Thanks to urafever for organising this and then staying up all night to play. We got an impressive five people in the end... although frustratingly some weird interface lag meant whiteweenieruler didn't make it into the actual draft.
I like the idea of Elspeth, but in a format full of removal Wurmcoil Engine seems pretty great. Also, it's colourless.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Ravages of War
Control Magic
Phyrexian Obliterator
Slagstorm
Awakening Zone
Rishadan Port
Huntmaster of the Fells
Black Knight
Momentary Blink
Havengul Lich
Parallax Wave
Demonic Taskmaster
Deprive
--> Silent Specter
I'm not sure which is better, this or Control Magic. I'd like to be Blue, but Blue is never open. Also, I know Specter is good because it wrecked me so severely in one of my previous Cube drafts. After almost timing out I eventually elect to go for the less obvious pick.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Oust
Phyrexian Metamorph
Thoughtseize
Ball Lightning
Black Vise
Psychatog
Engineered Explosives
Ghitu Encampment
Sprouting Thrinax
Act of Aggression
--> Griselbrand
Disenchant
Wall of Roots
Hmm... nice pack! Thoughtseize is pretty tempting, but this Cube has a lot of reanimation tools in it, so I decide to try for a slow Black control deck that can actually cast Griselbrand, picking up reanimation whee possible to give me the option of cheating him into play.
Here's where my inexperience with Cube becomes a problem. Is Mishra's Factory strong? Is Ratchet Bomb a real card? If so, it would fit my strategy. I eventually decide to play it safe.
Pack 1 pick 5:
--> Condemn
Trinket Mage
Bloodghast
Seething Song
Electrolyze
Deathmark
Tolaria West
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
Daybreak Ranger
Rift Bolt
Man-o'-War
OK, so Deathmark is too marginal and Bloodghast is too aggressive... Trinket Mage or Condemn? I probably want either Blue or White as my second colour. I eventually opt for Condemn since I vaguely recall there is a shortage of good Trinket targets in this Cube.
Pack 1 pick 6:
Ajani Goldmane
--> Throat Slitter
Channel
Edric, Spymaster of Trest
Etched Oracle
Ancient Grudge
Preordain
Vinelasher Kudzu
Capsize
Pact of Negation
Pet card alert! I so love these. I do briefly consider Ajani, but I don't think it's quite right for my strategy.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Dismantling Blow
--> Nezumi Shortfang
Firestorm
Fellwar Stone
Geist of Saint Traft
Razormane Masticore
Terminate
Tombstalker
Vampire Hexmage
Another pet card of mine! I'm moderately tempted by Tombstalker, which is good for stealing games, but I eventually conclude that Shortfang is a must-answer card in its own right and lower cost cards are always good, so I slightly prefer it.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Harmonize
Phyrexian Processor
Cabal Coffers
Rout
Nekrataal
Phantasmal Image
--> Living Death
Rite of Ruin
Hurrah! An excellent reanimation card! I'll have that! (Shame I have to pass Nekrataal to get it, but at least that reassures me that Black is open.)
Decision time. If I'm B/U then I want Willbender, but if I'm White the Priest would be better... I eventually decide 'bender is the wiser pick since Priest is more aggressive than defensive.
Pack 1 pick 10:
Phyrexian Obliterator
Awakening Zone
Rishadan Port
--> Black Knight
Momentary Blink
Demonic Taskmaster
Ooh, nice, it tabled!
Pack 1 pick 11:
Black Vise
Ghitu Encampment
Sprouting Thrinax
--> Act of Aggression
Disenchant
Pack 2 pick 1:
Lingering Souls
--> Cryptic Command
Despise
Wheel of Fortune
Wall of Blossoms
Everflowing Chalice
City of Traitors
Sarkhan the Mad
Mortarpod
Rootbound Crag
Loxodon Hierarch
Headhunter
Riftwing Cloudskate
Corpse Dance
Bane of the Living
Very disappointing. I almost windmill slam Lingering Souls (B/W!) but then stop to think about how much it really helps my plan. I still haven't properly decided on my colours, but am now tending towards Blue. How Black do I need to be? Can I support Cryptic Command? I eventually conclude it's worth the effort even if it's a bit awkward.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Increasing Devotion
--> Old Man of the Sea
Inquisition of Kozilek
Tin Street Hooligan
Primal Command
Savannah
Spiritmonger
Dream Halls
Sulfur Falls
Rolling Earthquake
Ember Hauler
Staggershock
Memory Lapse
Fettergeist
Ugh - where are all my removal cards? OK, so Inquisition is quite good for me, or Old Man if I'm Blue. decisions, decisions. Well, if I'm running Cryptic Command I can probably handle Old Man too...
Pack 2 pick 3:
Enlightened Tutor
Upheaval
Gatekeeper of Malakir
Pyrokinesis
Sylvan Library
Scalding Tarn
Knight of the Reliquary
Platinum Angel
Thornscape Battlemage
--> Stillmoon Cavalier
Narcolepsy
Savannah Lions
Wildfire
I don't like Platinum Angel as a reanimation target. It's basically just weak in Cube generally. Narcolepsy is sort of tempting, but reason prevails and I take the perfectly solid card in my main colour.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Whipcorder
Imperial Seal
Chandra, the Firebrand
Oracle of Mul Daya
Thran Dynamo
--> Karakas
Windbrisk Heights
Firemane Angel
Wrench Mind
Slith Firewalker
Negate
Diabolic Edict
Strong lands are always good in Cube because you get so many playables. Also, there are quite a few good legends around. (I briefly consider Edict, but it's so deeply terrible against the decks I most fear that I can't bring myself to take it.)
Pack 2 pick 5:
Leonin Relic-Warder
Graveborn Muse
Gamble
Woodfall Primus
Void
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Brooding Saurian
Devil's Play
--> Aven Mindcensor
Fertile Ground
Zo-Zu the Punisher
Another brutally bad pack. I don't need a third reanimation target and Graveborn Muse is bad for me, so I take the (IMO underrated) Mindcensor just in case I end up back in White.
I'm pondering between Buried Alive (excellent!) and Balance (probably good?) when it occurs to me that I can very likely table one or both. Hurrah! Removal at last!
Pack 3 pick 2:
--> Exalted Angel
Opposition
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
Sneak Attack
Hystrodon
Barbarian Ring
Cold-Eyed Selkie
Masticore
Nantuko Vigilante
Opt
Yosei, the Morning Star
Master of the Wild Hunt
Entomb
Avacyn's Pilgrim
Entomb! No, wait... that will table too, right? I can take the broken angel of pwning aggro decks.
Pack 3 pick 3:
--> Eternal Dragon
Frenzied Goblin
Noble Hierarch
Cursed Scroll
Tundra
Trygon Predator
Mimic Vat
Lake of the Dead
Phantom Centaur
Bonfire of the Damned
Korlash, Heir to Blackblade
Kodama's Reach
Scorned Villager
Ideal! A reanimation target that puts itself into the 'yard!
Pack 3 pick 4:
Honor of the Pure
Daze
Diregraf Ghoul
Siege-Gang Commander
Molten-Tail Masticore
--> Tidehollow Sculler
Naturalize
Unearth
Ulvenwald Tracker
Restock
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Massacre Wurm
Perfect fit for my plan.
Pack 3 pick 5:
Venser, Shaper Savant
Devoted Druid
Smokestack
Creeping Tar Pit
Manriki-Gusari
Slayers' Stronghold
Agony Warp
All Suns' Dawn
Mirror Entity
--> Kami of Ancient Law
Looter il-Kor
Handy sideboard card. (I'm no longer keen on Blue due to my mana problems and Dragon, so Warp and Tar Pit are out of consideration.)
Pack 3 pick 6:
Elite Vanguard
Lotus Cobra
Rhox War Monk
Turnabout
Teetering Peaks
Olivia Voldaren
Vines of Vastwood
Aftershock
--> Animate Dead
Fyndhorn Elves
Wow! This is going really well now!
Pack 3 pick 7:
--> Wall of Omens
Jushi Apprentice
Call of the Herd
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
Yavimaya Hollow
Augury Adept
Bogardan Hellkite
Dissipate
Scavenging Ooze
Match 1 vs RyuDragon Game 1
Turn two Wall of Omens into turn 3 Griselbrand followed by turn 4 Tidehollow Sculler means it really doesn't matter what he has. He appears to be G/R ramp. Game 2
I have turn two Wall of Omens again. On turn three I have both Specter and Bane in hand, so I cast Bane first as a test morph... he hits it with Pillar of Flame but does nothing else. His mana ramps up impressively, but he has no second removal spell to deal with Nezumi Shortfang and I empty his hand. His Strangleroot Geist shows up rather late to the party and Ingot Chewer has no targets... basically my opponent has the most awkward draw ever and soon loses to Stabwhisker damage (flipped Shortfang) and my Specter flying over.
Match 2 vs kibayasin Game 1
I don't have a blocker for his turn two Keldon Marauders. Throat Slitter temporarily stabilizes the game for me, but Devil's Play with Flashback is enough to finish me. (I try Condemning my own Throat Slitter to buy time, but he draws the land he needs to make it not matter.) Game 2
I get Buried Alive into Animate Dead just early enough to matter. I choose Wurmcoil Engine over Griselbrand just in case he can find an answer. He kills it thanks to Pyrokinesis, so this pays off. The lifegain is just enough to keep me safe from Spikeshot Elder with Grafted Wargear. Game 3
I get a bit worried when he doesn't quit in response to my sideboarded Worship resolving, but luckily his mulligan to six has left him with less pace and my reanimated Wurmcoil Engine prompts the concession.
Match 3 vs Toodumb Game 1
Inquisition of Kozilek spoils my discard Griselbrand plan (by playing no land on the draw). I do it anyway, but early Vedalken Shackles causes the game to become slow and controlly. He presumably has countermagic for reanimating Griselbrand, so I don't go for it with no backup, instead making lots of lands with Eternal Dragon. Eventually he resolves Jace. Eventually, I concede. Game 2
Inquisition again and this time he takes Stillmoon Cavalier over Gatekeeper of Malakir. Gatekeeper knocks him to 10 before Narcolepsy stops it. I sneak an Aven Mindcensor into play thanks to flash, that gets Terrored, but Phyrexian Rager resolves... unfortunately it can't get past Sea Gate Oracle. I'm pretty sure he has a counter, but I go for EOT Entomb into Unburial Rites on Griselbrand. Disaster! His counter turns out to be Dissipate!
My sided in Unearth gets Cavalier back. He steals it with Treachery. When his Psychatog attacks I attempt to grab Cavalier back with Mortify, but he has Power Sink for it. Things are looking very bad, but I can probably still win if I topdeck reanimation... then he resolves Jace and I figure I might as well concede, since nothing's going to stay in play from there on.
Still, a win for Salvation and a fun deck to play, so a pretty good result overall!
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<Limited Clan>
Wait what - you not only didn't first pick one of the most broken cards in Magic that fitted your strategy exceptionally well, but you also expected it to table?
Seriously, Balance is generally a 2 mana Wrath, that you can usually set up to at least be a Stone Rain as well (often more against green decks), and that serves as a discard outlet for your reanimation strategy. I have little experience with the Modo Cube but I've been doing quite a lot of real life Cubing lately and every time I open this card I basically slam it regardless of what I'm drafting or what else is in the pack.
You really just need to embrace the rage. I keep a small colony of hamsters next to my computer and every time I lose a match to mana screw I throw one against the wall.
I was passing to you. I realize that I haven't turned on draft recorder since reinstalling MTGO a couple months back, so I don't have the saved draft - my first two picks were Shackles (over Control Magic) into Watery Grave. I felt so rusty during every game, though my deck was busted enough that I don't think my bad choices mattered too much.
Seriously, Balance is generally a 2 mana Wrath, that you can usually set up to at least be a Stone Rain as well (often more against green decks), and that serves as a discard outlet for your reanimation strategy. I have little experience with the Modo Cube but I've been doing quite a lot of real life Cubing lately and every time I open this card I basically slam it regardless of what I'm drafting or what else is in the pack.
Ah, OK - I shall note this for next time!
But yes, the discard outlet is what I wanted it for and therefore why I assumed nobody else would care. The reason I discounted the card otherwise is because it seemed like if it gave me +3 card advantage on the board that would always, inevitably, come at the cost of -3 card disadvantage due to discard. Whilst on a good day I can discard reanimation targets and spare lands, the card just feels like it would do nothing most of the time.
I was passing to you. I realize that I haven't turned on draft recorder since reinstalling MTGO a couple months back, so I don't have the saved draft - my first two picks were Shackles (over Control Magic) into Watery Grave. I felt so rusty during every game, though my deck was busted enough that I don't think my bad choices mattered too much.
Shackles, Jace plus Demonic Tutor alone were enough to be pretty scary! I had nothing with Shroud/Hexproof, nothing with Haste and no way to win outside combat. I was seriously considering boarding in Smokestack against you!
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MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
It was also a mistake to pass Elspeth P1p1. Removal is available in this format, but not planeswalker removal! I lost 2 seperate matches to planeswalkers alone, which was really not fun. In fact, it seems the Wizards cube is far too saturated with them and not enough answers.
I would almost certainly have started out Elspeth->Ravages of War, which might not have been ideal, as it looks like the aggro white creatures weren't there.
A minor quibble: Recurring Nightmare is easily the best reanimation spell in cube. I actually cut Unburial Rights from a UBw reanimator deck in favor of Nightmare and Necromancy.
I would almost certainly have started out Elspeth->Ravages of War, which might not have been ideal, as it looks like the aggro white creatures weren't there.
A minor quibble: Recurring Nightmare is easily the best reanimation spell in cube. I actually cut Unburial Rights from a UBw reanimator deck in favor of Nightmare and Necromancy.
Because I got passed Ajani and Elspeth Tirel I ended up being the White Aggro creature deck. Hence him getting cut on those pack 2.
I got armageddon, how I would have loved to see that Ravages of war make it to me.
I'm pretty sure he was passing to me.
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Asking people to remove quotes in their signatures is tyranny! If I can't say something just because someone's feelings are hurt then no one would ever be able to say anything! Political correctness is stupid.
It was also a mistake to pass Elspeth P1p1. Removal is available in this format, but not planeswalker removal! I lost 2 seperate matches to planeswalkers alone, which was really not fun. In fact, it seems the Wizards cube is far too saturated with them and not enough answers.
I certainly agree that planeswalkers are excellent in this Cube. The reason I passed Elspeth was mainly because Wurm is colourless rather than because I'm convinced it's the better card.
I would almost certainly have started out Elspeth->Ravages of War, which might not have been ideal, as it looks like the aggro white creatures weren't there.
Yeah, that makes sense.
That said, I really dislike the aggro decks in this Cube. They just seem to be about desperately hoping you draw a good hand or that the control decks randomly stall on mana.
A minor quibble: Recurring Nightmare is easily the best reanimation spell in cube. I actually cut Unburial Rights from a UBw reanimator deck in favor of Nightmare and Necromancy.
Yeah, Nightmare's pretty amazing. It's certainly more powerful than Rites overall. Whether it's a better reanimation spell per-se I'm not sure. The requirement to have another creature in play will occasionally be a problem.
Wait a sec - how could I be passing to you if you didn't see Ravages of War?
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<Limited Clan>
Asking people to remove quotes in their signatures is tyranny! If I can't say something just because someone's feelings are hurt then no one would ever be able to say anything! Political correctness is stupid.
Pack 1 pick 4: Worship over Phyrexian Rager (which came to you later anyway)
Pack 1 pick 7: Fellwar Stone over Nezumi Shortfang
Pack 1 pick 8: Nekrataal over Living Death
Pack 1 pick 9: Eight-and-a-Half-Tails over Willbender
Pack 1 pick 11: Disenchant over Act of Aggression
Pack 2 pick 1: Lingering Souls over Cryptic Command
Pack 2 pick 2: Rolling Earthquake over Old Man of the Sea
Pack 2 pick 3: Enlightened Tutor over Stillmoon Cavalier
Pack 2 pick 4: Imperial Seal over Karakas
Pack 2 pick 5: Graveborn Muse over Aven Mindcensor
Pack 3 pick 1: Prismatic Lens over Mortify
Pack 3 pick 8: Braids, Cabal Minion over Renewed Faith
I think that you had a pretty sick BW prison deck running here. I think it would have matched up much better with your opponent in the finals.
My main reservation is that I don't think your build gets there vs aggro. Pretty sure I'd be dead, dead, dead in round two running that. Unless I'm missing something?
Aside: Do you prefer Mortify to Balance for this approach, then?
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<Limited Clan>
My main reservation is that I don't think your build gets there vs aggro. Pretty sure I'd be dead, dead, dead in round two running that. Unless I'm missing something?
Aside: Do you prefer Mortify to Balance for this approach, then?
Well, it has cut all of the early durdlers for the 'combo'. You could easily side in something like rager, bane, sculler and balance for some of the self-harm cards as extra play vs them. All of the lifegain should be pretty good for you, unless you face Sulfuric Vortex.
I'm not the world's biggest fan of Balance. I kinda hate it, since it's almost always a dead card for me.
Event #: 4094800
Time: 7/15/2012 9:08:12 AM
Players:
--> bateleur (MtGS)
sge
Anduril66
urafever (MtGS)
kibayasin
Toodumb (MtGS 'toomdumbtopost')
RyuDragon
Fps916 (MtGS '_' aka 'Brian')
------ SOM ------
Pack 1 pick 1:
Elspeth Tirel
Willbender
Geralf's Messenger
Keldon Marauders
Yavimaya Elder
--> Wurmcoil Engine
Sacred Foundry
Grimgrin, Corpse-Born
All Is Dust
Woodland Cemetery
Obstinate Baloth
Soltari Priest
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
Power Sink
Silver Knight
I like the idea of Elspeth, but in a format full of removal Wurmcoil Engine seems pretty great. Also, it's colourless.
Pack 1 pick 2:
Ravages of War
Control Magic
Phyrexian Obliterator
Slagstorm
Awakening Zone
Rishadan Port
Huntmaster of the Fells
Black Knight
Momentary Blink
Havengul Lich
Parallax Wave
Demonic Taskmaster
Deprive
--> Silent Specter
I'm not sure which is better, this or Control Magic. I'd like to be Blue, but Blue is never open. Also, I know Specter is good because it wrecked me so severely in one of my previous Cube drafts. After almost timing out I eventually elect to go for the less obvious pick.
Pack 1 pick 3:
Oust
Phyrexian Metamorph
Thoughtseize
Ball Lightning
Black Vise
Psychatog
Engineered Explosives
Ghitu Encampment
Sprouting Thrinax
Act of Aggression
--> Griselbrand
Disenchant
Wall of Roots
Hmm... nice pack! Thoughtseize is pretty tempting, but this Cube has a lot of reanimation tools in it, so I decide to try for a slow Black control deck that can actually cast Griselbrand, picking up reanimation whee possible to give me the option of cheating him into play.
Pack 1 pick 4:
Cataclysm
Careful Consideration
--> Phyrexian Rager
Stormblood Berserker
Avenger of Zendikar
Lotus Petal
Qasali Pridemage
Ratchet Bomb
Mishra's Factory
Worship
Prey Upon
Jokulhaups
Here's where my inexperience with Cube becomes a problem. Is Mishra's Factory strong? Is Ratchet Bomb a real card? If so, it would fit my strategy. I eventually decide to play it safe.
Pack 1 pick 5:
--> Condemn
Trinket Mage
Bloodghast
Seething Song
Electrolyze
Deathmark
Tolaria West
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
Daybreak Ranger
Rift Bolt
Man-o'-War
OK, so Deathmark is too marginal and Bloodghast is too aggressive... Trinket Mage or Condemn? I probably want either Blue or White as my second colour. I eventually opt for Condemn since I vaguely recall there is a shortage of good Trinket targets in this Cube.
Pack 1 pick 6:
Ajani Goldmane
--> Throat Slitter
Channel
Edric, Spymaster of Trest
Etched Oracle
Ancient Grudge
Preordain
Vinelasher Kudzu
Capsize
Pact of Negation
Pet card alert! I so love these. I do briefly consider Ajani, but I don't think it's quite right for my strategy.
Pack 1 pick 7:
Dismantling Blow
--> Nezumi Shortfang
Firestorm
Fellwar Stone
Geist of Saint Traft
Razormane Masticore
Terminate
Tombstalker
Vampire Hexmage
Another pet card of mine! I'm moderately tempted by Tombstalker, which is good for stealing games, but I eventually conclude that Shortfang is a must-answer card in its own right and lower cost cards are always good, so I slightly prefer it.
Pack 1 pick 8:
Harmonize
Phyrexian Processor
Cabal Coffers
Rout
Nekrataal
Phantasmal Image
--> Living Death
Rite of Ruin
Hurrah! An excellent reanimation card! I'll have that! (Shame I have to pass Nekrataal to get it, but at least that reassures me that Black is open.)
Pack 1 pick 9:
--> Willbender
Geralf's Messenger
Sacred Foundry
Grimgrin, Corpse-Born
Soltari Priest
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
Silver Knight
Decision time. If I'm B/U then I want Willbender, but if I'm White the Priest would be better... I eventually decide 'bender is the wiser pick since Priest is more aggressive than defensive.
Pack 1 pick 10:
Phyrexian Obliterator
Awakening Zone
Rishadan Port
--> Black Knight
Momentary Blink
Demonic Taskmaster
Ooh, nice, it tabled!
Pack 1 pick 11:
Black Vise
Ghitu Encampment
Sprouting Thrinax
--> Act of Aggression
Disenchant
Sideboard card against aggressive decks.
Pack 1 pick 12:
Lotus Petal
--> Worship
Prey Upon
Jokulhaups
Sideboard card against Red.
Pack 1 pick 13:
--> Bloodghast
Seething Song
Tolaria West
Sideboard card against control.
Pack 1 pick 14:
Edric, Spymaster of Trest
--> Etched Oracle
Pack 1 pick 15:
--> Razormane Masticore
------ LRW ------
Pack 2 pick 1:
Lingering Souls
--> Cryptic Command
Despise
Wheel of Fortune
Wall of Blossoms
Everflowing Chalice
City of Traitors
Sarkhan the Mad
Mortarpod
Rootbound Crag
Loxodon Hierarch
Headhunter
Riftwing Cloudskate
Corpse Dance
Bane of the Living
Very disappointing. I almost windmill slam Lingering Souls (B/W!) but then stop to think about how much it really helps my plan. I still haven't properly decided on my colours, but am now tending towards Blue. How Black do I need to be? Can I support Cryptic Command? I eventually conclude it's worth the effort even if it's a bit awkward.
Pack 2 pick 2:
Increasing Devotion
--> Old Man of the Sea
Inquisition of Kozilek
Tin Street Hooligan
Primal Command
Savannah
Spiritmonger
Dream Halls
Sulfur Falls
Rolling Earthquake
Ember Hauler
Staggershock
Memory Lapse
Fettergeist
Ugh - where are all my removal cards? OK, so Inquisition is quite good for me, or Old Man if I'm Blue. decisions, decisions. Well, if I'm running Cryptic Command I can probably handle Old Man too...
Pack 2 pick 3:
Enlightened Tutor
Upheaval
Gatekeeper of Malakir
Pyrokinesis
Sylvan Library
Scalding Tarn
Knight of the Reliquary
Platinum Angel
Thornscape Battlemage
--> Stillmoon Cavalier
Narcolepsy
Savannah Lions
Wildfire
I don't like Platinum Angel as a reanimation target. It's basically just weak in Cube generally. Narcolepsy is sort of tempting, but reason prevails and I take the perfectly solid card in my main colour.
Pack 2 pick 4:
Whipcorder
Imperial Seal
Chandra, the Firebrand
Oracle of Mul Daya
Thran Dynamo
--> Karakas
Windbrisk Heights
Firemane Angel
Wrench Mind
Slith Firewalker
Negate
Diabolic Edict
Strong lands are always good in Cube because you get so many playables. Also, there are quite a few good legends around. (I briefly consider Edict, but it's so deeply terrible against the decks I most fear that I can't bring myself to take it.)
Pack 2 pick 5:
Leonin Relic-Warder
Graveborn Muse
Gamble
Woodfall Primus
Void
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Brooding Saurian
Devil's Play
--> Aven Mindcensor
Fertile Ground
Zo-Zu the Punisher
Another brutally bad pack. I don't need a third reanimation target and Graveborn Muse is bad for me, so I take the (IMO underrated) Mindcensor just in case I end up back in White.
Pack 2 pick 6:
Force Spike
Puppeteer Clique
Nostalgic Dreams
Steam Vents
Boggart Ram-Gang
Desolate Lighthouse
Volcanic Fallout
Overrun
--> Necromancy
White Knight
Hurrah! Second reanimation card! I sort of have a deck now.
Pack 2 pick 7:
Miscalculation
Sulfuric Vortex
Somberwald Sage
Bituminous Blast
--> Kjeldoran Outpost
Beacon of Destruction
Orcish Lumberjack
Essence Scatter
Ray of Revelation
Meh. I suppose I might side this is for control matches?
Pack 2 pick 8:
--> Unburial Rites
Gilded Lotus
Shadowmage Infiltrator
Reveillark
Academy Ruins
Persecute
Pulse of the Fields
Spectral Lynx
EPIC WIN! This is the best reanimation card ever. Not close.
Pack 2 pick 9:
Despise
Wheel of Fortune
City of Traitors
Sarkhan the Mad
Headhunter
Riftwing Cloudskate
--> Bane of the Living
I'm told Bane is quite bad in Cube, but I still want it if I can get it this late.
Pack 2 pick 10:
Tin Street Hooligan
Spiritmonger
Dream Halls
Sulfur Falls
--> Rolling Earthquake
Staggershock
So far I have no manafixing, but if I got some this would be pretty nice.
Pack 2 pick 11:
Enlightened Tutor
--> Gatekeeper of Malakir
Thornscape Battlemage
Narcolepsy
Wildfire
I can't support this and Cryptic Command, but I might not be running the Command now I want White for Unburial Rites.
Pack 2 pick 12:
--> Windbrisk Heights
Firemane Angel
Wrench Mind
Negate
I suppose, on reflection, this could be another way to get Griselbrand into play?
Pack 2 pick 13:
Gamble
--> Void
Zo-Zu the Punisher
Again, a card for the Red splash plan.
Pack 2 pick 14:
Nostalgic Dreams
--> Desolate Lighthouse
Surprised nobody wanted this.
Pack 2 pick 15:
--> Orcish Lumberjack
Ah, the Chimney Imp of Cube!
------ GPT ------
Pack 3 pick 1:
Balance
Brine Elemental
Yawgmoth's Will
Lightning Bolt
Leatherback Baloth
Prismatic Lens
Stomping Ground
--> Mortify
Grafted Wargear
Mutavault
Creakwood Liege
Skittering Skirge
Pillar of Flame
Buried Alive
Paladin en-Vec
I'm pondering between Buried Alive (excellent!) and Balance (probably good?) when it occurs to me that I can very likely table one or both. Hurrah! Removal at last!
Pack 3 pick 2:
--> Exalted Angel
Opposition
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
Sneak Attack
Hystrodon
Barbarian Ring
Cold-Eyed Selkie
Masticore
Nantuko Vigilante
Opt
Yosei, the Morning Star
Master of the Wild Hunt
Entomb
Avacyn's Pilgrim
Entomb! No, wait... that will table too, right? I can take the broken angel of pwning aggro decks.
Pack 3 pick 3:
--> Eternal Dragon
Frenzied Goblin
Noble Hierarch
Cursed Scroll
Tundra
Trygon Predator
Mimic Vat
Lake of the Dead
Phantom Centaur
Bonfire of the Damned
Korlash, Heir to Blackblade
Kodama's Reach
Scorned Villager
Ideal! A reanimation target that puts itself into the 'yard!
Pack 3 pick 4:
Honor of the Pure
Daze
Diregraf Ghoul
Siege-Gang Commander
Molten-Tail Masticore
--> Tidehollow Sculler
Naturalize
Unearth
Ulvenwald Tracker
Restock
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Massacre Wurm
Perfect fit for my plan.
Pack 3 pick 5:
Venser, Shaper Savant
Devoted Druid
Smokestack
Creeping Tar Pit
Manriki-Gusari
Slayers' Stronghold
Agony Warp
All Suns' Dawn
Mirror Entity
--> Kami of Ancient Law
Looter il-Kor
Handy sideboard card. (I'm no longer keen on Blue due to my mana problems and Dragon, so Warp and Tar Pit are out of consideration.)
Pack 3 pick 6:
Elite Vanguard
Lotus Cobra
Rhox War Monk
Turnabout
Teetering Peaks
Olivia Voldaren
Vines of Vastwood
Aftershock
--> Animate Dead
Fyndhorn Elves
Wow! This is going really well now!
Pack 3 pick 7:
--> Wall of Omens
Jushi Apprentice
Call of the Herd
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
Yavimaya Hollow
Augury Adept
Bogardan Hellkite
Dissipate
Scavenging Ooze
Perfect.
Pack 3 pick 8:
Serendib Efreet
Braids, Cabal Minion
Genesis Wave
Moment's Peace
Ingot Chewer
Cursecatcher
--> Renewed Faith
Spell Pierce
Braids is a bad fit for my plan. Renewed Faith is a bit weak, but might just about be sideboardable.
Pack 3 pick 9:
Brine Elemental
Lightning Bolt
Leatherback Baloth
Mutavault
Skittering Skirge
Pillar of Flame
--> Buried Alive
Good, it tabled. (No Balance, though - interesting.)
Pack 3 pick 10:
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
Sneak Attack
Hystrodon
Barbarian Ring
Master of the Wild Hunt
--> Entomb
I look wistfully at Ink Eyes for a moment, but Entomb is too great not to take.
Pack 3 pick 11:
--> Lake of the Dead
Phantom Centaur
Korlash, Heir to Blackblade
Kodama's Reach
Scorned Villager
Hardcasting an early Griselbrand? (No, not really, but it's a nice daydream.)
Pack 3 pick 12:
Diregraf Ghoul
Naturalize
--> Unearth
Restock
Not ideal, but reasonable filler and maybe sideboardable?
Pack 3 pick 13:
Devoted Druid
--> Smokestack
Slayers' Stronghold
Again, not really ideal.
Pack 3 pick 14:
Rhox War Monk
--> Aftershock
Mmm... tasty trash.
Pack 3 pick 15:
--> Bogardan Hellkite
Could I side this in to reanimate with no way to cast it?
9 Swamp
6 Plains
1 Karakas
1 Windbrisk Heights
Creatures (14)
1 Wall of Omens
1 Tidehollow Sculler
1 Black Knight
1 Nezumi Shortfang
1 Phyrexian Rager
1 Stillmoon Cavalier
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
1 Aven Mindcensor
1 Throat Slitter
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Bane of the Living
1 Exalted Angel
1 Eternal Dragon
1 Griselbrand
1 Condemn
1 Silent Specter
1 Entomb
1 Animate Dead
1 Mortify
1 Necromancy
1 Buried Alive
1 Living Death
1 Unburial Rites
1 Act of Aggression
1 Worship
1 Unearth
1 Kami of Ancient Law
1 Kjeldoran Outpost
1 Razormane Masticore
1 Smokestack
1 Bloodghast
1 Lake of the Dead
1 Renewed Faith
Match 1 vs RyuDragon
Game 1
Turn two Wall of Omens into turn 3 Griselbrand followed by turn 4 Tidehollow Sculler means it really doesn't matter what he has. He appears to be G/R ramp.
Game 2
I have turn two Wall of Omens again. On turn three I have both Specter and Bane in hand, so I cast Bane first as a test morph... he hits it with Pillar of Flame but does nothing else. His mana ramps up impressively, but he has no second removal spell to deal with Nezumi Shortfang and I empty his hand. His Strangleroot Geist shows up rather late to the party and Ingot Chewer has no targets... basically my opponent has the most awkward draw ever and soon loses to Stabwhisker damage (flipped Shortfang) and my Specter flying over.
Match 2 vs kibayasin
Game 1
I don't have a blocker for his turn two Keldon Marauders. Throat Slitter temporarily stabilizes the game for me, but Devil's Play with Flashback is enough to finish me. (I try Condemning my own Throat Slitter to buy time, but he draws the land he needs to make it not matter.)
Game 2
I get Buried Alive into Animate Dead just early enough to matter. I choose Wurmcoil Engine over Griselbrand just in case he can find an answer. He kills it thanks to Pyrokinesis, so this pays off. The lifegain is just enough to keep me safe from Spikeshot Elder with Grafted Wargear.
Game 3
I get a bit worried when he doesn't quit in response to my sideboarded Worship resolving, but luckily his mulligan to six has left him with less pace and my reanimated Wurmcoil Engine prompts the concession.
Match 3 vs Toodumb
Game 1
Inquisition of Kozilek spoils my discard Griselbrand plan (by playing no land on the draw). I do it anyway, but early Vedalken Shackles causes the game to become slow and controlly. He presumably has countermagic for reanimating Griselbrand, so I don't go for it with no backup, instead making lots of lands with Eternal Dragon. Eventually he resolves Jace. Eventually, I concede.
Game 2
Inquisition again and this time he takes Stillmoon Cavalier over Gatekeeper of Malakir. Gatekeeper knocks him to 10 before Narcolepsy stops it. I sneak an Aven Mindcensor into play thanks to flash, that gets Terrored, but Phyrexian Rager resolves... unfortunately it can't get past Sea Gate Oracle. I'm pretty sure he has a counter, but I go for EOT Entomb into Unburial Rites on Griselbrand. Disaster! His counter turns out to be Dissipate!
My sided in Unearth gets Cavalier back. He steals it with Treachery. When his Psychatog attacks I attempt to grab Cavalier back with Mortify, but he has Power Sink for it. Things are looking very bad, but I can probably still win if I topdeck reanimation... then he resolves Jace and I figure I might as well concede, since nothing's going to stay in play from there on.
Still, a win for Salvation and a fun deck to play, so a pretty good result overall!
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
Seriously, Balance is generally a 2 mana Wrath, that you can usually set up to at least be a Stone Rain as well (often more against green decks), and that serves as a discard outlet for your reanimation strategy. I have little experience with the Modo Cube but I've been doing quite a lot of real life Cubing lately and every time I open this card I basically slam it regardless of what I'm drafting or what else is in the pack.
Seems like a fun deck overall.
Ah, OK - I shall note this for next time!
But yes, the discard outlet is what I wanted it for and therefore why I assumed nobody else would care. The reason I discounted the card otherwise is because it seemed like if it gave me +3 card advantage on the board that would always, inevitably, come at the cost of -3 card disadvantage due to discard. Whilst on a good day I can discard reanimation targets and spare lands, the card just feels like it would do nothing most of the time.
Shackles, Jace plus Demonic Tutor alone were enough to be pretty scary! I had nothing with Shroud/Hexproof, nothing with Haste and no way to win outside combat. I was seriously considering boarding in Smokestack against you!
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
A minor quibble: Recurring Nightmare is easily the best reanimation spell in cube. I actually cut Unburial Rights from a UBw reanimator deck in favor of Nightmare and Necromancy.
UW UW Gideon Control WU
UWR Loose Control RWU
GR Scapeshift RG
RU Storm UR
Because I got passed Ajani and Elspeth Tirel I ended up being the White Aggro creature deck. Hence him getting cut on those pack 2.
I got armageddon, how I would have loved to see that Ravages of war make it to me.
I'm pretty sure he was passing to me.
I certainly agree that planeswalkers are excellent in this Cube. The reason I passed Elspeth was mainly because Wurm is colourless rather than because I'm convinced it's the better card.
Yeah, that makes sense.
That said, I really dislike the aggro decks in this Cube. They just seem to be about desperately hoping you draw a good hand or that the control decks randomly stall on mana.
Yeah, Nightmare's pretty amazing. It's certainly more powerful than Rites overall. Whether it's a better reanimation spell per-se I'm not sure. The requirement to have another creature in play will occasionally be a problem.
Wait a sec - how could I be passing to you if you didn't see Ravages of War?
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
I did, I took parallax wave over it and didn't get it on the wheel.
No matter how great Ravages is, it isn't better than wave.
Pack 1 pick 7: Fellwar Stone over Nezumi Shortfang
Pack 1 pick 8: Nekrataal over Living Death
Pack 1 pick 9: Eight-and-a-Half-Tails over Willbender
Pack 1 pick 11: Disenchant over Act of Aggression
Pack 2 pick 1: Lingering Souls over Cryptic Command
Pack 2 pick 2: Rolling Earthquake over Old Man of the Sea
Pack 2 pick 3: Enlightened Tutor over Stillmoon Cavalier
Pack 2 pick 4: Imperial Seal over Karakas
Pack 2 pick 5: Graveborn Muse over Aven Mindcensor
Pack 3 pick 1: Prismatic Lens over Mortify
Pack 3 pick 8: Braids, Cabal Minion over Renewed Faith
I think that you had a pretty sick BW prison deck running here. I think it would have matched up much better with your opponent in the finals.
1 Smokestack
1 Bloodghast
1 Kjeldoran Outpost
1 Worship
1 Black Knight
1 Living Death
1 Buried Alive
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
And with the different picks as well
1 Black Knight
1 Nezumi Shortfang
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
1 Phyrexian Rager
1 Throat Slitter
1 Stillmoon Cavalier
1 Aven Mindcensor
1 Living Death
1 Silent Specter
1 Bane of the Living
1 Tidehollow Sculler
1 Imperial Seal
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Prismatic Lens
1 Fellwar Stone
1 Smokestack
1 Worship
1 Kjeldoran Outpost
1 Bloodghast
1 Lingering Souls
1 Braids, Cabal Minion
1 Nekrataal
Congrats on making the finals.
Ooh, this is really interesting - I've never seen that archetype in the MtGO Cube before.
9 Swamp
6 Plains
1 Kjeldoran Outpost
1 Windbrisk Heights
Creatures (8)
1 Wall of Omens
1 Bloodghast
1 Braids, Cabal Minion
1 Nekrataal
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Exalted Angel
1 Eternal Dragon
1 Griselbrand
1 Imperial Seal
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Condemn
1 Entomb
1 Prismatic Lens
1 Fellwar Stone
1 Animate Dead
1 Mortify
1 Necromancy
1 Lingering Souls
1 Buried Alive
1 Smokestack
1 Worship
1 Unburial Rites
My main reservation is that I don't think your build gets there vs aggro. Pretty sure I'd be dead, dead, dead in round two running that. Unless I'm missing something?
Aside: Do you prefer Mortify to Balance for this approach, then?
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
5CB PotM - June 2005, November 2005, February 2006, April 2008, May 2008, Feb 2009
MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
<Limited Clan>
Well, it has cut all of the early durdlers for the 'combo'. You could easily side in something like rager, bane, sculler and balance for some of the self-harm cards as extra play vs them. All of the lifegain should be pretty good for you, unless you face Sulfuric Vortex.
I'm not the world's biggest fan of Balance. I kinda hate it, since it's almost always a dead card for me.