As always, feel free to add any card that doesn't have it's own SCD, but deserves to be mentioned. And feel free to create an SCD for any of these cards if you think it deserves one.
Generous Gift
Destroy target permanent at instant speed is always something. White has the ability to deal with most permanent types, but hitting lands is particularly enticing.
Imposter of the Sixth Pride
I could definitely see myself playing this. It does exactly enough to be worthwhile to me.
Undead Augur BB is rough. I'm not interested in this, but it replaces itself pretty well, and has a nice tribal upside for those who care about zombies.
Ravenous Giant
Are we really so spoiled that a red Juzám Djinn at uncommon is utterly unworth mentioning?
Scrapyard Recombiner
I want to have enough constructs to make this worthwhile, but I don't think I do. Still, in an artifact themed cube, this is a solid sac outlet, and there are bound to be good targets.
Looking back at these cards, I think it's hard to see a cube for them. Sisay is the kind of card that appeals to me, but it's probably a trap. Planebound Accomplice is totally cubeable in some weird future themed cube that is probably impossible to build right now.
Sisay, Weatherlight Captain
I love Captain Sisay in my cube. This requires five color to get value out of it, but that's not really a problem for a cube like mine.
Planebound Accomplice
This has to be worth pointing out if nothing else. There's no reason to play him in my cube but it definitely does something.
Generos Gift: I can't see someone playing this over all the 3 and 4 drop O rings we have. Beast Within is good because it's in a color with a lack of creature removal. And people don't play beast within.
Imposter of the Sixth Pride. Unless you are a triblal cube I can't see Changling being enough to get me to play a Blade of the Sixth Pride. Cool flavor text though.
Sisay, Weatherlight Captain I can't see a white deck wanting this. You have to have a real weird legendary cube to want this.
Pndering Mage: I don't run Kavu Climber and blue alreday has a 5 drop creature that draws cards. And this is no Mulldrifter.
Changling Outcast: See comments about Imposter.
Undead Augur: Cool if you support the Pox deck.
Planebound Accomplice: Planeswalkers strength is from getting incremental advantage. This doesn't do that.
Ravenous Giant: Peasent cubes might play this. Cool card. I didn't even notice it until you pointed it out.
Scrapyard Recombiner: I only run 4 constructs in my cube. I wish there were more playable artifact creatures in general.
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All of the cards listed belong in the 'Not Playables' thread. Don't think red Juzam moves the needle in Peasant either.
The Almost Playables will probably be the snow cards which will hinge on having a snow cube which seems to perpetually be "a few cards away" for most owners -- because when the argument turns to making decisions based on "aesthetics" that is code for "I don't like it" and not a legitimate consideration of whether it is worthwhile. IMO.
The red force card was just spoiled. Makes two hellsparks but you can't exile a card and actually ever get to attack with them! Very disappointed. Was hoping for another free finisher to compliment Fireblast.
The red force card was just spoiled. Makes two hellsparks but you can't exile a card and actually ever get to attack with them! Very disappointed. Was hoping for another free finisher to compliment Fireblast.
I personally think it is unsatisfying design to utilize haste in this way. Haste effects should largely be limited to sorcery speed in red IMO (its a little odd because the color that best fits "ability haste" is blue which is basically anathema to haste)
I can't see a reason to play Force of Rage. The card isn't all that good, and the design feels unfinished.
Is it weird that I see Generous Gift as a Ponza support card?
Of the above listed, the only two that are serious contenders for my cube are the two changelings. I'm a big fan of random synergies, and changeling is great for that. Blade of the Sixth Pride and Tormented Soul are both cards that are close for my cube. I'd play Imposter of the Sixth Pride over something like Adanto Vanguard or Accorder Paladin any day. I'm happy to sacrifice a little bit of efficiency for a decent array of synergies.
Black one-drops are much tighter. I play Slither Blade, and I'm pretty satisfied with it, so I think Changeling Outcast would be good if I could find a slot for it, but that would probably mean cutting Plagued Rusalka, or another aristocrat. I am interested in pushing black this direction though.
I really want to like Orcish Hellraiser. I feel like it needed a keyword to really make it worth the investment. I’m happy to see a 3/2 for 2 in red though
Collector Ouphe
A solid hatebear for any cube with a heavy enough artifact theme. It's also the second Null Rod effect in two sets, so maybe there's not enough reason to play this with Karn, the Great Creator in existence. Still, this turns off mana rocks on turn two (like Null Rod), and attacks.
I want to like Collector Ouphe. The body's probably too small to matter when it's not shutting down artifacts, but it does look like a nice Survival of the Fittest/Green Sun's Zenith target.
I cubed with null rod and it was un-fun. Beyond oppressive to the artifact decks, which have been fairly balanced.
Collector Ouphe might be less un-fun, since creatures are easier to interact with than noncreature artifacts. It's also a better 23rd playable than Null Rod, which is just a silver bullet. But a bear is only so useful.
I like the Ouphe because it’s not a do-nothing against decks that are artifact light the way Stony Silence or Null Rod are. Feels more like a card you side out after game one rather than a card you sideboard into. IMO this is the most curable Null Rod we’ve seen and it may be cubable, I’m just not sold that I want this effect. I’ve never cubed this effect before.
Collector Ouphe has it's own SCD now, which is correct.
The First Sliver
I've been on the hunt for the great five-color cube card for a long time. Like many before it, this probably isn't the one for me. Nevertheless a 7/7 and a cascade is worth definitely worth RWUBG, and I do love changeling synergy. I refrained from giving Morophon, the Boundless an entry here, but it definitely got me thinking.
I'll make a more comprehensive list of slivers later, since some people do play it as a theme. This is The First Sliver here that seems like is worth an entry by itself.
Springbloom Druid
I love Harrow. This sucks two lands out of your deck and puts one into your graveyard. That's a lot confetti to throw around. One recursion gives you absurd ramp. Two recursions, and you might have every basic land from your deck. Not shabby, especially if double landfall makes a difference. All in all this has a lot more going on than Wood Elves, even if it can't fetch a dual.
Edit to add: Valiant Changeling
The cost goes down pretty fast, but it's hard to say how fast without trying it. I like that you have to work for your double striker, and I always like changelings. Nevertheless, this would have to always cost WW to excite most cubers.
Recruit the Worthy
I think this is easy to underestimate. Buyback is serious business. I don't expect anybody else to play this card, but I might. I like Whispers of the Muse pretty well. Maybe a dork factory just isn't worth it though.
Cunning Evasion
This is a strange and unique card. It synergizes with ETB creatures, and is an honest Reconnaissance. If you are clever, you can use this to manipulate your opponent's blocks to great effect, and I'm sure there are some interesting synergies to be found with this. I'm probably not going to try this, and I don't expect others to either, but it's an effect that I could see being playable with the right mix of archetypes (notably commandos and blinks). It's the kind of card that plays better than it looks.
Mirrodin Besieged
An artifact themed variant of Monastery Siege. I play the siege, and I like it okay. The loot is usually the choice, and this has a better loot. Dragons vs. Mirrans is an interesting comparison. Mirrans is a deck-building consideration, whereas Dragons is a match-up consideration.
Cordial Vampire
This grows fast by itself, but that's not enough to get over the BB hurdle. You only want this card if you have a lot of vampires and an aristocrats archetype, and can afford a BB slot. But when this guy gets going, the payoff will be so worth it.
Graveshifter
I guess nobody still plays Gravedigger, huh? Probably not in Peasant either. I love changelings, but this doesn't quite hack it for me.
Ransack the Lab
It's a nice color shift. Maybe somebody wants black to do this in their cube.
Bogardan Dragonheart
Does anyone care about a bad aristocrat in red? No? Okay then, moving on.
Force of Vigor
In the right environment, this becomes a very powerful card. You'll probably pay mana for this most of the time, but the pitch will be sweet when it comes up.
Llanowar Tribe
The ramp is real, but I'm giving Steel Leaf Champion a proper go. If you support this slot, you now have another option, but I think it's pretty rare to support a CCC slot.
Universal Automaton
Every creature type is a lot of creature types. I like this little dude. Amorphous Axe is worth mentioning too. But I'm not considering the axe, whereas the Automaton has an off chance of making it in.
Most of these aren't really better than previous slivers. Dregscape Sliver strikes me as one that helps the archetype, as does Spiteful Sliver. Cleaving Sliver is good if you are dedicated. Cloudshredder Sliver is good for that too. Most of the others are alright, but just alright.
I don't like snow for cube, but here are the stragglers:
Arcum's Astrolabe is my favorite in the set for the snow basics cube, but I'm not a fan of the snow basics cube.
I absolutely love the design on Bogarden Dragonheart and wish the base stats were more compelling. Hopefully some day we get a beefed up version of him, maybe as a two drop with some spicy keywords.
How can you use Cunning Evasion to manipulate your opponent's blocks? I don't understand.
I think he means like, your Snapcaster Mage or ravenous chupacabra are unlikely to ever get blocked with this down.
That is what I mean. You can't exactly manipulate their blocks, but you can create blocking situations that are entirely disadvantageous for them, and you can force them into uncomfortable combats.
A bunch of people have misread the new Harrow Druid and failed to note the lands etb. Not sure if he should be on the list or not.
Also, Recruit the Worthy is a poor nod to Sprout Swarm since it lacks Convoke. I would think you have to play SS long before considering this..
You're probably right about Recruit the Worthy. I forgot all about Sprout Swarm, since I've never played it (but maybe I should). Recruit the Worthy is probably not worthy enough to get recruited, but it probably plays better than it looks.
I do still like Springbloom Druid despite ETB tapped. Recursion becomes oppressive if you have any. I'm playing Greenweaver Druid, and I think it's an interesting comparison, since Greenweaver plays into my untaps archetype (Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner/ Instill Energy etc.). I don't suppose many others have room for a Wood Elves slot.
Generous Gift
Destroy target permanent at instant speed is always something. White has the ability to deal with most permanent types, but hitting lands is particularly enticing.
Imposter of the Sixth Pride
I could definitely see myself playing this. It does exactly enough to be worthwhile to me.
Pondering Mage
Kavu Climber is better than it looks, and this is a LOT better than that.
Changeling Outcast
I believe in Tormented Soul, and making it a changeling is just enough to get me interested.
Undead Augur
BB is rough. I'm not interested in this, but it replaces itself pretty well, and has a nice tribal upside for those who care about zombies.
Ravenous Giant
Are we really so spoiled that a red Juzám Djinn at uncommon is utterly unworth mentioning?
Scrapyard Recombiner
I want to have enough constructs to make this worthwhile, but I don't think I do. Still, in an artifact themed cube, this is a solid sac outlet, and there are bound to be good targets.
Sisay, Weatherlight Captain
I love Captain Sisay in my cube. This requires five color to get value out of it, but that's not really a problem for a cube like mine.
Planebound Accomplice
This has to be worth pointing out if nothing else. There's no reason to play him in my cube but it definitely does something.
All comments are welcome!
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Imposter of the Sixth Pride. Unless you are a triblal cube I can't see Changling being enough to get me to play a Blade of the Sixth Pride. Cool flavor text though.
Sisay, Weatherlight Captain I can't see a white deck wanting this. You have to have a real weird legendary cube to want this.
Pndering Mage: I don't run Kavu Climber and blue alreday has a 5 drop creature that draws cards. And this is no Mulldrifter.
Changling Outcast: See comments about Imposter.
Undead Augur: Cool if you support the Pox deck.
Planebound Accomplice: Planeswalkers strength is from getting incremental advantage. This doesn't do that.
Ravenous Giant: Peasent cubes might play this. Cool card. I didn't even notice it until you pointed it out.
Scrapyard Recombiner: I only run 4 constructs in my cube. I wish there were more playable artifact creatures in general.
Calvin and Hobbes
Cube Tutor
The Almost Playables will probably be the snow cards which will hinge on having a snow cube which seems to perpetually be "a few cards away" for most owners -- because when the argument turns to making decisions based on "aesthetics" that is code for "I don't like it" and not a legitimate consideration of whether it is worthwhile. IMO.
My 540 card Powered Cube last updated March 2022
I personally think it is unsatisfying design to utilize haste in this way. Haste effects should largely be limited to sorcery speed in red IMO (its a little odd because the color that best fits "ability haste" is blue which is basically anathema to haste)
Is it weird that I see Generous Gift as a Ponza support card?
Of the above listed, the only two that are serious contenders for my cube are the two changelings. I'm a big fan of random synergies, and changeling is great for that. Blade of the Sixth Pride and Tormented Soul are both cards that are close for my cube. I'd play Imposter of the Sixth Pride over something like Adanto Vanguard or Accorder Paladin any day. I'm happy to sacrifice a little bit of efficiency for a decent array of synergies.
Black one-drops are much tighter. I play Slither Blade, and I'm pretty satisfied with it, so I think Changeling Outcast would be good if I could find a slot for it, but that would probably mean cutting Plagued Rusalka, or another aristocrat. I am interested in pushing black this direction though.
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Collector Ouphe
A solid hatebear for any cube with a heavy enough artifact theme. It's also the second Null Rod effect in two sets, so maybe there's not enough reason to play this with Karn, the Great Creator in existence. Still, this turns off mana rocks on turn two (like Null Rod), and attacks.
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I cubed with null rod and it was un-fun. Beyond oppressive to the artifact decks, which have been fairly balanced.
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Collector Ouphe might be less un-fun, since creatures are easier to interact with than noncreature artifacts. It's also a better 23rd playable than Null Rod, which is just a silver bullet. But a bear is only so useful.
Low-power cube enthusiast!
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Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
The First Sliver
I've been on the hunt for the great five-color cube card for a long time. Like many before it, this probably isn't the one for me. Nevertheless a 7/7 and a cascade is worth definitely worth RWUBG, and I do love changeling synergy. I refrained from giving Morophon, the Boundless an entry here, but it definitely got me thinking.
I'll make a more comprehensive list of slivers later, since some people do play it as a theme. This is The First Sliver here that seems like is worth an entry by itself.
Springbloom Druid
I love Harrow. This sucks two lands out of your deck and puts one into your graveyard. That's a lot confetti to throw around. One recursion gives you absurd ramp. Two recursions, and you might have every basic land from your deck. Not shabby, especially if double landfall makes a difference. All in all this has a lot more going on than Wood Elves, even if it can't fetch a dual.
Edit to add:
Valiant Changeling
The cost goes down pretty fast, but it's hard to say how fast without trying it. I like that you have to work for your double striker, and I always like changelings. Nevertheless, this would have to always cost WW to excite most cubers.
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Irregular Cohort
I like Gallant Cavalry. There's a cube that wants this, though it may not be mine.
Recruit the Worthy
I think this is easy to underestimate. Buyback is serious business. I don't expect anybody else to play this card, but I might. I like Whispers of the Muse pretty well. Maybe a dork factory just isn't worth it though.
Cunning Evasion
This is a strange and unique card. It synergizes with ETB creatures, and is an honest Reconnaissance. If you are clever, you can use this to manipulate your opponent's blocks to great effect, and I'm sure there are some interesting synergies to be found with this. I'm probably not going to try this, and I don't expect others to either, but it's an effect that I could see being playable with the right mix of archetypes (notably commandos and blinks). It's the kind of card that plays better than it looks.
Faerie Seer
It's not inspiring, but it is decent.
Mirrodin Besieged
An artifact themed variant of Monastery Siege. I play the siege, and I like it okay. The loot is usually the choice, and this has a better loot. Dragons vs. Mirrans is an interesting comparison. Mirrans is a deck-building consideration, whereas Dragons is a match-up consideration.
Cordial Vampire
This grows fast by itself, but that's not enough to get over the BB hurdle. You only want this card if you have a lot of vampires and an aristocrats archetype, and can afford a BB slot. But when this guy gets going, the payoff will be so worth it.
Graveshifter
I guess nobody still plays Gravedigger, huh? Probably not in Peasant either. I love changelings, but this doesn't quite hack it for me.
Ransack the Lab
It's a nice color shift. Maybe somebody wants black to do this in their cube.
Bogardan Dragonheart
Does anyone care about a bad aristocrat in red? No? Okay then, moving on.
Force of Vigor
In the right environment, this becomes a very powerful card. You'll probably pay mana for this most of the time, but the pitch will be sweet when it comes up.
Llanowar Tribe
The ramp is real, but I'm giving Steel Leaf Champion a proper go. If you support this slot, you now have another option, but I think it's pretty rare to support a CCC slot.
Universal Automaton
Every creature type is a lot of creature types. I like this little dude. Amorphous Axe is worth mentioning too. But I'm not considering the axe, whereas the Automaton has an off chance of making it in.
Cave of Temptation
Strictly better Shimmering Grotto is worth mentioning, right?
Most of these aren't really better than previous slivers. Dregscape Sliver strikes me as one that helps the archetype, as does Spiteful Sliver. Cleaving Sliver is good if you are dedicated. Cloudshredder Sliver is good for that too. Most of the others are alright, but just alright.
Arcum's Astrolabe is my favorite in the set for the snow basics cube, but I'm not a fan of the snow basics cube.
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Also, Recruit the Worthy is a poor nod to Sprout Swarm since it lacks Convoke. I would think you have to play SS long before considering this..
I think he means like, your Snapcaster Mage or ravenous chupacabra are unlikely to ever get blocked with this down.
That is what I mean. You can't exactly manipulate their blocks, but you can create blocking situations that are entirely disadvantageous for them, and you can force them into uncomfortable combats.
You're probably right about Recruit the Worthy. I forgot all about Sprout Swarm, since I've never played it (but maybe I should). Recruit the Worthy is probably not worthy enough to get recruited, but it probably plays better than it looks.
I do still like Springbloom Druid despite ETB tapped. Recursion becomes oppressive if you have any. I'm playing Greenweaver Druid, and I think it's an interesting comparison, since Greenweaver plays into my untaps archetype (Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner/ Instill Energy etc.). I don't suppose many others have room for a Wood Elves slot.
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