MTG Conflux Draft Review: Blue Cards
February 11, 2009 | Posted by Dee
With Wizards of the Coast releasing a new Magic The Gathering card set, it’s time to evaluate the new cards for drafting.
Here’s a review of the Conflux blue cards for the current Shards of Alara draft format (two boosters of Shards and one booster of Conflux). You can mouse over the card name and see the picture of the card.
Don’t be fooled by this card. It’s actually not too bad. I would pick it as high as 4th pick.
Think of it as a 4/4 wall that dies after killing one creature and it can attack in the pinch. Also, don’t forget about unearth. Unearth has proven to be a strong mechanic and with a 4/4 body, Brackwater Elemental is one of the biggest common unearth guys.
Both control and aggro decklists will like this guy because he’s a good blocker and attacker.
This is great cycling card because it’s also a combat trick. Keep this card in mind whenever someone passed the turn with an Island untapped. Pick it 6th or lower.
High pick because it’s solid removal for one mana. Every archetype will have a target except Esper and Esper is one of the weaker shards that doesn’t get drafted very much.
If you and your opponent have a lot of creatures, this card is pretty good. Still, I wouldn’t take it too highly unless you have a creature heavy deck (14 or more creatures). And even then, I would leave it in the sideboard if I had enough removal and combat tricks.
Think of this guy as a six drop. You probably don’t want to play him early since he ties up your mana. Also, you need a lot of cheap artifacts (at least 10) to make this guy work. Still, I wouldn’t take this guy early. He’s just too risky.
Tower Gargoyle is one of the best uncommons and this guy costs one more mana. But his ability is awesome and easily splashable. Pick Ethersworn Adjudicator first and thank the Magic gods that you opened a bomb and a money mythic rare.
Four mana 2/2 flyer with a card draw ability is solid. Try to have at least 14 other artifacts to profitably use his ability. I would draft him 5th pick or lower. If you have 17 or more artifacts, he can go 4th or even 3rd pick.
This guy has two good abilities. However, he costs three mana for an 0/1 body. There are still two packs of Shards of Alara for your opponents to find Vithian Stingers and Blister Beetles.
Frontline Sage is playable, but don’t take him too highly. 6th pick or lower should be good.
Blue gets a cheap creature mana fixer. She doesn’t accelerate your mana so she’s definitely not as good as Druid of the Anima.
Still, if blue is one of your main colors, you need mana fixing, and you have some domain cards, she becomes playable. I would then take her around 6th pick. You don’t want to take her too highly because she’s still a 1/1.
Kederekt Leviathan is a much better leviathan, but if you have a control deck, Inkwell Leviathan works well enough as a finisher.
You don’t need it to win so don’t take it too highly. There will usually be something better in the pack for you. If you need playables, go ahead and play Inkwell Leviathan. Also, it’s so expensive that you can splash it with just five blue mana sources.
If you’re drafting the artifact archetype, Master Transmuter is a first pick. She saves your guys and let’s you play your artifacts for free.
Solid cheap flyer. I would take it 3rd to 5th pick if I had at least five black permanents. If you have less than that, its value drops one or two picks.
This artifact is okay in a control deck. I wouldn’t take it too highly. 6th pick and lower seem right.
If you have at least six mana sources of the Esper colors, this guy is a solid creature and I would pick him around 5th pick.
This is a borderline playable card because it’s so inconsistent. Sometimes you’ll get a bomb but many times you’ll get a random 2/2. However, I would definitely sideboard this against a control deck with a few creatures. Most of those creatures will be good. Also, there’s a chance you could deck them, since control decks don’t kill very quickly.
It’s an expensive counterspell so you’ll usually use it as a landcycler. If blue is one of my main colors, I would draft it around 5th pick. If you absolutely need fixing in your other colors, you can take it higher.
Playable but mediocre. Don’t be afraid to leave it in your sideboard if you have better cards.
Another mediocre card. If you don’t have enough evasion creatures or removal, you might play it. Still, I wouldn’t play it unless I had 10 or more white permanents.
Not splashable, but a solid card draw spell if blue is a main color. It becomes pretty good if you’re 4 or 5 color as well.
Take it around 7th pick if you’re only three colors. 4 or 5 color drafters can take it around 5th pick.
10 Responses to “MTG Conflux Draft Review: Blue Cards”
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Esperzoa, i never tried it in a deck with two parasitic strix, but i can emagine it could be interesting. Who knows.
I played Esperzoa yesterday in a draft. I actually helped me win, since I started recurring Sanctum Gargoyle.
Esperzoa is Bombalicious in Esper.
Glaze Fiend
Puppet Maker Guy
Parasitic Strix
Esperzoa
That = peck, peck, peck, BOOM!
Thanks for the combos
Yeah, Esperzoa is probably better than I reviewed but you definitely need good cheap artifacts to make him work.
Dee, great columns. Truly superb. Thanks for taking the time to go through these; I’m looking forward to reading your take on the other three colors.
Thanks, Nick!
I’d have to disagree with you with esper being the worst shard. You’ll notice a lot of the people who win in the draft thing on the wizards site force esper. Esper has acess to the most evasion creatures and the best removal. I’d say esper is the best shard in a draft.
Hm, I don’t remember saying anything about Esper being the worst shard. Actually, I agree with you. Esper is the best shard.
If you’re drafting the artifact archetype, Esperzoa is a monster. I’d say he’s worthy of a first pick if there is no rare/monster uncommon. Ideally:
Turn 1-Homonuculus
Turn 2-Kaledistone, attack for 2, draw a card
Turn 3-Esperzoa, sneak in for another 2?
Turn 4-pick up Kaledistone… play again…draw a card? Darklit Gargoyle?
You’re drawing an extra card/turn for 2 mana.
Add easy to get Parasitic Strix, Faire Mech and any other “come into play” cards.
G-funk, great example.
Esperzoa can definitely be a bomb if you have those artifacts with “come into play” abilities.