After last weeks pack resulted in taking Air Servant, I thought it would be interesting to open another Modern Masters 2015 pack. The format isn’t here for long, so let’s talk about it whilst we can.

Commons

Compared to the first Modern Masters 2015 pack, these commons are actually highlighting some of the archetypes this format has to offer.

Wayfarer’s Bauble is my favourite artifact of the 3. The bauble offers mana ramp outside of the usual green colour commitment. Funnily enough, I feel that it does fit best into the green red archetype, that can splash off­ colour cards due to the Landcycling cards, and ramp effects.

Blood Ogre is made for the red black bloodthirst deck, a 2/2 with first strike for 3 mana is likely to sit in any red deck. Coupled with the fact that if you can get an attack in or a source of damage, a 3/3 with first strike is a fantastic rate.

Viashino Slaughtermaster is a strange one. Whilst the black and green activation cost suggests a Jund deck, he probably fits into the red white double strike equipment deck better, as he carries the important keyword.

Once again the black cards are underwhelming, but I am happy to have a Shrivel available to me in the sideboard.

Court Homunculus is a great filler card in an artifact deck. It actually gets better if there are multiples in the deck, as they can play off each other and produce 2/2 body’s.

Faerie Mechanist can also fit into the archetype, but make sure there are a few targets that it can pick up.

Whilst these cards are fine in there own decks, I would not really be too happy taking any of them as a pack 1 pick 1.

Uncommons

Karplusan Strider is a strange card. A 4 mana 3 / 4 is a little underwhelming and will more than likely be a filler card in most decks. The ability is very narrow, and will more than likely just find itself hanging out in my sideboard.

Selesnya Guildmage is a card high on my radar with this pack. Being either green or white, it lets you use your mana when there is nothing else to do. If you are a mostly green deck, then the ability to churn out extra attackers or chump blockers without costing you a card is fantastic. The white pump spell gives a threat of activation style global pump which can make combat tricky for your opponent..

Rakdos Carnarium is one of the 10 bounce lands in the set. Whilst not the most popular colour combination, Rakdos Carnarium still fits the mould as a good first pick. As the bounce lands allow you to have access to an extra mana without having to play an additional land slot, I would happily play Rakdos Carnarium in any deck that had only 1 of the 2 colours.

Rare

Leyline of Sanctity doesn’t quite fit the mould of a first pick card for me. An enchantment that could do absolutely nothing against some decks, this was more than likely printed to increase availability in Modern.

I think if I were to end up with this in my draft picks, it is definitely a sideboard card, and even then I’m not sure when, or if, I would bring it in. A lot of limited games come down to creature combat and Leyline does not impact combat. Even if my opponent has been lucky enough to open Profane Command, Comet Storm or Banefire, it is still likely only one card in there deck, and that’s only 39 it likely doesn’t interact with.

My Pick

This is a strange pack,  there isn’t a lot of great power cards in the pack, but a lot of cards that would happily slide into a deck a few picks in.

Whilst last week I discussed how I didn’t want to commit to an archetype, Selesnya Guildmage is a green or white card, and I would try and base a green white tokens deck around it. If one of the colours does end up being cut off, I would preferably like to end up in a green based deck after taking it. I feel that the token producing is more powerful than the on board pump effect, and it is probably easier to splash a plains in a green deck due to rampant growth style effects. My ideal common picks after this are cards such as Scatter the Seeds, Raise the Alarm and Scion of the Wilds.

This was an interesting pack, and it made me think what I would take as a second pick if a card had been removed from the pack. Next time I’ll look at a pack after I’ve taken a pick, and break down what I would look at.

What’s your pick? Do you have a preference? Vote for your pick at the following link:

http://strawpoll.me/4598221 and leave some comments.

You can find me on twitter at @TrollTraderAdam

Until next time; draft.