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Draft:

Pack 1:

Temporal Isolation, Think Twice, Ashcoat Bear, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Might of Old Krosa, Clockwork Hydra, Dementia Sliver, Reiterate, Spike Feeder

Pick: Clockwork Hydra

Pack 2:

Snapback, Aether Web, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Drudge Reavers, Goblin Skycutter, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Clockwork Hydra, Dreadship Reef, Harmonic Sliver, Spike Tiller, Resurrection

Pick: Clockwork Hydra

Pack 3:

Gorgon Recluse, Herd Gnarr, Fortify, Deathspore Thallid, Prismatic Lens, Ground Rift, Eternity Snare, Skulking Knight, Sidewinder Sliver, Plated Pegasus, Molten Slagheap, Wipe Away, Zhalfirin Commander

Pick: Prismatic Lens

Pack 4:

Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Coral Trickster, Children of Korlis, Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Paradise Plume, Primal Forcemage, Cavalry Master, Icatian Javelineers

Pick: Cavalry Master

Pack 5:

Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Temporal Eddy, Tendrils of Corruption, Mogg War Marshal, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Jhoira's Timebug, Jedit's Dragoons, Fallen Ideal, Pull from Eternity

Pick: Tendrils of Corruption

Pack 6:

Cancel, Pentarch Ward, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Urza's Factory, Premature Burial, Durkwood Tracker

Pick: Premature Burial

Pack 7:

Tolarian Sentinel, Orcish Cannonade, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Firewake Sliver, Spell Burst, Foriysian Totem

Pick: Orcish Cannonade

Pack 8:

Mana Skimmer, Chromatic Star, Bogardan Rager, Traitor's Clutch, D'Avenant Healer, Glass Asp, Skittering Monstrosity, Volcanic Awakening

Pick: Mana Skimmer

Pack 9:

Urborg Syphon-Mage, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Dementia Sliver, Reiterate

Pick: Urborg Syphon-Mage

Pack 10:

Aether Web, Drudge Reavers, Ghitu Firebreathing, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Harmonic Sliver

Pick: Psychotic Episode

Pack 11:

Ground Rift, Eternity Snare, Plated Pegasus, Molten Slagheap, Wipe Away

Pick: Molten Slagheap

Pack 12:

Gaze of Justice, Children of Korlis, Ground Rift, Paradise Plume

Pick: Paradise Plume

Pack 13:

Zealot il-Vec, Jhoira's Timebug, Jedit's Dragoons

Pick: Jedit's Dragoons

Pack 14:

Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation

Pick: Divine Congregation

Pack 15:

Molder

Pick: Molder

Pack 16:

Dreamscape Artist, Aven Riftwatcher, Cradle to Grave, Dead / Gone, Reflex Sliver, Dust Corona, Reality Acid, Blightspeaker, Sinew Sliver, Gossamer Phantasm, Seal of Primordium, Stonecloaker, Timebender, Kor Dirge, Voidstone Gargoyle

Pick: Dead / Gone

Pack 17:

Needlepeak Spider, Poultice Sliver, Dead / Gone, Pallid Mycoderm, Keldon Marauders, Dust Corona, Uktabi Drake, Prodigal Pyromancer, Melancholy, Piracy Charm, Big Game Hunter, Hammerheim Deadeye, Calciderm, Magus of the Bazaar

Pick: Dead / Gone

Pack 18:

Midnight Charm, Shaper Parasite, Battering Sliver, Whitemane Lion, Brain Gorgers, Keldon Marauders, Ghost Tactician, Wistful Thinking, Mana Tithe, Prodigal Pyromancer, Simian Spirit Guide, Frenetic Sliver, Riptide Pilferer

Pick: Prodigal Pyromancer

Pack 19:

Utopia Vow, Veiling Oddity, Ridged Kusite, Saltfield Recluse, Dash Hopes, Reality Acid, Citanul Woodreaders, Merfolk Thaumaturgist, Healing Leaves, Sunlance, Shivan Wumpus, Magus of the Coffers

Pick: Magus of the Coffers

Pack 20:

Spitting Sliver, Stingscourger, Saltfield Recluse, Veiling Oddity, Reality Acid, Deadly Grub, Fa'adiyah Seer, Merfolk Thaumaturgist, Aether Membrane, Big Game Hunter, Keen Sense

Pick: Stingscourger

Pack 21:

Dawn Charm, Stingscourger, Erratic Mutation, Deadly Grub, Aquamorph Entity, Firefright Mage, Primal Plasma, Vampiric Link, Skirk Shaman, Serra's Boon

Pick: Stingscourger

Pack 22:

Midnight Charm, Needlepeak Spider, Blightspeaker, Ghost Tactician, Fury Charm, Healing Leaves, Revered Dead, Darkheart Sliver, Mycologist

Pick: Needlepeak Spider

Pack 23:

Spitting Sliver, Veiling Oddity, Synchronous Sliver, Fury Charm, Vitaspore Thallid, Mana Tithe, Circle of Affliction, Lavacore Elemental

Pick: Spitting Sliver

Pack 24:

Cradle to Grave, Dust Corona, Reality Acid, Blightspeaker, Gossamer Phantasm, Seal of Primordium, Timebender

Pick: Cradle to Grave

Pack 25:

Needlepeak Spider, Pallid Mycoderm, Keldon Marauders, Dust Corona, Melancholy, Big Game Hunter

Pick: Big Game Hunter

Pack 26:

Brain Gorgers, Keldon Marauders, Ghost Tactician, Wistful Thinking, Simian Spirit Guide

Pick: Brain Gorgers

Pack 27:

Veiling Oddity, Ridged Kusite, Reality Acid, Shivan Wumpus

Pick: Shivan Wumpus

Pack 28:

Spitting Sliver, Reality Acid, Deadly Grub

Pick: Spitting Sliver

Pack 29:

Deadly Grub, Vampiric Link

Pick: Deadly Grub

Pack 30:

Healing Leaves

Pick: Healing Leaves

Pack 31:

Rift Elemental, Llanowar Empath, Marshaling Cry, Unblinking Bleb, Lost Hours, Riddle of Lightning, Fomori Nomad, Logic Knot, Lucent Liminid, Vedalken Aethermage, Llanowar Mentor, Sword of the Meek, Spirit en-Dal, Nihilith, Whip-Spine Drake

Pick: Nihilith

Pack 32:

Sprout Swarm, Samite Censer-Bearer, Aven Augur, Bogardan Lancer, Knight of Sursi, Mesmeric Sliver, Patrician's Scorn, Sarcomite Myr, Henchfiend of Ukor, Thornweald Archer, Riftsweeper, Spirit en-Dal, Mystic Speculation, Magus of the Moat

Pick: Henchfiend of Ukor

Pack 33:

Grave Peril, Wrap in Vigor, Samite Censer-Bearer, Infiltrator il-Kor, Putrid Cyclops, Blind Phantasm, Lumithread Field, Grinning Ignus, Edge of Autumn, Deepcavern Imp, Minions' Murmurs, Tolaria West, Char-Rumbler

Pick: Deepcavern Imp

Pack 34:

Rift Elemental, Augur il-Vec, Llanowar Empath, Grave Peril, Marshaling Cry, Kavu Primarch, Nessian Courser, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Sarcomite Myr, Death Rattle, Centaur Omenreader, Dryad Arbor

Pick: Death Rattle

Pack 35:

Foresee, Putrid Cyclops, Augur il-Vec, Homing Sliver, Lymph Sliver, Blind Phantasm, Virulent Sliver, Bonded Fetch, Snake Cult Initiation, Skizzik Surger, Pyromancer's Swath

Pick: Skizzik Surger

Pack 36:

Cutthroat il-Dal, Gift of Granite, Quiet Disrepair, Homing Sliver, Lumithread Field, Mesmeric Sliver, Narcomoeba, Yixlid Jailer, Boldwyr Intimidator, Pact of Negation

Pick: Pact of Negation

Pack 37:

Petrified Plating, Bogardan Lancer, Venser's Diffusion, Oblivion Crown, Saltskitter, Vedalken Aethermage, Grinning Ignus, Delay, Force of Savagery

Pick: Grinning Ignus

Pack 38:

Cutthroat il-Dal, Llanowar Augur, Mass of Ghouls, Flowstone Embrace, Frenzy Sliver, Festering March, Soultether Golem, Haze of Rage

Pick: Flowstone Embrace

Pack 39:

Rift Elemental, Llanowar Empath, Marshaling Cry, Unblinking Bleb, Lost Hours, Logic Knot, Vedalken Aethermage

Pick: Llanowar Empath

Pack 40:

Samite Censer-Bearer, Mesmeric Sliver, Patrician's Scorn, Sarcomite Myr, Spirit en-Dal, Mystic Speculation

Pick: Spirit en-Dal

Pack 41:

Grave Peril, Wrap in Vigor, Samite Censer-Bearer, Blind Phantasm, Minions' Murmurs

Pick: Minions' Murmurs

Pack 42:

Rift Elemental, Llanowar Empath, Sarcomite Myr, Dryad Arbor

Pick: Llanowar Empath

Pack 43:

Augur il-Vec, Virulent Sliver, Snake Cult Initiation

Pick: Snake Cult Initiation

Pack 44:

Gift of Granite, Quiet Disrepair

Pick: Quiet Disrepair

Pack 45:

Oblivion Crown

Pick: Oblivion Crown

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

2 Dead // Gone
1 Cradle to Grave
1 Flowstone Embrace
1 Premature Burial
1 Prismatic Lens
2 Stingscourger
1 Big Game Hunter
1 Deepcavern Imp
1 Orcish Cannonade
1 Prodigal Pyromancer
1 Urborg Syphon-Mage
1 Henchfiend of Ukor
1 Mana Skimmer
1 Needlepeak Spider
1 Tendrils of Corruption
2 Clockwork Hydra
1 Magus of the Coffers
1 Death Rattle
1 Nihilith
1 Skizzik Surger
9 Mountain
8 Swamp

Sideboard:

1 Brain Gorgers
1 Cavalry Master
1 Deadly Grub
1 Divine Congregation
1 Grinning Ignus
1 Healing Leaves
1 Jedit's Dragoons
2 Llanowar Empath
1 Minions' Murmurs
1 Molder
1 Molten Slagheap
1 Oblivion Crown
1 Pact of Negation
1 Paradise Plume
1 Psychotic Episode
1 Quiet Disrepair
1 Shivan Wumpus
1 Snake Cult Initiation
1 Spirit en-Dal
2 Spitting Sliver

This draft shows the strength of taking artifacts early. It's rare that with your first three picks you can take artifacts, but when you do, you're set up well to really take advantage of the draft. In this draft it was clear that Black was wide open, and then Red (with the late Cannonade). Pack 2 went pretty well, giving me lots of Red since it got cut off during pack 1. Future Sight was fairly disappointing, but fortunately my deck didn't need much help at that point.

Round 1 I played against Gabriel Nassif's Red/Green deck. Game 1 he stalled on land for a turn, while I played Henchfiend of Ukor and killed every blocker he played until the Henchfiend killed him. Game 2 he had a pretty fast start, but I had Nihilith on turn 2, and then was able to trade with all his creatures until the Nihilith came in and held the ground, then killed him when I was able to get rid of his other creatures.

Round 2 I played against a really fast Blue/White deck. Game 1 I had a slow draw while he curved out with Knight of Sursi, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Sarcomite Myr, and Veiling Oddity and Infiltrator il-Kor both suspended turn 4. The last damage I was going to take was the two from Veiling Oddity, which would put me to two, but unfortunately he had Fortify to finish me before I could take over the game. Game 2 he had another quick draw, but this time I had Dead/Gone and Stingscourger to fend him off until I could get Clockwork Hydra online, which he had a really tough time attacking through. Then I played the second one, and it was game over. Game 3 his draw was a little slower, and my Clockwork Hydra traded with his Veiling Oddity, Spirit en-Dal, and Fortify (he may have made a slight misplay there). After that I played Magus of the Coffers, and the game looked unloseable since my hand was Stingscourger, Deepcavern Imp, Premature Burial, and Clockwork Hydra to his empty board. The Crovax he played next turn wasn't even good enough. I drew another Stingscourger which let me bounce it twice, then Premature Burial it, attacking with my team each time, with enough damage to kill him on the third attack.

I decided not to split the finals because I liked this deck so much. I was playing the guy passing to me, and somehow he was also Black/Red. Weird. Game 1 we both got a bit flooded, but I simply had more spells than him, and ended the game with Tendrils and Dead/Gone in hand. Game 2 was a race, and I was able to steal it on the last turn with Skizzik Surger. Something he definitely could have played around if he remembered passing it.

Until tomorrow,

Rich

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