It Takes Gut(s) To Draft Rakdos These Days

[@seangerrity9217]

It occurs to me that all these team drafts have very above average players. Luis does a pretty good job at the beginning by giving us a rundown of who's who and if you watch enough, you begin to recognize the names. In a normal MODO league, LSV cleans house even in some bad luck/variance games because he is one of the best at this game. When the caliber of play evens out, you can see how big the impact of variance is, from drafting to top decking. Add to that the familiarity between the players themselves and you end up with a much more competitively balanced environment and it's great to spectate. I can only imagine how much fun it is to face the challenge!

[@manhattanblockade8544]

I second this. When I draft with randos at my LGS I stomp them. When I play with my friend group who are all stronger players it's much more competitive

[@Y2Krj]

To be fair, Team drafts are also VASTLY different than League drafts. Often, you have to sacrifice the quality of your draft pool in order to weaken your opponents' pools with hate picks, whereas in League all you need to care about is the cards in your pool, since you likely won't play against the players in your draft pod.

[@martinzyka6432]

I think my mode win rate in this group would be 0-3 :D they are all so good. and they all improve and expand their preferences. It's so much fun to watch.

[@jewpcabra666]

as someone who has recently been in said group - variance is a hard one 😂 All the players are top caliber and since it's teams they are getting the opinions on deck building and draft log review from literal pros. It's a great time! highly encourage people who want to level up to check it iut

[@brothertobias]

@@Y2Krj It's why I personally don't like Leagues. Hate-drafting and reading the table is a fun part of drafting for me.

[@SenatorSimon02]

I must say, you have the absolute best attitude towards insane runs of bad luck & getting beat that I've ever seen over the decade plus I've watched you. It's honestly the #1 thing I try to learn from you, Luis. ❤

[@mesalikes]

The sheer resilience and scrappiness of the videos. Brings me courage.

[@LucianDevine]

Match 1 especially, game 1, drew all lands while his opponent drew nothing but spells. Game 2, he drew no lands, and only got a 3rd land because of initiative. It's the nature of the game, but it's brutal all the same.

[@LucianDevine]

@@qckngdcks Which is fair. You can't control the cards you draw, once you draft them of course, but you can control how you react to the cards you draw.

[@pauldaulby260]

I feel like vintage cube especially is a format where 2nd player should get a free lotus petal

[@dementievatz]

Maybe a nonartifact one, like a Lotus Petal Emblem. Would be interesting to see.

[@cropdustr]

24:35 You can turn that off in settings. I don't remember the tab, but its a checkbox to enable "Disable hover zoom" or something similarly named. Doing so will still let you zoom with middle mouse.

[@brandonr.2807]

Watching LSV lose drafts where the deck seems totally fine, makes me realize I wouldn't stand a chance in that shark tank. What a legend. Keep it up! We appreciate it!

[@Crononaut]

Those draws did that deck soooooo dirty

[@MonTy2b]

Loved this format - I think you’re onto something great.

[@christopherbarna7957]

I’ve seen you run out initiative creatures into positions where you are behind a lot dating back to the last time initiative was in the cube many months ago. It was weird to see you continue to defend the Passageway Seer over Sheoldred play even to the end of the game when you just handed him a win condition he otherwise wouldn’t have had.

[@bevrosity]

probably did it these games cuz he needed the land

[@christopherbarna7957]

@ if he doesn’t draw land after Sheoldred, he can Night’s Whisper for one and has access to Flame Slash, which can either take out a creature in case of emergency or if he gets lucky and draws red, be cast alongside Flame Slash. If Sheoldred survives, the Night’s Whisper even nets him life. The plan of “I lose to a removal spell here” is fine sometimes, but only if you don’t have an alternative. It was definitely an unnecessary risk.

[@AlkonKomm]

I feel like in general LSV has been a bit more prone to immediately commit to high risk, high reward plays recently. "If the opponent has no interaction I am fine" when everybody still has a bunch of cards in hand (in a format full of good, cheap interactive spells) seems like its probably going to work out badly a lot of times. But then again, maybe taking those kinds of risks does in the end still increase your win percentage, I have no idea.

[@stazmatic2375]

when will we see more of your cube? I'd love to see any updates you'd make to your cube list after drafting from these other lists.

[@mesalikes]

I always enjoy a good scrap. Keep it coming!

[@janismtgsmiles]

Feel's like a modern deck with some "restricted" one of busted cards

[@janismtgsmiles]

But very reasonable and good draft i'd say Drawing lands for several turns, against Power 9.. i mean what can you do

[@r2dezki]

Remember, when you're at rock bottom, there's no way other than up!

[@Hanslineman]

Am I crazy for thinking bauble over Goyf is crazy in Rakdos pack 1 when you could get Pyrogoyf later?

[@giancarlocafaro6734]

Very unlikely for it to wheel. It’s such a good card

[@Athrolaxle]

Pyrogoyf is close to 0% to wheel, even in a 6 player draft. It's a top 50 card, and every deck running Red will be after it, and players off Red may hate it or splash. Barrowgoyf is a decent card, but the other Goyfs just aren't very good.

[@Hanslineman]

@ in that case he should be concerned he’s passing Barrowgoyf to someone who took pyrogoyf. Also it was the only black card, and a decent one at that, and as he said the two to his left ended up being in black. He could have perhaps gotten some black equity in pack 2 by picking the barrowgoyf over a mishras bauble he cut from his deck.

[@WesleyMaguire-sy2nj]

What happened to the alpha deathclaw? I don't see it during the deckbuild.

[@cmorinster]

yea was surprised he didnt consider it

[@ExtraCarnex]

It certinly wasnt just you that felt like it was flipping between never drawing land and only drawing land.

[@dizzzzy6]

good afternoon my goons

[@pardonlutfentesekkurler]

#nevergoon

[@ducktales2020]

Any shot of delving into Innistrad Remastered for some Spider Spawnings?

[@udhh2619]

I really like this cube format

[@johnnyp8867]

Tank tank tank, fiery confluence. 😂

[@pauldaulby260]

Ive got psychic frog as 12th best card in the cube, i was surprised to see dt over it first pick, especially in a 6 man pod, and also where an animate dead is on the same pack (not likely to be reanimator or combo)

[@GuillaumePoulin]

Wonder if have an Unpowered cube for a few weeks could be an interesting pallet cleanser. Always felt power makes the cube much more luck based !

[@crawdaddy1234]

My favorite part of the day

[@johnhoge]

Not that it would have mattered with draws this poor, but Mana Vault over Mox Diamond felt ill-suited to the deck being built. Rakdos midrange isn't about making one game-winning play well ahead of schedule; it's about chaining together several efficient threats + disruption and grinding out a win through threat density and attrition. Being one mana ahead of schedule for multiple turns is much more useful than a single burst of fast mana. Likewise, the Spirit Guides were out of place in a deck whose proactive plays couldn't singlehandedly go over the top of opponents or recoup the card disadvantage.

[@Civera89]

I know I’m not in LSB’s level but why take a Xander’s Lounge for the SB and not a Yavimaya?

[@Athrolaxle]

Xander's Lounge is a tapped dual that can be cycled and fetched. Yavimaya is just worse than a Forest, since he will only ever need single Green and Yavimaya may fix the opponent's mana.

[@justin7035]

I think you might want to hold back on high-rolling initiative plays when your opponent has board presence first. If they have any way to deal with your one initiative creature blocker, you just lose. You're kind of turning the game into a 50-50 (possibly a lot worse than that), when you do that.

[@zzafrica87]

🐐🐐🐐

[@LunaLasceria]

Game 1: Less lands, please, deck. Game 2: Not like that!

[@SMNtheNight]

LSV is too strong, the MTG gods have to severely nerf his draws to give his opponents a chance once in a while😔

[@koopk1]

Hello @lsv the audio popping is real bad in this one again. Yesterday’s video it was almost non existent. Probably overlapping cords or needs to be re plugged in/different port

[@dementievatz]

People are always talking about the audio, and I swear I never notice any of it. It’s wild how different people have sensitivity to different stimuli.

[@koopk1]

@@dementievatz i mean im legally deaf in my left ear and i can hear it, so its not a sensitivity thing, its just super noticeable and a really easy fix

[@dementievatz]

⁠@@koopk1 By sensitivity I mean that you notice it enough to bother you. My hearing is pretty normal, and there’s nothing about the audio that I notice. So to me, there’s nothing to fix.

[@koopk1]

@ its just super obvious when you watch one video with normal sound and then the next has major popping issues. idk personally poor audi quality is one of my biggest pet peeves, like just fix the audio its not that hard, especially if you are a *professional* streamer/youtuber

[@FlagellumDei78]

This deck was much better than the outcome.

[@sorinsoria]

Brutal runouts

[@bricelory9534]

I am kinda feeling my interest waning on the Powermax (Powermack) Cube - I'm bored of Initiative taking over the game, and I find the 2 card combos repetitive and less engaging. I'm fine with combo being a part of the Cube, but to me, it is there to keep other decks in check and not be the most important part of the meta. And I will be happy to see the backside of Initiative again. Least enjoyable mechanic ever designed. Well, specifically, the Undercity dungeon is insane. I'm sure many people are enjoying the max power Cube, and that's cool - it's just not as engaging to me.

[@silvle01]

That necromancy pick was interesting. I would have definitely taken the bronco.

[@JamesObscura]

Necromancy in a deck with a lot of removal is really solid, you can always necro their nastiest early play

[@BetaJim22]

I think that was a team draft pick. MTGO league he'd probably take bronco. It was possible he was sitting next to a reanimator opponent and risking giving them a necro there wouldn't be a good idea even if bronco would be slightly better for his deck. Also there being a likely reanimator opponent makes necro interesting to steal their targets as well.

[@ronaldrockmann2032]

I think Bronco is also just not very good. It's basically just Bob but way worse. (though I must say a effect like that would look nice in this deck)

[@quarkraven]

tough beats bruv. luck is a fickle mistress aint she

[@mitchhak2]

Damage Control:

[@Testchannel-hz4vf]

Could perhaps have taken and played Doomsday and Thassa's Oracle. Already had Night's Whisper, so picking up a Pentad Prism, Manamorphose or LED (LED using the drafted Soul-Guide Lantern) would be enough for a doomsday pile that can win the turn after doomsday with no removal, and through removal with a reanimation spell as well.

[@jairomy]

Fun deck, not so fun games besides one. GGs

[@Christoff070]

LSV bruh how are you today

[@DavidHarrisActor]

draft more frequently and only upload the ones that are successful?

[@BetaJim22]

32:35 I could be wrong but I think this moment shows how LSV has changed his approach over the last several years. I *think* LSV 10 years ago would have played Sheoldred here in order to play around removal. Both are strong if they don't have removal but Sheoldred first is easier to come back from a removal spell. It feels like recent LSV plays what would be the most powerful assuming his opponent has nothing which might be a result of habits formed from Arena play? This is entirely anecdotal and based solely upon comparing memories him playing for many years and thinking back to the way he played during the times of say Vintage Super League and now does feel different. Basically I think past LSV played assuming his opponent had good hands and present LSV basically YOLOs way more often. Also I think past LSV played towards his 1% outs and would go crazy when he hit them while present LSV kind of checks out conceding or plays random cards assuming he's dead without actively playing towards his 1%ers.

[@giancarlocafaro6734]

This is some terrible analysis. Playing Shelly risks missing a land drop. Seer is without a doubt the play

[@giancarlocafaro6734]

lol and he plays to his ridiculously small outs by night’s whisper for a land to play interpreter. Seems like you just had something in mind and wanted to talk about it rather than it reflecting what we are watching

[@BetaJim22]

@ He had whisper after Shelly to hit land. Likely be able to Whisper into Flame slash after shelly died on turn 3 and again likely to Seer on 4. With Whisper in hand he's incredibly likely to make his land drops and going with the Seer play is incredibly likely to lose to a removal spell. It can be argued that the higher win % of seer when he doesn't have the removal makes up for the loss % when he does have removal and it's correct to play the higher risk higher reward play but can't argue that Shelly isn't the play that's more likely to beat a removal spell.

[@REALpineEATER]

Past LSV didn't have three(?) kids priorities change he doesn't eat sleep game as much as he used to, not that its not in him, he just treats the game differently than he did before. TLDR its not that deep bro

[@LunaLasceria]

Spending 10 extra minutes playing towards the 1% out is not a good use of your time when you're a parent with newborn twins and just doing a daily draft for fun with friends from your Discord server.

[@cz19856]

why are the cards uglier than usual on magic online?

[@anthonyjs8048]

Your draws were absolutely ABYSMAL this time. Deck was better than it played.

[@828dub]

First one here!

[@TimPenton-h6e]

I would enjoy watching these drafts so much more if I knew what was in the cube...

[@Erik-yq7es]

I believe it is the PowerMack cube on cubecobra

[@Nickowski]

Google "Pmax without bad cards"

[@Athrolaxle]

You can look it up! This the Power Mack Cube (Mack Smith's cube).

[@Sabberlackel]

Is There a List for the Cube ? Because it Looks really fun.