Best Draft Picks, Mirrodin to Rise of the Eldrazi

[Thomas David Baker]

We're building a cube composed of the best draft picks (common and uncommon only) from Mirrodin thru Rise of the Eldrazi.  That's 22 sets not including core sets.  We'll take an average of 15 from each set plus leave some extra slots for fixing (Shards trilands, Rav bouncelands, maybe Signets, Vivids, Refuges, Armillary Sphere, Rupture Spire).

To avoid over-representing little sets like Worldwake and Conflux we will do 20 cards from the big sets and 10 from the small sets. 

The idea is that you open your first booster and think, "wow, these are all first picks".

We'll have to force ourselves to include 50-75% creatures as first picks tend to be removal.

We'll aim for about 50% creatures which is the ratio most sets have in common/uncommon.

I will probably print a version of the cube and bring it to Portsmouth tomorrow with commons and sleeves, if I have time.  But still post your opinion if it's after that ... this is a work in progress!

I'm going to actually make the cube and bring it to the Games Club this week.

Post below what you think should make the cut for one or more sets!  Especially the older ones where I don't have a clue!

The Sets:

Rise of the Eldrazi

Worldwake

Zendikar

Alara Reborn

Conflux

Shards of Alara

Eventide

Shadowmoor

Morningtide

Lorwyn

Future Sight

Planar Chaos

Time Spiral

Dissension

Guildpact

Ravnica: City of Guilds

Saviors of Kamigawa

Betrayers of Kamigawa

Champions of Kamigawa

Fifth Dawn

Darksteel

Mirrodin

[Thomas David Baker]

Re: creatures.

Zendikar commons plus uncommons is actually a 50/50 split which surprises me. And so is ROE, roughly. So I guess we should definitely stop worrying about that and possibly reverse some decisions as we are currently 126 creatures, 85 noncreatures! D'oh.

[Charlie Grover]

Vines is good, as is strenght. Ill do mirrodin if you want, but not kamigawa, tom R might be able to

[Thomas David Baker]

Attempt at Mirrodin:

AEther Spellbomb, Banshee's Blade, Barter in Blood, Bonesplitter, Bottle Gnomes, Electrostatic Bolt, Fireshrieker, Grab the Reins, Icy Manipulator, Isochron Scepter, Lightning Greaves, Loxodon Warhammer, Molten Rain, Neurok Hoversail, Pyrite Spellbomb, Roar of the Kha, Terror, Thirst for Knowledge, Viridian Longbow, Viridian Shaman

I love Bottle Gnomes but I'm not sure it's first pickable :S

[Thomas David Baker]

ZEN: +Vines of Vastwood, -Kazandu Blademaster.

What can we cut from TSP for Strength in Numbers?

[Simon O'Keeffe]

So for Mirrodin I would go:

Aether Spellbomb
Arrest
Barter in Blood
Betrayal of Flesh
Blinding Beam (best common in the set)
Bonesplitter
Crystal Shard
Fangren Hunter
Grab the Reins
Icy Manipulator
Isochron Scepter
Leonin Skyhunter
Lightning Greaves
Loxodon Warhammer
Mask of Memory
One Dozen Eyes
Predators Strike
Pyrite Spellbomb
Skeleton Shard
Skyhunter Patrol
Slith Firewalker
Spikeshot Goblin
Thirst for Knowledge
Viridian Shaman

Cut down to 20 depending on creature/colour balance I guess

[Thomas David Baker]

Sweet - thanks Simon!

For Champions I have: Befoul, Distress, Eye of Nowhere, Ghostly Prison, Hanabi Blast, Hideous Laughter, Hinder, Kami of Ancient Law, Kitsune Blademaster, Mystic Restraints, Nezumi Graverobber, No-Dachi, Otherworldly Journey, Pull Under, Rend Flesh, Ronin Houndmaster, Sakura Tribe-Elder, Samurai of the Pale Curtain, Sensei's Divining Top, Stone Rain.

But good God is Kamigawa block underpowered and inward-looking.

[Simon O'Keeffe]

And on to Darksteel:

AEther Vial
Barbed Lightning
Chittering Rats
Darksteel Gargoyle
Essence Drain (probably in other set)
Fireball (probably in other set)
Grimclaw Bats
Hoverguard Observer
Juggernaut
Leonin Battlemage
Leonin Bola
Loxodon Mystic
Nim Abomination
Skullclamp
Vulshock Morningstar

Hmm too many again, all equipment is good basically

[Thomas David Baker]

New MIR list based on Simon's: Aether Spellbomb, Barter in Blood, Blinding Beam, Bonesplitter, Crystal Shard, Grab the Reins, Icy Manipulator, Isochron Scepter, Leonin Skyhunter, Lightning Greaves, Loxodon Warhammer, Mask of Memory, One Dozen Eyes, Predator's Strike, Pyrite Spellbomb, Skeleton Shard, Slith Firewalker, Terror, Thirst for Knowledge, Viridian Shaman.

No Banshee's Blade?

Now we need Darksteel and Fifth Dawn :)

[Thomas David Baker]

Pass at Betrayers: Genju of the Cedars, Genju of the Falls, Genju of the Fens, Genju of the Fields, Genju of the Spires, Horobi's Whisper, Hundred-Talon Strike, Matsu-Tribe Sniper, Ninja of the Deep Hours, Shimmering Glasskite.

Missing: Blinding Powder, Eradicate, First Volley, Flames of the Blood Hand, Frostling, Jetting Glasskite, Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch, Kitsune Palliator, Mistblade Shinobi, Ogre Marauder, Okiba-Gang Shinobi, Phantom Wings, Ronin Warclub, Terashi's Grasp, Terashi's Verdict.

[Thomas David Baker]

Equipment IS good. Makes me think we need more artifact destruction than just Viridian Shaman. Kor Sanctifiers, Ancient Grudge, Return to Dust are all good possibilities.

[Thomas David Baker]

From Simon's Darksteel list.

Keeping: AEther Vial, Barbed Lightning, Chittering Rats, Darksteel Gargoyle, Grimclaw Bats, Leonin Battlemage, Leonin Bola, Loxodon Mystic, Skullclamp, Vulshok Morningstar

Cutting: Essence Drain, Fireball, Hoverguard Observer, Juggernaut, Nim Abomination.

??

Although perhaps Fireball should make it in for something else?

[Thomas David Baker]

Current stats of the cube as it stands (no Fifth Dawn, Saviors of Kamigawa, Dissension or Guildpact):

CMS: {1} => 34, {2} => 55, {3} => 82, {4} => 50, {5} => 26, {6} => 19, {7} => 4

Colors: 44 W, 43 B, 41 R, 38 G, 36 U, 22 , 7 GW, 7 BR, 5 GR, 5 BG, 4 UW, 3 RW, 3 GRW, 2 BW, 2 BU, 2 BUW, 2 BGR, 1 BRU, 1 GUW, 1 RU, 1 GU

Supertypes: 141 Creature, 56 Instant, 26 Sorcery, 24 Enchantment, 23 Artifact