Does someone already experience this in Cube? I did and my playgroup and I loved it. So I wan't to know if someone else's group have tested it before sharing my experiences with the card. Seems a bit too powerful at first, but it is just as fair as a Turn 1 Channel to Emrakul, IMO. If not even more fair in fact. You just have to use your own imagination to find the right combo trick or specific use with the cards you have in hand.
I'll say that I do love Mental Magic a lot, but I've never played with this in Cube. I would say that if you use UN cards and your group of players is very experienced, then go for it. But I think Richard Garfield, Ph.D. has the potential to make the draft very unfun for newer players. Not to mention confusing.
I run several uncards, and I have never been tempted to add this. I have players of all skill levels playing, and this is WAY too unfair to the newer players. If all your players are experienced, than absolutely try it. But if you have players of varying levels, I do not recommend it.
I like the fact that Richard Garfield, Ph. D. creates his own archetype for the cube. My playgroup and I find that the most valuable and easiest combo to play with it is the Grindstone and Painter's Servant one. Really easy to assemble and all cards used to do it are also very useful by their own. I personally like to play it with Spellskite or Lightning Greaves because it ensure some kind of protection for Richard, while giving you one of the combo piece you need to win.
Here's a example of what Richard's deck may look like in my cube :
It is true that the power of the card may varies a lot from a player to another, but just a little brief about it before draft could put everyone on the same base for the combo factor of it. I also agreed that some player may find easily the perfect rescue card in game situation but anyhow, I think that most of the time, cube cards are strong enough by themselves so you won't need to transmute them that much. In fact, I think that you won't be facing often situations where you'll be wanting to cast something else than the card itself if it is not for the combo factor of it. He brings some counterspell options, more tutoring and easy draw, but that is pretty much it. To prevent some crazy stuff, we also apply the vintage banlist to what Richard may cast. No Shahrazad please.
EDIT : Richard also make all your lands become any suspend card if you can pay the cost of it.
Beyond how unfun this card feels for newer players (and he does feel super unfun - cube is already an archetype that is at odds with itself in that it heavily rewards people who have played cube specifically a lot while simultaneously is something you want to be able to pick up and play with any group, there's no need to add a card that makes newer players feel even worse), I don't think it's even that good. It's a 5-mana 2/2 that dies to everything and then requires you to untap with it and have cards to cast.
Not to mention the absurd headaches this guy brings with him. What about unpowered cubes that have cards banned for power level? Are they still banned? Can I cast ancestral recall? Can lands be moxes? What about cards with alternate casting costs? Can I use any 3UU card as misdirection or force of will by exiling? Any 3B card as unmask? Not to mention trying to remember what the hell any permanents in play that you cast with him actually are.
I also have played mental magic a few times, and enjoy it, but wouldn't want it to be something that comes up every time we draft, and there are lots of people that actively dislike mental magic. If you're group is all very experienced players who like mental magic and are looking for wacky new cards to try for cube, go for it. Otherwise, the upside is not worth the annoyance IMO.
No you can't play lands as they were moxes since mox's mana cost is "0" while lands doesn't any mana cost. And our group does apply Vintage Banlist so it exclude card like Shahrazad, like said before.
I don't personnally feel like that the card is unfun, but I think it's more a matter of opinion and play testing.
It's a matter of experience. Not with playing this card, but with Magic cards in general. Players with a wider knowledge base can break this card easier than newer players. And it's not about "playing it right" ...it's simply about how vast your understanding of all the Magic cards is.
Players with a wider knowledge base can break this card easier than newer players.
Yeah you are totally right. But what I meant here is that it's with play testing only that you can realise how much the main strategy with Richard is simple. Yes there's always the Mind Magic factor about it but the real deal to seal the game with it is with the Grindstone and Painter's Servant way. The rest about Richard ability is bonus to the main archetype he brings.
In a real cube's game situation, what can do Richard is very vaste, but what he can really do to win or own your opponent is more limited. For that reason, I think that this card's evaluation shouldn't focus only on the x factor it allows. In fact, in many cases, the cards that you have in hand will be better cast as they are for real than transmute into anything else. There's only one Time Walk and Ancestral Recall in the game.
But yeah, knowledge is huge out there when it comes to use it to save your ass randomly. For that reason, we use to permit our group to use some card even if you don't remember the exact name. Just need to have your smartphone near you to friendly show everyone what you are casting
Overall, we feel that Richard is a very fun and innovating blue type of card.
No you can't play lands as they were moxes since mox's mana cost is "0" while lands doesn't any mana cost. And our group does apply Vintage Banlist so it exclude card like Shahrazad, like said before.
I don't personnally feel like that the card is unfun, but I think it's more a matter of opinion and play testing.
No you can't play lands as they were moxes since mox's mana cost is "0" while lands doesn't any mana cost. And our group does apply Vintage Banlist so it exclude card like Shahrazad, like said before.
I don't personnally feel like that the card is unfun, but I think it's more a matter of opinion and play testing.
AtheistGod said it all. My playgroup and I has also dig for judge confirmation before starting to play with it and it is true. Mana cost matter. Plus mana cost "0" and non mana cost point has ben confirm as well.
Actually this would be a cool Conspiracy, letting you do this for one instant or sorcery (or maybe any permanent, but the duplicate card has to share type and cost?) as you play it like Double Stroke. That would not be too time-consuming or reward a single player too much!
Actually this would be a cool Conspiracy, letting you do this for one instant or sorcery (or maybe any permanent, but the duplicate card has to share type and cost?)
If the Conspiracy version of it would let you do that with any permanents, I think it would reach a really high power level, since you could start the game with it and the effect would stay for ever. In counterpart, Richard has to be cast and could be kill before he did a thing. If it's allow you to do it with one card only, it could be faire enough.
By the way, the way we play Richard, we are not allowing to transmute land into conspiracy, since we are applying the Vintage Banlist to it. I think MTG rules wouldn't admit you could either anyway. But I understand your point. At first, I thought you were talking about Richard playing conspiracy and after reread your comment, I understood that you were talking about a conspiracy version of it.
If the Conspiracy version of it would let you do that with any permanents, I think it would reach a really high power level, since you could start the game with it and the effect would stay for ever
Well, you have to name a card beforehand with Conspiracies, so just like Brago's Favor, Immediate Action, Double Stroke and friends, you've no guarantee of seeing the named card come up. You could use it naming your Jackal Pup, for example, making it into a Grim Lavamancer or Zurgo when you played it.
What I meant was apply to the case where the conspiracy version of it would be giving you the possibility to transmute any card, not just one name by game. Missexpress myself sorry.
Does someone already experience this in Cube? I did and my playgroup and I loved it. So I wan't to know if someone else's group have tested it before sharing my experiences with the card. Seems a bit too powerful at first, but it is just as fair as a Turn 1 Channel to Emrakul, IMO. If not even more fair in fact. You just have to use your own imagination to find the right combo trick or specific use with the cards you have in hand.
What is your thoughts about it?
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Here's a example of what Richard's deck may look like in my cube :
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/299040
Some other combo could be assemble with it. Helm of Obedience and Rest in Peace (or Leyline of the Void) could get the job done quickly. Duskmantle Guildmage and Mindcrank are also pretty nasty. Midnight Guard and Presence of Gond is also very doable. Infinite mana into Fireball is also reachable.
It is true that the power of the card may varies a lot from a player to another, but just a little brief about it before draft could put everyone on the same base for the combo factor of it. I also agreed that some player may find easily the perfect rescue card in game situation but anyhow, I think that most of the time, cube cards are strong enough by themselves so you won't need to transmute them that much. In fact, I think that you won't be facing often situations where you'll be wanting to cast something else than the card itself if it is not for the combo factor of it. He brings some counterspell options, more tutoring and easy draw, but that is pretty much it. To prevent some crazy stuff, we also apply the vintage banlist to what Richard may cast. No Shahrazad please.
EDIT : Richard also make all your lands become any suspend card if you can pay the cost of it.
Zetsu's Cube on CubeTutor.com
Zetsu's Ebay MTG Online Store
Zetsu's Poker Draft Method
Not to mention the absurd headaches this guy brings with him. What about unpowered cubes that have cards banned for power level? Are they still banned? Can I cast ancestral recall? Can lands be moxes? What about cards with alternate casting costs? Can I use any 3UU card as misdirection or force of will by exiling? Any 3B card as unmask? Not to mention trying to remember what the hell any permanents in play that you cast with him actually are.
I also have played mental magic a few times, and enjoy it, but wouldn't want it to be something that comes up every time we draft, and there are lots of people that actively dislike mental magic. If you're group is all very experienced players who like mental magic and are looking for wacky new cards to try for cube, go for it. Otherwise, the upside is not worth the annoyance IMO.
375 unpowered cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/601ac624832cdf1039947588
I don't personnally feel like that the card is unfun, but I think it's more a matter of opinion and play testing.
Zetsu's Cube on CubeTutor.com
Zetsu's Ebay MTG Online Store
Zetsu's Poker Draft Method
It's a matter of experience. Not with playing this card, but with Magic cards in general. Players with a wider knowledge base can break this card easier than newer players. And it's not about "playing it right" ...it's simply about how vast your understanding of all the Magic cards is.
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!
Yeah you are totally right. But what I meant here is that it's with play testing only that you can realise how much the main strategy with Richard is simple. Yes there's always the Mind Magic factor about it but the real deal to seal the game with it is with the Grindstone and Painter's Servant way. The rest about Richard ability is bonus to the main archetype he brings.
In a real cube's game situation, what can do Richard is very vaste, but what he can really do to win or own your opponent is more limited. For that reason, I think that this card's evaluation shouldn't focus only on the x factor it allows. In fact, in many cases, the cards that you have in hand will be better cast as they are for real than transmute into anything else. There's only one Time Walk and Ancestral Recall in the game.
But yeah, knowledge is huge out there when it comes to use it to save your ass randomly. For that reason, we use to permit our group to use some card even if you don't remember the exact name. Just need to have your smartphone near you to friendly show everyone what you are casting
Overall, we feel that Richard is a very fun and innovating blue type of card.
Zetsu's Cube on CubeTutor.com
Zetsu's Ebay MTG Online Store
Zetsu's Poker Draft Method
Then how come Tolaria West can transmute for any of the pacts(Summoner's Pact, Pact of Negation, Etc...) ? I think you are wrong in this Zetsu
Transmute cares about Converted Mana Cost, Richard Garfield cares about Mana Cost. One converts all mana costs into X coloress, the other doesn't.
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On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
If the Conspiracy version of it would let you do that with any permanents, I think it would reach a really high power level, since you could start the game with it and the effect would stay for ever. In counterpart, Richard has to be cast and could be kill before he did a thing. If it's allow you to do it with one card only, it could be faire enough.
By the way, the way we play Richard, we are not allowing to transmute land into conspiracy, since we are applying the Vintage Banlist to it. I think MTG rules wouldn't admit you could either anyway. But I understand your point. At first, I thought you were talking about Richard playing conspiracy and after reread your comment, I understood that you were talking about a conspiracy version of it.
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Well, you have to name a card beforehand with Conspiracies, so just like Brago's Favor, Immediate Action, Double Stroke and friends, you've no guarantee of seeing the named card come up. You could use it naming your Jackal Pup, for example, making it into a Grim Lavamancer or Zurgo when you played it.
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
Zetsu's Cube on CubeTutor.com
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Zetsu's Poker Draft Method
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/310320
This one is mixing Tinker and Richard Combo to ensure different types of win!
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