So from what it seems, art seems to be the driving factor. Obvious statement is obvious. However, for those of you trying to 'pimp' cubes do you ever snap use the most expensive? For instance, Judge promos like Dark Confidant and V-Clique over their original pack foils? Im foiling my cube out and I have both copies of the V Clique for instance and dont really have an art preference but I dig them both. OG is awesome because it's OG but the other is a promo! So in that instance I feel like I will just defer to which is worth more?
Actually where there is one really expensive version of a card and one much cheaper version I will try to ship out the more expensive version to make some cash for future purchases. If there's not a huge amount in it I'll use the art I prefer. In the case of the Clique, I like the Judge one. However my FNM promo StP is worth a load now, but I also really like the Terese Nielsen art - so I'll probably try to sell the FNM one soon. I can make some money then and also reduce the value of my pile sitting all in one place. I did for JtMS (also I hate Worldwake foils, so there's that). I will never just use a card because it's worth more - the opposite is really true.
The art of the Sword could have been re-sized better - the old frame has less art real estate and the tip sort of touching the frame bothers me. What would have been awesome would be a Mark Zug art to go with the originals.
A someone who hopes to someday singleton-out my tokens (currently have Pack Rat 'tokens' in different languages), I'm quite happy with the new offerings from Conspiracy.
Lists to be added at a future date
Animar | Damia/Legendary Timmy | Jacques le Vert/death2machines | Ruhon/voltron | Thraximundar/let's all sac | Mogis/Tribal Minotaur | Sol'kanar/here, have Phage | Drana/swamps are rising | Uril/voltron | Karador/Spirit recursion | Derevi/ janky fair turtle)
The new tokens have super art, certainly! Another testament to the impressive effort that Conspiracy seems to be. On that topic, I would like to see tokens getting a proper race-class typing*, like in Lorwyn/Morningtide, at some point. All the Soldier tokens depicted as such being actual Humans would be awesome for a number of cubeable cards.
*Obviously, the relevant ones at least - as good as Squirrel Horrors would be.
I'd run a foil Conspiracy one over a non-foil Masques one if you don't wanna shell out the dough for a foil Masques one. I wish there was a timeshifted foil for Brainstorm with the Ice Age art.
Ice Age Brainstorm is by far my fave, but that art just doesn't sit right in a new frame. I'm currently running a foil MM version, but I'd definitely upgrade to the IA art if I could get an old border foil.
I vote Conspiracy foil.
I like the new brainstorm artwork better than both Ice Age and MM artworks. Probably in the minority here, but might as well throw my opinion out there.
Ugh, another fortune spent on tough-to-find promos. I still have a sealed box of last year's promos sitting in a closet, waiting to flip. I'm tempted to just wait on the individual cards I want, as opposed to buying a whole set, with a Nerf axe I don't care about. At least last year's set started in the low 200's before shooting up.
Trying to decide on a few aesthetic things for my cube. The ultimate plan is to foil everything out, so I'm trying to decide between versions. I'm not necessarily married to the "most pimp" version.
-FtV Maze of Ith v. Judge Maze of Ith
-DD Sun Titan v. prerelease Sun Titan v. M11 foil Sun Titan
For reference, the other two Titans I'm running are Primeval and Inferno, of which I will be using the promo version for each. If not for that, I'd just run the M11 one, but I'm not sure if "all of my titans are alt-art" is something worth doing.
Between those, I would go for the Judge Maze, I don't like the curvy-ness of the FTV version. I would maybe take the original over both, though, even though it's more curvy and makes even less sense
For the titans, the promos are cool but I wouldn't lock myself into doing all promos when the original art is definitely much better for some. The only promo version I still have is Inferno Titan, which just looks amazing. After awhile, the promo art just wore off and I just wanted the "real" titans back. Definitely prioritize art over some promo cycle thing.
Actually where there is one really expensive version of a card and one much cheaper version I will try to ship out the more expensive version to make some cash for future purchases. If there's not a huge amount in it I'll use the art I prefer. In the case of the Clique, I like the Judge one. However my FNM promo StP is worth a load now, but I also really like the Terese Nielsen art - so I'll probably try to sell the FNM one soon. I can make some money then and also reduce the value of my pile sitting all in one place. I did for JtMS (also I hate Worldwake foils, so there's that). I will never just use a card because it's worth more - the opposite is really true.
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/arcana/1489
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
http://cubetutor.playworks.cloudbees.net/viewcube/57
Sword of Light and Shadow came out in 2012.
Sword of Fire and Ice came out in 2013.
Sword of Feast and Famine came out in 2014.
I'm guessing we will be getting either body and mind or war and peace next year.
Calvin and Hobbes
Cube Tutor
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
Spirits, Elephants, and.... Squirrels!
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Still need Andi Rusu sig :/
Current EDH decks
Animar | Damia/Legendary Timmy | Jacques le Vert/death2machines | Ruhon/voltron | Thraximundar/let's all sac | Mogis/Tribal Minotaur | Sol'kanar/here, have Phage | Drana/swamps are rising | Uril/voltron | Karador/Spirit recursion | Derevi/ janky fair turtle)
*Obviously, the relevant ones at least - as good as Squirrel Horrors would be.
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
(CubeTutor & MTGS)
360 Peasant Cube!
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RWU Miracles RWU
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My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
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I like the new brainstorm artwork better than both Ice Age and MM artworks. Probably in the minority here, but might as well throw my opinion out there.
I like the MM non-foil much more than conspiracy foil, although I'm not a fan of foils in general.
CUBE TOP 10 - Help us vote for the best cards in cube
Slightly more cubeworthy PWs getting the treatment than last time.
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
I've pretty much assumed I'll never own any of these.
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
Goodking, let me know if/when you want to jettison that FNM Swords; I always actively trade for Cube foils so I could hook you up!
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
-FtV Maze of Ith v. Judge Maze of Ith
-DD Sun Titan v. prerelease Sun Titan v. M11 foil Sun Titan
For reference, the other two Titans I'm running are Primeval and Inferno, of which I will be using the promo version for each. If not for that, I'd just run the M11 one, but I'm not sure if "all of my titans are alt-art" is something worth doing.
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
For the titans, the promos are cool but I wouldn't lock myself into doing all promos when the original art is definitely much better for some. The only promo version I still have is Inferno Titan, which just looks amazing. After awhile, the promo art just wore off and I just wanted the "real" titans back. Definitely prioritize art over some promo cycle thing.
Also, M11 foil Sun Titan looks glorious.
I like the pack foil for all the titans best, though I think frost is close.