Did a 2 person grid draft and an 8 person pod. One insight, which is not new but was reinforced, is that the interaction density is still a bit too low, meaning games can more easily sprawl, stall, and snowball. Another is that Green-White is maybe a bit too strong (it's undefeated match-wise across the last 5 times it was drafted), probably related to the former issue. I've been considering whether sweepers would be appropriate for this environment, and I think it's time to try them out. While they aren't as synergistic per se, they do unlock their own category of archetype (a more true control deck), and I think could paradoxically help with the game length issue.

Some notes on cuts:

  • Sheltered by ghosts - probably a bit too strong especially in a lower removal density environment, also the lifelink could be problematic for game length reasons
  • Windfall/narset - I had a deck with basically the perfect setup for these, and it was just a bit too inconsistent/durdley. Windfall is just not that exciting of a card in an environment when people are mostly going to have maybe 2-3 cards in hand most of the time, even when you have the payoffs.
  • The Aesir Escape Valhalla - I really wish this card didn't also return itself to your hand, but it's just brutal to see it across the board in any kind of attrition situation, and it's still good even in tempo games.
  • Fireblast/Livaan - I love the idea of livaan alongside free/reduced cost cards, but never really saw it come together, and running fireblast as a support card has turned out to be mostly too narrow. Fireblast is just a bit too all in of a card to really be taking up a removal slot in an environment that is already on the removal light side.
  • Golden Egg/Prophetic Prism - Swapping these for candy trail and mindstone for slightly less durdley versions of these effects (they also felt a bit samey alongside lembas)

The adds are mostly in the category of either removal/sweeper or things that push the game towards a conclusion, like big evasive threats (eg feaster of fools, junk winder) or something like aether grid or cranial plating which converts piles of cardboard into death or stall-busting removal. Chatterstorm and patchwork beastie aim to push green a little bit away from the recently dominant themes. Plus now I get another card with patchwork in the name.

Also I accidentally left the gold/colorless swaps out of the initial post, so I'm gonna copy over the WUBRG changes from that update here:

Sheltered by Ghosts -> Spring-Loaded Sawblades
Envoy of the Ancestors -> Kirtar's Wrath
Favored Hoplite -> Decree of Justice
Rise from the Tides -> Aether Spellbomb
Narset, Parter of Veils -> Kenku Artificer
Windfall -> Deem Inferior
Solve the Equation -> Junk Winder
Tormod, the Desecrator -> Extinguish All Hope
Ovalchase Daredevil -> Feaster of Fools
Ruthless Sniper -> Night Clubber
Mask of Immolation -> Torch the Witness
Fireblast -> Slice and Dice
Anger -> Ghirapur Aether Grid
Livaan, Cultist of Tiamat -> Kami's Flare
Flameblade Adept -> Experimental Synthesizer
The Aesir Escape Valhalla -> Cankerbloom
Kami of Whispered Hopes -> Chatterstorm
Hero of Leina Tower -> Insidious Fungus
Stocking the Pantry -> Patchwork Beastie

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