I can't say I'm pleased to see you and must warn you I may have to do something about it.
EDH: UGEdric
Pauper: URDelver
Modern: UGRDelver
Draft my cube: Eric's 390 Unpowered
Pretty much every 2 power 1 drop black has to offer > Cryptbreaker
I tried Cryptbreaker in my low power cube thinking it would function more like a fair and balanced Pack Rat. I wanted it to crank out a dude every turn and eventually take over the game. I wanted it to shine in midrange decks. Instead it did basically nothing. It can't really attack and it dies to everything. The activation cost is very steep for what you get from it and I never wanted to tap six power worth of creatures to draw one card (and lose a life). You'd be better off with black's worst option for 2 power 1 drops than Cryptbreaker.
Also, I agree that Harm's Way is way better than Hyena Umbra. Harm's Way is in my on deck binder as a possible inclusion for either my current low power list or my rare list if it were to ever go up in size. Copies of Hyena Umbra sit in a box somewhere in the dark.
What do you guys think of having Arcane Savant in a Cube with no other Conspiracy cards? The card seems super fun but I'm hesitant to add him outside of my Conspiracy module.
It's a very powerful creature, but it certainly feels wonky when you're playing with the card. I'd classify it the same way you classify all the other draft manipulators.
I think it is perfectly fine to run Arcane Savant on its won. In a cube draft, it basically functions like a normal Magic card. I can see why people don't want to include conspiracies (too different from normal Magic cards) or cards that have an effect during the draft itself (disrupt the normal order of the draft). Cards like Savant however have none of those problems.
I ran Harm's Way for a while and it was good. Got cut because other cards were just better though.
I am trying to give the artifact deck and more controlish decks a bit more support. Which 5 cards from the from the following list would you consider running and how would you rank those?
Coercive Portal is a good card from that list, and the Dredger is a cool draft manipulator. Don't like/wouldn't play the others though.
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I can see why people don't want to include conspiracies (too different from normal Magic cards) or cards that have an effect during the draft itself (disrupt the normal order of the draft). Cards like Savant however have none of those problems.
Savant incentivises you to steal off-color instants and sorceries from the draft (and in high quantities) and provides you with the ability to cast spells blue cards have no business playing. It has a huge impact on the way the draft plays out, and doesn't really function like a normal Magic card at all in those two respects.
If you're uncomfortable with effects that are wildly different from traditional Magic cards, or cards that have a huge impact on the color-balance of the draft, Savant is fine. But it certainly felt more like a conspiracy/Un- card than a regular blue 5-drop.
Great card, but unquestionably non-traditional in both gameplay and how it impacts the draft.
Arcane Savant is just a creature with an etb trigger that depends on an "imprinted" card. You pick him and the imprinted card normally during the draft, just like any other card. If you pick a card that is not your color, that is just like hate-picking a card. While the imprinted card allows you to get effects in blue that are normally out of color, the same would be true for some of the imprint artifacts.
In a cube draft, it basically functions like a normal Magic card.
I'll have to respectfully disagree. Hate-drafting implies taking cards you can't use in order to keep the cards out of your opponent's hands. A practice that is usually incorrect over taking a card that makes your final 40 stronger. Savant is the opposite of that. It incentivises drafting cards you can't cast, and then allows you to use them. So you're taking tools away from other drafters, but making your deck stronger in the process. Much different than hate-drafting. And no other card in the cube requires you to use cards outside of your final 40 to function, so it actually works differently from all the other cube cards too.
I voted to include these kinds of cards in the voting process because I feel they should be allowed in, but Savant undoubtedly drafts and plays differently from traditional cube cards.
Coercive Portal is definitely the most cubeable of those artifacts. I like Wellspring interactions with Tezzeret, Daretti, or Goblin Welder. Canal Dredger is fun if you like the draft manipulation effects. Then probably Silent Arbiter or Myr Turbine to round out the 5 picks.
I am trying to give the artifact deck and more controlish decks a bit more support. Which 5 cards from the from the following list would you consider running and how would you rank those?
I only think Coercive Portal and maybe Ichor Wellspring are playable of these. Maybe you could look into Ensnaring Bridge, Perilous Myr, Epochrasite for the more controlling decks.
I only think Coercive Portal and maybe Ichor Wellspring are playable of these. Maybe you could look into Ensnaring Bridge, Perilous Myr, Epochrasite for the more controlling decks.
I've been running Myr and Epochrasite for a long time and they worked well in that role. I've thought about Bridge, but I don't think it will work well in cube. It doesn't really help a controlish deck against aggro, since such a deck will often have 3+ cards in hand, which doesn't help against the weenie rush at all. And since Bridge is symmetrical, it also hinders your own finishers. I think I'll give Wellspring a try (also works well with Braids, Stack, Tinker and a couple other cards), but will most likely settle on Portal. Thanks for your feedback.
I wouldn't cut either of those 3-drops. Both are great in their respective decks and help to make those decks better instead of just being filler. Also Feldon combos so well with so many ETB guys. Avalanche Riders, anyone?
Coercive Portal is the best card on that list of artifacts. I run it in my low power list and it's ok there. I also run Shrine of Loyal Legions in that list, which ends up being a pretty solid midrange/control finisher (or a target for artifact hate). Of the rest, the only other card that's even on my radar is Silent Arbiter, which has been in my on deck binder forever and I've never found myself really wanting to include it.
Cut: Village Messenger, Mirrorpool, and Cloudblazer
Sorry, I should have mentioned that I support C. Westvale Abbey was harder to use in cube than I expected while Mirrorpool recently got some positive reviews, so I started thinking about that swap.
Keeping Monastery Swiftspear would make sense since I finally decided to give Abbot of Keral Keep a try. The more cheap creatures I have that like being in spell-heavy aggressive decks, the higher the reward for building those.
I'm pretty sure we've not yet copied a single thing with Mirrorpool. With that said, we've also not yet flipped Abbey, but I'd rather have the potential big monster than the potential spell/creature copy.
Agreed, Ghostfire Blade is going to cost 3 to equip way too much of the time. I wouldn't bother with it unless your cube's going unusually deep on Morphs or a colorless matters theme. Epochrasite may not quite make the cut in smaller cubes any more, but it has a lot of little synergies with Tinker and blink effects, and is a pretty reasonable 2 drop for control decks that can double as a wincon.
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465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
Sarcomancy or Cryptbreaker EDIT Check that, I think I'll include both and get rid of one of the non-zombie 2/1s.
Goblin Glory Chaser or Stromkirk Noble
EDH: UGEdric
Pauper: UR Delver
Modern: UGR Delver
Draft my cube: Eric's 390 Unpowered
Sarcomancy > Cryptbreaker
My 630 Card Powered Cube
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My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
Harm's Way or Hyena Umbra?
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I tried Cryptbreaker in my low power cube thinking it would function more like a fair and balanced Pack Rat. I wanted it to crank out a dude every turn and eventually take over the game. I wanted it to shine in midrange decks. Instead it did basically nothing. It can't really attack and it dies to everything. The activation cost is very steep for what you get from it and I never wanted to tap six power worth of creatures to draw one card (and lose a life). You'd be better off with black's worst option for 2 power 1 drops than Cryptbreaker.
Also, I agree that Harm's Way is way better than Hyena Umbra. Harm's Way is in my on deck binder as a possible inclusion for either my current low power list or my rare list if it were to ever go up in size. Copies of Hyena Umbra sit in a box somewhere in the dark.
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I ran Harm's Way for a while and it was good. Got cut because other cards were just better though.
...
Cut one, please:
- Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
- Feldon of the Third Path
Rank these, please:- Drana, Liberator of Malakir
- Flesh Carver
- Hypnotic Specter
- Liliana, Heretical Healer
- Mardu Strike Leader
- Ophiomancer
- Vampire Nighthawk
I am trying to give the artifact deck and more controlish decks a bit more support. Which 5 cards from the from the following list would you consider running and how would you rank those?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
02 Flesh Carver
03 Drana, Liberator of Malakir
04 Mardu Strike Leader
05 Vampire Nighthawk
06 Liliana, Heretical Healer
07 Hypnotic Specter
Coercive Portal is a good card from that list, and the Dredger is a cool draft manipulator. Don't like/wouldn't play the others though.
Savant incentivises you to steal off-color instants and sorceries from the draft (and in high quantities) and provides you with the ability to cast spells blue cards have no business playing. It has a huge impact on the way the draft plays out, and doesn't really function like a normal Magic card at all in those two respects.
If you're uncomfortable with effects that are wildly different from traditional Magic cards, or cards that have a huge impact on the color-balance of the draft, Savant is fine. But it certainly felt more like a conspiracy/Un- card than a regular blue 5-drop.
Great card, but unquestionably non-traditional in both gameplay and how it impacts the draft.
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!
In a cube draft, it basically functions like a normal Magic card.
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
I voted to include these kinds of cards in the voting process because I feel they should be allowed in, but Savant undoubtedly drafts and plays differently from traditional cube cards.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
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2. Flesh Carver
3. Drana, Liberator of Malakir
4. Vampire Nighthawk
5. Liliana, Heretical Healer
6. Mardu Strike Leader
7. Hypnotic Specter
Coercive Portal is definitely the most cubeable of those artifacts. I like Wellspring interactions with Tezzeret, Daretti, or Goblin Welder. Canal Dredger is fun if you like the draft manipulation effects. Then probably Silent Arbiter or Myr Turbine to round out the 5 picks.
Modern:
Dredge | Restore Balance | Titanshift
My [360][Unpowered][Modern-Frame] Cube
01 Ophiomancer
02 Liliana, Heretical Healer
03 Drana, Liberator of Malakir
04 Flesh Carver
05 Mardu Strike Leader
06 Hypnotic Specter
07 Vampire Nighthawk
I only think Coercive Portal and maybe Ichor Wellspring are playable of these. Maybe you could look into Ensnaring Bridge, Perilous Myr, Epochrasite for the more controlling decks.
...
Please cut one in each instance:
Village Messenger vs Monastery Swiftspear
Westvale Abbey vs Mirrorpool
Cloudblazer vs Sphinx's Revelation
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
Rank the black 3-drops:
02 Mardu Strike Leader
03 Drana, Liberator of Malakir
04 Vampire Nighthawk
05 Flesh Carver
06 Liliana, Heretical Healer
07 Hypnotic Specter
Coercive Portal is the best card on that list of artifacts. I run it in my low power list and it's ok there. I also run Shrine of Loyal Legions in that list, which ends up being a pretty solid midrange/control finisher (or a target for artifact hate). Of the rest, the only other card that's even on my radar is Silent Arbiter, which has been in my on deck binder forever and I've never found myself really wanting to include it.
Cut: Village Messenger, Mirrorpool, and Cloudblazer
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Keeping Monastery Swiftspear would make sense since I finally decided to give Abbot of Keral Keep a try. The more cheap creatures I have that like being in spell-heavy aggressive decks, the higher the reward for building those.
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
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How are we squeezing in Smuggler's Copter (I'm assuming we do). Is Epochrasite the cut?
Here's my cube, if that helps.
My 720 cube
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
My 720 cube
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra