Note: This was originally published as StarCityGames.com Premium content - but like all StarCityGames.com Premium articles, it has been made freely available for the entire community after one month has passed. Join StarCityGames.com Premium today and gain exclusive access to the most informative Magic: the Gathering content available!

[SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE ARTICLE!]

Become a StarCityGames.com Premium Member and receive exclusive access to top-level strategies, new decklists and entertaining reports from many of the best players and writers that the game has to offer! This includes "The Innovator" & Worlds finalist Patrick Chapin, 2010 Player of the Year Brad Nelson, Classic Theorist Mike Flores, Hall of Famer Brian Kibler, GP and SCG Invitational Champion Gerry Thompson, StarCityGames.com Director of Sales Ben Bleiweiss ...and many, many more!

PLUS! StarCityGames.com Premium members now have an EXCLUSIVE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER sent just to them with the latest tech, exclusive content and exclusive deals along with unprecedented access into America's largest Magic: the Gathering sales database, and can view lists of StarCityGames.com's top-selling items - broken down by category, format legality, and rarity - in real time! When it comes to trading, increased knowledge equals increased profits - and increased knowledge is just one click away for our Premium members!

[View feedback from StarCityGames.com Premium members!]

A StarCityGames.com Premium Membership gives you exclusive access to the best Magic: the Gathering content available and is an amazing bargain for just pennies a day! When you're ready to start getting more out of this game, click here to join StarCityGames.com Premium today!

---

If you are a valid StarCityGames.com Premium member and still cannot view the article, please consult this FAQ.

  Pack 1 pick 1:

  My Pick:

Lots of good cards in the pack, but Naya Charm is a level above everything else.

  Pack 1 pick 2:

  My Pick:

Not much of a choice here, but even if there was a five-color control card of the same quality, I would have picked the cat over it, as Naya Charm is one of the best cards there is in Naya, and “only” a good card in five-color.

  Pack 1 pick 3:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 4:

  My Pick:

Much better than Jungle Weaver, as my first three picks are pushing me to draft a very aggressive deck.

  Pack 1 pick 5:

  My Pick:

Bloodpyre Elemental would be very good in the deck, but I’ve already picked two cards of each color after 4 picks, which means I will need mana fixers very soon. Even though it is “only” a double land, it is still worth picking high.

  Pack 1 pick 6:

  My Pick:

Crasher is another card I may have trouble casting, and Court Archers is a level above it and Dragon Fodder anyway.

  Pack 1 pick 7:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 8:

  My Pick:

It will be one of my deck’s top 5 cards no matter what, and I receive it as pick 8; the signals can’t be better.

  Pack 1 pick 9:

  My Pick:

There's little chance I'll play it, but pretty much no chance at all I'll play the rare.

  Pack 1 pick 10:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 11:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 12:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 13:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 14:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 15:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 1:

  My Pick:

Not even close once again.

  Pack 2 pick 2:

  My Pick:

Stinger may be a very good card, but as I have three balanced colors, I couldn’t hope for a better card than Jungle Shrine.

  Pack 2 pick 3:

  My Pick:

With a pump spell and two Naya Charms, I need to pick creatures.

  Pack 2 pick 4:

  My Pick:

I've not enough White to play the Sigiled Paladin regularly in the first two or three turns, while the Soul’s Fire has considerable finishing power with double Charm, Sigil Blessing, and Topan Ascetic.

  Pack 2 pick 5:

  My Pick:

Weeee! If things don’t drop dramatically from now, I already have a 3/0 deck.

  Pack 2 pick 6:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 7:

  My Pick:

It may not look spectacular, but early drops are all I need.

  Pack 2 pick 8:

  My Pick:

I would have picked Sangrite Surge, which is really good with double Naya Charm, over many cards which are much better in theory, but not over Naya Panorama.

  Pack 2 pick 9:

  My Pick:

Lifelink guy may be a pain, as I’ve only three removal spells and as I’m planning on using them on my opponents more than on their creatures.

  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:

My deck would be perfect if it wasn’t a little short in playables. I’ll try to get as many guys as possible in the last pack.

  Pack 3 pick 1:

  My Pick:

Not much of a constructive comment to make on this one… Weeeee?

  Pack 3 pick 2:

  My Pick:

Valeron Outlander is slightly better than Fiery Fall as Red is my third color, and once again I need to pick up creatures.

  Pack 3 pick 3:

  My Pick:

Aven Squire is the best common I could get passed. In this deck, it is a lot better than Dark Temper.

  Pack 3 pick 4:

  My Pick:

With so many non-basics, I’m not sure I can make Rioters a 3/3, which makes the pick between him and Fiery Temper very close. I think both choices are okay.

  Pack 3 pick 5:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 6:

  My Pick:

There's nothing I really want, and two cards I don’t want to face: Banquet and Outlander. As I don’t have that many Green dudes, and only one of my guy is attacking each turn most of the time, I cut the removal.

  Pack 3 pick 7:

  My Pick:

My curve is so low that it’s just fine in the deck.

  Pack 3 pick 8:

  My Pick:

I wish I didn’t have to hate draft that much and that I could pick cards for my own deck. I’ll have to play one or two fillers.

  Pack 3 pick 9:

  My Pick:

Good news!

  Pack 3 pick 10:

  My Pick:

Brackwater was a good hate draft too.

  Pack 3 pick 11:

  My Pick:

Not exactly a great splash, but I am short in playables. Also, it can be really good with the Hydra.

  Pack 3 pick 12:

  My Pick:

Will it make the cut?

  Pack 3 pick 13:

  My Pick:

I don’t think I would have played Iguanar, no matter how short I am in playables

  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!

5 Forest
5 Plains
5 Mountain
Naya Panorama
Seaside Citadel
Jungle Shrine
2 Akrasan Squire
Wild Nacatl
Aven Squire
Cylian Elf
Knight of the Skyward Eye
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
Valeron Outlander
Topan Ascetic
Matca Rioters
Knotvine Mystic
Hissing Iguanar
Court Archers
Aven Trailblazer
Godtoucher
Kranioceros
Apocalypse Hydra
Sigil Blessing
Dark Temper
2 Naya Charm
Soul’s Fire

I know, Godtoucher. But if you consider the whole deck, I should always have a drop on turn 2 and another one on turn 3. Also, I’m running 18 lands with only two other four-and-higher mana costs. In these conditions, a four mana 2/2 is not so different than a two mana 2/2.

I am playing 18 lands with a low curve for two main reasons:

A - I think I’ll finish every game in 6 to 8 turns if I have my three colors on turn 3.
B - If I had to add a 23rd spell, it would be Gustrider Exhuberant or Bone Saw.

Anyway, the deck is great and I’m pretty confident I should go 3/0 with it.

ROUND 1: Jund (Limited rating 1676)

I’ve a good feeling about the first game until he plays Voice from the Void on turn 5, catching Soul’s Fire, Naya Charm, and Apocalypse Hydra. As his draw was fine, and as I draw mostly lands afterwards (which I’m not complaining about, as I’m the one who chose to run 18), there is not much I can do.

In game two I take a mulligan but open with turn 1 Akrasan Squire, turn 2 Valeron Outlander, turn 3 Court Archers, turn 4 Cylian Elf, turn 5 Naya Charm, and turn 6 Sigil Blessing for the win.

For some reason, he decides to let me play first. Surprisingly, that call will cause him not to play a seventh turn after another good draws (turn 2 Outlander, turn 3 Squire and Cylian Elf that do most of the job, then another guy, and Naya Charm for the win).

ROUND 2: BRGW (1812)

I’ve good draws and am pretty sure I’ll kill on turn 7, as he’s on 5 life on turn 6, and has to face a four-guy army including a 4/4 hydra I’ve just played. Also, I am, just in case, holding Sigil Blessing which should protect me from any Pyroclasm-like effect. That’s when he surprises me and plays Malfegor, killing all my guys. Not exactly what I was expecting from a deck that plays Steward of Valeron on turn 2. That’s when I draw… Aven Trailblazer! He attacks me on the following turn with his two guys, putting me on 6, and passes. The reason he attacked with his 2/2 when I had a 2/3 in hand probably means he has some kind of a trick (Blister Beetle). I try and think of what it can be, but as I draw a land I don’t have much of a choice anyway. I attack and pump… for the win, as the card he’s holding is apparently not a removal spell (or a Magma Spray at best).

The second game is a lot easier, as I don’t even have to play the Charm I was holding. Once again I draw lot of Exalted guys, and attack with one on every turn. As he’s very normally not interested in a two-for-one in the best case block, he takes damage after damage. On turn 7 a 6/6 Valeron Outlander puts him down to 4, and I only have to play Soul’s Fire to finish him of.

ROUND 3: Five-Color (1836)

Once again, it was not a very interesting match, as both games are exactly the same. I take the lead in the early game, play lots of guys (Including a 4/4 Hydra he can’t deal with on game 1), and then a Naya Charm for the win on turn 8.

I’m aware reading these games reports may not have been exactly exciting, but what happened is what always happens when you run Exalted aggro. If you have a solid manabase, 3 Wild Nacatls/Akrasan Squires and fine draws, you should win against any deck that doesn’t play a super bomb, a pair of early pingers, or a Pyroclasm-like effect. And when I say a super bomb, it’d better not be too expensive…

Until Monday...

Oli