Most likely Baneslayer, it's the most 'plain' in what it does as all the others contribute to archetypes while being strong on their own, and the closest one to Baneslayer is Avacyn which isn't the same but the differences are exciting enough for me to warrant inclusion over her.
That being said, if you chose to cut one of the others it def wouldn't be the end of the world as Baneslayer is really strong. There are a ton of white 5s that are good enough.
Baneslayer maybe be slightly weak to removal and doesn't fit into any one clear archetype, but She's such a house. Those stats are too good to cut simply because she "dies to doom blade", and she may not have a clear archetype but there aren't too many decks that are upset with playing baneslayer.
I'd cut ranger because between Hero of bladehold, and Angel you have plenty "army in a can creatures" and I think ranger is out classed these days.
I still like ranger a lot and I think it's the best of the army-in-a-can variants. It makes the most amount of tokens which is important with anthems which I think most cubes have a decent amount of between Spear/Glorious Anthem/Honor/Accorder Paladin/Gideon/Elspeth ultimate/etc, and the flying clause is pretty important to for forcing in damage. You not only tie between all those for having the most P/T in a vacuum, but you also tie for the most amount of damage through the air, which can't be ignored.
I still like ranger a lot and I think it's the best of the army-in-a-can variants, and maybe the best 5 drop. It makes the most amount of tokens which is important with anthems which I think most cubes have a decent amount of between Spear/Glorious Anthem/Honor/Accorder Paladin/Gideon/Angel of Invention(maybe the 2nd best 5?)/Elspeth ultimate/etc, and the flying clause is pretty important to for forcing in damage. You not only tie between all those for having the most P/T in a vacuum, but you also tie for the most amount of damage through the air, which can't be ignored.
If Baneslayer was uncuttable/deemed necessary, I would cut Avacyn next, but I could also see cutting Reveillark. Personally I would never, but I get that other playgroups may not have seen it play as good due to the demands it asks for success so it's understandable even if I wouldn't agree with it.
The two I'm not playing right now are Baneslayer and Cloudgoat. But if I had to add one of the two back in, it'd probably be Cloudgoat. So I guess my cut would be Baneslayer.
Do you support Daretti/Goblin Welder/Academy Ruins? If so, maybe Mind Slaver since it's more of a 'fun' card and does something different (well, one person is having fun lol), but having a colorless piece of removal is nice in those shells too, along with being something a heavy green deck would play.
Scuttling Doom Engine is also an underrated option, if you want a finisher instead of a combo piece/removal.
I was considering Thalia's Lancers as well (59 legends in the cube, including planeswalkers, but I'm not running any legendary lands), along with Geist-Honored Monk, Angel of Sanctions and Cataclysmic Gearhulk, but I figured those were worse than the ones I posted earlier. Maybe I'm wrong, though?
I run Mindslaver but not Duplicant at 720. Mindslaver only makes maindecks when it's paired with a recursion option like Academy Ruins or Goblin Welder, but it remains popular enough to leave in. Duplicant has been floating around the inclusion list for a while; it's not very efficient by cube standards, but it does have a lot of potential synergies.
I don't think either one is crucial, though. I doubt I'd play either at 540 or even 630.
I've never understood the appeal of Duplicant. I did run it for a while, but it's been a long time ago now. Six mana for that effect always felt so overpriced even in a colorless creature. I can't help but compare it to something like Shriekmaw and even with the colorless mana cost, it still pales in comparison. Duplicant will probably never find its way back to either of my cubes. I'd much rather see the combo/blowout potential of Mindslaver be introduced. And if I were looking for a solid colorless 6-drop creature to run in addition to Wurmcoil, Scuttling Doom Engine would be my go to.
I'm with calibretto on Duplicant. Mindslaver makes for awesome stories and if you assemble the combo, goodnight. I run neither but I'd add Mindlsaver before Duplicant for sure.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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
Tectonic Edge or Ghost Quarter
Leaning towards Tectonic Edge, but I'll have to buy one (time and money) where as I have a a few ghost quarters kicking about. Should I just run both? I'm already adding Field of Ruin though.
Edit: I just realized how bad Field of Ruin gets in 3+ player games, I may just add in both instead.
Tectonic Edge was good but not great when I ran it. It is not really a resource denial card like the other too as it combos poorly with your Braids etc, it is a pinpoint answer card. It is also not good at causing color screws.
I have Wasteland/Strip Mine already but I wanted to add 1 or 2 more ways to get rid of lands. I only today realized that Field of Ruin is going to suck a bit because I play 3-player a lot, so I am down an answer to non-basics.
Dust Bowl isn't really where I want to be, it seems a bit on the pricey side. I would prefer a one-shot effect with a lower cost over a more expensive repeatable effect.
I think I am going to go with Tectonic Edge and see if Field of Ruin plays as bad as it feels in 3-player games.
Angel of Invention
Archangel Avacyn
Baneslayer Angel
Cloudgoat Ranger
Reveillark
That being said, if you chose to cut one of the others it def wouldn't be the end of the world as Baneslayer is really strong. There are a ton of white 5s that are good enough.
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
I'd cut ranger because between Hero of bladehold, and Angel you have plenty "army in a can creatures" and I think ranger is out classed these days.
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/63569
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/63569
Cloudgoat is the best white 5 creature IMO
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
If Baneslayer was uncuttable/deemed necessary, I would cut Avacyn next, but I could also see cutting Reveillark. Personally I would never, but I get that other playgroups may not have seen it play as good due to the demands it asks for success so it's understandable even if I wouldn't agree with it.
tl;dr white 5s are tough lol
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
Reveillark / Angel of Invention / Avacyn are the top 3 white 5-cmc creatures in my book. They all do very different and powerful things.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
Alternatively, you could cut both and play Thalia's Lancers.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
Duplicant or Mind Slaver.
(Powered, artifacts supported, mega ramp supported, blink/bounce supported, ReLarkAleshaVatEr supported)
I like AntiPox's suggestion of Trike over either of the other two. That said, I'm not sure you need a colorless 6 beyond Wurmcoil Engine.
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
Scuttling Doom Engine is also an underrated option, if you want a finisher instead of a combo piece/removal.
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
Duplicant over Mindslaver
I was considering Thalia's Lancers as well (59 legends in the cube, including planeswalkers, but I'm not running any legendary lands), along with Geist-Honored Monk, Angel of Sanctions and Cataclysmic Gearhulk, but I figured those were worse than the ones I posted earlier. Maybe I'm wrong, though?
I don't think either one is crucial, though. I doubt I'd play either at 540 or even 630.
MTGS Average Peasant Cube 2023 Edition
Follow me. I tweet.
EDH: UGEdric
Pauper: UR Delver
Modern: UGR Delver
Draft my cube: Eric's 390 Unpowered
2 - Life // Death vs Meren of Clan Nel Toth vs Vraska, Relic Seeker ? Waht order ?
3 - Magister of Worth vs Tidehollow Sculler ?
I like Vraska best. With a nod to Death if you have a larger cube trying to support dedicated reanimator.
Sculler if your is more aggro; Magister if it's more control.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
Leaning towards Tectonic Edge, but I'll have to buy one (time and money) where as I have a a few ghost quarters kicking about. Should I just run both? I'm already adding Field of Ruin though.
Edit: I just realized how bad Field of Ruin gets in 3+ player games, I may just add in both instead.
Unless you're forgoing Strip / Wasteland / Dust Bowl I think you can live without any of them.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
Dust Bowl isn't really where I want to be, it seems a bit on the pricey side. I would prefer a one-shot effect with a lower cost over a more expensive repeatable effect.
I think I am going to go with Tectonic Edge and see if Field of Ruin plays as bad as it feels in 3-player games.
Thanks.