CardShark Content - Michael Potter (7/2/2003)

1st Rochester Draft – Pod 4

Seating was as follows:

1. Michael Cannistraro
2. David Humpherys
3. Thomas Guevin
4. Anthony McDonough
5. Steven Shears
6. Kevin MacPhee
7. Daniel Hanson
8. Cameron Herzog

This table was populated by players with a 2-1 or a 2-0-1 score from the first three rounds of Constructed play. I chose to stand behind Daniel Hanson and record his drafts.

Nationals used very large round tables to draft on. The players had lots of room between each other, but they usually had to reach well over the table to grab their picks. It was somewhat hard to maneuver between the tables to get to one side or the other, so it was difficult to clearly see all the cards when they were laid out.

In case you’re not familiar with how a Rochester draft works, only one booster is opened at a time and the cards are laid out in 3 rows of 5. The player who opened the pack picks one card and then the draft goes around the table. The player right before the one who opened the pack “wheels” the draft by making two picks (one after another) and then the draft changes direction. That results in the player who opened the pack getting only one card from that pack.

Because all the cards are in the open, the players get a good idea of what they’ll be facing and their “tricks” are not as much a surprise. That means that “tricks” are not picked as high as they might be in a booster draft. There also is no guessing on what colors people are going into and the table often falls into a pattern of alternating colors with Black and Red tending to be besides each other as players try and draft removal.

This can and does break down. One reason for the breakdown is “hate” or “counter” drafting where one player will draft a card that would have fit much better in someone else’s deck. Sometimes a player switches colours and starts cutting off a colour another player was drafting.

Although the players were not supposed to gesture or talk during the draft, there were quite a few times when an angry voice could be heard coming from a table when someone switched colours or drafted a card that someone else thought was being stolen from them. The judges tried to quell the talking, but it still went on to some extent.

The other reason why Rochester drafting would break down was inexperienced players. This was a common theme I heard from the Pro or experienced players. They complained about tables breaking down because they were drafting with players who didn’t understand how Rochester worked or the politics at the tables. If they happened to be caught in the middle of a couple of players like that, it could ruin the draft for them. If you check the DCI sanctioning information, you’ll see that there are very few Rochester drafts listed so it is not a much played Limited style. This means that that most players are very inexperienced at it.

The players get 30 seconds between packs to look at their cards and study the new cards put down in front of them. Then the picks happen every 4 seconds with a judge calling out “draft” “draft”. The drafts went pretty quickly and the actual picking goes somewhat faster than a booster draft can go so I didn’t find that the drafts took much longer than a normal booster draft would.

The opening pack featured an interesting first pick. Jareth, Leonine Titan

Jareth, Leonine Titan
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Cat Giant Legend Rarity: R Number: 43 Artist: Daren Bader Power: 4 Toughness: 7 Text: Whenever Jareth, Leonine Titan blocks, it gets +7/+7 until end of turn.. W: Jareth gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.

was opened, but Michael Cannistraro picked shock over it. Cannistraro qualified via the NE Regionals (Boston) and he may have had some affiliation or relationship with David Humphrys who was the #2 seat or he may just have hated White. The Jareth was taken 2nd pick.

Daniel picked Chain of Smog

Chain of Smog
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 132 Artist: Greg Staples Text: Target player discards two cards from his or her hand. That player may copy this spell and may choose a new target for that copy.

and Elvish Pioneer

Elvish Pioneer
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Elf Druid Rarity: C Number: 257 Artist: Christopher Rush Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: When Elvish Pioneer comes into play, you may put a basic land card from your hand into play tapped.

from the first pick signaling that he was interested in being GB. However, his neighbour to the right started going GR which threatened to cut off Green and his neighbour to the left started off UW and then started to dip into Black and be more of a WB player.

Daniel settled into WB and the majority of his picks were around building a WB Clerics or Soldiers deck.

Pack 2: Shepard of Rot/ Defensive Maneuvers

Defensive Maneuvers
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 23 Artist: Luca Zontini Text: Creatures of the type of your choice get +0/+4 until end of turn.

Pack 3: Battlefield Medic

Battlefield Medic
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: C Number: 9 Artist: Matt Thompson Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn, where X is the number of Clerics in play.

/ misc. card

Pack 4: Aurification

Aurification
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 6 Artist: Gary Ruddell Text: Whenever a creature deals damage to you, put a gold counter on it. Each creature with a gold counter on it is a Wall in addition to its other creature types. (Walls can't attack.) When Aurification leaves play, remove all gold counters from all creatures.

/Crafty Pathmage

Crafty Pathmage
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 3 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Wizard Rarity: C Number: 77 Artist: Wayne England Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Target creature with power 2 or less is unblockable this turn.

Pack 5: Pacifism

Pacifism
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Number: 33 Artist: Robert Bliss Text: Enchanted creature can't attack or block.

/Unified Strike

Unified Strike
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 58 Artist: Dave Dorman Text: Remove target attacking creature from the game if its power is less than or equal to the number of Soldiers in play.

Pack 6: Daru Lancer

Daru Lancer
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Soldier Rarity: C Number: 20 Artist: Brian Snoddy Power: 3 Toughness: 4 Text: First strike. Morph 2WW (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)

/Spy Network

Spy Network
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 1 Color: Blue Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 115 Artist: Ron Spears Text: Look at target player's hand, the top card of that player's library, and any face-down creatures he or she controls. Look at the top four cards of your library, then put them back in any order.

Pack 7: Aven Brigadier

Aven Brigadier
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Bird Soldier Rarity: R Number: 7 Artist: Greg Staples Power: 3 Toughness: 5 Text: Flying. All other Birds get +1/+1. All other Soldiers get +1/+1.

(so far the deck was heavy White for Soldiers)

Pack 8: Gus

Gus
	Set: Unglued Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Gus Rarity: C Number: 62 Artist: DiTerlizzi Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Gus comes into play with one +1/+1 counter on it for each game you have lost to your opponent since you last won a Magic game against him or her.

dGNsb2FrIFJ1bm5lcg== / Graveborne Sovereign

I noted that Thomas Guevin had been drafting GR and had picked up a contested Cliffs. Humphreys had mainly stuck with White cards but picked the occasional Black one as well. McDonough was looking like UB.

The packs switched to Legions and switched directions.

Pack 9: Vile Deacon

Vile Deacon
	Set: Legions Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: C Number: 85 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Whenever Vile Deacon attacks, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of Clerics in play.

/ Blood Celebrant

Blood Celebrant
	Set: Legions Cost: 1 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: C Number: 61 Artist: Ben Thompson Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: B, Pay 1 life: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

Pack 10: Skinthinner

Skinthinner
	Set: Legions Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Rarity: C Number: 80 Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Morph 3BB (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) When Skinthinner is turned face up, destroy target nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated.

/ Misc. card

Pack 11: Lowland Tracker

Lowland Tracker
	Set: Legions Cost: 5 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Soldier Rarity: C Number: 17 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: First strike Provoke (When this attacks, you may have target creature defending player controls untap and block it if able.)

/ Mistform Seaswift

Mistform Seaswift
	Set: Legions Cost: 4 Color: Blue Type: Creature Sub Type: Illusion Rarity: C Number: 45 Power: 3 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying 1: Mistform Seaswift’s type becomes the creature type of your choice until end of turn. Morph 1U (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)

Pack 12: Whipgrass Entangler

Whipgrass Entangler
	Set: Legions Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: C Number: 26 Power: 1 Toughness: 3 Text: 1W: Until end of turn, target creature gains ´´This creature can't attack or block unless its controller pays 1 for each Cleric in play. (This cost is paid as attackers or blockers are declared.)´´

/ Starlight Invoker

Starlight Invoker
	Set: Legions Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Mutant Rarity: C Number: 20 Power: 1 Toughness: 3 Text: 7W: You gain 5 life.

Pack 13: Wingbeat Warrior

Wingbeat Warrior
	Set: Legions Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Bird Soldier Rarity: C Number: 29 Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying Morph 2W (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) When Wingbeat Warrior is turned face up, target creature gains first strike until end of turn.

/ Liege of the Axe

Liege of the Axe
	Set: Legions Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Soldier Rarity: U Number: 16 Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: Attacking doesn’t cause Liege of the Axe to tap. Morph 1W (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) When Liege of the Axe is turned face up, untap it.

Pack 14: Wingbeat Warrior

Wingbeat Warrior
	Set: Legions Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Bird Soldier Rarity: C Number: 29 Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying Morph 2W (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) When Wingbeat Warrior is turned face up, target creature gains first strike until end of turn.

/ Daru Mender

Daru Mender
	Set: Legions Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: U Number: 8 Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Morph W (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) When Daru Mender is turned face up, regenerate target creature.

Pack 15: Vile Deacon

Vile Deacon
	Set: Legions Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: C Number: 85 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Whenever Vile Deacon attacks, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of Clerics in play.

/ Wall of Hope

Wall of Hope
	Set: Legions Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Wall Rarity: C Number: 24 Power: 0 Toughness: 3 Text: (Walls can't attack.) Whenever Wall of Hope is dealt damage, you gain that much life.

Pack 16: Deathmark Prelate

Deathmark Prelate
	Set: Legions Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: U Number: 65 Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: 2B, T, Sacrifice a Zombie: Destroy target non-Zombie creature. It can’t be regenerated. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.

/ Hunter Sliver

Hunter Sliver
	Set: Legions Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Sliver Rarity: C Number: 102 Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: All Slivers have provoke. (When a Sliver attacks, its controller may have target creature defending player controls untap and block it if able.)

Now the draft finishes with Scour

Scour
	Set: Urza's Destiny Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 18 Artist: Eric Peterson Text: Remove target enchantment from the game. Search its controller's graveyard, hand, and library for all copies of that card and remove them from the game. That player then shuffles his or her library.

ge packs. The people drafting did not seem to be as familiar with the cards and spent much longer reading them before picking. The actual drafts were a little slower as well.

Pack 17: Bladewing’s Thrull

Thrull
	Set: Divine vs Demonic Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Creature Sub Type: Thrull Rarity: C Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: Token

/ Guilty Conscience

Guilty Conscience
	Set: Scourge Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Number: 17 Text: Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage, Guilty Conscience deals to enchanted creature damage equal to the combat damage dealt.

Pack 18. Aven Liberator

Aven Liberator
	Set: Scourge Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Bird Soldier Rarity: C Number: 4 Artist: Brian Snoddy Power: 2 Toughness: 3 Text: Flying. Morph 3W. When Aven Liberator is turned face up, target creature you control gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.

/ Guilty Conscience

Guilty Conscience
	Set: Scourge Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Number: 17 Text: Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage, Guilty Conscience deals to enchanted creature damage equal to the combat damage dealt.

Pack 19: Noble Templar

Noble Templar
	Set: Scourge Cost: 6 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Soldier Rarity: C Number: 19 Artist: Alex Horley-Orlandelli Power: 3 Toughness: 6 Text: Attacking doesn't cause Noble Templar to tap. Plainscycling 2 (You may pay 2 and discard this card to search your library for a Plains card, put it into your hand, and shuffle your library.)

/ Reward of the Faithful

Pack 20: Lingering Death

Lingering Death
	Set: Scourge Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Number: 69 Text: The controller of enchanted creature sacrifices it at the end of his turn.

/ Misc. Green card

Pack 20: Lingering Death

Lingering Death
	Set: Scourge Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Number: 69 Text: The controller of enchanted creature sacrifices it at the end of his turn.

/ Misc. Red card

Pack 22: Zealous Inquisitor

Zealous Inquisitor
	Set: Scourge Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: C Number: 27 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: 1W: The next time 1 damage would be dealt to Zealous Inquisitor this turn, that damage is dealt to target creature instead.

/ Misc. Green card

Pack 23: Twisted Abomination

Twisted Abomination
	Set: Scourge Cost: 6 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Zombie Mutant Rarity: C Number: 76 Artist: Darren Bader Power: 5 Toughness: 3 Text: B : Regenerate Twisted Abomination Swampcycling

Pack 24: Astral Steel

Astral Steel
	Set: Scourge Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 2 Artist: Matt Cavotta Text: Target creature gets +1/+2 until end of turn. Storm

/ Daru Spiritualist

Daru Spiritualist
	Set: Scourge Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: C Number: 5 Artist: Dave Dorman Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever a Cleric becomes the target of a spell or ability, it gets +0/+2 until end of turn.

From what I had seen at the table, Humphrey’s deck looked like it was consistent with mainly White cards powering it. Guevin’s deck looked like a very solid GR deck with Contested Cliffs

Contested Cliffs
	Set: Onslaught Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 314 Artist: Anthony S. Waters Text: T: Add 1 to your mana pool. RG, T: Choose target Beast you control and target creature an opponent controls. Each creature deals damage equal to its power to the other.

powering his Beast

Beast
	Set: Garruk vs. Liliana Cost: 0 Color: Colorless Type: Creature Sub Type: Beast Rarity: C Number: 1 Artist: John Donahue Power: 4 Toughness: 4

s.

I thought that Daniel had made the best choices he could with his neighbours not cooperating as well as they could have. He was very careful in his deck construction in trying to get as many Clerics into the deck as possible to power his two Vile Deacon

Vile Deacon
	Set: Legions Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: C Number: 85 Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Whenever Vile Deacon attacks, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of Clerics in play.

s while still making sure he had Evasion (flying) creatures to ensure he had a path to victory.

Table 4 was very quiet compared to the outbursts and murmuring at some of the other tables. I did not see many Sparksmith

Sparksmith
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 2 Color: Red Type: Creature Sub Type: Goblin Rarity: C Number: 235 Artist: Jim Nelson Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Sparksmith deals X damage to target creature and X damage to you, where X. is the number of Goblins in play.

’s, Wellwisher

Wellwisher
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Elf Rarity: C Number: 300 Artist: Christopher Rush Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: You gain 1 life for each Elf in play.

s, or Timberwatch Elves opened.

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