Drafting with Big Nass, RTR #4

Posted on November 12, 2012

Welcome back, everyone, to the latest installment of Drafting with Big Nass. Before we get started, I want to thank everyone who has subscribed to my YouTube channel. I must admit that I was fairly skeptical that anyone would want to watch me draft for two hours, but the response has been really great. I recently hit a hundred subscribers, and you guys are the reason I keep putting myself out there, misplays and all. I don’t think I would have continued producing videos without you. I don’t want my appreciation for your interest and support to go unrecognized, as I have a bit of bad news for fans of the current Draft format.

I’m afraid I have a bit of a confession to make: I haven’t really been enjoying Return to Ravnica Limited that much. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either. It’s a little hard for me to articulate why, but my current losing streak is probably a big part of it. Between Avacyn Restored and Return to Ravnica, I’ve lost the relatively sizable bankroll I built up from Innistrad. I don’t want to make it seem as though I dislike a format just because I suck at it—that isn’t the case. I’m usually pretty good about handling losses, and I can definitely still have fun while losing, but even I have my limit. I’m not going to say I won’t be doing any more Return to Ravnica Drafts, but I’m not going to do them every week anymore. I might start doing more Constructed once I work out some of the logistics.

It’s also been a while since I’ve written actual articles, partly because I’ve been enjoying doing the Draft videos, but also because I haven’t been paying much attention to the competitive scene. Because my school schedule prevents me from playing in most non-local Magic tournaments, I have a dramatically reduced incentive to keep up with “the grind.” So, the main challenge for me is to find interesting topics to discuss, but I think I can manage. As always, any feedback you guys have is appreciated.

Enough of this introspection; you guys came here to see a Draft, and I am duty-bound (heh, heh . . . duty) to deliver! Another week, another guild. This week, I have an Azorius deck that may or may not have gone according to plan. I also may or may not have rare-drafted several times.

You guys know the drill; text recap follows the video links.

Draft

Match 1, Game 1

Match 1, Game 2

Match 1, Game 3

Match 2, Game 1

Match 2, Game 2

Match 2, Game 3

Pack 1, Pick 1:

My Pick:

I warned you guys that I was going to rare-draft. To be fair, it is the actual best card in the pack.

Pack 1, Pick 2:

My Pick:

It’s not often you’re passed a chase rare. I’m guessing the person passing to me opened a foil one. Rakdos's Return is pretty darn good in Limited as well, and I like Rakdos more than Azorius anyway, so I’m willing to abandon my first pick if that’s the way the Draft goes.

Pack 1, Pick 3:

My Pick:

A third-pick Guildmage is a pretty good sign that I should be drafting Azorius. I’ve splashed him before in a Golgari deck, so you know he means business.

Pack 1, Pick 4:

My Pick:

Thrill-Kill Assassin is probably the best 2-drop for the Rakdos deck, but I’ve made my decision to go into Azorius. Had I not first-picked the Detention Sphere, I probably would have stuck with Rakdos.

Pack 1, Pick 5:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 6:

My Pick:

Azorius decks thrive on their ability to detain over and over, so Inaction Injunction can be really important.

Pack 1, Pick 7:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 8:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 9:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 10:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 11:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 12:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 13:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 14:

My Pick:

Pack 1, Pick 15:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 1:

My Pick:

Two for two on Azorius rares!

Pack 2, Pick 2:

My Pick:

Jeeeeeez. I feel as though I’m going to be screwed no matter what I do here. I think Martial Law is the best option, but not by a wide margin. I hate having to pass Azorius Charm here.

Pack 2, Pick 3:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 4:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 5:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 6:

My Pick:

Oh man, that’s a late Bloodfray Giant. I really wish I went Rakdos now.

Pack 2, Pick 7:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 8:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 9:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 10:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 11:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 12:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 13:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 14:

My Pick:

Pack 2, Pick 15:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 1:

My Pick:

Wow, this is an awful pack. I actually considered taking Aquus Steed first.

Pack 3, Pick 2:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 3:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 4:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 5:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 6:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 7:

My Pick:

I’m criminally short on detain effects; otherwise, I might have taken the Trostani's Judgment.

Pack 3, Pick 8:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 9:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 10:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 11:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 12:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 13:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 14:

My Pick:

Pack 3, Pick 15:

My Pick:

This draft converter created by Benjamin Peebles-Mundy.

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Here’s what I submitted:

"Almost-Rakdos Azorius Draft"

Lands (17)
8 Island
9 Plains

I’ll be honest: I wasn’t thrilled with how the deck turned out. It has some good cards, sure, but a lot of mediocre ones, too. It outperformed my expectations, but that still wasn’t enough to make it to the finals. At the very least, I highly suggest you watch the semi-finals in which my opponent was not pleased when I played my Detention Sphere. It was a close match, and it came down to my opponent’s Trostani completely swinging the game around for him.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the Draft. I don’t know when Drafting with Big Nass will be back, but I’ll certainly be back next week for shenanigans of some sort.

Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next time.

Nassim Ketita

arcticninja on Magic Online

http://www.youtube.com/nketita

TAGS articles, draft, video, limited, drafting, nassim ketita, recap, return to ravnica