Laz - thank you! I will probably read your post 10 times before it's over. Always great to see what's going on in a drafter's head. Interestingly enough, I have recently been concerned that I cut too much ramp out given the number of big targets. I will have to tweak, possibly on both ends. You called out a lot of my build-around techie cards that seem really weird unless you know the cube well and several cards that are on my watch/experiment list, so great job! Also, the drafting bots are probably horribly skewed. I'm pretty much the only one they have to learn from, and I generally try pretty extreme draft decks when I'm testing.
Glad you liked it. For you, I did it again:
Tyrole cube take two. Not so blind this time, I feel I have a bit of a better understanding of the format. White seemed strong as a go-wide colour, blue was strong, but required heavy colour commitment, green was probably ok for mid-range but the lack of ramp makes a lot of the cards kind of clunky. Lets see how we go!
P1P1: Strong pack. Restoration Angel, 5-mana Elspeth, Reveillark out of white, Sower of Temptation and Meloku alongside some mid-tier cards out of blue, Bloodsoaked Champion and Yawgmoth's Will (maybe good, I don't recall seeing much bonkers combo stuff last draft, but still an ok value card in the late game) from black. No Red in this pack, and only Terra Stomper from Green, which is not how I want to start my draft. In my own cube, I would think about Bloodsoaked Champion here, because I love that archetype, but here I am going to hedge to the strength of White I saw last time and grab Restoration Angel. Sower is also potent, but I am worried the 2-toughness is a little too fragile. There are some lands to wheel too if nothing potent comes back.
P1P2: Still an esper dominated pack, but with Bloodbraid Elf as the clear strongest card. Increasing Devotion is here from White, and I remember seeing a bit of token support last time, but I am not sure it is where I want to be this early. Remand probably plays the best with the Restoration Angel, and I don't want to commit to RG with the Bloodbraid, which is ont of the few cards stronger than it here. Hundred-Handed One is here, but I am not sure it is better than Increasing Devotion if I am sticking with White. Remand it is, hoping to wheel one of the White cards, or one of the two fetches here. Withdraw would also be fine.
P1P3: Instantly rewarded with Jace Architect of Thought. Thhe first sign of heavy green here, but nothing compelling, not even Deadly Recluse, which I took pick 2 last draft can sway me from Jace. Kolaghan's Command is powerful, as is Devil's Play. I don't have much experience with Consuming Aberration, though I imagine it could be ok in the right deck. Other Blue cards are unexciting this early, Cloudfin Raptor, Fog Bank and Thassa's Emissary. Some could be fine to wheel depending on where my draft goes, but easy Jace for me here.
P1P4: Pack full of strong white cards. Cloudgoat Ranger, Galepowder Mage, Divine Reckoning (which I actually like quite a lot in UW, which tends to have 1-2 fliers beating down). Giest of Saint Traft is here in UW, which probably has to be the pick, card is just head and shoulders above the rest of the pack, excepting perhaps Cloudgoat and Smokestack. Greedy play would be to take Cloudgoat, hope everyone passes on the gold card, and snap it up later, but that never works, Geist is powerful enough to talk people into splashing, so I am never seeing it unless I grab it now, so lets do that.
P1P5: Red emerges. Young Pyrpmancer, Wildfire, Zurgo Bellstriker. All amongst the best cards in their respective theatres. If top-tier burn had been here, I would probably have been tempted, but none are that compelling for moving into Red. Augur of Bolas is a safe pick, as is Icy Manipulator if I want to be really grindy, but I think I would prefer a land over them. Arid Mesa is here, and there was a Tundra in pack one, so I might get that back to make it awesome.
P1P6: Pretty average pack. A few options in blue and white, with Ghostly Flicker (sweet value) or Planar Cleansing for a slower deck. Underworld Connections is a solid card, City of Brass is awesome, but I am not sure I need that type of fixing yet, and am likely playing a longer game given my picks thus far and it would hurt. There is also Knight of Meadowgrain, which I could play if I wanted to tend heavily white and play more of a tempo/beatdown plan. It also blocks like an absolute champion against aggro. I will grab it, and hope my mana comes together enough to play it.
P1P7: Cogwork Librarian again shows up to remind me that this isn't paper, sorry my robot friend. Vindicate is probably the card with the most power here, but there is also Unexpectedly Absent, which isn't far behind and doesn't ask for Black. It does ask for double White, but I need that for the Knight of Meadowgrain. Looks like we have a plan. Passing Volcanic, which makes me sad. It would enable Blue off my Arid Mesa and might have been the better pick.
P1P8: Last new pack, and it is a solid one for me. Battle Screech and Topplegeist for my UW skies beatdown. Double sac outlet here in Carrion Feeder and Bloodthrone Vampire, Fauna Shaman who is often sweet, and a Watery Grave. Given I currently only just have 4 card types, and one of those is Jace, Delirium might be a little hard for me. I don't have much experience with it in cube though, so maybe Topplegeist should be the pick, but I will take Battle Screech.
P1P9: First pack. Wheeled Tundra. Awesome. Passing up on Precinct Captain, who I didn't mention first time because he wasn't that exciting, but now I would be open to it. Eh, needs double white anyway, like everything else, and Tundra helps with that. Sorry Precinct Captain, it is you or being able to cast cards like you.
P1P10: Well... Bloodbraid Elf is still here, but I don't think now is the time to jump ship, despite my love of it. Hundred-Handed One is still here, but I think my plan has changed a little. Happy to grab Frost Walker of all things, lets get our UW Weenie on.
P1P11: Devil's Play wheeled, along with not much other exciting stuff. Thassa's Emissary is here, but is probably too expensive and inefficient for what I am trying to do, despite how great it is on a flier. I might grab the Devil's Play, even though at the moment it looks like flashing it back is never going to happen. The draft is still young!
P1P12: Why hello Cloudgoat Ranger. Also Galepowder Mage? White is wide open. Both have some power, but Cloudgoat has more, and I already have a few solid 4-drops in Jace and Resto.
P1P13: My choice of big angels. Aurelia and Angelic Arbiter. I will live the Jeskai beatdown dream and take Aurelia, but likely play neither. Badlands is also here, but I will let that enable someone else's double splash rather than mine.
P1P14: Underworld Connections versus Death Pits of Rath, which I remember as the 15th pick of last draft. Sorry Death Pits of Rath, you are the last pick agai.
P1P15: Vedalken Orrery. There is still time to be transform my UW beatdown deck into UW Flash after all!
Ok, after pack one I feel pretty good. White seems wide open, my mana is ok and I kind of have a plan. I probably need to just stick to it, grab tempo pieces and efficient beaters and go from there.
P2P1: Eyes jump to Counterspell. Remember I am trying to play all of my WW cards on curve, become sad. Nothing jumps out at me as a super solid first pick here. Mystic Monastery is a fixing land that enables my Red speculation, but I don't really have anything I am excited to splash for yet. Syndic of Tithes is a good bear, but is not exciting first pick material. Land tax is here, which has some power, but is kind of slow and clunky. Even an aggressive reading of 'W: Draw 3 lands' is not hugely compelling. Fencing Ace is cool, btu I don't have anything for that yet. I guess the pick is Phyrexian Metamorph or Windswept Heath, and I think Metamorph is probably better.
P2P2: Now, here are some picks. D. Sphere in my colours, a bunch of tempo tools in Clutch of Currents and Silent Departure, Hallowed Fountain. There are some solid Black cards, Aluren, which scares me, but if someone combos out with it and kills me, that would be awesome to see, and if they play it fair, well I am planning on running a lot of < CMC 3 creatures, so jokes on them. There is also a Lightning Bolt. Red speculation you say?
P2P3: There are some cards. They are not exciting cards (ok, there is a Young Pyromancer and a Goblin Guide and a Firebolt. There are exciting Red cards). There is Scalding Tarn. Hello Red.
P2P4: More fixing opportunities in Steam Vents, but this time it is up against Seeker of the Way and Brainstorm, both would be nice, but I am going to err towards the Seeker. A worst-case bear is not too bad, and just a moment ago I was convincing myself I needed to get more efficient beaters. Spells matter can wait.
P2P5: Hi Birthing Pod. Bye Birthing Pod, UW weenies is not the deck for you (not even UWR weenies). Hypnotic Siren continues the weenie path, but Flying Men is not a lot of power. Frontier Bivouac is a UR land, but not a good one, and I still need WW. Glen Elendra Archmage is definitely the pick. Wrecking Ogre is also in the pack, so I might just die to a swing with 3RR up, but eh.
P2P6: Azorius Charm is custom made for decks like this, but asks for my attention over Treasure Cruise and Delver. I don't have a lot of enablers for either, so I am happy to grab the charm.
P2P7: Lingering Souls? Really? After I keep passing black lands? I should have grabbed that Badlands, even if I may be able to cast Aurelia! Soulfire Grandmaster, Stoke the Flames and Tarn are other options for me. Stoke is probably too optimisitic, and Soulfire seems fine. Tarn is probably overkill given I am mostly looking to splash Bolt, which doesn't require on curve play, though when I wheel the Goblin Guide I will be sad I don't have all the turn 1 red sources I could have.
P2P8: Literal Nothing. Not even for my red speculation. All Green and Black cards, so I guess I will grab the most terrifying one, Shriekmaw.
P2P9: Wheeled Windswept Heath, which makes me realise I don't have a RW land. Also wheeled Goblin Heelcutter, which I didn't realise I wanted until now. Eh, stay the course, grab the fixing which will be nice if I get that brainstorm back (unlikely).
P2P10: Hallowed Fountain, nice gift. D. Sphere came back too, but I think I am on the 'deploy threats' side of the threats vs. answers debate at the moment.
P2P11: No Goblin Guide. I don't have to be sad. Triton Tactics is an interesting one, but I will grab Bloodstained Mire. Fixing is good.
P2P12: No Brainstorm either. Ah well. Maybe I wheel that Lingering souls. Better grab this Blood Crypt over Grenzo or Nessian Asp just in case.
P2P13: Oh, Pod, Wrecking Ogre or Hypnotic Siren. If the games go really long, I will want the Siren, but they have to go really long... I have no Anthem effects to make the evasion better. Eh, I will take it, and hope I don't have to run it.
P2P14: Treasure Cruise? That is a card I would prefer to play in games that go long. Sorry Siren.
P2P15: Ha! Lingering Souls! Bet you didn't see that one coming (I didn't).
Ok, feeling good after pack 2. Plenty of solid cards. Well set up for splashing random black or red as required, and will probably splash for Lingering Souls/Lightning Bolt, aka. good splashes. Probably need some more early beaters, but I always think that when I draft decks like these, then I lay out 15 2-drops in deck building and feel stupid.
P3P1: Look! A conspiracy. Those are normally bonkers stong. It is Unexpected Potential, which is the free-splash conspiracy. I don't have anything yet that would excite me about it, but it would make flashing back Devil's Play easy? Other options are Righteous Confluence and probably lands? Celestial Archon is fine, but if I get to the top end I can play Cloudgoat, which is probably better, or Aurelia who would be bonkers. Lets take Unexpected Potential, see if we can go crazy with it.
P3P2: Snapcaster, Mana Leak, Fiery Confluence? This is my kind of pack. I still need a WR land, so the RR on confluence might be a bit much. Snapcaster is definitely powerful enough though.
P3P3: Plateau? Bam! But why must you be here with all of the best Spells matter cards? Monastery Mentor, Shu Yun, Abbot of Keral Keep? Actually, there is a Sacred Foundry too... I would probably wheel one of them... Maybe I even take Magma Jet? No... bad... be disciplined. Take the Plateau, wheel something awesome.
P3P4: Ah, beaters. Blade Splicer, Flickerwisp, Pestermite, I am spoiled for 3-drops. There is also a Jeskai Ascendancy... Screw it, lets take the ascendancy, name it with Unexpected Potential if we have to, and go crazy with the token makers I have.
P3P5: This pack is less exciting. I mean, there are some good cards in Condescend, Alesha and Emeria Angel, but not quite Blade Splicer/Flickerwisp level exciting. I might grab Alesha, returning cards like Phyrexian Metamorph, Geist of Saint Traft (no attack trigger, blergh) and Snapcaster seems sweet.
P3P6: Maybe this one is a Goblin Dark Dwellers deck? Remand, Unexpectedly Absent, Lightning Bolt, Azorius Charm... Could be. it is that or Burst Lightning. Eh, burn wins out.
P3P7: Wasteland and Steam Vents stand out as options. I actually don't have a UR land to fetch , but there is also Phantasmal Bear or Dungeon Geists as options. Jhoira of the Ghitu is also an on-colour gold card, but this doesn't seem like a 'wait 4 turns' kind of deck. I think Steam Vents is solid, and I can probably wheel Bear. I mean, who wants that?
P3P8: Oh my. All the fixing. Sacred Foundry, Hallowed Fountain, Flooded Strand. I think I am actually good after that Stem Vents, so I migth go with the other land option, Wasteland.
P3P9: Confluence came back. Or I could grab Watery Grave to help splash Lingering Souls. Or Geralf's Messenger to really utilise Unexpected Potential. Thraben Doomsayer is solid if I can get myself to 5 life, given I seem to be going pretty wide. Nah, I will grab Confluence, gaining 15 sounds better than having to lose 15 even if it will normally be 'Make 6 vigilant power across 3 bodies'
P3P10: None of the awesome cards came back. Ogre Battledriver plays nicely with my token makers. 'Make 12 hasty vigilant power across 3 bodies' sounds like a nice way to curve out. I don't know if my mana supports it, but I am not passing up anything for it.
P3P11: Blergh. Sacred Foundry came back, but none of the other cool cards did. No Abbot, Monastery Mentor, Magma Jet, nothing. Fine, I will just have great mana (which seems to be a theme this pack).
P3P12: Flickerwisp? Don't mind if I do.
P3P13: Do I prefer Generator Servant over Emeria Angel? Both cards have excited me in the past, before disappointing me in practice. I suppose I have to set myself up to lay out 15 2-drops some how.
P3P14: I could name Master of the Feast with Unexpected Potential? UW and giant Black flying beatdown?
P3P15: Wheel Dungeon Geists over Phantasmal Bear. Oddly disappointed.
From that I managed to assemble the following kind of funky fun thing that will sometimes beat face, sometimes grind value and sometimes run into big blockers it can do nothing about. Nothing except combo with Jeskai Ascendancy, flashing back token makers to grow you other tokens! If I name lingering souls with Unexpected potential, the mana works better, but if you are less disciplined, you name Ascendancy because you love fun, and swap the mountain for a Blood Crypt to end up with 4 black sources.
might be a little undersupported right now, but a 3/1 haste for 3 ain't bad.
. That card should be in the Power 9 (10?), and is miles better than basically the rest of the list. That just becomes Sol Ring Lottery at that point....
