Breakdown:
- 47 cards of each color
- 7 cards of each allied pair, 4 cards of each enemy pair. I didn't differentiate between gold and hybrid.
- 39 artifacts
- 31 lands
Format: Siege variant rules. More on Siege in the next section.
Drafted?: Very much a proof of concept. Still in the process of acquiring cards.
Drafting and playing the Siege cube is just like drafting and playing any typical cube, except for these differences:
- Each player starts at 5 life instead of 20.
- Each player starts with a Steel Wall on the battlefield.
- The Steel Wall follows Commander rules: Whenever it would be put into a graveyard or exile from anywhere, you may move it to the Command Zone. Casting the Steel Wall costs more for each time you previously cast it from the Command Zone. (It costs the first time you cast it, then , and so on.)
The Siege Cube was conceived as a design challenge, mainly: What if players started at a life total other than 20? The initial idea was on the extreme end: Both players started at 1 life, but I didn't go too far with that. 5 life seemed like the lowest I could go, and I can't imagine games from this cube being played at the normal starting 20.
Archetypes
The archetypes in the Siege Cube are rather different from normal Cube archetypes: I couldn't have burn or weenie or even too much tribal. Evasive creatures should be expensive and hard to come by, and there ought to be alternate win conditions not based on damage. These are the (very basic) archetypes you can expect to see:
- Swarm: White and red offer many small creatures for cheap. Swarm past your opponent's defenses! There aren't any mass-buff spells in the cube, but you wouldn't need them anyway.
- Flying: White and blue dominate the skies, though even the cheapest flier costs 3.
- Poison: For the very first time, you need to deal more poison damage than normal damage to win! Infect creatures are mainly in black and green.
- Mill: Mill cards are in blue with anything else as defensive support.
- Ramp: Ramp spells start from CMC 4 and up, and the biggest creatures are available in red and green.
Notes:
- Kami of False Hope: I'm a little iffy on this card. Considering that you already start with a Steel Wall, it's already hard enough for non-swarm enemies to punch through your defenses. Suggestions to replace this welcome.
- Tivadar of Thorn: I needed something with protection from red. The "destroy Goblin" is a bonus. It also plays well with the mini Knight theme in the color.
- Also I find Bestow and Level Up cards to fit really well with the design of the cube. You start out with something small in the early game but it can get abnormally scary. Keeps you on your toes.
Notes:
- Removal is conditional (Except for Afterlife which gives your opponent a precious flyer. In a pinch you can use it on yourself.)
- Convalescence is a crappy Ajani's Mantra but I prefer the former.
- Several spells with populate play with white's token theme.
Notes:
- Doorkeeper shines here!
- Knight of the Mists looks like a great anti-Knight card.
- Body Double is there because of all the mill.
- I made blue secondary in Exalted. White and green have too many creature mechanics.
Notes:
- Black's creatures are mainly infect with a little Exalted thrown in.
- The cheapest flyer is in black (Swamp Mosquito and deals half a damage!
Notes:
- Ignite Memories sounded like a good idea but it's potentially win-the-game at turn 5. Will be kept under close observation.
- It's probably the first time Lava Axe was too good for a cube. I loudly wished that Scorching Missile cost more.
Potential Outs:
- Ignite Memories: This could randomly win someone the game on turn 5 even at a storm count of 1.
- Lich's Mirror: Your Steel Wall is potentially gone, but you get to start back at 20.
- Thespian's Stage: It's been there since the initial list, but I can't remember what for.
Potential Ins:
- Helix Pinnacle. This card was in the initial list, but a win through this card didn't seem too plausible. I can't have too much mana ramp.
- Near Death Experience. Would expect the condition to be easier to achieve than normal starting 20. Gives a reason to play Mana Confluence.
- Door to Nothingness. Not much fixing available but I suppose it provides the right amount of challenge.
Cube Size: 360 cards
Breakdown:
- 47 cards of each color
- 7 cards of each allied pair, 4 cards of each enemy pair. I didn't differentiate between gold and hybrid.
- 39 artifacts
- 31 lands
Format: Siege variant rules. More on Siege in the next section.
Drafted?: Very much a proof of concept. Still in the process of acquiring cards.
Draft it!: CubeTutor
Introducing The Siege Variant
Drafting and playing the Siege cube is just like drafting and playing any typical cube, except for these differences:
- Each player starts at 5 life instead of 20.
- Each player starts with a Steel Wall on the battlefield.
- The Steel Wall follows Commander rules: Whenever it would be put into a graveyard or exile from anywhere, you may move it to the Command Zone. Casting the Steel Wall costs
The Siege Cube was conceived as a design challenge, mainly: What if players started at a life total other than 20? The initial idea was on the extreme end: Both players started at 1 life, but I didn't go too far with that. 5 life seemed like the lowest I could go, and I can't imagine games from this cube being played at the normal starting 20.
Archetypes
The archetypes in the Siege Cube are rather different from normal Cube archetypes: I couldn't have burn or weenie or even too much tribal. Evasive creatures should be expensive and hard to come by, and there ought to be alternate win conditions not based on damage. These are the (very basic) archetypes you can expect to see:
- Swarm: White and red offer many small creatures for cheap. Swarm past your opponent's defenses! There aren't any mass-buff spells in the cube, but you wouldn't need them anyway.
- Flying: White and blue dominate the skies, though even the cheapest flier costs 3.
- Poison: For the very first time, you need to deal more poison damage than normal damage to win! Infect creatures are mainly in black and green.
- Mill: Mill cards are in blue with anything else as defensive support.
- Ramp: Ramp spells start from CMC 4 and up, and the biggest creatures are available in red and green.
Card List
1x Apothecary Initiate
1x Caravan Escort
1x Hopeful Eidolon
1x Kami of False Hope
1x Martyred Rusalka
2CMC
1x Aegis of the Gods
1x Angelic Wall
1x Lost Leonin
1x Metallurgeon
1x War Priest of Thune
1x Attended Knight
1x Outrider en-Kor
1x Seller of Songbirds
1x Tivadar of Thorn
4CMC
1x Arbalest Elite
1x Benalish Commander
1x Goldmeadow Lookout
1x Kabira Vindicator
1x Decorated Griffin
1x Gustcloak Cavalier
1x Shriek Raptor
6CMC
1x Evangel of Heliod
1x Voice of the Provinces
7CMC
1x Seraph of the Masses
Notes:
- Kami of False Hope: I'm a little iffy on this card. Considering that you already start with a Steel Wall, it's already hard enough for non-swarm enemies to punch through your defenses. Suggestions to replace this welcome.
- Tivadar of Thorn: I needed something with protection from red. The "destroy Goblin" is a bonus. It also plays well with the mini Knight theme in the color.
- Also I find Bestow and Level Up cards to fit really well with the design of the cube. You start out with something small in the early game but it can get abnormally scary. Keeps you on your toes.
1x Alms
1x Soul Snare
1x Convalescence
1x Asha's Favor
1x Banishing Light
1x Entangler
Instant:
1x Condemn
1x Faith's Shield
1x Glyph of Life
1x Righteous Blow
1x Cursebreak
1x Reprisal
1x Shelter
1x Afterlife
1x Pillar of Light
1x Rootborn Defenses
1x Divine Verdict
1x Festival of the Guildpact
1x Trostani's Judgment
1x Balance
1x Revoke Existence
1x Captain's Call
1x Knight Watch
Notes:
- Removal is conditional (Except for Afterlife which gives your opponent a precious flyer. In a pinch you can use it on yourself.)
- Convalescence is a crappy Ajani's Mantra but I prefer the former.
- Several spells with populate play with white's token theme.
1x Dakra Mystic
1x Drowner Initiate
1x Vortex Elemental
2CMC
1x Blighted Agent
1x Coral Trickster
1x Doorkeeper
1x Halimar Wavewatch
1x Willbender
1x Frontline Sage
1x Frost Lynx
1x Knight of the Mists
1x Sage's Row Denizen
1x Wall of Air
4CMC
1x Clinging Anemones
1x Outrider of Jhess
1x Vedalken Entrancer
1x Voidmage Husher
1x Body Double
1x Mulldrifter
6CMC
1x Benthic Giant
1x Isperia's Skywatch
Notes:
- Doorkeeper shines here!
- Knight of the Mists looks like a great anti-Knight card.
- Body Double is there because of all the mill.
- I made blue secondary in Exalted. White and green have too many creature mechanics.
1x Betrayal
1x Thassa's Ire
1x Pin to the Earth
1x Curse of the Bloody Tome
1x Propaganda
1x Corrupted Conscience
1x Eternity Snare
Instant
1x Curfew
1x Downsize
1x Glyph of Delusion
1x Negate
1x Turn to Frog
1x Withdraw
1x Dream Fracture
1x Second Sight
1x Aetherize
1x Geist Snatch
1x Broken Ambitions
1x Extract
1x Gitaxian Probe
1x Research the Deep
1x Borrowing 100,000 Arrows
1x Stolen Goods
1x Devastation Tide
1x Psychic Transfer
1x Thassa's Bounty
Notes:
- Blue's spells are mainly defensive and reactive. Psychic Transfer is more of a cute experiment.
1x Deathgreeter
1x Duty-Bound Dead
1x Zulaport Enforcer
2CMC
1x Baleful Eidolon
1x Butcher Ghoul
1x Corpse Hauler
1x Skinthinner
1x Swamp Mosquito
1x Wall of Corpses
1x Contagious Nim
1x Ichor Rats
1x Spined Basher
1x Wall of Limbs
4CMC
1x Blackcleave Goblin
1x Duskmantle Prowler
1x Flesh-Eater Imp
1x Nightshade Assassin
1x Wall of Distortion
1x Farbog Boneflinger
1x Reaper of Sheoldred
1x Scourge Servant
6CMC
1x Nefashu
1x Toxic Nim
Notes:
- Black's creatures are mainly infect with a little Exalted thrown in.
- The cheapest flyer is in black (Swamp Mosquito and deals half a damage!
1x Quest for the Gravelord
1x Enfeeblement
1x Phyresis
1x Feast on the Fallen
1x Snake Cult Initiation
Instant
1x Glyph of Doom
1x Midnight Charm
1x Shadowfeed
1x Tainted Strike
1x Virulent Wound
1x Devour Flesh
1x Last Kiss
1x Necrobite
1x Lash of the Whip
1x Nemesis Trap
1x Appetite for Brains
1x Lab Rats
1x Thoughtseize
1x Crippling Fatigue
1x Festergloom
1x Infernal Contract
1x Last Caress
1x Weed Strangle
1x Endless Obedience
Notes:
- Quest for the Gravelord put under close monitoring.
- Among all the 'pay life' spells Infernal Contract seems amazing here.
1x Cinder Wall
1x Flailing Soldier
1x Frostling
1x Goblin Grappler
1x Warbreak Trumpeter
2CMC
1x Battle-Mad Ronin
1x Bomber Corps
1x Goblin Masons
1x Rogue Kavu
1x Tin Street Hooligan
1x Adamaro, First to Desire
1x Arms Dealer
1x Spearpoint Oread
1x Wall of Fire
4CMC
1x Beetleback Chief
1x Fallen Ferromancer
1x Oxidda Scrapmelter
1x Tormentor Exarch
1x Grotag Thrasher
1x Nearheath Stalker
6CMC
1x Akoum Boulderfoot
7CMC
1x Siege Dragon
Notes:
- There is a small Goblin theme in red.
- Siege Dragon replaces Ashen Firebeast in the initial list. I couldn't resist.
1x Agility
1x Flaming Sword
1x Oath of Mages
1x Curse of Chaos
1x Fatal Attraction
1x Goblin Assault
1x Lightning Diadem
Instant
1x Artifact Blast
1x Furious Resistance
1x Glyph of Destruction
1x Gut Shot
1x Magma Spray
1x Accelerate
1x Fall of the Hammer
1x Orcish Cannonade
1x Scattershot
1x Hidetsugu's Second Rite
1x Clear a Path
1x Spite of Mogis
1x Hurly-Burly
1x Traitorous Blood
1x Ignite Memories
1x Rage of Purphoros
1x Volcanic Submersion
1x Kamahl's Sledge
Notes:
- Ignite Memories sounded like a good idea but it's potentially win-the-game at turn 5. Will be kept under close observation.
- It's probably the first time Lava Axe was too good for a cube. I loudly wished that Scorching Missile cost
1x Elvish Skysweeper
1x Essence Warden
1x Sedge Scorpion
1x Skyshroud Ridgeback
1x Traproot Kami
2CMC
1x Broodhatch Nantuko
1x Gatecreeper Vine
1x Gnarlid Pack
1x Nest Invader
1x Scorned Villager
1x Wall of Mulch
1x Carven Caryatid
1x Caustic Wasps
1x Crocanura
1x Cystbearer
1x Golgari Brownscale
1x Rot Wolf
1x Satyr Piper
4CMC
1x Algae Gharial
1x Living Totem
1x Serpentine Basilisk
1x Acidic Slime
1x Village Survivors
6CMC
1x Johtull Wurm
1x Spinebiter
7CMC
1x Engulfing Slagwurm
1x Siege Wurm
Notes:
- Very scarce ramp, the only mana dork being Scorned Villager.
- Once again I couldn't resist including Siege Wurm in the Siege cube.
1x Abundant Growth
1x Forced Adaptation
1x Vineweft
1x Powerleech
1x Quiet Disrepair
1x Spidersilk Armor
1x Avoid Fate
1x Glyph of Reincarnation
1x Nature's Claim
1x Withstand Death
1x Defend the Hearth
1x Plummet
1x Carrion Call
1x Heal the Scars
1x Gaea's Blessing
1x Lead the Stampede
1x Hunt the Weak
1x Invigorating Falls
1x Restock
1x Wurmcalling
Notes:
- At 2 life per turn and a target readily available (Steel Wall), Quiet Disrepair seems too powerful here. Might change it to Seal of Primordium.
- Glyph of Reincarnation is a bunch of text. Including it just to complete the cycle.
1x Azor's Elocutors
Enchantment
1x Plumes of Peace
1x Azorius Charm
1x Hindering Light
1x Turn to Mist
1x Fall of the Gavel
1x Kiss of the Amesha
1x Oona's Gatewarden
1x Grimgrin, Corpse-Born
1x Soul Ransom
1x Torpor Dust
1x Lim-Dul's Vault
1x Essence Vortex
1x Coerced Confession
1x Rakdos Guildmage
1x Cultbrand Cinder
1x Rakdos Ragemutt
1x Keldon Twilight
Instant
1x Scar
1x Dreadbore
1x Din of the Fireherd
1x Deadshot Minotaur
1x Marhault Elsdragon
1x Primal Visitation
Instant
1x Guttural Response
1x Pit Fight
1x Ground Assault
1x Revel of the Fallen God
1x Selesnya Evangel
1x Ancient Spider
1x Heartmender
1x Rhox Bodyguard
1x Trostani's Summoner
1x Guardian of Vitu-Ghazi
1x Mercy Killing
1x Sin Collector
1x Agent of Masks
1x Executioner's Swing
1x Unmake
1x Izzet Chronarch
1x Inside Out
1x Izzet Charm
1x Suffocating Blast
1x Hag Hedge-Mage
1x Rot Farm Skeleton
1x Grim Feast
1x Gaze of the Gorgon
1x Boros Recruit
1x Duergar Hedge-Mage
1x Intimidation Bolt
1x Razia's Purification
1x Gilder Bairn
1x Fathom Mage
1x Krasis Incubation
1x Snakeform
2CMC
1x Necropede
1x Plague Myr
1x Wall of Tanglecord
3CMC
1x Armored Transport
1x One-Eyed Scarecrow
1x Phyrexian Digester
1x Watchdog
4CMC
1x Akroan Horse
1x Core Prowler
5CMC
1x Marble Priest
6CMC
1x Darksteel Sentinel
Artifact
0CMC
1x Everflowing Chalice
1CMC
1x Ghoulcaller's Bell
1x Gorgon's Head
1x Sylvok Lifestaff
1x Contagion Clasp
1x Grindclock
1x Prowler's Helm
1x Reito Lantern
1x Sharpened Pitchfork
1x Tyrant's Machine
1x Warmonger's Chariot
3CMC
1x Barbed Wire
1x Staff of the Death Magus
1x Staff of the Flame Magus
1x Staff of the Mind Magus
1x Staff of the Sun Magus
1x Staff of the Wild Magus
1x Bone Mask
1x Fodder Cannon
1x Font of Mythos
1x Life Chisel
1x Paradise Plume
1x Umbilicus
1x Ur-Golem's Eye
5CMC
1x Lich's Mirror
6CMC
1x Booby Trap
1x Dreamstone Hedron
XCMC
1x Astral Cornucopia
Notes:
- Most of the ramp cards are artifacts.
- Lich's Mirror and Booby Trap are cards on the watch list.
1x Bant Panorama
1x Boros Guildgate
1x Cathedral of War
1x Desert
1x Esper Panorama
1x Evolving Wilds
1x Golgari Guildgate
1x Graypelt Refuge
1x Grixis Panorama
1x Izzet Guildgate
1x Jund Panorama
1x Jwar Isle Refuge
1x Kazandu Refuge
1x Mana Confluence
1x Naya Panorama
1x Orzhov Guildgate
4x Radiant Fountain
1x Rupture Spire
1x Sejiri Refuge
1x Sheltered Valley
1x Shimmering Grotto
1x Simic Guildgate
1x Stalking Stones
1x Terramorphic Expanse
1x Thespian's Stage
1x Transguild Promenade
1x Urza's Factory
Notes:
- Cycles are: Allied color Refuges, enemy color Guildgates and Panoramas.
- Radiant Fountain is the only card in the cube with multiples.
As mentioned I'm currently in the process of gathering cards for the cube. Can't wait to try it out myself.
Level 2 Judge
Token and Playmat Store
Beyond the Guildpact
- Alternate win conditions
- Tribal: 5-color Slivers (that don't pump p/t)
Potential Outs:
- Ignite Memories: This could randomly win someone the game on turn 5 even at a storm count of 1.
- Lich's Mirror: Your Steel Wall is potentially gone, but you get to start back at 20.
- Thespian's Stage: It's been there since the initial list, but I can't remember what for.
Potential Ins:
- Helix Pinnacle. This card was in the initial list, but a win through this card didn't seem too plausible. I can't have too much mana ramp.
- Near Death Experience. Would expect the condition to be easier to achieve than normal starting 20. Gives a reason to play Mana Confluence.
- Door to Nothingness. Not much fixing available but I suppose it provides the right amount of challenge.
8/30/2014: Hello world! Created thread.
Level 2 Judge
Token and Playmat Store
Beyond the Guildpact