Thursday, 26 January 2012

Bob the Builder, can you fix my sealed pool?

Good Morning everyone. Only a couple of days until we hands on packs of Dark Ascension cracking them in search of the elusive Sorin, Lord of Innistrad. In preparation for a weekend of sealed deck and drafting, I thought we could run through a couple of sealed pools and come out with the deck we could play on the day.

If you have no idea what a sealed deck is, then let me explain. A sealed deck starts its life as 6 boosters split evenly across the revelant format you are playing. This weekend, we shall be cracking 3 Innistrad and 3 Dark Ascension. WotC, who design magic sets, design them to be an extension of the mechanics introduced in the big set released in the autumn of the previous year. A good example of this would be the "Landfall" mechanic from Zendikar block. In Zendikar the mechanic only featured on creatures specifically such as Bloodghast and Steppe Lynx, whereas in Worldwake (the small block tied into the large set) expanded on this by integrating the mechanic into instants and sorceries. What I am trying to say is this weekend be on the lookout for these mechanic extensions and factor that in when evaluating cards. The cards may be on a different power level than if printed in Innistrad. 

For advice on sealed decks in general I would recommend reading these articles before consulting the sealed deck below.

http://www.channelfireball.com/home/here-i-ruel-how-to-build-a-sealed-deck/
http://www.manaleak.com/mtguk/2012/01/how-to-build-mtg-a-deck-in-sealed-with-paul-mclachlan/

When in doubt I go by the general philosophy of BREAD

Bombs - A card can be considered a bomb if by itself it can win you the game regardless of what the opponent plays. A good example of a bomb in Innistrad would be Balefire Dragon. It is large enough so that you opponent will be dead in a couple of hits and it has a devastating effect on your opponent and his position in the game. If your adversary doesn't kill the bomb right away, then they'll most likely lose the game

Removal - Anything that effectively gets rid of creatures, Doom Blade, Unsummon, Essence Scatter, Rod of Ruin, etc


Evasion - Any creature that has an ability which makes it hard to block is always worth a look in my books. Flying, Intimidate and Unblockable are effects you want to be on the lookout for.

Advantage - Anything that gives you 2 cards for one card or generate some free for you every turn. Awakening Zone is a good example, as it gives you a free creature every turn. Another good example in Dark Acension is Divination. For one card you get 2 back, meaning you are 1 card up in your hand. Card drawing spells are especially good in limited because you are digging through the chaff in your deck to get to your high quality spells.

Doods - You don't always open the perfect pool of evasion creatures coupled with a bomb or 2, removal and card draw, so you have to play some random dorks or durdles that are just filler but more often that not get the job done.
2 mana - 2/2
3 mana - 2/2 or 3/3
4 mana - 3/3 or 4/4
5 mana - 4/4 or 5 power

These are stats you generally look for when consider random dudes to fill out your deck. It is awesome if they come with additional abilites such as trample or vigilance, but they're just dorks who are going to force some damage through. Never underestimate the power of Grizzly Bear though.

RIGHT..enough chit chat, onto the pools. I will blog the decks I would build tomorrow. It would be nice to get some feedback as to what other people would build and give a little explanation as to why that would do it so until tomorrow, happy building

Pool One: (each card is a one off unless stated)
White
Blue
Black
 Avacynian Priest x 2
Bar the Door
Dearly Departed (R)
Elguad Inquisitor
Fiend Hunter
Gather the Townsfolk
Midnight Guard
Niblis of the Mist
Rebuke
Skillful Lunge
Spare from Evil
Thraban Sentry
Unruly Mob

Dream Twist
Forbidden Alchemy
Grasp of Phantoms
Headless Skaab
Hysterical Blindness
Niblis of the Breath x 2
Saving Grasp
Selhoff Occultist x 2
Sensory Deprivation x 2
Silent Departure
Think Twice
Thought Scour


Abattoir Ghoul x 2
Black Cat x 2
Chosen of Markov
Curse of Misfortunes(R)
Deadly Allure x 2
Diregraf Ghoul
Falkenrath Torturer
Ghoulraiser
Gruesome Deformity x 2
Gruesome Discovery
Reap the Seagraf x 2
Victim of Night
Red
Green
Lands, Artifacts and Multicolour
Ashmouth Hound
Bloodcrazed Neonate
Burning Oil
Burning Vengeance
Erdwal Ripper
Faithless Looting x 2
Forge Devil
Hinterland Hermit
Markov Warlord x 2
Russet Wolves
Talons of Falkenrath
Torch Fiend
Wrack with Madness
Clinging Mists
Crushing Vines
Grizzled Outcasts x 2
Strangleroot Geist
Mulch
Rangers Guile
Avacyn’s Collar
Blazing Torch
Chalice of Life
Cobbled Wings
Galvanic Juggernaut
Geistcatchers Rig
Ghoulcaller’s Bell
Graveyard Shovel
Heavy Mattock
One-Eyed Scarecrow
Travallers Amulet.
Drogskol Reaver (M)
Falkenrath Aristocrat (M)
Grimgrin, Corpse Born (M)
Olivia Voldaren (M)


Pool Two: (each card is a one off unless stated)
White
Blue
Black
Break of Day x 2
Bonds of Faith x 2
Doomed Travaller
Elgaud Inquisitor
Loyal Cathar
Midnight Haunting
Mikaeus, the Lunarch (M)
Niblis of the Mist
Niblis of the Urn
Purify the Grave
Ray of Revelation
Silverchase fox
Skillful Lunge
Smite the Monstrous
Counterlash (R)
Curiosity
Divination
Dream Twist x2
Frightful Delusion
Memory’s Journey
Moon Heron x 2
Niblis of the Breath x 2
Nephalia Seakite
Screeching Skaab
Stormbound Geist
Tower Geist
Abattoir Ghoul
Chosen of Markov
Curse of Oblivion
Death’s Caress
Markov Patrician
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed (M)
Sightless Ghoul
Spiteful Shadows x 2
Reap the Seagraf
Victim of Night

Red
Green
Lands, Artifacts and Multicolour
Ashmouth Hound
Bloodcrazed Neonate
Fling x 2
Forge Devil
Infernal Plunge
Markov Warlord
Nearheath Stalker
Pitchburn Devils
Riot Devils
Scorch the Fields
Talons of Falkenreath
Torch Fiend
Tormented Pariah
Vampiric Fury
Village Ironsmith
 
Kindercatch
Gravetiller Wurm
Hollowhenge Beast
Village Survivors 
Predator Ooze (R)
Grave Bramble
Gnaw to the Bone
Clinging Mists
Hamlet Captain
Gastaf SheperdWolfbitten Captive/Krallenhorde killer (R dfc)
Caravan Vigil
Immerwolf
Diregraf Captain
Isolated Chapel(R)
Haunted Fengraf
Gavony Township(R)
Geistcatchers Rig
Galvanic Juggernaut
Heavy Mattock
Wooden Stake
Graveyard Shovel
Traveler's Amulet
Blazing Torch

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