Smallpox can be a really powerful card in the right windows and situations. We ultimately cut it because the BB can be hard early on where those windows often show up, and it needed to go into decks that could make both the sacrificing and the discard regularly asymmetrical.
I tried running Smallpox and Pox as a package, but no one ever really showed any interest in drafting it. I think the combination of the color-intensiveness of it plus the high setup cost to break the symmetry made it a bit of a non-starter in my cube.
I absolutely love the flavor text in the Ryan Pancoast versions of Smallpox, something about flavor text that's helpful advice for aspiring evil dictators really works for me.
Taking a sick day in Korea is very seriously frowned on, so it's an absolute last resort. That means when catch a cold, there's not much to do besides drink a lot of orange juice, tough it out, and work through it. However, there's an awesome chicken soup here called samgyetang (pic here) which is an entire Cornish game hen stuffed with sticky rice, ginseng, garlic, and Chinese dates that really does the trick. The best part is, Korean restaurants deliver for free!
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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.
I still run Smallpox. It may get the cut as better Black cards come out but it's still good at what it does (even if that is a little narrow).
When I get a cold, I suck it up and go to work. I'm lucky enough that I rarely get *sick*, so I save my sick leave for those occasions (and when our daughter is sick; my wife is a teacher and has limited non-summer leave).
The only thing that annoys me about Negate is that everytime it shows up Essence Scatter/Remove Soul aren't reprinted with it. Like "Oh no, can't those precious creatures get countered in Standard that easily!". But that's not a discussion for here...
Negate is one of the better "limited target" counterspells because so many of the great targets in the cube are noncreature cards. But I'd still rather use any counterspell that can target any kind of spell I need it to. I don't run Negate in my list because I haven't exhausted all the counterspell options that can hit every kind of card yet.
I don't really miss core sets. I like them moving through different planes faster.
I loved negate in standard back in the day but I do not run it in cube. If my cube grew in size I would probably include until better options were present.
I wish they would reinvent core sets without dumbing down / watering down the mechanics. I just liked a set that had the feel of original Revised themes like goblins, zombies, soldiers, equipment, etc. Almost a D and D theme. If they could make that possible I would totally buy into it, maybe not on an annual basis.
The way that conspiracy has become more regular makes me happy, but I really dislike the masters sets. Too expensive to draft / purchase and only benefit is reducing prices for singles for a short while.
Negate is quite powerful in my cube since I run an above average amount of planeswalkers. I've never been unhappy to run Negate in my blue decks because Negate shines in my cube environment.
I don't run Smallpox but I would like to make a pox deck.
Negate is what it is. Decent enough to get by, but not super powerful.
I do miss core sets, though. I liked how they became segways between the blocks, instead of just mass reprintings of cards that WotC didn't want to rotate out yet.
I don't think I'd ever expect Negate to be a completely dead card in any matchup, and the options for splashable 2 mana counterspells are limited, so I can't say I'd blame anyone for running Negate in their cube, but it's just a bit too conditional for my taste. If I expanded my cube and/or needed more countermagic, I think I'd still add Evasive Action and Deprive before Negate. However, Negate regularly pops up on Cube Tutor Average 360, so it's definitely a lot more popular in the cube community as a whole than opinions on this forum would lead you to believe.
Because Remove Soul has been available since Alpha, I was a bit surprised to see that Negate wasn't printed until Lorwyn. I love the art on the DTK version, and I just so happen to have a foil copy of it in my on-deck box just in case I ever decide to try it in my cube.
I don't think we're missing much by having 2-set blocks instead of core sets, but I thought they did a great job with designing Origins, which had some really cool flavor and mechanics. I don't usually care much about MTG lore, but I was definitely more interested in the origin stories of the now-iconic planeswalkers of the game than I ever have been in any of the stories of the "Expert Level" sets. As a retail drafter, I usually also found drafting core sets for a few weeks every year a nice palate cleanser of meat-and-potatoes drafting after going deep drafting 3-set blocks. Overall, though, I think we're better off with the new system of two 2-set blocks per year.
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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.
I've always liked Negate. To be honest I take it much higher than I think other people do haha. I've never been unhappy mainboarding it, even in powered cubes.
I don't miss core sets. They were boring to draft and usually had some pretty crappy cards in them. I'm much happier with the 2 block model they have now.
I like it better than fireball and such because of the double activation. I took out the fireball variants when I removed channel, they typically don't stand up anymore.
I always try to be busy/doing something; I'm not the type who can casually sit and watch TV, and if I do then I have to be doing something else. Usually playing magic or video games or writing or etc.
Devil's Play is one of the few fireball variations that I'll play. It's even ended up as my Storm wincon for one draft recently when I picked Lotus over Brain Freeze and no wincons came back my way. It's nice being able to kill something early and then late, or just slap your opponent for 5-6 late when you have nothing else to do.
When I have idle hands I *****post on reddit, so I try to stay busy.
It's definitely among the better Fireball variants out there but I don't currently play any of them.
When I have idle hands, I'm usually watching a movie or TV. But even then, I'm sometimes multitasking by reading something online, talking about Magic, writing, etc.
As a die-hard limited aficionado, I was a bit disappointed to find out that Fireball not only isn't an instant first pick in cube, but a bit underpowered. The only red x spells I'm running are the Earthquakes, but if I ever decide to add Channel, Devil's Play is going in so people can live the dream, as Flashback definitely makes this the best Fireball variant. I run a miscut Fireball in my Peasant cube, and even in that environment it's arguably a bit underpowered, but for nostalgia's sake I make a point of running old-school limited all-star cards there.
That Buy a Box promo looks pretty sweet, too, and it only costs $1, so if I ever do decide to run Devil's Play that's the version I'm getting.
When I'm bored I tweak my cubes, lesson plans, and Powerpoint presentations. I also binge-watch prestige dramas, and catch up on old comic book series.
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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.
I, for one, would love to see an Abbot of Kher Keep, Spike_Rogue, but this one's Abbot of Keral Keep.
I actually can't say I've played with this yet... it's managed to avoid me over the course of the last two years. I really should give it a shot somewhere.
Fave new mechanic? Going over the same time period, I'm going to go with Monarch, I think... great fun to play with in my environment.
Unlike all the other Kher cards in Magic's rich history, this guy is the Abbot of Keral Keep. Just in case you want to change the spelling in the thread title & post.
As for the card, it's great. Not the best T2 play unless you don't have another option, but if you have 3+ mana available and a land drop from your hand or top of your library to give, it's one of the best 2-mana investments in red. Card advantage built onto a 2-drop that's still relatively aggressive is fine by me.
Can Monarch count as a mechanic? It's a powerful effect that warps the landscape of the games it shows up in.
Unlike all the other Kher cards in Magic's rich history, this guy is the Abbot of Keral Keep. Just in case you want to change the spelling in the thread title & post.
As for the card, it's great. Not the best T2 play unless you don't have another option, but if you have 3+ mana available and a land drop from your hand or top of your library to give, it's one of the best 2-mana investments in red. Card advantage built onto a 2-drop that's still relatively aggressive is fine by me.
Can Monarch count as a mechanic? It's a powerful effect that warps the landscape of the games it shows up in.
I just added him recently and haven't seen much of him yet, so it might be too early to tell how good he is. I didn't include him initially because he is pretty mediocre on turn 2 and red got a couple good red 2-drops over the last few years. I can offer a lot of value in later turns though which might make up for his mediocre on-curve performance.
As a mechanic that only recently got a name, my pick is menace. I liked this evasion ability for a long time and with every passing year, I grew more annoyed that Wizards wouldn't just name it and make it evergreen. And last year, they finally did! Hurray!
As for a completely new mechanic, my pick is emerge. I really like both how these creatures play and how flavorful this mechanic is. Getting big stuff for cheap is great, but this mechanic lets you work for it and rewards thoughtful drafting and deckbuilding.
I like Abbot. I like how red's pseudo-draw mechanic is working, with cards like this one and Ire Shaman, on creatures that are fine on curve but better later. It encourages you to play lots of 1-2 drops, almost like Bob does, though for different reasons.
Favorite mechanics? Probably landfall and dredge. I love Loam decks and those decks are pretty much the confluence of landfall and dredge. I also like delve. As far as combat mechanics, I think menace is really good. I didn't care for fear or intimidate because color hosing is lame and boring, but this is a nice type of evasion that's really elegantly designed, I think.
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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
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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!
I absolutely love the flavor text in the Ryan Pancoast versions of Smallpox, something about flavor text that's helpful advice for aspiring evil dictators really works for me.
Taking a sick day in Korea is very seriously frowned on, so it's an absolute last resort. That means when catch a cold, there's not much to do besides drink a lot of orange juice, tough it out, and work through it. However, there's an awesome chicken soup here called samgyetang (pic here) which is an entire Cornish game hen stuffed with sticky rice, ginseng, garlic, and Chinese dates that really does the trick. The best part is, Korean restaurants deliver for free!
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
When I get a cold, I suck it up and go to work. I'm lucky enough that I rarely get *sick*, so I save my sick leave for those occasions (and when our daughter is sick; my wife is a teacher and has limited non-summer leave).
My Eternal Cube on CubeTutor| |My Reject Rare Cube on CubeTutor| |My Peasant Cube on CubeTutor
I used to write for MTGS, including Cranial Insertion and cube articles. Good on you if you can find those after the upgrade.
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/63569
Negate
BONUS QUESTION
Negate was been printed in every core set from M10 to Origins, but now core sets are a thing of the past. Do you miss them?
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
I don't really miss core sets. I like them moving through different planes faster.
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!
I wish they would reinvent core sets without dumbing down / watering down the mechanics. I just liked a set that had the feel of original Revised themes like goblins, zombies, soldiers, equipment, etc. Almost a D and D theme. If they could make that possible I would totally buy into it, maybe not on an annual basis.
The way that conspiracy has become more regular makes me happy, but I really dislike the masters sets. Too expensive to draft / purchase and only benefit is reducing prices for singles for a short while.
Credit to Heroes of the Plane Studios for the Avatar & Miraculous Recovery for the Banner.
My 540 Card Cube (WIP)
Negate is what it is. Decent enough to get by, but not super powerful.
I do miss core sets, though. I liked how they became segways between the blocks, instead of just mass reprintings of cards that WotC didn't want to rotate out yet.
Because Remove Soul has been available since Alpha, I was a bit surprised to see that Negate wasn't printed until Lorwyn. I love the art on the DTK version, and I just so happen to have a foil copy of it in my on-deck box just in case I ever decide to try it in my cube.
I don't think we're missing much by having 2-set blocks instead of core sets, but I thought they did a great job with designing Origins, which had some really cool flavor and mechanics. I don't usually care much about MTG lore, but I was definitely more interested in the origin stories of the now-iconic planeswalkers of the game than I ever have been in any of the stories of the "Expert Level" sets. As a retail drafter, I usually also found drafting core sets for a few weeks every year a nice palate cleanser of meat-and-potatoes drafting after going deep drafting 3-set blocks. Overall, though, I think we're better off with the new system of two 2-set blocks per year.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
I don't miss core sets. They were boring to draft and usually had some pretty crappy cards in them. I'm much happier with the 2 block model they have now.
URW Control
WBG Abzan
GRW Burn
EDH
GR Rosheen Meanderer
Devil's Play
BONUS QUESTION
What happens when you have idle hands?
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
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!
I always try to be busy/doing something; I'm not the type who can casually sit and watch TV, and if I do then I have to be doing something else. Usually playing magic or video games or writing or etc.
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
When I have idle hands I *****post on reddit, so I try to stay busy.
URW Control
WBG Abzan
GRW Burn
EDH
GR Rosheen Meanderer
When I have idle hands, I'm usually watching a movie or TV. But even then, I'm sometimes multitasking by reading something online, talking about Magic, writing, etc.
My Eternal Cube on CubeTutor| |My Reject Rare Cube on CubeTutor| |My Peasant Cube on CubeTutor
I used to write for MTGS, including Cranial Insertion and cube articles. Good on you if you can find those after the upgrade.
That Buy a Box promo looks pretty sweet, too, and it only costs $1, so if I ever do decide to run Devil's Play that's the version I'm getting.
When I'm bored I tweak my cubes, lesson plans, and Powerpoint presentations. I also binge-watch prestige dramas, and catch up on old comic book series.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
BONUS QUESTION
Abbot of Keral Keep features two new mechanics, what's your favorite new MTG mechanic?
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
I actually can't say I've played with this yet... it's managed to avoid me over the course of the last two years. I really should give it a shot somewhere.
Fave new mechanic? Going over the same time period, I'm going to go with Monarch, I think... great fun to play with in my environment.
My Stupidly Large Number of Current Decks
PucaTrade with me!
The Multiplayer Power Rankings
Cube: the Gittening (My Multiplayer Cube) - MTGS Cube List | @ CubeTutor
The N00b Cube (Peasant cube for new players) - MTGS Cube List | @ CubeTutor
As for the card, it's great. Not the best T2 play unless you don't have another option, but if you have 3+ mana available and a land drop from your hand or top of your library to give, it's one of the best 2-mana investments in red. Card advantage built onto a 2-drop that's still relatively aggressive is fine by me.
Can Monarch count as a mechanic? It's a powerful effect that warps the landscape of the games it shows up in.
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!
Wtwlf, I swear some days we have a hive mind.
My Stupidly Large Number of Current Decks
PucaTrade with me!
The Multiplayer Power Rankings
Cube: the Gittening (My Multiplayer Cube) - MTGS Cube List | @ CubeTutor
The N00b Cube (Peasant cube for new players) - MTGS Cube List | @ CubeTutor
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
As a mechanic that only recently got a name, my pick is menace. I liked this evasion ability for a long time and with every passing year, I grew more annoyed that Wizards wouldn't just name it and make it evergreen. And last year, they finally did! Hurray!
As for a completely new mechanic, my pick is emerge. I really like both how these creatures play and how flavorful this mechanic is. Getting big stuff for cheap is great, but this mechanic lets you work for it and rewards thoughtful drafting and deckbuilding.
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
Favorite mechanics? Probably landfall and dredge. I love Loam decks and those decks are pretty much the confluence of landfall and dredge. I also like delve. As far as combat mechanics, I think menace is really good. I didn't care for fear or intimidate because color hosing is lame and boring, but this is a nice type of evasion that's really elegantly designed, I think.
EDH: UGEdric
Pauper: UR Delver
Modern: UGR Delver
Draft my cube: Eric's 390 Unpowered