Drafting With Kenji - TPF #3
[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:












Orcish Cannonade, Amrou Scout, Keldon Halberdier, Mana Skimmer, Durkwood Baloth, Fathom Seer, Wormwood Dryad, Two-Headed Sliver, Prismatic Lens, Conflagrate, Paradise Plume, Wipe Away, Kher Keep, Void, Looter il-Kor
Pick: Void
Pack 2:











Nantuko Shaman, Castle Raptors, Gorgon Recluse, Spiketail Drakeling, Scarwood Treefolk, Venser's Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, D'Avenant Healer, Truth or Tale, Aspect of Mongoose, Duskrider Peregrine, Spike Feeder
Pick: Duskrider Peregrine
Pack 3:









Coal Stoker, Deathspore Thallid, Tolarian Sentinel, Benalish Cavalry, Orcish Cannonade, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Quilled Sliver, Fallen Ideal
Pick: Benalish Cavalry
Pack 4:








Chromatic Star, Herd Gnarr, Fortify, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Two-Headed Sliver, Fool's Demise, Assembly-Worker
Pick: Fortify
Pack 5:









Dark Withering, Viscerid Deepwalker, Ashcoat Bear, Amrou Seekers, Search for Tomorrow, Divine Congregation, Jhoira's Timebug, Chameleon Blur, Subterranean Shambler, Dread Return, Academy Ruins
Pick: Amrou Seekers
Pack 6:








Think Twice, Errant Doomsayers, Rift Bolt, Aether Web, Foriysian Interceptor, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Ignite Memories, Candles of Leng
Pick: Rift Bolt
Pack 7:







Cancel, Empty the Warrens, Icatian Crier, Cyclopean Giant, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode, Jedit's Dragoons, Sprout, Pendelhaven Elder
Pick: Empty the Warrens
Pack 8:







Pentarch Ward, Sage of Epityr, Ghitu Firebreathing, Greenseeker, Pit Keeper, Fungal Reaches, Evangelize, Icatian Javelineers
Pick: Evangelize
Pack 9:






Orcish Cannonade, Mana Skimmer, Wormwood Dryad, Two-Headed Sliver, Paradise Plume, Wipe Away, Kher Keep
Pick: Orcish Cannonade
Pack 10:





Venser's Sliver, Clockspinning, Sangrophage, D'Avenant Healer, Truth or Tale, Aspect of Mongoose
Pick: D'Avenant Healer
Pack 11:




Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Fallen Ideal, Coalition Victory
Pick: Blazing Blade Askari
Pack 12:




Clockspinning, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Fool's Demise, Assembly-Worker
Pick: Assembly-Worker
Pack 13:



Divine Congregation, Jhoira's Timebug, Chameleon Blur
Pick: Divine Congregation
Pack 14:


Foriysian Interceptor, Detainment Spell
Pick: Foriysian Interceptor
Pack 15:

Cyclopean Giant
Pick: Cyclopean Giant
Pack 16:












Reflex Sliver, Whitemane Lion, Midnight Charm, Saltfield Recluse, Dust Corona, Vitaspore Thallid, Dash Hopes, Aquamorph Entity, Sunlance, Prodigal Pyromancer, Melancholy, Pouncing Wurm, Rebuff the Wicked, Mycologist, Crovax, Ascendant Hero
Pick: Crovax, Ascendant Hero
Pack 17:










Synchronous Sliver, Needlepeak Spider, Dreamscape Artist, Aven Riftwatcher, Shade of Trokair, Uktabi Drake, Ghost Tactician, Primal Plasma, Seal of Primordium, Auramancer's Guise, Treacherous Urge, Kor Dirge
Pick: Shade of Trokair
Pack 18:










Cradle to Grave, Reflex Sliver, Poultice Sliver, Firefright Mage, Wistful Thinking, Keldon Marauders, Dash Hopes, Healing Leaves, Simian Spirit Guide, Gossamer Phantasm, Sulfur Elemental, Ana Battlemage, Hedge Troll
Pick: Sulfur Elemental
Pack 19:









Spitting Sliver, Veiling Oddity, Synchronous Sliver, Dawn Charm, Vitaspore Thallid, Brain Gorgers, Bog Serpent, Revered Dead, Healing Leaves, Darkheart Sliver, Mesa Enchantress
Pick: Dawn Charm
Pack 20:







Poultice Sliver, Ridged Kusite, Erratic Mutation, Battering Sliver, Evolution Charm, Simian Spirit Guide, Merfolk Thaumaturgist, Healing Leaves, Treacherous Urge
Pick: Poultice Sliver
Pack 21:








Stingscourger, Whitemane Lion, Midnight Charm, Fury Charm, Wistful Thinking, Firefright Mage, Brute Force, Primal Plasma, Venarian Glimmer, Frozen Aether
Pick: Brute Force
Pack 22:







Utopia Vow, Spitting Sliver, Pallid Mycoderm, Uktabi Drake, Deadly Grub, Mana Tithe, Bog Serpent, Phantasmagorian, Deadly Grub
Pick: Pallid Mycoderm
Pack 23:







Cradle to Grave, Dreamscape Artist, Dust Corona, Uktabi Drake, Aquamorph Entity, Mana Tithe, Tidewalker, Keen Sense
Pick: Cradle to Grave
Pack 24:






Reflex Sliver, Midnight Charm, Dust Corona, Dash Hopes, Melancholy, Rebuff the Wicked, Mycologist
Pick: Rebuff the Wicked
Pack 25:





Uktabi Drake, Ghost Tactician, Seal of Primordium, Auramancer's Guise, Braids, Conjurer Adept, Serra's Boon
Pick: Serra's Boon
Pack 26:




Reflex Sliver, Firefright Mage, Wistful Thinking, Keldon Marauders, Dash Hopes
Pick: Keldon Marauders
Pack 27:




Spitting Sliver, Vitaspore Thallid, Brain Gorgers, Bog Serpent
Pick: Spitting Sliver
Pack 28:



Ridged Kusite, Simian Spirit Guide, Healing Leaves
Pick: Simian Spirit Guide
Pack 29:


Wistful Thinking, Firefright Mage
Pick: Firefright Mage
Pack 30:

Deadly Grub
Pick: Deadly Grub
Pack 31:










Rift Elemental, Augur il-Vec, Llanowar Empath, Grave Peril, Marshaling Cry, Lymph Sliver, Homing Sliver, Sporoloth Ancient, Grave Scrabbler, Lumithread Field, Mesmeric Sliver, Street Wraith, Storm Entity
Pick: Marshaling Cry
Pack 32:











Venser's Diffusion, Judge Unworthy, Kavu Primarch, Oblivion Crown, Emberwilde Augur, Vedalken Aethermage, Virulent Sliver, Frenzy Sliver, Fomori Nomad, Patrician's Scorn, *, *, Emblem of the Warmind, Linessa, Zephyr Mage
Pick: Judge Unworthy
Pack 33:










Foresee, Emberwilde Augur, Putrid Cyclops, Augur il-Vec, Deepcavern Imp, Flowstone Embrace, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Sarcomite Myr, Aven Mindcensor, Zoetic Cavern, Spin into Myth, Muraganda Petroglyphs, Fleshwrither
Pick: Flowstone Embrace
Pack 34:










Samite Censer-Bearer, Aven Augur, Bogardan Lancer, Grinning Ignus, Mass of Ghouls, Lucent Liminid, Thornweald Archer, Flowstone Embrace, Skizzik Surger, Centaur Omenreader, Mistmeadow Skulk, Shapeshifter's Marrow
Pick: Lucent Liminid
Pack 35:









Saltskitter, Cutthroat il-Dal, Llanowar Augur, Augur of Skulls, Mass of Ghouls, Vedalken Aethermage, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Sporoloth Ancient, Bound in Silence, Narcomoeba, Fleshwrither
Pick: Bound in Silence
Pack 36:








Grave Peril, Wrap in Vigor, Samite Censer-Bearer, Putrid Cyclops, Frenzy Sliver, Mesmeric Sliver, Patrician's Scorn, Sarcomite Myr, Dryad Arbor, Yixlid Jailer
Pick: Patrician's Scorn
Pack 37:







Cutthroat il-Dal, Gift of Granite, Quiet Disrepair, Logic Knot, Nessian Courser, Grave Scrabbler, Henchfiend of Ukor, Ramosian Revivalist, Frenzy Sliver
Pick: Ramosian Revivalist
Pack 38:







Petrified Plating, Bogardan Lancer, Oblivion Crown, Blind Phantasm, Virulent Sliver, Witch's Mist, Boldwyr Intimidator, Phosphorescent Feast
Pick: Boldwyr Intimidator
Pack 39:






Rift Elemental, Augur il-Vec, Lymph Sliver, Homing Sliver, Grave Scrabbler, Mesmeric Sliver, Spellwild Ouphe
Pick: Lymph Sliver
Pack 40:





Oblivion Crown, Virulent Sliver, Frenzy Sliver, Patrician's Scorn, Arcanum Wings, Emblem of the Warmind
Pick: Emblem of the Warmind
Pack 41:




Putrid Cyclops, Augur il-Vec, Sarcomite Myr, Aven Mindcensor, Fleshwrither
Pick: Aven Mindcensor
Pack 42:




Samite Censer-Bearer, Bogardan Lancer, Mass of Ghouls, Skizzik Surger
Pick: Skizzik Surger
Pack 43:



Saltskitter, Cutthroat il-Dal, Llanowar Augur
Pick: Saltskitter
Pack 44:


Samite Censer-Bearer, Frenzy Sliver
Pick: Samite Censer-Bearer
Pack 45:

Quiet Disrepair
Pick: Quiet Disrepair
Final Decklist:
Maindeck:
1 Shade of Trokair
1 Benalish Cavalry
1 Duskrider Peregrine
1 Amrou Seekers
1 Aven Mindcensor
1 Blazing Blade Askari
1 D'Avenant Healer
1 Poultice Sliver
1 Sulfur Elemental
1 Empty the
Warrens
1 Lucent Liminid
1 Lymph Sliver
1 Crovax, Ascendant Hero
1 Boldwyr Intimidator
10 Plains
8 Mountain
1 Brute Force
1 Flowstone Embrace
1 Judge Unworthy
1 Marshaling Cry
1 Bound in Silence
1 Orcish Cannonade
1 Rift Bolt
1 Evangelize
Sideboard:
1 Assembly-Worker
1 Cradle to Grave
1 Cyclopean Giant
1 Dawn Charm
1 Deadly Grub
1 Divine Congregation
1 Emblem of the Warmind
1 Firefright Mage
1 Foriysian Interceptor
1 Fortify
1 Keldon Marauders
1 Pallid Mycoderm
1 Patrician's Scorn
1 Quiet Disrepair
1 Ramosian Revivalist
1 Rebuff the Wicked
1 Saltskitter
1 Samite Censer-Bearer
1 Serra's Boon [FOIL]
1 Simian Spirit Guide
1 Skizzik Surger
1 Spitting Sliver
1 Void
For my second pick, I took the Duskrider Peregrine over the Castle Raptors. This is because my mana curves have always been terrible, ever since PT: San Diego, and I think that the Peregrine is simply stronger.
If I'm honest, this deck looks awful. Thankfully, my Round 1 opponent's deck wasn't much better.
Round 1 - U/W/R
Game 1: My opening hand was Benalish Cavalry, Orcish Cannonade, Bound in Silence, 2 Mountains, and 2 Plains. I drew five more lands over the first five turns, then Empty the Warrens and Judge Unworthy. My opponent suspended a Deep-Sea Kracken early, but as I did little but draw lands, the unblockable monster didn't appear until late in the game. I played a Judge Unworthy on his Synchronous Sliver, and hit an Evangelize! As I had a lot of land out, I could cast the Evangelize with buyback turn after turn. I won soon after.
Sideboarding:
In - Serra's Boon
Out - Marshaling Cry
Game2: This game saw me power out to a very good start. On turn 2 I suspended the Duskrider; on turn 3 I made Amrou Seekers. Turn 4 saw me cast D'Avenant Healer, and when the Duskrider came into play on turn 5 I had the Empty the Warrens for four tokens. Those creatures, backed with Brute Force, won me the game in short order.
Round 2 - B/W/r (splashing for Oros)
Game 1: I had another good start. I suspended Duskrider, cast Blazing Blade Askari, and used an Orcish Cannonade to kill his Mana Skimmer. I had an Empty the Warrens for four on turn 5... but none of this was good enough to win immediately. We both made some guys, which mostly couldn't attack thanks to Magus of the Moat. My only flyer was Aven Mindcensor... but my opponent made Oros!
I played Crovax, and blocked the dragon with my Mindcensor. Brute Force meant my Mindcensor was large enough to kill the Dragon once I'd returned Crovax to my hand. Crovax came down again the turn after, effectively switching off his Pallid Mycoderm. Eventually I drew Evangelize and could buy it back every turn. The game was over.
Sideboarding:
In - Rebuff the Wicked
Out - Marshaling Cry
Game 2: My opponent started strongly with three Plains, Blade of the Sixth Pride, Saltfield Recluse, and Candles of Leng. Sadly, he didn't make a fourth land. My team was Poultice Sliver, Sulfur Elemental, and Shade of Trokair. Still on three lands, my opponent tried a Sunlance on the Sulfur Elemental. He conceeded when I pumped it with Brute Force in response,
This deck was so bad. I need more practice.
Until tomorrow,
Kenji
Draft recording done by Blargware's MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!





A provocative title, no doubt... but does Stephen really believe it? Well, yes... but not in the way you think. The Voice of Vintage is in reflective mood today,...
Dredge... the deck that falls to hate. The deck that, while powerful, is simply unable to put up the numbers in a multi-round tournament. Of course, if people forgo the sideboard hatred, then the deck is unquestionably powerful...
I may not use Chimeric Staff in every tourney I play in while it’s Standard legal. In fact, I’m sure that I won’t. However, if I want to build...
Ask the Magic player on the street about the deckbuilding history of Adrian Sullivan, and it’s likely they’d say he was a lover of the Island....
One recent new rule in Magic allows forgetful spellslingers to place a marker on top of their library, should they need to remember important upkeep triggers. Of...
Two weeks ago, I wrote about six “precons” that I built for my playgroup. Since then, the group has really embraced playing with these precons in...
With all the time we as players spend wrapped up in the latest tech and the hottest new decks to hit the scene, there’s a significant part of this game we...
My idiotic selection for the Grand Prix Trial this weekend was White Weenie. Why? Because the field was anticipated to be something...
Craig “The Professor” Jones likes a burn spell. After all, one particular Lightning Helix earned him $16,000 and made him famous. So when he won the...
Forty-card Magic is considered by some to be the true test of a player’s talent and skill. Tricky draft choices and complicated in-game decisions go a long way towards proving that Magic is the most challenging game ever...
Not so much Back to The Future, more Back to The Past, as Rich Hagon takes a wry look at the set that started it all way back in 1993. Weird rules, some of the best and worst cards in the history of the game, awesome artwork, it's...
I’ve learned tons about 40-card Magic in the last month, mostly thanks to chats with Ervin Tormos. Said Ruski planned on writing “the definitive...
This is the time of year when I start culling my Type 2 (well, Standard I guess is the correct phrase) card boxes, shifting out the old stuff - Ravnica block,...
At U.S. Nationals, I head judged a Legacy tournament. I collected decklists, started round one then walked along the tables. Towards the end of one table, two... 










