Draft Report - Oct 23, 2010

I can't say much about this draft since, despite being played with my cube, I wasn't in town. The final standings were:

- RW Aggro (4-1, 9-3)
- UG Midrange (3-2, 8-6)
- WB Control (3-2, 7-6)
- WG Aggro (3-2, 7-6)
- UB Control (2-3, 5-6)
- WG Midrange/Control (0-5, 1-10)

RW Aggro
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8 Mountain
7 Plains
Dread Statuary

Jackal Pup
Battle-Mad Ronin
Rakdos Guildmage
Goblin Legionnaire
Skirk Shaman
Coal Stoker
Guardian of the Guildpact
Flametongue Kavu
Serra Angel
Rapacious One
Butcher Orgg
Myojin of Cleansing Fire

Condemn
Reciprocate
Firebolt
Flame Slash
Lightning Bolt
Pacifism
Temporal Isolation
Reprisal
Searing Blaze
Puncture Blast
Pulse of the Forge
Rolling Thunder
Captain's Maneuver

Uncontested first place in this draft, this deck plays cards that are dubious in terms of power like Coal Stoker but work as fine threats in a deck with a good deal of creature removal. Since most of that removal is burn, they also provide reach and are not dead cards against creature-light decks. Although the deck can play pure aggro depending on the draw, it has staying power enough to work well in the long run, with finishers (Butcher Orgg, Serra Angel and Myojin of Cleansing Fire), spot removal and reusable burn.


UG Midrange
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9 Forest
7 Island
Mosswort Bridge
Simic Growth Chamber

Magus of the Vineyard
Scute Mob
Silhana Ledgewalker
Quirion Elves
Vinelasher Kudzu
Pilgrim's Eye
Wake Thrasher
Call of the Herd
Ohran Viper
Summoner's Egg
Spectral Force
Rhox
Plated Slagwurm
Simic Sky Swallower
Ulamog's Crusher

Lightning Greaves
Fertile Ground
Naturalize
Evolution Charm
Moment's Peace
Squirrel Nest
Control Magic
Confiscate

This midrange has a good threat density and quality, backed up by light packages of defense (Squirrel Nest, Moment's Peace), removal and card stealing. It may deploy cheap and efficient threats like Vinelasher Kudzu and Ohran Viper, keep pressure with medium creatures and proceed to the late game strong with stuff like Plated Slagwurm and Simic Sky Swallower. There are a few ways to cheat and spring those creatures into play as well, with Mosswort Bridge and Summoner's Egg.


WB Control
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11 Swamp
6 Plains

Vampire Lacerator
Reassembling Skeleton
Bone Shredder
Stillmoon Cavalier
Smoldering Butcher
Faceless Butcher
Howling Banshee
Murderous Redcap
Ghost Council of Orzhova
Visara the Dreadful

Bonesplitter
Dark Ritual
Reanimate
Inquisition of Kozilek
Last Gasp
Bad Moon
Hymn to Tourach
Pulse of the Fields
Cage of Hands
Oblivion Ring
Rend Flesh
Sudden Death
Mortify
Zombify
Diabolic Tutor
Second Thoughts
Annihilate
Phthisis

A deck extremely heavy in removal with too few threats. The good ones were: Visara the Dreadful, Ghost Council of Orzhova, Howling Banshee and Stillmoon Cavalier. Zombify and Reanimate could be used as threats too, depending on what was reanimated, but without blue and counterspells to protect its finishers, this deck will take really long to win when facing removal on the other side of the table. It will put up a great attrition war though, unless it faces some untargetable or protection creature.