I enjoyed the review. I am grateful for the words of caution considering the curses. I will still give them a try, but with a critical eye!
One thing that bothered me was Mizzium Mortars as an example for symmetric red damage based sweepers, because it is not that kind of spell. It only affects creatures you don't control. All instances of Mizzium Mortars should be replaced by Pyroclasm, Anger of the Gods or something like that.
Great stuff. Agreed, Mizzium Mortars is a great (and underrated!) spell, but it doesn't work in a few of your examples. You can't ever blow you own stuff up with it!
Anthony and I should also be recording a Third Power about it tomorrow...er...today.
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
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!
One thing that bothered me was Mizzium Mortars as an example for symmetric red damage based sweepers, because it is not that kind of spell. It only affects creatures you don't control. All instances of Mizzium Mortars should be replaced by Pyroclasm, Anger of the Gods or something like that.
"What am I looking at? Ashes, dead man."
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms: