CCC #1

As promised, here's my first CCC (4-3-2-2, as that's all they organize) draft; most of the commentary's inline and self-evident.

Pack 1 pick 1:
Traumatic Visions, Rhox Meditant, Zombie Outlander, Kaleidostone, Sedraxis Alchemist, Beacon Behemoth, Lapse of Certainty, Scattershot Archer, Yoke of the Damned, Nacatl Savage, Manaforce Mace, Elder Mastery, Path to Exile, Mark of Asylum, Forest

My pick: Path to Exile - God, what a horrible first pack. No money rare, no great cards; what else is there but Path? I suppose I could take the Mace, but I haven't really gotten a good impression of it yet (note: this changes over the course of this draft...)

Pack 1 pick 2:
Bone Saw, Gleam of Resistance, Sedraxis Alchemist, Vedalken Outlander, Wild Leotau, Dark Temper, Scattershot Archer, Infectious Horror, Worldly Counsel, Quenchable Fire, Nacatl Hunt-Pride, Shard Convergence, Scepter of Fugue, Plains

My pick: Nacatl Hunt-Pride — Leotau, Convergence and Scepter of Fugue are all tempting, but I figure I'll get my fixers, I don't want to commit *too* hard to G/W, and the stick seems mediocre even in a control deck; not horrible, just mediocre. Pride is a beast, and it's recurring pseudo-removal; that's good enough for me.

Pack 1 pick 3:
Fiery Fall, Pestilent Kathari, Valeron Outlander, Armillary Sphere, Aven Trailblazer, Suicidal Charge, Grixis Slavedriver (FOIL), Court Homunculus, Molten Frame, Reliquary Tower, Fleshformer, Scarland Thrinax, Island

My pick: Armillary Sphere — finally I get to take this card! And I have to do it over two fine uncommons (Slavedriver and Fleshformer) and another fixer. :( I think Slavedriver is probably better, but I can't pass Sphere when I don't have one yet.

Pack 1 pick 4:
Bone Saw, Valeron Outlander (FOIL), Canyon Minotaur, Salvage Slasher, Brackwater Elemental, Exploding Borders, Maniacal Rage, Nacatl Outlander, Vagrant Plowbeasts, Reliquary Tower, Skyward Eye Prophets, Island

My pick: Exploding Borders — into the 5CG deck? Why not! Prophets are fine but another 6-drop, and Plowbeasts are a 7(!).

Pack 1 pick 5:
Absorb Vis, Valeron Outlander, Sylvan Bounty, Aven Squire, Pestilent Kathari, Goblin Outlander, Court Homunculus, Worldly Counsel, Might of Alara, Grixis Slavedriver, Swamp

My pick: Grixis Slavedriver — okay, I can't pass up another one.

Pack 1 pick 6:
Fiery Fall, Pestilent Kathari, Valeron Outlander, Suicidal Charge, Constricting Tendrils, Court Homunculus, Molten Frame, View from Above, Countersquall, Forest

My pick: Fiery Fall — yay, more fixing!

Pack 1 pick 7:
Bone Saw, Gleam of Resistance, Wild Leotau, Scattershot Archer, Infectious Horror, Worldly Counsel, Viashino Slaughtermaster, Spore Burst, Island

My pick: Spore Burst — this is a fine defensive card for 5c, keeping the life total high while you take control of the board.

Pack 1 pick 8:
Kranioceros, Mana Cylix, Gleam of Resistance, Vectis Agents, Quenchable Fire, Tukatongue Thallid, Lapse of Certainty, Forest

My pick: Kranioceros — narrowly over Gleam; I think Gleam is one of the best of the landcyclers, but I desperately needed a body.

Pack 1 pick 9:
Traumatic Visions, Lapse of Certainty, Scattershot Archer, Yoke of the Damned, Nacatl Savage, Mark of Asylum, Forest

My pick: Yoke of the Damned — Just In Case.

Pack 1 pick 10:
Bone Saw, Scattershot Archer, Infectious Horror, Worldly Counsel, Quenchable Fire, Plains

My pick: Worldly Counsel — I love this card.

Pack 1 pick 11:
Pestilent Kathari, Suicidal Charge, Molten Frame, Reliquary Tower, Island

My pick: Molten Frame — I probably should have taken Charge here, but I had Esperzoaphobia.

Pack 1 pick 12:
Bone Saw, Canyon Minotaur, Reliquary Tower, Island

My pick: Bone Saw

Pack 1 pick 13:
Pestilent Kathari, Goblin Outlander, Swamp

My pick: Goblin Outlander

Pack 1 pick 14:
Constricting Tendrils, Forest

My pick:
Forest

Pack 2 pick 1:
Parasitic Strix, Matca Rioters, Bone Saw, Drag Down, Canyon Minotaur, Salvage Slasher, Brackwater Elemental, Exploding Borders, Maniacal Rage, Nacatl Outlander, Manaforce Mace, Shard Convergence, Scarland Thrinax, Nyxathid, Mountain

My pick: Drag Down — more desperately-needed removal.

Pack 2 pick 2:
Toxic Iguanar, Traumatic Visions, Mana Cylix, Beacon Behemoth, Zombie Outlander, Infectious Horror, Rhox Bodyguard, Wandering Goblins, Might of Alara, Valiant Guard, Voices from the Void, Cumber Stone, Shambling Remains, Forest

My pick: Voices from the Void — I love this card in this format, and will gladly take it over almost anything. Discard 3 is awesome enough; discard 4-5 will usually win you the game.

Pack 2 pick 3:
Matca Rioters, Darklit Gargoyle, Fiery Fall, Esper Cormorants, Parasitic Strix, Salvage Slasher, Goblin Outlander, Constricting Tendrils, Tukatongue Thallid, Fusion Elemental, Spore Burst, Skyward Eye Prophets, Mountain

My pick: Fusion Elemental — narrowly over Matca Rioters (and Prophets) and I'm still not sure. I have/feel comfortable about finding enough fixers that another Fiery Fall isn't in the running, especially whenI still need good guys.

Pack 2 pick 4:
Darklit Gargoyle, Unsummon, Kranioceros, Faerie Mechanist, Wandering Goblins, Brackwater Elemental, Suicidal Charge, Maniacal Rage, Rotting Rats, Manaforce Mace, Dreadwing, Swamp

My pick: Wandering Goblins — My curve was getting ugly fast.

Pack 2 pick 5:
Toxic Iguanar, Traumatic Visions, Mana Cylix, Beacon Behemoth, Zombie Outlander, Infectious Horror, Rhox Bodyguard, Wandering Goblins, Might of Alara, Valiant Guard, Plains

My pick: Might of Alara — what else? another Goblins?

Pack 2 pick 6:
Frontline Sage, Sylvan Bounty, Canyon Minotaur, Rotting Rats, Asha's Favor, Nacatl Outlander, Grixis Illusionist, Celestial Purge, Cumber Stone, Plains

My pick: Sylvan Bounty — more fixing, whee.

Pack 2 pick 7:
Darklit Gargoyle, Unsummon, Kranioceros, Faerie Mechanist, Wandering Goblins, Suicidal Charge, Maniacal Rage, Rotting Rats, Island

My pick: Kranioceros — I think this guy is sorely underestimated, moreso in SSA than here.

Pack 2 pick 8:
Bone Saw, Vectis Agents (FOIL), Wild Leotau, Scattershot Archer, Infectious Horror, Worldly Counsel, Corrupted Roots, Forest

My pick: Wild Leotau — he didn't end up making the cut, but IMHO he's better than a second Worldly Counsel.

Pack 2 pick 9:
Bone Saw, Canyon Minotaur, Salvage Slasher, Maniacal Rage, Manaforce Mace, Scarland Thrinax, Mountain

My pick: Manaforce Mace — this late, why not? Thrinax was the other plausible pick.

Pack 2 pick 10:
Toxic Iguanar, Zombie Outlander, Infectious Horror, Wandering Goblins, Valiant Guard, Forest

My pick: Wandering Goblins — at least I'm getting some guys.

Pack 2 pick 11:
Darklit Gargoyle, Salvage Slasher, Goblin Outlander, Constricting Tendrils, Mountain

My pick: Darklit Gargoyle — D-draft, but I wasn't going to be short on Outlanders.

Pack 2 pick 12:
Faerie Mechanist, Maniacal Rage, Rotting Rats, Swamp

My pick: Faerie Mechanist

Pack 2 pick 13:
Wandering Goblins, Valiant Guard, Plains

My pick: Wandering Goblins — Yeah, I do love these guys.

Pack 2 pick 14:
Rotting Rats, Plains

My pick: Plains

Pack 3 pick 1:
Absorb Vis, Valeron Outlander, Sylvan Bounty, Filigree Fracture (FOIL), Pestilent Kathari, Dark Temper, Goblin Outlander, Court Homunculus, Worldly Counsel, Might of Alara, Voices from the Void, View from Above, Elder Mastery, Cylian Sunsinger, Forest

My pick: Voices from the Void — there isn't much else in the pack anyway, and two increases my chances of doing dumb things with it.

Pack 3 pick 2:
Darklit Gargoyle, Unsummon, Armillary Sphere, Kranioceros, Faerie Mechanist, Wandering Goblins, Absorb Vis (FOIL), Suicidal Charge, Maniacal Rage, Rotting Rats, Paragon of the Amesha, Jhessian Balmgiver, Volcanic Fallout, Mountain

My pick: Volcanic Fallout — I'd love Sphere or the WURGB guy, but with a deck this defensive, mini-Wrath seems hands-down best.

Pack 3 pick 3:
Frontline Sage, Aven Squire, Wretched Banquet, Sylvan Bounty, Canyon Minotaur, Rotting Rats, Asha's Favor, Nacatl Outlander, Grixis Illusionist, Ignite Disorder, Cumber Stone, Esperzoa, Swamp

My pick: Esperzoa — d-drafting as I realized I have serious issues with the 'zoa and there's nothing great in the pack for me. Wretched Banquet maybe?

Pack 3 pick 4:
Absorb Vis, Valeron Outlander, Sylvan Bounty, Aven Squire, Pestilent Kathari, Dark Temper, Goblin Outlander, Court Homunculus, Worldly Counsel, Might of Alara, Nacatl Hunt-Pride, Plains

My pick: Absorb Vis — another Pride would be great, but more fixing's better.

Pack 3 pick 5:
Toxic Iguanar, Traumatic Visions, Mana Cylix, Beacon Behemoth, Infectious Horror, Rhox Bodyguard, Wandering Goblins, Might of Alara, Valiant Guard, Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer, Mountain

My pick: Wandering Goblins — Still a huge fan.

Pack 3 pick 6:
Absorb Vis, Sylvan Bounty, Pestilent Kathari, Goblin Outlander, Court Homunculus, Wretched Banquet (FOIL), Might of Alara, Countersquall, Scepter of Fugue, Mountain

My pick: Absorb Vis

Pack 3 pick 7:
Unsummon, Unsummon (FOIL), Wandering Goblins, Brackwater Elemental, Suicidal Charge, Maniacal Rage, Rotting Rats, Jhessian Balmgiver, Forest

My pick: Unsummon (FOIL) — Goblins? :-)

Pack 3 pick 8: Traumatic Visions, Zombie Outlander, Scattershot Archer (FOIL), Lapse of Certainty, Scattershot Archer, Yoke of the Damned, Nacatl Savage, Plains

My pick: Traumatic Visions — which should have made my deck over the green one I played.

Pack 3 pick 9:
Valeron Outlander, Goblin Outlander, Court Homunculus, Worldly Counsel, Might of Alara, View from Above, Forest

My pick: Goblin Outlander

Pack 3 pick 10:
Kranioceros, Wandering Goblins, Suicidal Charge, Maniacal Rage, Rotting Rats, Mountain

My pick: Suicidal Charge

Pack 3 pick 11:
Canyon Minotaur, Rotting Rats, Asha's Favor, Grixis Illusionist, Swamp

My pick: Canyon Minotaur

Pack 3 pick 12:
Goblin Outlander, Court Homunculus, Worldly Counsel, Plains

My pick: Worldly Counsel

Pack 3 pick 13:
Mana Cylix, Valiant Guard, Mountain

My pick: Mountain

Pack 3 pick 14:
Goblin Outlander, Mountain

My pick: Goblin Outlander

The deck:
4x Wandering Goblin
Spore Burst
Fusion Elemental
2x Kranioceros
Nacatl Hunt-Pride
Grixis Slave-Driver

Path to Exile
Armillary Sphere
2x Absorb Vis
Fiery Fall
Sylvan Bounty
2x Worldly Counsel
Drag Down
Volcanic Fallout
Exploding Borders
Manaforce Mace
2x Voices from the Void

It feels a little removal-light, and boy is it top-heavy; I lost my first game to a 1550 who played T1 Kederekt Parasite ('if you control a red creature, you may deal 1 damage to target opponent when they draw a card') and dealt me probably 15 with it (I stayed alive off of Absorb Vis and Sylvan Bounty to buy more time but never drew Fallout). On the other hand, he was playing way too many 5c spells (3x Elder Mastery, the 6-mana Grixis enchantment) and creatures with color-activated abilities and multiple Ancient Ziggurats that couldn't pay for either, and not nearly enough actual mana fixing, so I rolled him in the other two games.

I walked over a couple of better decks in the next two rounds, one 5cG and one Esper/5c, mostly on the back of Voices from the Void vs. slower controlling decks; the Esper player, after going beatdown early and still having a beatdown-ish deck — and knowing that mine had to be insanely controllish — failed the 'who's the beatdown?' test and tried to take the control role over me, not playing out guys (like Parasitic Strix w/ a UB creature on the board already) and instead holding back for Traumatic Visions and Countersquall on my spells. Of course, I just poked with test spells, landed a Voices and then started getting my guys out once he didn't have a hand, running him over not long after.

The creatures felt clunky, by and large, and Wandering Goblins were worse than hoped as early-game deterrents; but they were fantastic late-game finishers. I had a game where I got to Fallout at my opponent's EOT for their two x/2s and then come over with a Goblin for 15 in one swoop. Manaforce Mace was as clunky as I'd worried, but one still feels fine; it really does a fine job of turning any dork into giant monsters. All of the huge guys at my top end earned their keep; Slave-driver was crazy good and Hunt-Pride did what it was supposed to, picking off dorks and getting one guy through for lethal. I think I would've had more serious issues if anyone had gone Esper aggro, but I tried to protect myself against that plan and I think I did okay by it. Definitely an interesting deck and an interesting draft.