This 1 is a bit more difficult

Event #: 908690
Time: 1/26/2010 9:23:52 PM
Players:
Faceless Butcher
Aceman022
JustMeBaby
paulrall
thenewt
ssakke
BooshikaBlast
Replacement77

------ ARB ------

Pack 1 pick 1:
Gustrider Exuberant
Firewild Borderpost
Jungle Weaver
Goblin Deathraiders
Obelisk of Jund
Etherium Abomination
Rupture Spire
Infectious Horror
Vedalken Ghoul
Pale Recluse
--> Slave of Bolas
Fleshbag Marauder
Tidehollow Sculler
Predatory Advantage
Mountain

Pack 1 pick 2:
Esper Stormblade
Steelclad Serpent
Vectis Silencers
Resounding Scream
--> Oblivion Ring
Kederekt Creeper (FOIL)
Aven Trailblazer
Mana Cylix
Kathari Bomber
Grixis Sojourners
Scavenger Drake
Kathari Remnant
Naya Charm
Plains

Pack 1 pick 3:
Vithian Stinger
Esper Sojourners
Excommunicate
Cylian Elf
Aven Squire
--> Armillary Sphere
Pestilent Kathari
Naya Sojourners
Stormcaller's Boon
Fleshbag Marauder
Naya Charm
Time Sieve
Plains

Pack 1 pick 4:
Volcanic Submersion
Relic of Progenitus
Bone Splinters
Cloudheath Drake
Elvish Visionary
Vectis Agents
Constricting Tendrils
--> Veinfire Borderpost
Jund Sojourners
Cumber Stone
Gloryscale Viashino
Swamp

Pack 1 pick 5:
Blister Beetle
Soul's Grace
Carrion Thrash
Court Archers
Vectis Agents
Worldly Counsel
Esper Cormorants
Igneous Pouncer
--> Ignite Disorder
Sangrite Surge
Forest

Pack 1 pick 6:
Resounding Roar
--> Deny Reality
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
Valiant Guard
Kaleidostone
Violent Outburst
Leonin Armorguard
Reborn Hope
Thoughtcutter Agent
Forest

Pack 1 pick 7:
Lush Growth
Yoked Plowbeast
Cancel
Unsummon
--> Absorb Vis
Vedalken Ghoul
Manaforce Mace
Minion Reflector
Forest

Pack 1 pick 8:
Waveskimmer Aven
Dreg Reaver
Incurable Ogre
Naturalize
--> Valley Rannet
Protomatter Powder
Ethersworn Canonist
Mountain

Pack 1 pick 9:
Gustrider Exuberant
--> Firewild Borderpost
Jungle Weaver
Etherium Abomination
Infectious Horror
Vedalken Ghoul
Mountain

Pack 1 pick 10:
Steelclad Serpent
Vectis Silencers
Resounding Scream
--> Aven Trailblazer
Mana Cylix
Plains

Pack 1 pick 11:
Excommunicate
Cylian Elf
--> Naya Sojourners
Stormcaller's Boon
Plains

Pack 1 pick 12:
--> Volcanic Submersion
Relic of Progenitus
Constricting Tendrils
Swamp

Pack 1 pick 13:
Soul's Grace
--> Vectis Agents
Forest

Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Valiant Guard
Forest

Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Forest

------ ALA ------

Pack 2 pick 1:
Obelisk of Esper
Deadshot Minotaur
Deft Duelist
Esper Panorama
Skeletal Kathari
Darklit Gargoyle
Armillary Sphere
Salvage Slasher
Stormcaller's Boon
Trace of Abundance
Angelic Benediction
Sacellum Archers
Anathemancer
--> Knight-Captain of Eos
Plains

Pack 2 pick 2:
Colossal Might
Godtoucher
Tortoise Formation
Predator Dragon (FOIL)
Aven Trailblazer
Mana Cylix
Wretched Banquet
Soul Manipulation
Wildfield Borderpost
Scavenger Drake
Kathari Remnant
Bant Charm
--> Finest Hour
Mountain

Pack 2 pick 3:
--> Druid of the Anima
Steward of Valeron
Guardians of Akrasa
Etherium Sculptor
Viashino Skeleton
Ember Weaver
Toxic Iguanar
Traumatic Visions
Pale Recluse
Kathari Bomber
Unbender Tine
Exuberant Firestoker
Mountain

Pack 2 pick 4:
Kathari Bomber (FOIL)
Onyx Goblet
Marble Chalice
Cerodon Yearling
Rhox Meditant
Zombie Outlander
Vedalken Ghoul
--> Marisi's Twinclaws
Topan Ascetic
Scornful Æther-Lich
Cloven Casting
Plains

Pack 2 pick 5:
Shadowfeed
Esper Sojourners
Excommunicate
Cylian Elf
Nacatl Outlander
Darklit Gargoyle
--> Jhessian Zombies
Vectis Dominator
Thopter Foundry
Behemoth's Herald
Swamp

Pack 2 pick 6:
Firewild Borderpost
Jungle Weaver
Obelisk of Jund
Etherium Abomination
Infectious Horror
Sanctum Plowbeast
Protomatter Powder
Puppet Conjurer
--> Lorescale Coatl
Plains

Pack 2 pick 7:
Colossal Might
Godtoucher
Tortoise Formation
Kranioceros
--> Winged Coatl
Rockcaster Platoon
Skyward Eye Prophets
Marrow Chomper
Island

Pack 2 pick 8:
Akrasan Squire
Coma Veil
Dragon Fodder
Mana Cylix
Trace of Abundance
Etherwrought Page
--> Spore Burst
Island

Pack 2 pick 9:
Obelisk of Esper
--> Deft Duelist
Salvage Slasher
Stormcaller's Boon
Trace of Abundance
Anathemancer
Plains

Pack 2 pick 10:
Godtoucher
Tortoise Formation
Mana Cylix
Soul Manipulation
--> Wildfield Borderpost
Mountain

Pack 2 pick 11:
Etherium Sculptor
Viashino Skeleton
--> Pale Recluse
Unbender Tine
Mountain

Pack 2 pick 12:
Onyx Goblet
Marble Chalice
--> Vedalken Ghoul
Plains

Pack 2 pick 13:
Shadowfeed
--> Behemoth's Herald
Swamp

Pack 2 pick 14:
--> Infectious Horror
Plains

Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Godtoucher

------ CON ------

Pack 3 pick 1:
Etherium Abomination
Blister Beetle
Soul's Grace
Hissing Iguanar
Nulltread Gargantuan (FOIL)
Court Archers
Vectis Agents
Worldly Counsel
Esper Cormorants
Monstrous Carabid
Thopter Foundry
Behemoth's Herald
Jund Charm
--> Child of Alara
Island

Pack 3 pick 2:
Bloodthorn Taunter
Deathgreeter
Obelisk of Bant
Kathari Screecher
Goblin Mountaineer
Sylvan Bounty
Faerie Mechanist
--> Qasali Pridemage
Singe-Mind Ogre
Drumhunter
Esperzoa
Sanity Gnawers
Salvage Titan
Island

Pack 3 pick 3:
Resounding Wave
Soul's Might
Lightning Talons
Jund Panorama
Fieldmist Borderpost
Banewasp Affliction
Might of Alara
--> Gorger Wurm
Naya Hushblade
Shield of the Righteous
Corrupted Roots
Madrush Cyclops
Mountain

Pack 3 pick 4:
Druid of the Anima
Steward of Valeron
Guardians of Akrasa
Etherium Sculptor
Viashino Skeleton
Bant Charm (FOIL)
Ember Weaver
Maniacal Rage
Talon Trooper
Corpse Connoisseur
--> Tower Gargoyle
Island

Pack 3 pick 5:
--> Crystallization
Welkin Guide
Call to Heel
Demonic Dread
Cavern Thoctar
Ridge Rannet
Rhox Meditant
Rotting Rats
Nacatl Outlander
Magefire Wings
Mountain

Pack 3 pick 6:
--> Knight of the Skyward Eye
Obelisk of Naya
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Mosstodon
Shore Snapper
Faerie Mechanist
Valiant Guard
Offering to Asha
Controlled Instincts
Forest

Pack 3 pick 7:
Onyx Goblet
Marble Chalice
Cerodon Yearling
Bone Saw
Vectis Dominator
--> Wall of Denial
View from Above
Cradle of Vitality
Swamp

Pack 3 pick 8:
Dregscape Zombie
Gustrider Exuberant
Firewild Borderpost
Jungle Weaver
Obelisk of Jund
--> Wild Leotau
Jund Sojourners
Forest

Pack 3 pick 9:
Etherium Abomination
Soul's Grace
Vectis Agents
Worldly Counsel
--> Thopter Foundry
Behemoth's Herald
Island

Pack 3 pick 10:
Bloodthorn Taunter
Deathgreeter
Obelisk of Bant
--> Sylvan Bounty
Sanity Gnawers
Island

Pack 3 pick 11:
Soul's Might
--> Lightning Talons
Banewasp Affliction
Corrupted Roots
Mountain

Pack 3 pick 12:
--> Etherium Sculptor
Viashino Skeleton
Maniacal Rage
Island

Pack 3 pick 13:
Rotting Rats
--> Magefire Wings
Mountain

Pack 3 pick 14:
--> Controlled Instincts
Forest

Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Swamp

No love for C-Stone?

I think my first 4 picks in this draft would have been:

Slave of Bolas
Esper Stormblade
Vithian Stinger
Cumber Stone

I tend to go into Grixis a lot, just because its such a strong shard. I dont relly like the o-ring as a second pick, as you lock yourself into Esper or 5 colour. Picking stormblade means you have UB so far, so you can go esper or Grixis (or 5 colour).

Imo those 4 picks look stronger together than Slave+O-ring+Armillary+Borderpost

and I think that given the cards you had picked 1-3, then cumberstone is probably better than Veinfire Borderpost anyway, seeing as you dont actually have a red commitment yet, as you would be looking to play esper in order to fit in both the o-ring and the slave of bolas.

Just my opinion, good draft though.

I honestly can't think of a situation where I would take Stormblade over O-ring. Your argument doesn't convince me and no one ever has to commit to an archtype by pick 2!

The reason im thinking like that, is because if you dont end up esper or 5-colour, then you have thrown away either the o-ring or the Slave.

Slave > o-ring by quite a bit.
So rather than pick the o-ring as the strongest card, I would much rather pick a really strong card that complements my amazing first pick nicely.

I agree with the above post, however it isnt very hard to splash so if he ahppened to go into jund or grix he could easily add a plains with fixing.
I would have picked Stormbade as it is very, very strong.

Side Note- Opened Nicol Bolas pack 2 yesterday and today opened him Pack 1 and went grixis splash for Hellkite Overlord/Lavalanche. Lost in the Finals of 84 =( Being Voiced of the Void + Obelisk = GG.

Funny, 1st time I played 18 lands in ALA which worked out really well with such land intensive cards in deck.

I think both plans are viable. I would also personally take the oring. Both slave and oring are very splashable. Yes slave of bolas is better than oring, but oring is still very powerful. That being said your strategy of staying open is also very viable. 3/2 fliers for 2 mana are still pretty amazing and the ability to stay open definitely should not be overlooked.

I cant agree with cumber stone though. Im actually one of those guys that likes cumber stone, but it's so hard to pass fixing over what can often times be a situational card. Imho of course.

thanks for the comments. This was an interesting 1. My draft style dictates I take o-ring over esper s. as I prefer splashing powerful cards anyway. Stormblade is pretty insane though, so I can't really fault you for wanting to take it. It certainly takes you in a more aggro direction which you seem to like chris.

As far as cumberstone I don't really think it is playable. I'd rather have a card that interacts with the board directly. You only get so many cards in your hand and I don't think I can afford for 1 of them to be cumberstone. It can be pretty embarrassing in a lot of situations. It doesn't really fit in control decks or aggressive decks. I tend not to draft that many creatures which just makes it even worse.

This is kind of funny because the 2 highest limited ratings I have seen that use this forum are mine and chrisw. He wanted to 4th pick it and I think it is unplayable.

You two probably differ because as you said, he seems to go in a more aggro direction. The cumberstone has never failed me personally when I was playing an aggro deck.