I suck at drafts, but I find them the most fun. I feel drafts are ideal for everyone being on a level playing field at the start. This comes from the fact that my collection is nearly competitive enough to be useful in a a standard FNM or MTGO tournament (which I just started playing).
Usually I feel my drafts go fairly well - I've watched some other drafts online for strategy, tips and ideas, but when it comes down to it, I just can't seem to win. I've entered 4 New Player Phantom Drafts on MTGO and have been painfully unsuccessful. Three of the four tournaments I was knocked out in the first round, two of those were in 2 straight games where I never stood a chance, the other I recognized I made a huge error in play that caused me to lose the 3rd game.
The fourth tournament I won the first round almost entirely by luck - my opponent drew mana for like 7 turns in a row and I just managed to attack freely to move on where I was then handily swept 2 - 0 in the next round.
I can't say what I'm doing "wrong" because I don't know. In M14 I've been favouring red and green, but have been trying to utilize blue because of its reputation as the strongest colour in the set.
Anyway, to wrap this up: I'm lost and frustrated. Help me?
Well, it is hard to say specifically without a card set to review.
Why are you losing? Are you not getting your creatures out? Outpaced/Playing too slow a deck? Just not having made the right draft card choice? There a lot of variables which could be causing you to lose. Certainly making a misplay will hurt and could cause you to lose a game or match.
Also look at the first pick polls that are happening now. Would you make the same decisions as most people? If not why?
I know this probably doesn't seem the most helpful but analyzing things is probably your best bet. It could be your general card evaluation is off, though if you're watching vids and paying attention to the format, that probably isn't the case. You might be moving in on particular archetypes without truly figuring out what's open signal-wise. However, if you're doing as poorly as you seem, I might suggest that you need to look at your ingame decisions and technical play. If you improve your decision making within games, it will help you avoid these lengthy losing streaks.
Well, it is hard to say specifically without a card set to review.
Why are you losing? Are you not getting your creatures out? Outpaced/Playing too slow a deck? Just not having made the right draft card choice? There a lot of variables which could be causing you to lose. Certainly making a misplay will hurt and could cause you to lose a game or match.
Also look at the first pick polls that are happening now. Would you make the same decisions as most people? If not why?
I can almost guarantee it's my card choice. My decks are weak... painfully weak. While I'm drafting I look at the cards and feel like it can be effective, but as soon as I face someone else I realize my deck is absolute garbage.
Pack 1 pick 1:
Pacifism
Merfolk Spy
Plummet
Air Servant
Frost Breath
Forest
Shimmering Grotto
Flames of the Firebrand
Mark of the Vampire
Blur Sliver
Undead Minotaur
--> Awaken the Ancient
Seismic Stomp
Predatory Sliver
Fortify
Pack 1 pick 2:
--> Essence Scatter
Wild Ricochet
Wall of Frost
Solemn Offering
Merfolk Spy
Forest
Mark of the Vampire
Blur Sliver
Seismic Stomp
Academy Raider
Lay of the Land
Capashen Knight
Predatory Sliver
Fireshrieker
Pack 1 pick 3:
Mind Rot
Goblin Shortcutter
Brindle Boar
Divine Favor
Pay No Heed
Island
Vile Rebirth
Staff of the Sun Magus
Regathan Firecat
Illusionary Armor
--> Seacoast Drake
Liturgy of Blood
Fireshrieker
Pack 1 pick 5:
Merfolk Spy
Plummet
--> Air Servant
Frost Breath
Forest
Shimmering Grotto
Mark of the Vampire
Blur Sliver
Undead Minotaur
Seismic Stomp
Fortify
Pack 1 pick 6:
Wall of Frost
Solemn Offering
Merfolk Spy
Forest
Mark of the Vampire
Blur Sliver
Seismic Stomp
--> Academy Raider
Lay of the Land
Capashen Knight
Pack 1 pick 7:
Mind Rot
--> Goblin Shortcutter
Brindle Boar
Divine Favor
Pay No Heed
Island
Vile Rebirth
Staff of the Sun Magus
Illusionary Armor
Pack 2 pick 2:
Giant Growth
Time Ebb
Corrupt
Griffin Sentinel
--> Sensory Deprivation
Island
Verdant Haven
Master of Diversion
Soulmender
Staff of the Death Magus
Shadowborn Apostle
Minotaur Abomination
Vial of Poison
Burning Earth
Pack 2 pick 3:
Pacifism
--> Deadly Recluse
Plains
Coral Merfolk
Altar's Reap
Cyclops Tyrant
Staff of the Mind Magus
Staff of the Flame Magus
Academy Raider
Zephyr Charge
Blightcaster
Liturgy of Blood
Naturalize
Pack 2 pick 6:
Corrupt
Island
Verdant Haven
--> Master of Diversion
Soulmender
Staff of the Death Magus
Shadowborn Apostle
Minotaur Abomination
Vial of Poison
Burning Earth
Pack 2 pick 7:
Plains
Coral Merfolk
Altar's Reap
Cyclops Tyrant
Staff of the Mind Magus
Staff of the Flame Magus
Blightcaster
Liturgy of Blood
--> Naturalize
Pack 3 pick 4:
Plains
Goblin Shortcutter
Shrivel
Cyclops Tyrant
Soulmender
Staff of the Death Magus
Dragon Egg
Vampire Warlord
Accursed Spirit
--> Savage Summoning
Seacoast Drake
Lay of the Land
Pack 3 pick 5:
--> Giant Growth
Tome Scour
Fog
Swamp
Angelic Wall
Charging Griffin
Angelic Accord
Seismic Stomp
Festering Newt
Darksteel Ingot
Child of Night
Pack 2 pick 2:
Rod of Ruin
Duress
Siege Mastodon
Merfolk Spy
--> Shiv's Embrace
Divine Favor
Altar's Reap
Island
Archaeomancer
Dragon Hatchling
Staff of the Sun Magus
Dragon Egg
Rise of the Dark Realms
Lightning Talons
Pack 2 pick 6:
Rod of Ruin
Duress
Siege Mastodon
Merfolk Spy
Altar's Reap
Island
Dragon Hatchling
Staff of the Sun Magus
Rise of the Dark Realms
--> Lightning Talons
Pack 3 pick 3:
Pillarfield Ox
Accorder's Shield
Swamp
Wild Guess
Bonescythe Sliver
Undead Minotaur
Seismic Stomp
Mountain
Lay of the Land
Millstone
--> Barrage of Expendables
Capashen Knight
Child of Night
Pack 3 pick 4:
Wall of Swords
Mind Rot
Giant Spider
Wild Ricochet
Goblin Shortcutter
--> Chandra's Outrage
Divine Favor
Dark Favor
Bramblecrush
Island
Show of Valor
Striking Sliver
I think one of my problems is when I see a card that is really powerful I still take it because I'm afraid of it being used against me when there may be a better card for my deck at that point.
------ M14 ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Pacifism (Sweet removal)
Merfolk Spy
Plummet
Air Servant <-- This would have been my pick, I consider this a huge bomb in the format and it's BLUE and also it's somewhat Splashable!
Frost Breath
Forest
Shimmering Grotto
Flames of the Firebrand (Sweet removal!!)
Mark of the Vampire
Blur Sliver
Undead Minotaur
--> Awaken the Ancient (To relate back to my previous response, this is for sure a cool card, however it's RRR plus you would like a 4th R to enchant it on. I would skip it in this pack of three other good cards).
Seismic Stomp
Predatory Sliver
Fortify
Pack 1 pick 2:
--> Essence Scatter (Would have been my pick as well, and would have worked great with air servant)
Wild Ricochet (I like that you didn't pick this card)
Wall of Frost
Solemn Offering
Merfolk Spy
Forest
Mark of the Vampire
Blur Sliver
Seismic Stomp
Academy Raider
Lay of the Land
Capashen Knight
Predatory Sliver
Fireshrieker
Pack 1 pick 3:
Mind Rot
Goblin Shortcutter
Brindle Boar
Divine Favor
Pay No Heed
Island
Vile Rebirth
Staff of the Sun Magus
Regathan Firecat
Illusionary Armor
--> Seacoast Drake (this might wheel, but it's a decent card for blue (mainly U/B, U/W)
Liturgy of Blood (Good removal! Is black OPEN?)
Fireshrieker
Pack 1 pick 5:
Merfolk Spy
Plummet
--> Air Servant (Seems like you got it anyway, blue 4 man drafts are interesting like that, note that Flames and Pacifism were picked)
Frost Breath
Forest
Shimmering Grotto
Mark of the Vampire
Blur Sliver
Undead Minotaur
Seismic Stomp
Fortify
Pack 1 pick 6:
Wall of Frost (this is good if you want to go control)
Solemn Offering
Merfolk Spy
Forest
Mark of the Vampire
Blur Sliver
Seismic Stomp
--> Academy Raider (What are we trying to draft, blue control or U/R tempoish)
Lay of the Land
Capashen Knight
Pack 1 pick 7:
Mind Rot (if you picked Liturgy of Blood in P3 this would have been my pick)
--> Goblin Shortcutter (Ok, you pick this over Illusionary Armor, fine. Now go for the U/R aggro with tempo plays?)
Brindle Boar
Divine Favor
Pay No Heed
Island
Vile Rebirth
Staff of the Sun Magus
Illusionary Armor
Pack 1 pick 9:
Merfolk Spy
Plummet
--> Frost Breath (more tempo, fine!)
Forest
Mark of the Vampire
Undead Minotaur
Fortify
Pack 1 pick 10:
--> Wall of Frost (On color, but not what we want but there is nothing else)
Solemn Offering
Merfolk Spy
Forest
Mark of the Vampire
Lay of the Land
Pack 1 pick 11:
Mind Rot
--> Divine Favor
Island
Vile Rebirth
Staff of the Sun Magus
Pack 2 pick 2:
Giant Growth
Time Ebb (Weak pack for you, but this would have been my pick)
Corrupt
Griffin Sentinel
--> Sensory Deprivation
Island
Verdant Haven
Master of Diversion
Soulmender
Staff of the Death Magus
Shadowborn Apostle
Minotaur Abomination
Vial of Poison
Burning Earth
Pack 2 pick 3:
Pacifism (another one!)
--> Deadly Recluse (This is not tempo nor is it red or blue. Otherwise really strong creature which always trades for something)
Plains
Coral Merfolk
Altar's Reap
Cyclops Tyrant
Staff of the Mind Magus
Staff of the Flame Magus
Academy Raider
Zephyr Charge
Blightcaster (also notable for U/B)
Liturgy of Blood (wow, I wish I had read the Signal P1)
Naturalize
Pack 2 pick 4:
Suntail Hawk
Duress
Siege Mastodon
Brindle Boar
Elixir of Immortality
Ranger's Guile
Corpse Hauler
--> Molten Birth (Double red again after picking some blue and green cards)
Marauding Maulhorn
Festering Newt
Bubbling Cauldron
Mountain
I'm gonna stop there as you probably can get a hint from these comments.
1. Try to draft a deck, not some cards.
2. Don't pick cards that are not in your color because they are good for your opponents.
3. Read the signals, I would have guessed you could probably build a strong U/B deck in this draft.
Sorry if some comments seem condescending, that is not my intention.
Good luck
Don't worry, I didn't find it condescending, it actually made a lot of sense. The problem I think is summed up very well with your 1st point at the end. I don't really think of the cards as a deck, but rather sit on just colour choices: blue/red or green/blue or whatever as opposed to what type of deck and synergy I hope to accomplish.
Like I said, the draftcap subforum is the place you should be posting these.
Draft #1
Pack 1 pick 1: Air Servant (!) over Flames of the Firebrand (!) over Pacifism over Predatory Sliver over Awaken the Ancient (you have completely misevaluated the strength of AtA)
Pack 1 pick 3: Liturgy of Blood over Seacoast Drake (but I'll assume you are UR here and draft as that, although given the terrible signals you sent in the first pack I'm not surprised if this draft turns out as a trainwreck)
Pack 2 pick 3: Academy Raider over Deadly Recluse (what? have you decided to abandon the red and draft UG?)
Pack 2 pick 4: Ranger's Guile over Marauding Maulhorn over Molten Birth (or you havn't. do you know what colours you are at this point in the draft?)
Pack 2 pick 5: Trained Condor over Ranger's Guile
Pack 2 pick 6: Verdant Haven over Master of Diversion (uh.... a white card? really?)
Pack 2 pick 7: Naturalize (kinda surprised you didn't take Liturgy of Blood here just to round out the colours)
Pack 2 pick 9: Trained Condor over Bramblecrush
Pack 3 pick 2: Briarpack Alpha(!) over Rumbling Baloth over Chandra's Outrage over Archaeomancer over Young Pyromancer over Regathan Firecat over Cancel (if you are UR or UG, just ignore the cards I picked that are not in your colours)
Pack 3 pick 3: Enlarge (ok, I have to assume you are UG now)
Pack 3 pick 4: Seacoast Drake over Savage Summoning
Pack 3 pick 6: Briarpack Alpha(!!!) over Rumbling Baloth
Pack 3 pick 7: Voracious Wurm over Verdant Haven over Savage Summoning
So yeah, some pretty wild card evaluations there. The best cards you saw were Air Servant, Flames of the Firebrand, Serra Angel and Briarpack Alpha. You could and should have ended up with 2 Air Servant 2 Briarpack Alpha.
I think one of my problems is when I see a card that is really powerful I still take it because I'm afraid of it being used against me when there may be a better card for my deck at that point.
I think your problem is that you don't even know what a good card is yet. You should start with bombs, then stay in those colours, so that you can play your bombs.
Draft #2
Pack 1 pick 1: Quag Sickness over Garruk's Horde (but the rare is ok)
Pack 1 pick 2: Howl of the Night Pack over Seacoast Drake over Archaeomancer over Galerider Sliver (you seem to overvalue rares)
Pack 1 pick 3: Trollhide over Shock (gah! 3 colours in 3 picks AGAIN)
Pack 1 pick 4: Wall of Frost over Brindle Boar
Pack 1 pick 5: Trollhide over Striking Sliver
Pack 1 pick 6: Seacoast Drake over Striking Sliver
Pack 1 pick 7: Thunder Strike (ok, I'll draft as UR from here, since that seems to be what you are drafting)
Pack 1 pick 9: Coral Merfolk over Naturalize
Pack 1 pick 10: Glimpse the Future over Brindle Boar
After pack 1 I am unclear as to what your two colours are.
Pack 2 pick 1: Marauding Maulhorn over Brindle Boar over Frost Breath over Doom Blade over Elixir of Immortality over literally every other card in the pack over Traumatize (did you take this because it was a rare?)
Pack 2 pick 2: Archaeomancer over Rod of Ruin over Shiv's Embrace
Pack 2 pick 3: Water Servant over Archaeomancer over Enlarge (wait, what colours are you? GR now?)
Pack 2 pick 5: Marauding Maulhorn (ok, I'll no assume you are GR)
Pack 2 pick 9: Brindle Boar over Trollhide
Pack 2 pick 10: Rod of Ruin over Siege Mastodon
Pack 2 pick 12: Rod of Ruin over Encroaching Wastes (you'd like not to play it, but Rod is a decent removal spell vs board stalls)
Pack 3 pick 2: Manaweft Sliver over Plummet
Pack 3 pick 3: Accorder's Shield over Barrage of Expendables
I was going to try to make some comments about the drafts, but I've never done a four player draft, so I'm not sure where to go with it. Also CruS did a very good job. The only thing I will add is that I've never passed 2 Fireshriekers in a draft. It is one of the top uncommons in the set. Notice that both are gone when the packs come back to you.
You mentioned a couple of times that you lost in the first round and were done in tournaments. As a new player, I highly recommend that you avoid single elimination drafts or tournaments. It's very hard to learn when you don't get to play. When you only play one game at a time, it can skew your card evaluations.
In one game, it's easy to jump to conclusions about a card that really worked well, or a card that really did nothing. Those may be isolated incidents. But if you get to play multiple times with the same cards, patterns will emerge. "Huh, every time I draw that card, I wish it was something else." "I've seen that card beat me 3 times now. Maybe I was underestimating it." And, of course, it's always good to also look for not just what cards ended the game, but what cards set up the end of the game. Don't just dwell on the last five points of damage. Sometimes there's more to learn from the first 15.
I struggled for a while because I would see something work for my opponent or not work for me one time, and make a hard decision about it. I was blind to the fact that sometimes a card worked in a very specific situation with a very specific deck. Or a card wouldn't work well, but that was actually the exception. There are always cards that are obviously good or obviously bad, but it's the other cards that make the game interesting. Very good magic players can have differing opinions about certain cards. It may have to do with color preference or a style of play, but good players don't agree about all the cards.
Also, don't be scared about what cards you are passing. In an 8 player draft, you may never play the guy who gets that great card, or you might play him and never see it played. If there is a card that will help your deck, take it. There have been tons of discussions about this very subject on this forum, but in my experience, hate-drafting should only happen if there are no cards in the pack that you have any chance of playing. This may mean that you pass a card that you "have no answer for," but that's ok. I wish I was better with odds, but I do know that there is a much better chance of never seeing it played against you than there is of seeing it played against you.
You are kinda all over in your picks. I looked over your first draft and you made some weird choices. Keep in mind that hate drafting has been shown repeatedly not to work. It seems like you can't make up your mind on what to do, so end up being all over the place in draft choices. Make a game plan early, and stay with it. You can be flexible in the first pack, but you really want to be certain on what you are doing early in pack 2.
Keep in mind, when dealing with different signals from Packs 1 and Packs 2 always side with the people from Pack 1. They pass you cards twice, not once.
Aside from going U/R, which I think for M14 is kinda weak in limited, you didn't stay in your color when you had choices that were available. This means you are sending mixed signals; and you are not reading the signals you are being given, in this case White.
P1P1: Awaken the Ancient is a good card. Personally I would have taken Air Servant or Pacifism over it, but not a bad choice either way.
P1P2: Essence Scatter is a good card.
P1P3: Nothing overly exciting, a good choice.
P1P4: Serra Angel came around, that is a white signal. Serra Angel can win you games. You have 2 Blue (1 a flier) and only 1 Red card. Grab Serra Angel and consider dropping Red for White and going U/W fliers. Otherwise it was a good choice.
P1P5: Air Servant was definitely the right choice. You now have 2 Blue fliers both of which are solid cards.
P1P6: Academy Raider is good, but I think Wall of Frost is better. More control oriented, which suits Blue. And it would have kept you open for potential White switch.
P1P7: A good card. If you had Serra Angel from earlier you could have switched and taken either Divine Favor or Pay No Heed. Probably your best choice since you didn't take the White signal.
P1P8: Elvish Mystic? Here is where your draft derailed, imo. You have two playable, if not great, blue creatures available. You've not seen many good Green cards, so someone passing your way is in Green or Green is bad in this Pack. Either way, you should have taken a playable creature.
P1P9: I like it. Frost Breath does good things when you need to keep your opponent on lockdown.
P1P10: Solid choice, keeps your ground clear.
P1P11: Nothing playable in U/R, so hate draft. Since nothing in your colors, choose your most annoying threat.
P1P12: Stay in color, take the Armored Cancrix instead.
Pack 2: You make all sorts of weird choices in this pack. You were looking good for Mono-Blue or staying in Blue/Red, so stick with your game plan. (White: This would have been my choice having swapped to White) You also weren't seeing much good Blue, but that means you can starve them of Blue the next rotation. Since you have been taking Blue, this is bad for them more than it is bad for you. You seem like you all of a sudden want to go Green. No good Green cards came your way during pack 1, meaning someone to your right is probably in Green and you shouldn't take it.
P2P1: You are U/R, don't take Enlarge. Dragon Hatchling would have given you another flier, with firebreathing, that works well with your Air Servant that can keep the skies open to get through. (White: Celestial Flare)
P2P2: Yes! Blue removal. Done.
P2P3: Academy Raider, Cyclops Tyrant, or Zephyr Charge. Don't be grabbing Green when you aren't playing Green, as annoying as Deadly Recluse can be. (White: Pacifism and possibly a White signal)
P2P4: Molten Birth is a solid card, but you've seen nothing that combos well with it. i.e. Young Pyromancer. Marauding Maulhorn was probably a stronger choice, but Molten Birth is still playable.
P2P5: Trained Condor, you could have made your Ancient fly. (White: Wall of Swords, another possible White signal)
P2P6: Master of Diversion was the white choice and you are definitely being given White signals; Vial of Poison would probably have suited your deck better.
P2P7: 1 Blue, 1 Red, Blue staff. Naturalize isn't even much of a threat to your earlier cards. This pick confuses me.
P2P8: Nothing useful. (White: Suntail Hawk)
P2P9: Trained Condor.
P2P10: Nothing exciting, take Burning Earth.
P2P11: Its too late to start acting on the Black signals from this pack. Take one of the Staff cards instead, probably Mind.
P2P12-15: Nothing wrong with these choices.
In Pack 3 White and Blue look open to you, and Green was closed off to you. There were some Red cards, but not a lot. People to your right were likely in R/G and G/B.
I'd recommend that you memorize the list of commons and uncommons of any set that you would endeavour to draft. It is amazing how much stronger your decks end up when you are in complete control of them. Also note: it will seem that the quality removal and creatures appear much more frequently when you are able to repine for them (by, you know, being aware of their existence), but that is just a cognitive bias.
As a wrinkle in that format, the packs go dry extremely quickly, so you tend to want more 'goodstuff' cards, as well as manafixing (so you can splash for doom blades). Blue and Green are probably the two best colours for that in M14 since they are the deepest colours. Just make sure to cut the colours so other people go into different colours themselves.
The best way to improve your card valuations is just to play more Magic. Or, failing that (it can get expensive) read other people's draftcaps, get involved in forum threads here and (if you have time) watch draft videos.
As an aside, I'd recommend 8-player drafts whenever you have a choice. The trouble with 4-player is that the deck power levels end up all over the place and the signals are often terrible. It's not a good learning environment.
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Thanks everyone for the replies and advice. I have a lot to learn, though I already knew that, but now I feel like I can at least direct myself in a way where I will be able to learn and improve effectively, as opposed to just spinning my tires.
Also, I'll definitely post further draft critique requests in the appropriate forum.
I'll also second listening to set reviews at least via lrcast.com The Theros one should be out on Thursday if it is early or more likely on Friday (9/20/2013). They talk about why cards are good or bad in the set reviews. They may be off on a format (they were a bit off for M14, but M14 was a bizarre format to predict completely from spoilers. Future shows addressed the format feel once it showed its face.)
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Usually I feel my drafts go fairly well - I've watched some other drafts online for strategy, tips and ideas, but when it comes down to it, I just can't seem to win. I've entered 4 New Player Phantom Drafts on MTGO and have been painfully unsuccessful. Three of the four tournaments I was knocked out in the first round, two of those were in 2 straight games where I never stood a chance, the other I recognized I made a huge error in play that caused me to lose the 3rd game.
The fourth tournament I won the first round almost entirely by luck - my opponent drew mana for like 7 turns in a row and I just managed to attack freely to move on where I was then handily swept 2 - 0 in the next round.
I can't say what I'm doing "wrong" because I don't know. In M14 I've been favouring red and green, but have been trying to utilize blue because of its reputation as the strongest colour in the set.
Anyway, to wrap this up: I'm lost and frustrated. Help me?
Why are you losing? Are you not getting your creatures out? Outpaced/Playing too slow a deck? Just not having made the right draft card choice? There a lot of variables which could be causing you to lose. Certainly making a misplay will hurt and could cause you to lose a game or match.
Also look at the first pick polls that are happening now. Would you make the same decisions as most people? If not why?
*DCI Rules Advisor*
I can almost guarantee it's my card choice. My decks are weak... painfully weak. While I'm drafting I look at the cards and feel like it can be effective, but as soon as I face someone else I realize my deck is absolute garbage.
Here are my two most recent drafts:
Time: 17/09/2013 8:51:09 PM
Players:
miltontheboywonder
sn1p3r
Engris
--> 5eraph
------ M14 ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Pacifism
Merfolk Spy
Plummet
Air Servant
Frost Breath
Forest
Shimmering Grotto
Flames of the Firebrand
Mark of the Vampire
Blur Sliver
Undead Minotaur
--> Awaken the Ancient
Seismic Stomp
Predatory Sliver
Fortify
Pack 1 pick 2:
--> Essence Scatter
Wild Ricochet
Wall of Frost
Solemn Offering
Merfolk Spy
Forest
Mark of the Vampire
Blur Sliver
Seismic Stomp
Academy Raider
Lay of the Land
Capashen Knight
Predatory Sliver
Fireshrieker
Pack 1 pick 3:
Mind Rot
Goblin Shortcutter
Brindle Boar
Divine Favor
Pay No Heed
Island
Vile Rebirth
Staff of the Sun Magus
Regathan Firecat
Illusionary Armor
--> Seacoast Drake
Liturgy of Blood
Fireshrieker
Pack 1 pick 4:
Coral Merfolk
Shrivel
Armored Cancrix
Plains
Hunt the Weak
Regathan Firecat
Fleshpulper Giant
Striking Sliver
--> Messenger Drake
Elvish Mystic
Serra Angel
Fortify
Pack 1 pick 5:
Merfolk Spy
Plummet
--> Air Servant
Frost Breath
Forest
Shimmering Grotto
Mark of the Vampire
Blur Sliver
Undead Minotaur
Seismic Stomp
Fortify
Pack 1 pick 6:
Wall of Frost
Solemn Offering
Merfolk Spy
Forest
Mark of the Vampire
Blur Sliver
Seismic Stomp
--> Academy Raider
Lay of the Land
Capashen Knight
Pack 1 pick 7:
Mind Rot
--> Goblin Shortcutter
Brindle Boar
Divine Favor
Pay No Heed
Island
Vile Rebirth
Staff of the Sun Magus
Illusionary Armor
Pack 1 pick 8:
Coral Merfolk
Shrivel
Armored Cancrix
Plains
Hunt the Weak
Fleshpulper Giant
--> Elvish Mystic
Fortify
Pack 1 pick 9:
Merfolk Spy
Plummet
--> Frost Breath
Forest
Mark of the Vampire
Undead Minotaur
Fortify
Pack 1 pick 10:
--> Wall of Frost
Solemn Offering
Merfolk Spy
Forest
Mark of the Vampire
Lay of the Land
Pack 1 pick 11:
Mind Rot
--> Divine Favor
Island
Vile Rebirth
Staff of the Sun Magus
Pack 1 pick 12:
Shrivel
Armored Cancrix
Plains
--> Fortify
Pack 1 pick 13:
Forest
Undead Minotaur
--> Fortify
Pack 1 pick 14:
Forest
--> Mark of the Vampire
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Island
------ M14 ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Wall of Swords
Forest
Gladecover Scout
Frost Breath
Garruk's Horde
Altar's Reap
Bramblecrush
Ranger's Guile
Dragon Hatchling
Trained Condor
Celestial Flare
Hive Stirrings
Accursed Spirit
--> Enlarge
Sentinel Sliver
Pack 2 pick 2:
Giant Growth
Time Ebb
Corrupt
Griffin Sentinel
--> Sensory Deprivation
Island
Verdant Haven
Master of Diversion
Soulmender
Staff of the Death Magus
Shadowborn Apostle
Minotaur Abomination
Vial of Poison
Burning Earth
Pack 2 pick 3:
Pacifism
--> Deadly Recluse
Plains
Coral Merfolk
Altar's Reap
Cyclops Tyrant
Staff of the Mind Magus
Staff of the Flame Magus
Academy Raider
Zephyr Charge
Blightcaster
Liturgy of Blood
Naturalize
Pack 2 pick 4:
Suntail Hawk
Duress
Siege Mastodon
Brindle Boar
Elixir of Immortality
Ranger's Guile
Corpse Hauler
--> Molten Birth
Marauding Maulhorn
Festering Newt
Bubbling Cauldron
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 5:
Wall of Swords
Forest
Gladecover Scout
Altar's Reap
Bramblecrush
--> Ranger's Guile
Dragon Hatchling
Trained Condor
Hive Stirrings
Accursed Spirit
Sentinel Sliver
Pack 2 pick 6:
Corrupt
Island
Verdant Haven
--> Master of Diversion
Soulmender
Staff of the Death Magus
Shadowborn Apostle
Minotaur Abomination
Vial of Poison
Burning Earth
Pack 2 pick 7:
Plains
Coral Merfolk
Altar's Reap
Cyclops Tyrant
Staff of the Mind Magus
Staff of the Flame Magus
Blightcaster
Liturgy of Blood
--> Naturalize
Pack 2 pick 8:
Suntail Hawk
Duress
Brindle Boar
--> Ranger's Guile
Corpse Hauler
Festering Newt
Bubbling Cauldron
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 9:
Wall of Swords
Forest
Gladecover Scout
Altar's Reap
--> Bramblecrush
Trained Condor
Accursed Spirit
Pack 2 pick 10:
Island
--> Soulmender
Staff of the Death Magus
Shadowborn Apostle
Minotaur Abomination
Burning Earth
Pack 2 pick 11:
Plains
Altar's Reap
Staff of the Mind Magus
Staff of the Flame Magus
--> Blightcaster
Pack 2 pick 12:
Suntail Hawk
--> Festering Newt
Bubbling Cauldron
Mountain
Pack 2 pick 13:
Forest
--> Gladecover Scout
Altar's Reap
Pack 2 pick 14:
Island
--> Staff of the Death Magus
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Plains
------ M14 ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Giant Growth
Tome Scour
--> Divination
Act of Treason
Sengir Vampire
Fog
Swamp
Angelic Wall
Charging Griffin
Angelic Accord
Seismic Stomp
Festering Newt
Fiendslayer Paladin
Darksteel Ingot
Child of Night
Pack 3 pick 2:
--> Cancel
Pillarfield Ox
Thunder Strike
Chandra's Outrage
Nightwing Shade
Swamp
Briarpack Alpha
Archaeomancer
Wild Guess
Syphon Sliver
Young Pyromancer
Regathan Firecat
Rumbling Baloth
Deathgaze Cockatrice
Pack 3 pick 3:
Diabolic Tutor
Pacifism
Time Ebb
Deadly Recluse
Merfolk Spy
Swamp
Verdant Haven
Soulmender
Shadowborn Apostle
--> Enlarge
Savage Summoning
Voracious Wurm
Gnawing Zombie
Pack 3 pick 4:
Plains
Goblin Shortcutter
Shrivel
Cyclops Tyrant
Soulmender
Staff of the Death Magus
Dragon Egg
Vampire Warlord
Accursed Spirit
--> Savage Summoning
Seacoast Drake
Lay of the Land
Pack 3 pick 5:
--> Giant Growth
Tome Scour
Fog
Swamp
Angelic Wall
Charging Griffin
Angelic Accord
Seismic Stomp
Festering Newt
Darksteel Ingot
Child of Night
Pack 3 pick 6:
Pillarfield Ox
Thunder Strike
Nightwing Shade
Swamp
Briarpack Alpha
Archaeomancer
Wild Guess
Regathan Firecat
--> Rumbling Baloth
Deathgaze Cockatrice
Pack 3 pick 7:
Diabolic Tutor
Merfolk Spy
Swamp
Verdant Haven
Soulmender
Shadowborn Apostle
--> Savage Summoning
Voracious Wurm
Gnawing Zombie
Pack 3 pick 8:
Plains
Shrivel
Cyclops Tyrant
Soulmender
Staff of the Death Magus
Vampire Warlord
--> Seacoast Drake
Lay of the Land
Pack 3 pick 9:
Tome Scour
Fog
Swamp
--> Angelic Wall
Angelic Accord
Festering Newt
Child of Night
Pack 3 pick 10:
Pillarfield Ox
Thunder Strike
Nightwing Shade
Swamp
--> Archaeomancer
Wild Guess
Pack 3 pick 11:
Swamp
--> Verdant Haven
Soulmender
Shadowborn Apostle
Gnawing Zombie
Pack 3 pick 12:
Plains
Soulmender
Staff of the Death Magus
--> Lay of the Land
Pack 3 pick 13:
Swamp
--> Angelic Accord
Child of Night
Pack 3 pick 14:
--> Pillarfield Ox
Swamp
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Swamp
and the second one:
Time: 17/09/2013 9:50:01 PM
Players:
Woenutbutter
Verdantx3
geosburn117
--> 5eraph
------ M14 ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Wall of Swords
Solemn Offering
Coral Merfolk
Shrivel
Quag Sickness
Trollhide
--> Garruk's Horde
Angelic Wall
Plains
Stonehorn Chanter
Marauding Maulhorn
Striking Sliver
Seacoast Drake
Gnawing Zombie
Naturalize
Pack 1 pick 2:
Diabolic Tutor
Lava Axe
Howl of the Night Pack
Solemn Offering
Siege Mastodon
Glimpse the Future
Brindle Boar
Gladecover Scout
Divine Favor
Island
Archaeomancer
--> Galerider Sliver
Striking Sliver
Seacoast Drake
Pack 1 pick 3:
--> Shock
Wall of Swords
Griffin Sentinel
Thunder Strike
Trollhide
Fog
Bramblecrush
Island
Into the Wilds
Groundshaker Sliver
Sporemound
Sentinel Sliver
Blood Bairn
Pack 1 pick 4:
Wall of Frost
Mountain
Siege Mastodon
--> Brindle Boar
Pitchburn Devils
Ranger's Guile
Vile Rebirth
Syphon Sliver
Soulmender
Spell Blast
Lightning Talons
Lay of the Land
Pack 1 pick 5:
Wall of Swords
Solemn Offering
Coral Merfolk
Shrivel
Trollhide
Angelic Wall
Plains
Stonehorn Chanter
--> Striking Sliver
Gnawing Zombie
Naturalize
Pack 1 pick 6:
Lava Axe
Howl of the Night Pack
Solemn Offering
Siege Mastodon
Glimpse the Future
Brindle Boar
Divine Favor
Island
--> Striking Sliver
Seacoast Drake
Pack 1 pick 7:
Wall of Swords
Griffin Sentinel
--> Thunder Strike
Trollhide
Fog
Bramblecrush
Island
Groundshaker Sliver
Sentinel Sliver
Pack 1 pick 8:
Mountain
Siege Mastodon
Ranger's Guile
Vile Rebirth
Soulmender
Spell Blast
--> Lightning Talons
Lay of the Land
Pack 1 pick 9:
Wall of Swords
Solemn Offering
Coral Merfolk
Angelic Wall
Plains
Stonehorn Chanter
--> Naturalize
Pack 1 pick 10:
Solemn Offering
Siege Mastodon
Glimpse the Future
--> Brindle Boar
Divine Favor
Island
Pack 1 pick 11:
--> Trollhide
Fog
Bramblecrush
Island
Sentinel Sliver
Pack 1 pick 12:
Mountain
Siege Mastodon
Soulmender
--> Spell Blast
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Solemn Offering
Angelic Wall
Plains
Pack 1 pick 14:
--> Siege Mastodon
Island
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Island
------ M14 ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Doom Blade
Duress
Brindle Boar
Elixir of Immortality
Armored Cancrix
--> Traumatize
Trollhide
Frost Breath
Pay No Heed
Plains
Marauding Maulhorn
Minotaur Abomination
Sentinel Sliver
Bubbling Cauldron
Naturalize
Pack 2 pick 2:
Rod of Ruin
Duress
Siege Mastodon
Merfolk Spy
--> Shiv's Embrace
Divine Favor
Altar's Reap
Island
Archaeomancer
Dragon Hatchling
Staff of the Sun Magus
Dragon Egg
Rise of the Dark Realms
Lightning Talons
Pack 2 pick 3:
Tome Scour
Giant Spider
Disperse
Canyon Minotaur
Griffin Sentinel
Siege Mastodon
Demolish
Water Servant
Forest
Archaeomancer
Minotaur Abomination
--> Enlarge
Sporemound
Pack 2 pick 4:
Rod of Ruin
Congregate
Solemn Offering
Scroll Thief
Swamp
Pitchburn Devils
Plains
Angelic Wall
Verdant Haven
--> Academy Raider
Sliver Construct
Encroaching Wastes
Pack 2 pick 5:
Duress
Brindle Boar
Armored Cancrix
Trollhide
Pay No Heed
Plains
--> Marauding Maulhorn
Minotaur Abomination
Sentinel Sliver
Bubbling Cauldron
Naturalize
Pack 2 pick 6:
Rod of Ruin
Duress
Siege Mastodon
Merfolk Spy
Altar's Reap
Island
Dragon Hatchling
Staff of the Sun Magus
Rise of the Dark Realms
--> Lightning Talons
Pack 2 pick 7:
Tome Scour
Disperse
Canyon Minotaur
Griffin Sentinel
Siege Mastodon
Demolish
Forest
Minotaur Abomination
--> Sporemound
Pack 2 pick 8:
Rod of Ruin
Congregate
Solemn Offering
Swamp
Plains
Angelic Wall
--> Verdant Haven
Encroaching Wastes
Pack 2 pick 9:
Duress
Brindle Boar
Armored Cancrix
--> Trollhide
Pay No Heed
Plains
Minotaur Abomination
Pack 2 pick 10:
Rod of Ruin
Duress
--> Siege Mastodon
Merfolk Spy
Island
Staff of the Sun Magus
Pack 2 pick 11:
Tome Scour
--> Canyon Minotaur
Siege Mastodon
Demolish
Forest
Pack 2 pick 12:
Rod of Ruin
Swamp
Plains
--> Encroaching Wastes
Pack 2 pick 13:
--> Duress
Pay No Heed
Plains
Pack 2 pick 14:
--> Island
Staff of the Sun Magus
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Forest
------ M14 ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Suntail Hawk
Plummet
Forest
Gladecover Scout
Altar's Reap
Dragon Hatchling
Trained Condor
--> Kalonian Tusker
Advocate of the Beast
Hive Stirrings
Undead Minotaur
Grim Return
Artificer's Hex
Zephyr Charge
Opportunity
Pack 3 pick 2:
Congregate
Cancel
--> Plummet
Accorder's Shield
Auramancer
Trollhide
Mountain
Sensory Deprivation
Cyclops Tyrant
Manaweft Sliver
Corpse Hauler
Sporemound
Capashen Knight
Quicken
Pack 3 pick 3:
Pillarfield Ox
Accorder's Shield
Swamp
Wild Guess
Bonescythe Sliver
Undead Minotaur
Seismic Stomp
Mountain
Lay of the Land
Millstone
--> Barrage of Expendables
Capashen Knight
Child of Night
Pack 3 pick 4:
Wall of Swords
Mind Rot
Giant Spider
Wild Ricochet
Goblin Shortcutter
--> Chandra's Outrage
Divine Favor
Dark Favor
Bramblecrush
Island
Show of Valor
Striking Sliver
Pack 3 pick 5:
Suntail Hawk
Plummet
Forest
Gladecover Scout
Dragon Hatchling
Trained Condor
--> Advocate of the Beast
Hive Stirrings
Undead Minotaur
Artificer's Hex
Zephyr Charge
Pack 3 pick 6:
Congregate
Accorder's Shield
Auramancer
Trollhide
Mountain
Sensory Deprivation
Cyclops Tyrant
--> Sporemound
Capashen Knight
Quicken
Pack 3 pick 7:
Pillarfield Ox
Accorder's Shield
Swamp
Wild Guess
--> Seismic Stomp
Mountain
Millstone
Capashen Knight
Child of Night
Pack 3 pick 8:
Wall of Swords
Mind Rot
--> Goblin Shortcutter
Divine Favor
Dark Favor
Island
Show of Valor
Striking Sliver
Pack 3 pick 9:
Suntail Hawk
--> Plummet
Forest
Dragon Hatchling
Hive Stirrings
Artificer's Hex
Zephyr Charge
Pack 3 pick 10:
Congregate
--> Accorder's Shield
Auramancer
Mountain
Capashen Knight
Quicken
Pack 3 pick 11:
Pillarfield Ox
--> Accorder's Shield
Swamp
Mountain
Capashen Knight
Pack 3 pick 12:
Divine Favor
Dark Favor
Island
--> Striking Sliver
Pack 3 pick 13:
Suntail Hawk
Forest
--> Artificer's Hex
Pack 3 pick 14:
--> Auramancer
Mountain
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Mountain
I think one of my problems is when I see a card that is really powerful I still take it because I'm afraid of it being used against me when there may be a better card for my deck at that point.
Don't worry, I didn't find it condescending, it actually made a lot of sense. The problem I think is summed up very well with your 1st point at the end. I don't really think of the cards as a deck, but rather sit on just colour choices: blue/red or green/blue or whatever as opposed to what type of deck and synergy I hope to accomplish.
Draft #1
Pack 1 pick 1: Air Servant (!) over Flames of the Firebrand (!) over Pacifism over Predatory Sliver over Awaken the Ancient (you have completely misevaluated the strength of AtA)
Pack 1 pick 3: Liturgy of Blood over Seacoast Drake (but I'll assume you are UR here and draft as that, although given the terrible signals you sent in the first pack I'm not surprised if this draft turns out as a trainwreck)
Pack 2 pick 3: Academy Raider over Deadly Recluse (what? have you decided to abandon the red and draft UG?)
Pack 2 pick 4: Ranger's Guile over Marauding Maulhorn over Molten Birth (or you havn't. do you know what colours you are at this point in the draft?)
Pack 2 pick 5: Trained Condor over Ranger's Guile
Pack 2 pick 6: Verdant Haven over Master of Diversion (uh.... a white card? really?)
Pack 2 pick 7: Naturalize (kinda surprised you didn't take Liturgy of Blood here just to round out the colours)
Pack 2 pick 9: Trained Condor over Bramblecrush
Pack 3 pick 2: Briarpack Alpha(!) over Rumbling Baloth over Chandra's Outrage over Archaeomancer over Young Pyromancer over Regathan Firecat over Cancel (if you are UR or UG, just ignore the cards I picked that are not in your colours)
Pack 3 pick 3: Enlarge (ok, I have to assume you are UG now)
Pack 3 pick 4: Seacoast Drake over Savage Summoning
Pack 3 pick 6: Briarpack Alpha(!!!) over Rumbling Baloth
Pack 3 pick 7: Voracious Wurm over Verdant Haven over Savage Summoning
So yeah, some pretty wild card evaluations there. The best cards you saw were Air Servant, Flames of the Firebrand, Serra Angel and Briarpack Alpha. You could and should have ended up with 2 Air Servant 2 Briarpack Alpha.
I think your problem is that you don't even know what a good card is yet. You should start with bombs, then stay in those colours, so that you can play your bombs.
Draft #2
Pack 1 pick 1: Quag Sickness over Garruk's Horde (but the rare is ok)
Pack 1 pick 2: Howl of the Night Pack over Seacoast Drake over Archaeomancer over Galerider Sliver (you seem to overvalue rares)
Pack 1 pick 3: Trollhide over Shock (gah! 3 colours in 3 picks AGAIN)
Pack 1 pick 4: Wall of Frost over Brindle Boar
Pack 1 pick 5: Trollhide over Striking Sliver
Pack 1 pick 6: Seacoast Drake over Striking Sliver
Pack 1 pick 7: Thunder Strike (ok, I'll draft as UR from here, since that seems to be what you are drafting)
Pack 1 pick 9: Coral Merfolk over Naturalize
Pack 1 pick 10: Glimpse the Future over Brindle Boar
After pack 1 I am unclear as to what your two colours are.
Pack 2 pick 1: Marauding Maulhorn over Brindle Boar over Frost Breath over Doom Blade over Elixir of Immortality over literally every other card in the pack over Traumatize (did you take this because it was a rare?)
Pack 2 pick 2: Archaeomancer over Rod of Ruin over Shiv's Embrace
Pack 2 pick 3: Water Servant over Archaeomancer over Enlarge (wait, what colours are you? GR now?)
Pack 2 pick 5: Marauding Maulhorn (ok, I'll no assume you are GR)
Pack 2 pick 9: Brindle Boar over Trollhide
Pack 2 pick 10: Rod of Ruin over Siege Mastodon
Pack 2 pick 12: Rod of Ruin over Encroaching Wastes (you'd like not to play it, but Rod is a decent removal spell vs board stalls)
Pack 3 pick 2: Manaweft Sliver over Plummet
Pack 3 pick 3: Accorder's Shield over Barrage of Expendables
You mentioned a couple of times that you lost in the first round and were done in tournaments. As a new player, I highly recommend that you avoid single elimination drafts or tournaments. It's very hard to learn when you don't get to play. When you only play one game at a time, it can skew your card evaluations.
In one game, it's easy to jump to conclusions about a card that really worked well, or a card that really did nothing. Those may be isolated incidents. But if you get to play multiple times with the same cards, patterns will emerge. "Huh, every time I draw that card, I wish it was something else." "I've seen that card beat me 3 times now. Maybe I was underestimating it." And, of course, it's always good to also look for not just what cards ended the game, but what cards set up the end of the game. Don't just dwell on the last five points of damage. Sometimes there's more to learn from the first 15.
I struggled for a while because I would see something work for my opponent or not work for me one time, and make a hard decision about it. I was blind to the fact that sometimes a card worked in a very specific situation with a very specific deck. Or a card wouldn't work well, but that was actually the exception. There are always cards that are obviously good or obviously bad, but it's the other cards that make the game interesting. Very good magic players can have differing opinions about certain cards. It may have to do with color preference or a style of play, but good players don't agree about all the cards.
Also, don't be scared about what cards you are passing. In an 8 player draft, you may never play the guy who gets that great card, or you might play him and never see it played. If there is a card that will help your deck, take it. There have been tons of discussions about this very subject on this forum, but in my experience, hate-drafting should only happen if there are no cards in the pack that you have any chance of playing. This may mean that you pass a card that you "have no answer for," but that's ok. I wish I was better with odds, but I do know that there is a much better chance of never seeing it played against you than there is of seeing it played against you.
Good luck, and keep at it.
Keep in mind, when dealing with different signals from Packs 1 and Packs 2 always side with the people from Pack 1. They pass you cards twice, not once.
Aside from going U/R, which I think for M14 is kinda weak in limited, you didn't stay in your color when you had choices that were available. This means you are sending mixed signals; and you are not reading the signals you are being given, in this case White.
P1P1: Awaken the Ancient is a good card. Personally I would have taken Air Servant or Pacifism over it, but not a bad choice either way.
P1P2: Essence Scatter is a good card.
P1P3: Nothing overly exciting, a good choice.
P1P4: Serra Angel came around, that is a white signal. Serra Angel can win you games. You have 2 Blue (1 a flier) and only 1 Red card. Grab Serra Angel and consider dropping Red for White and going U/W fliers. Otherwise it was a good choice.
P1P5: Air Servant was definitely the right choice. You now have 2 Blue fliers both of which are solid cards.
P1P6: Academy Raider is good, but I think Wall of Frost is better. More control oriented, which suits Blue. And it would have kept you open for potential White switch.
P1P7: A good card. If you had Serra Angel from earlier you could have switched and taken either Divine Favor or Pay No Heed. Probably your best choice since you didn't take the White signal.
P1P8: Elvish Mystic? Here is where your draft derailed, imo. You have two playable, if not great, blue creatures available. You've not seen many good Green cards, so someone passing your way is in Green or Green is bad in this Pack. Either way, you should have taken a playable creature.
P1P9: I like it. Frost Breath does good things when you need to keep your opponent on lockdown.
P1P10: Solid choice, keeps your ground clear.
P1P11: Nothing playable in U/R, so hate draft. Since nothing in your colors, choose your most annoying threat.
P1P12: Stay in color, take the Armored Cancrix instead.
Pack 2: You make all sorts of weird choices in this pack. You were looking good for Mono-Blue or staying in Blue/Red, so stick with your game plan. (White: This would have been my choice having swapped to White) You also weren't seeing much good Blue, but that means you can starve them of Blue the next rotation. Since you have been taking Blue, this is bad for them more than it is bad for you. You seem like you all of a sudden want to go Green. No good Green cards came your way during pack 1, meaning someone to your right is probably in Green and you shouldn't take it.
P2P1: You are U/R, don't take Enlarge. Dragon Hatchling would have given you another flier, with firebreathing, that works well with your Air Servant that can keep the skies open to get through. (White: Celestial Flare)
P2P2: Yes! Blue removal. Done.
P2P3: Academy Raider, Cyclops Tyrant, or Zephyr Charge. Don't be grabbing Green when you aren't playing Green, as annoying as Deadly Recluse can be. (White: Pacifism and possibly a White signal)
P2P4: Molten Birth is a solid card, but you've seen nothing that combos well with it. i.e. Young Pyromancer. Marauding Maulhorn was probably a stronger choice, but Molten Birth is still playable.
P2P5: Trained Condor, you could have made your Ancient fly. (White: Wall of Swords, another possible White signal)
P2P6: Master of Diversion was the white choice and you are definitely being given White signals; Vial of Poison would probably have suited your deck better.
P2P7: 1 Blue, 1 Red, Blue staff. Naturalize isn't even much of a threat to your earlier cards. This pick confuses me.
P2P8: Nothing useful. (White: Suntail Hawk)
P2P9: Trained Condor.
P2P10: Nothing exciting, take Burning Earth.
P2P11: Its too late to start acting on the Black signals from this pack. Take one of the Staff cards instead, probably Mind.
P2P12-15: Nothing wrong with these choices.
In Pack 3 White and Blue look open to you, and Green was closed off to you. There were some Red cards, but not a lot. People to your right were likely in R/G and G/B.
As a wrinkle in that format, the packs go dry extremely quickly, so you tend to want more 'goodstuff' cards, as well as manafixing (so you can splash for doom blades). Blue and Green are probably the two best colours for that in M14 since they are the deepest colours. Just make sure to cut the colours so other people go into different colours themselves.
Which is here.
As an aside, I'd recommend 8-player drafts whenever you have a choice. The trouble with 4-player is that the deck power levels end up all over the place and the signals are often terrible. It's not a good learning environment.
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
Also, I'll definitely post further draft critique requests in the appropriate forum.