I don't see how you pass Anax and Cymede. I know it's dicey to jump into a gold card right out of the gates, but this is one of the ones that's strong enough to take on its own, isn't it?
The only issue, and one that is not strong enough to consider IMO, is that the pack is chock-full of White and Red cards (Alseid, Stoneshock, Fanatic), and so you might pick the Naiad.
This pack is clearly between Anax and Cymede and Nimbus Naiad. I would not fault anyone fore wanting to stay more open and take the Naiad, but I have had great luck with RW agro and specifically with first picking AnC. I am at a point where I am almost forcing RW as it just works so often.
Anax and Cymede
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2nd place behind Paulo after round 3 of Pro Tour M15
(finished 8-8, but beat Alexander Hayne and Ben Stark)
Isn't it a bit early to say that? P1P1 we're taking the best card in the pack. That's not forcing anything. If the next few picks we start taking significantly suboptimal picks just to keep the draft W/ then you can say we're "forcing" the draft.
Personally W/ are my two least favorite colors in Theros but that doesn't mean I don't take the strong W/ cards when I open them and there isn't anything else worth taking in the pack (Naiad is really the only other card you could even attempt to argue).
Or is this just a prediction on how the draft is likely to go? If so, I'm interested to hear. Does this forum force drafts alot? I suppose I could go back and look at older forum drafts to find out...
Yeah, I'm not committed to playing Anax either. Normally I'm wary about taking a gold card first pick in Theros, but A&C are enough of a step up above the other options to justify the pick imo (it's possible Naiad is the correct pick here, but I'm not sure that it is).
If the subsequent packs support it, RW is a great place to be...if not, we've missed out on a Nimbus Naiad, which isn't ideal, but shouldn't make or break our deck.
Take the card with the most upside. Everyone else is probably trying to draft blue anyway. By taking the rare, the guy to the left likely takes Naiad, and the next guy probably takes Battlemaster unless either of them opened Stormbreath Dragon or something. If we get passed a Sea God's Revenge or something next, we can still take it. It's p1p1, so nothing is set in stone.
1. Everyone is keen on anax and cymede. By taking naiad, if I turn out to be right, I'll be able to say 'told you so.'
2. If the player passing to us opened a foil elspeth and pass us a prognostic sphinx, then naiad is the right pick while anax is obviously bad.
3. Naiad flies. Anax and cymede don't.
4. Naiad is jumping out of the water, ready for battle. For all their flavour text, Anax and Cymede are merely standing at a window looking out. Who would want laszy bums like that on their team?
5. Naiad has no clothes on. Anax and Cymede are wearing multiple layers of clothings.
So the obvious conclusion is: naiad. And, maybe, I got too much times on my hands?
For most other red cards I'd jump on the Naiad, but an unanswered Anax and Cymede wins the game in a couple of alphas and is pretty strong even without an enabler.
This pack is clearly between Anax and Cymede and Nimbus Naiad. I would not fault anyone fore wanting to stay more open and take the Naiad, but I have had great luck with RW agro and specifically with first picking AnC. I am at a point where I am almost forcing RW as it just works so often.
Anax and Cymede
I would fault everyone but perhaps I'm less forgiving than you are.:-/
It's more that people always overvalue removal. Really, if they make a card ":symb:: Sorcery: As an additional cost, get F'd in the A. Destroy target creature." people will say "removal is removal" and first-pick it.
I think I'd have to take the Nimbus Naiad. P1P1 the two are of roughly equivalent value to me, but the thing that pushes me towards Naiad is the strength of the other RW cards in the pack. Stoneshock Giant, Fanatic of Mogis are both strong red cards with Observant Alseid being a strong white card along with a smattering of popular heroic enablers. I'd grab the Naiad and hope the rest of the pack encourages my right to send me Griptide and Voyage's End in pack two.
Isn't it a bit early to say that? P1P1 we're taking the best card in the pack. That's not forcing anything. If the next few picks we start taking significantly suboptimal picks just to keep the draft W/ then you can say we're "forcing" the draft.
You're right, it's possible that people will instead be too worried about sending all these red and white signals from this pack and will avoid white and red like the plague.
This is a forum draft. The one thing we can be 100% sure of is that we will take the wrong card out of every pack, regardless of motivation.
Wit's End is the PERFECT answer to your opponent's Monomania however.
Just hold on to your Wit's End when they Monomania, so you can Wit's End them on your next turn!!!
I think this is fairly reminiscent of the "Jace Battles" we have seen in past standards.. My guess is we will soon witness the great Monomania-Wit's End battles.
Don't worry to much about what signals are sent, and just take the best card. If that happens to be Anax and Cyemede so be it. I actually view the R/W depth of the pack as a mark in favor of the gold rare. You are almost sure to wheel Chosen by Heliod, Battlewise Valor, or Skullcleaver. All of those fit the R/W aggressive plan well.
Still, I chose Naiad just because I think it is strong enough to first pick out of this pack and I have found RW aggro to be overdrafted.
It's more that people always overvalue removal. Really, if they make a card ":symb:: Sorcery: As an additional cost, get F'd in the A. Destroy target creature." people will say "removal is removal" and first-pick it.
This is way too early to be worrying about signals or anything like that. Yes, it's quite possible that we don't play the Anax if we take it here, and that's entirely okay. Even if we take Naiad, we might not play that either. Bottom line here is, bombs win Limited games and Anax/Cymede is so much more powerful than the Naiad (which is a good card, to be fair) that we should absolutely take the gold card here. If RW is overdrafted or not our colors, that's fine, we can move into something else. There's no reason to outsmart ourselves here by taking the Naiad.
There's no reason to outsmart ourselves here by taking the Naiad.
This is the best sentence in the thread. I love me some Naiad, and hate me some RW, and only move into Heroic if it's blatantly open, but, c'mon. If it was an Ashiok would you be "staying flexible?"
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My Decks: EDH: Sygg, River Cutthroat , Road to Scion
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I have the time again now, so why not?
P1P1:
Mark your pick by either bolding it or putting it in Quote tags.
I have done myself and everyone else the courtesy of removing the basic lands this time. Next pick will be up tomorrow, have fun!
P1P1
P1P2
P1P3
P1P4
P1P5
P1P6
P1P7
P1P8
P1P9
P1P10
P1P11
P2P1
P2P2
P2P3
P2P4
P2P5
P2P6
P2P7
P2P8
P2P9
P2P10
P3P1
P3P2
P3P3
P3P4
P3P5
P3P6
P3P7
P3P8
P3P9
P3P10
Conclusion
Next strongest card is probably Nimbus Naiad.
My pick is Anax and Cymede, though.
Anax and Cymede
2nd place behind Paulo after round 3 of Pro Tour M15
(finished 8-8, but beat Alexander Hayne and Ben Stark)
Mogis, God of Slaughter
Daxos of Meletis
Isn't it a bit early to say that? P1P1 we're taking the best card in the pack. That's not forcing anything. If the next few picks we start taking significantly suboptimal picks just to keep the draft W/ then you can say we're "forcing" the draft.
Personally W/ are my two least favorite colors in Theros but that doesn't mean I don't take the strong W/ cards when I open them and there isn't anything else worth taking in the pack (Naiad is really the only other card you could even attempt to argue).
Or is this just a prediction on how the draft is likely to go? If so, I'm interested to hear. Does this forum force drafts alot? I suppose I could go back and look at older forum drafts to find out...
If the subsequent packs support it, RW is a great place to be...if not, we've missed out on a Nimbus Naiad, which isn't ideal, but shouldn't make or break our deck.
Anax and Cymede
1. Everyone is keen on anax and cymede. By taking naiad, if I turn out to be right, I'll be able to say 'told you so.'
2. If the player passing to us opened a foil elspeth and pass us a prognostic sphinx, then naiad is the right pick while anax is obviously bad.
3. Naiad flies. Anax and cymede don't.
4. Naiad is jumping out of the water, ready for battle. For all their flavour text, Anax and Cymede are merely standing at a window looking out. Who would want laszy bums like that on their team?
5. Naiad has no clothes on. Anax and Cymede are wearing multiple layers of clothings.
So the obvious conclusion is: naiad. And, maybe, I got too much times on my hands?
Basic 82: Hayate the Combat Butler Mafia
Town Doctor, NK N1
Mini: Drury Lane Mafia
Replaced out D1
Mafia "Stuffer"
Basic 80: Sesame Street Mafia
Town Mason, NK N1
Scum Victory
Basic 68: Mr. Potato Head Mafia
Replacing Marblez D2
Town Vanilla, Lynched Last Day (D6)
Scum Victory
Mini: Eeveelution Mafia
Town Umbreon, Modkilled D1
Scum Victory
Mini: Deitriptychos Mafia
Town Necromancer, NK N1
Town Victory
I would fault everyone but perhaps I'm less forgiving than you are.:-/
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Proud bearer of the Sigil of Distinction, bestowed by the Limited clan.
You're right, it's possible that people will instead be too worried about sending all these red and white signals from this pack and will avoid white and red like the plague.
This is a forum draft. The one thing we can be 100% sure of is that we will take the wrong card out of every pack, regardless of motivation.
Still, I chose Naiad just because I think it is strong enough to first pick out of this pack and I have found RW aggro to be overdrafted.
Proud bearer of the Sigil of Distinction, bestowed by the Limited clan.
This is the best sentence in the thread. I love me some Naiad, and hate me some RW, and only move into Heroic if it's blatantly open, but, c'mon. If it was an Ashiok would you be "staying flexible?"
My Decks:
EDH: Sygg, River Cutthroat , Road to Scion
Grimgrin, Corpseborn
Modern: Polytokes
IRL: Progenitus Polymorph , Goblins
Just a friendly reminder that I will drive this car off a bridge
P1P2:
Mark your pick by either bolding it or putting it in Quote tags.
I have done myself and everyone else the courtesy of removing the basic lands this time. Next pick will be up tomorrow, have fun!