[MTG] MSS Draft 2 - Picks and Discussion

[DonRoyale]

So here I am again with Scars of Mirrodin drafting! I hope you're enjoying these rundowns as much as I'm enjoying writing them. Without further ado, let's jump right into it:

Pack 1 Pick 1:

Sangromancer -
Phyrexian Juggernaut
Sphere of the Suns
Gore Vassal
Concussive Bolt
Pistus Strike
Blightwidow
Dross Ripper
Mirran Spy
Banishment Decree
Loxodon Partisan
Caustic Hound
Rusted Slasher
Flensermite
Forest

So I open this pack, and my first thought is "Easy first pick, easy ship, lock the guy to my left into Infect and not be pissed about it". I love Sangromancer, it's easily one of my favorite cards in the set period, for Limited at least. I hate drafting Infect, to be perfectly honest with you; I find way too many people fight for it, now that it's not so shallow with Mirrodin Besieged in the format. Also, for those who don't know; I absolutely love to force UB, so I'm not only glad the uncommons aren't Corrupted Conscience or Vedalken Anatomist, but I'm glad the quality of the blue cards in the pack are subpar. I'm hoping I get Mirran Spy back, which will probably happen since nobody drafts blue.

Pack 1 Pick 2:

Septic Rats
Melira's Keepers
Peace Strider -
Blisterstick Shaman
Ardent Recruit
Glissa's Courier
Gust-Skimmer
Myr Sire
Banishment Decree
Spire Serpent
Frantic Salvage
Caustic Hound
Flensermite
Swamp

Septic Rats is a very powerful card in the Infect strategy, but given that I've already passed a Juggernaut, I don't want to fight pack 2 for Infect. Thus, I look at my other options. Melira's Keepers is a very powerful option for green, but BG non-Infect is asking for trouble. The most powerful cards other than that seem to be Peace Strider and Blisterstick Shaman. I love the Shaman, and BR in general, but I really don't want to take another colored card that isn't black, and the black cards here really suck. I take the Peace Strider instead, leaving my options open.

Pack 1 Pick 3:

Vedalken Infuser
Neruok Commando
Ogre Resister
Concussive Bolt
Pistus Strike
Koth's Courier
Loxodon Partisan
Kuldotha Ringleader
Serum Raker -
Frantic Salvage
Caustic Hound
Razorfield Rhino
Mountain

Despite two blue uncommons being in the pack, neither are particularly set for third pick, and Serum Raker works very well with the Sangromancer I have, so it is a rather simple pick.

Pack 1 Pick 4:

Lead the Stampede
Oculus
Divine Offering
Banishment Decree
Concussive Bolt
Shriekhorn
Fangren Marauder
Vivisection
Virulent Wound -
Turn the Tide
Mirran Mettle
Plains

I pick up my first piece of removal here, and while it's not exactly the most quality spell around, it certainly isn't the worst, and has notable interactions (killing Myr being my favorite), so it's a rather simple pick here.

Pack 1 Pick 5:

Vedalken Infuser
Melira's Keepers
Crush
Tangle Hulk
Hexplate Golem -
Oculus
Koth's Courier
Scourge Servant
Mirran Spy
Morbid Plunder
Island

I was told by a little birdie that this guy's actually pretty absurd as a finisher, and I'm worried that my deck may come to lack one, so I move in on it. Besides, at worst, what do I lose? Morbid Plunder?

Pack 1 Pick 6:

Kemba's Legion
Unnatural Predation
Viridian Emissary
Phyresis
Serum Raker -
Fangren Marauder
Caustic Hound
Mirran Mettle
Mirran Spy

I don't mind taking more evasive fliers, though my mana is looking a little sporatic. I'm hoping I don't have to take a splash card down the road, as that will severely complicate things.

Pack 1 Pick 7:

Brass Squire -
Leonin Skyhunter
Concussive Bolt
Mirran Mettle
Master's Call
Ardent Recruit
Tine Shrike
Koth's Courier
Mountain

Now this pack is just absolutely awful for me. Absolutely zero black or blue cards, and but one artifact. In retrospect, it would have probably been fine to hatedraft any of the three quality white cards in the pack, but given that neither flier beats Sangromancer and both trigger Serum Raker, I was fine passing on them.

Pack 1 Pick 8:

Gore Vassal
Divine Offering
Crush
Fuel For the Cause
Viridian Emissary
Serum Raker -
Glissa's Courier
Forest

Go big. Mising my Sangromancer's powers just seems too sick at this point.

Pack 1 Pick 9:

Pistus Strike
Mirran Spy -
Banishment Decree
Loxodon Partisan
Causic Hound
Rusted Slasher
Plains

And look at that, Mirran Spy indeed wheeled. It's much better than Rusted Slasher (given that I have 3 other artifacts that don't particularly play well with Rusted Slasher, like at all), or Caustic Hound (which is just bad. Don't play this, please. Ever.)

Pack 1 Pick 10:

Glissa's Courier
Banishment Decree
Spire Serpent -
Frantic Salvage
Caustic Hound
Swamp

Serpent is a fine defender, though I doubt it will see my deck.

Pack 1 Pick 11:

Neurok Commando -
Koth's Courier
Loxodon Partisan
Frantic Salvage
Mountain

Ophidian you are not, but blue card you are.

Pack 1 Pick 12:

Fangren Marauder -
Vivisection
Turn the Tide
Plains

I hate Dinosaurs, the deck seems really difficult to race in a vaccuum. Perhaps either of the blue cards was a better deal here, but I would keep Turn the Tide to the sideboard, and Vivisection just seems like a terrible way to mise value out of Serum Raker + Sangromancer.

Pack 1 Pick 13:

Oculus
Mirran Spy -
Island

I like Oculus, don't get me wrong, but I want evasive threats here.

Pack 1 Pick 14:

Fangren Marauder -
Island

Pack 1 Pick 15:

Mountain -

Pack 1 was solid, I got a bomb rare and some powerful evasive threats to accompany it. My mana's a bit of an issue, and Blightwidow just stone-cold laughs at me, but I've only seen one, and there's likely to only be one good Infect deck at the table...if that. I'm hoping Scars yields more black, as I seemed to notice a lack of quality black cards go around.

Pack 2 Pick 1:

Kuldotha Phoenix
Volition Reins -
Slice in Twain
Riddlesmith
Glint Hawk Idol
Fulgent Distraction
Alpha Tyrannax
Horizon Spellbomb
Turn Aside
Scrapdiver Serpent
Kemba's Skyguard
Neruok Replica
Moriok Reaver
Island
FOIL Vigil for the Lost

Opening Phoenix here is a bit of a drag, but I might as well be taking it...literally. I'd like to see any of the other blue cards wheel, all of them have a place in my deck.

Pack 2 Pick 2:

Myr Propagator
Twisted Image
Golem's Heart
Strider Harness
Copper Myr -
Sunspear Shikari
Goblin Gavaleer
Iron Myr
Alpha Tyrannax
Neurok Invisimancer
Vector Asp
Tel-Jilad Defiance
Turn to Slag
Plains

With five four-drops, I want a mana Myr here. An on-color Myr would have certainly helped the issues with this deck's mana, but I will take what I can get. I'd like to see the Invisimancer wheel.

Pack 2 Pick 3:

Darkslick Shores
Lifesmith
Sky-Eel School
Plated Seastrider
Goblin Gavaleer
Echo Circlet
Wing Puncture
Salvage Scout
Iron Myr -
Glint Hawk Idol
Relic Putrescence
Mountain
FOIL Nihil Spellbomb

Again, an evasive flier seems nice, but being able to cast the ones I have seems nicer. I'd like to see the dual land come back.

Pack 2 Pick 4:

Barrage Ogre
Acid Web Spider
Blistergrub -
Wing Puncture
Molder Beast
Blight Mamba
Scoria Elemental
Fulgent Distraction
Withstand Death
Copperhorn Scout
Auriok Replica
Swamp

Like 1-7, this pick is awkward and disheartening. Very solid green, poor black and no blue. I take the only card in the deck I can theoretically get value out of. The card's not bad, though, as it adds to a repitoire of evasive threats I can drop and clock my opponent with. Blistergrub is fine in the sideboard.

Pack 2 Pick 5:

Throne of Geth
Golem's Heart
Wing Puncture
Molder Beast
Moriok Replica -
Horizon Spellbomb
Seize the Initiative
Corpse Cur
Vulshok Replica
Golden Urn
Island

Now I'm beginning to become a little bit worried. Regardless, I take the unexciting filler card for my deck.

Pack 2 Pick 6:

Darkslick Shores
Wall of Tanglecord
Golem Foundry
Scoria Elemental
Fulgent Distraction
Alpha Tyrannax
Neurok Invisimancer -
Ezuri's Archers
Neurok Replica
Swamp

Another pick where I have to take a strong card for my deck over the dual land. Invisimancer is a powerful evasion creature, so much better now that Besieged is in the format, and easily the pick here.

Pack 2 Pick 7:

Wall of Tanglecord
Glint Hawk Idol
Silver Myr -
Sunspear Shikari
Gold Myr
Flameborn Hellion
Leaden Myr
Loxodon Wayfarer
Swamp

JEEZ. This pack is absolutely insane, with every card other than Wayfarer a powerful maindeck option. I take the Silver Myr, an on-color Myr that helps with the deck's mana (seeing as I just picked up a 3-drop in double blue, this makes it even better).

Pack 2 Pick 8:

Culling Dais
Vault Skyward
Wall of Tanglecord -
Blistergrub
Oxidda Daredevil
Scoria Elemental
Alpha Tyrannax
Mountain

I would much prefer Wall of Tanglecord over a second Blistergrub, seeing as I have a bit of trouble against Infect and Dinosaurs.

Pack 2 Pick 9:

Fulgent Distraction
Alpha Tyrannax
Turn Aside
Scrapdiver Serpent
Moriok Reaver -
Island
FOIL Vigil for the Lost

I need a cheaper threat here, so I go for Reaver over the Serpent.

Pack 2 Pick 10:

Twisted Image
Golem's Heart
Goblin Gavaleer
Alpha Tyrannax
Neruok Invisimancer -
Plains

Invismancer wheeling is just beautiful. This deck is really shaping up.

Pack 2 Pick 11:

Darkslick Shores -
Plated Seastrider
Echo Circlet
Relic Putrescence
Mountain

Sorry, Plated Seastrider...it just wasn't meant to be.

Pack 2 Pick 12:

Scoria Elemental
Withstand Death -
Copperhorn Scout
Swamp

Pack 2 Pick 13:

Golem's Heart
Wing Puncture -
Island

Pack 2 Pick 14:

Ezuri's Archers -
Swamp

Pack 2 Pick 15:

Swamp -

Pack 2 was equally as strong, picking up a bomb in Volition Reins, two Invismancer as powerful evasive threats, and a dual land to help cast any of my spells that much easier.

Pack 3 Pick 1:

Grand Architect -
Bloodshot Trainee
Darksteel Myr
Darksteel Sentinel
Ghalma's Warden
Horizon Spellbomb
Blunt the Assault
Necrogen Censer
Cystbearer
Tel-Jilad Fallen
Disperse
Withstand Death
Vulshok Replica
Island
FOIL Throne of Geth

OHHAI. Slam, ship.

Pack 3 Pick 2:

Dissapation Field
Necrogen Scudder -
Lifesmith
Culling Dais
Whitesun's Passage
Withstand Death
Bonds of Quicksilver
Scoria Elemental
Blistergrub
Ezuri's Archers
Auriok Replica
Wing Puncture
Melt Terrain
Swamp

Necrogen Scudder fits perfectly in this deck, though the Scudder just gets bullied around by Glimmerpoint Stag, unfortunately.

Pack 3 Pick 3:

Darksteel Myr
Liquimetal Coating
Carrion Call
Blunt the Assault
Vedalken Certarch
Glint Hawk
Flight Spellbomb
Accorder's Shield
Turn to Slag
Blight Mamba
Strider Harness
Lumengrid Drake -
Plains

With few artifacts, I don't see myself getting value out of Vedalken Certarch. Strider Harness is subpar in my deck, so I go for the mediocre flier.

Pack 3 Pick 4:

Exsanguinate
Embersmith
Dross Hopper
Glint Hawk Idol
Fulgent Distraction
Horizon Spellbomb
Revoke Existence
Fume Spitter
Echo Circlet
Ezuri's Archers
Perilous Myr -
Plains

Embersmith 4th pick worries me, but I'd honestly rather have Perilous Myr here.

Pack 3 Pick 5:

Blackcleave Cliffs
Cystbearer
Panic Spellbomb
Seize the Initiative
Tainted Strike
Assault Strobe
Blunt the Assault
Vault Skyward
Wall of Tanglecord -
Necrogen Censer
Forest

The dual land taunts me for not taking Embersmith, but Wall of Tanglecord is a card I feel gets better in multiples.

Pack 3 Pick 6:

Riddlesmith
Copper Myr
Blunt the Assault
Plague Stinger
Scoria Elemental
Iron Myr -
Blistergrub
Tel-Jilad Defiance
Lumengrid Drake
Forest

Riddlesmith is nice, but I REALLY want to get to my high-end stuff, especially now that I've taken a fifth four-drop flier.

Pack 3 Pick 7:

Thrummingbird -
Fulgent Distraction
Seize the Initiative
Kuldotha Rebirth
Whitesun's Passage
Contagious Nim
Auriok Replica
Melt Terrain
Island

Thrummingbird is one of my favorite cards in the format, but it's sad I have to take it this late, and not near the beginning of pack 2 where I could have built a sweet deck around it.

Pack 3 Pick 8:

Halt Order -
Golem's Heart
Vector Asp
Razorfield Thresher
Tainted Strike
Goblin Gavaleer
Island
FOIL Salvage Scout

Halt Order is honestly fine here, it's better than Tainted Striking a non-infect creature to save myself some life.

Pack 3 Pick 9:

Darksteel Myr
Horizon Spellbomb
Blunt the Assault
Necrogen Censer -
Disperse
Withstand Death
Island

Seeing as I took Thrummingbird, I believed this to be better than Disperse. Probably a bad call, seeing as I'm stone-cold dead to an Untamed Might trick.

Pack 3 Pick 10:

Dissapation Field -
Whitesun's Passage
Withstand Death
Wing Puncture
Melt Terrain
Swamp

SLOW MERCY.

Pack 3 Pick 11:

Darksteel Myr
Blunt the Assault
Flight Spellbomb -
Blight Mamba
Plains

Not that everything in my deck doesn't already fly, but...

Pack 3 Pick 12:

Exsanguinate -
Dross Hopper
Echo Circlet
Plains

Pack 3 Pick 13:

Blackcleave Cliffs -
Vault Skyward
Forest

Again, screw you, Embersmith.

Pack 3 Pick 14:

Blunt the Assault -
Forest

Pack 3 Pick 15:

Island -

So this draft went pretty well. I took a look at the table and saw:

U/B Infect - R/G Dinosaurs - W/u Metalcraft - B/W Infect? - Me (U/b Skies) - R/W Metalcraft - G/b Infect - B/R Removal

So the lack of black cards was because 62.5% of the table was drafting it, which is fine. I got my bomb and a sweet enough pool of black cards, anyway, so I'm not complaining.

My deck ended up being:

1 Sangromancer
1 Necrogen Scudder
1 Moriok Reaver
3 Serum Raker
2 Neurok Invisimancer
2 Mirran Spy
1 Lumengrid Drake
1 Grand Architect
2 Wall of Tanglecord
1 Silver Myr
1 Perilous Myr
1 Peace Strider
2 Iron Myr
1 Hexplate Golem
1 Copper Myr

1 Virulent Wound
1 Volition Reins
1 Halt Order

1 Darkslick Shores
4 Swamp
11 Island

So let me know what you think! =)