Kai Draft #23 (M11 8-4)

I haven't drafted M11 in over a week as the format makes me want to vom. However I had a few hours of free time before the Prerelease so what else was I going to do. :)

Pack 1, Pick 1:




My Pick:


Honor is a very all in pick. I've come around to believing Adept is stronger than Sleep.
Pack 1, Pick 2:

My Pick:


Corrupt is easily the strongest card. But I've been getting destroyed lately whenever I draft U/B, so I took the Thief.
Pack 1, Pick 3:

My Pick:


Can always get a 5/4 later. Birds enables turn 2 Thief.
Pack 1, Pick 4:

My Pick:


This pack is pretty boaring. I could take the Griffin here, but I'd rather stick to the color and cut blue completely. Also we've passed honor, hawk, and charge, while passing no significant cards in any other color except corrupt. It is likely white will be pretty empty pack 2.
Pack 1, Pick 5:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 6:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 7:

My Pick:


Giant Spider is pretty good. Much better than anything else in the pack.
Pack 1, Pick 8:

My Pick:


Could've taken Pridemate, but Beast is fine in a Thief deck since they will only have so much removal.
Pack 1, Pick 9:

My Pick:


ooook.
Pack 1, Pick 10:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 11:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 12:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 13:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 14:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 15:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 1:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 2:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 3:

My Pick:


Big Wurms. Fast Wurms. I could've gone into white for the Crusader here and the 3/2 last pack, but I didn't want to abandon Giant Spider, which was wrong.
Pack 2, Pick 4:

My Pick:


Good Giant Growth.
Pack 2, Pick 5:

My Pick:


Average Giant Growth.
Pack 2, Pick 6:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 7:

My Pick:

Bears!
Pack 2, Pick 8:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 9:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 10:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 11:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 12:

My Pick:
Bears!

Pack 2, Pick 13:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 14:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 15:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 1:

My Pick:


Acceleration is even more important with double Thief. Also I'm no longer too fond of Mana Leak.
Pack 3, Pick 2:

My Pick:


My appraisal of Crystal Ball has also changed. Especially when the deck I'm building is very likely to have multiple bears.
Pack 3, Pick 3:

My Pick:


This pick was pretty unbearable.
Pack 3, Pick 4:

My Pick:


Yay.
Pack 3, Pick 5:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 6:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 7:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 8:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 9:

My Pick:


bear!ly got a playable deck now.
Pack 3, Pick 10:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 11:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 12:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 13:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 14:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 15:

My Pick:

Once I got my bearings in this draft, it went decently. I should've definitely been in white, but pack 1 was spent cutting blue and there wasn't really significant white cards coming my way. As a result I was shipped very strong fliers in pack 2, and would've had a fine U/W deck had I gone that route.
As is, we're exercising our right to bear arms with this deck.

Round 1: ogoshi_takahiro with U/B

He played turn 1 Merfolk Spy. He was not Thomas Ma. Bears got him.

2-0

Round 2: bone5 with R/U

Game 1: I have turn 2 Thief on the play since he decided his deck wanted to be on the draw. After I Preordain into Giant Growth for his Ice Cage and free my Thief he concedes as he is stuck on 2 lands.

Game 2: I play pretty aggressive to get Scroll Thief through, but it dies to a splashed Assassinate. He starts attacking with a Stone Golem but I rip the Adept to bounce his Rotting Legion to stay in the race. He plays Air Servant and Bloodthrone Vampire instead of replaying Legion. I draw Preordain, shipping Runeclaw bears and keeping a second Preordain, which sees Giant Growth and Mind Control.

I could've chosen to draw the Giant Growth instead, and alpha'd. Then depending on whether he blocks with the Vampire or not, be able to trade with it and have Mind Control up for his Air Servant or the Rotting Legion in his hand. If he only blocks with Air Servant, we can Giant Growth to trade with it. However even though the Control is basically a Terminate with his Vampire, we are very far behind if he simply doesn't block this turn. Thus I drew the Mind Control and just slapped it on the Servant. He punted by not sacrificing in response and lost next turn.

Round 3:
The guy had Grave Titan, Royal Assassin, Acidic Slime, and 2 Diabolic Tutors.
He offered the split and I snap accepted.
He informed me "I have 2 Diabolic Tutor and Grave Titan. :)"
I informed him "I have 3 Grizzly Bears. :)"

Lesson Taught.