Drafting with Kyle - AVR/AVR/AVR #3

Kyle Boggemes

About Kyle Boggemes

Kyle is a tournament Magic player who enjoys writing about the game and Drafting is his favorite format. He has a number of high-profile finishes under his belt:

• Second place finish at Pro Tour San Diego
• 4th place GP: Washington DC
• Two Limited GP top 16s

Drafting with Kyle - AVR/AVR/AVR #3

Booster 1 - Avacyn Restored

Pack 1 pick 1:

My Pick: Mist Raven

I quickly check the price of Cavern of Souls and it’s 7 tix.  This draft is going to go online so I wouldn’t feel right rare drafting when Mist Raven is the best common in the set.

Pack 1 pick 2:

My Pick: Mist Raven

How lucky!  I’ve never had more than one Mist Raven in a draft so far, so this is going well.

Pack 1 pick 3:

My Pick: Gryff Vanguard

I might as well stay on color since I’m getting the best card in each pack.  This tells me the guy passing to me is staying away from blue and likely picked Druid's Familiar over the Mist Raven, since an uncommon was missing.

Pack 1 pick 4:

My Pick: Scrapskin Drake

This pack is incredibly weak with the next best cards being Narstad Scrapper and Grave Exchange.  I’ll happily stay on color.

Pack 1 pick 5:

My Pick: Timberland Guide

This was a stupid pick on my part.  I knew green was getting cut and I still opted for the two drop.  Every writer on the interwebs tells us to pick the cheap cards because they’re few and far between; this is very true, but I had no chance of being green.  Green is by far the best color and everybody knows it by now, which means it’s overdrafted.  The fact that I had two Mist Ravens and a Gryff Vanguard meant that the curve was already high.  Why play green when I’ll get clogged with expensive spells?  Even though Riot Ringleader is more expensive than Timberland Guide, a red/blue deck will have an overall lower curve.  If I wasn’t confident in choosing my second color with this pack, I could have gone for Galvanic Alchemist although it’s much weaker.

Pack 1 pick 6:

My Pick: Hanweir Lancer

I really like Stonewright, but the lancer is perhaps the best red common.  I didn’t have conviction with Timberland Guide, so I immediately flip-flopped into red anyway.

Pack 1 pick 7:

My Pick: Nephalia Smuggler

This card is extremely overrated in most cases.  I would say this is not the normal case because I already have 2 Mist Raven and a Gryff Vanguard in pack 1.

Pack 1 pick 8:

My Pick: Archwing Dragon

I actually hate this card.  The reason I took it is because many drafters would view this as a sign that red’s open and I don’t want that.  We’re still in pack one so players to my right can decide to play red.  I’m only giving up a Galvanic Alchemist in the process so who cares?  The dragon is yet another 4 drop for me, which I already have plenty and it doesn’t advance my board.  I want blue red decks to be tempo-based and this sets me back.  It’s a perfectly reasonable niche sideboard card against a slower deck with tons of removal.

Pack 1 pick 9:

My Pick: Vorstclaw

He’s not the vorst.

Pack 1 pick 10:

Natural End Commander's Authority Sheltering Word Rush of Blood Devastation Tide Mountain

My Pick: Devastation Tide

This card is pretty bad, but it’s a rare and someone could view it as a sign blue is open.  I don’t care about my personal opinions when the people to my right think the card is more playable than I do.  It’s best to take overrated cards for the sake of worrying about signals early in the draft.

Pack 1 pick 11:

Rotcrown Ghoul Thatcher Revolt Midvast Protector Polluted Dead Plains

My Pick: Thatcher Revolt

Again, I hate this card, but many think it’s great.  I might as well remove the chance of someone playing the human deck because they want my red creatures.

Pack 1 pick 12:

Narstad Scrapper Seraph Sanctuary Demolish Swamp

My Pick: Narstad Scrapper

So let’s see, I hate Archwing Dragon, Devastation Tide, and Thatcher Revolt, but I love Narstad Scrapper.  It’s a great card to play in any color except green (because they have so many strong 5 drops).  If I need more late game, this guy is certainly making the cut.

Pack 1 pick 13:

Scroll of Avacyn Riot Ringleader Island

My Pick: Riot Ringleader

I apparently picked the two perfect colors for this draft.  Remember that Gryff Vanguard’s a human for the pump ability!

Pack 1 pick 14:

Angel's Mercy Island

My Pick: Island

Pack 1 pick 15:

Forest

My Pick: Forest

This deck is going very well despite me throwing away the Timberland Guide pick.  I need to lower my curve to maximize the Mist Ravens.  It looks like I’m well-positioned to pick up another one because blue will be open on both sides.

Booster 2 - Avacyn Restored

Pack 2 pick 1:

My Pick: Kruin Striker

This was a close pick between striker and pillar.  I like having creatures in this set over spells -especially when I have Mist Ravens for tempo.  Peel from Reality is clearly awesome with Mist Raven and Gryff Vanguard, but I will get it later, as blue was certainly open and is not a high pick in most cases.

Pack 2 pick 2:

My Pick: Fervent Cathar

I really like Mad Prophet, but I want a lower curve.  This guy does something similar to Mist Raven and is one of the best red commons. 

Pack 2 pick 3:

My Pick: Alchemist's Apprentice

I like this guy and Scalding Devil, not because they’re good, but because they cost two.  Nobody has any respect for Scalding Devil so I’ll get him later.

Pack 2 pick 4:

My Pick: Desolate Lighthouse

I like Scrapskin Drake, but I don’t want a bunch of them.  Red has a ton of great three drops and that slot is already filling up fast.  When I’m on the draw, I don’t want to play creatures that can’t block either.

Pack 2 pick 5:

My Pick: Peel from Reality

Peel doesn’t get as much respect as it should and I’m happy to snap it off.

Pack 2 pick 6:

My Pick: Wingcrafter

I’m not a fan of Lightning Prowess in decks that want to attack.  If I was in love with Galvanic Alchemist I would reconsider.  Wingcrafter is very powerful in red decks because it gives Kruin Striker flying on turn 2.  I really only like Lightning Prowess in green decks to combine with Nightshade Peddler.

Pack 2 pick 7:

My Pick: Heirs of Stromkirk

Red has so many good commons and this is one of them.  I like this in slower red decks because it provides inevitability. 

Pack 2 pick 8:

My Pick: Gryff Vanguard

That’s a late bird...

Pack 2 pick 9:

My Pick: Peel from Reality

The strong pack we opened gave us a peel as well as the Kruin Striker!

Pack 2 pick 10:

Terrifying Presence Raging Poltergeist Sheltering Word Spectral Prison Gallows at Willow Hill Forest

My Pick: Spectral Prison

I really like this card because green doesn’t have many playable pump spells (Joint Assault).  Don’t hate on the Poltergeist because it’s surprisingly good in blue red.  You get Wingcrafter and Hanweir Lancer to give it relevant abilities.  It won’t make this deck because my 5 drops are already too powerful, but it’s something to consider.

Pack 2 pick 11:

Natural End Fleeting Distraction Holy Justiciar Exquisite Blood Plains

My Pick: Fleeting Distraction

This card is typically better, but red creatures have low toughness.

Pack 2 pick 12:

Grounded Demolish Vanguard's Shield Island

My Pick: Demolish

Potential sideboard option against Moonsilver Spear.

Pack 2 pick 13:

Hunted Ghoul Midnight Duelist Plains

My Pick: Midnight Duelist

I’ve seen this card played in R/W Humans.

Pack 2 pick 14:

Outwit Mountain

My Pick: Outwit

This is a good sideboard card as it counters Bonfire of the Damned.

Pack 2 pick 15:

Mountain

My Pick: Mountain

Booster 3 - Avacyn Restored

Pack 3 pick 1:

My Pick: Moonsilver Spear

I really wanted a two drop in Lightning Mauler, but the spear is so good that I won’t worry about the curve.

Pack 3 pick 2:

My Pick: Fettergeist

I like Into the Void, but I already have 2 Mist Raven.  A 3/4 flyer for 3 is awesome so I’ll happily take it.

Pack 3 pick 3:

My Pick: Scalding Devil

I hate Conjurer's Closet.  The card is too cute for its own good.  Two Peel from Reality and a smuggler should be enough to take advantage of Mist Raven because those cards are fine on their own.  I need more cheap creatures and the little devil does something powerful in the late game. 

Pack 3 pick 4:

My Pick: Tandem Lookout

This card is awesome with Wingcrafter, Peel from Reality, and Mist Raven.

Pack 3 pick 5:

My Pick: Corpse Traders

I don’t want to play any of these cards and it seemed like the best hate draft.  Blue is very open so I don’t see Stern Mentor making it into a deck at the table.  I don’t have any good creatures to combine with Elgaud Shieldmate either.

Pack 3 pick 6:

My Pick: Kruin Striker

I’m not a big fan of Vanishment, but I’ll play it if I don’t have any tricks (but I have plenty this time).  Kruin Striker is one of the best creatures to get for this deck.

Pack 3 pick 7:

My Pick: Hanweir Lancer

Apparently I’m still getting insane cards.

Pack 3 pick 8:

My Pick: Thunderbolt

A great sideboard card against white to kill Seraph of Dawn.

Pack 3 pick 9:

My Pick: Fleeting Distraction

Pack 3 pick 10:

Malicious Intent Pathbreaker Wurm Rotcrown Ghoul Scalding Devil Essence Harvest Island

My Pick: Scalding Devil

Pack 3 pick 11:

Thunderbolt Demolish Leap of Faith Vanguard's Shield Forest

My Pick: Thunderbolt

Pack 3 pick 12:

Cursebreak Raging Poltergeist Ghostly Touch Mountain

My Pick: Raging Poltergeist

Did I mention this guy also blocks the fat green creatures?

Pack 3 pick 13:

Outwit Rush of Blood Mountain

My Pick: Outwit

Pack 3 pick 14:

Polluted Dead Island

My Pick: Polluted Dead

Pack 3 pick 15:

Plains

My Pick: Plains

I’m very happy with this deck; Mist Raven is so good.

relevant sideboard cards:

2 Thunderbolt

2 Outwit

Fleeting Distraction

Archwing Dragon

Raging Poltergeist

Narstad Scrapper

Match 1 Game 1

I win the die roll and choose to go first.  I mulligan to six and he keeps.

He plays:

• 1: Swamp and Scroll of Avacyn
• 2: Swamp and Crypt Creeper
• 3: misses a land drop and Ghoulfleshes my Fettergeist
• 4: misses another land drop and plays Blood Artist

I play:

• 2: Alchemist's Apprentice
• 3: Fettergeist
• 4: Moonsilver Spear
• 5: Equip the spear and the game is basically over

I sideboard:

-1 Fleeting Distraction

+1 Archwing Dragon

I put him on black/white because of the scroll, but it might be for cycling.  If I saw a plains, I would board in Thunderbolts for Angels.

Match 1 Game 2

He chooses to go first and we both keep our opening seven.

Him:

• 1: Scroll of Avacyn
• 2: He reveals his second color is white and plays Thraben Valiant
• 3: Forest
• 4: second plains for Seraph of Dawn
• 5: Midvast Protector and Human Frailty my Tandem Lookout
• 6: Searchlight Geist
• 7: Banishing Stroke (I peel my Wingcrafter in response and bounce his Seraph of Dawn)
• 8: Seraph of Dawn

I play:

• 1: Wingcrafter
• 2: Kruin Striker
• 3: Hanweir Lancer
• 4: Heirs of Stromkirk
• 5: Tandem Lookout (soulbonding with Heirs)
• 6: Kruin Striker and Alchemist's Apprentice
• 7: Riot Ringleader
• 8: Mist Raven

I had a feeling that white was his secondary color and it ended up being the correct assumption.  I probably should have boarded in the Thunderbolts based on the scroll.  The green splash wasn’t revealed, but it was most likely Druid's Familiar.

Match 2 Game 1

I lose the die roll and am on the draw

I mulligan to 6 and he keeps.

Him:

• 3: Galvanic Alchemist
• 4: Latch Seeker
• 5: Gryff Vanguard
• 6: Wandering Wolf and Peel from Reality (Wandering Wolf and Wingcrafter)

I play:

• 2: Kruin Striker
• 3: Wingcrafter (Pair)
• 4: Mist Raven (bounce Latch Seeker)
• 6: I attack with Kruin Striker and Wingcrafter and he peels Wingcrafter to block my striker with Galvanic Alchemist.  I play Fleeting Distraction to shrink his ¼.
• 7: Fettergeist gives me enough power in the air to take over the game

I don’t sideboard.

Match 2 Game 2:

Him:

• 3: Gloomwidow
• 4: Druid's Familiar (pair)
• 5: Peel from Reality
• 6: replay Druid's Familiar
• 7 Latch Seeker (pair with Druid's Familiar)

I play:

• 1: Wingcrafter
• 2: Scalding Devil (pair) his following turn Gloomwidow makes my pair an awkward choice.
• 3: Hanweir Lancer
• 4: Peel from Reality (Wingcrafter and Gloomwidow to break the pair and trade lancer with Druid's Familiar) he peels the familiar and lancer after mine resolves.  It would have been better for him to bounce his Gloomwidow in response to my peel.
• 5: Tandem Lookout (pair with Hanweir Lancer) to sit back on defense for Druid's Familiar
• 6: Gryff Vanguard
• 7: Spectral Prison the 5/3 Latch Seeker

This game dragged on for a while and at some point a Galvanic Alchemist was cast, but did not pair with Latch Seeker to untap it and kill me.  Instead, he paired it with a Nightshade Peddler for no real effect.

I had my Desolate Lighthouse to cycle away any lands I drew and waited for a turn to Peel from Reality my Mist Raven and cast Fervent Cathar.  This allowed my wall of flyers to deal more than lethal damage.  A relevant interaction was between Riot Ringleader and two Gryff Vanguards that got pumped (they’re humans).

Match 3:

My opponent offers a split, but I played it out for the purpose of this report.

He mulligans down to 4 on the play and I’m feeling good with my opening seven.

Him:

• 3: Moonlight Geist
• 4: Moonlight Geist
• 5: Restoration Angel
• 6: Sigarda, Host of Herons
• 7: attack and replay Restoration Angel (untapping Sigarda)
• 8: Spectral Gateguards
• 9: Tormentor's Trident, equip Sigarda, attack for 14 (putting me to 1)

Me:

• 1: Wingcrafter
• 2: Nephalia Smuggler
• 3: Scalding Devil
• 4: Peel from Reality Wingcrafter and Restoration Angel
• 5: Scrapskin Drake

Later on: Peel from Reality the drake that blocks Sigarda and bounce the Spectral Gateguards

This game was much closer than a mull to 4 should have been.  Scalding Devil won me the game by spending my turns dealing damage.  The game came down to the critical turn of me going down to one and using 6 mana to ping for 2 and peel from reality a blocker.  On the next turn, I alpha striked and used 9 mana to ping him for exact.

This is going to be a tough round, since I almost lost to a mull to 4...

I sideboard in 2 Thunderbolts for the Moonlight Geists and Restoration Angel and take out Spectral Prison (because they are bad against his angels and Spectral Gateguards) and Fleeting Distraction.

Match 3 Game 2

I’m on the draw and mull to 6; he keeps seven.

Him:

• 2: Wandering Wolf
• 3: Trusted Forcemage (pair)
• 4: Triumph of Ferocity, Scroll of Avacyn
• 5: Trusted Forcemage and Wandering Wolf

I played:

• 3: Tandem Lookout
• 4: Mist Raven
• 5: Gryff Vanguard

His card advantage from Triumph of Ferocity was too much for me to handle.  My lookout paired with Mist Raven drew me a few cards, but his wolves were too big to block.

This one’s for all the marbles...

Match 3 Game 3

I’m on the play and we both keep our seven.

He plays:

• 2: Haunted Guardian
• 3: Triumph of Ferocity
• 4: Haunted Guardian and Tormentor's Trident
• 5 Haunted Guardian and Eaten by Spiders

I play:

• 3: Scrapskin Drake
• 4: Mist Raven
• 5: Mist Raven
• 6: Moonsilver Spear

I could have used Peel from Reality on my Mist Raven in response to Eaten by Spiders, but opted to play the spear instead.  It ended up being the right play because he conceded to it the following turn.  I had all blue mana this game, but Mist Raven and spear was enough to close the deal.

Overall, this was a great deck and I was very confident after I got the second Mist Raven.  I think the way to go is to stick with blue, red, and green.  Green was clearly not open so I was more than happy to stick with a blue red tempo deck, as I’ve had a lot of success with them in the past.

Thanks for reading and happy drafting!

-Kyle