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Draft:

Pack 1:

Orcish Cannonade, Amrou Scout, Keldon Halberdier, Mana Skimmer, Durkwood Baloth, Shadow Sliver, Bogardan Rager, Traitor's Clutch, D'Avenant Healer, Glass Asp, Brine Elemental, Assembly-Worker, Celestial Crusader, Spectral Force, Shadow Guildmage

Pick: Spectral Force

Pack 2:

Slipstream Serpent, Gaze of Justice, Strangling Soot, Fathom Seer, Flamecore Elemental, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Two-Headed Sliver, Conflagrate, Assembly-Worker, Sulfurous Blast, Zhalfirin Commander

Pick: Sulfurous Blast

Pack 3:

Mana Skimmer, Nantuko Shaman, Coral Trickster, Benalish Cavalry, Feebleness, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor's Clutch, Dread Return, Paradox Haze, Thunder Totem, Whispers of the Muse

Pick: Nantuko Shaman

Pack 4:

Icatian Crier, Goblin Skycutter, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Duskrider Peregrine, Wipe Away, Evil Eye of Urborg, Trickbind, Pandemonium

Pick: Duskrider Peregrine

Pack 5:

Spinneret Sliver, Flamecore Elemental, Mana Skimmer, Nantuko Shaman, Thrill of the Hunt, Shadow Sliver, Bogardan Rager, Traitor's Clutch, Gustcloak Cavalier, Fungal Reaches, Might of Old Krosa

Pick: Nantuko Shaman

Pack 6:

Thallid Germinator, Pentarch Ward, Jhoira's Timebug, Jedit's Dragoons, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Haunting Hymn, Angel's Grace, Coalition Victory, Swamp

Pick: Thallid Germinator

Pack 7:

Pentarch Ward, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Vampiric Sliver, Fool's Demise, Orgg

Pick: Orgg

Pack 8:

Pentarch Ward, Thallid Germinator, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Saltcrusted Steppe, Reiterate

Pick: Thallid Germinator

Pack 9:

Keldon Halberdier, Mana Skimmer, Shadow Sliver, Bogardan Rager, Traitor's Clutch, D'Avenant Healer, Glass Asp

Pick: Keldon Halberdier

Pack 10:

Gaze of Justice, Flamecore Elemental, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Two-Headed Sliver, Assembly-Worker

Pick: Flamecore Elemental

Pack 11:

Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor's Clutch, Dread Return

Pick: Blazing Blade Askari

Pack 12:

Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode

Pick: Ghitu Firebreathing

Pack 13:

Thrill of the Hunt, Traitor's Clutch, Fungal Reaches

Pick: Thrill of the Hunt

Pack 14:

Ancient Grudge, Swamp

Pick: Ancient Grudge

Pack 15:

Ancient Grudge

Pick: Ancient Grudge

Pack 16:

Strength in Numbers, Zealot il-Vec, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Snapback, Aether Web, Lightning Axe, Aetherflame Wall, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Urza's Factory, Stormcloud Djinn, Norin the Wary, Sindbad

Pick: Lightning Axe

Pack 17:

Spinneret Sliver, Keldon Halberdier, Ivory Giant, Grapeshot, Mindstab, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser's Sliver, Children of Korlis, Aspect of Mongoose, Quilled Sliver, Sudden Shock, Triskelavus, Assault / Battery

Pick: Assault / Battery

Pack 18:

Gaze of Justice, Flamecore Elemental, Gemhide Sliver, Feebleness, Traitor's Clutch, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Pull from Eternity, Locket of Yesterdays, Sulfurous Blast, Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder, Dragon Whelp

Pick: Dragon Whelp

Pack 19:

Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Temporal Eddy, Lightning Axe, Mogg War Marshal, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Weatherseed Totem, Quilled Sliver, Liege of the Pit

Pick: Lightning Axe

Pack 20:

Strength in Numbers, Zealot il-Vec, Screeching Sliver, Ancient Grudge, Greenseeker, Foriysian Interceptor, Cavalry Master, Scryb Ranger, Skittering Monstrosity, Magus of the Candelabra, Cockatrice

Pick: Cockatrice

Pack 21:

Feebleness, Tolarian Sentinel, Flowstone Channeler, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Truth or Tale, Smallpox, Lord of Atlantis

Pick: Flowstone Channeler

Pack 22:

Ashcoat Bear, Search for Tomorrow, Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm, Basal Sliver, Basalt Gargoyle, Krosan Grip, Fungus Sliver

Pick: Search for Tomorrow

Pack 23:

Coral Trickster, Feebleness, Spinneret Sliver, D'Avenant Healer, Glass Asp, Ground Rift, Eternity Snare, Tectonic Fiend

Pick: Spinneret Sliver

Pack 24:

Keldon Halberdier, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser's Sliver, Children of Korlis, Aspect of Mongoose

Pick: Keldon Halberdier

Pack 25:

Zealot il-Vec, Aether Web, Aetherflame Wall, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation

Pick: Aether Web

Pack 26:

Traitor's Clutch, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Locket of Yesterdays

Pick: Molder

Pack 27:

Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Detainment Spell, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall

Pick: Sprout

Pack 28:

Strength in Numbers, Ancient Grudge, Foriysian Interceptor

Pick: Strength in Numbers

Pack 29:

Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye

Pick: Ophidian Eye

Pack 30:

Krosan Grip

Pick: Krosan Grip

Pack 31:

Trespasser il-Vec, Spinneret Sliver, Fortify, Spiketail Drakeling, Flamecore Elemental, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Primal Forcemage, Locket of Yesterdays, Might of Old Krosa, Vesuva, Icatian Javelineers

Pick: Spinneret Sliver

Pack 32:

Flowstone Channeler, Herd Gnarr, Trespasser il-Vec, Amrou Scout, Grapeshot, Scarwood Treefolk, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Prismatic Lens, Pull from Eternity, Aspect of Mongoose, Serra Avenger, Dauthi Slayer

Pick: Grapeshot

Pack 33:

Snapback, Aether Web, Lightning Axe, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Drudge Reavers, Goblin Skycutter, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Wipe Away, Plated Pegasus, Restore Balance

Pick: Lightning Axe

Pack 34:

Chromatic Star, Tolarian Sentinel, Flowstone Channeler, Trespasser il-Vec, Venser's Sliver, Children of Korlis, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Mystical Teachings, Barbed Shocker, Vesuva, Funeral Charm

Pick: Flowstone Channeler

Pack 35:

Slipstream Serpent, Nantuko Shaman, Gorgon Recluse, Spiketail Drakeling, Scarwood Treefolk, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Stormcloud Djinn, Volcanic Awakening

Pick: Nantuko Shaman

Pack 36:

Cancel, Empty the Warrens, Icatian Crier, Sage of Epityr, Ghitu Firebreathing, Momentary Blink, Greenseeker, Careful Consideration, Haunting Hymn, Nether Traitor

Pick: Empty the Warrens

Pack 37:

Drudge Reavers, Cancel, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Jhoira's Timebug, Jedit's Dragoons, Savage Thallid, Krosan Grip, Swamp

Pick: Thallid Shell-Dweller

Pack 38:

Ashcoat Bear, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Cavalry Master, Dralnu, Lich Lord

Pick: Ashcoat Bear

Pack 39:

Trespasser il-Vec, Thrill of the Hunt, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Primal Forcemage, Locket of Yesterdays

Pick: Thrill of the Hunt

Pack 40:

Flowstone Channeler, Herd Gnarr, Trespasser il-Vec, Scarwood Treefolk, Wormwood Dryad, Aspect of Mongoose

Pick: Herd Gnarr

Pack 41:

Drudge Reavers, Basal Sliver, Mindlash Sliver, Plated Pegasus, Restore Balance

Pick: Restore Balance

Pack 42:

Children of Korlis, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Barbed Shocker

Pick: Barbed Shocker

Pack 43:

Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Volcanic Awakening

Pick: Volcanic Awakening

Pack 44:

Cancel, Ghitu Firebreathing

Pick: Ghitu Firebreathing

Pack 45:

Mindlash Sliver

Pick: Mindlash Sliver

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

1 Dragon Whelp [FOIL]
1 Orgg
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Grapeshot
2 Keldon Halberdier
3 Lightning Axe
1 Sulfurous Blast
1 Cockatrice
1 Ashcoat Bear
1 Herd Gnarr
3 Nantuko Shaman
1 Search for Tomorrow
1 Spectral Force
2 Spinneret Sliver
1 Strength in Numbers
1 Thallid Germinator
1 Assault // Battery
9 Forest
8 Mountain

Sideboard:

1 Aether Web
2 Ancient Grudge
1 Barbed Shocker
1 Blazing Blade Askari
1 Duskrider Peregrine
1 Flamecore Elemental
2 Flowstone Channeler
2 Ghitu Firebreathing
1 Krosan Grip
1 Mindlash Sliver
1 Molder
1 Ophidian Eye
1 Restore Balance
1 Sprout
1 Thallid Germinator
1 Thallid Shell-Dweller
2 Thrill of the Hunt
1 Volcanic Awakening

This deck was just absurd. During the draft I was thinking about what I was going to write here, and I was going to make a point about the number of Sulfurous Blasts I've been passed lately, and to tell people to stop passing it. It's almost never right. Then of course I passed a Sulfurous Blast in the second pack, a pick that I know, looking back is a mistake.

I was surprised by how much of a struggle it was to win the draft with this deck. It just refused to cooperate, giving me a good draw in one of eight games, in every other game I was constantly either missing a color, missing lands in general early, or flooded by turn 5 or 6. Nevertheless all my cards were so good I was able to win anyways.

In the first game my deck cooperated, and I had a curve of: Halberdier, Halberdier plus Search, pass turn 3, Cockatrice, and then Lightning Axe and Grapeshot when the second Halberdier came in. I had a decent opening hand but ended up getting flooded in the second game. The turning point was the turn before his Ith came in, I decided to tap out for Halberdier, planning to pay six for Lightning Axe next turn. He immediately played Pentarch Ward, and I was screwed. I drew lands for the rest of the game, but I would have needed a miracle to win anyway. For game 3 I kept an opening hand of Mountain, Halberdier, 2 Lightning Axe, 2 Spinneret Sliver, and Nantuko Shaman on the play. It may have been a mistake but I stand by it. I was lucky and drew the Forest on the first turn, and overwhelmed him with little dorks, while Axeing his only creatures that could block them.

In the second round I played against another Blue/White deck. He got ahead early in game 1 with two Benalish Cavalry and Cavalry Master. I couldn't compete while stuck on two lands. He had the same start for game 2, but that one turned around when I played Orgg turn five, and Lightning Axed his Master and Castle Raptors turn 6. Game 3 was close, as he had another good start, and I was again short on lands. His Cavalry were racing my Spinnerets and Herd Gnarr. I was eventually able to destroy his team by suspending Nantuko Shaman, and casting Assault and Grapeshot when it came in.

I decided to play the finals because my deck was just that good. The first game was a blowout, despite my mana flood. He Cloudskated my Spectral Force twice, but it still dealt 16, and Cockatrice and Dragon Whelp did the rest. The second game was closer as he had a quick draw with Nether Traitor and Sangrophage, but my higher card quality, and his mana flood were enough for me to pull it out, despite my never drawing a second Mountain for the Sulfurous Blast and Orgg in my hand.

Until Monday,

Rich

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