SEARCH
Please hold while we load your cart... Please hold while we load your cart...
Advanced Search
Deck Builder
MY ACCOUNT

Email:

Password:
Note: You will need to have cookies enabled on your browser to log into StarCityGames.

STORE CATEGORIES

Drafting With Olivier - Shards/Shards/Conflux #24

Olivier Ruel

By Olivier Ruel
04/29/2009

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.

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:

I haven’t played with this card a lot, and I feel like testing it. Otherwise, I would have taken Rhox Charger.


  Pack 1 pick 2:

  My Pick:

Drumhunter would commit me to Jund, but picking the removal is a lot safer.


  Pack 1 pick 3:

  My Pick:

Excellent! I both have a great start for a Grixis deck and I'm sending clear Naya signals to my neighbor.


  Pack 1 pick 4:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 5:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 6:

  My Pick:

The draft could hardly start any better.


  Pack 1 pick 7:

  My Pick:

A good sideboard card versus Green.


  Pack 1 pick 8:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 9:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 10:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 11:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 12:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 13:

  My Pick:

Shadowfeed would have been better... I clicked a little too fast.


  Pack 1 pick 14:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 15:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 1:

  My Pick:

And now I have a bomb. If things continue in this way, the deck will be close to perfect.


  Pack 2 pick 2:

  My Pick:

A very close pick. A dual land surely would help, but in a Connoisseur/Fiend deck, I definitely need a Dregscape.


  Pack 2 pick 3:

  My Pick:

Strix may be very good, but Fatestitcher is a level above, plus it’s another one-mana-to-Unearth creature.


  Pack 2 pick 4:

  My Pick:

Nothing for me here, so I can just pick this and stay open. It’s unlikely I want to add another color, but not as unlikely as playing Resounding Wave when I’ve that many playables. Relic could be a good counterdraft in theory, but I’ve never seen that card stay on the board for more than one turn, even in the perfect matchup.


  Pack 2 pick 5:

  My Pick:

Caspule to draw or Grixis Charm for morw removal? It's a close one, as I don’t want to make the splash heavy, but I don’t like Courier’s Capsule much when it’s not in Esper or five-color. I go for the removal; I’ll pick Absorb Vis and Traumatic Visions high in the last pack.


  Pack 2 pick 6:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 7:

  My Pick:

Kiss would be nice, but too greedy. Bloodpyre would be good too, but having such a strong deck, I’ll value consistency over anything there.


  Pack 2 pick 8:

  My Pick:

Man! If I had any idea that was happening, I’d have taken the Sanctum.


  Pack 2 pick 9:

  My Pick:

The perfect proof that signals were great in the first pack.


  Pack 2 pick 10:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 11:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 12:

  My Pick:

A good sideboard card versus five-color control.


  Pack 2 pick 13:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 14:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 15:

  My Pick:

The deck is great. To become fantastic, it only needs a few more good cards and mana fixers.


  Pack 3 pick 1:

  My Pick:

Three packs, three rares as first picks. Not such a common thing!


  Pack 3 pick 2:

  My Pick:

The mini Esper toolbox should provide me with good card advantage.


  Pack 3 pick 3

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 4:

  My Pick:

Kathari would be good too (in particular when combined with a pair of Agony Warp), but I want a few more artifacts to make my Mechanists and Summoner better.


  Pack 3 pick 5:

  My Pick:

It was very important for me to get this card. Well, it’s not Armillary Sphere, but can I really complain?


  Pack 3 pick 6:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 7:

  My Pick:

Dreadwing is great too, but I just want to make sure my mana will be okay, as I don’t see my deck losing with regular mana draws.


  Pack 3 pick 8:

  My Pick:

This time I go with the 1/1. I won’t play two Vectis Agents anyway.


  Pack 3 pick 9:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 10:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 11:

  My Pick:


  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!

8 Island
8 Swamp
2 Mountain
3 Dregscape Zombie
Tidehollow Strix
Brakwater Elemental
Kathari Screecher
Pestilent Kathari
2 Faerie Mechanist
Fatestitcher
Sphinx Summoner
Vectis Agent
Corpse Connoisseur
Scourge Devil
Tar Fiend
Vein Drinker
2 Agony Warp
Yoke of the Damned
Grixis Charm
Resounding Thunder
2 Traumatic Visions

The deck is awesome, and should be good enough to ensure I don’t lose in the semis for the fifth draft straight.

18 lands + 2 Visions may seem to be a bit much, but I don’t mind being flooded at all, considering my three rares cost 5, 6, and 6. Scourge Devil barely made it, as it should be easy, in long games, to go for a big Unearth attack.

ROUND 1: Naya (Limited rating: 1914)

A great and fun match. In the first game, I have to mulligan and keep a double Island Traumatic Visions hand. On turn 2, I have to cycle for Swamp, despite having Grixis Charm in hand. My next five draws are Resounding Thunder, Scourge Devil, Tarfiend, and two other spells. 0-1

I take out the Devil to limit my chances of land screw again.

Game 2 is cool too. I open with double Dregscape Zombie, he with Sigiled Paladin. Luckily, he attacks 3 against 4 for three turns, and I end up killing him with four lands and no Mountain on the table.

Game 3 I have my first Island/Swamp/Mountain hand… after a double mulligan. I have to cycle Traumatic Visions on turns 4 and 5 to be able to play Corpse Connoisseur and Sphinx Summoner. Once I reach the five lands, my five next draws are lands. Weee. What does he do in the meantime? Not much, but he casts spells, which is enough to kill me.

At least I did break the streak and didn’t lose in the semis.

As a conclusion to this great match, I’ll quote my opponent:

“Good games”

Until Friday...

Oli


StarCityGames.com
5728 Williamson Road N.W, Roanoke, VA, 24012
Phone: (540) 767-GAME (4263)
Online Customer Support Hours: 10am-6pm EST Mon-Fri;
Store Hours & Info: Check out our Facebook page
Fax: (540) 265-0544
Contact Us!

All content on this page (c) 2011 StarCityGames and may not be reproduced whole without consent.

Refund/Return Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms and Conditions

Magic the Gathering is TM and copyright Wizards of the Coast, Inc, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved.
StarCityGames.com - Always Buying!
Get SCGMobile for your iOS device!
PREMIUM
Financial Value of Avacyn Restored StarCityGames.com Premium Article!

Get the Ascension Deckbuilding Game on StarCityGames.com!
Get Next Level Magic by Patrick Chapin
Tha Gatherin featuring Bill Boulden AKA Spruke & Patrick Chapin the Innovator
Get Next Level Magic by Patrick Chapin
EVENTS
Magic the Gathering Events
Buy, sell and trade with StarCityGames.com at each of these upcoming events!

05/26/12 - 05/27/12
Nashville, TN

StarCityGames.com Open Series

06/02/12 - 06/03/12
Columbus, OH
at Origins

StarCityGames.com Open Series

06/09/12 - 06/10/12
Worcester, MA

StarCityGames.com Open Series

06/15/12 - 06/17/12
Indianapolis, IN

StarCityGames.com Open Series featuring Invitational

06/23/12 - 06/24/12
Detroit, MI

StarCityGames.com Open Series

06/30/12 - 07/01/12
Seattle, WA

StarCityGames.com Open Series

FORUMS
If it's happening in Magic: the Gathering, it's being talked about in our forums! Join, and share your thoughts with the rest of the Magic: the Gathering community!

Magic: the Gathering discussion forums

GAME CENTER
  • When in southwest Virginia, visit the Star City Game Center!

    Star City Game Center
    5728 Williamson Rd.
    Roanoke, VA 24012
    Ph: (540)767-4263
    [Info & Pics!]
RESOURCES
MAGIC ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
StarCityGames.com is proud to be a Wizards of the Coast Authorized Internet Retailer