One of my favorit sets to draft (and play Sealed) was Mirrodin. The fact that there were so many artifacts meant there was so much good stuff for every deck. It felt like christmas in every draft. I was on hiatus during Scars of Mirrodin which means that I have been waiting a long time for Kaladesh limited. The fact that draft is now played in league form makes it even more interesting.
Magic Online prereleases being on October 7th. I quit limited early during BFZ. I think this might be the time to get back in.
What to expect of the format
The commons look very strong. Black has a 3/2 deathtouch creature at common! I think we can expect a faster than average format. It will not be Magic Origins or Zendikar fast though.
Because the commons and uncommons look strong I think we can expect a pauper format, i.e. it will a format not dominated by bomb rares.
A lot of cards generate bonuses for artifacts. Artifacts will be better than usual.
Play 17 lands. As there are some sinks, I would tend to go 18 more than 16.
2/2s for 2 are probably not good enough even though the format is fast.
New mechanics and how they will affect the format
Energy - this mechanic is hard to evaluate at this early stage. Will probably help finish games if they go late. It looks like a deep mechanic with lots of play to it.
Fabricate - full of options. Will make the format more interesting. I will tend to evaluate cards with Fabricate a little higher.
Vehicles - they look so bad but I expect them to be better than expected and matter. I will be scared of including too many in my deck. Imagine having a vehicle out with no creatures. That is basically the same as taking a mulligan.
This is the time when you tell me what you liked and did not like about the Pauper Gauntlet so we can refine the format for a possible third season.
You can also leave comments on YouTube in this video below
Some things I need your feedback on:
* Double elimination
* Quitters
* The Voteback
* Streaming
* Number of decks
* Pre-submitted decks (such as the winner)
* The mtgolibrary coverage (too much? too little?)
* Your favorite deck
* Your favorite match
* Anything else you can think of
We need a player to do a second season of the Standard Pauper Gauntlet. Comment below if you are interested.
Now it is actually really over. This is the last blog post about the second season of the Pauper Gauntlet. Thank you for watching
Here they are, in order of perceived power for Draft.
Triplicate Spirits: If you have played any M15 limited, you know that this is a format defining card. Once again a white token making card breaks a limited format, just like Battle Screech in VMA. Just the fact that this card makes Negate maindeckable in M15 limited should make you take notice of it. This is the best common in the format by far.
Raise the Alarm: Its main use is to enable Triplicate Spirits. Still, two bodies for two mana is a great deal in this Convoke format. Draft this highly.
Pillar of Light: You deal with the small threats with your horde of white creatures. You deal with the big threats with this. Don't forget that Kinsbaille Skirmisher can help you get rid of those creatures with 3 Toughness. Do not be afraid to sideboard this out if you don't see at least one target in the first duel.
Sanctified Charge: It is so obvious but yet so powerful that your opponent really can't do much when you cast it. It will punish him severely if you play at least 15 creatures or creature creating cards.
Kinsbaille Skirmisher: Just a bear with a solid upside. Helps with Convoke. Helps defend. Helps Pillar of Light. Overall quite hard working.
Oreskos Swiftclaw: He dies to everything but he will often take someone with him to the grave and, in those rare cases when your opponent stumbles, will punish an opponent early some of the time.
Razorfoot Griffin: Not the best flyer of all time, but this is a card that will be played and will do work. Put to shame by the blue flyers.
Midnight Guard: A solid body that untaps when you need him the most for Convoke costs or blocking. Very solid.
Sungrace Pegasus: The Pegasus has impressed me. There are many ways in this format to make him extremely useful and can often trade for a x/1 creature if nothing else.
Heliod's Pilgrim: This guy goes in his deck and not in others. If you have three of him, a Spectra Ward and four more enchantments to target, you are set to win the draft. If not, be careful and think twice before maindecking him.
Oppressive Rays: Does a lot less than you think it will do. Most playable in a very aggressive deck.
Selfless Cathar: Useful 1-drops that are not dead draws in the late game are very good for the Convoke deck.
Marked by Honor: This risk of getting 2-for-1ed is huge and you really don't want to play this but it will serve quite adequatly as your Heliod's Pilgrim target 2-4 if you have to do that.
Ephemeral Shields: Often the creature you save with this is not better than the creature you would have played instead of it. Do not play unless you are starving for playables.
Solemn Offering: An excellent sideboard card.
Soulmender: Annoying and convoke enabler. Maybe a 23rd card, hopefully not in your main deck.
Divine Favor: If your opponents removal is all red and damage based, this actually becomes quite good. If he has any other color in his deck- which he probably has - you do not want to play this card. You could make a case for it in a heavy Pilgrim/Broodkeeper deck, but you really should be looking for something - anything - else.
Tireless Mercenaries: Horribly overcosted.
Meditation Puzzle: Never play cards that just gain you life unless you get 20+ life. This is not worth a card and will not help you get back in the game. Remember that when you draw this, your opponent draws yet another threat and develops his board while you accomplish very little. Never play except against a deck with three or more Lava Axes.
In this series I will try to review all the cards of M15, starting with the commons.
Here they are, in order of perceived power for Draft.
Netcaster Spider: This little guy just does it all. He is a huge improvement over Giant Spider. He blocks most things and stops blue decks dead in their tracks (until he is Frost Lynxed). He laughs in the face of Shadowborn Vampires.
Siege Wurm: A 5/5 that can relatively reliably come out on turn 5 is not to be sneezed at. The trample ability makes it so much extra useful.
Elvish Mystic: So many things are wrong for the mana elf of this set which puts him down a notch or two. - x/1 creatures are having a hard time in a world of Forge Devils and Festerglooms. Every creature can tap for mana some of the time when convoke is a thing. This card also does very little when you draw it late game. Still, it can power out some explosive starts that just win you the game.
Charging Rhino: Just a very reliable creature that will do a lot of work once it hits the battlefield. Unexciting but stable.
Living Totem: There is a chance you have no target but if you have built a deck with a solid curve you shoudl be fine. Often, the extra point of power can be added to an evasive creature. Best in Blue Green.
Invasive Species: Casting him on turn three is often a very sad experience. There is a deck for him where he acts as a complement to Roaring Primadox. Often you have to cast Invasive Species later than turn three for maximum value. If you have to return a land to cast this guy turn three you are not enjoying yourself.
Hunt the Weak: This is what you get when you are green. That is a lot of cost added to a Prey Upon. Still, you have to take what you get, unless your other color is Red or Black.
Shaman of Spring: It feels so good to cast this guy. There are many reasons to pick him higher: Invasive Species, Roaring Primadox and if your deck has an expensive top end (which is probably not a good idea anyway). Better in Sealed Deck.
Titanic Growth: Two mana is not cheap for a combat trick. Giant Growth is much better. Still, it does what you want it to do most of the time. Then you draw it without a creature some of the time. It is best as a tempo play but given that you are green, you are probably not the deck with the best tempo. Most creatures are better. Gathering Courage is better.
Runeclaw Bear: Just a very reliable creature. There are a lot of irritating 2/3s in the format though.
Plummet: Excellent sideboard card. Maindecking one is OK as three colors have playable flyers and it is very likely that your opponent is playing at least one of those colors (especially as you are green).
Ranger's Guile: Best used as a sideboard card against a deck with a lot of removal. Wasting a card to get a temporary +1/+1 bonus is hard to get a card worth of value from. The fact that you can't use it on your opponent's creatures really hurt this card.
Undergrowth Scavenger: You will only see this card when he is really good and appears on turn 12 to win the game. You will not see every game your opponent has this card in hand when you run him over with Grizzly Bears. Play only if you have plenty of removal.
Satyr Wayfinder: The ability is very useful but the 1/1 body is unimpressive unless you can use it to power out Siege Wurms.
Carnivorous Moss-Beast: This format is faster than M14 was. If you are going to play six-drops you want them to be souls or at least Ancient Silverbacks. You do not want to put this flesh-eating plant in your deck.
Verdant Haven: You have to be three colors AND you have to need the acceleration for some powerful five or six drops for this card to be good and even then you should be looking for other cards. Goes well with In Garruk's Wake, but that is just something you play for fun.
Hunter's Ambush: Combat tricks are generally overrated and this is not a good one. After the first time you have managed to set up a situation where this actually was really good you are in danger of being result oriented and then overvalue the card. It is a fog with upside. Play a creature instead.
Naturalize: I have had fantasies about main decking this card but I don't think this is the format for it, despite the artifact sub-theme.
Vineweft: This card does not do a lot. Play the 19th land instead.
Overall, Green commons are not that impressive. If you are playing green, you are probably doing it because of some rares or uncommons you picked up in the draft.
Bonus video: My buddy Bava 3-0s this draft with UB Tempo
