Ok, so here I am doing my best Rich Hoaen impression. Please sound off on the boards so I can get some input on the draft as well as whether you’d like to see me do this again. The following comes from the 8-4 queue of MODO:

Draft:

Pack 1:

Temporal Eddy, Tendrils of Corruption, Lightning Axe, Mogg War Marshal, Temporal Isolation, Havenwood Wurm, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Ghitu Firebreathing, Momentary Blink, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Might Sliver, Assembly-Worker, Angel's Grace, Uthden Troll

I come right out of the gates with the controversy. Just call me Don Imus. That’s right, I went there, you nappy-headed hoes. The most powerful card in this pack is Lightning Axe. However, this is the 8-4 queue of MODO and I know for a fact that black is underdrafted. Black seems to be the whipping boy of this limited season. Nobody likes it. I will concede that black has weak commons in Planar Chaos, but black is far from being as bad as everybody makes it out to be. Black matches my soul so I go for the slightly less powerful card.

Pick: Tendrils of Corruption

Pack 2:

Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Icatian Crier, Dark Withering, Goblin Skycutter, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Might of Old Krosa, Clockwork Hydra, Saltcrusted Steppe, Unyaro Bees, Evil Eye of Orms-by-Gore

This is pack is kind of depressing in general. The choice here is clearly Clockwork Hydra v. Dark Withering. It’s real close, but I go for the madness all-star.

Pick: Dark Withering

Pack 3:

Crookclaw Transmuter, Empty the Warrens, Strength in Numbers, Errant Doomsayers, Corpulent Corpse, Viscerid Deepwalker, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit, Phthisis, Fool's Demise, Hypergenesis

I’m happy to see FThisIs in this pack because there isn’t a black uncommon in the print run to be taken over it and the only timeshifted cards would be Faceless Butcher and Soul Collector. It’s interesting to note that blue might be open.

Pick: Phthisis

Pack 4:

Pentarch Ward, Assassinate, Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Outrider en-Kor, Calciform Pools, Paradise Plume, Hivestone

Despite requiring a tapped creature, removal is removal.

Pick: Assassinate

Pack 5:

Think Twice, Ashcoat Bear, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Terramorphic Expanse, Greenseeker, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Jhoira's Timebug, Fallen Ideal, Reiterate, Ovinomancer

I’m not a big fan of the ol’ Pit Keeper. My decks rarely have enough creatures in it for him to be anything more than a 2 mana 2/1. I could go into another color with Think Twice or Cloudchaser Kestrel, but neither are all that hot. I take the land here for the sake of my manabase.

Pick: Terramorphic Expanse

Pack 6:

Drudge Reavers, Cancel, Mindlash Sliver, Jhoira's Timebug, Jedit's Dragoons, Savage Thallid, Undying Rage, Aspect of Mongoose, Mishra, Artificer Prodigy, Gaea's Liege

Now I’m forced to pick my second color. I could go into red with Undying Rage, but I haven’t seen any red cards and I passed Lightning Axe in pick 1. I really do love Cancel in limited. Nobody sees it coming.

Pick: Cancel

Pack 7:

Pentarch Ward, Bonesplitter Sliver, Chameleon Blur, Subterranean Shambler, Cyclopean Giant, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode, Calciform Pools, Dralnu, Lich Lord

Dralnu could be real good in my deck if I end up B/U, but for some reason that currently eludes me, I went for the Shambler. If I wanted to hate, I could have taken the Bonesplitter Sliver from a prospective sliver drafter. I’m not that concerned though because my deck will have plenty of removal and against slivers if you can kill that one “supersliver” (such as Might Sliver or Fury Sliver) you are in good shape. The Cyclopean Giant is another possible pick, but it hopefully won’t make my deck.

Pick: Subterranean Shambler

Pack 8:

Zealot il-Vec, Snapback, Aether Web, Aetherflame Wall, Pit Keeper, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Living End

I have flashbacks to my childhood: “One of these things is not like the other.”

Pick: Snapback

Pack 9:

Temporal Eddy, Havenwood Wurm, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Ghitu Firebreathing, Assembly-Worker, Angel's Grace

If you have some card advantage spells, Eddy is real strong. It’s just Time Ebb, but still. Basal Sliver is really only good for pumping out a quick Mindstab, Haunting Hymn, or a big black creature like Stronghold Overseer or Avatar of Woe.

Pick: Temporal Eddy

Pack 10:

Icatian Crier, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Saltcrusted Steppe

Psychotic Episode is actually playable. I mean, it’s not exciting, but it will do in a pinch. I briefly consider Bewilder, but I don’t think I’ll be that desperate.

Pick: Psychotic Episode

Pack 11:

Errant Doomsayers, Mindlash Sliver, Chameleon Blur, Fool’s Demise, Hypergenesis

I simply snag the last playable. Plus if blue doesn’t work out as my second color I can get some Blightspeakers in the last pack to search him out with.

Pick: Errant Doomsayers

Pack 12:

Zealot il-Vec, Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Calciform Pools

Same as above. He’s a searchable rebel.

Pick: Zealot il-Vec

Pack 13:

Think Twice, Divine Congregation, Jhoira's Timebug

This was real unexpected. I think the person on my left was trying to tell me something as Ovinomancer and Fallen Ideal was taken over this card. I’m very happy to run this card in my decks because I usually don’t have anything to do on turn 2 and in the long game, you eventually get your one card advantage out of it.

Pick: Think Twice

Pack 14:

Jhoira's Timebug, Aspect of Mongoose

Fuck you, Aspect of Mongoose. Mongeese are real cool creatures and this card does not do it justice. What do you mean that’s not the plural for “mongoose?” Whatevs.

Pick: Jhoira's Timebug

Pack 15:

Screeching Sliver

k.

Pick: Screeching Sliver

Pack 16:

Coral Trickster, Benalish Cavalry, Feebleness, Looter il-Kor, Spinneret Sliver, Keldon Halberdier, Wormwood Dryad, Venser's Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Tectonic Fiend, Smallpox, *, *, Teferi's Moat

There’s not that much for me in this pack, but the Looter is a very welcome addition to my U/B deck.

Pick: Looter il-Kor

Pack 17:

Castle Raptors, Gorgon Recluse, Spiketail Drakeling, Scarwood Treefolk, Orcish Cannonade, Amrou Scout, Prismatic Lens, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, *, *, Cavalry Master, Thelon of Havenwood

It’s basically Gorgon Recluse v. Spiketail Drakeling v. Prismatic Lens. The Lens would be a welcome addition, but we’re really hurting for creatures in this deck. Recluse is the one card I want to have in every black deck because she blocks so well. She trades or better with just about everything. When you can ambush attackers, it’s just unreal. The Drakeling is real solid, but he’s at his best on turn 3 and we don’t have that many blue cards that will allow us to find two islands on turn 3 yet.

Pick: Gorgon Recluse

Pack 18:

Gemhide Sliver, Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Coal Stoker, Durkwood Baloth, Traitor's Clutch, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder, Pendelhaven Elder, Quilled Sliver, Weatherseed Totem, Mirari

This is kind of worrisome. No blue cards, one black card, and a few real good green cards. Mindstab is still a real fine card, but this doesn’t bode well.

Pick: Mindstab

Pack 19:

Mana Skimmer, Durkwood Baloth, Chromatic Star, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Two-Headed Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Spirit Loop, Truth or Tale, Griffin Guide, Sudden Spoiling

Eep. Never mind. Sudden Spoiling is real strong even though it’s usually just a 1 for 1. I really hope that Mana Skimmer comes back around because I’m really hurting for creatures.

Pick: Sudden Spoiling

Pack 20:

Tolarian Sentinel, Benalish Cavalry, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Dread Return

Sentinel can enable my madness cards and hopefully I can find some creatures worth reusing with him. He gets the nod over Dream Stalker.

Pick: Tolarian Sentinel

Pack 21:

Grapeshot, Mindstab, Sangrophage, D'Avenant Healer, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Gustcloak Cavalier, Pendelhaven Elder

That’s a late Grapeshot, but we don’t really gain anything from nabbing it. I’ll take the second Mindstab. It looks like I won’t be getting a Syphon-Mage or Trespasser which sucks.

Pick: Mindstab

Pack 22:

Gorgon Recluse, Fortify, Coal Stoker, Deathspore Thallid, Watcher Sliver, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Fungal Reaches

I love getting this guy late.

Pick: Gorgon Recluse

Pack 23:

Ivory Giant, Venser's Sliver, Children of Korlis, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Mystical Teachings, Ignite Memories, Paradox Haze

Still desperately hurting for creatures, I snap up this 3/3 for 5 X(.

Pick: Venser's Sliver

Pack 24:

Wormwood Dryad, Venser's Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Tectonic Fiend, Smallpox, Wipe Away

I almost take the Sliver here because I still need creatures, but I know I’ll probably be tabling a Viscid Lemures out of the next pack so I take the bounce spell.

Pick: Wipe Away

Pack 25:

Scarwood Treefolk, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Dementia Sliver, Cavalry Master

Yep, it’s there. I’d also like to say that Cavalry Master and I don’t know why people let it table so much. It’s actually white’s 4/4 for 4.

Pick: Viscid Lemures

Pack 26:

Gaze of Justice, Traitor's Clutch, Plunder, Eternity Snare, Molder

I doubt it’ll make the deck, because I have much much better spells but I take it anyway.

Pick: Eternity Snare

Pack 27:

Mana Skimmer, Two-Headed Sliver, Shadow Sliver, Truth or Tale

W00t. I’m glad that made it.

Pick: Mana Skimmer

Pack 28:

Brass Gnat, Glass Asp, Fool's Demise

Pick: Fool's Demise

Pack 29:

Sangrophage, Wormwood Dryad

Pick: Wormwood Dryad

Pack 30:

Plunder

Pick: Plunder

Pack 31:

Aven Riftwatcher, Erratic Mutation, Cradle to Grave, Brain Gorgers, Fury Charm, Wistful Thinking, Citanul Woodreaders, Firefright Mage, Prodigal Pyromancer, Vampiric Link, Piracy Charm, Darkheart Sliver, Stonecloaker, Shivan Wumpus, Dust Elemental

Again, not much for me in this pack. I take the removal spell.

Pick: Erratic Mutation

Pack 32:

Dreamscape Artist, Ridged Kusite, Dawn Charm, Shaper Parasite, Cradle to Grave, Dash Hopes, Aquamorph Entity, Shade of Trokair, Brute Force, Piracy Charm, Seal of Primordium

I’m real glad to have a removal that can also attack. It also looks like I’m gonna wheel something good out of the Aquamorph, Piracy Charm, or Dreamscape Artist.

Pick: Shaper Parasite

Pack 33:

Stingscourger, Synchronous Sliver, Uktabi Drake, Ghost Tactician, Firefright Mage, Wistful Thinking, Keldon Marauders, Sinew Sliver, Melancholy, Gossamer Phantasm, Treacherous Urge, Sulfur Elemental, Keen Sense

Treacherous Urge is real good, but I need creatures! I’m not desperate enough to take the Phantasm over it.

Pick: Treacherous Urge

Pack 34:

Veiling Oddity, Ridged Kusite, Saltfield Recluse, Needlepeak Spider, Uktabi Drake, Blightspeaker, Aquamorph Entity, Vampiric Link, Gossamer Phantasm, Tidewalker, Reckless Wurm, Magus of the Tabernacle

With no rebels in the stack and no Trapper likely coming, it’s safe to take the Entity which can also attack for 5 if necessary. Aquamorph Entity is soooo underrated right now. It can be a 1/5 wall which can be fatal to aggro decks or attack for 5 on an empty board.

Pick: Aquamorph Entity

Pack 35:

Erratic Mutation, Battering Sliver, Reflex Sliver, Dust Corona, Reality Acid, Blightspeaker, Primal Plasma, Skirk Shaman, Shivan Meteor, Sophic Centaur, Magus of the Coffers

Here’s exactly what I needed. A quality 4/4.

Pick: Magus of the Coffers

Pack 36:

Poultice Sliver, Evolution Charm, Pallid Mycoderm, Brain Gorgers, Dust Corona, Vitaspore Thallid, Seal of Primordium, Mana Tithe, Pouncing Wurm, Magus of the Bazaar

A creature!... kind of.

Pick: Brain Gorgers

Pack 37:

Reflex Sliver, Poultice Sliver, Ridged Kusite, Pallid Mycoderm, Uktabi Drake, Deadly Grub, Gossamer Phantasm, Venarian Glimmer, Phantasmagorian

A creature!... kind of.

Pick: Deadly Grub

Pack 38:

Dawn Charm, Spitting Sliver, Battering Sliver, Dash Hopes, Fa'adiyah Seer, Revered Dead, Riptide Pilferer, Dichotomancy

Pilferer is legitimately good in a deck like this. You can drop him on t2 and remove/bounce their blockers. In the late game, he’s still a grey ogre that your opponent might kill out of fear of what it could be.

Pick: Riptide Pilferer

Pack 39:

Aven Riftwatcher, Brain Gorgers, Fury Charm, Wistful Thinking, Firefright Mage, Vampiric Link, Piracy Charm

Piracy Charm is real good because of its flexibility. If there aren’t any 1/1s to kill, it goes 1 for 1 for a card out of their hand. If they have no cards, you can even get ‘em on their draw step before their main phase.

Pick: Piracy Charm

Pack 40:

Ridged Kusite, Dash Hopes, Aquamorph Entity, Piracy Charm, Auramancer's Guise, Mycologist

That’s a good wheel. I still love Aquamorph Entity.

Pick: Aquamorph Entity

Pack 41:

Synchronous Sliver, Ghost Tactician, Firefright Mage, Wistful Thinking, Keldon Marauders

He has a power and toughness and he’s blue. Sold!

Pick: Synchronous Sliver

Pack 42:

Veiling Oddity, Ridged Kusite, Needlepeak Spider, Vampiric Link

I’m not real excited to play an Oddity, but in a deck with 2 Aquamorph Entities, he might enable a fatal alpha strike and it’s not like I have a choice.

Pick: Veiling Oddity

Pack 43:

Reflex Sliver, Dust Corona, Reality Acid

This card can be an all-star with the right supporting cast. I only have a Sentinel and a Wipe Away, but it’s good enough that I don’t have to worry about it being played against me by taking it here.

Pick: Reality Acid

Pack 44:

Poultice Sliver, Dust Corona

Pick: Poultice Sliver

Pack 45:

Ridged Kusite

Pick: Ridged Kusite

Final Decklist:

Maindeck:

1 Looter il-Kor
1 Snapback
1 Think Twice
1 Veiling Oddity
2 Aquamorph Entity
1 Assassinate
1 Cancel
1 Erratic Mutation
1 Riptide Pilferer
1 Shaper Parasite
1 Sudden Spoiling
1 Brain Gorgers
1 Mana Skimmer
1 Tendrils of Corruption
2 Gorgon Recluse
1 Magus of the Coffers
1 Treacherous Urge
1 Viscid Lemures
1 Dark Withering
1 Mindstab
1 Phthisis
7 Island
10 Swamp
1 Terramorphic Expanse

Sideboard:

1 Deadly Grub
1 Errant Doomsayers
1 Eternity Snare
1 Fool's Demise
1 Island
1 Jhoira's Timebug
1 Mindstab
1 Piracy Charm
1 Plunder
1 Poultice Sliver
1 Psychotic Episode
1 Reality Acid
1 Ridged Kusite
1 Screeching Sliver
1 Subterranean Shambler
1 Synchronous Sliver
1 Temporal Eddy
1 Tolarian Sentinel
1 Venser's Sliver
1 Wipe Away
1 Wormwood Dryad
1 Zealot il-Vec

Draft recording done by Blargware's MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!

Some of the spells had to be moved to the sideboard for creatures. I didn’t get the black hookup like I wanted and the deck ended up kind of meh, but it’s not awful even though I’m only playing 12 creatures.

Round 1: TheNooblet (that’s not me making fun of him, that’s his name) with U/W

Game 1: He wins the die roll and suspends Ephemeron on t2 and I suspend Veiling Oddity before he Mana Tithes my t3 Shaper Parasite. He follows up with Serendib Sorcerer while I have nothing and pass. His Ephemeron comes into play and he makes the mistake of attacking with both of his creatures into my 5 untapped lands. I cast Treacherous Urge and nab a Riftwing Cloudskate which I use to bounce the Ephemeron, but he snapbacks his Cloudskate before blocks. He suspends the Cloudskate after combat and on my turn I Mindstab his Ephemeron away. I Withering the Sorcerer and cast two facedown Aquamorphs. He casts a Pallid Mycoderm and has the Stonecloaker for when I try to kill it with a Sudden Spoiling. He gets too aggressive and attacks with his Cloudskate and Stonecloaker leaving just the Mycoderm back for defense and I am able to cast Snapback for the win sending some 5/1s into the red zone.

Game 2: I get the t2 Pilferer and he gets in there three times while I Erratic Mutation his first blocker and Sudden Spoiling his “surprise” Crookclaw with his trigger on the stack draining the cards from his hand. I have to work around a Teferi’s Moat, but with him in topdeck mode, I win pretty easily.

Round 2: soso with R/U

Game 1: He wins the die roll and I suspend Mindstab on t1 and Oddity on t2 but take some beats to a Goblin Skycutter that suits up with an Ophidian Eye as I don’t have any blockers. He ramps up with a Lens and casts a Flowstone Channeler then on turn 5 he gives the Goblin a Auramancer’s Guise plus he Stingscourgers my Mana Skimmer and puts me to 8. Fortunately, Mindstab gets his remaining three cards, negating the Ophidian Eye swings and I cast Gorgon Recluse. He foolishly doesn’t swing into it and my Oddity comes into play plus another blocker. He finally chooses to trade the Skycutter for the Recluse and on the next turn trades the Oddity for the Stingscourger with the Channeler. I take the opportunity to Tendrils the Channeler to take me to a comfortable 12 and play a morph who flips up and attacks for 5 on an empty board. An FThisIs on his blocker gets the concession.

Game 2: He suspends Crab People on t1 and follows up with Gossamer Phantasm, but I have a turn 2 Looter who turns into raw card advantage as I cast a Recluse and a Brain Gorgers after nuking the Phantasm with a sideboarded Piracy Charm. The Crab People trade with the Recluse and he kills my creatures with some removal spells before aiming a Strangling Soot at my morph off a Lens. I flip it into a 1/5 which swings for a while while he topdecks some lands and I hold a grip full of removal spells. I finally draw a creature that doesn’t die and when I cast FThisIs on his topdecked blocker he concedes.

Round 3: ID

A happy ending.