I had another draft for you guys but I wasn't sure that opening 3 bombs and winning an 8-4 was really all that interesting so I skipped it. I went through a string of what I thought were pretty good drafts only to go 0-1 or 1-1. After dropping down to swiss for a draft or two to gain some confidence I decided to jump back in the 8-4 queue and here is what transpired.

I decided to post this since it was outside of the "usual" deck archetypes I tend to see in most draft posts.

Here's my deck:

The red splash may seem a bit ambitious, but I feel like I need the extra reach it provides. The Lust for War just wins games so once I'm splashing that I feel like the others are justified. I have plenty of draw/filtering to justify the splash with no fixing.

On to the games: round 1 - Gernardi

game 1: I win the roll and choose to draw. I keep a pretty sketchy opener:

My reasoning is that I have a very controlling deck and the Guard Duty should help stave off the 2nd guy from my opponent while the lust for war will hopefully just win it for me. Also keeping a hand that can play anything in my deck I think is a big bonus, plus I'm on the draw. Feel free to call me a noob for keeping this hand (if I saw someone else keep this I would tell them they should mull probably).

I'll try to keep the game report shorter. My opponent has the first play in a turn 3 Lavafume Invoker while I have drawn a land and a Vent Sentinel. I draw Regress for my turn and play the Lust for War on the Invoker. Opponent plays Venerated Teacher and attacks with the invoker as mandated (18-17). He missed his land drop that turn. I draw a plains and drop my Vent Sentinel to keep my life loss limited. Opponent draws an island and plays a Lagac Lizard before attacking with the invoker (16-14). I draw Oust and play a land and pass the turn with Regress, Guard Duty, and Oust as my spells in hand. Opponent now Flame Slashes my Vent Sentinel. I think for a second about using the Regress to "save" it, but I will still take a lot of damage this turn so I let the Sentinel die and choose instead to Regress the Lizard after attackers declared. Opponent summons a Brimstone Mage and things are not looking great for me (12-11). I draw Rage Nimbus and play it. Opponent untaps, plays Emrakul's Hatcher and then attacks with just the invoker. At this point I should probably kill the Invoker but I think that the Lust for War is my only way to win so I take it (10-8). I draw Enclave Cryptologist play it, level it once, cast Guard Duty on the Hatcher and Oust the Brimstone Mage. Oust is a bit silly here because it essentially time walks myself (giving opp 3 life) while somewhat time walking opp. I think this was a mistake but I was hoping to save my cryptologist to draw next turn. Opp plays Disaster Radius revealing the Lagac Lizard wiping my board. He then attacks to bring life totals to 6-8. I draw Mnemonic Wall and have to think for a minute. I think I should have gotten back Oust and Ousted my own wall, hoping to win by lust for war. Anyway, I get Oust and Oust a spawn to keep opp from activating his invoker. This basically seals it as I have no way to win anymore. Opp shows me a Regress and I play it out to see if I can draw a miracle (I don't).

Game 2: I choose to draw again and keep my 7

I didn't see any cheap removal from my opponent so I am banking on my cryptologist to get there. Opp starts with a turn 1 Training Grounds. Weird, I saw all of 1 leveler but the Venerated Teacher makes more sense now. I lead with the Cryptologist of course (after drawing a plains). Opp plays a Mountain while I draw a Mountain and play a plains and level my guy. Opp plays a 2nd Training Grounds! but misses his land drop. I loot at EOT, drawing yet another worthless plains and discarding one of them. I draw Wall of Omens on my turn and decide it is better than leveling and looting again since I can be drawing next turn regardless. I play it drawing yet another land. I for some reason decide not to loot on my turn since the chance my 2nd cryptologist is on top is low which was the only card to give me another play that turn(it was!). Opp misses his 3rd land drop again and does nothing while I loot, drawing said cryptologist and discarding another plains. I draw Lay Bare for my turn and the game is all but over as I will bury opp in card advantage. Opp doesn't draw another land until turn 6 and his first play is a Brimstone Mage. I had drawn Heat Ray to go with the Oust + Lay Bare combo so I am not worried. I fully level my 2nd Cryptologist and just pass the turn. Opp plays Venerated Teacher and I counter to get a card in the graveyard to fuel my Keening Stone which I fully expect to be my win condition. I draw into Regress and Mnemonic Wall and have too many options. I decide maybe it's easiest to kill with Vent Sentinel so I play out some walls, kill his Mage when he goes to level it and draw more cards. I have several more walls so when I play a couple out (3 plus Sentinel at this point) opp just concedes. If opp weren't so mana screwed that Brimstone Mage could have really hurt.

Game 3: My opp chooses to play first and I keep a somewhat optimistic 7

yeah, yeah, I'm a noob for keeping this. I really wanted to win with Keening Stone since I've never played with it before.

So, opp plays Mountain and passes. I draw Plains and lay an Island and pass. Opp plays Island and passes (where are these levelers? or are the training grounds just for Mage + invokers?). I draw the perfect play for turn 2 in Wall of Omens and play that drawing a plains (at least I have Keening Stone mana). Opp drops a mountain and nothing (we'll see why later). I draw another land (island) and play it out. Opp plays an island of his own and still nothing (wait for it...). I draw Regress and play a plains and pass. Opp plays Island and STILL nothing. I have no idea what's going on, but I draw Guard Gomozoa and play out my Hartebeest getting a Guard Duty. Opp plays Mountain and then Sea Gate Oracle and Brimstone Mage. I can only assume he drew into both of those. I draw a mountain and go ahead and play my Keening Stone even though opp's graveyard is empty and I have no way to put anything there. Opp levels his Brimston Mage and otherwise does nothing. I draw a mountain and do nothing not wanting to extend into a disaster radius (why else is he not playing anything?). Opp finally misses a land drop and just levels his Mage once more (level 2). I draw Rage Nimbus and play a land and the Nimbus. Opp plays an Island and levels his Brimstone Mage. I don't want to lose my Nimbus on the spot so I Regress it. I was hoping to wait for counter magic, but I don't want to start losing my guys. I then make the Sea Gate Oracle Attack and kill it. He plays Brimstone Mage before combat so I don't even have to worry about him killing my guy. I of course draw the counter on my turn and decide I have to deck him as soon as possible. I have 9 mana available so I have a lot of options while still keeping 5 a turn for the Keening Stone. I simply attack with the Hartebeest and keep Lay Bare mana open, passing the turn. Opp levels his mage twice and I mill away a Mountain. He pings for 1 since I made him attack if able (me 17-18 opp). I draw a plains and still play nothing (attack with Hartebeest). Opp plays Training Grounds levels his Mage, pings me for 3 (14-16) and taps out for a Akoum Boulderfoot. I guess that's what he was building up for. I Lay Bare since I'd rather not give opp another potential damage source and then get to mill away 3 cards (Lagac Lizard, Explosive Revelation, and Halimar Wavewatch (a leveler!)). I draw Oust (buys me a turn if I use it on my guy) attack with the Hartebeest again (why not) and pass with no other plays. With 6 cards in the graveyard and 18 in his library I only need to survive one more turn which shouldn't be difficult. Opp plays Venerated Teacher and nothing else promptly losing to my back to back Keening Stone activations. He must have kept a really bad hand. Not my problem though, on to round 2.

Round 2 - Lisakarma

I win the roll and choose to play (not sure why). I keep a pretty good opener.

My Wall of Omens is the first play after Lisa plays a Mountain. I've drawn a Lust for War and Mnemonic Wall so far. Lisa drops another Mountain and an Ogre Sentry. Lisa next plays a Goblin Tunneler while I then play a Merfolk Skyscout, hoping to win through the skies. Lisa plays a Battle Rattle Shaman off of all Mountains and I could be in trouble. Thankfully I rip an Island and cast one of my two hartebeests fetching a guard duty. I then attack, untapping a plains and guard duty the Shaman. Lisa now plays a Wrap in Flames and then a Forked Bold to kill my Skyscout and gets in for 3. I draw Keening Stone but can only Hartebeest up another Guard Duty. Lisa plays Vent Sentinel which makes it 3 defenders since I put the Shaman on guard duty. I rip an Island like the lucksack I am and play out the Keening Stone, hoping to stall the game long enough to mill for the win (Lisa has 2 cards in graveyard and 27 in library). Similar to last game the Oust can save me a turn of Sentinel pings if need be. Of course I could just use it on the Sentinel but that wouldn't be clever enough. Lisa does nothing and I draw a mountain. I could Lust for War to win by damage, but I decide to go all-in on the decking route and pass instead taking 3 from the Sentinel (down to 14). Lisa again has no play and I decide not to fall too low and play the Oust on my Wall of Omens. I get pinged so I remain at 14. Lisa plays Brood Birthing, but nothing else and I mill more cards (10 in graveyard, 17 in library). Needing to only survive one more turn I play Guard Duty on the spawn token as insurance and pass. I take 4 from the Sentinel down to 10. Lisa has an Ulamog's Crusher and that's all she wrote.

Game 2 - This game did not record but it came down to multiple Goblin Tunnelers, Battle-Rattle Shaman and me not having enough removal for his threats.

Game 3 - I choose to play first again and keep the following 7

I would love to generate discussion on mulligan decisions as well as pick choices so please comment on them as well. With See Beyond along with Enclave Cryptologist I think this is a definite keeper.

I lead with Cryptologist + level and then See Beyond on turn 3 when I don't draw a lnad. I shuffle Heat Ray back in keeping a plains and loot to dig for more land. My next draw is the Heat Ray ironically and I loot into the Mountain for it. I decide to level up the cryptologist rather than run out the dawnglare invoker risking a 2 for 1 from Staggershock which I saw in game 1. I am still hurt badly by Spawning Breath which I know Lisa to have as well, but that is a risk I take. At the beginning of turn 5 the board and my hand looks like:

Lisa didn't play anything so I fear a trick. I don't have a choice but to play into it though and level the cryptologist. Lisa has no response so I draw a card (Merfolk Skyscout) and pass the turn. Lisa taps out for Valakut Fireboar and attacks me down to 17. I draw Oust and Island for my turn and have to decide between putting the fireboar on guard duty and killing it with the Heat Ray when it attacks. I decide the Heat Ray is flexible removal in case Lisa gets her Brimstone Mage online or some other must kill target and Guard Duty the Fireboar. I decide to Hartebeest for Lust for War as well.

I'll try to wrap up quickly. At the end of turn 7 our board looks like this:

I draw Reinforced Bulwark and play that and the Hartebeest fetching my Narcolepsy. I still can't run out the Invoker cause the Bone Wand will kill it. But I do get in for 2 so now life totals are me 16, Lisa 15. Lisa plays Surreal Memoir getting back the Spawning Breath and killing the Lusted Tunneler. I narcolepsy the Hatcher and get in for 2 (16-13). Now Lisa makes a huge mistake (sorry Lisa if you read this or a friend does) by not casting the Spawning Breath before letting the Surreal Memoir rebound resolve so she gets nothing back. She does deal 2 to my Skyscout though and finishes it with the Spawning Breath, dealing the extra 3 from the Bone Wand to my face. I prevent 1 going to 14 and then Lisa casts Brood Birthing, offing my Bulwark. This game could end in a hurry. Maybe she should have been targeting me each time with the Wand. To finish the turn, Kiln Fiend comes out, which I'm grateful to see at the end of all those spells (although 2 cards in hand for Lisa). I draw Aura Finesse that I sideboarded in and pass the turn. Lisa plays Wrap in Flames pumping the Kiln Fiend. I then Aura Finesse the Guard duty from the Fireboar to the Fiend (for the card) and Heat Ray the Fireboar when it attacks. Lisa finishes with a Grotag Siege-Runner. I draw land, oust my Hartebeest and pass the turn. I am still afraid to run out the dawnglare invoker until Lisa is topdecking. (Life totals now me 12, Lisa 13). Lisa plays a Mountain and Goblin Arsonist emptying her hand. I draw Wall of Omens, play the Invoker finally and try to decide between Wall + Hartebeest (it's on top remember?) or keeping 8 mana up. I decide I want to end the game quickly and keep 8 mana up. Lisa draws a dud, playing nothing and I tap her dudes down. I attack to no response and play my Wall of Omens drawing into a Regress. I feel pretty good at this point as Lisa will now need two removal spells really soon to kill the invoker for good and life totals are now me 12, Lisa 9. I let Lisa attack in case she has a creature post combat. She has nothing so I tap down and beat for 4 (me 9, Lisa 5). Lisa plays land and Ulamog's Crusher which doesn't concern me at all so I tap down her creatures. I get in for 4 taking her to 1 and I'm pretty sure the game is mine. As her last gasp, Lisa plays Fissure Vent on her Bone Wand to trigger it targetting the Invoker. I tap down Lisa's guys and Regress my Invoker in case she has a creature as well (which I could have just regressed and won with the Hartebeest, but the Invoker is too valuable not to save). She doesn't have a creature and I attack for the win.

Whew - that was super close I felt and if Lisa had the Fissure Vent for a few turns then one more spell would have killed me. Also the Spawning Breath mistake would have netted at least one more Bone Wand trigger which probably also would have killed me (if aimed at me and not my guys).

Fortunately for you readers I split in the finals to draft twice more. Please let me know how I can improve these reports. Are the game reports too detailed? More screenshots? Fewer screenshots? This took a long time to write up but if it's well received I will do more (I'll do more regardless, but the feedback is helpful).

Thanks! (and thanks to draftbetter for the place to post)

3 Comments to “ROE 8-4 #2 by Mohio”

1. theotherguy — July 31, 2010 @ 6:56 am
   

   First off, congrats on making it to the finals. I’ve found RRR to be a very skill intensive format and, especially R2G3, your draft shows that. I only have a couple draft picks to challenge, as your play seemed pretty flawless. P3P1, you took Regress over Survival Cache, which I am curious about. Perhaps I rate the Cache too highly, and sometimes it can be close to a dead card, but it seemed like it would fit perfectly in your deck. P3P2 was an amazing pack with a lot of solid playables, and it seemed like a tough choice of staggershock vs cryptologist #2. I probably would have gone with the removal, but it worked out for you. Also, with wavewatch vs hartebeast I probably would have taken wavewatch, as the totem-guide always seems to come late when I’m drafting, but with all the auras I can see why you pick what you did. Keep it up, and I look forward to your next draft report.

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2. Epilogue — July 31, 2010 @ 2:07 pm
   

   Thanks for the submission, it’s a great read.  I would much rather have a detailed report of games than the quick glossing over that some people do.  It gives a much better feel for how the deck actually performed.  I do like the screenshots too, especially when the description is several turns into a game and it’s nice to have a visual of where things stand.
   Thumbs up, thanks again and keep them coming!

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3. Fokkar — August 3, 2010 @ 10:50 am
   

   Great draft. I actually drafted a very similar deck a couple of days ago, although I ended up losing in round 2 (it also was an 8-4 which sucked to lose but oh well). Mine was RUw though… the only white splash being for double harbeast (I hard narco, lust, drake umbra, and conscription).
   Anywho… great draft and report… definitely don’t lose any of the detail… as Epilogue said, the detailed report gives way more insight into how the deck functioned. David Ochoa (on Channel Fireball) has a really good format for draft reports, although his are extremely detailed so it might take even longer to do .

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