Introduction
Double Masters is unlike any other set. With twice the amount of rares in the set, twice the amount of rares in every pack, and twice as many foils in every pack. the set is unlike any other. Another twist in this draft format is there are twice as many first picks at the beginning of every pack.
I’m currently at 44 draft trophies in 137 drafts winning at 70%. I’ll share some of my insights on the draft format.
Insights
The Limited format is so deep and complex I don’t think I’ll be able to write about everything in this set. I will elaborate on my approach to this draft format. With double the rares and double the first picks this Limited format ends up being very powerful. A lot of the uncommons would be considered rares in other draft formats.
The high power level of the set makes me try to avoid aggro decks unless I open a really good aggressive rare. There are 8 wraths in the format so it contributes to how difficult it is for aggressive decks to close games out.
Artifacts are at the center of this Limited format. A lot of the powerful synergies revolve around artifacts. Even decks that don’t care about artifacts will include a few artifacts in them. So cards that destroy artifacts are at a premium. I will always main deck some way to interact with artifacts with few exceptions.
Breakdown
Artifacts
The two best artifacts are 《Chromatic Star》 and 《Ichor Wellspring》. They tie a lot of the artifact matters cards together.
《Chromatic Star》 allows you to splash off color bombs and removal at virtually no cost. It combines with a sac outlet to give you a draw and whatever sacrifice ability you’re using.
《Ichor Wellspring》 always draws you a card. When combined with a sacrifice ability or a bounce ability it becomes an extremely efficient way to draw two cards for 2 mana or an engine where you are able to draw an additional card a turn for a low man investment.
Having a high critical mass of these two cards allow you to trim on lands because of the additional card draw. Then being colorless also puts less color restrictions on your mana base.
Black
Black is one of my favorite colors because of the strength of its removal spells. The two best commons in this color are 《Cast Down》 and 《Executioner’s Capsule》.
《Cast Down》 is the most efficient common removal spell in the format. 《Executioner’s Capsule》 is cheap and has synergies with artifact recursion.
Red
My 2 picks for the best red commons are 《Orcish Vandal》 and 《Abrade》.
《Orcish Vandal》 synergizes with 《Ichor Wellspring》 and 《Chromatic Star》 very well and it is the cornerstone for many of my control decks. 《Abrade》’s versatility is amazing in this format. Having a main deck 《Shatter》 effect that is also an efficient removal spell is premium.
White
White has a lot of solid creatures and it is an aggressively slanted color. My top white commons are 《Ancestral Blade》 and 《Thraben Inspector》.
《Ancestral Blade》 being a 2 mana 2/2 is already very efficient. Giving future creatures +1/+1 allows players to break serve in congested boards. 《Thraben Inspector》 is an efficient creature. Generating a Clue gives it a lot of synergies with different archetypes in the format.
Green
Green’s two best commons are 《Kozilek’s Predator》 and 《Conclave Naturalists》. 《Kozilek’s Predator》 has synergies with 《Bloodbriar》 and 《Woodland Champion》. 《Kozilek’s Predator》 is also the best way to enable Morbid for 《Morkrut Banshee》.
《Conclave Naturalists》 is a solid body and the effect is crucial for the format. While I believe green to be a strong color, I also believe it has the fewest artifact synergies out of all the colors. So, if you’re base green it should be the dominant color.
Blue
I believe blue to be one of the weaker colors. I usually end up in blue when I first pick a rare such as 《Master Transmuter》, 《Master of Etherium》, 《Cyclonic Rift》 or 《Grand Architect》.
My pick for the best two commons is 《Faerie Mechanist》 and 《Parasitic Strix》.
《Faerie Mechanist》 is below rate for its body but it can dig you 3 cards deeper to a critical artifact that you need. 《Parasitic Strix》 is basically a multicolored card, but blue was shallow enough that I didn’t have many other options. As a 《Wind Drake》 it is below the curve in the format. If you get the drain it is a huge difference. Living Weapon cards enable 《Parasitic Strix》 so you can play it in decks that don’t contain black cards but still get its trigger.
My Favorite Archetype
The archetype I’ve had the most success with has been Mardu Artifacts. It usually uses an engine of 《Chromatic Star》 and 《Ichor Wellspring》 along with 《Pyrite Spellbomb》 and/or 《Expedition Map》 to have a lean mana base and churn through your deck.
You use Black and Red removal combined with 《Orcish Vandal》 to control the board and cards like 《Magnifying Glass》 to get ahead on cards. You eventually close out the game with a finisher like 《Twisted Abomination》. The majority of the cards in the deck are commons so it’s a strategy that is available fairly often.
Sometimes you can substitute for one of the colors in order to play 《Thopter Foundry》 or a powerful rare. 《Chromatic Star》 fixing your mana also lets you splash easily as well. Here are some example artifact control decks I’ve gone 3-0 with:
- Thien Nguyen
- – Mardu Artifacts
- Double Masters Draft League
- (3-0)
5 《Swamp》
4 《Plains》
4 《Mountain》
1 《Ash Barrens》
-Land (14)- 1 《Thraben Inspector》
3 《Gleaming Barrier》
3 《Orcish Vandal》
1 《Myr Retriever》
1 《Tuktuk the Explorer》
1 《Morkrut Banshee》
-Creature (10)-
4 《Plains》
4 《Mountain》
1 《Ash Barrens》
-Land (14)- 1 《Thraben Inspector》
3 《Gleaming Barrier》
3 《Orcish Vandal》
1 《Myr Retriever》
1 《Tuktuk the Explorer》
1 《Morkrut Banshee》
-Creature (10)-
1 《Path to Exile》
1 《Rolling Earthquake》
2 《Revoke Existence》
1 《Cast Down》
1 《Valorous Stance》
1 《Unlicensed Disintegration》
2 《Hidden Stockpile》
2 《Executioner’s Capsule》
2 《Expedition Map》
1 《Chromatic Star》
1 《Pyrite Spellbomb》
1 《Ichor Wellspring》
-Spell (16)-
1 《Rolling Earthquake》
2 《Revoke Existence》
1 《Cast Down》
1 《Valorous Stance》
1 《Unlicensed Disintegration》
2 《Hidden Stockpile》
2 《Executioner’s Capsule》
2 《Expedition Map》
1 《Chromatic Star》
1 《Pyrite Spellbomb》
1 《Ichor Wellspring》
-Spell (16)-
-Sideboard (0)-
- Thien Nguyen
- – Esper Artifacts
- Double Masters Draft League
- (3-0)
8 《Swamp》
4 《Island》
2 《Plains》
1 《Ash Barrens》
-Land (15)- 1 《Disciple of the Vault》
2 《Gleaming Barrier》
1 《Baleful Strix》
1 《Myr Retriever》
1 《Parasitic Strix》
2 《Bone Picker》
2 《Sanctum Gargoyle》
1 《Faerie Mechanist》
1 《Master Transmuter》
-Creature (12)-
4 《Island》
2 《Plains》
1 《Ash Barrens》
-Land (15)- 1 《Disciple of the Vault》
2 《Gleaming Barrier》
1 《Baleful Strix》
1 《Myr Retriever》
1 《Parasitic Strix》
2 《Bone Picker》
2 《Sanctum Gargoyle》
1 《Faerie Mechanist》
1 《Master Transmuter》
-Creature (12)-
1 《Fatal Push》
2 《Cast Down》
2 《Costly Plunder》
3 《Chromatic Star》
1 《Executioner’s Capsule》
1 《Pyrite Spellbomb》
2 《Metalspinner’s Puzzleknot》
1 《Ichor Wellspring》
-Spell (13)-
2 《Cast Down》
2 《Costly Plunder》
3 《Chromatic Star》
1 《Executioner’s Capsule》
1 《Pyrite Spellbomb》
2 《Metalspinner’s Puzzleknot》
1 《Ichor Wellspring》
-Spell (13)-
-Sideboard (0)-
- Thien Nguyen
- – Grixis Artifacts
- Double Masters Draft League
- (3-0)
6 《Swamp》
4 《Island》
4 《Mountain》
1 《Sunken Ruins》
-Land (15)- 2 《Orcish Vandal》
1 《Corridor Monitor》
1 《Dire Fleet Hoarder》
1 《Gleaming Barrier》
1 《Myr Retriever》
1 《Grand Architect》
1 《Magus of the Will》
1 《Master Transmuter》
1 《Ovalchase Daredevil》
1 《Wurmcoil Engine》
-Creature (11)-
4 《Island》
4 《Mountain》
1 《Sunken Ruins》
-Land (15)- 2 《Orcish Vandal》
1 《Corridor Monitor》
1 《Dire Fleet Hoarder》
1 《Gleaming Barrier》
1 《Myr Retriever》
1 《Grand Architect》
1 《Magus of the Will》
1 《Master Transmuter》
1 《Ovalchase Daredevil》
1 《Wurmcoil Engine》
-Creature (11)-
2 《Galvanic Blast》
2 《Cast Down》
2 《Chromatic Star》
1 《Executioner’s Capsule》
2 《Ichor Wellspring》
2 《Metalspinner’s Puzzleknot》
1 《Thopter Foundry》
1 《Sword of the Meek》
1 《Magnifying Glass》
-Spell (14)-
2 《Cast Down》
2 《Chromatic Star》
1 《Executioner’s Capsule》
2 《Ichor Wellspring》
2 《Metalspinner’s Puzzleknot》
1 《Thopter Foundry》
1 《Sword of the Meek》
1 《Magnifying Glass》
-Spell (14)-
-Sideboard (0)-
- Thien Nguyen
- – 《Chromatic Star》 Control
- Double Masters Draft League
- (3-0)
4 《Plains》
4 《Swamp》
2 《Island》
2 《Mountain》
1 《Ash Barrens》
-Land (13)- 1 《Baleful Strix》
1 《Myr Retriever》
1 《Orcish Vandal》
1 《Blade Splicer》
1 《Parasitic Strix》
2 《Auriok Salvagers》
1 《Faerie Mechanist》
1 《Ovalchase Daredevil》
-Creature (9)-
4 《Swamp》
2 《Island》
2 《Mountain》
1 《Ash Barrens》
-Land (13)- 1 《Baleful Strix》
1 《Myr Retriever》
1 《Orcish Vandal》
1 《Blade Splicer》
1 《Parasitic Strix》
2 《Auriok Salvagers》
1 《Faerie Mechanist》
1 《Ovalchase Daredevil》
-Creature (9)-
1 《Fatal Push》
1 《Abrade》
1 《Manamorphose》
1 《Revoke Existence》
1 《Toxic Deluge》
1 《Brimstone Volley》
1 《Hidden Stockpile》
6 《Chromatic Star》
1 《Pyrite Spellbomb》
1 《Ichor Wellspring》
1 《Metalspinner’s Puzzleknot》
1 《Thopter Foundry》
1 《Magnifying Glass》
-Spell (18)-
1 《Abrade》
1 《Manamorphose》
1 《Revoke Existence》
1 《Toxic Deluge》
1 《Brimstone Volley》
1 《Hidden Stockpile》
6 《Chromatic Star》
1 《Pyrite Spellbomb》
1 《Ichor Wellspring》
1 《Metalspinner’s Puzzleknot》
1 《Thopter Foundry》
1 《Magnifying Glass》
-Spell (18)-
-Sideboard (0)-
Conclusion
There are so many different archetypes in Double Masters. There is something for everyone. I hope you got some information from this article. Best of luck with your next draft.
Thien Nguyen (Twitter)
