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Click the arrow to download the above video in .mp4 format.
first!
“I got this :D” from your M3G1 opponent made me think he really did have the Blasphemous Act, in which case that wolf would have definitely been relevant, considering his fourth land drop would wipe your entire board, leaving you with nothing but a Burden of Guilt.
M2G1 – Remember that Thalia is a human, so she gets pumped by Hamlet Captain, so you can attack with everything, not lose anyone, and get in six damage.
Man… GW is just so good.
If there ever was a 16 land deck… 2 Pilgrims, 1 Scorned Villager, 1 Elk, only two 4 drops, and nothing more expensive than 4. If you ran 17 lands I was gonna lose it, don’t play with my emotions like that!
very well played. my only doubt has to do with picking dawntreader elk over niblis of the mist. seems like the extra dude with flying could be more useful (and more aggresive!) nearly evrey time. plus, you had no reason to suspect that dawntreader elk will have synergy with your deck – GW rarely splashes and most of the time opts to keep it simple with 2 colors, and you didn’t have morbid triggers that really wanted elk as an easy dude to die cheaply and at instant speed.
He Marshall, I’m a long time listener of the podcast and I’ve been enjoying your video’s oh here a lot. I think it’s great that you are on every week now, keep it up!
A few remarks:
Though it seems a hassle to organise, when you draft with other people it’s always fun and it’s what made the old video’s with Ryan in it special. But Jon and Kenji are all great too though so no excues!
M2G1. The final combat step: Thalia is a human and could’ve attacked profitably as a 3/2 first striker into the 1/4 because of the Hamlet Captain. New cards and he gave up anyway so no biggy I guess.
Thanks again for the video’s and good luck in the booth commentating! When and where was it again and can people follow it live?
I am really happy you didnt splash red, for it would have been just plain wrong
your deck is the nuts without any mana issues
My thoughts are echoing the others here – definitely a 16 land deck, and remember Thalia gets pumped by Hamlet Captain. I also kinda cringed when you played out your hand twice into Blasphemous Act mana in match 3.
I probably also would have cut the Fox or the Elk for another Inquisitor or the Boar, 4drops seem good with double Pilgrim and Scorned Villager.
Good draft, really enjoyed it!
That deck was dirty! Very enjoyable to watch. Thanks.
Hey Marshall,
Longtime fan of your podcast, been eating your drafts up too now that i’ve found them.
I have to say, though, while i usually respect a lot of your draft-sense and theory craft, it’s really frustrating watching you play sometimes. There are far worse players, but it feels like every game there is a play you miss, usually one on your own board. Selfless cathar pumps toughness, hamlet captain pumps toughness, first strike wins combat when it gets pumped, juggernaut flips on sacrafices… These are all things you know, but if you rewatch your games you will see a lot of really frustrating misses.
Just make sure to always read all your cards, each turn if need be.
Also, when you can elder of laurels for +3 damage to face, or travel prep for +0 damage to face, especially early when there’s no race yet, I think you should travel prep every time just to advance your board.
I guess I’m different than anyone here! I feel like the elk allows me to take the Brimstone Volley and totally splash red.
Also, M1G1 I think you concede to early. You’re ONLY dead if he has a creature to pitch. Make him have it!
M1G3 – Minute 21, I feel like saccing the Cathar here is a little better for you, because it lets you keep two of your guys and you get in for the same amount of damage. (the cathar is getting in for 3, and you have 3 unblocked creatures)
Thanks for everything you do! You’re a stud.
holy sh*t stopped watching after p1p2
One thought on M1G3. When you alphaed with rally backup you could have sacked your selfless cathar to save both strangleroot geist and avacyn’s pilgrim; you give up 1 point of damage and can’t cast scorned villager. The boardstate ends up very similar but you spend 1 less card. Not really obvious one way or the other, just seems like a cleaner line to me. Love the vids, thanks for the content!
“holy sh*t stopped watching after p1p2″
Where he picks the Silverchase Fox? I don’t see a better pick >.<
M1G3… regarding your big attack at the end… questioning whether sac’ing the cathar would’ve done lethal… it would not have. you swung in with a Rally The Peasants for 13… sac’ing and playing rally would’ve dealt 12 (8/6 juggs and a 4/2 niblis).
however. it would have saved 2 of your other attacking creatures from lethal combat damage. which IMO is better in the end than getting the one additional damage and losing a pair of additional attackers on the next turn.
the pilgrim becomes two toughness, holding off the stitcher’s apprentice, and the geist grows to 3 toughness, surviving the scarecrow.
but i guess in the end you played a scorned villager with the extra mana that was spend on sac’ing the cathar. so creature count overall is the same at EOT. but you are still down one from your hand if you needed additional reach down the road.
like you said though, either attack was right. you weren’t getting the win that turn with either play.
to zach:
what do you mean if he has a creature to pitch? the scholar only flips if it doesn’t attack. its a static 10/3 flying lifelinking megatron at this point with one spell in marshall’s board that can stop it.
@darthbalmung – got there.
@brockcity – Ya Act would have gotten me pretty good there for sure, perhaps a bit zealous on my part..
@oray – I predict that you aren’t the last to note this interaction, I do appreciate you being the first though
@steve – It would have definitely been fine as a 16 card deck, but I really try to stick to 17 even in decks like this because it has so many mana-sinks and because it’s really important that I curve out and don’t miss land drops.
@Carrotus – You are onto something there, it’s very close. I really like 2 drops becasue they allow better curveouts which factors in here a lot. I do love evasion and tempo plays both of with the Nibils provide however. The fixing is maybe the tie-breaker? I like Niblis a lot..
@Mark – Thank you sir, much appreciated! I will get some guests on some videos soon. You’re right on both fronts: They are a hassle to organize, but well worth it
Ya that is correct about Thalia, I just missed it in the game unfortuntely.
@flppo – Ya I was happy about it too for the most part. Would have been an easy splash though…
@malko – I really liked how the deck was able to curve out so consistently and adding the 4drops would impair that somewhat. The Elgaud Inquisitor is a very solid guy, but ultimately 2/2 for 4 when I can get 2/2 for 2 means that I only wanted him vs decks where the lifegain was more relevant. About overextending and Thalia, good points both of them.
@oma – thanks dude, always appreciate it when you chime in
@felix – Thanks for listening to the show and watching the vids, appreciate you taking time out to do so
About any mistakes I make, you will probably have to get used to them I think. I am always looking to improve my game, but I am not at the professional level of play yet. I sort of view the videos as a place where you can come grow with me as a player, as I do make mistakes (and will continue to). I do re-watch most of my games (I haven’t yet for this video) but it really helps me (and all of us) a lot more if you get specific. Some people have noted that I could have swung with a Thalia for a turn for example. But your examples are too vague to be useful currently. If you can just note what match and game number and a description or timestamp that helps me see which plays you are referring to, and if I have any explanation for them or if I just missed something. You will find that I am very open to criticism (no small feat in the world of draft videos), but I need something more concrete to analyze. Thanks again for watching and commenting too 
@Zach – I also like Elk, but my main push is because it’s another solid 2 drop that provides value. If I had picked up a Volley, I would have run it with a Mountain in the deck. RE: M1G1, the guy won’t flip back to Civilized Scholar because he attacked, so I am just dead on board. I think I mentioned the saccing Cathar thing, but haven’t looked back quite yet. You may be right though. Thanks for the comment!
@breaw – Ok you are the 2nd one to mention this line, so I’m starting to expect it to be the right play when I look back
Thanks for taking the time.
@Mike – pretty silly really..
@Metzger – And that’s 3 votes! Ok ya so I do lose 1 damage but it sounds like the correct line here. I can just hold the Villager after that in case he board sweeps with Act, and have him in a pretty good spot with tons of guys, most of which are lethal. Thanks!
How can you call Hunger of the Howlpack stupid? It’s an insane card. Can absolutely crush players and swing combat in your favor. Don’t get how you don’t play it.
Very enjoyable! I learned stuff!
The_Upright_Man, if your name is refering to the novel I think it’s refering to, you creep me out
Even if the opponent had blasphemous act in match 3 game 1, you had a doomed traveler and he was at 1 life :P.
This was a great draft. I learned a lot watching the draft…you made picks I instinctively thought were wrong, because they weren’t standard pick order. But then you explained them and I could see that you were right.
Then, the play was very fun to watch as well.
Thanks for this. Much better than the other draft you guys have posted, “I have no idea what these cards do” a month after full spoiler.
I’m going crazy here!!
Tell me only one thing please, because I don’t get it:
Why didn’t you flashback the Rally the Peasants right after you cast it on the first big attack, last game in round one?
The opponent had only one land untapped, I can’t think of any countermeasure.
Ah, alright, it actually takes red to flashback.
In the video it kinda looks like white. ^^
I will have to switch to HD I guess…