Good afternoon all. I am somewhat new to building a cube, and I am looking to take it to the next level.
I have two cubes, one 540 card ISD and my now 360, soon to be 540, cube known as Fisticuffs.
With Fisticuffs, I am starting to build out archetypes, but am getting stuck in the mud to implementing them and keeping an equal power level. Nothing is set in stone yet, but here is what I want to build to, subject to change:
UW/ bllink
UR/ spellslinger
UG/ open
UB/ open
RW/ aggro / +1/+1
RG/ Big mana / maybe landfall
GB/ Reanimator
GW/ tokens
BW/ lifegain
BR/ Sacrifice
After some thought, I do want to support Stax. Reanimator is a for sure, same for blink, lifegain, +1/+1 and tokens. As a player, I do not have a great deal of experience with BR, UG or UB so building an archetype for them is difficult. UB could be mill, but that can be all or nothing, not very flexible.
The goal of this cube is not to be a noob cube, but one where the power is up there. I also want to have a good deal of cross pollination between the colors and essentially have all the cards work wards the archetypes. I know there are a good deal of good blue cards that will work within Reanimator.
What is a good way to verify all archetypes are equally supported and the power level is even for all? Any thoughts for the "open categories?
I'm not the best of cubers, and small cubes you'd be looking more for wtwlf123's and Steve-Man's style of cubes as an example to learn from.
What I can do is list an example of the archetypes I see in cubes of all themes, sizes and power levels. I hope it helps in some small way in balancing the archetypes of your cube, as well as finding any that may overlap across multiple colours. (I can't remember archetype names well, so may list by mechanical name).
Weenie (Small, cheap creatures. Go wide. Anthem effects).
+1/+1 Counters (Various creatures that gain counters).
Tokens (Weenie using token generating cards).
Lifegain (Absurd life gain strategies capped with Felidar Sovereign type cards).
Blink (Exile to return spells with ETB creatures).
Skies (Flying creatures and anthems).
Combo (Any combo lock (soft/hard) achieved with 2 or more cards).
Control (Counterspells, bounce cards, card draw, Upheaval)
Merfolk (Various merfolk and merfolk synergies)
Artifacts (Varous artifact synergy cards).
Skies (Flyers and anthems).
Spells Matter (Storm, Prowess, '# of Instants/sorceries').
Reanimator (Self-discard, self-mill, reanimation spells and big creatures).
Discard/Rack Attack (Davriel, The Rack, and enough discard to mind bleach a dragon).
Aggro (Black value creatures, removal).
Red Deck Wins (The best of Red).
Artifacts (Saheeli'senginewelder)
Goblins (Dance, magic dance, ...)
Tokens (Tokens and anthems)
Spells matter (Storm, Prowess, Spellgorger Weird)
Elves (Lorwyn Block)
Ramp (Land search, fatties)
Skies
Artifacts
Vampires
Tokens
Life Tax (Lifegain with sap life effects)
Zombies
Mill
Reanimation
Artifacts
Spells Matter
Blink 'n' Burn
Aristocrats
Aggro
Madness/Hellbent
Graveyard Matters
Artistocrats
Elves
Saprolings
Aggro
+1/+1 Counters
Aggro
+1/+1 Counters
Skies
Artifacts
Tokens
Elves
Tokens
+1/+1 Counters
Lifegain
Merfolk
+1/+1 Counters
Card Advantage King (Ramp + card draw)
I have two cubes, one 540 card ISD and my now 360, soon to be 540, cube known as Fisticuffs.
With Fisticuffs, I am starting to build out archetypes, but am getting stuck in the mud to implementing them and keeping an equal power level. Nothing is set in stone yet, but here is what I want to build to, subject to change:
UW/ bllink
UR/ spellslinger
UG/ open
UB/ open
RW/ aggro / +1/+1
RG/ Big mana / maybe landfall
GB/ Reanimator
GW/ tokens
BW/ lifegain
BR/ Sacrifice
After some thought, I do want to support Stax. Reanimator is a for sure, same for blink, lifegain, +1/+1 and tokens. As a player, I do not have a great deal of experience with BR, UG or UB so building an archetype for them is difficult. UB could be mill, but that can be all or nothing, not very flexible.
The goal of this cube is not to be a noob cube, but one where the power is up there. I also want to have a good deal of cross pollination between the colors and essentially have all the cards work wards the archetypes. I know there are a good deal of good blue cards that will work within Reanimator.
What is a good way to verify all archetypes are equally supported and the power level is even for all? Any thoughts for the "open categories?
This is the link to my cube ATM; a slightly upgraded intro cube from card kingdom. http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/134220
What I can do is list an example of the archetypes I see in cubes of all themes, sizes and power levels. I hope it helps in some small way in balancing the archetypes of your cube, as well as finding any that may overlap across multiple colours. (I can't remember archetype names well, so may list by mechanical name).
Weenie (Small, cheap creatures. Go wide. Anthem effects).
+1/+1 Counters (Various creatures that gain counters).
Tokens (Weenie using token generating cards).
Lifegain (Absurd life gain strategies capped with Felidar Sovereign type cards).
Blink (Exile to return spells with ETB creatures).
Skies (Flying creatures and anthems).
Combo (Any combo lock (soft/hard) achieved with 2 or more cards).
Control (Counterspells, bounce cards, card draw, Upheaval)
Merfolk (Various merfolk and merfolk synergies)
Artifacts (Varous artifact synergy cards).
Skies (Flyers and anthems).
Spells Matter (Storm, Prowess, '# of Instants/sorceries').
Reanimator (Self-discard, self-mill, reanimation spells and big creatures).
Discard/Rack Attack (Davriel, The Rack, and enough discard to mind bleach a dragon).
Aggro (Black value creatures, removal).
Red Deck Wins (The best of Red).
Artifacts (Saheeli's engine welder)
Goblins (Dance, magic dance, ...)
Tokens (Tokens and anthems)
Spells matter (Storm, Prowess, Spellgorger Weird)
Elves (Lorwyn Block)
Ramp (Land search, fatties)
Skies
Artifacts
Vampires
Tokens
Life Tax (Lifegain with sap life effects)
Zombies
Mill
Reanimation
Artifacts
Spells Matter
Blink 'n' Burn
Aristocrats
Aggro
Madness/Hellbent
Graveyard Matters
Artistocrats
Elves
Saprolings
Aggro
+1/+1 Counters
Aggro
+1/+1 Counters
Skies
Artifacts
Tokens
Elves
Tokens
+1/+1 Counters
Lifegain
Merfolk
+1/+1 Counters
Card Advantage King (Ramp + card draw)
This user has language problems due to their mental health problems and sometimes may not use the best wording to explain their thoughts.
Draft the "'What Is This Nonsense?'" casual cube.