Thanks for the replies/condolences to my posting of my Indianapolis PTQ pool earlier this week. I know no one wants to hear a bad beat story, so I won't focus on how god awful my pool was. But just in case you forgot, here it is:
White - 15 (3)
Neck Snap
Kinsbaile Balloonist
2 Goldmeadow Harrier
2 Dawnfluke
2 Springjack Knight
2 Kithkin Healer
2 Shields of Velis Vel
Entangling Trap
Harpoon Sniper
Sentry Oak
Blue - 12
Guile
Silvergill Adept
Faerie Harbinger
Merrow Harbinger
Sentinels of Glen Elendra
2 Broken Ambitions
2 Mulldrifter
Glimmerdust Nap
Forced Fruition
Aquitect's Will
Black - 13 (3)
Eyeblight's Ending
Weed Strangle
Boggart Harbinger
Warren Pilferers
Makeshift Mannequin
2 Exiled Boggart
2 Nath's Buffoon
Moonglove Winnower
2 Mournwhelk
Lys Alana Scarblade
Red - 13 (2)
Smokebraider
2 Mudbutton Torchrunner
Flamekin Bladewhirl
Blades of Velis Vel
Inner-Flame Acolyte
2 Faultgrinder
Soulbright Flamekin
Hostility
Thundercloud Shaman
2 Needle Drop
Green - 14 (4)
Nath's Elite
Woodland Changeling
Seedguide Ash
Woodland Guidance
Kithkin Daggerdare
2 Oakgnarl Warrior
Briarhorn
2 Rootgrapple
Bog-Strider Ash
Elvish Handservant
Gilt-Leaf Ambush
Guardian of Cloverdell
Gold - 1
Doran, Siege Tower
Artifact - 5
3 Springleaf Drum
Runed Stalactite
Herbal Poultice
Land - 2
Ancient Amphitheatre
Foil Plains
So, after looking at every XYz build (that is, two colors and a splash) that I could muster and never coming close to a cohesive, much less complete, deck, I decided to just lay all my good cards out in a curve and hope my trip Springleaf Drum would get me there. When doing so, I noticed I was splashing for Woodland Changeling and Kithkin Daggerdare, so I decided to cut those and move some more black early drops in so that I could go XYabc. If you noticed, that meant choosing between Nath's Buffoon and Exiled Boggart. Not the most envious of positions, but I needed to have at least five guys to cast on turn two to reliably activate a drum, so four two-drops and a Bladewhirl it is. The deck I played:
3 Springleaf Drum
Flamekin Bladewhirl
Smokebraider
2 Nath's Buffoon
Soulbright Flamekin
2 Mudbutton Torchrunner
Doran, the Siege Tower
Boggart Harbinger
Moonglove Winnower
Kinsbaile Baloonist
Briarhorn
2 Mulldrifter
Warren Pilferers
Hostility
Mournwhelk
Weed Strangle
Eyeblight's Ending
Neck Snap
Makeshift Mannequin
6 Swamp
5 Mountain
2 Plains
1 Forest
1 Island
1 Ancient Amphitheater
Yep. That's the pile. In hindsight, I would've rather taken Chad, aka chadmbol, up on his 6-6-6 deck, probably going 6-6-4 and hoping the Smokebraider and triple Drum could help me get the UUU, RRR, and BB the deck required.
The theory behind this build is that by sculpting a tight curve, I could abuse the Drum and try to lay quality guys like Doran, Briarhorn, and Mulldrifter before my opponent could get his better deck online. The long game card advantage afforded by Mulldrifter, Warren Pilferers, Mournwhelk, and Makeshift Mannequin gave me a decent shot at winning games that a barrage of fatties from all ends of the color wheel couldn't.
Before you nail me for my awful deck, please. I understand. But let me tell you that I have a strong and profound love for the Drum now. Every game that I had a Drum on turn one and a dooder on turn two, I won. Yes, even when that guy was Nath's Buffoon. It's like a poor man's Smokebraider, but that's still a Smokebraider. I even lived the dream once, curving out with a turn two Smokebraider, turn three Mulldrifter, turn four Doran, turn five Hostility. When I cast Weed Strangle on my opponent's blocker, the expression on his face said it all.
EDIT: Ronin makes a good point; I should post a record or something. I ultimately went 4-3 with the deck, though I was 3-1 at the best. Unimpressive, yes. But you try winning with that pile.
See you in Chicago!
