Draft Report - Oct 16, 2010

This time we had 6 people over and no one was inexperienced, so the playing level was higher than normal. The final standings were:

- UG Control (4-1, 9-3)
- WBG Midrange (4-1, 8-3)
- R Burn (2-3, 6-6)
- BR Aggro (2-3, 5-7)
- RG Aggro (2-3, 5-7)
- UB Aggro (1-4, 2-9)

White was underdrafted while red was overdrafted. It looks like burn is becoming more common, and those three red decks competed for it. Blue wasn't drafted too strongly, so a control and an aggro deck split its cards without much competition.


WBG Midrange
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5 Plains
5 Forest
4 Swamp
Rupture Spire
Jungle Shrine
Savage Lands
Grand Coliseum

Twinblade Slasher
Nezumi Graverobber
Youthful Knight
Wall of Blossoms
Putrid Leech
Stillmoon Cavalier
Yavimaya Elder
Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile
Ghost Council of Orzhova
Serra Angel
Extractor Demon
Phantom Nishoba
Myojin of Cleansing Fire

Wayfarer's Bauble
Prophetic Prism
Pacifism
Loxodon Warhammer
Oblivion Ring
Search for Tomorrow
Call of the Herd
Mortify
Putrefy
Unmake
Explosive Vegetation

I drafted Midrange again, but this time a 3-color deck. I started the draft trying to get a BG Rock going, but both black and green quality dropped and, noticing how underdrafted white was, I started picking it. I should have gotten out of black and gone towards WG Control, but I decided to try WBG. I picked green mana fixing and nonbasic lands when I could and in the end I didn't have as many mana problems as expected, but those fixers definitely dilluted the threat density of my deck. I typically ramped and killed some creatures at the beginning of the game then proceeded to cast my big creatures. I only had 5 good ones, however: Ghost Council of Orzhova, Serra Angel, Extractor Demon, Phantom Nishoba and Myojin of Cleansing Fire. Decks heavy on removal or counterspells gave me a lot of trouble because of the few threats I had.

The upsides of my deck were its mana fixing capacity - four non-basic lands and five spells - and its versatility in removing permanents - Oblivion Ring, Mortify, Putrefy, Pacifism and Unmake. As always, Loxodon Warhammer was very valuable in making any creature a threat and was frequently targeted with removal.


UG Control
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7 Forest
7 Island
Mosswort Bridge
Flooded Grove
Treetop Village
Simic Growth Chamber

Lighthouse Chronologist
Vinelasher Kudzu
Quirion Elves
Coiling Oracle
Sea Gate Oracle
Prodigal Sorcerer
Kavu Primarch
Karstoderm
Darkslick Drake
Garruk's Packleader
Indrik Stomphowler
Overbeing of Myth
Krosan Tusker
Plated Slagwurm
Simic Sky Swallower

Brainstorm
Diminish
Dolmen Gate
Journeyer's Kite
Sylvan Might
Crystal Ball
Elephant Guide
Voidslime
Icy Manipulator
Dismiss
Control Magic
Repeal

Although a lot of elements don't point towards control, like those agressive Karstoderm, Indrik Stomphowler and Elephant Guide, I believe this deck should be classified as control because of how its late game is sustainable and powerful. It typically casts threats like Vinelasher Kudzu early, for defense if the deck is being beatdown or offense if it's not, and in the latter case it applies pressure onto the the opponent, forcing him to spend resources dealing with the offense. With a quality late game, it takes control of the match when it drags long enough. Note the Diminish and Sylvan Might combat tricks that can make combat steps very profitable even when the board position isn't favorable.


RG Aggro
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8 Mountain
8 Forest
Dread Statuary

Magus of the Scroll
Jungle Lion
Ironclaw Orcs
Scute Mob
Wild Mongrel
River Boa
Fireslinger
Tin Street Hooligan
Suk'Ata Lancer
Ohran Viper
Great Sable Stag
Spitemare
Bloodbraid Elf

Rancor
Genju of the Spires
Seal of Fire
Burst Lightning
Phyrexian Vault
Fecundity
Krosan Grip
Arc Lightning
Manabarbs
Fireball

A typical aggressive deck that deploys cheap attackers and burns blockers to get a quick win. Rancor and Genju of the Spires, as always, make things hard for the opponent, while Fecundity and Phyrexian Vault help getting extra fuel. Although the 1-2 mana creature slots aren't that strong, the 3-4 mana slots present awesome creatures: Ohran Viper, Great Sable Stag, Spitemare and Bloodbraid Elf. One only problem I see in this deck is the lack of creature buffs apart from Rancor. Although the aura does its job well, a few more equipments or auras would have made this deck a more consistent killing machine.

The R Burn deck had access to the tools to be the first pure red burn deck in the cube. Hammer of Bogardan, Pulse of the Forge and Goblin Charbelcher are powerful reusable burn engines that can be aimed at a player's head without card disadvantage. Along with the reusable burn, the deck could deal loads of damage with the few creatures played, heavily equipped (a bit too heavily as too often the equipment laid on the table without bearers).

The RB Aggro deck was not especially fast, but at all stages of the game presented good quality creatures and removal. Blightning, Visara the Dreadful, Dauthi Horror and Rolling Thunder worked especially well, breaking stalemates and attrition wars. Its weakness was its inconsistency due to not comitting to any particular strategy too strongly.

The UB Aggro deck had evasion creatures to beat like Wind Zendikon, Drifter il-Dal, Looter il-Kor and Shadowmage Infiltrator. It also featured removal, card drawing and, lastly, some control elements that looked a bit out of place. Swapping those control cards for aggressive card would probably have made the deck more consistent and help its record.