Foundations Draft #3 or "Electroduplicate Doesn't Work with That" (WUBRG Drafting)

I made it out to Intergalactic Plastic's draft on Friday night where we drafted Foundations.  In wacky drafts, I'm never disappointed when I open Foundations, so I was excited to get another one in.  There were seven of us in total and the draft went pretty crazy.  A lot of really fun cards came around and I just kept picking them.  I tried a couple of different ideas, but didn't put together a real solid strategy.  Here were all my picks:

Heavy on Red tonight.

I really don't know whether I built well, but here's the deck I put together, "Electroduplicate Doesn't Work with That":

That empty sleeve is the second Electroduplicate, which I had already traded away before I took the picture.  If you want to predict how the rest of this will go, count the creatures that don't work well with Electroduplicate.

 

I realize there was an opportunity for me to use both Hare Apparents with the Electroduplicates, but that didn't come to me at the time.  Is that even good enough?  Maybe not.  The original build I had didn't include both Electrodominances, nor both Shivan Dragons, but this is how it was at the end of the night.  

In the first round I was matched up against "Go Wide Gruul".  I started off the first game with a Fanatical Firebrand and Gleaming Barrier in the first two turns.  My opponent played the first real threat, however, with a Squad Rallier on turn four, followed by a Helpful Hunter.  I cast Kykar, Zephyr Awakener, who doesn't work well with Electroduplicate because it's legendary.  My opponent fished up a Skyknight Squire with the Squad Rallier, and I had to use my Fanatical Firebrand to take it out before it got to be too big of a problem.  They played an Elfsworn Giant, I responded with a Shivan Dragon, but they had Bite Down to take care of that as well as a Banishing Light for Kykar.  We alternated two more creatures each: Angel of Finality from me, a kicked Gnarlid Colony from them, my Spinner of Souls (which Electroduplicate doesn't work well), then their Felidar Savior.  They attacked and I got my Juggernaut in hand from Spinner of Souls and a creature's death.  I played the Juggernaut and Wardens of the Cycle (Electroduplicate doesn't combo with this because the tokens die too late to trigger the Wardens' morbidity) but they got Guarded Heir and then Condemned my Juggernaut on the following turn.  I also cast Tatyova, Benthic Druid (legendary; Electroduplicate doesn't work with it) which they followed up with Cackling Prowler.  I played an Island and drew into Bulk Up.  I had plenty of mana to cast it twice, but they were at 14 and only my Angel of Finality would be able to get in safely.  Instead I cast my Icewind Elemental and drew Ghalta (Electroduplicate doesn't work with it).  With only the Ghalta and Bulk Up in hand, I decided to discard the Bulk Up.  I had enough on the board that I could cast Ghalta for GG.

I think this is the first time I've ever cast a Ghalta for GG.

They played more blockers, but on my next turn I swung in.  They threw a ton at the Ghalta to stay alive, but I still bulked it up and traded with a small army.  

I think these were the best blocks.

I won the following turn with my fliers.

In game two, I got my Gleaming Barrier down on turn two again and my opponent played a Mossborn Hydra immediately.  I played Spinner of Souls, they played Prideful Parent, and then I Imprisioned the Hydra in the Moon.  They played the Guarded Heir and then the Squad Rallier, which I Banished in the Light.  I played my Mild-Mannered Librarian, they played Gnarlid Colony (kicked) and then the next turn their Felidar Savior and the next turn their Sun-Blessed Healer.  They attacked and I was far behind.  I played Ruby (Electroduplicate doesn't work with that), my Shivan Dragon, and Bushwhacked their Felidar Savior all in one turn.  Nevertheless, they attacked and killed me in two more turns.

We were short of time for the third game, so we played much more quickly and I didn't take great notes.  They got the Sun-Blessed Healer out on turn two and never let up.  We went to time but I died only a few turns in.  0-1.

In round two, I was matched up against "Slow Dimir", which was packed with value.  In the first game, I got Ruby out on turn two and swung in a bunch while they used Pilfers to make me discard first my Gleaming Barrier, then Kykar.  I had black cards in hand, but no swamps.  They played Mischievous Mystic on turn four, but I drew into a swamp on turn five and killed it with Tragic Banshee.  (Without flash, the Banshee doesn't combo with Electroduplicate because you can't use the token dying for the morbid.)  The Banshee did work well with Ruby, who started swinging in for more damage.  My opponent played a Dreadwing Scavenger and later Gutless Plunderer, but I was able to keep the pressure on to win.

In game two, my opponent Pilfered my Spinner of Souls on turn two.  I dropped Fanatical Firebrand and then the Mild-Mannered Librarian.  Starting on their turn five they played Soul-Shackled Zombie, then I played Icewind Elemental, then they cast Billowing Shriekmass, thankfully without threshold.  I Electroduplicated the Icewind Elemental (that does work!), swung in, then played Kellan, Planar Trailblazer (Electroduplicate doesn't work with him.)  My opponent played Fleeting Distraction, then Think Twice to give themselves threshold.  I played Kykar and upgraded Kellan but couldn't safely attack.  My opponent played Abyssal Harvester, which threatened to be a real problem.  I cast Electrodominance on the Icewind Elemental again and had a big attack, holding Bulk Up in my hand.  My opponent Pilfered it, then used the Harvester to bring back the Soul-Shackled Zombie.  Thankfully I had enough air support to fly in for the win.  1-1.

In the third round I was up against Golgari "Sacrificial Elves".  Back in the drafting phase, I took an Elvish Archdruid, which they had really wanted to wheel.  (We played much faster this round, so my notes are not as thorough!)  I started game one off well with Mild-Mannered Librarian into Gleaming Barrier, but my opponent dropped their own Mossborn Hydra on turn four.  I dealt with it, but late and they amassed enough other strength to take me out.

Prior to the round starting, my opponent told me they already knew what they were going to side in and got those cards ready.  They added blue, complete with four islands!  The plan worked and the added value really showed up.

I did not keep up.

1-2.

This was not a great showing for me but I still really like this draft format.  I'm still over 500 in Foundations drafts at 5-4.  Other than that, I'm not sure what other lessons I should take away.  

Nevertheless, I had a great time!  I hope I'll get to draft Foundations again.

Happy Magicking, even if Electroduplicate doesn't work with what you're running!