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Draft:

Pack 1:

Chromatic Star, Flowstone Channeler, Trespasser il-Vec, Spinneret Sliver, Fortify, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser's Sliver, Krosan Grip, Tectonic Fiend, Foriysian Totem, Thelonite Hermit, Conspiracy, Shadow Sliver

Pick: Thelonite Hermit

Pack 2:

Flamecore Elemental, Gemhide Sliver, Feebleness, Castle Raptors, Dream Stalker, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor's Clutch, Stormcloud Djinn, Gustcloak Cavalier, Clockwork Hydra, Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder, Tormod's Crypt

Pick: Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder

Pack 3:

Cloudchaser Kestrel, Terramorphic Expanse, Pentarch Ward, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Telekinetic Sliver, Knight of the Holy Nimbus, Pendelhaven Elder, Weathered Bodyguards, Safe Haven, Island

Pick: Pendelhaven Elder

Pack 4:

Thallid Germinator, Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Temporal Eddy, Tendrils of Corruption, Greenseeker, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Phantom Wurm, Fungal Reaches, Ib Halfheart, Goblin Tactician

Pick: Thallid Germinator

Pack 5:

Bonesplitter Sliver, Ashcoat Bear, Amrou Seekers, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Ghostflame Sliver, Dread Return, Swamp Mosquito

Pick: Dread Return

Pack 6:

Flamecore Elemental, Mana Skimmer, Coral Trickster, Children of Korlis, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Fool's Demise, Gustcloak Cavalier

Pick: Thrill of the Hunt

Pack 7:

Benalish Cavalry, Feebleness, Ivory Giant, Shadow Sliver, Traitor's Clutch, D'Avenant Healer, Saltcrusted Steppe, Dementia Sliver, Dreadship Reef

Pick: Benalish Cavalry

Pack 8:

Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit, Voidmage Husher, Smallpox, Defiant Vanguard

Pick: Defiant Vanguard

Pack 9:

Plunder, Molder, Venser's Sliver, Krosan Grip, Tectonic Fiend, Conspiracy, Shadow Sliver

Pick: Conspiracy

Pack 10:

Feebleness, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor's Clutch, Gustcloak Cavalier

Pick: Feebleness

Pack 11:

Pentarch Ward, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode

Pick: Pentarch Ward

Pack 12:

Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Fungal Reaches

Pick: Basal Sliver

Pack 13:

Sprout, Divine Congregation, Swamp Mosquito

Pick: Sprout

Pack 14:

Children of Korlis, Sangrophage

Pick: Sangrophage

Pack 15:

Traitor's Clutch

Pick: Traitor's Clutch

Pack 16:

Saltfield Recluse, Synchronous Sliver, Needlepeak Spider, Fury Charm, Wistful Thinking, Citanul Woodreaders, Firefright Mage, Pallid Mycoderm, Revered Dead, Rathi Trapper, Fa'adiyah Seer, Riftmarked Knight, Pongify, Serra Sphinx, Benalish Commander

Pick: Citanul Woodreaders

Pack 17:

Poultice Sliver, Dead / Gone, Ridged Kusite, Ghost Tactician, Wistful Thinking, Keldon Marauders, Dash Hopes, Brute Force, Mana Tithe, Primal Plasma, Venarian Glimmer, Phantasmagorian, Mycologist, Braids, Conjurer Adept

Pick: Dead / Gone

Pack 18:

Giant Dustwasp, Stingscourger, Synchronous Sliver, Utopia Vow, Dawn Charm, Blightspeaker, Aquamorph Entity, Evolution Charm, Essence Warden, Bog Serpent, Treacherous Urge, Sulfur Elemental, Vorosh, the Hunter

Pick: Giant Dustwasp

Pack 19:

Spitting Sliver, Mire Boa, Battering Sliver, Pallid Mycoderm, Brain Gorgers, Dust Corona, Vitaspore Thallid, Dash Hopes, Simian Spirit Guide, Ana Battlemage, Dismal Failure, Jedit Ojanen of Efrava

Pick: Jedit Ojanen of Efrava

Pack 20:

Aven Riftwatcher, Reflex Sliver, Dreamscape Artist, Aquamorph Entity, Shade of Trokair, Uktabi Drake, Gossamer Phantasm, Seal of Primordium, Essence Warden, Darkheart Sliver, Dunerider Outlaw

Pick: Aven Riftwatcher

Pack 21:

Battering Sliver, Reflex Sliver, Midnight Charm, Vitaspore Thallid, Brain Gorgers, Vampiric Link, Skirk Shaman, Healing Leaves, Sophic Centaur, Hedge Troll

Pick: Hedge Troll

Pack 22:

Poultice Sliver, Giant Dustwasp, Dreamscape Artist, Ridged Kusite, Wistful Thinking, Dash Hopes, Reality Acid, Skirk Shaman, Fa'adiyah Seer

Pick: Giant Dustwasp

Pack 23:

Pallid Mycoderm, Dust Corona, Uktabi Drake, Bog Serpent, Rebuff the Wicked, Auramancer's Guise, Hedge Troll, Heroes Remembered

Pick: Hedge Troll

Pack 24:

Synchronous Sliver, Fury Charm, Wistful Thinking, Firefright Mage, Pallid Mycoderm, Revered Dead, Fa'adiyah Seer

Pick: Pallid Mycoderm

Pack 25:

Ridged Kusite, Ghost Tactician, Wistful Thinking, Dash Hopes, Venarian Glimmer, Mycologist

Pick: Mycologist

Pack 26:

Utopia Vow, Blightspeaker, Aquamorph Entity, Essence Warden, Bog Serpent

Pick: Utopia Vow

Pack 27:

Dust Corona, Vitaspore Thallid, Dash Hopes, Simian Spirit Guide

Pick: Vitaspore Thallid

Pack 28:

Reflex Sliver, Seal of Primordium, Darkheart Sliver

Pick: Darkheart Sliver

Pack 29:

Healing Leaves, Sophic Centaur

Pick: Healing Leaves

Pack 30:

Dash Hopes

Pick: Dash Hopes

Pack 31:

Leaden Fists, Gift of Granite, Augur of Skulls, Lost Hours, Fatal Attraction, Petrified Plating, Henchfiend of Ukor, Whip-Spine Drake, Lymph Sliver, Homing Sliver, Sporoloth Ancient, Aven Mindcensor, Arcanum Wings, Snake Cult Initiation, Oriss, Samite Guardian

Pick: Sporoloth Ancient

Pack 32:

Sprout Swarm, Oblivion Crown, Saltskitter, Cutthroat il-Dal, Mass of Ghouls, Lucent Liminid, Thornweald Archer, Flowstone Embrace, Frenzy Sliver, Mesmeric Sliver, Dakmor Salvage, Arc Blade, Llanowar Mentor, Whetwheel

Pick: Sprout Swarm

Pack 33:

Llanowar Augur, Augur of Skulls, Sprout Swarm, Samite Censer-Bearer, Aven Augur, Patrician's Scorn, Sarcomite Myr, Henchfiend of Ukor, Thornweald Archer, Death Rattle, Sliversmith, Dust of Moments, Cloudseeder

Pick: Sprout Swarm

Pack 34:

Grave Peril, Marshaling Cry, Kavu Primarch, Emberwilde Augur, Edge of Autumn, Lymph Sliver, Blind Phantasm, Virulent Sliver, Mass of Ghouls, Ravaging Riftwurm, Shivan Sand-Mage, Soultether Golem

Pick: Kavu Primarch

Pack 35:

Samite Censer-Bearer, Putrid Cyclops, Rift Elemental, Marshaling Cry, Logic Knot, Lucent Liminid, Vedalken Aethermage, Virulent Sliver, Frenzy Sliver, Utopia Mycon, Goldmeadow Lookout

Pick: Goldmeadow Lookout

Pack 36:

Unblinking Bleb, Lost Hours, Wrap in Vigor, Knight of Sursi, Patrician's Scorn, Logic Knot, Nessian Courser, Grave Scrabbler, Fleshwrither, Bloodshot Trainee

Pick: Knight of Sursi

Pack 37:

Putrid Cyclops, Augur il-Vec, Petrified Plating, Bogardan Lancer, Vedalken Aethermage, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Lost Auramancers, Stronghold Rats, Imperial Mask

Pick: Blade of the Sixth Pride

Pack 38:

Bogardan Lancer, Grave Peril, Wrap in Vigor, Blind Phantasm, Lumithread Field, Grinning Ignus, Edge of Autumn, Minions' Murmurs

Pick: Edge of Autumn

Pack 39:

Gift of Granite, Lost Hours, Petrified Plating, Lymph Sliver, Homing Sliver, Arcanum Wings, Snake Cult Initiation

Pick: Lymph Sliver

Pack 40:

Oblivion Crown, Saltskitter, Cutthroat il-Dal, Frenzy Sliver, Mesmeric Sliver, Dakmor Salvage

Pick: Cutthroat il-Dal

Pack 41:

Llanowar Augur, Samite Censer-Bearer, Patrician's Scorn, Dust of Moments, Cloudseeder

Pick: Cloudseeder

Pack 42:

Grave Peril, Virulent Sliver, Ravaging Riftwurm, Soultether Golem

Pick: Ravaging Riftwurm

Pack 43:

Samite Censer-Bearer, Putrid Cyclops, Virulent Sliver

Pick: Samite Censer-Bearer

Pack 44:

Lost Hours, Patrician's Scorn

Pick: Patrician's Scorn

Pack 45:

Bogardan Lancer

Pick: Bogardan Lancer

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

1 Thrill of the Hunt
1 Benalish Cavalry
1 Blade of the Sixth Pride
1 Edge of Autumn
1 Pendelhaven Elder
2 Sprout Swarm
1 Utopia Vow
1 Defiant Vanguard
1 Aven Riftwatcher
1 Citanul Woodreaders
2 Hedge Troll
1 Thallid Germinator
1 Goldmeadow Lookout
1 Kavu Primarch
1 Knight of Sursi
1 Pallid Mycoderm
1 Thelonite Hermit
2 Giant Dustwasp
1 Sporoloth Ancient
1 Jedit Ojanen of Efrava
10 Forest
7 Plains

Sideboard:

1 Basal Sliver
1 Bogardan Lancer
1 Cloudseeder
1 Conspiracy
1 Cutthroat il-Dal
1 Darkheart Sliver
1 Dash Hopes
1 Dead // Gone
1 Dread Return
1 Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
1 Feebleness
1 Forest
1 Healing Leaves
1 Lymph Sliver
1 Mycologist
1 Patrician's Scorn
1 Pentarch Ward
1 Ravaging Riftwurm
1 Samite Censer-Bearer
1 Sangrophage
1 Sprout
1 Traitor's Clutch
1 Vitaspore Thallid

This draft was quite fun. I've wanted to try to draft the Thallid deck for some time now, and the Hermit gave me an excellent opportunity to do so. I've never taken Pendelhaven Elder anywhere near as high as I did here before, but the pack was pretty bad, and it is very good in the Thallid deck. The first pack was pretty weird with no clear signals other than the late Defiant Vanguard. Since I didn't see any Black after the Tendrils and I didn't think I'd get much from pack 2 I took the Woodreaders over the Rathi Trapper. I got lucky this time with sixth and eighth pick Hedge Trolls. Then in pack 3 everything came together when I got Sprout Swarms second and third.

Round 1 I played against a Green/Red deck. In the first game I held him off with Hedge Trolls while Jedit Forestwalked him. Game 2 I had a draw with Thallid Germinator, Thelonite Hermit, and Sprout Swarm, with sufficient lands to take advantage of all of them.

Round 2 I played against a solid Black/Red deck, and it looked like he got manascrewed in the two games I won. In the first game neither of us had a particularly fast draw, and I was able to Sprout Swarm for a while, then play Pallid Mycoderm and sacrifice the blocked Saprolings to make the rest of the team bigger. Game 2 we both had good draws, and him playing first allowed him to steal the game with a Stingscourger just as I was about to gain control. Game 3 he didn't play a Mountain and I had Pendelhaven Elder to go with my Sprout Swarm and Hedge Trolls.

I decided to play round 3 because the deck was so good and so much fun. In the first game he got off to a pretty quick start, but I was able to stall his offense with Pallid Mycoderm until I could unmorph Hermit and start Sprout Swarming. Game 2 I got stuck on five lands, with Jedit and Citanul Woodreaders in hand. This gave him time to stabilise the board then sit back on Draining Whelk and blow me out when I finally drew the land. Game 3 I drew the Hermit and Sprout Swarm again, and it simply wasn't close.

Until tomorrow,

Rich

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