MTG Salvation

Now that we have the whole list what are you guys running?

The set doesn't have a ton of standouts but that gives me a little room to test some of the more janky options that M21 has given us.

I've compiled my thoughts on my cube blog here: https://andrewvisser.wixsite.com/cube/post/m21-core-set-includes-and-considerations

Interested to see everyone else's plans!

I'm planning to make the following changes:

Fae of Wishes -> Ghostly Pilferer
Whirler Rogue or Meloku the Clouded Mirror -> Barrin, Tolarian Archmage
Thirst for Knowledge -> Teferi, Master of Time

Stormblood Berserker -> Heartfire Immolator

Fires of Yavimaya -> Radha, Heart of Keld

I'm also still eyeing Seasoned Hallowblade, but have not yet figured out what I want to cut for it, and was considering Sparkhunter Masticore but have since decided against doing so.

My list is pretty similar. I think M21 is actually a pretty amazing set, just not for high powered cubes. The reprints are fantastic, and there are a lot of cool niche cards for lower powered cubes to play around with. I think OP's write up is pretty good at picking out the serious contenders.

WWW
Seasoned Hallowblade. - going to keep an eye on. will include if I can get 2 more discard outlets in white or some type of payoffs in this color (lingering soul type effects) and will test with bringing back unburial rights. as of right now, i dont think it quite makes the cut in my cube.

UUU
Barrin, Tolarian Archmage not sure if I am going to cut man-o'-war or run it alongside. If a run it alongside, I will probably look to bring in some support for a tempo based deck, but i need to think on this a bit more.

Ghostly pilferer: Looking to replace enclave cryptologist unless that is the cut for Barrin.

RRR
Heartfire Immolator > looking to cut dismissive pyromancer. I have pretty high hopes for this card. Will keep an eye out to make sure I am not cutting too many discard effects though for decks that need that effect. I am interested to see how this card plays out.


As far as other cards on OP's list.

Between the Hermit's at Green 5's. acidic slime, and thragtusk, i don't think i need the Elder Gargaroth, but I don't mind keeping an eye on it to see how it performs. It is a baneslayer, but Green 5's come down well before white 5's so maybe it will play better than I think.

I like Radha, heart of Keld for Klothys from a design perspective playing with lands, supporting wrenn / six, but i don't think it's better than bloodbraid elf, or dragonlord atarka, but decks that have a 4th spot and want to support the lands deck i can see running this.

Angelic Ascension is a cute card, but giving your opponent a 4/4 flying creature vs a 3/3 creature is a big difference, especially when white already has premium removal. Hitting planeswalkers could be a big deal though so i am willing to keep an eye on this incase it overperforms in larger cubes than mine

The only definite include for my cube is Barrin, Tolarian Archmage. I'm likely going to include Ghostly Pilferer and Seasoned Hallowblade. I'm keeping an eye on Heartfire Immolator.

I did not think I'd see two solid options for blue in a core set. It's a really solid set. If I had a larger cube or one with a lower power level, there would be some other cards to consider.

Cheers,
rant

Barrin, Tolarian Archmage: Still debating if I'm cutting Man-o-War or Search for Azcanta, but Barrin looks like a good addition.

Waker of Waves: Cutting Opt. I think this will be a good cantrip that also helps Reanimator and fuel Delve.

Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose: I'm excited for more life gain support. I think this will be a strong addition in my cube. Cutting Dance of the Dead.

In
Barrin, Tolarian Archmage
Elder Gargaroth

Testing
Seasoned Hallowblade
Teferi, Master of Time
Terror of the Peaks

Watching
Ghostly Pilferer
Sublime Epiphany
Demonic Embrace
Heartfire Immolator

I really like this Core Set to be honest. Great cards to enrich our Cube gatherings with my group, as we got some nice lore character updates and interesting cards with this set. Overall, I tend to be pretty bad about tagging things for testing, often times making additions and keeping them in until the group or I gets bored with them. This can make it challenging to manage a "maybe board" for me, but I try to manage one all the same.

Core 2021 Inclusions
Barrin, Tolarian Archmage
Ghostly Pilferer
Teferi, Master of Time

Terror of the Peaks

Radha, Heart of Keld

I have traditionally managed my update and Cube Design notes over Discord with my group, but have revisited working on maintaining a thread for them here on MTGSalvation. If you are interested in reading those notes you can find them HERE

Quote from steve_man »

Pretty sure I got everything...

WHITE
- Seasoned Hallowblade (maybe)
- Basri's Lieutenant (maybe)

BLUE
- Barrin, Tolarian Archmage
- Ghostly Pilferer (maybe)
- Sublime Epiphany (maybe)

BLACK
- Eliminate

RED
- Heartfire Immolator

GREEN
- Llanowar Visionary (maybe)
- Garruk Unleashed

OTHER
***crickets***

Thank you for reminding me about Basri's Lieutenant, which I was excited to test and then promptly forgot about entirely.

Nothing is set in stone, but cards I'm gonna test:

Basri's Lieutenant - overlap with +1/+1 counters, persist, tokens
Seasoned Hallowblade - mainly just for aggro
Barrin, Tolarian Archmage - probably just gonna upgrade Man-o'-War
Ghostly Pilferer - Works for graveyard strategies or as an ophidian in tempo strategies
Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose - we do B/W lifegain
Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse - this is a stretch, but we have a U/G deck that plays a bunch of ophidians and Edric. Been looking for more 2drops for this deck specifically. There's also plenty of cycling and cantrips, but currently unclear how much support that really gives her.
Llanowar Visionary - Listen I still include Venser, the Sojourner and I want turn 3 blinking for cantrips just let me have this one guys
Conclave Mentor- Hardened Scales is frequently in and out of the cube because I'm eager to get +1/+1 counters working. Since I started including persist combo, this has seemed more likely. Not sure what the swap is, but I'm thinking of giving this archetype another go soon, and this card will be welcome

I'm definitely looking at Barrin and Elder Gargaroth, also think that Seasoned Hallowblade, Basri's Lieutenant, Ghostly Pilferer, Terror of the Peaks and Teferi are potentially interesting. There are quite a few good cards in this set.

My M21 changes:

Imposing Sovereign > Seasoned Hallowblade - a sidegrade, if anything. Sovereign is great, but maybe a secoond Adanto is better?
Man-o'-War > Barrin, Tolarian Archmage - generally an upgrade overall
Liliana's Triumph > Eliminate - Edict effects aren't superb in cube recently, while Eliminate will be solid I'm sure
Robber of the Rich > Heartfire Immolator - a sidegrade, will do some testing to see
Nightpack Ambusher > Garruk, Unleashed - More chonky resilient threats is always nice

Mist Syndicate Naga -> Barrin
Harsh Mentor -> Hearthfire Immolator

Basri's Lieutenant over Gyruda, Doom of Depths
Barrin, Tolarian Archmage over Exclusion Mage
Ghostly Pilferer over Impulse
Sublime Epiphany over Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose over Graveshifter
Terror of the Peaks over Volt Charge
Conclave Mentor over Tamiyo, Field Researcher

Basri's Lieutenant: I enjoy this style of +1/+1 counters matter lord. On its own, it’s is a 4/5 vigilance with protection that usually dies into a 2/2 vigilance, which is a fine value creature. It's much better in the synergistic +1/+1 counters deck that is actively supported in my Cube. Most excitingly, Basri's Lieutenant works as a combo enabler with one of Metallic Mimic, Rhythm of the Wild, The Great Henge, Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit, Master Biomancer, or Good-Fortune Unicorn, any free sacrifice outlet (Goblin Bombardment being the best), and any other creature for sacrificing repeatedly to generate infinite sac triggers. Since this combo doesn’t require a persist creature, Basri's Lieutenant may take the pressure off of finding either Murderous Redcap or Kitchen Finks early during the draft to make a combo deck function.

As an aside, while I don’t love the protection mechanic in general, I think the protection from multicolored clause on cards like Basri's Lieutenant, Soldier of the Pantheon, and Stonecoil Serpent nicely avoid the random swingy feel bad problem of protection from one or two colors (Swords of X and Y, Stormbreath Dragon, etc). No one’s entire deck gets hosed by protection from multicolored unless they are playing greedy gold soup, and I think cards that keep greedy gold soup in check are a good thing for Cube.

Barrin, Tolarian Archmage: Yes please! I always wanted Man-o'-War to be a may or for Exclusion Mage to let you target your own creatures. Well, here’s Barrin for the low cost of a 1UU instead of 2U, plus multiple other upsides including bouncing planeswalkers. In the early game you can use Barrin like Exclusion Mage to keep your opponent’s aggression off balance, but what I love about this card is the flexibility of its final triggered ability. You can rescue something incapacitated by a Temporal Isolation effect, and draw a card. You can reset an ETB creature, plus draw a card for your trouble. You can give your other bounce spells an expensive form of cycling by bouncing and replaying your own cheap creature. On top of that, Barrin can act as a Flagbearer for your opponent’s bounce spells. I think Barrin is an awesome utility creature and buildaround that will slot well into any blue tempo deck but will shine brightest in the ETBs-matter Azorius-centered blink deck.

Ghostly Pilferer: A 2-power evasive looter is generally useful in most decks, even if the card draw costs mana. Unlike other looters, Ghostly Pilferer’s free instant speed discard means your opponent’s removal can’t stop your Griselbrand or Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger from hitting the graveyard, which is valuable in Reanimator decks. Both the Reanimator deck and the Card Draw Matters deck (with Sphinx's Tutelage, Niv-Mizzet, Parun, Thassa's Oracle, Jace, Wielder of Mysteries, and Wharf Infiltrator) care about their enablers being as cheap as possible.

Sublime Epiphany: Flexible super-Cryptic Command fun. Always a 2-for-1, usually a 3- or 4-for-1, and retell the tale of that time it was a 5-for-1. Even if it costs 4UU and the average case is a 3-for-1, its modal flexibility makes it stronger than a guaranteed 4-for-1 like Opportunity or Into the Story. Worth testing.

Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose: Soul Sisters has been my pet deck for over a decade, and Vito is the cheapest version of the gain-to-drain effect to date. It’s not the most powerful archetype but with a high density of lifelinkers, premium payoffs (like Archangel of Thune, Heliod, Sun-Crowned, Ajani, Strength of the Pride, Dawn of Hope, Karlov of the Ghost Council, and Resplendent Angel) and some second-tier payoffs (like Cliffhaven Vampire, Crested Sunmare, and Ajani's Pridemate) this archetype can be a lot of fun in unpowered Cubes looking for guild identities. I’m not sure yet how strong of a payoff Vito is, but he fits perfectly with the lifedrain identity Orzhov has in my Cube. Also, Vampire is a relevant creature type for cards like Bloodline Keeper, Patron of the Vein, Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet, and when the stars align Falkenrath Gorger.

Terror of the Peaks: It’s worse in Aggro than the 3RR Dragons that have haste, but I’m already running three of those (Thundermaw Hellkite, Glorybringer, and Skarrgan Hellkite). To me Terror of the Peaks is most exciting as a second copy of the Purphoros, God of the Forge effect for R/X token decks or as a combo finisher for otherwise nonlethal infinite persist loops. Neither of those decks necessarily needs to attack to win, so lacking haste isn’t a big deal in those contexts.

Conclave Mentor: I am a sucker for this style of synergistic +1/+1 counter card. Conclave Mentor is in better colors for +1/+1 counters than Winding Constrictor or Corpsejack Menace, but I plan to run all three (these effects stack after all!). I also like that unlike Winding Constrictor, Conclave Mentor doesn't make an opponent's Skinrender better or hose your persist creatures.

M21 maybe list:
Basri Ket
Basri's Solidarity
Teferi's Tutelage
Silversmote Ghoul
Chandra, Heart of Fire
Elder Gargaroth
Llanowar Visionary
Radha, Heart of Keld
Mazemind Tome

Being a giant sized cube that's modern-frame only, we're testing a whole bunch of random stuff for how it interacts with the unique cube style. While not all of it will stay, most of what's listed either furthers archetypes present, directly improves upon existing cards or interacts favourably with multiple cards. (I copied and pasted the list from a social media convo, so it may have the Jumpstart cards in as well).

BLUE:

• See the Truth
  
• Teferi's Protege
  
• Stormwing Entity
  
• Teferi, Master of Time
  
• Shipwreck Dowser
  
• Barrin, Tolarian Archmage
  
• Ghostly Pilferer

BLACK:

• Eliminate
  
• Malefic Scythe
  
• Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
  
• Demonic Embrace
  
• Silversmote Ghoul
  
• Thieves' Guild Enforcer
  
• Alchemist's Gift
  
• Witch's Cauldron
  
• Masked Blackguard
  
• Tinybones, Trinket Thief

RED:

• Soul Sear
  
• Chandra, Flame's Catalyst
  
• Heartfire Immolator
  
• Subira, Tulzidi Caravaneer
  
• Terror of the Peaks
  
• Goblin Wizardry

GREEN:

• Allosaurus Shepherd
  
• Fierce Empath
  
• Llanowar Visionary
  
• Elder Garganoth
  
• Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse
  
• Garruk's Herald
  
• Garruk, Unleashed
  
• Track Down
  
• Neyith of the Dire Hunt
  

WHITE:

• Basri's Lieutenant
  
• Seasoned Hallowblade
  
• Mangara, the Diplomat
  
• Speaker of the Heavens

AZORIOUS:

• Watcher of the Spheres

SELSENYA:

• Conclave Mentor

GRUUL:

• Radha, Heart of Keld
  

ARTIFACT:

• Sparkhunter Masticore

My article for this set is up...

https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/the-cube-forum/articles-podcasts-and-guides/817972-set-p-review-my-top-20-magic-2021-m21-cards-for

Low power level set imo.

Barrin is the only card likely to stick for a while, but he’s still a mid-late pick.

testing out Garruk , Teferi and seasoned hallow blade but I expect them all to be cut at some point in the next couple years. They all have some sleeper potential.

Elder gargroth , llanowar visionary and Radha top my “watch” list.

I would keep an eye on Radha because Zendikar Rising is right around the corner. Hoping for some goodies for lands matter.

Not the most powerful set, but I think in terms of being close to par, the set offers some nice switch up cards. I enjoy sets like these for Cube because card swaps are close enough that you can shift the dynamic of the cube a bit to make them quite playable without gutting a Cube or down-powering a ton of stuff.

I'm somewhere around here. 576 sized Cube

Sublime Epiphany - Force Spike > opposite ends of the mana curve, but I found my playgroup never mains force spike
Seasoned Hallowblade - Thalia, Heretic Cathar > Thalia always seems to be one mana too expensive
Radha, Heart of Keld - Arlinn Kord > a soft swap; i'm waiting for better gruul cards to come to refine my gruul package
Elder Gargaroth - Biogenic Ooze > Comparable swap, biogenic i kept in as a mana sink, but green has gotten a few these days. Gargaroth seems bigger and more flexible
Barrin, Tolarian Archmage - Exclusion Mage > almost direct upgrade
Waker of Waves - Impulse > testing
Ghostly Pilferer - Gifts Ungiven > Gifts also never seemed to be played with my group; Pilferer largely seems to function cheaper in the reanimator deck