[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!

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.

Draft:

Pack 1:

Gorgon Recluse, Herd Gnarr, Fortify, Coal Stoker, Deathspore Thallid, Tolarian Sentinel, Glass Asp, Traitor's Clutch, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Aspect of Mongoose, Skittering Monstrosity, Opaline Sliver, Magus of the Scroll, Wall of Roots

Pick: Magus of the Scroll

Pack 2:

Chromatic Star, Tolarian Sentinel, Flowstone Channeler, Trespasser il-Vec, Spinneret Sliver, Fortify, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Venser's Sliver, Volcanic Awakening, Krosan Grip, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Ovinomancer

Pick: Trespasser il-Vec

Pack 3:

Trespasser il-Vec, Spinneret Sliver, Fortify, Flamecore Elemental, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, D'Avenant Healer, Wormwood Dryad, Quilled Sliver, Dread Return, Vesuva, Arena

Pick: Trespasser il-Vec

Pack 4:

Snapback, Pentarch Ward, Bonesplitter Sliver, Viscerid Deepwalker, Ancient Grudge, Greenseeker, Foriysian Interceptor, Thunder Totem, Aspect of Mongoose, Candles of Leng, Nicol Bolas, Benalish Cavalry

Pick: Candles of Leng

Pack 5:

Pentarch Ward, Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode, Jedit's Dragoons, Sprout, Foriysian Interceptor, Knight of the Holy Nimbus, Truth or Tale, Demonic Collusion

Pick: Knight of the Holy Nimbus

Pack 6:

Herd Gnarr, Traitor's Clutch, D'Avenant Healer, Glass Asp, Prismatic Lens, Ground Rift, Locket of Yesterdays, Quilled Sliver, Vampiric Sliver, Gaea's Liege

Pick: Prismatic Lens

Pack 7:

Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Icatian Crier, Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Ghostflame Sliver, Firewake Sliver, Auratog

Pick: Ghostflame Sliver

Pack 8:

Pentarch Ward, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Ghitu Firebreathing, Momentary Blink, Ghostflame Sliver, Calciform Pools, Pandemonium

Pick: Ghostflame Sliver

Pack 9:

Fortify, Glass Asp, Traitor's Clutch, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Aspect of Mongoose, Opaline Sliver

Pick: Fortify

Pack 10:

Tolarian Sentinel, Ground Rift, Wormwood Dryad, Volcanic Awakening, Krosan Grip, Ovinomancer

Pick: Ovinomancer

Pack 11:

Fortify, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, D'Avenant Healer

Pick: Bogardan Rager

Pack 12:

Ancient Grudge, Foriysian Interceptor, Thunder Totem, Aspect of Mongoose

Pick: Thunder Totem

Pack 13:

Screeching Sliver, Foriysian Interceptor, Truth or Tale

Pick: Truth or Tale

Pack 14:

Traitor's Clutch, Glass Asp

Pick: Traitor's Clutch

Pack 15:

Sage of Epityr

Pick: Sage of Epityr

Pack 16:

Ashcoat Bear, Amrou Seekers, Search for Tomorrow, Corpulent Corpse, Cancel, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Voidmage Husher, Faceless Devourer, Stormcloud Djinn, Ib Halfheart, Goblin Tactician, Mirari

Pick: Corpulent Corpse

Pack 17:

Strength in Numbers, Zealot il-Vec, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Snapback, Aether Web, Momentary Blink, Greenseeker, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Sporesower Thallid, Pull from Eternity, Mishra, Artificer Prodigy, Swamp

Pick: Urborg Syphon-Mage

Pack 18:

Amrou Scout, Grapeshot, Scarwood Treefolk, Slipstream Serpent, Gaze of Justice, Eternity Snare, Skulking Knight, Sidewinder Sliver, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Paradox Haze, Fury Sliver, Sudden Shock, Twisted Abomination

Pick: Twisted Abomination

Pack 19:

Orcish Cannonade, Strangling Soot, Gemhide Sliver, Molder, Venser's Sliver, Children of Korlis, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Assembly-Worker, Plated Pegasus, Foriysian Totem, Evil Eye of Orms-by-Gore

Pick: Strangling Soot

Pack 20:

Ashcoat Bear, Cancel, Empty the Warrens, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Jhoira's Timebug, Chameleon Blur, Basalt Gargoyle, Locket of Yesterdays, Sindbad, Plains

Pick: Basalt Gargoyle

Pack 21:

Slipstream Serpent, Gaze of Justice, Flamecore Elemental, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Children of Korlis, Viscid Lemures, Plated Pegasus, Truth or Tale

Pick: Flamecore Elemental

Pack 22:

Spiketail Drakeling, Scarwood Treefolk, Keldon Halberdier, Ophidian Eye, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Paradise Plume, Paradox Haze, Dreadship Reef

Pick: Keldon Halberdier

Pack 23:

Temporal Eddy, Aetherflame Wall, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Bewilder, Primal Forcemage, Tivadar of Thorn, Desert, Mountain

Pick: Desert

Pack 24:

Ashcoat Bear, Cancel, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Voidmage Husher

Pick: Subterranean Shambler

Pack 25:

Strength in Numbers, Aether Web, Divine Congregation, Pull from Eternity, Mishra, Artificer Prodigy, Swamp

Pick: Mishra, Artificer Prodigy

Pack 26:

Scarwood Treefolk, Eternity Snare, Skulking Knight, Sidewinder Sliver, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss

Pick: Skulking Knight

Pack 27:

Children of Korlis, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Assembly-Worker

Pick: Viashino Bladescout

Pack 28:

Divine Congregation, Chameleon Blur, Locket of Yesterdays

Pick: Locket of Yesterdays

Pack 29:

Ophidian Eye, Plated Pegasus

Pick: Plated Pegasus

Pack 30:

Paradox Haze

Pick: Paradox Haze

Pack 31:

Icatian Crier, Bonesplitter Sliver, Tendrils of Corruption, Think Twice, Subterranean Shambler, Cyclopean Giant, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode, Jedit's Dragoons, Knight of the Holy Nimbus, Tromp the Domains, Paradox Haze, Reiterate, Spined Sliver, Smallpox

Pick: Tendrils of Corruption

Pack 32:

Mana Skimmer, Chromatic Star, Looter il-Kor, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Fury Sliver, Harmonic Sliver, Vampiric Sliver, Vesuva, Eron the Relentless, Castle Raptors

Pick: Eron the Relentless

Pack 33:

Ashcoat Bear, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Thallid Germinator, Terramorphic Expanse, Call to the Netherworld, Cyclopean Giant, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Voidmage Husher, Dread Return, Academy Ruins

Pick: Terramorphic Expanse

Pack 34:

Feebleness, Castle Raptors, Chromatic Star, Tolarian Sentinel, Flowstone Channeler, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Venser's Sliver, Saltcrusted Steppe, Primal Forcemage, Opaline Sliver

Pick: Feebleness

Pack 35:

Flamecore Elemental, Castle Raptors, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Children of Korlis, Viscid Lemures, Quilled Sliver, Haunting Hymn, Opaline Sliver, Spinneret Sliver

Pick: Haunting Hymn

Pack 36:

Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Ivory Giant, Mystical Teachings, Shadow Sliver, Bogardan Rager, Smallpox, Saltcrusted Steppe, Gauntlet of Power, Drifter il-Dal

Pick: Mindstab

Pack 37:

Cloudchaser Kestrel, Drudge Reavers, Cancel, Jhoira's Timebug, Chameleon Blur, Subterranean Shambler, Cyclopean Giant, Moonlace, Grinning Totem

Pick: Grinning Totem

Pack 38:

Ashcoat Bear, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm, Voidmage Husher, Assembly-Worker

Pick: Assembly-Worker

Pack 39:

Subterranean Shambler, Cyclopean Giant, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode, Jedit's Dragoons, Paradox Haze, Reiterate

Pick: Psychotic Episode

Pack 40:

Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Harmonic Sliver

Pick: Blazing Blade Askari

Pack 41:

Call to the Netherworld, Cyclopean Giant, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver

Pick: Cyclopean Giant

Pack 42:

Ground Rift, Saltcrusted Steppe, Primal Forcemage, Opaline Sliver

Pick: Saltcrusted Steppe

Pack 43:

Molder, Children of Korlis, Opaline Sliver

Pick: Opaline Sliver

Pack 44:

Gaze of Justice, Shadow Sliver

Pick: Shadow Sliver

Pack 45:

Chameleon Blur

Pick: Chameleon Blur

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

1 Twisted Abomination
1 Corpulent Corpse
1 Cyclopean Giant
1 Feebleness
1 Haunting Hymn
1 Mindstab
1 Psychotic Episode
1 Strangling Soot
1 Tendrils of Corruption
2 Trespasser il-Vec
1 Urborg Syphon-Mage
1 Eron the Relentless
1 Basalt Gargoyle
1 Blazing Blade Askari
1 Bogardan Rager
1 Flamecore Elemental
1 Keldon Halberdier
1 Magus of the Scroll
1 Candles of Leng
1 Prismatic Lens
2 Ghostflame Sliver
8 Mountain
8 Swamp
1 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard:

1 Assembly-Worker
1 Chameleon Blur
1 Desert
1 Fortify
1 Grinning Totem
1 Knight of the Holy Nimbus
1 Locket of Yesterdays
1 Mishra, Artificer Prodigy
1 Opaline Sliver
1 Ovinomancer
1 Paradox Haze
1 Plated Pegasus
1 Sage of Epityr
1 Saltcrusted Steppe
1 Shadow Sliver
1 Skulking Knight
1 Subterranean Shambler
1 Thunder Totem
1 Traitor's Clutch
1 Truth or Tale
1 Viashino Bladescout

My deck turned out fairly mediocre, although I think that was more a product of the cardpool than the decisions I made during the draft. I took the Candles of Leng high because people said I should have taken it last time, and it seems like a good fit in Black/Red, which doesn't usually have much of a late game.

In the first round I got some ridiculous draws in which I used all of my mana for the first five turns each game and completely rolled him.

In the second round I lost the first game to a Temporal Eddy that killed my Flamecore Elemental; then I got destroyed by Serrated Arrows. In the next two games his draws were nowhere near as good, and I drew the Strangling Soot, which gave his slow Blue/Black deck a lot of trouble.

I felt pretty fortunate to split the finals of this draft.

Until tomorrow,

Rich

Draft recording done by Blargware's MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!