Drafting Dominaria with Pros #1

Jeremy Dezani

Today, we will draft with the new set: Dominaria!

I simulate the 8 first pick of a draft and asked to 4 Hareruya Pros Players what they would pick.

Here are the 4 gentlemen who accepted to participate in this experience:

You can see their profiles, more in details, here: Hareruya Pros

This draft was done before Dominaria Prerelease. It will be interesting to see if they will do the same choices or not.

PICK 1

Jodah, Archmage EternalSlimefoot, the StowawayWizard's RetortThallid SoothsayerRelic Runner Llanowar ElvesSergeant-at-ArmsKrosan DruidRampaging CyclopsAdventurous Impulse Academy JourneymageBlessing of BelzenlokArcane FlightGhitu LavarunnerPlains

Sebastian Pozzo

Pick
Llanowar Elves

The pack doesn’t look like something really special. With Kicker in a lot of playable commons I think 《Llanowar Elves》 seems like a very good start to me, so I would lead with that.

Dmitriy Butakov

Pick
Llanowar Elves

《Slimefoot, the Stowaway》 would be a solid first pick, it is a good token generator and utility engine at the same time, but I really hate 1st picking multicolored cards. 《Academy Journeymage》 is the second option, the wizards are considered “premium archetype”, so it probably would have attention of the other drafters and 《Journeymage》 itself is not that good to start drafting a deck with it. I will make a conservative pick of 《Llanowar Elves》– it’s always nice to play some beef like Baloth Gorger a turn earlier, but the Kicker mechanic makes mana acceleration useful in the late game.

Kenta Harane

Pick
Llanowar Elves

This is my first experience in the Dominaria draft. I do not have any information about which cards have synergy and what kind of architype there are in this format. 《Thallid Soothsayer》looks like a card that has an important role in a specific architype, though we do not know now. Having this said, we will pick《Llanowar Elves》since this card is strong by itself. Having a great mana curve and can become a green color beatdown deck can at least have an expected performance at any environment.

Oliver Polak-Rottmann

Pick
Slimefoot, the Stowaway

While I am not a huge fan of multicolor firstpicks, this card seems fairly strong to me. The format seems rather slow at first glance and a lategame bomb like this I would not like to pass.

Player’s Choice:

Llanowar ElvesLlanowar ElvesLlanowar ElvesSlimefoot, the Stowaway

PICK 2

Shalai, Voice of PlentyCurator's WardZhalfirin VoidIcy ManipulatorThallid Omnivore Aven SentryKnight of New BenaliaDeep FreezeBlink of an EyeDrudge Sentinel Invoke the DivineAncient AnimusKeldon WarcallermtgForest

Sebastian Pozzo

Pick
Shalai, Voice of Plenty

Wow, the person passing to us must have taken some other foil bomb. A 3/4 flyer for 3W is already very good, so all the other text is just a nice bonus. Besides it goes well with the elf we have. From here on, I want to force white as much as I can. The 《Icy Manipulator》 also looks apealing but i think it has less power level.

Dmitriy Butakov

Pick
Shalai, Voice of Plenty

Probably we should expect some foil 《Lyra Dawnbringer》 from the previous drafter, because 《Shalai, Voice of Plenty》 is just a bomb – it’s cheap, splashable if we stay green and both its abilities could be devastating, I like 《Icy Manipulator》 very much, but these two cards are not even close.

Kenta Harane

Pick
Shalai, Voice of Plenty

A very strong rare so I am happy to pick this. Activating this will need a green mana though we have picked《Llanowar Elves》 in our first pick and should go along together. Another good thing is that the picks we have can be decided very simple. 《Icy Manipulator》 catches my attention though a card that can lead to straight victory looks very attractive to me.

Oliver Polak-Rottmann

Pick
Shalai, Voice of Plenty

While this card is also at it’s best paired with green, the card is just very strong and should not be in the pack anymore.

Player’s Choice:

Shalai, Voice of PlentyShalai, Voice of PlentyShalai, Voice of PlentyShalai, Voice of Plenty

PICK 3

The Mirari ConjectureWizard's RetortTiana, Ship's CaretakermtgGideon's Reproach Sparring ConstructCall the CavalryBlessed LightGhitu ChroniclerBlink of an Eye Gift of GrowthVoltaic ServantThallid OmnivoremtgSwamp

Sebastian Pozzo

Pick
Blessed Light

Interesting, I see 3 good white cards and would like to pick a removal. In Green-White removals are usually a priority. I’m not sure which one is better in the dark, since we have the elf I would go with 《Blessed Light》. This looks like a not very aggro format, but I could be wrong and the reproach could be better.

Dmitriy Butakov

Pick
Blessed Light

Any removal is of high value for Green-White. Also you can kill Sagas with it, killing some 《Phyrexian Scriptures》 before it wipes out the board sounds pretty sweet.

Kenta Harane

Pick
Blessed Light

I want to make sure we use the rare we got in the last pick, so picking a white removal is decided at this point. A hard choice between《Gideon's Reproach》. Since we do not know how fast this format is, I will pick《Blessed Light》 because it is a removal that can also touch enchantments. When we play this format and feel that this format is much faster, we will be picking《Gideon's Reproach》 in the future.

Oliver Polak-Rottmann

Pick
Gideon's Reproach

It’s not a great card but it is an early removal and we are likely going to play white after our second pick.

Player’s Choice:

Blessed LightBlessed LightBlessed LightGideon's Reproach

PICK 4

The First EruptionGaea's BlessingDauntless BodyguardmtgSparring Construct Thallid OmnivoreFervent StrikeRat ColonyAncient AnimusRun Amok Excavation ElephantNavigator's CompassmtgmtgIsland

Sebastian Pozzo

Pick
Ancient Animus

It might be the best card in the pack and it’s in our colours. So now I guess we take legends slightly higher.

Dmitriy Butakov

Pick
Ancient Animus

《Dauntless Bodyguard》 is ok, but, like the previous time, I’d like to pick as many removal spells as possible and since green and white creatures are usually bigger the board, fight effects are almost a 100% removal as long as you play around opponent’s tricks.

Kenta Harane

Pick
Dauntless Bodyguard

It’s not bad for a low mana cost card. At this point we have a target that we want to defend(angel) and that is an upside to this decision. On turn 5, playing the angel and this together, then activating it’s ability on turn 6 is a beautiful curve and a strong play.

Oliver Polak-Rottmann

Pick
Dauntless Bodyguard

I like the design of the card. It is either a bear or a 《Dauntless Bodyguard》, can’t wish for much more.

Player’s Choice:

Ancient AnimusAncient AnimusDauntless BodyguardDauntless Bodyguard

PICK 5

mtgAdeliz, the Cinder WindmtgmtgOpt Skirk ProspectorFervent StrikePrimordial WurmLlanowar ScoutSoul Salvage BefuddleHealing GraceGuardians of KoilosmtgForest

Sebastian Pozzo

Pick
Primordial Wurm

This pack is very weak. I would pick 《Primordial Wurm》 to have a big body.

Dmitriy Butakov

Pick
Adeliz, the Cinder Wind

The pack is pretty bad for us, 7/6 without any evasion could find its place in the sideboard sometimes, but I doubt we will have problems picking it later. 《Guardians of Koilos》 allows you some Saga shenanigans, but the good Sagas are rare and I doubt I’d like this creature in my main deck so far. 《Adeliz, the Cinder Wind》 is a great aggressive card in an aggressive archetype and I definitely don’t want to race it.

Kenta Harane

Pick
Primordial Wurm

Picking this at this point is not satisfying but there were no motivations that wanted me to change the colours to proceed. We have started this draft with a mana creature so U wish to play something like a Green-White ramp deck so I added a finisher to go along with this plan.

Oliver Polak-Rottmann

Pick
Llanowar Scout

I honestly can’t tell how usefull the body will be or how important ramping will be, but I like the idea of the card.

Player’s Choice:

Primordial WurmAdeliz, the Cinder WindPrimordial WurmLlanowar Scout

PICK 6

The Mirari ConjecturemtgmtgmtgDrudge Sentinel UnwindArcane FlightCabal PaladinLlanowar EnvoyGrow from the Ashes Voltaic ServantRun AmokmtgmtgMountain

Sebastian Pozzo

Pick
Llanowar Envoy

Nothing that really stands. I would take 《Llanowar Envoy》 to fill our curve and helping potential splashes.

Dmitriy Butakov

Pick
Llanowar Envoy

A mediocre card that would allow us not to lose 2 good cards if we decide not to play white as a main color or even splash some off-color bomb.

Kenta Harane

Pick
Grow from the Ashes

As I said in the pick before, this looks like a card that will help my plan. To be honest, this is a strategy that I do not like, though we can find a finisher and some cards to help my ramp all in common, I think it is worth giving it a try.

Oliver Polak-Rottmann

Pick
Grow from the Ashes

This is not《Kodama's Reach》, but it will fix our mana and we are not passing on a lot here. With having 3 different colors I appriciate a bad 《Rampant Growth》.

Player’s Choice:

Llanowar EnvoyLlanowar EnvoyGrow from the AshesGrow from the Ashes

PICK 7

mtgMemorial to UnitymtgmtgCharge Mammoth SpiderGhitu JourneymageDivinationHomarid ExplorerBloodstone Goblin Tragic PoetmtgmtgmtgForest

Sebastian Pozzo

Pick
Memorial to Unity

We already have 5 mana card. So I rather have an utility land, it looks like a nice bonus if the format is slow enough.

Dmitriy Butakov

Pick
Memorial to Unity

I’m always happy to play a couple of tapped lands with some abilities, and in Green-White you should be able to find something good in the top 5.

Kenta Harane

Pick
Mammoth Spider

Green-White ramp decks tend to lack in facing flying strategies. Therefore, creatures that have Reach are very important reasons behind. It is a little mana heavy though we picked a mana ramping spell before and I think it will work out.

Oliver Polak-Rottmann

Pick
Mammoth Spider

I could also see us picking 《Divination》 here, but 《Mammoth Spider》 is Green.

Player’s Choice:

Memorial to UnityMemorial to UnityMammoth SpiderMammoth Spider

PICK 8

mtgMemorial to UnitymtgmtgLlanowar Envoy Caligo Skin-WitchArtificer's AssistantExcavation ElephantStronghold ConfessorKeldon Raider mtgmtgmtgmtgSwamp

Sebastian Pozzo

Pick
ラノワールの特使

《Keldon Raider》 seem like the best card in the pack. However we are commited to Green-White with maybe a splash. I would take another 《Llanowar Envoy》 for the same reasons above. They are for now our only 3 drops that could be useful if we want to splash. Also hoping for some legends makes fixing important. Cards that we passed like 《Slimefoot, the Stowaway》, or even 《Tiana, Ship's Caretaker》 could be good in our deck.

Dmitriy Butakov

Pick
Memorial to Unity

Splasing something is not an “A” plan right now and 3/2 for 3 is not that exciting, so a maindeck pick again.

Kenta Harane

Pick
Memorial to Unity

Ramp decks have problems fludding. Preparing some outs for this problem is something worth to do. Not like Cycling lands, we can prepare mana at the early stages of the game amd during the late game, we are able to activate the abilitiy so we do not have to think hard on playing this.

Oliver Polak-Rottmann

Pick
Llanowar Envoy

I could be totally wrong by not picking 《Excavation Elephant》 here, but we have no artifact yet and 《Siege Mastodon》 seems pretty medium.

Player’s Choice:

Keldon RaiderMemorial to UnityMemorial to UnityLlanowar Envoy

The 8 Picks Together

Sebastian Pozzo

Llanowar ElvesShalai, Voice of PlentyBlessed LightAncient Animus Primordial WurmLlanowar EnvoyMemorial to UnityKeldon Raider

Dmitriy Butakov

Llanowar ElvesShalai, Voice of PlentyBlessed LightAncient Animus Adeliz, the Cinder WindLlanowar EnvoyMemorial to UnityMemorial to Unity

Kenta Harane

Llanowar ElvesShalai, Voice of PlentyBlessed LightDauntless Bodyguard Primordial WurmGrow from the AshesMammoth SpiderMemorial to Unity

Oliver Polak-Rottmann

Slimefoot, the StowawayShalai, Voice of PlentyGideon's ReproachDauntless Bodyguard Llanowar ScoutGrow from the AshesMammoth SpiderLlanowar Envoy

Conclusion

The 4 players decided to draft White and Green cards in priority due to there green first pick and the presence of 《Shalai, Voice of Plenty》, but they did not pick the same cards each time. It is little early to have a clear pick order for each color, future will tell us who did the best choices.

Thank you for reading,

Jeremy Dezani

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