Olivier Ruel Draft #4
Pack 1 pick 1:
My Pick:
The card is awesome, but it is a difficult one to build a deck around. Indeed, Gruul big guys is not really a good archetype, as most of the expensive cards you run should have Bloodrush in order not to mess the deck’s synergy. When I open this kind of card, I try and go with Ugr. Indeed, UG can be a pretty strong control combination, but you have to change a bit the pick order. For instance, you won’t pick a common or uncommon over Urban Evolution. Also, as the curve needs to be a little higher and as you might end up playing Verdant Haven if you don’t have enough Prophetic Prism and Gruul Guildgate for a splash, so having some cards which make land flooding useful (Nimbus Swimmer, Biomass Mutation) becomes better than many early drops.
Pack 1 pick 2:
My Pick:
I think Simic Fluxmage is a little less good. Also going UGr may be what I want, I’m not sure yet I’ll manage to go with this archetype, while the chances I end up running the Viper are pretty high.
Pack 1 pick 3:
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Pack 1 pick 4:
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Pack 1 pick 5:
My Pick:
If I want to go control, the Oculus can be better, but with already two Crocanura it won’t pump, Shambleshark definitely has a stronger synergy with the deck so far. Also, I should be getting one or two Ivy Lane Denizen with which it’s better to have mostly green guys.
Pack 1 pick 6:
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Pack 1 pick 7:
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Pack 1 pick 8:
My Pick:
Hindervines is decent, and Ruination Wurm could be playable if I had lots of fixers. However I think I’ll have enough playables not to need the Worm anyway, and Voidwalk is a bit stronger of a sideboard card.
Pack 1 pick 9:
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Pack 1 pick 10:
My Pick:
Snapjaw is usually a better card, but I’m trying to build a deck in which
Pack 1 pick 11:
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Pack 1 pick 12:
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Pack 1 pick 13:
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Pack 1 pick 14:
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Pack 1 pick 15:
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Pack 2 pick 1:
My Pick:
That pick may be a bit greedy. Of course it is the best UGR card, but I don’t have the fixers I need yet, so Drakewing Krasis could have been a better choice.
Pack 2 pick 2:
My Pick:
Over the Denizen for a matter of curve.
Pack 2 pick 3:
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Pack 2 pick 4:
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Pack 2 pick 5:
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Pack 2 pick 6:
My Pick:
I apparently missed that pick, meant to take Totally Lost
Pack 2 pick 7:
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Pack 2 pick 8:
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Pack 2 pick 9:
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Pack 2 pick 10:
My Pick:
I already have lots of three drops, so I rather pick the big guy to pump my Evolve guys.
Pack 2 pick 11:
My Pick:
A card I’ll most likely end up playing.
Pack 2 pick 12:
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Pack 2 pick 13:
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Pack 2 pick 14:
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Pack 2 pick 15:
My Pick:
Now the only question I should be wondering is either I need to take any risk and splash red, as the deck is already strong enough by itself. Unless I get many fixers in pack 3 the answer probably is no.
Pack 3 pick 1:
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Pack 3 pick 2:
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Pack 3 pick 3:
My Pick:
I’m not sure I’m Red, but there is just too much difference between that card and Disciple of the Old Ways
Pack 3 pick 4:
My Pick:
The card this archetype should be meant for, no idea what it is still doing here. Now I’ll have to try my best to get fixers and splash all those bombs.
Pack 3 pick 5:
My Pick:
That’s a start.
My Pick:
Pack 3 pick 6:
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Pack 3 pick 7:
My Pick:
This pick is stupid, I should have gone with the Guildgate
Pack 3 pick 8:
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Pack 3 pick 9:
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Pack 3 pick 10:
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Pack 3 pick 11:
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Pack 3 pick 12:
My Pick:
Ok those last three picks were a miracle.
Pack 3 pick 13:
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Pack 3 pick 14:
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Pack 3 pick 15:
My Pick:
Deck:
Lands
5 Forest
4 Island
4 Simic Guildgate
4 Mountain
Creatures
1 Wasteland Viper
1 Cloudfin Raptor
2 Shambleshark
1 Frilled Oculus
1 Metropolis Sprite
2 Crocanura
2 Drakewing Krasis
1 Scab-Clan Charger
1 Rubblebelt Raiders
1 Ivy Lane Denizen
1 Fathom Mage
1 Rubblehulk
1 Gruul Ragebeast
1 Nimbus Swimmer
Spells
1 Rapid Hybridization
1 Verdant Haven
1 Ground Assault
1 Prophetic Prism
1 Urban Evolution
1 Clan Defiance
Sideboard
1 Gruul Keyrune
1 Forest
1 Mountain
1 Mountain
1 Forest
1 Leyline Phantom
1 Swamp
1 Voidwalk
1 Primal Visitation
1 Rust Scarab
1 Island
1 Plains
1 Shattering Blow
1 Urbis Protector
1 Dimir Guildgate
1 Boros Guildgate
1 Way of the Thief
1 Ooze Flux
The deck may be the strongest I’ve had in the format. I’ve had too many bombs and fixers for the experience to be significant enough. Indeed, the archetype can and should be strong, but definitely not that strong.
As for the games report, they were not really interesting, as I tripled 2-0 against Gruul, Orzhov and Boros, doing what this deck is supposed to do: being stable, killing fast thanks to the many evolve guy, and in case it’s stopped coming back with a second and third waves stronger than the first one.
Thanks a lot for reading, and see you soon for another draft!
Oli
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