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Drafting With Olivier - M10 #17

Olivier Ruel

By Olivier Ruel
10/16/2009

About Olivier Ruel: Pro Tour mainstay Olivier Ruel's outstanding career includes five Pro Tour Top 8s, numerous Grand Prix Top 8s (including the recent victory at Grand Prix: Brighton), and induction in the Magic Hall of Fame class of 2008.

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  Pack 1 pick 1:

  My Pick:

1) Centaur Courser
2) Stormfront Pegasus
Both cards are pretty close. The Pegasus is better in an explosive approach, but the Centaur is both a very good early attacker and blocker, so I like it a little better.


  Pack 1 pick 2:

  My Pick:

1) Prodigal Pyromancer
2) Razorfoot Griffin
Two cards about equal, but as I’ve just passed a white card, my preference goes to the 1/1.


  Pack 1 pick 3:

  My Pick:

1) Entangling Vines
2) Inferno Elemental
Inferno Elemental can sometimes be very very good, but it’s sometimes useless, while Entangling Vines rarely disappoints.


  Pack 1 pick 4:

  My Pick:

1) Llanowar Elves
2) Whispersilk Cloak
I’ve been (eventually) valuing the Cloak a lot more lately, mostly thanks to your comments in the forums, but I need to get fixed in my colors as fast as possible.


  Pack 1 pick 5:

  My Pick:

Gorgon Flail would be good in a great deck, and great with the Pyromancer, but I feel like following the flow of the draft seems to indicate I should play white. Otherwise the Mage would probably not still be here.


  Pack 1 pick 6:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 7:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 8:

  My Pick:

A sideboard card seems more useful than a second Safe Passage I would probably not run.


  Pack 1 pick 9:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 10:

  My Pick:

With Pyromancer and Ignite Disorder, I’ve a great sideboard plan against White decks.


  Pack 1 pick 11:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 12:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 13:

  My Pick:

It’s a bit late, but there is probably the signal that switching was the right decision. It should definitely pay back in pack 3.


  Pack 1 pick 14:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 15:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 1:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 2:

  My Pick:

1) Pacifism
2) Acidic Slime
I can’t say no to my first removal spell, but the Slime is actually almost as good.


  Pack 2 pick 3:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 4:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 5:

  My Pick:

1) Giant Spider
2) Divine Verdict
Green decks usually want removal spells so they can deal with flyers. As the spider can block most of them and also attack, I go with the 2/4.


  Pack 2 pick 6:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 7:

  My Pick:

1) Prized Unicorn
2) Oakenform
3) Emerald Onyx
I’m not so interested in getting a third 2/3, and Oakenform is mostly interesting combined with them as I’m a Little short in two-drops. Prized Unicorn seems a little better.


  Pack 2 pick 8:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 9:

  My Pick:

Runeclaw Bear doesn’t put much pressure on in this format, I’d rather seek my big guys or the lands to cast them.


  Pack 2 pick 10:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 11:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 12:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 13:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 14:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 15:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 1:

  My Pick:

My three first picks aren’t exactly dreamy today.


  Pack 3 pick 2:

  My Pick:

It took me 31 picks, but I eventually get a card which has the potential to win games on its own.


  Pack 3 pick 3:

  My Pick:

1) Blinding Mage
2) Divine Verdict
3) Stampeding Rhino
I have synergy and a curve, so even though my cards are not very strong individually, I can win as long as my opponent doesn’t play bombs. Unfortunately, this is M10, and in this format, everyone has some. That’s why I need removals very much, and value Verdict here over Rhino even though I like the 4/4 better.


  Pack 3 pick 4:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 5:

  My Pick:

A combat trick would be useful, but Giant Growth is still not close to Razorfoot Griffin.


  Pack 3 pick 6:

  My Pick:

I’ve been a bit harsh on Siege Mastodon for this pick, and the 3/5 would probably have been my 22nd or 23rd card.


  Pack 3 pick 7:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 8:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 9:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 10:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 11:

  My Pick:

Veeeeeery bad pick. It is true I am not playing Rampant Growth main deck, but I have totally forgotten about the Red cards in my sideboard.


  Pack 3 pick 12:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 13:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 14:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 15:

  My Pick:


This draft converter created by Benjamin Peebles-Mundy.
Visit the draft converter today!

10 Forest
7 Plains

1 Llanowar Elves
3 Elvish Visionary
1 Deadly Recluse
2 Blinding Mage
2 Centaur Courser
1 Griffin Sentinel
3 Giant Spider
1 Razorfoot Griffin
2 Bramble Creeper
1 Stampeding Rhino
1 Acidic Slime

1 Pacifism
1 Safe Passage
1 Excommunicate
1 Entangling Vines
1 Howl of the Night Pack

Sideboard
1 Zombie Goliath
1 Fog
1 Naturalize
1 Flashfreeze
2 Emerald Oryx
1 Mountain
1 Prized Unicorn
1 Island
1 Ignite Disorder
1 Panic Attack
1 Prodigal Pyromancer
1 Plains
1 Island
2 Looming Shade
1 Veteran Armorsmith
1 Wurm's Tooth
1 Seismic Strike
2 Angel's Mercy
1 Bountiful Harvest

In the first game of my quarters, my opponent still has two lands on the board when I had five on turn 4. In the second one, I play Howl for 7 on turn 7, but I’m still too short to race him as his Dread Warlock plus Unholy Strength deals me 18 damage (he only enchanted it on his second attack) and Howling Banshee finishes me off. In the third I have a strong opening again, with Blinding Mage, my two Coursers, and Stampeding Rhino. As he doesn’t play a guy until turn 3, and as I quickly draw Pacifism, he isn’t able to stop my team and I advance to the semis.

My second round opponent has a much tougher deck to beat, a UG splash Magma Phoenix deck with many card advantage generators (2 Borderland Ranger, 2 Divination) and a lot of counters. He wins game 1 with Negate on Howl of the Night Pack on turn 8, and eventually wins with Overrun on turn 20. In the second, I have a great start which put him to 10 until Cudgel Troll and Wall of Frost stop my team. As he draws almost all lands, Blinding Mage and Pacifism eventually clear the path to game 3. After two games of 15 minutes each, the final game of that semi will have much less suspense, as his double Air Elemental (including a Clone) + Overrun combo totally destroys me while Wall of Frost kept my guys from attacking.

Until Monday...

Oli


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