Affinity golems in draft

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How would you rank the affinity golems?
(Spire, Oxidda, Tangle, Dross, Razor)

Also, how roughly early do you draft each of these, assuming you're in
their color? Obviously it's dependant on the booster and your deck so
far, but I'm looking for your rough feel (i.e. "top three" or "4-6" or
"never").

Thanks,
-Trevor.

 

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On 20 Apr 2004 14:36:27 -0700, kentstr04@yahoo.com (TJB) wrote:

>How would you rank the affinity golems?
>(Spire, Oxidda, Tangle, Dross, Razor)
>
I've seen them all played (draft), but I personally would rate them
(limited):
Spire, Razor, Dross, Tangle, Oxidda

>Also, how roughly early do you draft each of these, assuming you're in
>their color? Obviously it's dependant on the booster and your deck so
>far, but I'm looking for your rough feel (i.e. "top three" or "4-6" or
>"never").
>
The store I play at has a tendency to draft non-standard sets. They
insisted on Mirrodin-Darksteel-Darksteel for awhile. Red was
underdrafted and one guy consistently went mono-Red with multiple
Oxiddas. This is probably the only reason that I have respect for
them.
I get the vague impression that you should have better Green creatures
than Tangle Golem available.
I've had to play a Dross in a Team Sealed, but it worked well (won me
2-0 against W/G).
And I've only heard praise sung of Spire and Razor (although I was
dubious about both of them).

-- pseudosoldier

 

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kentstr04@yahoo.com (TJB) wrote in message news:<c332a7a8.0404201336.5b6e71ec@posting.google.com>...
> How would you rank the affinity golems?
> (Spire, Oxidda, Tangle, Dross, Razor)
>
> Also, how roughly early do you draft each of these, assuming you're in
> their color? Obviously it's dependant on the booster and your deck so
> far, but I'm looking for your rough feel (i.e. "top three" or "4-6" or
> "never").

Razor is far and away the best, and shouldn't go later than 3rd pick.
For one thing, the deck he gets drafted for (White Equipment) means he
typically swings on turn four with some equipment one, ideally Vulshok
Gauntlets. He's a pain to block early, and keeps defense strong.

Spire is next. 4 toughness on a flyer is remarkably good, as there
aren't usually many ways to deal with it in combat that don't result
in a 2 for 1. Either way you win. 2nd to 5th. These first two are the
only ones I'd consider running in a minor color, if one had sufficient
acceleration.

After that, I personally like Oxidda. I prefer an aggressive style of
red, with as many Vulshok Berserkers as I can get my hands on, and
Oxidda just adds to the insanity. He should go high and often for
aggro, much later for control.

I think Tangle and Dross are about equivalent. Tangle is a house, but
so is everything else in green's arsenal. He's nice if you're playing
some Arcbounds, as green often has too many colored creatures to take
advantage of the arcbound ability. Dross is helpful to have versus
white and green, where the Fear can actually come into play. Mid range
picks.

--
Justin

 

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Archived from groups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (More info?)

"TJB" <kentstr04@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c332a7a8.0404201336.5b6e71ec@posting.google.com...
> How would you rank the affinity golems?
> (Spire, Oxidda, Tangle, Dross, Razor)
>
> Also, how roughly early do you draft each of these, assuming you're in
> their color? Obviously it's dependant on the booster and your deck so
> far, but I'm looking for your rough feel (i.e. "top three" or "4-6" or
> "never").

Tangle Golem is great in Green/Black and Green/Red. Slows up the ground
and good removal will make space for him.

Razor golem is good in decks where you've picked up good equipment
and white evasion critters as he can hold the ground while your evasion
critters do the damage. I've also found you can knock him out on turn
three and equip him up and head straight in - he's a fairly powerful beast.

Spire Golem is also good but, for a 2/4 you do need to be playing a lot
of Islands. Even so, in a UW deck with equipment he's a good flier...

Oxidda and Dross? Well - If I'm in red or black and am very low on critters
I might play one as filler - depends just how bad the rest of my critters are.

Jim.

 

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The affinity golems can be extremely useful in draft but I wouldn't
rank any a must have. The way I would rate them is Spire, Tangle,
Dross, Oxida, and Razor. The spire combos easily with the cheaper
arcbounds by getting in early damage and the tangle produces a jumbo
creature for free in the end game. I haven't seen the Oxida and Razor
play well but then again white weenie equip is less popular in our
drafts. The dross golem is surprisingly effective, especially when
equiped with a combat damage to a player effect such as one of the
swords of L/S. The dross can force players to hold back their bigger
artifact creatures for blocking or force bad blocks. If you can pull
it get the L/S sword to add pro-black thereby improving the dross's
evasion.