RTR Draft 10/17/2010

  -->   Pack 1 pick 1:

  My Pick:

As far as I'm concerned, this pick is between augur spree and call of the conclave. They have similar qualities in being key cards in their respective guilds, and both are inconveniently two colors, which means I can't stay flexible and pick a solid mono color spell. Grave betrayal is powerful but extremely slow in a fast format. I take call of the conclave because I would rather play selesnaya and I think a 3/3 for 2 is more undercosted than a 3 mana removal spell.

  Pack 1 pick 2:

  My Pick:

On color for selesnaya I could take a seller, defenses, giant growth, sundering growth or the vine.. Of these, I would say that giant growth is the best, as I prefer an aggressive selesnaya deck rather than a durdling populate deck. Still, voidwielder is so much better than any of these cards that I would rather just pick that.

  Pack 1 pick 3:

  My Pick:

Another awkward pick where by far the most powerful card is in another color. The monitor lets me keep playing with the call, but the fire seems late at third pick in the first pack, so I assume red is open and hope to draft izzet.

  Pack 1 pick 4:

  My Pick:

This pack doesn't have much for anyone except for the jailbreaker, which is a very strong card. Still, electromancer is fine and a three drop, so I take the card that will let me play voidwielder and annihilating fire.

  Pack 1 pick 5:

  My Pick:

I've read that izzet is a very fast deck that hopes to just beat down early and then sneak the final points in with something like blustersquall or chemister's trick. Given that, I think guttersnipe is probably a better fit for an izzet deck that thoughtflare. Guttersnipe can put out a lot of damage in an izzet deck with a few falters and inaction injunctions.

  Pack 1 pick 6:

  My Pick:

Passing another jailbreaker makes me sad, and I could still go rakdos, which looks more open than izzet. Taking the courier is probably a mistake here. I'm not tempted by the guildgate because a two color deck shouldn't have mana problems.

  Pack 1 pick 7:

  My Pick:

Nothing playable and I think this is worth about .5 tix.

  Pack 1 pick 8:

  My Pick:

I haven't drafted enough to know how late these are coming, but its effect seems less replaceable than the other card I'm considering, the viashino racketeer.

  Pack 1 pick 9:

  My Pick:

Faerie impostor tabling is a good sign, as it is very strong with voidwielder and against enchantments like stab wound and paralyzing grasp.

  Pack 1 pick 10:

  My Pick:

Nothing. I hate the seller because I think that would be the most annoying to play against.

  Pack 1 pick 11:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 12:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 13:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 14:

  My Pick:


  Pack 1 pick 15:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 1:

  My Pick:

This card is basically unbeatable if it sticks on a creature. Electrickery and chemisters trick don't even come close, so I take this and look for azorius guildgates to splash it.

  Pack 2 pick 2:

  My Pick:

The izzet deck definitely needs fliers to get in damage before falter effects take over. Also, I assume this is less likely to table than the chemister's trick. The selesnaya cards are very strong and I am sad.

  Pack 2 pick 3:

  My Pick:

Splatter thug is just as hard to block in izzet as in rakdos. I don't really consider the electromancer.

  Pack 2 pick 4:

  My Pick:


This pack sucks for everyone so I don't feel bad taking the cancel.

  Pack 2 pick 5:

  My Pick:


I don't want to play two cancel's and tenement crasher seems too expensive. I take the guildgate to splash the authority.

  Pack 2 pick 6:

  My Pick:


Although it isn't very aggressively costed, runewing is fine.

  Pack 2 pick 7:

  My Pick:


I take the courier over the rakdos card because I think 2 red on turn two might be difficult in this deck.

  Pack 2 pick 8:

  My Pick:

That is either very late or I overvalue monitors.

  Pack 2 pick 9:

  My Pick:

So the trick tabled, but I mistakenly take the paralyzing grasp. In retrospect, I would have taken the trick.

  Pack 2 pick 10:

  My Pick:

Should have taken the crasher instead of hating the decoy, although decoy is very strong.

  Pack 2 pick 11:

  My Pick:

Probably not playing this.

  Pack 2 pick 12:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 13:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 14:

  My Pick:


  Pack 2 pick 15:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 1:

  My Pick:

In my opinion the worst guildmage, but still strong. I take it over the guildgate which would be only a slight improvement for my mana.

  Pack 3 pick 2:

  My Pick:

I'd rather be lucky than good. Betting passed the dragon is nuts.

  Pack 3 pick 3:

  My Pick:

Again, izzet is more about beats than control, so I take the runewing over the barrier.

  Pack 3 pick 4:

  My Pick:

Voidwielder, again, is very strong. Not even a little tempted by syncopate.

  Pack 3 pick 5:

  My Pick:

I don't have much removal. I'm still not sure how good electrickery is in this format. It is pretty bad against all of rakdos' unleash guys because they all have two toughness. Still, you can usually still get a shred friek or a sewer shambler. Against azorius' tower drakes and selesnaya's birds, it is very strong.

  Pack 3 pick 6:

  My Pick:

Downsize is a pretty crappy combat trick and i'd rather keep the white splash to a minimum, so I take inspiration, lacking any aggressive cards.

  Pack 3 pick 7:

  My Pick:

This might have been a mistake, as the guildgate would smooth my mana a bit. Still, the charm seems very strong, and as long as I'm already splashing the authority.....

  Pack 3 pick 8:

  My Pick:

Sideboard card against a removal heavy deck.

  Pack 3 pick 9:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 10:

  My Pick:

This is a very lucky wheel.

  Pack 3 pick 11:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 12:

  My Pick:


  Pack 3 pick 13:

  My Pick:


Why is this still here!?

Ultimately, the deck ended up pretty strong. I played two rakdos decks, one splashing green, and an azorius deck splashing red. I lost the first round to a very fast rakdos deck with traitorous instinct. I almost blew him out twice in the third game. First I had annihilating fire in hand with guildmage on board to double it, but lost a third mountain to mind rot before I could pull the trigger. Second I almost wiped his board with chemister's trick but he had launch party to mitigate the damages and then topdecked significantly better than me.

Second and third rounds were pretty easy, playing against awkward 3 color decks. I lost one game to a misplay because I didn't properly read chemisters trick. I cast it during my turn to play around cancel, but them realized that its effect only works when it is cast on the opponents turn.