Zen Zen Zen 8-4

Wardo · Joined: 28 May 2009 Posts: 8

Event #: 682687
Time: 11/10/2009 8:49:03 PM
Players:
dannyboy15157
--> Ward6969
dlafew
jp0822
Kongasu
DaShakAttack
chuckers
Swooshr08

------ ZEN ------

Pack 1 pick 1:
Nimana Sell-Sword
Welkin Tern
Adventuring Gear
Bladetusk Boar
Plains
--> Kor Skyfisher
Quest for Ancient Secrets
Crypt Ripper
Blood Tribute
Vastwood Gorger
Spidersilk Net
Whiplash Trap
Kor Cartographer
Arrow Volley Trap
Ravenous Trap

No rares or uncommons stand out to me as solid picks. The choices would be Bladetusk Boar, Nimana Sell-Sword, Skyfisher or Welkin Tern. I went with the best card by power and took Skyfisher

Pack 1 pick 2:
Tempest Owl
Joraga Bard
Umara Raptor
Mindless Null
Sunspring Expedition
--> Steppe Lynx
Oran-Rief Recluse
Quest for the Gravelord
Soul Stair Expedition
Beastmaster Ascension
Island
River Boa (FOIL)
Jwar Isle Refuge
Torch Slinger

I don't like GW, so I'll pass on the River Boa. Beastmaster Ascension is worse than River Boa, it takes too long to get online.

I really like Umara Raptor and and could go with a UW flier strategy but I opt to stick with aggressive White and see what comes.

Pack 1 pick 3:
Caravan Hurda
Seismic Shudder
Mountain
Kraken Hatchling
Grazing Gladehart
Stonework Puma
Needlebite Trap
Shatterskull Giant
--> Shepherd of the Lost
Into the Roil
Bold Defense
Summoner's Bane
Turntimber Grove

Great white signal

Pack 1 pick 4:
Nimana Sell-Sword
Explorer's Scope
Expedition Map
Turntimber Basilisk
Surrakar Marauder
Quest for the Holy Relic
Sky Ruin Drake
Plains
--> Umara Raptor
Vines of Vastwood
Torch Slinger
Pillarfield Ox

I still don't like GW so I'll pass the good green and pick up a cheap blue flier and move into UW. The Into the Roil in the previous pack was a good signal too.

Pack 1 pick 5:
Noble Vestige
--> Cliff Threader
Beast Hunt
Grazing Gladehart
Piranha Marsh
Quest for Ancient Secrets
Molten Ravager
Grim Discovery
Cancel
Swamp
Demolish

Lots of good green coming still, but Cliff Threader is aggro

Pack 1 pick 6:
Soaring Seacliff
--> Windrider Eel
Seascape Aerialist
Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
Vampire Lacerator
Adventuring Gear
Island
Savage Silhouette
Akoum Refuge
Cliff Threader

Tough choice here, Adventuring Gear is really great, I probably should have taken it. The good news is blue looks open

Pack 1 pick 7:
Kraken Hatchling
--> Spidersilk Net
Caravan Hurda
Merfolk Wayfinder
Desecrated Earth
Goblin War Paint
Brave the Elements
Plains
Turntimber Grove

Really good against my deck, and I'm not playing kraken hatchling

Pack 1 pick 8:
Caller of Gales
Mountain
Kazandu Refuge
Narrow Escape
Kraken Hatchling
Forest (FOIL)
Desecrated Earth
--> Kabira Crossroads

Pack 1 pick 9:
Plains
Quest for Ancient Secrets
Blood Tribute
Vastwood Gorger
Spidersilk Net
--> Kor Cartographer
Ravenous Trap

Late cartographer, good synergy with steppe lynx and windrider eel

Pack 1 pick 10:
Tempest Owl
Joraga Bard
Sunspring Expedition
Oran-Rief Recluse
Island
--> Jwar Isle Refuge

Might see some disfigures or something later and I need removal

Pack 1 pick 11:
Caravan Hurda
Mountain
Bold Defense
--> Summoner's Bane
Turntimber Grove

Might even play this if I don't end up with Removal

Pack 1 pick 12:
--> Explorer's Scope
Quest for the Holy Relic
Plains
Vines of Vastwood

Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Noble Vestige
Beast Hunt
Swamp

Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Soaring Seacliff
Island

Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Plains

------ ZEN ------

Pack 2 pick 1:
Swamp
--> Bala Ged Thief
Zektar Shrine Expedition
Bog Tatters
Jwar Isle Refuge
Quest for Pure Flame
Stonework Puma
Demolish
Quest for the Gravelord
Grazing Gladehart
Zendikar Farguide
Vampire's Bite
Ruinous Minotaur
Hideous End
Relic Crush

Ughh, a pack with no white cards at all and no good blue. This was a toss up between bala ged thief and stonework puma. I think the Jwar Isle Refuge will wheel and I might play the thief

Pack 2 pick 2:
Khalni Heart Expedition
Magma Rift
--> Kazandu Blademaster
Blood Tribute
Shieldmate's Blessing
Khalni Gem
Mire Blight
Zendikar Farguide
Swamp
Cancel
Ruinous Minotaur
Ravenous Trap
Bold Defense
Explorer's Scope

Pack 2 pick 3:
Crypt Ripper
Plains
Kor Duelist
Lethargy Trap
Goblin Bushwhacker
Vampire Hexmage
Caravan Hurda
Tanglesap
Goblin Ruinblaster
Archive Trap
--> Makindi Shieldmate
Soaring Seacliff
Kraken Hatchling

I thought about the duelist. After the equipment I get in later packs it would have been MUCH better than Shieldmate

Pack 2 pick 4:
Soaring Seacliff
Blood Seeker
Murasa Pyromancer
--> Kor Hookmaster
Makindi Shieldmate
Goblin War Paint
Lethargy Trap
Tajuru Archer
Primal Bellow
Forest
Guul Draz Vampire
Tanglesap

Pack 2 pick 5:
Tempest Owl
Noble Vestige
Mindless Null
Spell Pierce
Island
Nimbus Wings
Quest for the Holy Relic
Relic Crush
Giant Scorpion
--> Reckless Scholar
Carnage Altar

Empty pack

Pack 2 pick 6:
Pillarfield Ox
--> Kor Aeronaut
Spidersilk Net
Merfolk Seastalkers
Giant Scorpion
Island
Shatterskull Giant
Oran-Rief Recluse
Hedron Crab
Paralyzing Grasp

I don't have any removal and thought about the paralyzing grasp but opted for the cheap flier

Pack 2 pick 7:
Island
Bog Tatters
Jwar Isle Refuge
--> Into the Roil
Slaughter Cry
Bold Defense
Zendikar Farguide
Piranha Marsh
Shieldmate's Blessing

Pack 2 pick 8:
Khalni Heart Expedition
Quest for Pure Flame
Mountain
Soul Stair Expedition
Zektar Shrine Expedition
Trapfinder's Trick
Zendikar Farguide
--> Murasa Pyromancer

Empty pack, hate draft
Pack 2 pick 9:
Swamp
Bog Tatters
--> Jwar Isle Refuge
Quest for Pure Flame
Demolish
Ruinous Minotaur
Relic Crush

It did wheel

Pack 2 pick 10:
--> Shieldmate's Blessing
Mire Blight
Zendikar Farguide
Swamp
Ruinous Minotaur
Ravenous Trap

Pack 2 pick 11:
Plains
Lethargy Trap
Caravan Hurda
Tanglesap
--> Soaring Seacliff

Pack 2 pick 12:
--> Goblin War Paint
Lethargy Trap
Forest
Tanglesap

Pack 2 pick 13:
--> Noble Vestige
Island
Carnage Altar

Pack 2 pick 14:
Island
--> Paralyzing Grasp

This surprised me, there must not be any GU at the table since that deck needs these the most

Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Zendikar Farguide

------ ZEN ------

Pack 3 pick 1:
Disfigure
Tajuru Archer
Explorer's Scope
--> Trusty Machete
Lavaball Trap
Harrow
Tuktuk Grunts
Burst Lightning
Vampire Lacerator
Paralyzing Grasp
Steppe Lynx
Pillarfield Ox
Timbermaw Larva
Graypelt Refuge
Island

Tough choice, I think it was the right one

Pack 3 pick 2:
Island
Timbermaw Larva
Tuktuk Grunts
Ior Ruin Expedition
Into the Roil
Mark of Mutiny
--> Kor Skyfisher
Sejiri Refuge
Oran-Rief Survivalist
Whiplash Trap
Piranha Marsh
Bladetusk Boar
Crypt Ripper
River Boa

Much easier choice

Pack 3 pick 3:
Kor Outfitter
Hagra Crocodile
Plains
Trailblazer's Boots
Shoal Serpent
--> Windrider Eel
Sunspring Expedition
Landbind Ritual
Teetering Peaks
Stonework Puma
Savage Silhouette
Spell Pierce
Grim Discovery

Pack 3 pick 4:
Expedition Map
Plains
Ondu Cleric
--> Kor Sanctifiers
Goblin Ruinblaster (FOIL)
Goblin Bushwhacker
Goblin Shortcutter
Greenweaver Druid
Lethargy Trap
Gomazoa
Spreading Seas
Makindi Shieldmate

Pack 3 pick 5:
Beast Hunt
Bog Tatters
Slaughter Cry
Kor Outfitter
Trailblazer's Boots
Trapfinder's Trick
Mountain
--> Steppe Lynx
Hagra Diabolist
Scythe Tiger
Oran-Rief Recluse

Pack 3 pick 6:
Nissa's Chosen
Magosi, the Waterveil
Forest
Frontier Guide
--> Adventuring Gear
Sky Ruin Drake
Narrow Escape
Desecrated Earth
Vastwood Gorger
Caller of Gales

I was very happy to get this adventuring gear this late

Pack 3 pick 7:
Highland Berserker
Relic Crush
Reckless Scholar
Kabira Crossroads
--> Spell Pierce
Feast of Blood
Mindless Null
Vampire's Bite
Swamp

Reckless Scholar wont make the cut but I might board in Spell Pierce against Sorin Markov or Gigantiform or something

Pack 3 pick 8:
Oran-Rief Recluse
Runeflare Trap
Plains
--> Windrider Eel
Kabira Crossroads
Mold Shambler
Kor Cartographer
Hagra Crocodile

Pack 3 pick 9:
--> Tajuru Archer
Harrow
Tuktuk Grunts
Vampire Lacerator
Timbermaw Larva
Graypelt Refuge
Island

Hate draft

Pack 3 pick 10:
Island
--> Timbermaw Larva
Ior Ruin Expedition
Mark of Mutiny
Piranha Marsh
Crypt Ripper

Hate

Pack 3 pick 11:
Plains
--> Shoal Serpent
Sunspring Expedition
Landbind Ritual
Spell Pierce

One Spell Pierce is enough

Pack 3 pick 12:
Plains
--> Goblin Bushwhacker
Lethargy Trap
Spreading Seas

Pack 3 pick 13:
Beast Hunt
--> Trapfinder's Trick
Scythe Tiger

Pack 3 pick 14:
Forest
--> Caller of Gales

Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Mindless Null

10x Plains
4x Island
1x Swamp
1x Soaring Seacliff
2x Jwar Isle Refuge

1x Bala Ged Thief
2x Kor Skyfisher
1x Into the Roil
1x Trusty Machete
1x Adventuring Gear
1x Explorer's Scope
2x Steppe Lynx
1x Shepherd of the Lost
1x Kor Sanctifiers
1x Kor Aeronauts
1x Kor Hookmaster
1x Paralyzing Grasp
1x Cliff Threater
1x Kandazu Blademaster
1x Umara Raptor
3x Windrider Eel
1x Makindi Shieldmate
1x Reckless Scholar

Won the first round in quick fashion against a BU deck that splashed for shepherd of the lost. Curved out on him the first game with steppe lynx and hookmasters and cartographer. Second game I made some play mistakes and should have won much faster (tip: don't move your trusty machete if your creature has lethal damage on it lol)

Second round

I played another UW flier deck. Game one he had a hookmaster and into the roil to slow me down until he played two Sky Ruin Drakes.
My Skyfisher and Shepherd of the Lost had a staring contest with his two drakes for a number of turns until he played Roil Elemental and won.

I sideboarded out Bala Ged Thief and the black mana sources in game 2 and 3 for Summoner's Trap to try to deal with his roil elemental.

Game 2 he took a mulligan and I was very aggressive with steppe lynx turn 1, cliff threader turn 2, hookmaster turn 3, cartographer turn 4 and he never caught up.

Game 3 I kept a slow hand of 4 land, paralyzing grasp, trusty machete and windrider eel on the play.
His deck was more aggressive in game 3 with a turn 2 and turn 3 welkin tern, one of which was paralyzing grasped. I played turn 4 windrider eel and another eel+steppe lynx on turn 5. He had two hookmasters to let him continue slow beats.

Finally I set up a big turn with 2x windrider eel and machete on the steppe lynx. I was at 6, he was at 18 with two hookmasters, a stonework puma and an untapped living tsunami. I played a cartographer and swung for 18 damage with my three landfall creatures, he chumped with living tsunami to put him at 6.

I figured if he had removal I would lose. He didn't, but instead he had a bold defense and hit me for exactly 6.

SugarShark · Joined: 22 Mar 2009 Posts: 458

first pack was pretty tough for deck/color commitment.
and having to commit to a deck structure so early is never optimal. no journey to nowhere, hideous end etc

I would have probably taken the crypt ripper then the river boa

DragonKid · Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 25

Pack 1 pick 7 why not take thye brave the elements over a card you wont play

Trotsky1 · Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 1672

Would not have really done very much different except i would have took the raptor over the lynx pack 2, hatchling over the net as im sure you know and I would have took and played the 2nd reckless scholar.

Plus pick 5 pack 1 I probably would have done the same as you did but i think the gladeheart maywell have been a better pick.

Also I think the eel over gear was the right pick pack 1, purely as you do not want to be passing any blue at that point and creatures have an extra premium over other cards in this format.

Also do not like the splash though you have reasonable support for it. (I never like splashes ever)

Wardo · Joined: 28 May 2009 Posts: 8

Wardo · Joined: 28 May 2009 Posts: 8