They aren't exactly to my taste at all, but some of the art is amazing. I like Mind Twist and Daze the most. May look good in person, will wait and see. A bit of a change after the Inventions (which I adore) and the Expeditions (some of which are still pretty nice).
Stripey borders, hard to read ALL CAPS TEXT, and uncolored mana symbols?! Yuck!
This!
The art is quite nice on many of them, but they don't feel like Magic cards to me. I thought the Inventions and Masterpieces were pretty bad/ugly/not Magic cards, these are even worse. It's not to my taste at all.
And the frame takes up a disproportionate amount of real estate on these cards; directly cutting into how much of the sweet new art we actually get. Kinda feel bad for the artists.
One person's thing is another person's bling. I think there's a benefit to a card being hideous. It's that the worst art is also often eventually iconic.
They're so awful looking, it's comical. Somehow worse than Expeditions and Inventions, which I didn't think was possible. I'll represent the frame with one card in my cube (because I represent every frame, even the terrible ones, with at least 1) but I'll cringe and laugh when I draw it. Good god they're awful.
That being said, the Sphinx is the one I hate the least of the 12 that I've seen so far ...and it at least has a pseudo-egyptian "feel" so the frame isn't as out-of-place as on most of the other ones. It might be the one I snag for the cube.
Any front runners now that all of them are spoiled? If I were to cube one, it'd probably be Daze.
I normally care a lot about readability, functionality and aesthetics on cards and these invocations are definitely lacking in the first two departments. However, I really don't care about those shortcomings here, since these masterpieces are purely optional and all those cards exist with standard frames. If you want useful cards, use those printings. If you want something that really stands out and that screams "Egyptian themed plane!" you have the option to use the invocations.
And the frame takes up a disproportionate amount of real estate on these cards; directly cutting into how much of the sweet new art we actually get. Kinda feel bad for the artists.
You are actually stating one of the reasons why the classic frames are worse than the modern frames.
It depends on the card, since the proportions change. You see more art on the old frame Flametongue Kavu than you do with the modern frames, for example, even if the box is slightly smaller.
But even in other examples, it's not worth sacrificing a great-looking classic frame for a hideous modern frame anyways.
I'll definitely try to grab one Invocation for my Peasant list. They're just so... crazy. Like, it's awful in every sense, but the 'museum' quality of Cube really compels me to add one. Think my options are Daze or Chain Lightning (Masques foil Counterspell isn't going anywhere )
My favorite art is the entomb one, the idea of entombing someone in a pyramid with sand really nails it flavor-wise. It took a minute for me to realize which card it was at a glance, though...
My favorite art is the entomb one, the idea of entombing someone in a pyramid with sand really nails it flavor-wise. It took a minute for me to realize which card it was at a glance, though...
Completely agree. The entomb looks excellent to me....but they are still fugly borders and writing....
I run multiples of staple abilities that won't get improved upon, and I like to have different art on each iteration of each card. I run 4x Counterspell, 3x Stone Rain, and 4x Dark Ritual. How would you guys spread your art in such a situation. I don't have any interest in ordering expensive editions of cheap cards, so the invocations are out, which is fine, since they are generally unappealing.
Just pick the arts you like the best and double up on your favorite when you have to. If you're not looking to shell out for the most expensive pimp versions, that's probably your cheapest and easiest option. You could also look to get some alters done of the play sets that share a common theme.
I love the singleton nature of cube, so if running multiples, I would be tempted to vary the art too. I do that with all my basic lands. It's a matter of picking my favourite basic of each type from each set.
If Alpha or Beta are within your grasp I'd go for those, if not I'd run a Collector's Edition copy of each one. With that as a starting point, here's what I'd do with the remaining copies (all black border of course):
Counterspell: DCI Legend Promo (Old frame, funky art, rare but not too expensive), Tempest (Weatherlight Saga flavor text), Eternal Masters or Duel Decks (New frame, decent art on either one)
Stone Rain: FNM Promo if you like old frame foils, and then some combination of Ice Age, Mercadian Masques and Mirage. The Mirage flavor text is cool, but the art is pretty boring. As you can see I like to get a sampling from different points in Magic's history.
Dark Ritual: I think most of the new arts are better. If you want an intentionally dated look you could go with Ice Age or Mirage, but I like Urza's Saga, Mercadian Masques (if you like Guay) and Planechase.
I love the singleton nature of cube, so if running multiples, I would be tempted to vary the art too.
Exactly this.
In fact, I would choose which cards I'm willing to break the singleton rule for (as long as the choices are largely arbitrary and not to support specific strategies) based on whether or not they have different arts available.
My cube is about 1595 cards right now, and always fluctuating, but these specific cards have proven themselves needed in larger numbers. These are the only cards that I run more than two of, and I don't run two of all that many cards, and often it's as a placeholder. My 20 trilands are also an important feature, but sadly only Sandsteppe Citadel has more than one art.
I guess I should say that I'm a budget player. I have no interest in acquiring super pimped cards. I actually prefer the look of original pack cards to crazy foils and promos anyway. I would love to have alpha/beta cards, but I'm not spending $90 on a card worth $1.50. My cube doesn't seem low value to me, since it contains thousands of dollars worth of cards, but compared to most of you who play things like real duals, and anything that would be considered pimped, my cube is pretty damn modest. I put a loose price cap around $20 for a single card.
I am a little surprised that most people's reaction is all pimp all the time. Stone Rain, for example is a card where the Daniel Gelon art seems really mediocre to me, even if it is the one with pimped editions (alpha and judge). I'd rather have the Doug Chaffee or Kaja Foglo any day. Stone Rain feels like one that has a particular wealth of good art. Counterspell has a lot of really basic art. I really like the judge foil art, and I wish it had been printed in a normal set. If I were going to get a pimped out version one of these cards, that would be it.
1595?! Wowzers! I thought my list was unwieldy at 720.
When it comes to art, though, just do what you like. Of the many ways to evaluate a card, art is second only to updated rules text for me. Occasionally, superior art can win out. Also, and contrary to most people here, I don't care for the old school border, but dammit, that Mirage Incinerate is just too awesome looking to exclude.
Regarding Dark Ritual specifically, if you're looking for input, I'd go with:
My picks in order of preference assuming you don't care about having foil editions:
Note that I won't run any version of Dark Ritual that doesn't say "Instant" in the type line, so this precludes any version that predates Mercadian Masques.
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I still think Painted Bluffs is the best, mostly because it's the most colorful. Most of them are pretty drab for rainbow lands. Theros Unkown Shores is a close second, since there's actually something going on in that art.
I like Theros Unknown Shores best. Phyrexian Dark Ritual is my favorite, because Phyrexia. And I love the Mercadian Masques Counterspell.
In my opinion, Urza's Saga block and Mercadian Masques block had the best art in all of Magic. It was the time when Wizards used a bunch of artists that were visibly more talented than most from the early years and before the art started to look too digital. Tempest block and Invasion block had some art like that, too, but the amount of lower quality art and different styles was higher, so I am not holding those blocks as highly as Saga and Masques. While the art quality of Magic has been really, really high for the last 10+ years, I just miss some of those Saga/Masque era artists and their specific styles.
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
This!
The art is quite nice on many of them, but they don't feel like Magic cards to me. I thought the Inventions and Masterpieces were pretty bad/ugly/not Magic cards, these are even worse. It's not to my taste at all.
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On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
Any front runners now that all of them are spoiled? If I were to cube one, it'd probably be Daze.
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You are actually stating one of the reasons why the classic frames are worse than the modern frames.
Uril, the Miststalker RGW -- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre C -- Vhati il-Dal BG -- Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer RW -- Animar, Soul of Elements URG
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker R -- Maga, Traitor to Mortals B -- Ghave, Guru of Spores BGW -- Sliver Hivelord WUBRG
But even in other examples, it's not worth sacrificing a great-looking classic frame for a hideous modern frame anyways.
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Completely agree. The entomb looks excellent to me....but they are still fugly borders and writing....
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I love the singleton nature of cube, so if running multiples, I would be tempted to vary the art too. I do that with all my basic lands. It's a matter of picking my favourite basic of each type from each set.
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
Counterspell: DCI Legend Promo (Old frame, funky art, rare but not too expensive), Tempest (Weatherlight Saga flavor text), Eternal Masters or Duel Decks (New frame, decent art on either one)
Stone Rain: FNM Promo if you like old frame foils, and then some combination of Ice Age, Mercadian Masques and Mirage. The Mirage flavor text is cool, but the art is pretty boring. As you can see I like to get a sampling from different points in Magic's history.
Dark Ritual: I think most of the new arts are better. If you want an intentionally dated look you could go with Ice Age or Mirage, but I like Urza's Saga, Mercadian Masques (if you like Guay) and Planechase.
Exactly this.
In fact, I would choose which cards I'm willing to break the singleton rule for (as long as the choices are largely arbitrary and not to support specific strategies) based on whether or not they have different arts available.
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!
I guess I should say that I'm a budget player. I have no interest in acquiring super pimped cards. I actually prefer the look of original pack cards to crazy foils and promos anyway. I would love to have alpha/beta cards, but I'm not spending $90 on a card worth $1.50. My cube doesn't seem low value to me, since it contains thousands of dollars worth of cards, but compared to most of you who play things like real duals, and anything that would be considered pimped, my cube is pretty damn modest. I put a loose price cap around $20 for a single card.
I am a little surprised that most people's reaction is all pimp all the time. Stone Rain, for example is a card where the Daniel Gelon art seems really mediocre to me, even if it is the one with pimped editions (alpha and judge). I'd rather have the Doug Chaffee or Kaja Foglo any day. Stone Rain feels like one that has a particular wealth of good art. Counterspell has a lot of really basic art. I really like the judge foil art, and I wish it had been printed in a normal set. If I were going to get a pimped out version one of these cards, that would be it.
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When it comes to art, though, just do what you like. Of the many ways to evaluate a card, art is second only to updated rules text for me. Occasionally, superior art can win out. Also, and contrary to most people here, I don't care for the old school border, but dammit, that Mirage Incinerate is just too awesome looking to exclude.
Regarding Dark Ritual specifically, if you're looking for input, I'd go with:
1. Mercadian Masques
2. Mirage
3. Urza's Saga
4. Tempest
My 720 Peasant Cube
Note that I won't run any version of Dark Ritual that doesn't say "Instant" in the type line, so this precludes any version that predates Mercadian Masques.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
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I still think Painted Bluffs is the best, mostly because it's the most colorful. Most of them are pretty drab for rainbow lands. Theros Unkown Shores is a close second, since there's actually something going on in that art.
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
In my opinion, Urza's Saga block and Mercadian Masques block had the best art in all of Magic. It was the time when Wizards used a bunch of artists that were visibly more talented than most from the early years and before the art started to look too digital. Tempest block and Invasion block had some art like that, too, but the amount of lower quality art and different styles was higher, so I am not holding those blocks as highly as Saga and Masques. While the art quality of Magic has been really, really high for the last 10+ years, I just miss some of those Saga/Masque era artists and their specific styles.
Uril, the Miststalker RGW -- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre C -- Vhati il-Dal BG -- Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer RW -- Animar, Soul of Elements URG
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker R -- Maga, Traitor to Mortals B -- Ghave, Guru of Spores BGW -- Sliver Hivelord WUBRG