First Picks

Kamila and I simulated the first five picks in a draft with my cube. I'll post what packs I saw, and then tomorrow I'll add what my choices were and the rationale behind them. It's unlikely it was the best path, since there are so many possibilities - I hope to hear from you what you chose and why.

Pick 1

Pick 2











Pick 3










Pick 4










Pick 5

Draft Report - Mar 19, 2011

- Naka (UB Control) 3-1, 7-2
- Kamila (UB Aggro) 3-1, 6-3
- Thomas (RG Aggro) 2-2, 5-4
- Samuel (WR) 1-3, 2-6
- Vitinho (WG Aggro-Control) 1-3, 2-7

With evenly split colors, everyone feeling they assembled good decks in this draft.


UB Control
Naka

7 Island
7 Swamp
Strip Mine
Urza's Factory
Bojuka Bog
Jwar Isle Refuge

Steel Wall
Brass Man
Wall of Tanglecord
Runed Servitor
Sea Gate Oracle
Trinket Mage
Wall of Frost
Aether Adept
Hypnotic Specter
Necrotic Ooze
Shriekmaw
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Draining Whelk
Visara the Dreadful

Preordain
Compulsion
Chainer's Edict
Counterspell
Oblivion Stone
Stupor
Forbid
Infest
Fact of Fiction
Portcullis
Tezzeret the Seeker
Flash of Insight

A control deck at heart, although not playing exactly how UB control usually play. Rather than a lot of removal, this deck features lots of ground defense. This meant it forced the opponent to overextend into the boards, setting up deadly Infests and Oblivion Stones. It worked well in 3 of the matches, but I lost to the deck that ended up in last place because of the drawback that came with this system: I had few ways to deal with big fliers.

The defense package is unorthodox: Trinket Mage (fetching Steel Wall and Brass Man), Wall of Tanglecord, Runed Servitor, Sea Gate Oracle and Wall of Frost. There are fewer finishers than I wanted, but they were good enough. Tezzeret the Seeker always fetched Oblivion Stone, which was probably the deck's corner... stone. Flash of Insight, Fact or Fiction and Compulsion were great card drawing engines, mainly because they allowed me to keep open mana until the opponent's end step, which played well with my three counters.



UB "Watch Your Throat" Aggro
Kamila

7 Island
11 Swamp
Creeping Tar Pit
Faerie Conclave

Flying Men
Carnophage
Welkin Tern
Nezumi Cutthroat
Child of Night
Dauthi Horror
Vampire Hexmage
Kiku, Night's Flower
Wake Thrasher
Dauthi Marauder
Nyxathid
Phyrexian Crusader
Chronozoa
Precursor Golem
Throat Slitter

Flayer Husk
Wind Zendikon
Force Spike
Mana Leak
Vulshok Battlegear
Paralyzing Grasp
Rend Flesh
Recoil
Spite/Malice
Living Death
Repeal

The Force Spike and Mana Leak ask me to call this an aggro-control deck, but since all the rest of the cards are focused in deploying creatures, improving them and cleaning the way, it doesn't seem fair, so this is probably an Aggro. The deck curves out very well, dropping evasive creatures consistently in the first turns and following up with stronger threats, like Nyxathid, Chronozoa and Precursor Golem.

Flayer Husk and Phyrexian Crusader made their debut, and the Crusader was probably not very good due to attacking in a perpendicular axis. It did, however, pretty much own by himself the WR deck. Flayer Husk was decent, but too often Naturalized. Not exactly his fault



RG Aggro
Thomas

7 Mountain
7 Forest
Quicksand
Ghitu Encampment
Raging Ravine
Pendelhaven

Goblin Bushwacker
Birds of Paradise
Pouncing Jaguar
Jungle Lion
Basking Rootwalla
Gruul Guildmage
Kavu Predator
Garruk's Companion
Cathodion
Tuktuk the Explorer
Giant Solifuge
Flametongue Kavu
Indrik Stomphowler
Fire Servant
Bellowing Tanglewurm
Hostility
Krosan Tusker

Genju of the Spires
Giant Growth
Naturalize
Magma Jet
Browbeat
Crusher Zendikon
Pulse of the Forge
Bestial Menace
Earthquake
Rolling Thunder

A classic RG Aggro list, With plenty of good 1-drops but somewhat missing 2-drops. The hasters or haste-enablers, Goblin Bushwacker, Giant Solifuge, Hostility, Genju of the Spires and Crusher Zendikon provided good reach along with the burn spells. Pulse of the Forge was great when racing, and well-placed Earthquakes were determinant in the victories.



WR
Samuel

7 Mountain
10 Plains

Scorched Rusalka
Goblin Patrol
Ghost-Lit Redeemer
Accorder Paladin
Stigma Lasher
Orzhov Guildmage
Spitemare
Soltari Guerrillas
Brion Stoutarm
Serra Angel
Firemane Angel

Hyena Umbra
Dead/Gone
Lightning Helix
Darksteel Ingot
Oblivion Ring
Recumbent Bliss
Chastise
Ricochet Trap
Wrath of God
Chandra's Outrage
True Conviction

A deck filled with life gain but somewhat aggro. In some games, it went to the red zone a lot with Accorder Paladin leading the group, while in others it sat back and controlled the game while it drew and dropped powerful creatures. True Conviction created some huge life totals while beating the opponent, and Firemane Angel was a nightmare to my control deck.



WG Aggro-Control
Vitinho

8 Forest
7 Plains
Jungle Shrine
Seaside Citadel

Scute Mob
Vinelasher Kudzu
Fauna Shaman
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Silhana Ledgewalker
Kor Skyfisher
Troll Ascetic
Cloudchaser Kestrel
Guardian of the Guildpact
Galepowder Mage
Emeria Angel
Stormfront Riders
Phantom Nishoba

Infiltration Lens
Genju of the Fields
Vines of Vastwood
Lightning Greaves
Evolution Charm
Kodama's Reach
Boar Umbra
Solemn Offering
Story Circle
Shining Shoal
Strength of the Tajuru

Most creatures is this deck have evasion, which combined with the equipments, auras and combat tricks will win the game in a heartbeat if the creatures are left unchecked. This is also the deck's problem - when its creatures are dealt with, it draw lots of blanks. All the land fetching contributes to that problem.

New Card Batch 5

Just adding a few cards I got from Mirrodin Besieged Boosters.

Added

Corrupted Conscience
Flayer Husk
Knowledge Pool
Phyrexian Crusader
Carnifex Demon


Removed

Jace's Erasure
Explorer's Scope
Core Prowler
Attrition
Ascendant Evincar

Blue Aggro

An article posted today in Mana Nation caught my interest. Basically, it talks about blue aggro in cubes, why enable it, and how to do so.

Enabling Blue-Based Tempo, Or "Blueggro", In Your Cube

I would like some feedback on if you guys like the strategy, if you've ever played it and how well you think it's supported in my cube. It's been one of the main balancing issues to me, since blue pulls so heavily towards control, when one puts together a power cube.

Draft Report - Feb 12, 2011

- Jão (BR Midrange) 4-0, 8-1
- Zaca (G Aggro) 3-1, 7-3
- Thomas (UR) 1-3, 4-7
- Naka (UB Milling/Proliferate) 1-3, 3-6
- Érico (WR Aggro) 1-3, 2-7


BR Midrange
Jão

10 Swamp
7 Mountain
Keldon Megaliths

Goblin Bushwacker
Cabal Interrogator
Nezumi Graverobber
Fallen Askari
Fire Imp
Royal Assassin
Nyxathid
Blazing Specter
Necrotic Ooze
Precursor Golem
Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
Sengir Nosferatu
Duplicant

Brittle Effigy
Genju of the Spires
Raven's Crime
Animate Dead
Rend Flesh
Blightning
Phyrexian Processor
Bituminous Blast
Profane Command

A midrange deck that uses disruption to control the early game then casts 4 and 5 cost spells that unbalance the game. Ob Nixilis, the Fallen, Precursor Golem, Bituminous Blast and Profane Command played well that role, while Blightning, Raven's Crime and Cabal Interrogator both fueled Nyxathid and made the opponent's life miserable. Despite the aggressive Genju of the Spires, Goblin Bushwackes and Fallen Askari, this deck does not play beatdown well, as too many spells are expensive. The early pressure acts as a way to push the opponent into a defensive posture and as bait to force him to spend some answers of the smaller threats.


G Aggro
Zaca

15 Forest
Pendelhaven
Khalni Garden

Signal Pest
Memnite
Basking Rootwalla
Jungle Lion
Twinblade Slasher
Joraga Treespeaker
Birds of Paradise
River Boa
Vinelasher Kudzu
Ohran Viper
Terastodon

Manriki-Gusari
Explorer's Scope
Infiltration Lens
Vines of Vastwood
Genju of the Cedars
Explore
Evolution Charm
Kodama's Reach
Snakeform
Might of Oaks
Desert Twister
Strength of the Tajuru

An aggressive deck that deploys creatures at an explosive rate at the beginning of the game and uses a suite of equipment and combat tricks to make them matter. Infiltration Lens, especially, excelled at refuelling the deck, while Vines of Vastwood, Snakeform, Might of Oaks and Strength of the Tajuru made sure the deck won any combat steps. The creature suite is typical of a Stompy except for Terastodon, which acted as finisher and could come online early thanks to all the accelerators.



UB Milling Proliferate
Naka

8 Swamp
8 Island
Crumbling Necropolis

Brass Man
Enclave Cryptologist
Thrummingbird
Seagate Oracle
Dusk Urchins
Ambassador Laquatus
Core Prowler
Nekrataal
Shriekmaw
Djinn of Wishes

Shriekhorn
Mana Vault
Brainstorm
Millstone
Jace's Erasure
Rhystic Study
Recoil
Screams from Within
Serrated Arrows
Barter in Blood
Control Magic
Chimeric Mass
Decree of Pain

A deck that's much more fun than efficient. The milling suite is composed of Ambassador Laquatus, Shriekhorn, Millstone and Jace's Erasure. It may seem little, and it is - I would have killed for an Archive Trap or Traumatize. In several games I died with the opponent at less than 10 cards remaining in the library, so one of those spells would've been sweet.

Besides milling the opponent, half of the deck is dedicated to control. I found Barter in Blood and Screams from Within a little awkward to play, but there were situations in which they were invaluable. Decree of Pain is expensive but when I resolved one, I usually won. Recoil was just bad, as I never hit an opponent with an empty hand, and the discard did not matter that much. Control Magic is just awesome.



The best feature in the deck, though, was the proliferatable cards that Thrummingbird and Core Prowler helped fuel. Core Prowler itself was a source of -1/-1 counters, while Enclave Cryptologist, Dusk Urchins, Djinn of Wishes, Shriekhorn and Chimeric Mass were all helped by the proliferate. The best combo was Thrummingbird with Serrated Arrows. The arrows dumped -1/-1 counters that could be proliferated, and at the same time was refueled with arrow counters.

New Card Batch 4

Added

Land
Battlefield Forge
Caves of Koilos
Yavimaya Coast
Shivan Reef
Llanowar Wastes
Tainted Field
Ancient Amphitheater
Gilt-Leaf Palace

Artifact
Signal Pest
Shriekhorn
Infiltration Lens
Explorer's Scope
Expedition Map
Sylvok Lifestaff
Brittle Effigy
Mind Stone
Manriki-Gusari
Core Prowler
Portcullis
Lodestone Golem
Khalni Gem
Clone Shell
Chimeric Mass

White
Genju of the Fields
Hyena Umbra
Blade of the Sixth Pride
Soltari Trooper
Wall of Omens
Accorder Paladin
Leonin Skyhunter
Pianna, Nomad Captain
Kemba, Kha Regent
World Queller
Planar Cleansing
Phyrexian Rebirth

Blue
Twisted Image
Enclave Cryptologist
Compulsion
Welkin Tern
Thrummingbird
Flash of Insight
Jace's Erasure
Remand
Rhystic Study
Ambassador Laquatus
Deep Analysis
Archive Trap
Reality Strobe

Black
Raven's Crime
Bloodchief Ascension
Kor Dirge
Screams from Within
Vampire Nighthawk
Nyxathid
Royal Assassin
Measure of Wickedness
Horobi, Death's Wail
Necrotic Ooze
Sengir Nosferatu
Consume the Meek
Hatred

Red
Goblin Patrol
Scorched Rusalka
Brute Force
Goblin Bushwacker
Wall of Razors
Ancient Grudge
Stone Rain

Green
Vines of Vastwood
Genju of the Cedars
Pouncing Jaguar
Basking Rootwalla
Joraga Treespeaker
Explore
Constant Mists
Albino Troll
Fauna Shaman
Briarhorn
Master of the Wild Hunt

Multicolor
Bituminous Blast
Blazing Specter
Wort, the Raidmother
Recoil
Snakeform
Temporal Spring
Suffocating Blast
Prophetic Bolt
Novablast Wurm
Augury Adept
Isperia the Inscrutable
Zealous Persecution


Removed

Land
Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
New Benalia
Emeria, the Sky Ruin
Svogthos, the Restless Tomb
Barbarian Ring

Artifact
Glasses of Urza
Leonin Scimitar
Vulshok Gauntlets
Trip Noose
Scythe of the Wretched
Journeyer's Kite
Energy Chamber
Candles of Leng
Reinforced Bulwark
Worn Powerstone
Nuisance Engine
Golem Artisan
Argentum Armor
Ulamog's Crusher
Orochi Hatchery

White
Weathered Wayfarer
Wall of Hope
Reciprocate
Veteran Armorer
Dawn Charm
Suture Spirit
Masako the Humorless
Kitsune Blademaster
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Celestial Crusader
Miraculous Recovery
Kirtar's Wrath

Blue
Curiosity
Cathartic Adept
Trade Routes
Surveilling Sprite
Diminish
Waterfront Bouncer
Memory Lapse
Compulsive Research
Calcite Snapper
Repel
Darkslick Drake
Future Sight
Arcanis the Omnipotent

Black
Skull Fracture
Wall of Souls
Hand of Cruelty
Stinkweed Imp
Doomed Necromancer
Priest of Gix
Ashes to Ashes
Zombify
Smoldering Butcher
Gravedigger
Sengir Vampire
Fallen Angel
Extractor Demon

Red
Goblin Balloon Brigade
Seal of Fire
Godo's Irregulars
Zektar Shrine Expedition
Fireslinger
Anger
Hellkite Charger

Green
Ancient Stirrings
Scythe Tiger
Arbor Elf
Quirion Elves
Khalni Heart Expedition
Sylvan Might
Deep Reconnaissance
Karstoderm
Arashi, the Sky Asunder
Enshrined Memories
Genesis Wave

Multicolor
Kaervek the Merciless
Wrecking Ball
Decimate
Psychatog
Shielding Plax
Simic Guildmage
Izzet Guildmage
Quicksilver Dagger
Congregation at Dawn
Ith, High Arcanist
Sky Hussar
Night/Day

On Planeswalkers

First an annoucement:

Yes, the first card removed from the cube because it was too good. I'm aware that goes against the principle of power cubes, but there's a level at which cards win games by themselves too frequently and there are not enough answers for them. Letting them go makes for a better, more fun and less frustrating environment.

As we all saw over a few drafts, good planeswalkers are overpowered. Guys like Chandra Ablaze and Tezzeret the Seeker (two of the worst planeswalkers printed in my opinion) are OK. They do change some games, but other spells at their costs often do so. They are situational though, and one has to put some thought on whether to run them, build around them, etc.

That is not the case of powerhouses like Elspeth, Knight-Errant, Jace, the Mind Sculptor or Garruk Wildspeaker. They share some characteristics that makes them bad cards to have in playing environments. In fact, I believe Magic designers did not execute them well, and development wasn't competent enough to spot these problems - which are circumventable.

1. Planeswalkers are too versatile

Cards in Magic have roles. Walls block, finishers end the game, counterspells counter spells, removal removes permanents. Planeswalkers often do three of these. Unlike charms, they do not do one of these, depending on the game. Instead, they may do ALL in the same game. Jace, the Mind Sculptor draws cards and digs into the deck with his first ability, bounces creatures for defense with the second and finishes the opponent with his ultimate. Now find an enchantment that lets you do all these things.

2. There are not enough answers to planeswalkers

First, there are no cards that say "Destroy target planeswalker." They can only be directly taken out with generic permanent destruction, which is remarkably rare and usually expensive. Oblivion Ring is the most obvious answer, and has been used extensively as such. The only other option that does not require an obscene amount of mana is Vindicate, which can only be played in a handful of decks.

3. Planeswalkers are defensive by nature

The other way to kill planeswalkers is by dealing damage to them. What do decks need to do to deal damage? Attack! This need to attack forces the opposing deck into an offensive position. If your defenses overcome the opposing offense, then the opponent is at a lose-lose situation - either they attack and lose the clash or do not attack and let you build up your resources with your planeswalker. That's why control decks and planeswalkers are intrinsecally sinergistic. Even if you are playing an aggressive deck, if you play a planeswalker it will frequently be worth leaving your creatures to block and defend it, because having one online is so powerful.

4. Planeswalkers have been aggressively costed

Darksteel Colossus is extremely powerful, usually winning the game when it's not dealt with. The same applies to Akroma, Angel of Wrath, Blazing Archon, Decree of Silence, Eternal Dominion and several other cards that were too far into the alphabet for me to get to. Why can't they be called broken though? Because their mana cost is so high that they can only be cast in late stages of the game, the opponent has plenty of time to prepare and have a shot at killing one first. Now, if we consider that an environment when aggro decks reliably kill before turn four is too fast, wouldn't an environment that requires aggro to kill before turn four be too harsh to them? All planeswalkers could have been printed as they were. Only costing at least five mana. This may sound like a small tweak, but to aggro decks, it's the equivalent of a Time Walk every game.