Drafting with Kyle - GTC/GTC/GTC #2

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 - GTC/GTC/GTC #2

Booster 1 - Gatecrash

Pack 1 pick 1:

My Pick: Clan Defiance

I’m not a big fan of Gruul, but this card is too good to pass up.  The next best card in this pack is Guardian of the Gateless, but that is functionally an Orzhov card because 5-drops are not optimal in Boros.  If I have to go with a card that essentially puts me into two colors, I might as well take the bomb.

Pack 1 pick 2:

My Pick: Skyknight Legionnaire

I could pick Frilled Oculus and go Simic or take the haste flyer for Boros.  Splashing is not where I want to be in this format so I was bummed to not see any Gruul cards.  I would rather splash in Simic, but legionnaire is much more powerful.

Pack 1 pick 3:

My Pick: Grisly Spectacle

Unless I wanted Rust Scarab Gruul, there was nothing in this pack.  I felt that black was open as this card went pretty late in such a weak pack.

Pack 1 pick 4:

My Pick: One Thousand Lashes

While I’m not against Dimir, I strongly prefer Orzhov hence me taking this over spectacle.  This is a strong signal that I should abandon my first two picks even though they are insane.

Pack 1 pick 5:

My Pick: Shadow Slice

I really like 1 copy of this in Orzhov as you can have a decent amount of evasion creatures.

Pack 1 pick 6:

My Pick: Corpse Blockade

I like this card because you don’t need to worry about using removal on small creatures. The sacrifice ability is also good against enchant creatures that stop your creatures such as One Thousand Lashes and Agoraphobia. 

Pack 1 pick 7:

My Pick: Gutter Skulk

This is a key player in Orzhov because the white two drops are so powerful and often go very early (Daring Skyjack and Syndic of Tithes).

Pack 1 pick 8:

My Pick: Syndicate Enforcer

I don’t mind exactly one copy of this creature.  While it’s one of the weaker creatures with extort, it still gets the job done.  Since there are a decent amount of 4 drops at the disposal of Orzhov, there are plenty of options so it may not make the cut.  Boros doesn’t want 4 drops so you can get Assault Griffin late.

Pack 1 pick 9:

My Pick: Vizkopa Guildmage

I like this format because the guildmages are not insane like they were in the last set.  This is nothing but a grizzly bear with an upside a decent percentage of the time.  People kill this creature too early because it has “guildmage” in the name.  With that being said, it’s still a 2-drop and I’m happy to play it.

Pack 1 pick 10:

Death's Approach Sage's Row Denizen Skyblinder Staff Bioshift Gateway Shade

My Pick: Death's Approach

I don’t like Gateway Shade in Orzhov because my extra mana goes to extort.

Pack 1 pick 11:

Scatter Arc Razortip Whip Furious Resistance Mental Vapors

My Pick: Mental Vapors

Pack 1 pick 12:

Skygames Corpse Blockade Hydroform

My Pick: Corpse Blockade

I would want a second copy of this against the aggro decks (assuming I don’t have Basilica Guards)

Pack 1 pick 13:

Bioshift Merfolk of the Depths

My Pick: Bioshift

Pack 1 pick 14:

Paranoid Delusions

My Pick: Paranoid Delusions

Booster 2 - Gatecrash

Pack 2 pick 1:

My Pick: Smite

This pack is pretty rancid for us.  I can take the removal spell that comes around later or a creature that requires BBB.  I can see Nightveil Specter getting clogged in my hand too many times to pick.

Pack 2 pick 2:

My Pick: Balustrade Spy

Debtor's Pulpit is a very polarizing card; some players think it’s the best while others think it’s mediocre.  I think it’s powerful, but I want to avoid playing a high curve.  The spy will go well with Death's Approach because I already have Grisly Spectacle to mill.

Pack 2 pick 3:

My Pick: Aerial Maneuver

This is not an exciting third pick.  A possibility is that the drafter to my left took Guardian of the Gateless and ended up in Orzhov which explains me tabling the guildmage in the last pack.  It can also explain why I have such a lackluster 3rd pick and may need to brace for a weak pack.

Pack 2 pick 4:

My Pick: Basilica Screecher

Or not...

this is the best 2-drop in Orzhov because Syndic of Tithes gets blocked by ground-pounders.

Pack 2 pick 5:

My Pick: Smite

Pack 2 pick 6:

My Pick: Slate Street Ruffian

Dimir Guildmage is nowhere near good enough to splash and this is a respectable 3-drop.

Pack 2 pick 7:

My Pick: Orzhov Keyrune

I don’t like playing 18 lands in draft, but Orzhov doesn’t mind an 18th mana source in Orzhov Keyrune.  There are already enough 4 drops in my deck that I can pass on another spy for now.

Pack 2 pick 8:

My Pick: High Priest of Penance

I don’t need the guildgate too badly because I have the keyrune and no spells that require BB or WW early.  The priest isn’t amazing, but it’s fine in a defensive deck.

Pack 2 pick 9:

My Pick: Dinrova Horror

Dimir Guildgate is pretty good in Orzhov if you want to splash because the horror will table and is a great card to top off your curve.  I would rather not splash if I can avoid it, but can be an option.

Pack 2 pick 10:

Scatter Arc Death's Approach Guildscorn Ward Mortus Strider Voidwalk

My Pick: Death's Approach

Balustrade Spy and Grisly Spectacle are so powerful because it allows you to be the only drafter interested in Death's Approach so they often table.

Pack 2 pick 11:

Leyline Phantom Midnight Recovery Purge the Profane Ruination Wurm

My Pick: Purge the Profane

Pack 2 pick 12:

Balustrade Spy Shattering Blow Smog Elemental

My Pick: Balustrade Spy

Pack 2 pick 13:

Scatter Arc Beckon Apparition

My Pick: Beckon Apparition

Pack 2 pick 14:

Spell Rupture

My Pick: Spell Rupture

Booster 3 - Gatecrash

Pack 3 pick 1:

My Pick: Blind Obedience

Another first pick that will likely not even make the deck.  Extort is good, but I want a creature attached to the ability.  I’m not fast enough to justify playing a card like this.

Pack 3 pick 2:

My Pick: Basilica Screecher

Pack 3 pick 3:

My Pick: Thrull Parasite

I’m really not impressed by the 6 mana wrath effect.  This deck needs to extort to win so why would I want to reset the board?  I have too many removal spells to really take advantage of a card like this.  Thrull Parasite is one of the best creatures with extort because it can take off +1+1 counters and costs a single black mana.

Pack 3 pick 4:

My Pick: Executioner's Swing

Pack 3 pick 5:

My Pick: Basilica Screecher

Pack 3 pick 6:

My Pick: Grisly Spectacle

Pack 3 pick 7:

My Pick: Cartel Aristocrat

This was a close pick for me, but I went with the cheap spell because extort doesn’t play well with expensive cards.  I have ended games with the confessor trapped in my hand and I can never have enough 2-drops.

Pack 3 pick 8:

My Pick: Devour Flesh

I want plenty of removal for this deck because Death's Approach gets better.  Beware of the nonbo between One Thousand Lashes and Devour Flesh.

Pack 3 pick 9:

My Pick: Riot Gear

Pack 3 pick 10:

Guildscorn Ward Razortip Whip Paranoid Delusions Crackling Perimeter Dying Wish

My Pick: Paranoid Delusions

Pack 3 pick 11:

Razortip Whip Death's Approach Primal Visitation Righteous Charge

My Pick: Death's Approach

Pack 3 pick 12:

Primal Visitation Serene Remembrance

My Pick:

Pack 3 pick 13:

Riot Gear Crackling Perimeter

My Pick: Riot Gear

Pack 3 pick 14:

Towering Thunderfist

My Pick: Towering Thunderfist

This deck ended up on the strange side because I didn’t have a high-end, but plenty of removal. 

Notable sideboard cards:

• Death's Approach
• Aerial Maneuver
• Purge the Profane

This deck cannot close a game by trading one-for-one if I build in a traditional fashion.  What happens when my opponent draws one or two more spells than me and I can’t kill the last threats?  I’m dead.

To combat this issue I need to do a couple of things:

1. Go second in every game
2. Play more than 40 cards

Both of these things will allow me to draw more spells than my opponent so it will take some serious flooding on my part to lose while doing what my deck does (kill creatures).

Match 1 Game 1

I didn’t consider drawing initially because I haven’t used this strategy in Gatecrash limited.  I won the die roll (unfortunately) and chose to play first.  We both kept 7 cards.

This game came down to the expected grind, but my removal didn’t match up with his threats.  The main problem was Gift of Orzhova made his creature too big and evasive to block effectively.

Although this is a Boros deck, it was on the slow side as there was undoubtedly at least on other drafter at the table with a faster version.

Sideboard:

In: Corpse Blockade

Out: Shadow Slice

Match 1 Game 2

He mulligans on the play and I keep 7.

This game goes according to plan as my combination of extort creatures and removal take it home.

Sideboard in: Purge the Profane

Out: Smite

Since my main goal is to grind, I have to board in something that will give me an advantage such as a Mind Rot effect.  Smite may seem good here, but my issue is his large flyers such as Hellkite Tyrant and things enchanted with Madcap Skills and Gift of Orzhova and they aren’t easy to block.

Match 1 Game 3

He chooses to play and we both keep 7.

We both miss the third land drop so once we start casting spells, I know the game will go long.  Purge the Profane shines here as I make him discard Hellkite Tyrant and the white primordial.

It took longer than expected for Death's Approach to get active because he has so many spells in his deck.  The milling abilities from Grisly Spectacle and Balustrade Spy were of little use.

In the end, I drew more spells than him because I had 41 cards and went second.  This game was quite close as his Court Street Denizen tapped two of my creatures in a single turn for a battalion attack.

Match 2 Game 1

I win the die roll and go second.  We both keep 7 cards.

This game was very awkward as I kept a hand with 2 Plains and only drew white sources.  To pour salt in the wound, he milled a Swamp with Balustrade Spy and Nightveil Specter.

Sideboard in: Purge the Profane

Out: Corpse Blockade

Match 2 Game 2

I go second and he mulligans to 6.

In this game, I return all of the favors he did for me in game 1; both of my Balustrade Spies mill a land immediately on top of his library and he doesn’t play many spells.

Match 2 Game 3

We both kept on seven and he was on the play.

This game was a battle of my Basilica Screechers versus his unblockable 2/2 rogue.  Since I was stuck on 4 lands for a while, my hand had plenty of spells to extort and nullify the attacks.  Once again, he drew a few more lands than I did and my one-for-ones were able to stop his threats.

Match 3 Game 1

I win the die roll and draw against Gruul.  We both keep 7 cards.

This is probably my best matchup because Death's Approach kills most of the creatures he played in the mid-game.  I drew both of my maindeck copies that took care of a Viashino Shanktail and kill it again after it was brought back with Wildwood Rebirth.

As the screenshot shows, the Orzhov deck did what it does best- kill everything.

Sideboard In: Corpse Blockade and Death's Approach

out: Shadow Slice

Match 3 Game 2

For all of you math fans at home, this sideboarding takes me up to 42 cards where my opponent will probably want to go first.  I do this because I took out my only 5 drop and Death's Approach is very good against his creature deck.

This may be a little too wild versus Boros, but if I miss my fourth land drop it won’t be a big deal because his Gruul deck isn’t very fast.

My opening hand had 4 lands and we both kept 7.  This was a relief to me because the major downside to playing so many cards is that I’m lowering my odds of drawing lands.   Since I already have all the mana I need, there’s only upside to playing so many spells.

As you can see from the screenshot, I only drew one more land and was able to easily trade off for all of his spells and take the game with extort.

We are victorious!

I think the most important lesson to take away from this draft is to be open to things that may seem bad on the surface.  When I began the draft, I didn’t expect to play a 41 card deck that sometimes wants to go up to 42, but there was a rare opportunity.

It also serves as a test to see if it’s actually possible to build a good control deck in this format.  My Boros opponent was not very fast, but this deck could keep up with creatures while being on the draw.  This was my strategy in every Zendikar draft I did and it worked wonders so I’m happy to see it take down a draft in Gatecrash.

Thanks for reading!

-Kyle

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