Develop creatures, spread permanent counters across the board, and convert those counters into first strike, trample and a better long-game board.
Develop creatures, spread permanent counters across the board, and convert those counters into first strike, trample and a better long-game board.
Commit when repeated useful cards and enough support make a complete deck in these colors.
Four checks while you draft
Can I affect the board before the payoff?
A two-drop fills the curve or arrives with two counters for five total mana when kicked. It grants trample to every creature you control with a +1/+1 counter, including itself when kicked.
Do my actual cards enable this plan?
Play Good-Fortune Unicorn before a later creature or token maker when safe. Felidar Savior can then spread counters to other creatures, letting Inspiring Paladin improve their attacks.
Can I stop their strongest play and finish a stalled game?
Develop creatures, spread permanent counters across the board, and convert those counters into first strike, trample and a better long-game board.
Choose the missing job before another reward that needs it.
The key card is present but its support is thin.
Prioritize useful support such as Gnarlid Colony or Felidar Savior.
Play Good-Fortune Unicorn before a later creature or token maker when safe. Felidar Savior can then spread counters to other creatures, letting Inspiring Paladin improve their attacks.
Your deck enables the plan but is losing the early turns.
Take a castable early creature or efficient answer before another expensive payoff.
Counter rewards need creatures to carry them. Inspiring Paladin grants first strike only during your turn, so a powerful attack does not mean the same board can make safe first-strike blocks.
The support is missing
Favor independently useful creatures and interaction if the narrow support does not arrive.
Repeated useful cards are clues, not proof that the colors are open.
Counter rewards need creatures to carry them. Inspiring Paladin grants first strike only during your turn, so a powerful attack does not mean the same board can make safe first-strike blocks.
Remove the support creature or counter recipient before combat when possible. Instant removal of a lord or Paladin can change combat abilities even after attackers have been declared.
Sun-Blessed Healer59.6% GIH · 5,380 instances
Felling Blow59.5% GIH · 6,077 instances
Rugged Highlands59.0% GIH · 173 instances
Cat Collector58.3% GIH · 4,747 instances
Overrun58.1% GIH · 5,683 instances
Banishing Light57.7% GIH · 12,175 instances17Lands ↗ · Nov 12–Dec 15, 2024 · at least 100 card-in-hand instances in this pair’s no-splash decks. Choose the job your deck needs first.
Celestial Armor 2WFlash it in response to targeted removal or before combat damage so its entry trigger protects a creature with hexproof and indestructible for the turn. The lasting bonus is +2/+0 and flying; later equip costs four and does not repeat that protection trigger.
Spinner of Souls 2GA three-mana 4/3 with reach pressures or blocks while replacing your other nontoken creatures that die with creature cards from the library. It does not reward its own death or dying tokens, and the replacements go to hand rather than directly onto the battlefield.
Sylvan Scavenging 1GGCast before your end step and choose the mode that develops the board. A counter can help a creature reach four power for future Raccoons; the token mode checks for a four-power creature as it resolves, so opposing removal can deny that token.
Sire of Seven Deaths 7Seven mana buys a resilient attacker and blocker: vigilance keeps it available, first strike and trample punish blocks, and lifelink can reverse races. Ward asks an opponent to pay seven life to target it; it is a cost they may pay, and untargeted removal still works normally.17Lands Premier Draft ↗ · Nov 12–Dec 15, 2024 · 100-instance minimum
Gnarlid ColonyA two-drop fills the curve or arrives with two counters for five total mana when kicked. It grants trample to every creature you control with a +1/+1 counter, including itself when kicked.
Sun-Blessed Healer
Felidar SaviorIts entry puts counters on up to two other creatures, spreading lasting power and supporting counter payoffs. It cannot target itself; develop creatures before it when doing so is safe.
Cat Collector
Inspiring PaladinIt gives creatures with counters first strike during your turn and has first strike itself then. That protection disappears on the opponent's turn, so do not evaluate a block as if the bonus persists.
Treetop SnarespinnerReach and deathtouch discourage attacks while its sorcery-speed ability spreads counters. Leave enough mana to interact before repeatedly investing in counters on a creature exposed to removal.
Examples apply the printed rules; judge the board, costs and timing.
| One-pick | Sealed |
|---|---|
| With one pick at a time, fill the missing early play, answer or support card before adding another narrow payoff. The plan must work without drawing its key card. | Compare complete builds from the cards you opened. Keep the castable curve and interaction even if the draft theme is only partly supported. |
