Two FNM, two different results

I played in a draft last week, and again last night. Last week I tried to force a black white zombies deck, went 1-2. I drafted poorly, and tried to force something that wasn't there... wound up with some decent cards, but no real theme. It was no fun watching the other decks just tromple (its a word!) over me. My one win was over mana screw. Not good.

Last night other things happened. It turned out, the person to left and right were both drafting green. Even with that, I still drafted a very strong black green creature beat down deck. Just swarming, big beats and some tricks.

• Hooded Brawler is amazing. I was extremely happy to have two.
• Favorite "combo" is old school- Wasteland Scorpion with both Destined // Lead. I wiped the board at least twice with that. I felt slightly guilty. Naaaa.
• Edifice of Authority, just obnoxious. 
• My "bomb" was Liliana, Death's Majesty. I did not cast her until the last match, and she was able to pull back two creatures from the graveyard. Yeah, she is good.
• Scaled Behemoth was the perfect top end. In this format, it is SO hard to deal with.

Things I noticed- 

• I had zero Cartouche to go with my Trial of Ambition. One guy I played had 5 Cartouches. 5.
• Mana screw just sucks
• Someone tried to jam the Slider Blade deck from GP. Seriously. *smh*
• I was happy to trade off two other Liliana and two Ulamog's for some fetch lands. Very happy. I believe Ulamog will crash back to earth after BFZ rotates out.

All in all- very pleased. My $20 entry packs got me my money back at least! I pulled another $25-$30 in value from the winnings along with the FNM promo- Unlicensed Disintegration.

Friends FNM results- Amonkhet

I went in to draft with the idea of B/W zombies. I was open to that idea. I even was open to B/U cycle matters. I really wanted to get low costed critters and try to go wide. However, I wound up with G/R/w, and big beats in green. Not the best of ideas, but that's what flowed.


First pack, the rare was Sandwurm Convergence. I had to take a game ender like that. Why not? Shuts down fliers, boosts ground beats, etc. That pack was just LOADED with great cards, and honestly, I shouldn't have taken it. Lesson learned the hard way.  :(
Second pack, the rare was Glorious End. I drew it twice, only cast it once. I also was passed a Insult // Injury. That should have been A LOT more powerful than it was for me. I did manage to throw 14 damage in one turn, however, I still lost.
Third pack I opened a Champion of Rhonas. That showed me I was in all the right colors, able to cheat in big things (like Greater Sandwurm), and cycle others.


Well, it did not go to plan at all. I splashed white for the removal, Cast Out, Impeccable Timing, and Fan Bearer. I had red removal as well, Magma Spray, Deem Worthy, and Insult // Injury. Green was there to supply the bodies to do the removal.


Nothing worked. I drafted 3 Cartouche of Strength, played 2, and it almost never got me a fight. Only pumped.
I would have white removal but no mana to cast it.
I would have creatures which curved decently, and they would get shot down before use.


Things fell apart. I drafted well, but the deck just didn't perform as planned.


I would like to draft this set again, maybe in the next week or two head to a local game store.




Things learned:

• Amonkhet drafts will likely not support 3 color decks without some fixing like Evolving Wilds.
• What you thought was a good draft doesn't mean squat when it comes to play.
• Don't be afraid to cycle. I hung on to a couple cards I should have cycled away for more meaningful board states.
• As noted above, just because the Rare seems like a huge bomb, doesn't mean you take it. Unless it is a CLEAR bomb, highly consider the other cards in the pack.
• I was happy I tried to pivot in the second pack to red. It helped me realize what was available and try to go that way. First pack I was G/W, then red flowed.
• Idiot strategies sometimes work.
• For this format, you REALLY need to stay disciplined to a mana curve. Its a struggle.