Fired Hand

[Asuryan]

I had a draft last night with a couple of new players. One of them got blown out by Fired Hand one game, and thought the card was broken (in limited). I don't think it's broken, but I can't think of any commons I'd rather open. (Regardless of which trades I'm in.) I'm trying to come up with compelling reasons why it's a fair card.

How strong do you consider Fired Hand (and to some extent Vorpal Sword) in draft?

Are there any Seed 2 commons that you'd pick over Fired Hand in a draft? (If so, which, when and why?)

What strategies do you use against Fired Hand when your opponent has one face-down?

[Wakkarr]

I think Isaac scooped too early too, but I think he was just tilting from the previous game. He was already ready to rage after I played him round 2.

Fired Hand really only seems like a gamebreaker if you have pressure to back it up. i.e. Cashing in a bunch of your starting cards to kill a bunch of X/2s and X/1s is only gamebreaking if you are clearing a path for some beats. As far as 'playing around it' goes, it seems like you cant really play around it beyond using your X/1s as face down resources and letting them pay 2 and pitch 2 if they are happy to take the CA loss to kill X/2s. Obviously just running all your X/1s as resources is far from ideal, but if your deck has a decent curve up to some beffy guys it shouldnt be too much of an issue. i.e. Play out your decent X/2s and X/3s so you arent just completely open to beats, and if they do use the Fired Hand/Vorpal Sword at least they arent 1 for 1'ing you with repeatable removal.

That being said, the cards are both really good. Fired hand has been solid when I've hand it/its been used against me, and Vorpal Sword is very nearly as good. They remind me of equipment when drafting MTG, even if they arent the most overtly powerful card in a pack they are still really strong picks, simply because its a garenteed playable with a repeatable effect. If you happen to have a deck which works really well with them, i.e. you end play a deck which can play them normally, as well as face down, then even better.

Not commiting yourself to a particular trade with your first pick, while aso getting some removal seems like a perfect start. It doesnt hurt that Fired Hand is so easily splashable.

They are also pretty sickening with Spd 4 dudes.

[capdeck]

By playing the Alliance of Handy Weirdos you can quite easily counter Fired Hand and to some degree even Vorpal Sword. Especially Fired Hand is easily splashable, so it should never table back to you once you pass on it, but I would rather pick good cards in my trades than Fired Hand, if I wasn't playing Rogue.

The thing you have to keep in mind is, that the Fired Hand player has to pay 4 ressources to use it (3 to draw a card and 1 to use the Hand's ability). So by killing low cost characters nothing is really won by the Hand. It is a little nastier, if used in combat to kill your tough guys by dealing the final damage.

But hands down, the Fired Hand IS the best common in the set because everyone can use it. But that doesn't automatically make it the first pick of the pack.

[Wakkarr]

They dont have to pay 4 if they use cards already in their hand, the extra cost of drawing cards is only relevant later in the game. i.e. If they pitch cards to kill your turn 1/2 plays (say they kill and X/1 then an X/2), they have spent 3 to nullify your first two turns worth of characters. If they have aggressive characters of their own they can use that time to force through a bunch of damage to your faction.

Alliance doesnt work very well, since you have to tap out at some point, and they only need 1 open to kill an X/1, while you need 3 open to protect it.

Obviously late in a draft if you know you are not playing Rogue, Fired Hand may simply not be the best choice. i.e. Picking Armoured Elf once you know you are playing gearsmith. But it probably is the best First pack first pick common in Seed 2, simply because any deck can make good use of it, so it doesnt dictate the rest of your picks. It is easily splashable so you can pick bombs like Arthalamund without worrying that you wont be able to play your first pick.