KTK: Team sealed pool #3

My third team sealed pool is below. (It’s also posted on TappedOut if you find that easier to work with.) How would you have built this pool? Post your builds in the comments and I’ll post my build there later in the week, along with the results of some experiments with the team sealed deckbuilding process.

Land
Bloodfell Caves
3 Blossoming Sands
Dismal Backwater
Frontier Bivouac
Jungle Hollow
Nomad Outpost
2 Opulent Palace
Sandsteppe Citadel
Scoured Barrens
3 Swiftwater Cliffs
Thornwood Falls

Artifact
2 Abzan Banner
Briber’s Purse
Dragon Throne of Tarkir
Lens of Clarity

White
Ainok Bond-Kin
2 Alabaster Kirin
Brave the Sands
Erase
2 Firehoof Cavalry
High Sentinels of Arashin
Jeskai Student
2 Mardu Hateblade
2 Mardu Hordechief
Rush of Battle
2 Sage-Eye Harrier
2 Salt Road Patrol
Take Up Arms
War Behemoth

Blue
2 Cancel
2 Crippling Chill
Disdainful Stroke
2 Embodiment of Spring
Icy Blast
Jeskai Elder
Jeskai Windscout
Kheru Spellsnatcher
2 Mystic of the Hidden Way
Quiet Contemplation
Scion of Glaciers
Singing Bell Strike
3 Taigam’s Scheming
Treasure Cruise
Waterwhirl
3 Whirlwind Adept

Black
Bitter Revelation
2 Debilitating Injury
Despise
5 Disowned Ancestor
3 Dutiful Return
Gurmag Swiftwing
Kheru Bloodsucker
Kheru Dreadmaw
4 Krumar Bond-Kin
2 Mardu Skullhunter
2 Mer-Ek Nightblade
Retribution of the Ancients
Rite of the Serpent
Rotting Mastodon
Swarm of Bloodflies
3 Throttle
Unyielding Krumar

Red
2 Act of Treason
3 Ainok Tracker
Arrow Storm
Ashcloud Phoenix
4 Barrage of Boulders
2 Bloodfire Mentor
Burn Away
Goblinslide
Horde Ambusher
2 Hordeling Outburst
2 Mardu Heart-Piercer
Shatter
3 Summit Prowler
Swift Kick
Trumpet Blast
Valley Dasher
War-Name Aspirant

Green
3 Archers’ Parapet
2 Awaken the Bear
Become Immense
3 Feed the Clan
2 Highland Game
4 Hooting Mandrills
2 Kin-Tree Warden
Longshot Squad
Naturalize
Rattleclaw Mystic
Sagu Archer
Scout the Borders
See the Unwritten
2 Tusked Colossodon
Woolly Loxodon

Multicolor
Abomination of Gudul
Abzan Ascendancy
2 Abzan Guide
Chief of the Edge
Crackling Doom
Death Frenzy
Deflecting Palm
2 Efreet Weaponmaster
Kin-Tree Invocation
Mardu Charm
2 Secret Plans
Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
2 Sultai Charm
Sultai Soothsayer

KTK: Team sealed pool #2

My second team sealed pool is below. (It’s also posted on TappedOut if you find that easier to work with.) How would you have built this pool? Post your builds in the comments and I’ll post my build there later in the week, along with some patterns I’ve noticed.

Land
Bloodfell Caves
Blossoming Sands
3 Dismal Backwater
Jungle Hollow
Opulent Palace
Rugged Highlands
Scoured Barrens
2 Swiftwater Cliffs
Thornwood Falls
Tranquil Cove
Wind-Scarred Crag

Artifact
Briber’s Purse
Heart-Piercer Bow
3 Jeskai Banner
2 Mardu Banner
Sultai Banner

White
Abzan Battle-Priest
3 Alabaster Kirin
Defiant Strike
2 Feat of Resistance
2 Firehoof Cavalry
Kill Shot
Master of Pearls
3 Rush of Battle
2 Salt Road Patrol
2 Siegecraft
Smite the Monstrous
Take Up Arms
War Behemoth
Wingmate Roc

Blue
3 Cancel
Disdainful Stroke
Dragon’s Eye Savants
Embodiment of Spring
Force Away
Glacial Stalker
Jeskai Elder
2 Jeskai Windscout
Mistfire Weaver
2 Monastery Flock
Mystic of the Hidden Way
3 Scaldkin
Scion of Glaciers
2 Set Adrift
Singing Bell Strike
2 Thousand Winds
Treasure Cruise
Weave Fate
Wetland Sambar
Whirlwind Adept

Black
3 Bitter Revelation
2 Debilitating Injury
2 Disowned Ancestor
Gurmag Swiftwing
2 Kheru Dreadmaw
Krumar Bond-Kin
Mer-Ek Nightblade
Murderous Cut
Raiders’ Spoils
2 Rite of the Serpent
2 Rotting Mastodon
2 Shambling Attendants
2 Sultai Scavenger
2 Swarm of Bloodflies
Throttle

Red
Act of Treason
Ainok Tracker
Arc Lightning
Arrow Storm
2 Barrage of Boulders
2 Bloodfire Expert
Bloodfire Mentor
Bring Low
2 Canyon Lurkers
Crater’s Claws
2 Dragon Grip
Dragon-Style Twins
Goblinslide
Leaping Master
2 Summit Prowler
Swift Kick
Tormenting Voice
2 Valley Dasher
War-Name Aspirant

Green
2 Alpine Grizzly
2 Become Immense
Heir of the Wilds
Highland Game
Incremental Growth
5 Kin-Tree Warden
Longshot Squad
Naturalize
Sagu Archer
Savage Punch
4 Scout the Borders
Seek the Horizon
2 Smoke Teller
Temur Charger
Windstorm
2 Woolly Loxodon

Multicolor
Abomination of Gudul
Abzan Guide
Crackling Doom
Duneblast
2 Efreet Weaponmaster
Icefeather Aven
Kheru Lich Lord
Kin-Tree Invocation
2 Mardu Roughrider
Mindswipe
Ride Down
Sage of the Inward Eye
Secret Plans
Snowhorn Rider
Sultai Ascendancy
Sultai Charm
Zurgo Helmsmasher

KTK: Team sealed pool

I’m planning to play in Grand Prix San Jose at the end of January, and am building some team sealed pools as preparation for the event. The GP will include Fate Reforged, but there’re still benefits to practicing; building 3 decks (with sideboards) in an hour is challenging, especially in a multicolor format.

My first team sealed pool is below. (It’s also posted on TappedOut if you find that easier to work with.) How would you have built this pool? Post your builds in the comments and I’ll post my build there later in the week, along with some lessons I learned in the process. I’m pretty sure my team misbuilt our pool, so I will also share how I would build the pool today.

Land
Bloodfell Caves
Bloodstained Mire
Blossoming Sands
2 Dismal Backwater
Mystic Monastery
Nomad Outpost
3 Rugged Highlands
Scoured Barrens
Thornwood Falls
Tomb of the Spirit Dragon
3 Tranquil Cove

Artifact
Abzan Banner
Cranial Archive
Jeskai Banner
2 Lens of Clarity
3 Sultai Banner
2 Temur Banner

White
Abzan Falconer
Ainok Bond-Kin
2 Alabaster Kirin
Brave the Sands
Dazzling Ramparts
End Hostilities
2 Feat of Resistance
3 Jeskai Student
2 Kill Shot
Mardu Hateblade
Mardu Hordechief
Rush of Battle
2 Sage-Eye Harrier
Smite the Monstrous
Take Up Arms
Timely Hordemate
Venerable Lammasu
2 War Behemoth

Blue
Blinding Spray
2 Cancel
Crippling Chill
2 Disdainful Stroke
Dragon’s Eye Savants
Embodiment of Spring
3 Force Away
Glacial Stalker
Mistfire Weaver
2 Mystic of the Hidden Way
2 Riverwheel Aerialists
Scaldkin
Singing Bell Strike
2 Treasure Cruise
Weave Fate
Whirlwind Adept

Black
2 Bellowing Saddlebrute
2 Debilitating Injury
Despise
Disowned Ancestor
2 Dutiful Return
Kheru Bloodsucker
Kheru Dreadmaw
2 Krumar Bond-Kin
Mer-Ek Nightblade
2 Rakshasa’s Secret
2 Rotting Mastodon
Shambling Attendants
Swarm of Bloodflies
2 Throttle
2 Unyielding Krumar

Red
Act of Treason
2 Ainok Tracker
Arrow Storm
Barrage of Boulders
3 Bloodfire Expert
2 Bloodfire Mentor
Bring Low
Canyon Lurkers
Crater’s Claws
Dragon Grip
Goblinslide
Horde Ambusher
Leaping Master
Sarkhan the Dragonspeaker
Shatter
3 Summit Prowler
4 Swift Kick
Tormenting Voice

Green
2 Alpine Grizzly
Archer’s Parapet
2 Awaken the Bear
Feed the Clan
2 Highland Game
Incremental Growth
Longshot Squad
3 Naturalize
2 Rattleclaw Mystic
2 Roar of Challenge
2 Sagu Archer
3 Savage Punch
Scout the Borders
Sultai Flayer
Temur Charger
Tuskguard Captain
Woolly Loxodon

Multicolor
3 Abomination of Gudul
Abzan Charm
Ankle Shanker
Bear’s Companion
Butcher of the Horde
Duneblast
Efreet Weaponmaster
Mantis Rider
Mardu Charm
Master the Way
Secret Plans
Sultai Soothsayer
2 Trap Essence
Warden of the Eye

KTK: Warriors

W/B Warriors is a popular archetype in Khans of Tarkir draft, but I’ve had a difficult time making it come together on the couple of occasions I’ve tried. Often I’ll take an early Chief of the Scale and hope to pick up an additional Chief (Edge or Scale) and a Raiders’ Spoils, but instead will only see a couple of copies of Rush of Battle. I’ve also had the opposite happen, where I’ve passed an early Raiders’ Spoils when in black, only to get passed another copy later and then a Chief.

First, let’s refer back to the expected frequencies of cards in KTK. An 8-person draft will have an average of 2.4 copies of a given common and 0.9 copies of a given uncommon, so it’s not surprising that I often don’t see the tribal uncommons, especially since they’re all quite playable even outside the archetype. The Chiefs can be played in either Mardu or Abzan and are among the few good 2 drops in the format, and Raiders’ Spoils is decent even if you don’t have many Warriors, especially if you’re playing a token-heavy Mardu deck.

Next, let’s try to determine whether it worth trying to go into the archetype early. Khans of Tarkir has 29 Warriors and another 4 cards that produce Warrior tokens:

  • White: Mardu Hateblade, Mardu Hordechief, Sage-Eye Harrier, Seeker of the Way (uncommon), Take Up Arms (uncommon), Timely Hordemate (uncommon), Herald of Anafenza (rare)
  • Black: Disowned Ancestor, Krumar Bond-Kin, Mardu Skullhunter, Sultai Scavenger, Unyielding Krumar, Bellowing Saddlebrute (uncommon), Bloodsoaked Champion (rare)
  • Red: Mardu Blazebringer (uncommon), War-Name Aspirant (uncommon)
  • Green: Kin-Tree Warden, Woolly Loxodon, Heir of the Wilds (uncommon), Tuskguard Captain (uncommon)
  • Multicolor:
    • W/B: Chief of the Edge (uncommon), Chief of the Scale (uncommon)
    • B/G: Kin-Tree Invocation (uncommon)
    • Abzan: Abzan Guide
    • Mardu: Ponkback Brigade, Mardu Charm (uncommon), Mardu Roughrider (uncommon), Zurgo Helmsmasher (mythic)
    • Temur: Snowhorn Rider, Bear’s Companion (uncommon), Avalanche Tusker (rare), Savage Knuckleblade (rare), Surrak Dragonclaw (mythic)

I usually try to avoid playing marginal cards that are good only if I draw another card in my deck, so I will leave out Sage-Eye Harrier, Take Up Arms, Unyielding Krumar, Mardu Blazebringer, and Kin-Tree Warden from subsequent analysis. Also, Woolly Loxodon is too expensive to benefit from the Warrior tribal cards, and we’re unlikely to be able to use the Chiefs effectively in a Temur deck, so let’s ignore those cards as well.

Applying the expected frequencies, we find that there are an average of 30 Warriors in an 8-person draft: 11 in black, 7 in white, 2 in green, 1 in red, 4 in Mardu, 2 in Abzan, 2 in W/B, and 1 in B/G. This means that W/B has access to 20 playable Warriors, Abzan and Mardu deck have access to 25, and even B/G has access to 14.

However, many of these cards are likely to be of interest to other players in the draft also. If we assume that all players draft a wedge, then monocolored cards are shared by 5 drafters, wedge cards are shared by 1.5 drafters, and enemy-colored cards are shared by 3 drafters (since each enemy color pair appears in 2 wedges). That means we’re likely to end up with only 4 Warriors if we’re in W/B, 3 if we’re in B/G, 6.5 if we’re in Abzan, and 7.5 if we’re in Mardu. These numbers are important because they tell us that if we want to have enough Warriors to justify playing Raiders’ Spoils or Rush of Battle, we usually have to play either Abzan or Mardu, and also need to be willing to play some of the more marginal Warriors.

KTK: PTQ Sealed Pool #3

I drove down to Portland for a Sealed PTQ this weekend. My pool was quite good and I think I came up with the right build, but I lost one match to bad luck (I drew twice as many lands as spells in game 3) and another to misplays when facing down a Pearl Lake Ancient. I dropped at 4-2 so I could get back at a reasonable hour. How would you have built this pool? (The pool is also posted on TappedOut, for those that find that easier to work with.) Post your build in the comments and I’ll do the same later this week.

Artifact
Abzan Banner
Cranial Archive
Mardu Banner
Sultai Banner
Temur Banner

White
Ainok Bond-Kin
Defiant Strike
Sage-Eye Harrier
2 Salt Road Patrol
3 Smite the Monstrous
2 Suspension Field
War Behemoth

Blue
Blinding Spray
Crippling Chill
Disdainful Stroke
Embodiment of Spring
Glacial Stalker
Scaldkin
Set Adrift
2 Singing Bell Strike
Treasure Cruise
Waterwhirl

Black
Debilitating Injury
Disowned Ancestor
Dutiful Return
Molting Snakeskin
Necropolis Fiend
Rakshasa’s Secret
Rotting Mastodon
Shambling Attendants
2 Unyielding Krumar

Red
Act of Treason
2 Barrage of Boulders
Bloodfire Expert
Bloodfire Mentor
2 Bring Low
Canyon Lurkers
Swift Kick
Trumpet Blast
2 Valley Dasher
War-Name Aspirant

Green
Alpine Grizzly
Highland Game
Kin-Tree Warden
Sagu Archer
Savage Punch
2 Scout the Borders
Tusked Colossodon
Tuskguard Captain
Windstorm
Woolly Loxodon

Multicolor
2 Abomination of Gudul
2 Abzan Charm
Chief of the Scale
Highspire Mantis
Mardu Charm
Mardu Roughrider
Mindswipe
Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
Sultai Ascendancy
Temur Ascendancy (foil)
Temur Charm
Warden of the Eye

Land
Bloodstained Mire
2 Dismal Backwater
Jungle Hollow
Opulent Palace
2 Scoured Barrens
Swiftwater Cliffs
Windswept Heath

KTK: PTQ Sealed Pool #2

We had another Sealed PTQ in Seattle this weekend and I did a lot better this time (6-3) despite misbuilding the pool. How would you have built this pool? (The pool is also posted on TappedOut, for those that find that easier to work with.) Post your build in the comments and I’ll do the same later this week.

Artifact
Abzan Banner
Cranial Archive
Jeskai Banner
Mardu Banner
2 Temur Banner

White
Defiant Strike
Erase
Firehoof Cavalry
Herald of Anafenza
Jeskai Student
Kill Shot
Mardu Hordechief
Siegecraft
2 Smite the Monstrous
Take Up Arms

Blue
Cancel
Crippling Chill
Embodiment of Spring
Force Away
2 Glacial Stalker
Kheru Spellsnatcher
Riverwheel Aerialists
Scion of Glaciers
2 Singing Bell Strike
Taigam’s Scheming
Treasure Cruise
Weave Fate

Black
Disowned Ancestor
Kheru Dreadmaw
Krumar Bond-Kin
2 Molting Snakeskin
Rakshasa’s Secret
Rotting Mastodon
Ruthless Ripper
Sultai Scavenger
Unyielding Krumar

Red
Arc Lightning
Arrow Storm
Barrage of Boulders
Bloodfire Expert
Bloodfire Mentor
2 Bring Low
Canyon Lurkers
Dragon-Style Twins
Horde Ambusher
Hordeling Outburst
Mardu Heart-Piercer
2 Mardu Warshrieker
Shatter

Green
Dragonscale Boon
Hardened Scales
Heir of the Wilds
Highland Game
Hooting Mandrills
Incremental Growth
Longshot Squad
Naturalize
Savage Punch
Seek the Horizon
Windstorm
3 Woolly Loxodon

Multicolor
Abzan Charm
Anafenza, the Foremost
Flying Crane Technique
Icefeather Aven
Mardu Roughrider
Ponyback Brigade
Snowhorn Rider
Temur Charm
Winterflame

Land
2 Blossoming Sands
Scoured Barrens
Swiftwater Cliffs
Wind-Scarred Crag

KTK: Sealed pool #2

Here’s another Sealed pool that I opened this week, as practice for the PTQ this weekend. (It’s also posted on TappedOut.) How would you have built this pool? Post your builds in the comments and I’ll post my build (also in the comments) tonight.

Artifact
Cranial Archive
Mardu Banner
Sultai Banner
2 Temur Banner

White
2 Ainok Bond-Kin
Brave the Sands
Erase
Feat of Resistance
Firehoof Cavalry
Mardu Hordechief
Smite the Monstrous
Suspension Field
Take Up Arms
2 War Behemoth

Blue
Cancel
Embodiment of Spring
Force Away
2 Monastery Flock
Quiet Contemplation
Riverwheel Aerialists
Scaldkin
Treasure Cruise
2 Weave Fate

Black
Dutiful Return
Gurmag Swiftwing
2 Kheru Dreadmaw
2 Krumar Bond-Kin
Murderous Cut
Raiders’ Spoils
Rakshasa’s Secret
Sidisi’s Pet
Unyielding Krumar

Red
3 Bloodfire Expert
Bloodfire Mentor
Canyon Lurkers
Dragon-Style Twins
Goblinslide
Hordeling Outburst
Leaping Master
Shatter
2 Tormenting Voice

Green
Alpine Grizzly
2 Archer’s Parapet
Awaken the Bear
Hardened Scales
2 Naturalize
Pine Walker
Sagu Archer
Savage Punch

Multicolor
2 Abomination of Gudul
2 Abzan Guide
Armament Corps
Deflecting Palm
Ivorytusk Fortress
Ponyback Brigade
Ride Down
Savage Knuckleblade
Snowhorn Rider
Sultai Charm
Sultai Soothsayer
Winterflame

Land
2 Jungle Hollow
Rugged Highlands
Swiftwater Cliffs
Sandsteppe Citadel
Tranquil Cove
Wind-Scarred Crag
Windswept Heath

KTK: PTQ Sealed Pool

I played in a Sealed PTQ in Seattle this weekend but didn’t do too well. Perhaps it’s how I built the pool, so I’m curious to see what others would have built. (The pool’s also posted on TappedOut, if you prefer.) Post your build in the comments and I’ll post my build in the comments later this week. This is also good practice for the PTQ this coming weekend.

Artifact
Cranial Archive
Lens of Clarity
Temur Banner
Ugin’s Nexus

White
Abzan Battle Priest
Ainok Bond-Kin
Brave the Sands
High Sentinels of Arashin
Kill Shot
Mardu Hateblade
Mardu Hordechief
Rush of Battle
2 Sage-Eye Harrier
2 Siegecraft
Suspension Field
Timely Hordemate
Venerable Lammasu
Watcher of the Roost

Blue
Cancel
Crippling Chill
Dig Through Time
Disdainful Stroke
Embodiment of Spring
Jeskai Windscout
Scaldkin
Weave Fate
Whirlwind Adept

Black
Debilitating Injury
Despise
Dutiful Return
Gurmag Swiftwing
Kheru Dreadmaw
Molting Snakeskin
Rite of the Serpent
Rotting Mastodon
Ruthless Ripper
Shambling Attendants
Sidisi’s Pet
2 Throttle

Red
2 Act of Treason
2 Ainok Tracker
Arrow Storm
2 Barrage of Boulders
Bloodfire Expert
Bring Low
Mardu Warshrieker
Monastery Swiftspear
Summit Prowler
Swift Kick

Green
Archer’s Parapet
Dragonscale Boon
Hooting Mandrills
2 Longshot Squad
Meandering Towershell
3 Savage Punch
2 Scout the Borders
Seek the Horizon
Sultai Flayer

Multicolor
Deflecting Palm
Duneblast
Efreet Weaponmaster
Mardu Charm
Ponyback Brigade
Secret Plans
2 Snowhorn Rider
Sultai Charm
Winterflame

Land
Blossoming Sands
Frontier Bivouac
Swiftwater Cliffs
Thornwood Falls
2 Wind-Scarred Crag

KTK: Sealed pool

We’re having PTQs in the Seattle area this weekend and next, so I decided to do a practice Sealed deck. Here’s my pool, which I’ve also posted on TappedOut. How would you have built this pool? Post your builds in the comments and I’ll post my build (also in the comments) tonight.

Artifact
Jeskai Banner
Mardu Banner
Witness of the Ages

White
Abzan Battle Priest
2 Ainok Bond-Kin
Dazzling Ramparts
2 Erase
Jeskai Student
Mardu Hateblade
Rush of Battle
Sage-Eye Harrier
Salt Road Patrol
Watcher of the Roost

Blue
2 Crippling Chill
2 Disdainful Stroke
Force Away
Jeskai Windscout
2 Mystic of the Hidden Way
Scion of Glaciers
2 Taigam’s Scheming
Treasure Cruise
Waterwhirl
2 Wetland Sambar

Black
Bitter Revelation
Dead Drop
Debilitating Injury
Disowned Ancestor
Mardu Skullhunter
Molting Snakeskin
2 Rakshasa’s Secret
Rite of the Serpent
Rotting Mastodon
Ruthless Ripper
Shambling Attendants
2 Sidisi’s Pet
Throttle

Red
Act of Treason
Arrow Storm
Barrage of Boulders
Mardu Heart-Piercer
2 Mardu Warshrieker
Monastery Swiftspear
2 Shatter
Swift Kick
Valley Dasher

Green
2 Dragonscale Boon
Feed the Clan
Hooting Mandrills
Kin-Tree Warden
Longshot Squad
2 Savage Punch
Smoke Teller
Sultai Flayer
Tusked Colossodon
Windstorm

Multicolor
Chief of the Scale
Crackling Doom
Death Frenzy
Flying Crane Technique
Jeskai Charm
Mardu Ascendancy
Mardu Charm
Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
Snowhorn Rider
Sorin, Solemn Visitor
Temur Charm

Land
Bloodfell Caves
Flooded Strand
Nomad Outpost
Swiftwater Cliffs
Tranquil Cove

KTK: Evaluations

This is an initial set of evaluations of the cards in Khans of Tarkir. Here’re what my various evaluations mean:

  • Bomb (B): Will usually win the game if not dealt with and also difficult to deal with or play around, e.g., large flyers or mass removal.
  • Exceptional (+): A superior card that will turn the tide in your favor, e.g., most unconditional removal that isn’t overcosted or a 3/3 flyer for 4 mana.
  • Good (/): The bread and butter of most decks, e.g., a 2/2 flyer or a vanilla 3/3 for 3 mana.
  • Situational/Filler (~): Good in the right deck, filler in most others, e.g., a vanilla 2/1 in a deck that is not particularly aggressive.
  • Sideboard (S): Useful to have in your sideboard, but not usually playable maindeck, e.g., artifact/enchantment destruction or color hosers that aren’t good if you’re not playing against those colors.
  • Unplayable (x): Should not be played except in the right deck or under exceptional circumstances, e.g., a vanilla 1/1 for 1 mana. Some unplayable creatures can be sided in against the right deck, e.g., a vanilla 1/3 for 3 mana might still be sided in against an aggressive deck.
  • TBD (?): Requires more analysis or more experience with the format to evaluate, e.g., a card that depends on how many playable enchantments there are in the format.