Triple Zendikar

Flashback drafts on Magic Online are very popular. Last year we had Modern Year Flashbacks and this year we'll get to draft our favorite formats. One of the most popular limited formats is Triple Zendikar and recently we had the possibility to draft it on Magic Online.

When Zendikar came out 8 years ago all the players playing limited or constructed formats had to think twice before playing a land. Zendikar introduced Landfall mechanic - whenever a land comes into play, something happens. This is the first format when drawing a land is something you did not need to fear and often was wanted because it would give you a certain advantage. Who would not want a 4/4 Flyer for 4 mana or 3/3 First Strike for 2 mana? Yes, such creatures can be found in Zendikar limited. Zendikar also features Trap cards - when a condition is met they can be cast for an alternate cost. Some traps are played in constructed usually in sideboards (notably in Vintage) but some of the traps are very good in limited play. White traps are good removal, red one has removal effect written on it as well. Whiplash Trap is a bounce effect for decks like UG or UR tempo.

When the whole block was out I put together a RG Summoning Trap deck that was capable putting Emrakul into play on turn 4 and UR Runeflare Trap combo deck that sometimes managed to kill the opponent with that card. It was the only deck that could actually play Trapmaker's Snare, a Trap tutor otherwise totally unplayable card.

The reason why I also tend to like Zendikar more than other sets is because I experienced many nice and some strange moments during that time. I saw a 'falling star' and wished for happier life (my wish wasn't really heard I guess). On the very same day while drafting two Zendikar priceless treasures were open - Force of Will and Mana Drain. It was nothing like opening an Expedition or Invention. It was something way more unexpected. I also won a big Legacy tournament where I received a box of Zendikar. I thought that opening it would be ok, since the set contains fetchlands. Well, my best pulls were Sphinx of the Jwar Isle and Archive Trap.

During the past two years we also had the possibility to draft 'History drafts' at GPs. Often Zendikar block or Rise of the Eldrazi were available, the product being rather limited so only lucky few had the opportunity to draft it. ROE is also a nice format and on Magic Online it is also one of the formats that was accessible for us at some strange moments, not just during the Modern Flashback scheduled drafts (for example when Emrakul, the Promised End was spoiled!)

Fast forward to year 2017. Since Triple Zendikar is one of my favorite formats as well I decided to give it a try since Favorite Flashback League was open. I played 3 different drafts and I drafted three different decks. Three different decks may not seem as something unusual but after finishing my three drafts and playing against Boros Landfall all the time I felt the urge to write this down. When Draft Leagues where introduced I stopped playing limited altogether because it totally changes the draft and playing against the same deck all the time is something I do not want. Anyway I do not usually force something so I ended up with 3 different decks, the first one was some kind UG deck, the second one ended up to be Boros aggro and the last one was BR deck.

My first draft seemed to be the epitome of a failure. I started in boros but obviously I wasn't the only one with the idea. The cards were gone real quick so in the end I ended up in UG, not being able to keep either of the two colors I originally drafted. I picked some good blue cards though - Welkin Tarn, Merfolk Seastalkers, Windrider Eels and Sphinx of Jwar Isle. In green I managed to get my hands on Turntimber Ranger, 2 Oran-Rief Survivalists, 2 Timbermaw Larva and one of my last picks was Vastwood Gorger. In order to make it work I needed some looters which I managed to pick and some other random creatures and if possible with Ally creature type. I put together this deck and did not really feel too confident with it.

My UG deck was obviously good enough for 2-1 and still capable to 3-1. I just wanted to play some games and have some fun and I certainly managed that. I was also given some lucky packs to open, because my pack 1 pick 1 was Arid Mesa and pack 3 pick 1 was Scalding Tarn. Everyone like free tix, right^_^.

My second draft was way better. My first pick was Kor Skyfisher. It was followed by Umara Raptor, Windrider Eel and Welking Tarn but that pretty much was the end of blue cards. I continued picking white cards and later had to switch to red in pack 2. Since I was picking blue flyers high I passed Plated Geopede, but Bladetusk Boar is something that made me pick a red card and stay in that color till the end of the draft. I still hoped I could have enough cards for a deck and pick some random 2-drops on the way still, because I really needed those. In this draft I also opened a fetchland, this time in my second pack. This deck seemed to be better than the above one as it went 3-0 easy. But I was rather greedy in some games and lost one because of it. I facepalmed myself and reminded myself not to be so reckless next time. Aggro deck needs to attack but not mindlessly! Narrow Escape, Kor Skyfisher and plenty of my removal did the job though.

After the second draft I realized that the prize structure is kind of strange and is not the 150/100 I was used to for 100. But rather 150/70 with different entry and double elimination instead of single elimination. I was trying to figure out if that change is a good one or not. Going 2-1 and getting your entry back seemed ok. This, not so sure. But on the other hand thanks to the double elimination I managed to get 150 out of the drafts I normally wouldn't. That means I got 30 PP out of each draft (90PP in total). With the old system I'd have just 50PP. I went to eat something while thinking loud about the double elimination. I wasn't really sure if playing 4 rounds with a deck I drafted and didn't like is something I'd like to undergo. But since this is a flashback draft and one enters to play as much as possible it may be actually a good thing. But imagining I'd have to play 4 rounds with KLD, I would think twice before entering. That is something I'd rather avoid if possible.

After a short break I re-entered the league. This time I wasn't that satisfied with my first pick - Giant Scorpion. The idea of my deck was clear I just needed to pick the cards. With the exception of Spire Barrage the cards were relatively ok. No Vampire Nighthawk nor Punishing Fire that I'd fancy but good enough to beat many decks. After the two previous leagues though I realized that I might still play against the very same archetype - Boros Landfall. This time around though I managed to play against my very first opponent not running white - they were on UR tempo. The other decks were heavy white and red. I did not have problems with that. But after my 2-0 I played against a Boros landfall deck that featured 2 Emeria Angels. I couldn't believe my eyes when my opponent played Emeria Angel on turn 4. I killed it with Magma Rift not being too happy about that play but that card simply had to go. What I certainly did not expect was a second Emeria Angel on turn 5. In the following game I also had to face two Devout Lightcasters. I considered that very unfair and wasn't happy to lose to that. I'm not really sure where that person picked those cards, someone had to pass it to them! I wasn't very enthusiastic to play match 4 only so I could get my entry back (and some PP).

I'm really thankful that we got the possibility to draft Triple Zendikar again. I had so much fun playing in those Leagues. I smiled, I laughed and even survived all those salty players not being happy to lose to me. But this time I did not really feel like playing totally badly, and my decks weren't totally unplayable, so I think my victories weren't that 'unfair' or 'lucky'.

Thank you WotC, Lee Sharpe and the modo team.