Innistrad draft

I got around to going to another Innistrad draft last night. I think the deck I drafted was very good, and I was doing well, but lost some close games in the finals. But it was fun to play regardless. 


My first pick was a Manor Gargoyle, passing Tribute to Hunger and Geistflame. The Tribute came round again so I took it late, which was handy as I had been taking a lot of black that pack. I had a few green cards and an Unburial Rites, so was looking into playing black with green/white as a splash. In the next few packs, I got more black cards and a few good green cards, but not too many white cards. I did also open a Gavony Township, so was thinking so splashing both green and white, even if only slightly, and looked for mana fixing some more. 

This is the deck I ended up playing:


Gavony Township
Dead Weight
Typhoid Rats
Caravan Vigil
2 Avacyn's Pilgrim
Travel Preparations
Mulch
Boneyard Wurm
Altar's Reap
Manor Skeleton
Tribute to Hunger
Ghoulraiser
Grave Bramble
2 Abattoir Ghoul
Moan of the Unhallowed
Sever the Bloodline
Falkenrath Noble
Bloodgift Demon
Manor Gargoyle
2 Unburial Rites
Army of the Damned


Notable sideboard cards:
Naturalize
Cobbled Wings

In the first match, I had a very close first game with my opponent playing a 2/1 vampire which was then pumped to deal me 4 a turn. It was a very close game, but I managed to win. The second game wasn't as fast, so I was able to play the Demon and win with the flier. 


In the second match, my opponent was playing a slow controlling deck. We didn't do too much in both games to start off with, I might have had a few small creatures for a bit, but I won both games after resolving Army of the Damned. 


In the first match, I lost the first game quite badly (they had all the removal they needed). I sideboarded and had a close second game, which I won. 


In the first and final game, I started off slowly, stalling on three lands for a few turns, but had a Avacyn's Pilgrim, so could play a few more things. This was eventually killed when I did need the white for a few things. I cast Unburial Rites targeting it, and the next turn flashed it back for Abattoir Ghoul. This was a mistake (I should have flashed back Travel Preparations and not overextend the board), as they dealt everything two damage the next turn so I lost both creatures. Later on, the board was empty apart from my Manor Skeleton. They cast two curses that dealt me a damage each for each turn, so I had to race. I was winning, but was going to be overtaken soon. I did have a Naturalize which I drew eventually which I sideboarded in after seeing it in previous games. Still close, I cast Moan of the Unhallowed to get 2 creatures. I did not flash it back because their two-damage spell had flashback they they could use, which I think was correct. I had a Gavony Township in play, but no white sources, and then I drew Caravan Vigil. I attacked, some creatures died and I cast it to search for a plains (I only had the one), which came into play so I could pump my creatures with counters. This was a mistake - I should have cast it first, played the plains, pumped my creatures then attacked, as I would have either gotten another point of damage in (I lost with them on one life), or had an extra creature to not have traded. In the last few turns, they cast Olivia Voldaren, stole a Abattoir Ghoul I had and passed the turn. I drew and cast Manor Gargoyle and passed the turn, which was a mistake. I should have pumped my creatures with the township and attacked (they would have had to block my 4/4's to trade both creatures, and I would have one more to attack next turn to win), but they damaged and stole the Gargoyle and attacked when I had to fliers to block. 


In the end, I could have won a few times, but was making too many small mistakes so lost in the end. I think it's helped that I've thought over it to find all the mistakes I made, to think about in the future and try and avoid making them again. My main problem in the last turn was not concentrating enough to do the math and think things through properly. I think trying to get extra value out of Caravan Vigil when I didn't need to was also a major mistake. 


First picks
I still won two matches, so got two boosters, so can have a look at possible first picks. 


Pack A: Thraben Sentry, Kessig Wolf Run (foil), Midnight Haunting, Forbidden Alchemy


My choice would be between the Kessig Wolf Run and Midnight Haunting. The land has a greater colour commitment, but can be splashed (and is foil), and the Midnight Haunting gets multiple creatures. I think I would take the land as I haven't been as impressed as I thought I would be with Midnight Haunting so far, so would be looking to seeing how Kessig Wolf Run works in limited. 


Pack B: Snapcaster Mage, Lumberknot, Skaab Goliath, Brimstone Volley, Victim of Night 


This is an interesting pack. I think I will discount Lumberknot and Victim of Night because they require a double-colour commitment. I would be looking to pick either Snapcaster Mage or Brimstone Volley, and I think I would take the Volley because it can be a lot of damage, and works on its own (Cpt. Snaps requires me to play other spells).