A 2-cost 1/3 creature that adds mana of any colour. You do not need to spend the mana on a creature, but if you do, you get a +1/+1 counter as a bonus.
I don't currently run any 2-cost mana producers, but I think I'd rather include this over Sylvan Caryatid, which is probably the most common card in the category after Rofellos, who fulfills a very different purpose.
I think the bar for 2 CMC ramp needs to be it can ramp for 2+ mana.
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I'm actively maintaining a comprehensive article to help explain to new cube players how some complex vintage level cards work in a cube environment. Vintage Cube Cards Explained
Caryatid having hexproof is a big deal.
Mana acceleration into expensive spells is a gamble because it adds multiple sources of unpredictability of when you can cast your spells.
Either you draw the wrong half of your deck concurrently , or your mana accelerant gets removed and now you are stuck with an expensive spell in your hand.
Caryatid having hexproof helps alleviate one degree of that unpredictability. It's also a good blocker against agressive decks 1 drops, that can't be tempo-ed through via removal.
I'm not sure this is better than caryatid. Being essentially guaranteed to untap with caryatid is huge, and this dies to all bolt variants and every piece of removal. The bonus counter is nice but I don't think that makes up for losing hexproof.
If you support both a +1/+1 counters matter theme and a ramp theme in green (my cube heavily supports both), then this card is mechanically great.
The Walking Dead and Stranger Things crossovers eventually got Magic IP reskins, any plans for eventual reskins for the Warhammer sets? I have no problem with Warhammer (it seems cool), but as a scientist I’m frustrated by the “mad scientist doctor intentionally harms their patient” trope depicted on this card, compounded by the not-subtle reference to the real world drug company GlaxoSmithKline. These mechanics with a different flavor would likely make the cut, but as is I’ll pass.
The Walking Dead and Stranger Things crossovers eventually got Magic IP reskins, any plans for eventual reskins for the Warhammer sets?
Per Mark Rosewater on his blog:
There are no current plans to make in-universe Magic versions of the new cards in the Warhammer 40K Commander decks (we make in-universe ones for the Secret Lair cards), but we have the capability to do it if needed on a card-by-card basis.
I think the counter is being underrated a little. Getting repeated board impact for free from your mana dork is big game — helps a lot to stabilize vs aggro and clock vs control. I’m only confident this is below rofellos in the 2 mana mana dork space.
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I primarily play limited, so most of my spoiler season comments view cards through that lens.
I'm not sure this is better than caryatid. Being essentially guaranteed to untap with caryatid is huge, and this dies to all bolt variants and every piece of removal. The bonus counter is nice but I don't think that makes up for losing hexproof.
+1/+1 stats are huge early game and die to removal never apply to 2 drop before in cube card evaluation.
+1/+1 stats are huge early game and die to removal never apply to 2 drop before in cube card evaluation.
I’d say that removal has gotten a lot more low to the ground in the past few years, and people love to bolt a bird. This card gets Pushed, Cut Down, Thirsted, Bolted, Chain Lightning’s, Pathed, Swords’d, and Dismembered all for one mana. Caryatid just doesn’t. There’s also times I’m not ramping into creatures but fixing for a creature lite deck, and I’d rather just have my ramp stick.
+1/+1 stats are huge early game and die to removal never apply to 2 drop before in cube card evaluation.
I’d say that removal has gotten a lot more low to the ground in the past few years, and people love to bolt a bird. This card gets Pushed, Cut Down, Thirsted, Bolted, Chain Lightning’s, Pathed, Swords’d, and Dismembered all for one mana. Caryatid just doesn’t. There’s also times I’m not ramping into creatures but fixing for a creature lite deck, and I’d rather just have my ramp stick.
I don't run Fatal Push/Cut Down (I run Thirsted though) because the restriction for low mana is too much against reanimate deck in 360. I rather my removal card being able to remove more creatures. Otherwise, you'll just lose the match.
I don't run Sylvan Caryatid as well and I don't think this card is good enough either. I think 2 mana being able to be good enough to be drawing away removal is a positive thing overall though.
A 2-cost 1/3 creature that adds mana of any colour. You do not need to spend the mana on a creature, but if you do, you get a +1/+1 counter as a bonus.
I don't currently run any 2-cost mana producers, but I think I'd rather include this over Sylvan Caryatid, which is probably the most common card in the category after Rofellos, who fulfills a very different purpose.
- Sanctum Weaver
- Priest of Titania
I think the bar for 2 CMC ramp needs to be it can ramp for 2+ mana.
Vintage Cube Cards Explained
Here are some other articles I've written about fine tuning your cube:
1. Minimum Archetype Support
2. Improving Green Archetypes
3. Improving White Archetypes
4. Matchup Analysis
5. Cube Combos (Work in Progress)
Draft my Cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/d8i
Caryatid having hexproof is a big deal.
Mana acceleration into expensive spells is a gamble because it adds multiple sources of unpredictability of when you can cast your spells.
Either you draw the wrong half of your deck concurrently , or your mana accelerant gets removed and now you are stuck with an expensive spell in your hand.
Caryatid having hexproof helps alleviate one degree of that unpredictability. It's also a good blocker against agressive decks 1 drops, that can't be tempo-ed through via removal.
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The Walking Dead and Stranger Things crossovers eventually got Magic IP reskins, any plans for eventual reskins for the Warhammer sets? I have no problem with Warhammer (it seems cool), but as a scientist I’m frustrated by the “mad scientist doctor intentionally harms their patient” trope depicted on this card, compounded by the not-subtle reference to the real world drug company GlaxoSmithKline. These mechanics with a different flavor would likely make the cut, but as is I’ll pass.
Per Mark Rosewater on his blog:
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
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+1/+1 stats are huge early game and die to removal never apply to 2 drop before in cube card evaluation.
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I'm OP_Forever. I'll be putting this in my signature for a while so everyone know I change my nickname.
I’d say that removal has gotten a lot more low to the ground in the past few years, and people love to bolt a bird. This card gets Pushed, Cut Down, Thirsted, Bolted, Chain Lightning’s, Pathed, Swords’d, and Dismembered all for one mana. Caryatid just doesn’t. There’s also times I’m not ramping into creatures but fixing for a creature lite deck, and I’d rather just have my ramp stick.
Un-Spiracy Module - http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/63204
Utility Land Module - http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/53258
I don't run Fatal Push/Cut Down (I run Thirsted though) because the restriction for low mana is too much against reanimate deck in 360. I rather my removal card being able to remove more creatures. Otherwise, you'll just lose the match.
I don't run Sylvan Caryatid as well and I don't think this card is good enough either. I think 2 mana being able to be good enough to be drawing away removal is a positive thing overall though.
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I'm OP_Forever. I'll be putting this in my signature for a while so everyone know I change my nickname.