Locations
Hello, everyone, and welcome to my first DKA ISD ISD Draft walkthrough! This was a Magic Online 8–4 queue.
Pack 1, Pick 1:
Headless Skaab, Silverclaw Griffin, Shriekgeist, Hollowhenge Beast, Spiteful Shadows, Young Wolf, Evolving Wilds, Griptide, Wrack with Madness, Heckling Fiends, Niblis of the Breath, Thraben Heretic, Hinterland Hermit, Alpha Brawl, Swamp
My options in this pack were Niblis of the Breath, Thraben Heretic, and Wrack with Madness. Thraben Heretic is a lot worse than both Niblis and Wrack. I really like red in this format, and think it’s underdrafted, but Niblis of the Breath is way stronger than Wrack with Madness, so I went with the Niblis first.
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 2:
Haunted Fengraf, Tragic Slip, Faithless Looting, Headless Skaab, Silverclaw Griffin, Young Wolf, Evolving Wilds, Griptide, Wrack with Madness, Grim Flowering, Shattered Perception, Chosen of Markov, Increasing Ambition, Island
I could have taken Griptide to stay on color, but Tragic Slip is a very good removal spell and worth dipping into a second color for.
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 3:
Hollowhenge Beast, Ray of Revelation, Clinging Mists, Burden of Guilt, Bone to Ash, Wrack with Madness, Divination, Somberwald Dryad, Curse of Thirst, Village Survivors, Chosen of Markov, Increasing Confusion, Plains
Seeing Increasing Confusion, Griptide, and Bone to Ash was a strong signal that blue was open. Being passed the third Wrack with Madness meant that red was open as well. Increasing Confusion could win games on its own, and I didn’t necessarily need to adapt to a mill strategy to play it, so I took that.
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 4:
Screeching Skaab, Nearheath Stalker, Crushing Vines, Erdwal Ripper, Evolving Wilds, Talons of Falkenrath, Midnight Guard, Wolfhunter's Quiver, Curse of Thirst, Stromkirk Captain, Afflicted Deserter, Forest
From the looks of this pack, red was definitely open; however, Wolfhunter's Quiver was an excellent pick and kept my options open.
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 5:
Spiteful Shadows, Executioner's Hood, Bar the Door, Thought Scour, Ulvenwald Bear, Undying Evil, Griptide, Curse of Exhaustion, Tracker's Instincts, Hinterland Hermit, Plains
This pick really wasn’t close. It wasn’t worth it to move into another color here, so I took the only good blue card.
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 6:
Hollowhenge Beast, Spiteful Shadows, Saving Grasp, Undying Evil, Scorch the Fields, Markov Warlord, Warden of the Wall, Mystic Retrieval, Lambholt Elder, Swamp
I strongly considered picking Markov Warlord here, but I chose to stay on color and just take the artifact.
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 7:
Crushing Vines, Silverclaw Griffin, Spiteful Shadows, Ulvenwald Bear, Undying Evil, Griptide, Faith's Shield, Afflicted Deserter, Forest
Again here, it wasn’t worth it to move into another color. The problem was that black was being completely cut off from me, but it looked like red and white were both open. I was going to have to choose what my second color was going to be soon.
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 8:
Bar the Door, Russet Wolves, Artful Dodge, Dawntreader Elk, Sanctuary Cat, Curse of Exhaustion, Hinterland Hermit, Forest
In this pack, I finally chose my second color. I’m a big fan of U/R aggro/tempo, and the Hinterland Hermit provided me with a 2-drop that this type of deck needed.
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 9:
Hollowhenge Beast, Spiteful Shadows, Young Wolf, Evolving Wilds, Heckling Fiends, Alpha Brawl, Swamp
I was astonished that Evolving Wilds was still in the pack. It usually goes as late as fifth pick, but I’ve never seen it this late. The Alpha Brawl was really slow but on color, so I considered that, but I knew I was going to be splashing Tragic Slip, so the Evolving Wilds was better here.
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 10:
Haunted Fengraf, Faithless Looting, Young Wolf, Grim Flowering, Shattered Perception, Island
At this point, it looked as though I was U/R, so Faithless Looting was a great card for me to pick up.
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 11:
Hollowhenge Beast, Ray of Revelation, Clinging Mists, Curse of Thirst, Plains
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 12:
Nearheath Stalker, Talons of Falkenrath, Curse of Thirst, Forest
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 13:
Spiteful Shadows, Curse of Exhaustion, Plains
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 1, Pick 15:
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 1:
Avacynian Priest, Riot Devils, Curse of the Bloody Tome, Kindercatch, Feral Ridgewolf, Altar's Reap (FOIL), Rotting Fensnake, Travel Preparations, Village Bell-Ringer, Mausoleum Guard, Skaab Goliath, Galvanic Juggernaut, Kessig Wolf Run, Delver of Secrets, Mountain
I wasn’t very happy with this pack. My only option was Galvanic Juggernaut, which is fine, but my deck was looking a bit on the slow side. I needed to draft a lot of 2- and 3-drop creatures from here on out.
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 2:
Gruesome Deformity, Grave Bramble, Bloodcrazed Neonate, Silverchase Fox, Night Revelers, Spectral Flight, Rotting Fensnake, Caravan Vigil, Inquisitor's Flail, Skirsdag Cultist, Purify the Grave, Angel of Flight Alabaster, Grizzled Outcasts, Plains
Skirsdag Cultist was looking like the pick, but I didn’t want another 4-drop. My red at that point was Faithless Looting, Hinterland Hermit, and Nearheath Stalker, all of which are pretty weak. I chose the Angel because I could splash it or switch to white if the cards came.
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 3:
Doomed Traveler, Lost in the Mist, Elder Cathar, Grave Bramble, Bloodcrazed Neonate, Thraben Purebloods, Furor of the Bitten, Feeling of Dread, Darkthicket Wolf, Dissipate, Trepanation Blade, Geistcatcher's Rig, Island
It looked as though blue was being cut off but that white was open. Geistcatcher's Rig is better than Doomed Traveler, and it was removal, so I just went with that.
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 4:
Cobbled Wings, Skeletal Grimace, Claustrophobia, Rotting Fensnake, Ghoulraiser, Spectral Flight, Chapel Geist, Village Cannibals, Skaab Goliath, Creepy Doll, Thraben Sentry, Forest
Again, blue was nowhere to be seen. Chapel Geist is awesome, so I was happy about grabbing that.
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 5:
Orchard Spirit, Ancient Grudge, Traveler's Amulet, Corpse Lunge, Infernal Plunge, Ranger's Guile, Stromkirk Patrol, Scourge of Geier Reach, Hollowhenge Scavenger, Thraben Sentry, Swamp
My plan to switch into white was paying off so far.
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 6:
Ghoulcaller's Bell, Makeshift Mauler, Spare from Evil, Geistflame, Silent Departure, Ghoulraiser, Abbey Griffin, Prey Upon, Infernal Plunge, Plains
I thought long and hard about switching back to red for that Geistflame, but I was pretty happy about taking the Silent Departure.
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 7:
Frightful Delusion, Doomed Traveler, Ghostly Possession, Deranged Assistant, Disciple of Griselbrand, Boneyard Wurm, Battleground Geist, Hanweir Watchkeep, Swamp
I could have taken the Assistant—both that and Doomed Traveler are early plays, which my deck needed. Overall, I thought that the Doomed Traveler was better.
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 8:
Selfless Cathar, Curse of Oblivion, Hysterical Blindness, Vampiric Fury, Ghostly Possession, Purify the Grave, Gutter Grime, Swamp
Selfless Cathar was on color, but I wouldn’t be happy about playing it.
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 9:
Riot Devils, Curse of the Bloody Tome, Kindercatch, Altar's Reap (FOIL), Rotting Fensnake, Village Bell-Ringer, Mountain
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 10:
Gruesome Deformity, Grave Bramble, Inquisitor's Flail, Purify the Grave, Grizzled Outcasts, Plains
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 11:
Lost in the Mist, Grave Bramble, Thraben Purebloods, Feeling of Dread, Island
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 12:
Cobbled Wings, Rotting Fensnake, Spectral Flight, Forest
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 13:
Ancient Grudge, Infernal Plunge, Swamp
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 2, Pick 15:
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 1:
Dead Weight, Somberwald Spider, Riot Devils, Altar's Reap, Forbidden Alchemy, Pitchburn Devils, Caravan Vigil, Abbey Griffin, Brain Weevil, Memory's Journey, Desperate Ravings, Intangible Virtue, Bloodgift Demon, Grizzled Outcasts, Mountain
There were absolutely no good blue or white cards in this pack. I wouldn’t take Abbey Griffin because at that point, I had plenty of 4-drops already, and Abbey Griffin is very mediocre. Dead Weight was good removal, and I was already splashing black, so I went with that.
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 2:
Moon Heron, Avacyn's Pilgrim, Bump in the Night, Maw of the Mire, Infernal Plunge, Stony Silence (FOIL), Village Bell-Ringer, Caravan Vigil, Sensory Deprivation, Rolling Temblor, Full Moon's Rise, Nevermore, Tormented Pariah, Plains
My Pick:
Moon Heron was a good flyer for my deck and a Spirit that worked with Angel of Flight Alabaster. Another 4-drop seemed awful, but it was a better pick than Village Bell-Ringer.
Pack 3, Pick 3:
Curse of the Bloody Tome, Cobbled Wings, Woodland Sleuth, Moonmist, Walking Corpse, Smite the Monstrous, Spidery Grasp, Selhoff Occultist, Curse of the Nightly Hunt, Unburial Rites, Elder of Laurels, Hanweir Watchkeep, Mountain
I wasn’t too excited to see Elder of Laurels, but what could I do? Selhoff Occultist was the much needed creature for my deck that cost less than 4 mana.
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 4:
Gnaw to the Bone, Vampire Interloper, Curse of the Pierced Heart, Urgent Exorcism, Manor Skeleton, Dream Twist, Moon Heron, Ghoulcaller's Bell, Maw of the Mire, Falkenrath Noble, Curiosity, Forest
My choices here were a second Moon Heron or Falkenrath Noble. Noble was in my splash color but is an excellent card that could swing games in my favor. My deck really needed this guy.
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 5:
Wooden Stake, Ghoulcaller's Chant, Curse of the Pierced Heart, Shimmering Grotto, Moonmist, Smite the Monstrous, Village Cannibals, Skaab Goliath, Creeping Renaissance, Tormented Pariah, Island
I could have taken Smite the Monstrous, but with my three-card splash, Shimmering Grotto was a no-brainer.
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 6:
Skeletal Grimace, Gruesome Deformity, One-Eyed Scarecrow, Ghostly Possession, Blazing Torch, Village Cannibals, Grasp of Phantoms, Creepy Doll, Hanweir Watchkeep, Plains
My choices were Blazing Torch and Grasp of Phantoms. Griptide-like effects are really good, so although I could have used the cheap removal, I felt that a third Griptide was better.
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 7:
Naturalize, Harvest Pyre, Mulch, Night Terrors, Feeling of Dread, Corpse Lunge, Ancient Grudge, Lumberknot, Island
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 8:
Skeletal Grimace, Gruesome Deformity, Ancient Grudge, Thraben Purebloods, Orchard Spirit, Furor of the Bitten, Demonmail Hauberk, Island
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 9:
Somberwald Spider, Riot Devils, Brain Weevil, Memory's Journey, Desperate Ravings, Intangible Virtue, Mountain
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 10:
Infernal Plunge, Caravan Vigil, Sensory Deprivation, Full Moon's Rise, Nevermore, Plains
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 11:
Cobbled Wings, Woodland Sleuth, Moonmist, Curse of the Nightly Hunt, Mountain
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 12:
Dream Twist, Ghoulcaller's Bell, Curiosity, Forest
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 13:
Wooden Stake, Curse of the Pierced Heart, Island
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 14:
My Pick:
Pack 3, Pick 15:
My Pick:
Here’s the deck I played:
Overall, I wasn’t extremely happy with the deck, but I knew that I had enough removal to make it work.
Round 1 – B/R Aggro
Game 1, my opponent played a lot of random 2/2s, including Stromkirk Captain, Heckling Fiends, and Gravecrawler. My Warden of the Wall kept his creatures from ever attacking while I beat him down with flyers.
Game 2 went much differently. I had a slow start, and he began with Hanweir Watchkeep, which he transformed the next turn, and then dropped a Galvanic Juggernaut on turn four. By the time I stabilized, I was at 5 life, and a Bump in the Night with flashback finished me off.
Game 3 was very much like Game 1. I drew a solid curve of flyers and a few Griptides, and my opponent could never keep up with my flyers.
Round 2 – U/B Mill/Control
My opponent began with a turn-two Shriekgeist on the play, which milled me for four cards by the time I was able to deal with it. My opponent had a few Dream Twists but was stuck on lands, so I was able to overwhelm him quickly.
A problem I found when drafting the mill deck is that all of the spells are cheap, such as Dream Twist, Thought Scour, and Curse of the Bloody Tome. Therefore, the mill deck could play as few as fifteen lands. I don’t know if this was true of my opponent, but he missed multiple land drops in our game.
Game 2 was more of the same: mill effects and not enough removal for my creatures.
Round 3 – G/W Aggro
I mulliganed to six on the draw while my opponent mulliganed to five. I kept a two-lander with plenty of 3-drops, but I missed my third land drop for two turns. In the meantime, my opponent had a sick curve of Avacyn's Pilgrim, Villagers of Estwald, Darkthicket Wolf, and Orchard Spirit, and I died very quickly.
Game 2, we both mulliganed again, but my opponent’s hand was not as good as it was in Game 1. I had a curve of Wolfhunter's Quiver, Dead Weight, Chapel Geist, Moon Heron, and Angel of Flight Alabaster, which was too much for my opponent to deal with.
Game 3, I had a Wolfhunter's Quiver and a Village Bell-Ringer, and my opponent started the game with Doomed Traveler, Avacyn's Pilgrim, and Niblis of the Mist. I knew that once I hit my fifth land drop and was able to equip the Quiver, I would make short work of my opponent’s creatures.
However, the turn before I was able to equip it, my opponent played and flashed back Travel Preparations, making it so my Quiver did nothing. I was being beaten down fast, but I stabilized at 2 life. A timely Divine Reckoning from my opponent put the game out of reach for me, and I lost.
I was overall happy to make it to the finals with a deck that I felt was weak. I hope I can win the next one! As always, thanks for reading and be sure to follow me on Twitter @AllWeDoIsWinMTG!
