Looking like the offspring of Cube Draft and Wacky Draft,* Modern Masters Limited is about to hit the scene in a big way. Grand Prix Las Vegas already has 2000 players preregistered, and looks like it is going to be the largest Magic tournament of all-time. And if that wasn’t enough, it will also be hitting Magic Online soon, and if you’re lucky your local store as well.
Modern Masters is a very interesting set for Limited because the power level is so much higher than a normal set. There are very few unplayable cards, and because of this many of the cards are solid synergy enablers that only certain decks would want. This makes drafting an archetype just as important as the colors you are in, as you can get the cards you really want late because nobody else wants them. While that Blightspeaker or Faerie Mechanist would be very mediocre in most decks, in the decks that actively want them they will be very good. This is a format where synergy will be extremely important.
So let’s get to it!
I covered my good buddy Pete Ingram’s draft at the midnight Modern Masters release event at Empire Games in Farmingdale, New York, and we will be going over it pick by pick. Pete has played in a number of Pro Tours and experienced success on the independent circuits as well.
I will be talking about the packs, Pete’s pick, and then my suggested pick. Please note, however, that while I may talk about how my draft would have went, I will be making each pick assuming I have all the cards Pete has already drafted regardless of my previous "picks." Each pick changes the draft, and while I may have taken a different card previously, the fact that that card was not taken alters the entire draft.
The event had 46 players and had six rounds of Swiss after the draft. The field was of varied skill level and had three other players with Pro Tour experience: Frank Skarren, Corey Mann, and Tom Visconti.
The excitement was in the air as everyone cracked open pack 1, and we were off!
Pack 1, Pick 1
Pete’s Pick
Our first pack has nothing that stands out as head and shoulders above the rest but a number of very solid cards. Slaughter Pact is a fantastic removal spell that can lead to blowouts when you are tapped out and is probably the most solid pick. Bonesplitter is an extremely safe pick, as you will play it in any deck and it seems like a fantastic enabler for the artifact deck. Blinding Beam is an unassuming but very powerful tool in an aggressive deck and is the perfect finisher. While Take Possession is a powerful effect, both the nature of the format being so synergistic and how expensive it is make it less powerful than it would seem. Tar Pitcher and Saltfield Recluse are also reasonable cards but worse than the other options.
All things considered, I agree with Pete’s first pick, as it is a powerful and flexible removal spell that is splashable if need be. We don’t know enough about the set yet to know if forcing the artifact deck (or some other archetype) is worth it, so this is the safest pick.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 2
Pete’s Pick
Another solid but unexciting pack, and another solid black removal spell. With a rare missing, it is difficult to really get a read on what the person feeding us has taken, and nothing in this pack really jumps out at you. Aside from the Horobi’s Whisper, there are two solid red burn spells in Tribal Flames and Rift Bolt, but beyond that there are no cards I would want to pick this early in the draft. Considering how it matches our first pick and the powerful level of the card, I think this is also an easy choice.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 3
Pete’s Pick
This pick comes down to two cards, Marsh Flitter and Tromp the Domains, as no other card is really close in terms of power level. While there are a few removals spells in Fiery Fall, Erratic Mutation, and Warren Weirding, they are all conditional and somewhat difficult to use. Marsh Flitter, like all of the army-in-a-can creatures from Lorwyn block, is a very powerful card that creates an instant board presence. It also has excellent synergy with Goblins, which is the red/black archetype. Tromp the Domains is a fantastic finisher and is excellent because unlike cards like Overrun it is very good on the splash. However, again I think it is best to stay the course with the powerful black card.
There are three reasons for this. First, we want to continue to cut off black. Second, we have been passed two solid black cards in a row, which seems to be a reasonable signal. And third, green/black’s archetype is Dredge and graveyard-based stuff, and it is hard to tell how good that will be in our first draft.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 4
Pete’s Pick
Ah, finally a chance to disagree! This pack contains a number of synergy cards that are all good in their respective decks: Sandsower (Thallid/tokens), Frogmite (Affinity), Latchkey Faerie (Faeries), Amrou Scout (Rebels), and Festering Goblin (Goblins). It also contains two solid removal spells in Pyrite Spellbomb and Death Rattle. This is the pick where Pete decides to make a move on his archetype and starts working towards a Blue/Black Faerie deck. While I was certainly a fan of that deck back in Lorwyn and like Latchkey Faerie, I don’t think I would be interested in moving in on it this early on a somewhat weaker card. We have a solid on-color removal spell in Death Rattle and can stay the course and move in when a better opportunity presents itself.
I don’t hate Pete’s pick, but I would take the Death Rattle. If I wanted to move into an archetype now, I think Amrou Scout is the backbone of the Black/White Rebels deck, and I would probably move in there.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 5
Pete’s Pick
Another pack that comes down to two cards: Errant Ephemeron and Phthisis. For those who have never played with it, back in Time Spiral block Limited if you suspended an Errant Ephemeron on turn 2, it really felt like your chances to win the game went up a solid 10-15% right there on the spot. While it seems somewhat slow, it comes in on turn 6 swinging for the fences with all of your mana untapped and is quite the force. Phthisis is a very powerful but extremely awkward card to suspend or to cast (or to say out loud). It can very often end the game, but considering we have just taken a blue card and the power level of Ephemeron, I think the pick here is pretty clear.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 6
Pete’s Pick
Here Pete stays on the path of the Blue/Black Faerie deck with the Dreamspoiler Witches. While I remember that card being a key piece of the Lorwyn block Blue/Black Faerie deck, I think it’s at a much lower relative power level in this format. We also see another late Tromp the Domains, which seems absurd. Regardless, we are fairly committed to being base black/blue at the moment, and I think the Dreamspoiler is a solid pick.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 7
Pete’s Pick
Another very late green card in Sporesower Thallid, a card that I would happily take first through third normally. It seems green is at least somewhat open; if we had taken one of the Tromp the Domains, then perhaps we could consider moving in. However, one of my favorite Faerie cards is in this pack, and it’s one that is just a powerful a tricky card and requires no extra synergies. Another fairly easy pick.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 8
Pete’s Pick
Well then. It seems that maybe blue is the place to be, as Riftwing Cloudskate is another top quality card I am amazed to see this late. Very easy pick.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 9
Pete’s Pick
We see that from our original pack Dreamspoiler Witches has tabled, which is a good sign.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 10
Pete’s Pick
Staying on the Faerie course. While Death Denied is a powerful effect, I also thought it was a rather slow card in Champions block, and with the power level of Modern Masters, it seems like it’s gotten even slower. The only deck I would really want to play it in would be the Black/Red Goblin deck, where many cheap trades and sacrifices could make a very solid return on investment.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 11
Pete’s Pick
While this is a card you really need to be careful with, as if they are playing Goblins or have a changeling it could be almost worthless, it is still a two-mana removal spell, and it seems like the Faerie deck is lacking in things to do on turn 2. This will likely make our deck. Also, what the hell is Tromp the Domains still doing here?
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 12
Pete’s Pick
This is a pick I disagree with pretty strongly. We are nowhere near red, and because there are so many playables in this format, it is extremely unlikely we will be splashing. Festering Goblin, while not ideal, is another early play that can trade with creatures early and also has synergy with our Marsh Flitter and Warren Weirding. I don’t this pick is remotely close, as even if the Goblin might not make our final decklist it is still a solid sideboard option.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 13
Pete’s Pick
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 14
Pete’s Pick
What the hell?! I guess nobody felt like reading Tromp the Domains, even Pete, who decides a marginal possible sideboard splash card is better than cutting a fifteenth-pick Overrun. It’s not out of the question that we pick up two Terramorphic Expanses and an Absorb Vis and just play it as well.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 1, Pick 15
Pete’s Pick
Jim’s Pick
Deck so far after pack 1:
Slaughter Pact
Horobi’s Whisper
Marsh Flitter
Latchkey Faerie
Errant Ephemeron
Dreamspoiler Witches
Pestermite
Riftwing Cloudskate
Thieving Sprite
Warren Weirding
Pyrite Spellbomb
Street Wraith
Fury Charm
Syphon Life
So far our deck looks pretty solid. We have a good removal base and a lot of powerful cards. Our Faerie theme seems pretty light at the moment, but aside from that I am happy. My initial impression of the Faerie theme is that while it is less risky than some of the other archetypes (Rebels, Affinity) because its cards are individually more powerful, it also seems like the payoff is not as good.
Pack 2, Pick 1
Pete’s Pick
Another pretty unexciting opening pack. There are a number of cards in this pack that could make our deck (Vedalken Dismisser, Stinkweed Imp, Echoing Truth, Traumatic Visions), but they are all pretty unexciting. Bonesplitter should be good on our fliers and is a very solid card overall.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 2
Pete’s Pick
This is where Pete falls into the Faerie trap. While I am someone who is a HUGE proponent of drafting for synergy over power (back in Mirrodin block drafts I would routinely first pick artifact lands over basically everything, and I was a stone-cold master in that format), the synergy bonus has to be worth it. While Spellstutter Sprite is Constructed powerhouse, Pete’s deck does not have Bitterblossom in it. In fact, it only has a few Faeries, and they all cost three or more. Pete will be lucky if Spellstutter Sprite counters a two-drop on turn 4.
In fact, the only Faeries in the entire set that cost less than three are Mothdust Changeling and Spellstutter Sprite. Lorwyn block was a slower format and had plenty more options. It is unlikely Spellstutter will make our deck unless we pick up multiples along with a few Mothdust Changelings and go real deep.
While I am not opposed to that, Executioner’s Capsule is a much more powerful card, and if you are going to make the bad cards work well together, you want to get them late. Aside from being a removal spell, it is also very synergistic with our Faerie theme, as it allows us to leave mana open for it and use it when we want. This is a clear and easy pick.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 3
Pete’s Pick
Another unexciting pack. We’ve gotta watch the Blinding Beam go by at this point, and our possible choices are Vedalken Dismisser, Traumatic Visions, and Absorb Vis. Again, if we wanted to go real deep, we could take the Mothdust Changeling and really push the Faerie deck, but we don’t want to be doing that with our early picks. It will likely table, and if it doesn’t we don’t want to be doing that. While the land cyclers are fine, Vedalken Dismisser is actually an unassuming but fantastic tempo card that seems to fit right in our deck.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 4
Pete’s Pick
Hahaha, I’m not going to lie, I was ready to punch Pete in the back of the head if he took Spellstutter Sprite over Mulldrifter. Again, while I am fully in favor of the synergy approach, we are not really there yet, and there is a reason Mulldrifter moved from common to uncommon. It’s an easy three for one; don’t evoke it if you don’t have to!
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 5
Pete’s Pick
Clearly Lava Spike is not the correct pick here, but it was foil. Considering Aether Spellbomb might not even make our deck, I think taking the $10 foil is fine. While I would never do this at a tournament that matters, I think it is important to make picks like this on Magic Online or in your local store drafts because they further the sustainability of the hobby.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 6
Pete’s Pick
Unless we really want to splash something, it comes down to Logic Knot and Aethersnipe. Considering we currently have no counterspells, counterspells play well with our Faeries, and we already have a few bounce effects (including the also six-mana Vedalken Dismisser), I think this pick is pretty easy. Logic Knot is not an amazing card, but it does what we want it to do.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 7
Pete’s Pick
This is a very deck-dependent pick. Aether Spellbomb is a solid tempo card, but without any artifact synergies it’s basically just a non-tricky bounce spell. Warren Pilferers is a solid card advantage card, but our deck seems more tempo based at the moment. This is the kind of pick that is very difficult at a Pro Tour or Grand Prix, where you are not allowed to look at your deck during packs. Given that we already have a solid amount of removal and bounce, I think I’m leaning towards the Gravedigger, but it really could go either way.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 8
Pete’s Pick
Another time where I think Pete undervalues Festering Goblin for what it would be in our deck. We already have plenty of late game with our many flyers and tempo spells, and I don’t think Death Denied will be making our deck. Yet again, however, Festering Goblin could provide a nice early blocker and has some synergies with the cards we already have. I don’t think either will likely make our maindeck, but the Goblin has much better sideboard potential.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 9
Pete’s Pick
While Stinkweed Imp is a solid blocker, I think we’d much prefer the tempo card.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 10
Pete’s Pick
Considering that we already have a Death Denied we probably aren’t playing, I can’t imagine ever wanting a second one. I would much rather cut the Gleam of Resistance.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 11
Pete’s Pick
Absorb Vis is a better card, but I don’t think we are going to be splashing anything or playing it. As we’ve said before, if we somehow end up with a few more Spellstutter Sprites and Thieving Sprites, Mothdust Changeling could actually be a good enabler, so I’d rather take that on the off chance that happens. One of the things about sets with so many playable is that you can take bigger risks with your picks—you don’t really need to finish the draft with 30 playables. This is also a big thing in Cube Draft, but that’s for another article.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 12
Pete’s Pick
I don’t think we are playing it as we have almost zero artifacts and our deck does not want a Catalog, but it’s the best card in the pack. Much like Spellstutter Sprite, this is a Constructed staple that looks really good, but you have to understand the context that it resides in.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 13
Pete’s Pick
Good cut.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 14
Pete’s Pick
Jim’s Pick
Pack 2, Pick 15
Pete’s Pick
Jim’s Pick
Deck so far after Pack 2:
Slaughter Pact
Horobi’s Whisper
Marsh Flitter
Latchkey Faerie
Errant Ephemeron
Dreamspoiler Witches
Pestermite
Riftwing Cloudskate
Thieving Sprite
Warren Weirding
Pyrite Spellbomb
Street Wraith
Fury Charm
Syphon Life
Bonesplitter
Spellstutter Sprite
Vedalken Dismisser
Mulldrifter
Lava Spike
Logic Knot
Aether Spellbomb
Death Denied
Vedalken Dismisser
Death Denied
Absorb Vis
Thirst for Knowledge
Court Homunculus
Skyreach Manta
Otherworldly Journey
Things are still looking good—we have a lot of powerful fliers, a lot of removal, and a still underdeveloped Faerie subtheme. I think at this point we are looking more for power than to continue with the Faerie thing.
Pack 3, Pick 1
Pete’s Pick
The Faerie trap strikes again! Once again, if we had some Mothdust Changelings, more Spellstutter Sprites, and were in really deep on the Faerie plan, I could get behind this pick. However, we are passing another Errant Ephemeron for an extremely weak removal spell that most likely won’t draw us a card. I love Peppersmoke, but this is not the time or the place.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 3, Pick 2
Pete’s Pick
A stocked pack that’s really bad for us. We really have no other pick besides Spellstutter Sprite, which again might not make our deck. It’s possible we could still get there on the Faerie plan, however, and I don’t really see a better pick beyond cutting Torrent of Stone or Eternal Witness, so I’m okay with it.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 3, Pick 3
Pete’s Pick
Another pretty big-time pack; another Errant Ephemeron; another pretty easy pick.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 3, Pick 4
Pete’s Pick
It seems like the late blue we saw in pack 1 was no fluke, as it is currently flowing like wine at an old wives book club. This is another strong pack, but Cloudskate is the best card by far.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 3, Pick 5
Pete’s Pick
This is a tough one. While Confiscate effects are very powerful, seven mana is so much more than six, and it is very possible that this card will not save us if we are on the defensive (if they have been attacking with all their creatures, we will spend seven mana and not even get a blocker since all their guys will be tapped). The other possible pick is our second Bonesplitter, which would have been extremely good in a Faerie-focused deck.
However, it seems like with our last few picks of Errant Ephemerons and Riftwing Cloudskates that we are going in a more power-based tempo direction, which makes it less desirable. I’m honestly not sure what the correct pick is here, but having a Take Possession in our sideboard to bring in against the many bombs of the format is a nice thing to have. I’ll agree with Pete on this one.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 3, Pick 6
Pete’s Pick
!!!!!!!!!
Jim’s Pick
Pack 3, Pick 7
Pete’s Pick
It is likely that the blue drafters at the table, if there are any, did not play during Time Spiral block and are severely underestimating the power of suspend.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 3, Pick 8
Pete’s Pick
At this point, I don’t think Latchkey Faerie is going to make our deck. Again, our small Faerie theme has simply crumbled under an avalanche of powerful non-synergy cards. I think it might have been better to just hate the Electrolyze, Amrou Scout, or Hammerheim Deadeye here. Of course, it is much easier to make these picks in hindsight, and it’s hard to fault Pete’s pick here.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 3, Pick 9
Pete’s Pick
At this point I literally threw up my hands in disgust. I was already preparing my tirade about how bad Pete’s Peppersmoke over Errant Ephemeron pick was pick 1 this pack—and then it tables. I know this is the first draft of the entire format and a midnight release, but please don’t ever expect to have four Errant Ephemerons and three Riftwing Cloudskates in your deck!
Jim’s Pick
Pack 3, Pick 10
Pete’s Pick
A fine cut.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 3, Pick 11
Pete’s Pick
Again, if we are looking to maximize our synergy, then Mothdust Changeling is the pick, but at this point it is doubtful we are going to use that plan. Faerie Macabre might be sideboardable occasionally.
Jim’s Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 12
Pete’s Pick
A nice late removal spell. -2/-2 is fine for us.
Jim’s Pick
Pack 3, Pick 13
Pete’s Pick
Another good cut. Like some of our other cuts, it is very important to cut the powerful synergy cards that people are going to wheel. While that Mogg War Marshal, Etherium Sculptor, or Dampen Thought is pretty weak by itself, there’s probably someone at the table who is dying to table it—don’t let them if you can.
Pack 3, Pick 14
Pete’s Pick
Jim’s Pick
Pack 3, Pick 15
Pete’s Pick
Jim’s Pick
Final card pool:
1 Mulldrifter
2 Spellstutter Sprite
1 Pestermite
1 Absorb Vis
1 Gleam of Resistance
2 Latchkey Faerie
1 Warren Weirding
1 Skyreach Manta
1 Logic Knot
1 Fury Charm
1 Mogg War Marshal
1 Aether Spellbomb
1 Pyrite Spellbomb
4 Errant Ephemeron
1 Drag Down
3 Riftwing Cloudskate
1 Glacial Ray
1 Marsh Flitter
1 Court Homunculus
1 Lava Spike
1 Street Wraith
1 Bonesplitter
1 Take Possession
2 Dreamspoiler Witches
1 Peppersmoke
2 Vedalken Dismisser
1 Thieving Sprite
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Slaughter Pact
2 Death Denied
2 Faerie Macabre
1 Otherworldly Journey
1 Syphon Life
1 Horobi’s Whisper
Final decklist:
4 Errant Ephemeron
3 Riftwing Cloudskate
1 Pestermite
1 Thieving Sprite
1 Marsh Flitter
2 Dreamspoiler Witches
1 Mulldrifter
2 Vedalken Dismisser
1 Aether Spellbomb
1 Peppersmoke
1 Warren Weirding
1 Logic Knot
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Horobi’s Whisper
1 Drag Down
9 Island
8 Swamp
Sideboard:
2 Spellstutter Sprite
2 Latchkey Faerie
1 Take Possession
2 Faerie Macabre
2 Death Denied
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Absorb Vis
As you can see from the final build, Pete abandoned most of the Faerie theme and instead leveraged the power of his amazing seven two-mana suspend creatures with solid removal and tempo spells. Pete was very happy with his deck, and I agreed with pretty much all of his choices on the deck build. Perhaps Thieving Sprite could have been something else, but there is no card he did not play that really jumps out at me.
Pete ended up going 5-1 to make Top 8, losing to a powerful Blue/Red Arcane/Storm deck that made a bunch of Empty the Warrens tokens. He loved the suspend creatures and felt the deck played very well.
I checked up with the other three players with Pro Tour experience to see their decks and get some feedback on the format.
Frank Skarren tried to go the Affinity route but ended up being short on cards. He was black/white with two Bonesplitters, many Arcbound Workers and Arcbound Stingers, Ethersworn Canonist, Tidehollow Sculler, Frogmites, and a Sanctum Gargoyle. He also had to include a small Rebel subtheme to finish the deck, which was very much at odds with the artifact part of the deck. He said Bonesplitter was the most important card in his deck by far, as it allowed his small and evasive creatures to get in for a lot of damage while also upping his artifact count.
Corey Mann is a man who knows how to respect the power of Tromp the Domains. He drafted a Green/White Thallid deck with a bunch of creatures, and not one, not two, but three copies of the powerful Overrun. He also had a Kodama’s Reach, a Search for Tomorrows, and a Terramorphic Expanse, which allowed him to play one of each off-color basic to make sure his Tromps were as powerful as they could be.
Tom Visconti drafted what looked to be a very good Black/Red Goblin deck with multiple Mad Aunties and Mogg War Marshals, solid removal, and a bunch of sacrifice effects for what looked to be a very synergistic and powerful deck.
Going around the room, I saw a number of very interesting decks, including a Mono-Blue Dampen Thought/Arcane deck which featured an astounding five copies of the mill spell.
Some initial thoughts on the format:
The Dampen Thought deck seems very powerful but also seems to be a victim of the format in a way. Back in Kamigawa block, people would often sideboard in every single playable card they had in order to get their deck as big as possible to buy more time against the deck. This often meant they would get to around 50ish cards. However, because there are so many playables in this set, I don’t think it would be hard to sideboard up to around 60 cards and still have a playable deck. This is something to be aware of if you either plan on drafting the deck or play against it.
While most of the archetypes seem workable, my initial impression is that the Red/White Giants deck is the worst of the bunch. Its cards are very reliant on each other, and they aren’t even that impactful when they work. The only exception to this is Thundercloud Shaman, which is absolutely bananas. However, even in Lorwyn block the Red/White Giants deck was weak, and if I opened a Thundercloud Shaman I wanted to be Green/Red Giants with Elvish Handservants and Woodland Changelings. On this note, we can also see how powerful the Changelings can be—don’t underestimate them.
Despite how Pete’s draft went, synergy seems to be the order of the day. You can draft a lot of different kinds of decks that all want vastly different cards. Don’t be afraid to try new things! Some of my favorite formats are the ones where you can draft the "gimmick" decks, and it is both challenging and rewarding. Don’t be afraid to make speculative picks that may or may not pan out; there are a lot of playables, and the risk is often worth the reward.
Fun Story/Aside: At Pro Tour Philadelphia 2011, my draft one day 1 started with these three cards in order: Pentavus, Sphinx of Uthuun, Sphinx of Uthuun. I ended up with this extremely wacky Blue/Green Turboland deck with two Rampant Growths, two Rites of Flourishing, and more, going 2-1 and losing only to Paul Rietzl triple Incinerate Boros deck. It pays to draft with an open mind!
Overall, Modern Masters looks like an absolute blast to draft, and I’m looking forward to getting my first one in. Unfortunately I will probably be the only Magic player in the world not attending Grand Prix Las Vegas, but I’ll be watching the coverage and cheering my friends on. If you are going, good luck! And if not, enjoy drafting the set on Magic Online!
Thanks for reading!
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*Wacky Draft is when you draft with a random assortment of old packs and is very fun because it requires you to think on your feet and assemble cross-block synergies