Want to Draft Conflux Well? Try a Two Color Aggro Decklist

February 24, 2009

Magic The Gathering’s newest block is comprised of the multicolor sets, Shards of Alara and Conflux. So, when drafting this block, most players play at least three colors. And with Conflux’s five color cards and domain mechanic, more and more people are trying out the five color control archetype.

But don’t count out the traditional two color builds. Here’s a two color decklist that went 3-0 in Grand Prix Rotterdam.

Blue/White Aggro

Creatures (14)

Spells (9)

Lands (17)

8 Island
9 Plains

Alex Fanghaenel took this list and swept his pod. The three wins helped him get into the top 8 of the tournament.

As we look at his deck, we can see a couple reasons why drafting two color can be a winning strategy.

1. Rock Solid Mana Base

While other decks are struggling to find their 3rd or 4th color, Alex’s build will more than likely not be affected by color screw.

He doesn’t have to mess with slow Panoramas or the mana fixing lands that come into play tapped. Also, by not having to draft those lands, this means you can draft creatures and spells instead and increase the number of playables in your deck.

2. Cheap Aggressive Creatures

While other players with slower decklists are using early turns to crack Panoramas and play stuff like Armillary Sphere and Obelisks, Alex is playing aggressive creatures.

All of Alex’s creatures cost four mana or less and the bulk of them cost three mana or less. Oftentimes this strong early rush is enough to win the game. Shards of Alara and Conflux have many powerful, expensive spells but if you’re dead before you get to play them, they don’t matter.

3. Mediocre Cards Become Better

This is related to the second point. With cheap, aggressive decklists, certain mediocre cards become better.

In Alex’s list, I see at least three cards that usually go late that are actually not bad in his deck. Constricting Tendrils is basically removal since he has a good number of cheap exalted guys. Multiple Excommunicates is pretty good in aggro whereas control decklists can’t use them effectively. And Unsummon seems pretty bad unless you have a deck that’s able to kill quickly.

Don’t Force It

Now you don’t want to force this archetype, but if you start getting strong late picks in two colors, the deck is probably open to draft.

For example, in the first Shards of Alara booster, Alex got Sigiled Paladin seventh and his second Kathari Screecher eighth. Those were pretty strong signals that his right hand neighbor was not in white or blue.

Source: Wizards.com

Posted by Dee | Filed Under Conflux Draft