (1)   Alchemist's Vial   SORCERIES (2)   Anchor to the Aether Tragic Arrogance   LANDS (17)   Evolving Wilds Forest x6 Island x6 Plains x4

SIDEBOARD   Akroan Jailer Auramancer x2 Charging Griffin Enshrouding Mist Healing Hands Knight of the Pilgrim's Road Kytheon's Tactics Mighty Leap Stalwart Aven Totem-Guide Hartebeest --- Maritime Guard x3 Nivix Barrier x2 Ringwarden Owl Thopter Spy Network Tower Geist Watercourser x2 --- Dark Dabbling x2 Deadbridge Shaman Infernal Scarring Macabre Waltz Nightsnare Read the Bones Returned Centaur Thornbow Archer Touch of Moonglove Unholy Hunger Weight of the Underworld

Act of Treason Avaricious Dragon Bellows Lizard Boggart Brute Chandra's Fury x2 Cobblebrute Demolish Fiery Impulse x3 Flameshadow Conjuring Goblin Glory Chaser Mage-Ring Bully Ravaging Blaze Skyraker Giant Subterranean Scout Titan's Strength --- Orchard Spirit Sylvan Messenger x2 Timberpack Wolf x2 Blazing Hellhound Zendikar Incarnate --- Alchemist's Vial Guardian Automaton Guardians of Meletis x2 Helm of the Gods Prism Ring Ramroller --- Foundry of the Consuls Mage-Ring Network

My overall strategy: cheap drops to stall the board, Sigiled Starfish and Jace to craft my hand, and my big creatures to close the game out. It sounded okay in concept, but the execution seemed variable due to being in three colors.  And the lack of any instant-speed tricks (other than Bounding Krasis) made me uneasy.

Round 1

I played against a Red-White Aggro deck, full of two and three drop creatures.  The first game was a desperate scramble to stabilize after my opponent played Kytheon's Irregulars on turn 4.  By the time I drew Tragic Arrogance, it was too late; I held on for some turns after that but was unable to withstand his second round of creatures.

Game 2 went far better for me, with my early creatures stalling his out.  On the last turn I flipped Jace into a planeswalker and also played a Sentinel of the Eternal Watch, and my opponent scooped.

Game 3 was an uphill battle after my opponent played a turn 1 Anointer of Champions followed by a turn 3 double-striking Iroas's Champion.  I eventually slowed his attacks with a Rhox Maulers, but after that I drew into a run of lands while he played creature after creature until he had the victory on the board.

Oh well!  At least the games were competitive.

Result: L (1-2)

Round 2

It's not a bye, it's a free win!

Result: W (Bye)

Round 3

My opponent crushed me in two games with a Blue-Red deck, and although both games lasted a while, I never really had a chance to win. He had spot removal and bulky creatures to deal with my early game, and Soulblade Djinn and smaller evasive creatures to whittle me down.  After this round I realized that my deck was not well situated to deal with a mid-range deck, as my early threats weren't dangerous enough and my late threats could be carefully picked off with spells like Claustrophobia.

Result: L (0-2)

Round 4

My opponent this round was also playing a Blue-Red deck, but his deck was more aggressive than my Round 3 opponent's, and that made the matchup more favorable for me.  I won both games stalling him early before taking control late with Kytheon's Irregulars and Sentinel of the Eternal Watch.

Result: W (2-0)

Summary

In retrospect I don't think playing Blue was the right choice - Jace or no Jace - as the cards simply weren't strong enough.  Still, in seven games I only got stuck without a color I needed once, and I wonder if three-color is more viable than people think.  Sure, the risks are there - but the risks can be mitigated with a careful consideration of how to splash that third color, and the rewards can be magnificent.

And: foil Jace!  That makes up for a hell of a lot.