DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT

-Greg

Sunday went much better this week.

Brenna and I were seated in the same pod, with her to my right, and Phil to hers, and so I told myself to draft Grixis right of the bat. Glad I didn't now, because Sean somehow picked four Blightnings, a foil Cruel Ultimatum, and I think he had a Violent Ultimatum in there somewhere. At any rate, black and black-hate was crazy enough that I switched almost immediately to GW to grab massive fatties, several Druids, tri-lands, plenty of white removal, and this handy card. I was also using a new strategy based off Bread, but tailored for AAC:

1. Is there anything in this pack that's a fucking enormous creature, preferrably with perks?
2. Is there anything in this pack that will help me fetch lands or fix mana?
3. Is there any removal in this pack?
4. Are there any really versatile cards in this pack?
5. Are there any cards in this pack that let me dig into my deck for what I need?



Turns out, I was on to something.
Rockcaster Platoon turned out to be a really reliable card for me, because a 5/7 is an awesome blocker in a world of 5/5s. The added perk of killing little deathtouch fliers was just icing. Yoked Plowbeast isn't necessarily a bargain, but even if you only play it 1/4 times you draw it, you're still cycling 75% of the time into the right lands or removal spells for the game you're in. I grabbed Sunseed Nurturer for similar reasons, as mana acceleration even at turn three is good, and only increases my already good chances of having a big nasty green thing on the board by turn four or five. Some might laugh at two life a turn, but after watching Phil and Brenna hacking it out with three goblets in play, I was reassured that it was a decent move, strategically. My Leviathan proved to be totally worthless, as I was always digging for that elusive second island, or worse, being met head on by a Wretched Banquet. I snatched up Exotic Orchard as a first pick, which worked out well, since everyone was rushing to drop a tri-land or rupture spire.

My third best pick of the night was a common: Beacon Behemoth. Giving all my big guys vigilance was a winning tactic more than once, allowing me to walk all over my opponents' creatures and still be able to answer their attacks with creatures of five, six, or seven toughness.

Second best pick was Thornling, which is known to make grown men cry. You might have to do a little crafty playing to draw out counterspells, but if you can get this guy to resolve with one G open, then the game is probably yours.

Best pick? Sharding Sphinx, a fifty-cent crap rare. You hit with this guy first, hopefully with a pumping instant, then you've got a little army of little flying chump blockers. Next turn, you swing in again, and every time Spinx or a thopter does damage, your little army doubles in size. I only got this thing on the board once, and was met with an almost immediate scoop.

crape rare FTW

Anyway, drafting this way nestled me quite comfortably into second place, my highest showing yet. I can't wait til next week!