drafting MMA right now
I have 17 removal spells. I think I got all of 'em at the table. Also got passed a foil Demigod of Revenge! :O Fifth pick
1cc:
Executioner's Capsule
Pyrite Spellbomb
2cc:
Phthisis
Absorb Vis (perfectly reasonable manafixing spell, provides reach lategame)
Tribal Flames (removal)
Rathi Trapper (tapper/effectively removal)
Sudden Shock (removal)
Mogg War Marshall (synergy w/ Tar Pitcher, turning it into three shocks.)
3cc:
3 Drag Down (I originally intended to draft a UG base domain deck, but very few relevant cards wheeled -- still, removal is at a premium in this format, and having this much of it is exciting)
2 Electrolyze (destroyed the empty the warrens deck I 2-0ed in round 1)
Faerie Macabre (my worst matchup is going to be against dredge/incremental advantage decks, which I assume are capable of out-durdling me -- reach of branches and particularly large swarms of thallids are worrysome. I have one more sideboarded, along with a Relic of Progenitus I picked up late in a pack with no other playables. I feel like this will help with that matchup -- otherwise, it's just a wind drake.)
4:
Empty the Warrens (won me my first game in combination with the deck's less expensive cards, like sudden shock and electrolyze. While I'll agree that it looks a bit odd in a slower control deck, decks like these need better finishers than Faerie Macabre, and this certainly fills that niche -- it just wins games out of nowhere, is playable in nearly every red deck, and shouldn't be going as late as it is in the MMA drafts I've done. Also synergistic with Tar Pitcher.)
Torrent of Stone (will rarely be spliced, but it's extremely relevant to be able to wipe out 4 tougness thallids. Also first pick removal.)
Dreamspoiler Witches (look at all the instants in my deck. This is a wind drake with removal stapled to it, which will likely be activated every turn. While I don't consider this a card you'll want in every black deck -- and I might be wrong there -- it's insanely playable in here, and on equal footing with Tar Pitcher)
Marsh Flitter (bad finisher + tar pitcher fodder.) Very powerful card. It's a baby cloudgoat ranger.
2 Tar Pitcher (removal engine. Very important in this deck, and an archtype staple for goblins.)
5:
Demigod of Revenge (bomb. Was lucky to be passed it fifth pick, but I understand perfectly, considering how insane it is -- I saw an 11th pick Divinity of Pride in the same draft, but it's obviously uncastable in my deck. These split mana cards create odd situations in draft!)
Mulldrifter (incremental advantage, slow finisher, great way to draw into more removal. If you see these, pick them.)
6:
Fiery Fall (extra removal + landcycling. I need manafixing, and this is more powerful than Absorb Vis)
lands:
1 Vivid land
relevant sideboard cards:
I sideboarded all of my copies of Death Denied, in my haste to submit a playable deck (I'm multitasking a bit.)
This was a massive motherfucking mistake. I sideboarded at least one copy in every game so far, and it's been a game winner every time. The best value engine (aside from Mulldrifter) in pauper is equally absurd in this format, and you REALLY want to pick up as many as you can. I have three, and despite only having nine maindeck creatures, I would consider it incorrect to cut more than one of them.
Relic of Progenitus -- As mentioned before, I'm afraid of dredge. This helps.
Faerie Macabre -- See above.
Petals of Insight -- I should probably be running this, but I can't think of irrelevant MD cards to cut for it. Let me know if you see anything.
Jhoira of the Ghitu -- Very rarely will her ability be relevant, but holy fuck would it be fun to get out a Progenitus with her.
2 Blightspeaker -- Immensely powerful card, made me wonder if I should've been playing a theoretical B/W rebel deck. However, it can only grab Rathi Trapper -- is that enough to warrant running a single copy? I couldn't tell you, but I'm inclined to say no.
Stinkweed Imp -- My deck already is going to beat every aggro archtype in the format. I don't want to play this, but I recognize it's powerful.
Warren Weirding -- Against thallid or big green decks, this may want to replace sudden shock.
Perilous Research -- Possibly relevant against removal-heavy decks, but so is Death Denied.
MISTAKES --
1: I left my copies of Death Denied sideboarded. Bad. No. Never leave that card in the sideboard.
2: I didn't really pay attention to win conditions until pack 3. Without demigod and empty the warrens, it would be extremely difficult for this deck to steal a win.
