Reanimator was the first real deck I ever built from scratch, a common build for me on the video game I learned to play on, and in cube is probably my favorite archetype. Animate Dead is one of the better reanimation spells, after Reanimate. Favorite targets are anything that can be part of fun shenanigans, Restoration Angel, Wurmcoil Engine and the like.
I just watched Jojo's Bizarre Adventures: Stardust Crusaders, and it was surprisingly good. Space Dandy and Cowboy Bebop are fantastic.
Reanimator is supported but rarely sees play as a dedicated strategy. There are plenty good reanimation spells but not enough cubeable discard outlets and fatties (in black and colorless), and I've tried most contenders over the years. Animate Dead is not a pure synergy card however - it is good value for decks that are heavy on removals that kill, which happens sometimes in black. Probably the best reanimation spell for non-reanimator decks out there.
Animate Dead's good enough to be a staple even if you don't explicitly support reanimator (although I can't remember the last time I saw a cube that didn't), but as with all the aura-based reanimation spells the wording on this is atrocious. After taking a closer look at all the different versions of Animate Dead, I should probably be running the 4th Edition version for the wording. It might be pretty far off from the Oracle text, but it makes so much more sense than the Oracle wording. Still, with Animate Dead I've never had a player not understand what it does, probably because it's iconic enough and the name of the card tells you almost all you need to know about what it does.
Reanimator decks are quite popular when I cube, there's almost always at least one reanimator deck. I can't remember the last time a reanimator deck did better than 2-1 a draft, though, it's a tricky deck to draft and build consistently.
It might sound cliche, but you really can't beat Griselbrand as a reanimation target. Even if it dies and you just have to draw 7, it's pretty hard to lose when you untap the turn after it hits the board.
I'm a big Archer fan too, and I've been catching up on Batman: the Animate Series lately. It
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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.
Reanimator is a great archetype and several of my friends love drafting it. It is one of the most comboish archetypes that is draftable in a more traditional cube. Animate Dead is one of the best reanimation spells for that archetype. It allows you to get a very early fatty and unlike some other reanimation effects in the 1-2 mana range, it doesn't cost you a whole bunch of life to do that. It has a different drawback, but I am fine with that, since it adds a different type of interaction. If you support that archetype at all, you simply have to run that card.
Sorry, I just can't pick only one or two animated shows. I am just giving you my lists of 5/5 ranking shows.
My favorite western animated shows / cartoons (no particular order):
Amazing Screw-On Head (pilot only)
Avatar: The Last Airbender (seasons 2 and 3)
Daria
Futurama (old seasons)
Gravity Falls
Steven Universe
The Legend of Korra (except for season 2)
My top 20 animes (in order):
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Fullmetal Alchemist
Psycho-Pass (season 1)
Ghost in the Shell
Baccano!
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Darker than Black
Durarara!!
From the New World
Cowboy Bebop
Death Note
Fate/Zero
Death Parade
Shiki
FLCL
Code Geass
Gurren Lagann
Kill la Kill
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
The Rolling Girls
I also like Archer, but it doesn't quite break into the top ranks.
How consistently do reanimator decks come together in your cube, and how competitive are they?
Reanimator decks are a special rare occurrence since most of the reanimation spells in cube are so cheap and efficient it doesn't hurt to toss one in any non aggro deck.
What's your favorite reanimation target?
Wurmcoil is always fun? I just love fatties so I am not picky!
What's your favorite animated movie or TV show?
How has no one said Venture Bros yet?! One of the best series ever!
Animate Dead should probably be a part of every cube that has access to it. It's just a great value card for any black deck that plays creatures; being essential support for a popular archetype is just icing on the cake. Reanimator decks tended not to be the most popular form of cheaty creature decks in my older cube, but they were generally pretty solid and a common archetype. Looking forward to seeing if Peasant offers the same.
Griselbrand is a great reanimator target, but I never tire of the shenanigans that you can pull with a Terastodon. As far as Peasant goes, I'll go with the guaranteed value of Phyrexian Ingester, although any Eldrazi will generally get the job done if not removed.
Swords are swords, play it at 360 and I like cubable cards that also mill, this jace memory adept and wheel effects make a mill deck.
If you've never had an unwell mind I doubt you'd understand how easy the question of the day is. I had a really bad concussion in high school and forgot 6 months, as well as temporarily having only a 30 second or so short term memory, like 50 first dates but worse. I kept asking what happened and getting angry and terrified when answered. I'd take any number of broken bones over that.
I think this is the best sword in the cube, as if you hit just one time, because it gives you another body to put the sword on, the game is basically over as it only takes 3 (often times 2) connections to just end the game. If you are running any swords, run this one. If you are running two, run this and FaI, which are leagues above the others IMO.
Sword of Wins the Game is great! Staple, I think its worse than F&I but not by a lot, more like 1b.
As someone who has suffered both for all the fun reasons, I would much rather a body that does nothing than a brain that does nothing. I’ve had concussions and some mental-health-fun-time (no shame; that’s why professionals exist etc.) and when you can’t think it might as well be like you don’t have a body cause you feel ******* useless. I’m currently dealing with shoulders that barely work + a variety of GI issues, and yet my brain is functioning and I’m at a level of happiness that I haven’t been at in years. Does the physical ***** suck? Oh yeah. But at the end of the day I can convey my thoughts and I’m achieving my goals that aren’t based on physical prowess, so as others have echoed this is an easy question IMO.
Sword of Body and Mind is often a first pick for me, it may not be as versatile as Sword of Fire and Ice, but casting and equipping it typically puts the opponent on a two turn clock so it's definitely the scariest sword. Definitely make sure your cube includes plenty of maindeckable artifact removal if you're going to be including this or any of the Swords in your cube.
Having dealt with my own struggles with depression, I can only echo the sentiments expressed here that an unhealthy mind is far more untenable than most physical health problems. I'm really moved by the stories being shared here!
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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.
Any of the swords are worth serious consideration for first pick, I run the full cycle, and plenty of artifact hate for them.
That said, it's protections aren't the best colors for protections, but the mill can end games, and the tokens can be sword carriers as well.
They're both important. Mental health and physical health mostly go hand in hand, as a poor mental state can make you physically ill, while a poor physical health is detrimental to the emotional state.
Very close to being the top Sword in my cube. It's close to a dead heat with SoFaI. I've seen it slapped on a Hydra Omnivore in a multiplayer free-for-all once... that was not pretty.
(Thankfully for the opponents, the Sword only triggers on combat damage, so it wasn't ten cards milled for all... still ten to the face for all players was nothing to be sneezed at!)
I'll go for mind - a healthy mind can help heal a body (in that it can consider the steps you need to take to get your body healthier). I don't think a healthy body will necessarily help heal a mind (at least not in and of itself... though a healthy body certainly promotes a healthy mind). Well... that was surprisingly deep...
I've had multiple playgroup members ask me to cut this sword due to being too strong, but I think it's less oppressive than Jitte against most decks.
I'm inclined to agree with you, but if you're getting a lot of complaints from your players about a card, don't be afraid to cut it just because it's a popular card on this forum. If your friends all hate a card in your cube, it may have to pay the....
All the terror variants found their way out of my cube.
No bonus question so I'll throw one out.
Favorite plane?
Mine will be amonkhet, bolas ruled Egyptian plane, can't be amuthing less than amazing. So far though probably lorwyn, the landscapes are beautiful with huge variations, quirky and interesting creatures.
Definitely cube playable but is edged out of smaller cubes due to competition. Go for the Throat seems most people's go to for Terror variants. Ultimate Price definitely has a place in larger cubes.
Favorite plane? That's tough. I love Kamigawa and am betting that it's going to be the next "return" block. Looking at a bunch of fairly new art assets, I think they can really pull off a spirit world / material world merger like they did in The Legend of Korra.
Yeah, go for the throat is the better terror variant, and I am running Malicious Affliction as my second now, but this is certainly still a strong, efficient kill spell and would likely be my third one if I wanted it.
If I am not missing anything I think this is the second best doom blade variant after GftT and above doom blade.
I'd assumed this was the case, and I did a quick count of available targets for Go for the Throat, Ultimate Price, and Doom Blade in my own 465 card cube to confirm. Here's what I found out:
Go for the Throat is by far the best Terror variant in terms of available targets. GftT hits 190 out of 205 creatures, or 93% of all possible targets and it also can kill any animated manland (I run 14) except for Mishra's Factory or Lumbering Falls. Ultimate Price hits 169 out of 205 creatures, or 82%. I'd assumed that Ultimate Price hits more targets than Doom Blade, but after doing a quick count in my own cube it looks like that's not actually the case if you include manlands. Doom Blade hits 167 out of the 205 creatures in my cube, or 81%, but it hits 9 out of my 14 manlands while Ultimate Price only hits Treetop Village and Faerie Conclave. Considering the recent influx of quality manlands from Oath of the Gatewatch and the fact that if you're playing black you're probably running some of the creatures that your own Doom Blade can't kill, I'd say that Doom Blade is now actually a better cube card than Ultimate Price.
I just cut Ultimate Price to test Regicide, which lives in the Conspiracy module. Now I'm thinking I should make room for Doom Blade in the main cube, but I think 2 Terror variants is enough at 465.
Aesthetically speaking, the original RTR version definitely has the best art and flavor text. I tend to like FNM promos more than most, but the art on this one is just plain goofy.
No bonus question so I'll throw one out.
Favorite plane?
Mine will be amonkhet, bolas ruled Egyptian plane, can't be amuthing less than amazing. So far though probably lorwyn, the landscapes are beautiful with huge variations, quirky and interesting creatures.
I'm sorry I dropped the ball on this one! I'm gonna have to go old school here and say that Dominaria is still my favorite plane, and I hope we go back to it some day.
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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.
At 540 I'm only playing one Terror variant, there's so much variety of great removal like Dismember, Snuff Out, Diabolic / Chainer's Edict, Liliana of the Veil / the Last Hope, throwing in more Terror variants just seems too redundant in an already redundant effect.
I don't really like phyrexian revoked, I run him, but he rarely does anything useful. Loses every combat, dies to all removal, is temporary removal, counting on this guy to shut down a permanent is ... Unwise. I usually cut him, but keep him in my cube due to how big he is on these forums.
Cutest card art is germ from new phyrexia, because everyone runs batterskull, i painted a top hat and a monocle on mine.
I just watched Jojo's Bizarre Adventures: Stardust Crusaders, and it was surprisingly good. Space Dandy and Cowboy Bebop are fantastic.
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
Reanimator decks are quite popular when I cube, there's almost always at least one reanimator deck. I can't remember the last time a reanimator deck did better than 2-1 a draft, though, it's a tricky deck to draft and build consistently.
It might sound cliche, but you really can't beat Griselbrand as a reanimation target. Even if it dies and you just have to draw 7, it's pretty hard to lose when you untap the turn after it hits the board.
I'm a big Archer fan too, and I've been catching up on Batman: the Animate Series lately. It
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
Sorry, I just can't pick only one or two animated shows. I am just giving you my lists of 5/5 ranking shows.
My favorite western animated shows / cartoons (no particular order):
Amazing Screw-On Head (pilot only)
Avatar: The Last Airbender (seasons 2 and 3)
Daria
Futurama (old seasons)
Gravity Falls
Steven Universe
The Legend of Korra (except for season 2)
My top 20 animes (in order):
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Fullmetal Alchemist
Psycho-Pass (season 1)
Ghost in the Shell
Baccano!
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Darker than Black
Durarara!!
From the New World
Cowboy Bebop
Death Note
Fate/Zero
Death Parade
Shiki
FLCL
Code Geass
Gurren Lagann
Kill la Kill
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
The Rolling Girls
I also like Archer, but it doesn't quite break into the top ranks.
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
Reanimator decks are a special rare occurrence since most of the reanimation spells in cube are so cheap and efficient it doesn't hurt to toss one in any non aggro deck.
What's your favorite reanimation target?
Wurmcoil is always fun? I just love fatties so I am not picky!
What's your favorite animated movie or TV show?
How has no one said Venture Bros yet?! One of the best series ever!
Draft my cube!
Watch me stream!
Griselbrand is a great reanimator target, but I never tire of the shenanigans that you can pull with a Terastodon. As far as Peasant goes, I'll go with the guaranteed value of Phyrexian Ingester, although any Eldrazi will generally get the job done if not removed.
I'll second Bojack Horseman as well.
Cubetutor Link
Sword of Body and Mind
BONUS QUESTION
What's more important, a healthy body or a healthy mind?
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
If you've never had an unwell mind I doubt you'd understand how easy the question of the day is. I had a really bad concussion in high school and forgot 6 months, as well as temporarily having only a 30 second or so short term memory, like 50 first dates but worse. I kept asking what happened and getting angry and terrified when answered. I'd take any number of broken bones over that.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=484979
375 unpowered cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/601ac624832cdf1039947588
As someone who has suffered both for all the fun reasons, I would much rather a body that does nothing than a brain that does nothing. I’ve had concussions and some mental-health-fun-time (no shame; that’s why professionals exist etc.) and when you can’t think it might as well be like you don’t have a body cause you feel ******* useless. I’m currently dealing with shoulders that barely work + a variety of GI issues, and yet my brain is functioning and I’m at a level of happiness that I haven’t been at in years. Does the physical ***** suck? Oh yeah. But at the end of the day I can convey my thoughts and I’m achieving my goals that aren’t based on physical prowess, so as others have echoed this is an easy question IMO.
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
Having dealt with my own struggles with depression, I can only echo the sentiments expressed here that an unhealthy mind is far more untenable than most physical health problems. I'm really moved by the stories being shared here!
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
That said, it's protections aren't the best colors for protections, but the mill can end games, and the tokens can be sword carriers as well.
They're both important. Mental health and physical health mostly go hand in hand, as a poor mental state can make you physically ill, while a poor physical health is detrimental to the emotional state.
(Thankfully for the opponents, the Sword only triggers on combat damage, so it wasn't ten cards milled for all... still ten to the face for all players was nothing to be sneezed at!)
I'll go for mind - a healthy mind can help heal a body (in that it can consider the steps you need to take to get your body healthier). I don't think a healthy body will necessarily help heal a mind (at least not in and of itself... though a healthy body certainly promotes a healthy mind). Well... that was surprisingly deep...
My Stupidly Large Number of Current Decks
PucaTrade with me!
The Multiplayer Power Rankings
Cube: the Gittening (My Multiplayer Cube) - MTGS Cube List | @ CubeTutor
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I'm inclined to agree with you, but if you're getting a lot of complaints from your players about a card, don't be afraid to cut it just because it's a popular card on this forum. If your friends all hate a card in your cube, it may have to pay the....
Ultimate Price
BONUS QUESTION
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
No bonus question so I'll throw one out.
Favorite plane?
Mine will be amonkhet, bolas ruled Egyptian plane, can't be amuthing less than amazing. So far though probably lorwyn, the landscapes are beautiful with huge variations, quirky and interesting creatures.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=484979
Favorite plane? That's tough. I love Kamigawa and am betting that it's going to be the next "return" block. Looking at a bunch of fairly new art assets, I think they can really pull off a spirit world / material world merger like they did in The Legend of Korra.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
375 unpowered cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/601ac624832cdf1039947588
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!
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
I'd assumed this was the case, and I did a quick count of available targets for Go for the Throat, Ultimate Price, and Doom Blade in my own 465 card cube to confirm. Here's what I found out:
Go for the Throat is by far the best Terror variant in terms of available targets. GftT hits 190 out of 205 creatures, or 93% of all possible targets and it also can kill any animated manland (I run 14) except for Mishra's Factory or Lumbering Falls. Ultimate Price hits 169 out of 205 creatures, or 82%. I'd assumed that Ultimate Price hits more targets than Doom Blade, but after doing a quick count in my own cube it looks like that's not actually the case if you include manlands. Doom Blade hits 167 out of the 205 creatures in my cube, or 81%, but it hits 9 out of my 14 manlands while Ultimate Price only hits Treetop Village and Faerie Conclave. Considering the recent influx of quality manlands from Oath of the Gatewatch and the fact that if you're playing black you're probably running some of the creatures that your own Doom Blade can't kill, I'd say that Doom Blade is now actually a better cube card than Ultimate Price.
I just cut Ultimate Price to test Regicide, which lives in the Conspiracy module. Now I'm thinking I should make room for Doom Blade in the main cube, but I think 2 Terror variants is enough at 465.
Aesthetically speaking, the original RTR version definitely has the best art and flavor text. I tend to like FNM promos more than most, but the art on this one is just plain goofy.
I'm sorry I dropped the ball on this one! I'm gonna have to go old school here and say that Dominaria is still my favorite plane, and I hope we go back to it some day.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
Phyrexian Revoker
BONUS QUESTION
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
Cutest card art is germ from new phyrexia, because everyone runs batterskull, i painted a top hat and a monocle on mine.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=484979