Theros has three 10-card cycles of multicolor cards. These gold cards pose some of the most interesting decisions during the early picks of a draft. Born of the Gods is about to shake up the draft format, and, just like Theros, includes three multicolor cycles. Are you a risk-taker or a mono-colored conservative?
You can follow me on Twitter @simongoertzen,
or check out my Tumblr entitled Strategic Thoughts.
Playing Wingsteed Rider in that deck is terrible. It was a bad pick, along with the 2nd God’s Willing.
Never sided in Opaline Unicorn… Bad =/
Wingsteed Rider in a heavy black deck and only 2 ways to target it? bad decision!
Hi Simon, thanks for the videos! First off, the “round 2 video” is actually the round 1 video repeated.
Secondly, you kept talking about the power level of Wingsteed Rider, but it has no powerlevel without ways to target it. If you target it once, all it is is a 3/3 flier for 3 mana, which you probably still shouldn’t have played in such a heavy black deck. But most often it’s just a wind drake in the deck you drafted. Considering the mana problems it causes for no good reason, it is actually imo much worse than the Eidolon you picked it over.
Thirdly, in R1G1 you conceded 1 turn too early as far as I could see. Assuming your opponent has nothing, you can play Gray Merchant, Pharika’s Cure the Triton when it attacks and thus survive Anthousa, chump blocking the Colossus. Then, if you topdeck Sip of Hemlock, you can kill Anthousa and chump again, next turn getting Keepsake Gorgon into play. Sure, the chances of this happening are very slim, but certainly not zero.
To clarify, picking the rider was not a mistake (though imo a very ambitious pick), but playing it while cutting all the support for it was.
I agree, not playing the Rider at all would have been smarter. I had trouble deciding which cards to cut, and I didn’t fully realize how much I was weakening the Rider. I don’t mind picking him up though, his upside is unmatched in Theros limited.
@Noobeman It’s possible that someone else on our team fixed it last night, but I’m not seeing the Round 1-Round 2 error.
@Noobeman: I was also thinking that at first for R2G1 – the part about conceding too early. Though, when thinking about it again – I don’t think there was any possible out.
Killing the trion and playing the Gray merch put Simon to 9, and at that point, the opponent still has two creatures.
Then it goes to the opponent turn – attacks with one or both, doesn’t make a big difference: one gets through and one is chumped. Assuming the opponent doesn’t play a new creature, he still has two. Simon is at 2.
Now Simon draws by miracle a Sip, and destroy Anthoussa. At this point, the opponent just has to pay 2 and move the equip to the Arbor, or to have any effect to trigger Anthoussa’s ability and attack with everyone etc. to get the 2 remaining points.
Trivia: @Simon: did you notice your first opponent has the name of your video, g0ld? :p
R1G2: You decided to race, which was imo the correct line, but why do you kept the Gray Merchant back at 8mana (around 11:40 in the video)? It forced you to block with the Scholar and it was really awkward from your mana anyway.
You could just played the Gray Merchant and kept 3 open (for one drain), and next turn if you only draw a land you can simple drain for three. Also since you have the Gray Merchant to block, you don’t need to risk the Scholar.
Sure it is nice to not show the Gray Merchant early – but especially with the Scholar it isn’t that bad for you if your opponent decides to play slower.
Nemesis of Mortals weaker than Nylea’s Disciple? Really? Concerning the actual draft the only pick I strongly disagree with was second God’s Willing over Dauntless Onslaught. I think it was definitelly correct to pick Wingsteed Rider although you should probably cut it from the deck in the end. I also think that Sentry of the Underworld is one of the most overvaluated cards at the moment. I would seriously consider picking Lightning Strike for a potentional spash instead.
I don’t think Wingsteed Rider is a cut. It is an awkward mana cost wind drake with a small upside, which makes it a mediocre card in this deck. But wind drake is actually fine, wind drake with upside is the same logic for why you run all those harpies. The feel bads about this Wingsteed compared to Wingsteed’s usual all-star status are just distorting the picture.
Outstanding video, as is true for all of your draft recordings!
Of the draft videos I watched, yours are by far the best. I’m happy that your’re keeping them up, but what happened to the draft series with your brother?
probably should have thought about cutting abhorrent when sideboarding for the last match.
I think blocking with the Scholar G3R1 was a big mistake, running into Magma Jet or Lighting Strike or any other green boost spell. With that much mana, he could have easily taken 3 damage here, especially with Lash of the Whip against bigger creatures in hand…the Scholar brings so much more time to develop the board against more smaller creatures opponent could have brought, or am I wrong?
R3G1 of course…