Please use this thread to discuss all aspects of the C4 Project and to vote on each round's submitted cards.
To get to the submission thread, follow this link.
There are currently no cards to vote on. The first round of voting will begin after the first round of submissions closes. Until then, feel free to discuss anything about the C4 Project. Your input is what will make this project as successful as possible.
How do I vote?
Check out all of the submissions for the current round in the submission thread. Choose the cards you think should be included in the cube based on the round's criteria, then post your decision in this thread. Please label your choices in order of best to worst. Here is an example of a good voting post:
MidnightJazz's votes for round 1
1. Card A
2. Card B
3. Card C
...
Feel free to discuss your votes with the community. You may see something about a card that the rest of us don't, which could make all the difference.
We have our first card in the submission thread by Jimmmy! We have officially begun! Jimmmy did bring up a few points that I failed to mention in the OPs.
Firstly, if you are unsure about the wording or formatting of your card, feel free to ask for help here. I have done a lot of formatting and I know many others here have as well, and we would all be happy to help.
Secondly, if you submit artwork at any time, please include either a link to the website where you got the artwork or the name of the artist who did the piece. It is important to me that we include artist credit on each of the cards we create.
I am adding both points to the OP in the submission thread.
Couple of questions regarding abilities on creatures. Are we allowed to basically invent an ability if it suits that creature? Also, are we open to use any previously invented ability whether or not it is still in use?
You are definitely free to create a new ability if you'd like, but whenever you are creating a new ability, always ask yourself this question first: Is the ability something that can't be done using preexisting Magic terminology? If your ability doesn't really explore new territory but rather just names something that has already been done, then it doesn't really need to be named.
As for your second question, I highly encourage everyone to use preexisting abilities on your cards. More than half the fun of creating cards is taking a new twist on abilities that have already been created. It's like Time Spiral.
Excitable RecruitWW X equals the number of plains you control. X: Excitable Recruit gains +2/+0 until end of turn. X: Excitable Recruit gains flying until end of turn. X: Excitable Recruit gains first strike until end of turn. XX: Excitable Recruit gains double strike until end of turn.
2/1
maybe i'm missing something but this doesn't seem that great to me. it's double white which encourages you to play a lot of plains, but even with a few (2-3) you're playing an extreme amount of mana to get these abilities. 3-4 to get +2/+0 isn't awful, but the more the game goes on the more expensive it will get. and 5-7+ to get double strike doesn't seem particularly good either. flying and first strike don't really seem like they're worth the mana. compare to stillmoon cavalier, which is easier to pay for and comes with double protection.
When I see Healing Salve, I'm often like "Oh girl, I wish I could turn every card into this." Thanks they removed the gain life part, otherwise this would have been broken.
Kjeldoran Houndmaster 1W Creature - Human Soldier
When ~ enters the battlefield, put a 1/1 white Hound creature token onto the battlefield
2/1 If you get 3 power for 2 mana, it should at least cost WW
I was thinking that Blade of the Sixth Pride isn't overpowered with 3 power and this compares reasonably well with Nest Invader (doesn't ramp but 1 less toughness, 1 more power and white's 2 drops tend to be a little better than green 2 drops that aren't named Tarmogoyf, and it's not like Nest Invader is really exciting).
Knight of Order WW Creature - Human Knight
Protection from Red, Lifelink
2/2
Knight of Purity WW Creature - Human Knight
Protection from Black, Persist
2/2 Both Knights are way too dominant against decks with 50% B or R
Red has survived with Silver Knight in regular cube and I assume we will have some ways to deal with him. The black one is a beating (isn't that the point?) and maybe persist could be something else but I wanted him to be maindeck material outside of the black matchup. I compared him with Safehold Elite and he's significantly harder to cast and in exchange gets a narrow but powerful ability. Seems pretty reasonable.
Loyal Wolf WW Creature - Wolf
Banding
2/3 I think that not enough people understand how banding works
Seriously, we need a card with Banding in here. The old creatures were just too crappy for cube.
Cardname - W Creature
Vigilance T: Target attacking creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
1/1
This card is nicely balanced with an ability that is still useful in the late game once your opponent has creatures that outclass this one.
Cardname - WW Creature
First strike, flying
2/1
This is one of those cards that I think is good and balanced, but is just not good enough for a small cube. This is only slightly better than Mistral Charger, and the restrictive cost outweighs the benefit imo.
Cardname - 1W Creature
CARDNAME enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter.
Remove a +1/+1 counter from CARDNAME: destroy target enchantment.
1/1
I like this. It's almost strictly better than Ronom Unicorn, but it works for a project like this.
Cardname - 1W
Sorcery
Exile target creature.
Not only is this extremely overpowered, it is also not an aggressive white card. It would fit much better into the white spot removal section, but it would still be crazy overpowered.
Cardname - 2WW
Creature
When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, exile another target nonland permanent. When CARDNAME leaves the battlefield return the card exiled by CARDNAME to the battlefield.
3/3
This is also very overpowered. It is infinitely better than Faceless Butcher, and speaking of which, this is a Nightmare ability, which is almost exclusively black.
Cardname - W
Creature
First strike
Whenever a player searches his or her library put a +1/+1 counter on Cardname unless that player pays 1
1/1
I don't really like this. I don't think its ability is relevant enough for it to make an impact on a game, and giving the opponent a way out of it makes it even less effective. It appears to be a tax card, but only as much as Browbeat is a draw spell.
Cardname - W1
Creature
Fading 3
3/3
This is pretty solid. It seems more red or green than white, but it still fits well enough.
Kird Dude W
Creature - Whatever
If you control two or more plains, ~ gets +1/+2.
1/1
All around solid creature. I like the nod toward a basic land matters theme.
Funeral Pyre Dude 1W
Creature - WHatever
First Strike
Whenever ~ attacks, exile a creature card from defending player's graveyard.
2/1
Another solid creature, but I don't feel this one's ability is relevant enough to see much play. It lacks the instant-speed quality that makes graveyard disruption useful, and after the first few turns of the game this will likely be outclassed by other creatures on the board so you won't really want to attack unless you're taking out a crucial card like Genesis.
Twin Cadet 1WW
Creature - Twin
Whenever ~ ETB put a 2/2 white twin token into play.
Whenever a twin is put into the graveyard from play, destroy all other twins.
2/2
A mini-Precursor Golem. It's alright, but dying to Shock and losing in combat to 3-toughness creatures hurts a lot.
Equipment Dude 1W
Creature - Whatever
Whenever ~ etb put a Artifact Equipment token with "Equipped creature gets +2/+0, Equip 1" onto the battlefield attached to ~.
0/1
I like your equipment + dude below better. This one just feels a little awkward.
Demystify dude `1W
Creature - Whatever
~ etb with a demystify counter on it.
Remove a demystify counter, T: Destroy target enchantment.
2/1
I don't like the internal conflict this has with either attacking or holding back to destroy an enchantment. I would usually prefer War Priest of Thune.
Bonesplitter + Dude 1W
Artifact - Equipment
WHen ~ etb put a 0/1 dude token into play and attach ~ to it.
Equipped creature gets +2/+0
Equip 1
I like this much better than the similar creature above. It's elegant and useful at all points in the game.
(card 1) Lightning Spirit W Creature -- Elemental Spirit
First stike. 1/1
Level Up: 1W
[Level 1-2] 2/2
First strike, flying.
[Level 3+] 4/4
First strike, flying.
Compare to Knight of Cliffhaven and you'll see that this reaches its maximum level far too quickly. The abilities are alright, but either the level up cost or the required levels should probably change to balance it out.
(card 2) Wandering Ronin WW Creature -- Human Samurai
Bushido 2
Whenever [CARDNAME] attacks alone, you may pay W. If you do, you may untap target creature defending player controls. That creature blocks [CARNDAME] this turn if able.
2/2
Nice optional provoke there. Pairing it with bushido is a nice touch. This thing could be brutal.
(card 3 and 4) Marsh Tracker / Mesa Tracker W Creature -- Human Scout
Swampwalk / Mountainwalk
2/1
I know we all wish Marsh Threader and Cliff Threader were more cubeable, but making strictly-better versions of them is not the answer. They aren't creative and they completely surpass almost all of the white 1-drops ever printed.
(card 5) Veteran Tracker 1W Creature -- Human Scout
Nonbasic landwalk
Kicker 1WW: Veteran Tracker comes into play with X +1/+1 counters, where X is the number of nonbasic lands target opponent controls.
3/1
Again with the strictly-better cards. I don't feel like Blade of the Sixth Pride needed improvement. And this seems much more suited to constructed formats than the cube.
Like the other level up card, I feel like this reaches its maximum level way too quickly. It's really insanely powerful.
(card 7) Battallion Barracks 1WW Enchantment
Creatures you control get +1/+0. 1WW: Put a 1/1 Human Soldier creature token onto the battlefield.
This is a card I can definitely get behind. The only thing I don't like about it is the heavy white commitment it requires, but it may be overpowered if the ability cost 2W.
(card 9) Soltari Shadowmaster 2W Creature -- Soltari Wizard
Shadow
Other creatures with shadow you control get +1/+1.
W: Target creature gains shadow until end of turn.
2/1
Paying just W to make a creature unblockable and give it +1/+1 seems too strong. It's like Mirror Entity on crack.
Elite CohortW
Creature - Human Soldier
First Strike
Elite Cohort gets +1/+1 if you control another creature with a converted mana cost two or less.
1/2
A 1/2 with first strike seems a little redundant. I think this would feel better and function better as a 1/1.
Crusading Nomad :symw::symw:
Creature - Human Soldier
Flanking
When Crusading Nomad enters the battlefield, search your library for a white creature card and exile it, it gains suspend. Put X suspend counters on that card where X is equal to it's casting cost. Then shuffle your library. His echoes of valor ring true through many lands.
2/2
This is pretty awesomely powerful. I like it a lot.
Guildpact Protector1W
Creature - Pegasus
Flying, Protection from Monocolored
2/1
Did we need a strictly-better Pegasus? I feel like this might be a little too good.
Angelic Savant2W
Creature - Spirit
Flying
Whenever Angelic Savant deals combat damage to a player tap target permanent he or she controls, that permanent does not untap during its controller's next untap step.
2/2
I'm glad you changed this from what it was before. It's still very very strong, but I'm not sure if it's overpowered.
Anthem Bringer1WW
Creature - Human Knight
First Strike, Vigilance
When Anthem Bringer attacks, other creatures you control get +1/+1 until the beginning of your next end step.
2/2
Shouldn't that just be "until end of turn"? Regardless, this is solid.
Heavenly Creatures :1mana::symw::symw:
Creature - Spirit
Flying
When ~ enters the battlefield put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield under your control.
Persist
2/2
I love everything about this card (except maybe the name). This is probably my favorite card submitted so far. Excellent.
Herald of War1WW
Creature - Human Knight
First Strike
When Herald of War enters the battlefield put two 1/1 white soldier tokens with first strike on to the battlefield.
2/2
I don't like this as much as the Heavenly Creatures above. It feels like a smaller Captain of the Watch, which is good but not really exciting.
Ranger of UnosWW
creature - soldier
Whenever ~ ETB, you may search your library for a creature card with CMC 1 or less and put it into your hand. shuffle your library.
2/2 Similar to Trinket Mage, a cost of 2W would be more appropriate
Baby Lark 1WW
creature - elemental
flying
When ~ leaves the battlefield, return up to one target creature card with power 2 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.
2/2 great card and fine for the cube, but too easy to abuse in constructed
I wasn't going for trinket mage, but ranger of enos. double the color intensity at half the cost for half the effect and one less power, it seems reasonable to me. making it cost 2W would put it more into imperial recruiter range, and no one plays that card.
as for baby lark, why would constructed even be considered for this project?
Cardname - 1W
Sorcery
Exile target creature. I don't think white should get something strictly better than Terminate.
Not strictly better because it is sorcery. I understand that it is powerful but so are Path to Exile and Swords to Plowshare. I think it's fine to have something powerful in our cube. Maybe WW will make it more fair?
[quote=eidolon232;6190144Aspiring Knight W
Creature - Human Knight {R}
Whenever ~ blocks or becomes blocked, you may pay W. If you do, it gains first strike until end of turn.
2/1 KISS: Why would you give a creature First Strike when it doesn't block/ becomes blocked?
Angelic Mantle W
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has flying.
Manifest WW(WW: Put a 0/0 white creature token onto the battlefield enchanted with ~) I assume Manifest is an alternative cost and not an ability?
Aeriel Outlook1WW
Creature - Wall {U}
Defender
Whenever a nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may pay 1W. If you do, put a 2/2 white Griffin creature token with flying onto the battlefield under your control.
2/5 The goal is to design white aggro cards[/quote] Aspiring Knight: I don't understand your question. The creature is a Savannah Lion until it either blocks or becomes blocked. At this point, you can pay W to give it first strike.
Angelic Mantle: Not really sure to be honest, I got the ability from the GDS2 thread on the forums. I know thats what the ability basically does, but the exact wording i don't know.
Aeriel Outlook: I agree its not the most aggro oriented. It was intended to be an aggro support card, but paying 1w for every creature is probably a little slow. Honestly my hopes was that the ability played a little bit more like level up in the regards that it gives the player something to do with his/her mana later in the game that still pushes an aggresive strategy.
Not strictly better because it is sorcery. I understand that it is powerful but so are Path to Exile and Swords to Plowshare. I think it's fine to have something powerful in our cube. Maybe WW will make it more fair?
My bigger issue then powerlevel (which is a HUGE issue, compare it to Journy to Nowhere which has a pretty big downside*) is the fact that white doesn't really do that.8
White can get rid of things with a downside (StP, Path, Journey, Oust) it can also get rid of them inside combat (Wing Shards, Exile, Neck Snap). It doesn't just point a spell at them and they're gone. If white can do that what is the point of Black removal with limited clauses (not to mention a lack of exiling).
*Let alone Crib Swap which has a big downside and costs more.
The way I see it is, I create cards for these type of things based on the fact we won't be using any real cards so we have to put something in here. and because of that an STP with no draw back other than its 1W and sorcery is fine with me.
considering that we run cards like black lotus, ancestral recall, and the moxen...and all those other cards that will never ever come close to seeing print again, I don't think so harshly comparing some of these cards to cards that already exist is really relevant at all. Comparing that prismatic knight to voice of all doesn't make sense for this project because voice of all isn't typically a cubeable card. This is a custom cube, not a list of hopeful ideas. It's okay for cards to be above the curve.
considering that we run cards like black lotus, ancestral recall, and the moxen...and all those other cards that will never ever come close to seeing print again, I don't think so harshly comparing some of these cards to cards that already exist is really relevant at all. Comparing that prismatic knight to voice of all doesn't make sense for this project because voice of all isn't typically a cubeable card. This is a custom cube, not a list of hopeful ideas. It's okay for cards to be above the curve.
They can be above the curve, but we should think that they could have seen print in the history of magic, right? This is a 2-cmc removal spell in white. Usually that means its a common or uncommon, with the typical power-level restrictions those rarities impose.
1W, Sorcery, Exile a creature - This gets around almost all drawbacks that every currently-cubeable removal spell at this cost has. Keep in mind that constant power creep like this on every card can actually make the game less fun than more balanced cards.
EDIT: also, so someone doesn't miss it in the thread, I posted this today:
I actually think it's printable (consider the double-protection double striker for 3 mana seeing print in Besieged). It will still trade with anything else with first strike or 3 toughness and 1 power. It's harder to cast than Blade of the Sixth Pride, and still dies to practically every removal in the book. On the other hand, it's quite the beating in aggro.
I'm going to post a functional reprint of it in red (RR, goblin berserker?), and in hybrid (W/R)(W/R), goblin knight?) when the time comes, since it would be in flavor in both colors.
Cardname - WW Artifact WT: Tap target artifact, land, or creature.
Very very powerful I understand. I do enjoy these types of cards.
Knight of the Runes - WW Creature - Human Knight
Vigilance T: Target creature gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.
It's like Mother of Runes but it can also target opponent's creatures which is important in the case of enchantments, pumps, and colored artifacts.
I feel like taking a card that exists and chopping a mana off should be avoided. I'd be more interested in:
Cardname - WW Artifact T: Tap target creature.
As far as the second card I'd say "target creature you control" the card is above the curve of something they'd print these days ether way and I don't feel it is "in flavor" to have a protection creature attack your opponent's permanents (admittedly, in niche situations).
I feel like taking a card that exists and chopping a mana off should be avoided. I'd be more interested in:
Cardname - WW Artifact T: Tap target creature.
As far as the second card I'd say "target creature you control" the card is above the curve of something they'd print these days ether way and I don't feel it is "in flavor" to have a protection creature attack your opponent's permanents (admittedly, in niche situations).
Either way I think your suggestions to my cards are still fun and playable. I would love to play both.
Benalish Twinblade
ww
Creature -- Human Knight
Double strike.
2/1 This card is no uncommon, if you think about how good it would be in regular limited and it seems to "basic" for a rare, since a rare should be more than a card that WotC made 1 mana too cheap, so that it sees some constructed play.
This guy is insanely good. It attacks for four with little downside.
They can be above the curve, but we should think that they could have seen print in the history of magic, right?
I don't agree, because we'll be left with sub par cube if we don't at least have something that is on the level of the cards we now won't see reprinting.
They can be above the curve, but we should think that they could have seen print in the history of magic, right? This is a 2-cmc removal spell in white. Usually that means its a common or uncommon, with the typical power-level restrictions those rarities impose.
1W, Sorcery, Exile a creature - This gets around almost all drawbacks that every currently-cubeable removal spell at this cost has. Keep in mind that constant power creep like this on every card can actually make the game less fun than more balanced cards.
I agree for the most part. I just think that right now cards are being judged based on what would see print today, which if continued is going to make for a boring cube. we have to keep in mind that WOTC is always making cards that are even more powerful than the ones we're posting, and people are oftentimes getting cards critiqued as "overpowered" only to have wizards print a strictly better version of their card a few sets later. I don't think that every card should feature such power creep, but I also don't think that a WW bear that can have protection from one color of your choice is pushing it at all.
I'd say we should rate creatures as they're printed today, and spells as they were printed earlier.
These are correct 100%.
If we decide that pushing our cards above the curve of everything WotC has ever printed, then where do we set the bar? If we choose some removal that is miles above any tier 1 removal, then why would we put any removal in the cube that creates interesting interactions or decisions?
Note that Ancestral Recall is the only P9 card in the cube that is always good and always useful. It is 3 cards for 1 mana at instant speed with no drawback whatsoever. Absolutely insane. Is this what we want to model all of our cards after? I personally would not enjoy playing a cube where there are several cards at that power level. And I want our cube to be fun.
Benalish Twinblade
ww
Creature -- Human Knight
Double strike.
2/1 This card is no uncommon, if you think about how good it would be in regular limited and it seems to "basic" for a rare, since a rare should be more than a card that WotC made 1 mana too cheap, so that it sees some constructed play.
Definitely wouldn't be printed as an uncommon. I would expect it to be a rare if it ever saw print (or, if WotC is feeling gimmicky like they do with some other mythics like Vengevine, even print it at mythic, but I think that would be a horrible idea).
As far as power vs. rare-ity goes, Mirran Crusader is this card, plus 1 mana, and plus one very (black) and one fairly (green) relevant protections, and an additional toughness. I don't see how Benalish Twinblade is a rare that WotC made 1 mana too cheap. Elvish Ranger was a common. Going to two colored mana seems fine for a rare. Obviously, double strike doubles the value of pumps, but that's what makes it a top-tier cube card. Maybe it ends up in the cube as the white aggro P1P1?
Now, you could argue that Mirran Crusader was designed 1 mana too cheap, and I'd probably agree, but I don't think I'm raising the power bar above whatever WotC is already doing.
Definitely wouldn't be printed as an uncommon. I would expect it to be a rare if it ever saw print (or, if WotC is feeling gimmicky like they do with some other mythics like Vengevine, even print it at mythic, but I think that would be a horrible idea).
It's easier to cast and does double the damage of Boros Swiftblade. Way too good.
Tethered ProtectorW
Creature - Spirit
Flying
When your opponent controls no creatures, Tethered Protector gains defender. The Tethered Ones believe in honor of the fight. They protect homes but not pillage them.
2/3
Thoughts please!
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Voting and Discussion Thread
Please use this thread to discuss all aspects of the C4 Project and to vote on each round's submitted cards.
To get to the submission thread, follow this link.
There are currently no cards to vote on. The first round of voting will begin after the first round of submissions closes. Until then, feel free to discuss anything about the C4 Project. Your input is what will make this project as successful as possible.
How do I vote?
2. Card B
3. Card C
...
Firstly, if you are unsure about the wording or formatting of your card, feel free to ask for help here. I have done a lot of formatting and I know many others here have as well, and we would all be happy to help.
Secondly, if you submit artwork at any time, please include either a link to the website where you got the artwork or the name of the artist who did the piece. It is important to me that we include artist credit on each of the cards we create.
I am adding both points to the OP in the submission thread.
You are definitely free to create a new ability if you'd like, but whenever you are creating a new ability, always ask yourself this question first: Is the ability something that can't be done using preexisting Magic terminology? If your ability doesn't really explore new territory but rather just names something that has already been done, then it doesn't really need to be named.
As for your second question, I highly encourage everyone to use preexisting abilities on your cards. More than half the fun of creating cards is taking a new twist on abilities that have already been created. It's like Time Spiral.
Maybe I should just have it say, choose that many permanents they dont untap during their controls next untap step?
maybe i'm missing something but this doesn't seem that great to me. it's double white which encourages you to play a lot of plains, but even with a few (2-3) you're playing an extreme amount of mana to get these abilities. 3-4 to get +2/+0 isn't awful, but the more the game goes on the more expensive it will get. and 5-7+ to get double strike doesn't seem particularly good either. flying and first strike don't really seem like they're worth the mana. compare to stillmoon cavalier, which is easier to pay for and comes with double protection.
Red has survived with Silver Knight in regular cube and I assume we will have some ways to deal with him. The black one is a beating (isn't that the point?) and maybe persist could be something else but I wanted him to be maindeck material outside of the black matchup. I compared him with Safehold Elite and he's significantly harder to cast and in exchange gets a narrow but powerful ability. Seems pretty reasonable.
Seriously, we need a card with Banding in here. The old creatures were just too crappy for cube.
I wasn't going for trinket mage, but ranger of enos. double the color intensity at half the cost for half the effect and one less power, it seems reasonable to me. making it cost 2W would put it more into imperial recruiter range, and no one plays that card.
as for baby lark, why would constructed even be considered for this project?
Cube list thread
Cubetutor
Cube list thread
Cubetutor
Not strictly better because it is sorcery. I understand that it is powerful but so are Path to Exile and Swords to Plowshare. I think it's fine to have something powerful in our cube. Maybe WW will make it more fair?
Creature - Human Knight {R}
Whenever ~ blocks or becomes blocked, you may pay W. If you do, it gains first strike until end of turn.
2/1
KISS: Why would you give a creature First Strike when it doesn't block/ becomes blocked?
Angelic Mantle W
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has flying.
Manifest WW (WW: Put a 0/0 white creature token onto the battlefield enchanted with ~)
I assume Manifest is an alternative cost and not an ability?
Aeriel Outlook 1WW
Creature - Wall {U}
Defender
Whenever a nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may pay 1W. If you do, put a 2/2 white Griffin creature token with flying onto the battlefield under your control.
2/5
The goal is to design white aggro cards[/quote]
Aspiring Knight: I don't understand your question. The creature is a Savannah Lion until it either blocks or becomes blocked. At this point, you can pay W to give it first strike.
Angelic Mantle: Not really sure to be honest, I got the ability from the GDS2 thread on the forums. I know thats what the ability basically does, but the exact wording i don't know.
Aeriel Outlook: I agree its not the most aggro oriented. It was intended to be an aggro support card, but paying 1w for every creature is probably a little slow. Honestly my hopes was that the ability played a little bit more like level up in the regards that it gives the player something to do with his/her mana later in the game that still pushes an aggresive strategy.
(CubeTutor & MTGS)
360 Peasant Cube!
Custom Cube
RWU Miracles RWU
My bigger issue then powerlevel (which is a HUGE issue, compare it to Journy to Nowhere which has a pretty big downside*) is the fact that white doesn't really do that.8
White can get rid of things with a downside (StP, Path, Journey, Oust) it can also get rid of them inside combat (Wing Shards, Exile, Neck Snap). It doesn't just point a spell at them and they're gone. If white can do that what is the point of Black removal with limited clauses (not to mention a lack of exiling).
*Let alone Crib Swap which has a big downside and costs more.
My secondary "cube".
Really out of date cube thread with pictures.
Cube list thread
Cubetutor
They can be above the curve, but we should think that they could have seen print in the history of magic, right? This is a 2-cmc removal spell in white. Usually that means its a common or uncommon, with the typical power-level restrictions those rarities impose.
1W, Sorcery, Exile a creature - This gets around almost all drawbacks that every currently-cubeable removal spell at this cost has. Keep in mind that constant power creep like this on every card can actually make the game less fun than more balanced cards.
EDIT: also, so someone doesn't miss it in the thread, I posted this today:
(card 10)
Benalish Twinblade
WW
Creature -- Human Knight
Double strike.
2/1
I actually think it's printable (consider the double-protection double striker for 3 mana seeing print in Besieged). It will still trade with anything else with first strike or 3 toughness and 1 power. It's harder to cast than Blade of the Sixth Pride, and still dies to practically every removal in the book. On the other hand, it's quite the beating in aggro.
I'm going to post a functional reprint of it in red (RR, goblin berserker?), and in hybrid (W/R)(W/R), goblin knight?) when the time comes, since it would be in flavor in both colors.
My Cube Blog @theCubeMiser on Twitter
I feel like taking a card that exists and chopping a mana off should be avoided. I'd be more interested in:
Cardname - WW
Artifact
T: Tap target creature.
As far as the second card I'd say "target creature you control" the card is above the curve of something they'd print these days ether way and I don't feel it is "in flavor" to have a protection creature attack your opponent's permanents (admittedly, in niche situations).
My secondary "cube".
Really out of date cube thread with pictures.
Either way I think your suggestions to my cards are still fun and playable. I would love to play both.
This guy is insanely good. It attacks for four with little downside.
I don't agree, because we'll be left with sub par cube if we don't at least have something that is on the level of the cards we now won't see reprinting.
I agree for the most part. I just think that right now cards are being judged based on what would see print today, which if continued is going to make for a boring cube. we have to keep in mind that WOTC is always making cards that are even more powerful than the ones we're posting, and people are oftentimes getting cards critiqued as "overpowered" only to have wizards print a strictly better version of their card a few sets later. I don't think that every card should feature such power creep, but I also don't think that a WW bear that can have protection from one color of your choice is pushing it at all.
Cube list thread
Cubetutor
These are correct 100%.
If we decide that pushing our cards above the curve of everything WotC has ever printed, then where do we set the bar? If we choose some removal that is miles above any tier 1 removal, then why would we put any removal in the cube that creates interesting interactions or decisions?
Note that Ancestral Recall is the only P9 card in the cube that is always good and always useful. It is 3 cards for 1 mana at instant speed with no drawback whatsoever. Absolutely insane. Is this what we want to model all of our cards after? I personally would not enjoy playing a cube where there are several cards at that power level. And I want our cube to be fun.
Definitely wouldn't be printed as an uncommon. I would expect it to be a rare if it ever saw print (or, if WotC is feeling gimmicky like they do with some other mythics like Vengevine, even print it at mythic, but I think that would be a horrible idea).
As far as power vs. rare-ity goes, Mirran Crusader is this card, plus 1 mana, and plus one very (black) and one fairly (green) relevant protections, and an additional toughness. I don't see how Benalish Twinblade is a rare that WotC made 1 mana too cheap. Elvish Ranger was a common. Going to two colored mana seems fine for a rare. Obviously, double strike doubles the value of pumps, but that's what makes it a top-tier cube card. Maybe it ends up in the cube as the white aggro P1P1?
Now, you could argue that Mirran Crusader was designed 1 mana too cheap, and I'd probably agree, but I don't think I'm raising the power bar above whatever WotC is already doing.
My Cube Blog @theCubeMiser on Twitter
It's easier to cast and does double the damage of Boros Swiftblade. Way too good.
And Boros Swiftblade isn't really good at all.
My Cube Blog @theCubeMiser on Twitter
Tethered Protector W
Creature - Spirit
Flying
When your opponent controls no creatures, Tethered Protector gains defender.
The Tethered Ones believe in honor of the fight. They protect homes but not pillage them.
2/3
Thoughts please!