Hi there, I'm new to the draft format and I'm hoping to play next Friday (29th Aug) at my local store for the first time. I thought the best preparation I could do is read up on the format, build decks, and get feedback on some of my builds. I'm using the emulator sixt4half directed me to (http://draft.bestiaire.org/). I was hoping if I posted my pools and deck builds with notes I could get advice from people more experienced than myself.

So my most recent attempt is just below. I believe my first three picks were Netcaster Spider which I thought were too good to pass up. I thought these would be complimented with Carrion Crow flying over the top for damage. Finally I have my 4 drops which I could chain to pump the flyers. The green cards I have left in the pool just seem to be more expensive versions of cards I already have. I worked out the mana base by counting the mana symbols in each colour, and then dividing the ratio amongst the lands I have left after the Evolving Wilds. At present the mana symbol totals are 13 green and 12 black, so that's why I've settled for the ratio below.

Mock Build #1-Final List

1 x Evolving Wilds
9 x Forest
7 x Swamp
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1 x Elvish Mystic
1 x Ranger's Guile
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2 x Sign in Blood
2 x Runeclaw Bear
1 x Satyr Wayfinder
1 x Venom Sliver
1 x Wall of Mulch
1 x Bronze Sable
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4 x Netcaster Spider
3 x Carrion Crow
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2 x Living Totem
1 x Roaring Primadox
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1 x Unmake the Graves
1 x Charging Rhino
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1 x Covenant of Blood


Remaining Cards in Pool

1 x Eternal Thirst
1 x Festergloom
1 x Sign in Blood
1 x Unmake the Graves
2 x Carnivorous Moss-Beast
1 x Charging Rhino
1 x Invasive Species
1 x Plummet
1 x Ranger's Guile
2 x Undergrowth Scavenger
1 x Verdant Haven
1 x Frost Lynx
1 x Glacial Crasher
1 x Hydrosurge


Any feedback will be gratefully recieved so don't be shy. Thanks in advance!

Unmake the Graves isn't very good here bc you're not all-in on the graveyard advantage game, primadox+satyr shenanigans aside. I would get rid of them and add 1 Ranger's Guile and 1 Charging Rhino. Guile is a fantastic card, cheaply nixing an opponent's removal or allowing you to win combat. The rhino is just the creature to beat in the format, you either get under him with a ton of damage before he can be cast, or you hold your removal for him.

3 Sign in Blood seems greedy. I appreciate the ability to draw cards, or to deal 2 sudden damage to your opponent's face to close out a game, but I feel like you could at least shave one to play your second rhino.

Along with RSTNMEs advice, I also don't like the 3 Carrion Crows. 2 seems enough, 3 seems like it might put you in situations where you need a blocker but can't play one because they come into play tapped. I would grab the Moss-Beast for that one.

However, I would keep 1 of the Unmake the Graves for added card advantage and to get back those beaters which are sure to get killed. Plus, if by some bad streak of random chance I would hate for that Wayfinder to find more than 1 fatty and put them in the GY which would surely gimp your deck if you can't get it back.

-1 Unmake
-1 Sign in Blood
-1 Carrion Crow

+2 Charging Rhino
+1 Moss-Beast

Also; Obviously I don't know what your draft was like, but I'm curious as to why you don't have any removal outside of the deathtouch sliver. Were you never passed an Ulcerate, Stab Wound or at least a Flesh to Dust or even a Hunt the Weak?

Thanks, I had overlooked Ranger's Guile. I forgot about it being a combat trick as well as a counterspell. Worth noting for future reference. I think shaving 1 Sign in Blood is right, 3 is perhaps greedy. I did like the look of Charging Rhino but wondered if I was running too many creatures. The guide I read as an intro suggested as a rule of thumb I should run around 15 creatures. I guess in this case, I don't really have enough alternatives so more creatures is right.

@sixtyforhalf- I think you're also right about Carrion Crow. I already have 6 three drops which is enough in that part of the curve. Spreading it out to the top end seems right with Moss-Beast.

In regards to removal I remember wanting the choice of Hunt The Weak and Dust but not getting them. Perhaps I passed one for one of the early spiders. My only worry with picking creature removal first is that I feel it locks you into a colour that may end up not having a decent creature base. What are your thoughts on this?

This would be my suggestion as well.

IMHO, the key is to look at your pool and figure out how you would win. With what you have currently chosen, I think it is going to be tough for you to deal enough damage to win, but you'll die with a handful of cards thanks to Sign In Blood.

The 2 Rhino's and the Moss beast will help you try to push through damage, but even with that I'd say that you'll have a tough time with this deck. I think that the spiders are solid cards, but you may be over valuing them a little here. They definitely are not a bomb, and that is what you want with P1P1. Not that there's always a bomb available, but then look for removal.

@junior- Ok thanks, I'll take that into consideration. I think you're right about placing too much value on the spider as it is good value but perhaps I forsook removal as a result. I'll bear that in mind for my next pool.

Take out a primadox or an unmake the graves for rhino.

EDIT: just realized you have 2 rhinos in the board. Cut a Sign in blood and an unmake for them.

Definitely keep all 3 Crows, they are your primary win condition, I find rhinos good but not great, I would put it in at least one, and cut a sign in blood. I would also make the mana base 8-8-Wilds, especially to get BB for Sign in blood.

So after some thought I think I'd make these changes to the list:

-1 Sign in Blood
-1 Unmake the Graves
+1 Charging Rhino
+1 Ranger's Guile


I like the option to pump Carrion Crows and Charging Rhino with Living Totem which can be done repeatedly with Roaring Primadox in play. I'm also keen to include Ranger's Guile to have an answer to a removal spell and combat trick, particularly as I don't have much removal myself.

So things I've learned that I need to consider during the selection of my next pool.

Am I making the most of the removal available to me?
What creatures will contribute to my win condition the most?

Thanks to everyone for their input. I plan on posting another pool tomorrow morning. Keep the advice coming!

Why did you leave out the 2nd rhino?

I kind of like invasive species too, maybe over wall of mulch. But I might be wrong about that. I also like +rhino +guile as you had it the second time.

I guess I figured that one rhino would be enough. Perhaps I should get rid of one of the spiders for it as they feel more defensive.

Only problem with species is that it is a worse three drop than the 7 I already have. I could be wrong on that but thats my initial feeling. I'm not sure adding an 8th three drop is the right play for the curve.

Don't get rid of the spiders, you need the flying hate.

I've watched all of the videos on channelfireball for 2015 limited. Interesting to see their lines of thought as they go through card selection and then constructing the final build. Feeling inspired I decided to submit a pool and build to you all no matter how bad it felt. I think this pool has turned out to be one of the strongest I've had. I felt I've considered more of a game plan while making my picks, as well as not commiting to two colours very early which I had been doing before. As you can see there is also more removal compared to the last draft. Here goes the deck!

Mock Build #2-Final Draft

11 x Swamp
6 x Island
----------------
2 x Typhoid Rats
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2 x Sign in Blood
1 x Black Cat
1 x Child of Night
1 x Bronze Sable
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2 x Jorubai Murk Lurker
3 x Coral Barrier
1 x Carrion Crow
1 x Divination
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1 x Amphin Pathmage
1 x Accursed Spirit
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1 x Flesh to Dust
1 x Rotfeaster Maggot
1 x Shadowcloak Vampire
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1 x Scuttling Doom Engine
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3 x Covenant of Blood


Remaining Cards in Pool

1x Covenant of Blood (I thought three was enough with Flesh to Dust)
1x Unmake the Graves
2x Crippling Blight (A good sideboard card, but perhaps not good enough for main deck in this instance)
2x Eternal Thirst (Nope)
1x Feast on the Fallen (Nope)
2x Fester Gloom (I know its strong against tokens, but I'd prefer to sideboard this in after I know someone has Triplicate Spirits)
1x Typhoid Rats (Three seems like overkill)
1x Lightning Strike (Pack two pick- I feel it was right to commit to UB once I had Jorubai Murk Lurker in my third pack)
1x Nimbus of the Isles (Seems like a second choice to Shadowcloak Vampire)
1x Ancient Silverback (Didn't have any other options in UB so I chose this to avoid facing it)
1x Invasive Species
1x Naturalize
1x Plummet
1x Tyrant's Machine
2x Mountain
1x Swamp

As before, feel free to chip in! Thanks in advance!

I would've found a way to squeeze in the crow, probably from cutting unmake. Honestly though this deck looks fine. It's got reach, it endures, mana sinks, inevitability, and stops early aggro. Very nice.

Quick response! I think you are right about crow, I should try and squeeze it in. Perhaps I am falling in love with unmake when it isn't necessary. Thanks for your feedback.

Yeah I don't like unmake. Normally I like nimbus over shadowcloak because of racing, but you have enough lifelink to make the extra power worth while. I would also play the 3rd rats over bronze sable, unless against krenko's enforcer.

I like peel from reality with coral barrier in this deck. But you didn't get any.

Thanks, yeah I've never played unmake so I'm not sure how I feel about it. I guess it is only really best when running Satyr Wayfinder and Necromancer's Assistant. It's good to know I'm on the right lines.

Another day, another build.

Certainly not as strong as the last build but not without merit. I struggled between White and Red during this draft because I was also given an early Devouring Light before Heat Ray. I think I settled correctly on Gruul. You know the drill!

Mock Build #3-First Draft

9x Forest
8x Mountain
-----------------
2x Forge Devil
-----------------
2x Satyr Wayfinder
2x Runeclaw Bear
2x Heat Ray
1x Inferno Fist
1x Wall of Mulch
----------------- 3 drops were lacking in my pool so I think I need to stick with these two.
1x Krenko's Enforcer
1x Verant Haven
-----------------
2x Living Totem
1x Hunt the Weak
1x Undergrowth Scavenger
1x Shaman of the Spring
-----------------
1x Charging Rhino
1x Thundering Giant
1x Meteorite
-----------------
1x Ancient Silverback
1x Miner's Bane
1x Blastfire Bolt


Remaining Cards in Pool

1x Crippling blight
1x Flesh to Dust
1x Mind Rot
1x Unmake the Graves
1x Crowd's Favor
1x Miner's Bane
1x Devouring Light
1x Divine Favour
1x Raise the Alarm
1x Sanctified Charge
1x Soulmender
1x Triplicate Spirits
1x Back to Nature
1x Carnivorous Moss-Beast (I think I prefer the Miner's Bane as the option to swing with trample is more aggressive)
1x Naturalize
1x Ranger's Guile
1x Vineweft
1x Ornithopter
1x Staff of the Death Magus
3x Forest

Thanks!