This walkthrough is about the good kind of 4-color. The kind you plan around pick 2-3, grab the best bombs in the packs and smash head. Of course, after this one, I’ve had the worst 4-color draft ever, barely having 21 playables over four colors!
Let’s see what made this draft so good.
Pack 1
Pick 1
Spoiler:
The monk is a stronger card, leaving a clear signal to the guy I'm feeding - take Prince of Thrals and play my opposite colors. Then feed me well in the 2nd pack!
My pick:
Pick 2
Spoiler:
Great! Cruel ultimatum is just what I needed to keep the signaling going. I take the ring and let several people I'm feeding fight over red.
My pick:
Pick 3
Spoiler:
I'm wondering if the guy who'se feeding me is sending me into Esper instead of Bant. Thinking of 4 color at this point, since my first pick is really good. We'll see how the signals turn out.
My pick:
Pick 4
Spoiler:
The squire could be less good than Sigil Blessing, depending on the situation, but it fits both my possible decks.
My pick:
Pick 5
Spoiler:
No other useful card here. I usually aim for capsules strictly when playing Esper because it combos well, but it's playable in Bant as well.
My pick:
Pick 6
Spoiler:
At this point I haven't picked any green card in a while, so I'm trying to build the Esper deck. Metallurgeon can also regenerate my huge sphinx!
My pick:
Pick 7
Spoiler:
Nothing here, so I take this thinking 4-color / splash.
My pick:
Pick 8
Spoiler:
This time I'm happy to take the druid. At this point it is starting to look like a Bant with a splash of black - notice besides the Sphinx I haven't a single black card.
My pick:
Pick 9
Spoiler:
My pick:
Pick 10
Spoiler:
My pick:
Pick 11
Spoiler:
My pick:
Pick 12
Spoiler:
My pick:
Pick 13
Spoiler:
My pick:
Pick 14
Pack 2
Pick 1
Spoiler:
This is the first time I got to utilize Ranger of Eos. Remember I already have one squire, and this is just the start of pack 2. With a couple of squires in the deck, this card is a powerhouse.
My pick:
Pick 2
Spoiler:
The beetle is less powerful than Necrogenesis, but Necro is two of my splash colors and I don't have much removal.
My pick:
Pick 3
Spoiler:
Contemplated the drake, but the archer won.
My pick:
Pick 4
Spoiler:
Nice, Scourglass pick 4! Guess my neighbours did indeed bicker on red.
My pick:
Pick 5
Spoiler:
The goodness keeps flowing.
My pick:
Pick 6
Spoiler:
I am 4 colors, so I thought of not taking Sigiled Paladin, but then I checked and found I'm already heavy on the white.
My pick:
Pick 7
Spoiler:
My pick:
Pick 8
Spoiler:
My pick:
Pick 9
Spoiler:
My pick:
Pick 10
Spoiler:
My pick:
Pick 11
Spoiler:
My pick:
Pick 12
Spoiler:
12th pick Bant Charm - this is as good a removal as any, if you're playing the colors. Even against artifact creatuers I sometimes choose to put them on the bottom of the library, so they can't be resurrected.
My pick:
Pick 13
Spoiler:
My pick:
Pick 14
Pack 3
Pick 1
Spoiler:
A really tough call, as both Rhox War Monk and Topic Ascetic are excellent and in my colors. If Tar Fiend had double black I wouldn't, but since it's so easy on the black I pick it.
My pick:
Pick 2
Spoiler:
Cycles for colorless.
My pick:
Pick 3
Spoiler:
So it turns out I do get an Ascetic after all :)
My pick:
Pick 4
Spoiler:
Pick 4 Empyrial Archangel. I've got two 8 mana bombs now.
My pick:
Pick 5
Spoiler:
I almost never pick Esper Charm.
My pick:
Pick 6
Spoiler:
Almost took the duelist when I remembered the Ranger of Eos I took before.
My pick:
Pick 7
Spoiler:
Last one I need. This way, almost surely when I play the ranger I get to bring his two lackies.
My pick:
Pick 8
Spoiler:
Obelisks are good because of my two 8-mana bombs and because I need the color diversity.
My pick:
Pick 9
Spoiler:
I can't believe it, the Rhox Monk came back! Am I the only Bant player?
Both games were pieces of cake. In game 1 I got cocky after bringing my opponent to about 7 life with me having 30+ and a board of creatures. He had a few cards in his hand so I played Tar Fiend, sacced my board to get a 10/10 fiend and make him discard his hand. Next turn he Bone Splintered me! I still ended up beating him.
P.S. – I don’t think such a draft would be possible in real life, because of rare-drafting. That’s one benefit of netdraft – you draft the best deck you can, without caring about monatary costs.
Loading ...
A Quantum Immortal » Blog Archive » Another draft walkthrough, 4-color Alara:
[…] Check it out here. […]
9/1/09, 14:26