Sometimes life gives us hints. Fortune Tellers claim to see these hints and know the future. Others declare these hints a Prophecy of things to come. While others say it's all coincidence. I don't know if I'm a believer in reading tea leaves or not but recently I've had multiple events leading me to a rather strange deck idea. Today I would like to share those events and the deck that came from them with you.

The Fortune Cookie

"To Understand Death is to Enjoy Life". I rarely remember my fortunes when we get Chinese. My daughters love Chinese food so we get it at least once a week. Most of the time we just add "in bed" behind the saying and laugh about it. This one stuck with me. At the time it was because of the Irony "in bed' gives it. But now I realize that it was a subtle hint about the card my deck tries to abuse. In fact if the card had a flavor text it could be that exact fortune.

A Pack War

The card that I'm focusing on thrust itself into my attention during a Pack War with Michael Flores. During our War one card saved me and won the game outright…..

You look like you have a question….

A "pack war" is my favorite way to open packs. You and your opponent open a pack face down. Remove the token and add nine land cards. Each land is a City of Brass without the pain. Draw seven and play. If you do it enough in a set you find yourself playing every possible card and finding interactions you've never considered. In a pack war you also gain the every turn anticipation of "what's the rare?!". Luck plays an extreme role but every player has equal footing.

That wasn't your question….

Oh, Michael Flores. I see your confusion. "THE" Michael Flores and I follow each other on Twitter but have no contact other than that. While I would love to sit down and play a game with one of the best writers on the web my Michael Flores is a 16 year old high school student. Hopefully that clarifies your confusion.

Anyway I was in the middle of pack a war with Michael Flores. He had a weenie pack with some quick attackers while I had some real winners like Twisted Image, Tel-Jilad Defiance, and Accorders Shield in my hand. Fortunately I hit a Contagion Clasp and Contagion Engine so by turn 7 his early field presence was gone. I still would have lost the game to an Engulfing Slagwurm if it wasn't for my MVP.

As Flores lost due to the fact he had no cards in his deck. We both were amazed as how great his pack should have been compared to mine. "I would have never guessed that _____________ would win me a game" I said in disbelief.

Drafting that very night

At home that night it was a rare occasion. We actually had no activities or events on the schedule so I got to sit at my computer long enough for a draft online. I can't remember all the cards that were available every pick but I recall a few.

Pick One – Grindclock, Grafted Exoskeleton (foil), Turn to Slag, Instill Infection, Contagious Nim, and Dispense Justice. I almost grabbed the Grafted Exoskeleton since it was a Mananation preview card and it was shiny. Sometimes I would grab the Nim and go for the Infect. Instead I took the Dispense Justice. Metalcraft is pretty doable and a 2 for 1 is very valuable especially in game one when many players aren't worried about it.

Pick Two – Contagion Engine. After using this card so effectively in the Pack War I was surprised to see it was passed. Honestly I didn't even look at the other cards. Just pick and click.

Pick Three – Thrummingbird, Flesh Allergy, Seize the Initiative, Blade-Tribe Berserkers, and Stoic Rebuttal. No Poison in the pack made me lean further to the Metalcraft side of things. The Berserkers weren't that tempting so I went the control route with Stoic Rebuttal.

Pick Four – Memoricide, Grindclock (foil), Auriok Sunchaser, Blight Mamba, Plague Stinger, and Veldalken Certach. This is where I had an Epiphany. The fact that two rares where passed to the fourth pick signaled that at least half of the pod wasn't rare drafting. Secondly, a duplicate rare was available for someone to build around. Third, seeing Blight Mamba and Plague Stinger would indicate that Poison could be a viable option. It didn't really jib with the fact that the prior pack had no poisons but I figured that there was better odds of a no poison pack. I pounced on the Grindclock hoping the other would make its way around to me again. Now I start drafting the D.

Pick Five and Beyond- Now I start to be amazed at what cards fall my way. First, the other Grindclock works its way around the table. Second, it seems that some cards that fit my deck idea extremely well are also very unappreciated in draft. Truth be told I wouldn't normally draft them either but this night things just fit. I was able to grab 5 copies of my MVP from the Pack War as well as a Tutor for it. White as a color seemed to be underdrafted as I was able to grab a 3^rd and 4^th pick Arrest on Pack three as well as a second Dispense Justice on a later pick. Of course the early picks from each pack were the standard if you can get it, grab it. It's the picks 7 and above when your often just grabbing garbage I found perfect fits and synergy.

The list I'm about to show you won the 4-3-2-2 draft to gain me 4 packs plus a Foil Mythic so I ended up way ahead. But first the MVP.

The List

I ended up playing this list.

[cardlist]

2 Wall of Tanglecord

1 Trinket Mage

1 Thrummingbird

2 Steady Progress

2 Revoke Existence

2 Dispense Justice

2 Arrest

1 Elspeth Tirel

1 Tumble Magnet

1 Trigon of Corruption

2 Grindclock

5 Golden Urn

1 Contagion Engine

1 Contagion Clasp

2 Glimmerpost

6 Island

8 Plains

[/cardlist]

Some things to note: On my way to victory I only played Elspeth once. Trigon of Corruption, Contagion Engine, plus six mana is awesome! In one game I won but didn't see a Grindclock until half my deck was gone. 4 Urn's used with bonus from Steady Progress and Clasp helped me live to see the Clock chime. Grindclock with an active Engine is a quick mill in Limited. Magnet plus Clasp plus a few Urns can make any game go long. This maybe the only time I've liked having a Steady Progress in a draft deck. And last, I was very lucky no one I faced was a Poison lover.

Can It Work?

With all of these signs and a binder full of the cards I need I think I may build the deck for block. I don't think it will hold in standard since one Eldrazi in the sideboard and its game over. The odds of hitting one of four Urns in a sixty card deck are much less than hitting one of five in a forty as well. But who knows. Here is what I'm thinking. Feel free to hit the comments or forums with ideas. I fully expect it to be thrashed but that's what happens when you follow Fortune Cookies.

"Grinding Ash"

• (60)
• 4 Glimmerpost
• 4 Seachrome Coast
• 10 Plains
• 6 Island
• 4 Trinket Mage
• 2 Revoke Existence
• 4 Dispense Justice
• 4 Arrest
• 2 Elspeth Tirel
• 3 Tumble Magnet
• 2 Trigon of Corruption
• 4 Grindclock
• 4 Golden Urn
• 3 Contagion Engine
• 4 Contagion Clasp

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That’s the class for this week. Remember, inspiration can come from anywhere at anytime. Also, trying new stuff is always fun even if it’s a train wreck.