I can't believe I missed the convo on Recurring Nightmare... probably my all time favorite card. Sigh.
Brainstorm is still one of the best all time cards, though. Preordain is probably better in terms of setting up success, but EoT storm after keeping mana open for a counter is so good it's not even funny. I'm on the side of Christopher Rush's art. Literally a storm in his brain.
Can't go wrong with the original or the Masques one. I personally prefer the Masques version, that's my favorite in terms of art and card frame. One thing I've realized lately that when a card has multiple printings and Masques is an option, I always take the Masques version.
In cube, I prefer Preordain, Ponder, and Serum Visions to Brainstorm because there just aren't enough shuffle effects to keep Brainstorm from forcing you to be stuck with the worse 2 of the 3 cards you look at. If you're using your cantrip to dig for lands in the early game, this can cost you a game. It's not unplayable, but I don't need 4 1-mana cantrips in my blue section so Brainstorm doesn't make the cut in my cube.
Aesthetically, I like the new Willian Murai art best on this card. I usually love Chris Rush's art, but not on this card.
Wow, I've never actually seen that Disenchant art actually. I use the Time Spiral one, which is the original art with the 6th edition frame.
Masques cards that beat out other versions for me aesthetically (not necessarily cube cards)
Brainstorm
Counterspell
Stone Rain
Story Circle
Misdirection
Dark Ritual
Rain of Tears
Snuff Out
Squee, Goblin Nabob
Hunted Wumpus
I went through the whole set and the only two cards where I would pick another version on first glance based on art alone was Disenchant and Desert Twister.
Eh, Augur whiffed for me more than it drew me a sorcery. I like Omenspeaker and Sea Gate Oracle more, but I haven't run any of either of those in a long time. Goes well with Thing in the Ice if you want to go all-in with him I guess?
"When Augur of Bolas enters the battlefield, reveal the bottom three cards of your library."
Lol, so much this. This card whiffs way too much. It whiffed a fair amount even in constructed when that deck was in standard, and that's saying something. I really don't like this card.
It does whiff a bit more often than I like, but I do like it having a 3 toughness booty. Holds the line against those first turn 2/1 aggro critters unless the other guy wants to drop a bolt or terror on a 1/3 dork.
When you think of it as a pseudo cantrip, it's pretty meh, but when you think of it as a wall that occasionally grants a card, it's a little better. Still waiting for that blue shifted Wall of Blossoms, we've seen white, now let's get serious.
Augur of Bolas is just too unreliable, but 1/3 for 1u with just the right upside would be a very welcome addition. Both Augur and Omenspeaker didn't quite cut it, and man do I wish that Research Assistant's activated ability wasn't so expensive. However Erdwal Illuminator gives me hope that more interesting bodies could be on the way at that size and cost down the road.
Still waiting for that blue shifted Wall of Blossoms, we've seen white, now let's get serious.
Agree with the "whiff diff", he's strangely unreliable for the type of decks he loves to be in. Makes me consider this little scamp instead, actually. But the moment I scoop up a Snappy, he'll absolutely be cut. Shame.
Cards I find to be OK in theory and worse in practice. Maybe it just never happened for us, but it was rare where it felt good to sac the Kami to destroy an enchantment or if it wasn't a bear.
I'd play them if they were 2/1 creatures with an additional upside, like first strike or flying. But as regular Bears, they were cut a long time ago and have no intentions of ever re-adding any.
Always a good option for beginner cubes first using whatever decent cards they have available, but I wouldn't use these in a Max Power (TM) cube until at least 740.
If they destroyed artifacts instead of enchantments I'd run one of these, but there just aren't that many must-destroy enchantments in my cube, so I feel like the more generic Disenchant and Vindicate effects I'm running have my enchantment removal needs covered just fine.
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465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
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Brainstorm is still one of the best all time cards, though. Preordain is probably better in terms of setting up success, but EoT storm after keeping mana open for a counter is so good it's not even funny. I'm on the side of Christopher Rush's art. Literally a storm in his brain.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
Aesthetically, I like the new Willian Murai art best on this card. I usually love Chris Rush's art, but not on this card.
Even Disenchant?
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
375 unpowered cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/601ac624832cdf1039947588
Masques cards that beat out other versions for me aesthetically (not necessarily cube cards)
Brainstorm
Counterspell
Stone Rain
Story Circle
Misdirection
Dark Ritual
Rain of Tears
Snuff Out
Squee, Goblin Nabob
Hunted Wumpus
I went through the whole set and the only two cards where I would pick another version on first glance based on art alone was Disenchant and Desert Twister.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
And you gotta have one of the cantrip spells be instant. Sorceries are just so slowwwwwwwwwww.
Augur of Bolas
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
Also, #givebluewallofblossoms
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
I'd still run Serum Visions in anything larger than non-powered 360 probably, it slots into any blue deck easily and helps me find my combo pieces.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
Lol, so much this. This card whiffs way too much. It whiffed a fair amount even in constructed when that deck was in standard, and that's saying something. I really don't like this card.
375 unpowered cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/601ac624832cdf1039947588
When you think of it as a pseudo cantrip, it's pretty meh, but when you think of it as a wall that occasionally grants a card, it's a little better. Still waiting for that blue shifted Wall of Blossoms, we've seen white, now let's get serious.
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!
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!
It seems like the closest we'll get to that in blue is something like Palace Familiar or Jeskai Sage.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
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This is still the best place for high-power-level cube chat & debate.
Here's to many more years at MTGS *clink*
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
Kami of Ancient Law
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
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!
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
Spectral Procession
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
My cube
My cube on Cube tutor
I'm OP_Forever. I'll be putting this in my signature for a while so everyone know I change my nickname.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.