Comments on: Simon Says #57: Theros Draft Dynamics (THS 8-4)

By: Adriane

Adriane — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 06:00:47 +0000

pretty much a clusterfuck. I can see why you were bnucniog colors around, the signals were loose, but the p1p3 was the one i have a legitimate question about. While sphere is obviously awesome after you take fangaren maruader, isn’t pierce strider just way better? that card is really good.Pack 2, you took a volition reins pick 2 over a magnet, not sure if i like that, you hadn’t taken any amazing blue cards yet, and if you’re goign to be forcing a CCC card, i’d rather force that wurm than the reins. I think the magnet would have been better here. The next pick you take bounce-replica over a golem artisan. I really like bounce-replica, but i’ve found most people like it more than i do. Golemn artisan sometimes just wins on his own.

By: Curt schwaderer

Curt schwaderer — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 01:47:41 +0000

Amazing analysis of the first 4 picks of stark’s draft. I watched the coverage and wondered who in the world was screwing up the draft but laying it out like you did makes it really clear – extremely informative!

By: tom

tom — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 19:17:52 +0000

Just stumbled on your site from googling “mtgo draft videos”, and am blown away. Your intro to this draft was 30min of Wow! I really appreciate your ability to help people look at drafts on another level. Thanks!

By: InflatablePie

InflatablePie — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 19:12:29 +0000

Great opening discussion too, by the way, although I noticed you didn’t touch much upon the player opening Ashen Rider forcing BW when the pack had three strong White cards that were picked after that. You mentioned that black was being heavily drafted, but failed to mention that forcing BW when you’re passing 3+ White cards may not be great, especially since even just splashing White for an 8-drop using double-W seems difficult. I mean, he’s the one at the Pro Tour, so I’m sure he knew what he was doing and maybe I’m wrong here. <_<

By: InflatablePie

InflatablePie — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 19:08:54 +0000

I probably would have picked Commune over Phalanx. An early 3/3 is great (and still a solid pick), and does work with Time to Feed, however, Commune lets you dig for your bombs (Polukranos, Bow, Whip, etc.) and also fills up your graveyard. The latter isn’t that bad in a deck that already has access to one March of the Returned and one Rescue from the Underworld with stuff like double Gray Merchant, and you picked up a second Rescue shortly after. Not to mention you did have the deathtouch Eidolons to hold things down as well. I do see and understand the reasoning for the Phalanx, though, I just disagree.

Also, I would have probably hate-drafted the Omenspeaker pack 3 over the Asphodel Wanderer, but maybe that’s because Marshall has drilled into my head that the Wanderer is bad.

By: Noobeman

Noobeman — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 09:54:21 +0000

Hi Simon, great content as always! The chart you did in the intro was really interesting and kind of shows everything happening in the draft in one picture. Definitely a good way to analyze how things went.
One comment about the matches – at the end of last round in first match you seemed waaaaay too passive for someone at 27 life facing a guy at 4. For example, you could have bestow-ed the Eidolon on your Merchant and attacked away. I agree that you were probably not losing either way, but imo you gave your opponent too much time to find answers.

By: Disco

Disco — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 06:48:47 +0000

Thanks again for the videos. In this format I’ve said more times than any other, “That deck is sick!” Your deck was very sick.

The most interesting line imo:

Polukranos + Time to Feed vs Nemesis of Mortals (5:20 in video 3)

Because his new creature (the tapper) just dies to a monstrous activation, he has the pump spell there almost every time, as there is no value in bluffing one that I can see. You said the play from your opponent didn’t make sense. From the opponent’s point of view: When you draw land and activate your World Eater for two, his tapper dies. Then you attack into his 5/5 with your 7/7, and trade with his pump spell. It seems like your opponent has resigned himself to getting 3-for-1′d there much of the time. Or perhaps your opponent wants his tapper to die, making the 10/10 activation cheaper. He’ll take a hit or two from Polukranos and then he will have the biggest creature. If these are the results when you draw land, your opponent is making a bad play. But when you don’t draw land, your opponent taps your Voyaging Satyr and keeps you off of mana long enough to dominate the board with his 10/10. Overall, is this a good or bad play from the opponent? It’s certainly an aggressive one. He gets destroyed if you draw land but he seems to be cramping your play severely if you don’t draw land.

An alternative line for you is to attack into his Nemesis with your Polukranos. If the opponent does not have the pump spell, you trade and then Time To Feed away his tapper. If your opponent has the pump spell, you 3-for-1 yourself using your other creature to Time To Feed away his Nemesis. The advantage of that line is that you have two copies of Rescue From The Underworld in your hand and a 3-mana 3/3 in your hand to stabilize the board. The disadvantage of that line is that your opponent will be restricting your mana with his tapper.

Lots to think about and I’m sure I didn’t think of everything in that line. Good stuff!