So this leaves the enemy colors at a disadvantage because they have one less mana fixing land for each pair. So what would you do? Keep in mind I have a limited card base and can't draw upon the more recent duals.
Here are the options I've come up with so far:
Don't do anything. Who needs perfect balance?
Add in the Lairs. Cards like Rith's Grove aren't too horrible and would help. The downside is it doesn't just help the enemy colors and still doesn't balance the dual lands perfectly.
Use the Tempest CIP painlands. I'd almost feel embarrassed adding cards like Skyshroud Forest but it would get the job done.
Hobble something together. Use the enemy tainted lands (Tainted Wood, Tainted Field) and whatever else I can find to fill in the enemy pairs.
Add more questionable mana fixers. I'm not thrilled with Thran Quarry or Thawing Glaciers, but they could work. Again, they don't actually balance the lands.
Hmmm... I can't add cards from other sets, I don't want to make fake cards, I'm not sure balance is needed, and I'm not sure adding sub-par cards would even help. What would you do?
Thanks!
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Draft my old school cube and I'll draft yours...hell, I'll draft it twice!
Fetches aren't limited to allied colored decks. If you've managed to snag your appropriate dual land, any fetch in either of your colors can find it. So I don't think your situation is that dire, unless you're running a fairly large Cube.
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Mirage fetches. They are a turn slower than onslaught fetches, but they get the job done. In my pre-modern list, I only run the Onslaught fetches and somehow the world hasn't folded in on itself, so you could just risk that five fetches is enough.
The Temple isn't good in the cube setting. It's okay in longer, grindy EDH decks with lands like Coffers and the like, but it's not a good cube card.
I guess it could reset a manland for blocking, but yeah, its a little underwhelming if you are playing a power cube, which a whole lot of people seem to think is the only kind.
Even in an unpowered cube, I'd have no interest in that card. People don't think that powered is the only kind of cubing at all. Has no bearing on how good that land is.
When analyzing Deserted Temple, you've got to consider what the thing can actually do.
1) Fix mana - poorly. If you have a Mountain, any other land, and a Temple, you can produce RR by tapping all three. It's like a combination of the drawbacks of Shimmering Grotto and Reflecting Pool
2) Double a large mana producer. There's really only three of these that could show up in a classic Cube with any kind of consistency - Gaea's Cradle, Tolarian Academy, and Cabal Coffers. Coffers with other nonbasics loses a lot of consistency unless you can also align it with Urborg, and either of the others here seem kind of win-more.
3) Untap a manland. Assuming you have the mana to use it on both offense and defense, this isn't terrible, but it's really only a late game option
4) Untap a utility land. Rishadan Port comes to mind here, but double Port with Temple out is going to cost you 3 other lands plus the Port and Temple to tap down two of theirs. It's tricky to pull off in a way that really matters.
So yeah, unless you're playing EDH Cube where #2 really comes into play, I'd skip it.
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Currently I have:
So this leaves the enemy colors at a disadvantage because they have one less mana fixing land for each pair. So what would you do? Keep in mind I have a limited card base and can't draw upon the more recent duals.
Here are the options I've come up with so far:
Hmmm... I can't add cards from other sets, I don't want to make fake cards, I'm not sure balance is needed, and I'm not sure adding sub-par cards would even help. What would you do?
Thanks!
Currently Playing:
Legacy: Something U/W Controlish
EDH Cube
Hypercube! A New EDH Deck Every Week(ish)!
I used the Skyshroud Forest cycle in my classic cube, and they did their jobs.
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!
We'll see how it plays out and what other people have to say on the subject.
How do you feel about Deserted Temple?
Thanks for your input.
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 it could reset a manland for blocking, but yeah, its a little underwhelming if you are playing a power cube, which a whole lot of people seem to think is the only kind.
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!
1) Fix mana - poorly. If you have a Mountain, any other land, and a Temple, you can produce RR by tapping all three. It's like a combination of the drawbacks of Shimmering Grotto and Reflecting Pool
2) Double a large mana producer. There's really only three of these that could show up in a classic Cube with any kind of consistency - Gaea's Cradle, Tolarian Academy, and Cabal Coffers. Coffers with other nonbasics loses a lot of consistency unless you can also align it with Urborg, and either of the others here seem kind of win-more.
3) Untap a manland. Assuming you have the mana to use it on both offense and defense, this isn't terrible, but it's really only a late game option
4) Untap a utility land. Rishadan Port comes to mind here, but double Port with Temple out is going to cost you 3 other lands plus the Port and Temple to tap down two of theirs. It's tricky to pull off in a way that really matters.
So yeah, unless you're playing EDH Cube where #2 really comes into play, I'd skip it.
Currently Playing:
Legacy: Something U/W Controlish
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Hypercube! A New EDH Deck Every Week(ish)!