I think it really depends on what the decks using the big artifact ramp are trying to cast. If it's usually colorless robots and X cost stuff, the Dynamo will be better simply because it's faster, but if you're casting big cards that have big colored mana commitments, the Lotus can be the better cards for those decks (like casting Griselbrand, Nicol Bolas, and stuff like that).
Why type of draw spell would you rather have mid to late game Treasure Cruise, Time spiral, or Stroke of Genius? My friend keeps suggesting Stroke of Genius as a good mass draw spell for blue that is easily splashable and it's an instant just like Sphinx's Revelation. I haven't ever thought of playing Stroke of Genius because it seemed like many people thought it would be too slow and It didn't seem like a card I really need. I just added Time Spiral because I thought it would be a good mass draw spell. I'm not sure if this is a good choice or playing something like Treasure Cruise would be a better choice. Do you need storm effects to make Time Spiral really good or can it do well on it's own? I was thinking of playing Treasure Cruise in place of Time Spiral because of how delve cards like Taisgur and Dig Through Time have played in the cube. You can so easily play cards like Tasigur for 4 mana or less and it seems like you could so easily play Treasure Cruise for no more than 2-3 mana if your game lasts long enough
The cards are close, and I think it depends on what your green black decks tend to be. I think leech is better in more agressive, suicide-black style decks because the pump is free, but deathdealer is better in the more midrangey decks. I personally like leech more, but both are defensible.
Why type of draw spell would you rather have mid to late game Treasure Cruise, Time spiral, or Stroke of Genius? My friend keeps suggesting Stroke of Genius as a good mass draw spell for blue that is easily splashable and it's an instant just like Sphinx's Revelation. I haven't ever thought of playing Stroke of Genius because it seemed like many people thought it would be too slow and It didn't seem like a card I really need. I just added Time Spiral because I thought it would be a good mass draw spell. I'm not sure if this is a good choice or playing something like Treasure Cruise would be a better choice. Do you need storm effects to make Time Spiral really good or can it do well on it's own? I was thinking of playing Treasure Cruise in place of Time Spiral because of how delve cards like Taisgur and Dig Through Time have played in the cube. You can so easily play cards like Tasigur for 4 mana or less and it seems like you could so easily play Treasure Cruise for no more than 2-3 mana if your game lasts long enough
Each of those cards is going to be ideal for different decks. Treasure Cruise is better in tempo decks because you don't need mana (just time) to get a big draw spell. Time Spiral is better in combo decks, where the free nature of the spell allows you to take advantage of your fresh 7 sooner. Stroke of Genius is better in control decks or big mana ramp decks where you could expect X's value to be higher than 3 on a regular basis. So it depends on what kinds of decks you're trying to support.
That being said, I'd play Dig Through Time over any of them, regardless of what I was trying to support. It's the best of those draw spells in every kind of blue deck.
Hermit gives more power on the first swing and is harder to remove the entirety of its power at once, as spot removal still leaves you with 4 squirrels. Kalonian is great, but Hermit is just a bit more exciting.
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I don't run Gaea's Cradle or Opposition currently, but I ended up going with the Druid anyways for the rest of the reasons you guys noted above. Thanks!
I like Whisperwood better than Hydra, since it leaves something behind if destroyed and protects you from wraths.
It would come down to Hydra or Genesis for me.
I never tested Whisperwood, despite really being tempted to do so. It's lower risk, but much lower reward than the Hydra. Depending on what you want from that slot you could really run either, neither or both... personally, I think I will reinclude the Hydra over the Elemental.
Invader seems like the best of these options. I'm not sure I like either of the others. Seeker is extremely conditional on what other creatures you have, and Emissary is just clunky. What else are you running at two? There's probably something better you could get.
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Breaking news.
There will be no Tibalt, Tamiyo, Tezzeret, Garruk, Chandra, Liliana, mini-Jace, big-Jace, Garruk again, or Sarkhan in Theros either.
There will also be no Black Lotus.
For reference, I run a 360 card modern cube. I already have all 10 shocks, all 10 refuges from KTK, and the 5 allied fetches.
My cuts: Alchemist's Refuge, Glimmervoid, Mosswort Bridge, Reliquary Tower, and Rogue's Passage. I think they either don't do enough or are too expensive to activate for what you get.
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Golgari has Life//Death, Putrefy, and Spiritmonger.
For the last slot, do you prefer Rakshasa Deathdealer or Putrid Leech?
Time Spiral, on the other hand, is considered a staple. See its SCD thread.
The cards are close, and I think it depends on what your green black decks tend to be. I think leech is better in more agressive, suicide-black style decks because the pump is free, but deathdealer is better in the more midrangey decks. I personally like leech more, but both are defensible.
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Each of those cards is going to be ideal for different decks. Treasure Cruise is better in tempo decks because you don't need mana (just time) to get a big draw spell. Time Spiral is better in combo decks, where the free nature of the spell allows you to take advantage of your fresh 7 sooner. Stroke of Genius is better in control decks or big mana ramp decks where you could expect X's value to be higher than 3 on a regular basis. So it depends on what kinds of decks you're trying to support.
That being said, I'd play Dig Through Time over any of them, regardless of what I was trying to support. It's the best of those draw spells in every kind of blue deck.
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Hermit gives more power on the first swing and is harder to remove the entirety of its power at once, as spot removal still leaves you with 4 squirrels. Kalonian is great, but Hermit is just a bit more exciting.
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Hydra interacts with 'Lark as well (having printed 0 power), but opposition for sure.
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It would come down to Hydra or Genesis for me.
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Invader seems like the best of these options. I'm not sure I like either of the others. Seeker is extremely conditional on what other creatures you have, and Emissary is just clunky. What else are you running at two? There's probably something better you could get.
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Cut 5:
For reference, I run a 360 card modern cube. I already have all 10 shocks, all 10 refuges from KTK, and the 5 allied fetches.
₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪
(W/B) Teysa, Orzhov Scion (W/B)
G Devoted G
(U/R) Scramblefun (U/R)
(W/U) Heh, Birbs (W/U)
I'd cut:
Cathedral of War
Ghost Quarter
Glimmervoid
Mikokoro
Reliquary Tower
Cathedral's my favorite of that bunch, but it seems too low impact to justify a colorless land that comes into play tapped. The rest just seem bad.
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My cuts: Alchemist's Refuge, Glimmervoid, Mosswort Bridge, Reliquary Tower, and Rogue's Passage. I think they either don't do enough or are too expensive to activate for what you get.
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I would cut:
Cathedral of War
Glimmervoid
Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
Reliquary Tower
Rogue's Passage
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Cut One:
Baleful Strix
Psychatog
Shadowmage Infiltrator
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
Bring to Light Scapeshift RUGB