MTG Salvation

Here is my current list of my 400 card cube. To me, the cube represents my own history within the game of Magic: the Gathering. Most of the cards are typical of cubes in general, but there are a couple of cards that I realize may be outdated or even sub optimal; I'm okay with this. First and foremost the cube should allow for an enjoyable drafting environment, and for me nostalgia can sometimes trump raw power.

Thanks for stopping by and happy cubing!



*UPDATED 10/6/10

Check out my cube at: http://cubedrafting.blogspot.com. Personally I have not added power to the cube as those cards can make games that are one-sided. You can also check out a list of cards I banned and took.

@Weremine -- Pariah is actually a fantastic removal spell for white. It fogs at least once and then kills the creature you enchanted, all for 3 mana. And if you put it on a Platinum Angel or a creature with regeneration, it's pretty insane. Keldon Mauraders are also a find inclusion for red. Everything else I can be on board with cutting.

I really like Hammer of Bogardan. It is slow, but it gives red a source of card advantage that it doesn't have. It also gives red some inevitability. It's hard for many control decks to deal with it.

Cheers,
rant

First off, thank you for taking the time to go over my list. I will try to field all of your suggestions/questions as best I can.

Disenchant>>>Dismantling Blow: Dismantling Blow is already in the mail, ;), will be replaced upon arrival.

Sacred Mesa: I suppose it is a bit mana intensive, will look into replacing it.

Austere Command: Over and above this having the potential to be a one-sided wrath, this card is mad versatile. Can be a Purify or any combination. Plus I like having the entire command cycle. I think I will keep this one for the time being.

Waterfront Bouncer: Bounce has always been one of my fav abilities, and I have been trying to incorporate it into the cube as much as possible without being overbearing. I personally really like him. Thoughts on Tradewind Rider?

Twincast: is a bit narrow I suppose, should I add another counter in this slot or something else entirely? I've been considering Legacy's Allure. Thoughts?

Phyrexian Negator>>>Dauthi Slayer: true, one must be pretty ballsy to play him. I really like Sui Black as an archetype in general but I've been looking for an excuse to add the Dauthi brothers Dauthi Slayer and Dauthi Horror.

Faerie Macabre: I am currently very very low on graveyard hate, but if I can find a suitable replacement I will be happy to move him out.

Royal Assassin>>>Dauthi Horror: Agreed, I just like this history associated with this card.

Orcish Settlers: Funny I've noticed that people tend not to draft him either, but personally I think he is really good. However I would be willing to replace him. Maybe more 1 drops, Kird Ape / Jackal Pup perhaps. Thoughts on Stigma Lasher?

Changeling Berserker: Agreed, He's good but limited as you need a creature in play, but can be really great with Morph. I will consider dropping him.

Hammer of Bogardan: The trip red has made this a bit problematic and it is a bit underwhelming as a straight burn spell, but the CA this nets you is invaluable. I will consider looking for a more reasonable burner for this slot or perhaps even Threaten, which i have been trying to find room for.

Basking Rootwalla>>>Twinblade Slasher: Slasher is already in the mail too ;).

Bloom Tender: Helps to color fix and can potentially tap for a significant amount of mana, whats so bad about him? Or is it that he is potentially too good?

Heartwood Storyteller: Green has a significantly higher creature to non-creature ratio than any other color in the cube. Even green in multicolor has a reasonably high creature count. Storyteller can help to match your opponent's card advantage or can replace creatures that are killed by burn spells, etc. In the right build, he can be a bomb. Needless to say, I like him.

Stuffy Doll: Just an overall fun card, and is the stone nuts with Pariah :o. Even without another card to back him up, he can still deter an attack if nothing else. I think I'll keep him.

Augury Adept: True that. UW should be more control-based anyway. Any ideas on replacements?

Scab-Clan Mauler: He's much like Changeling Berserker in that he is somewhat conditional, but a 3/3 trampler for RG is nothing to sneeze at. If indeed I do add more 1 drops in Red and Green I think I will keep him, otherwise he might be removed in favor of a more consistent threat.

As far as your questions go...

Pariah is sick as a fog/removal effect if nothing else, but is an absolute bomb with Stuffy, as mentioned before, or with Swans of Bryn Argoll, or with pretty much anything with a big butt. Highly underestimated.

Upheaval yes, just yes.

Buried Alive is great with any reanimation strategy but I know there are a lot of people who disinclude this for some reason. Great combo with Sedris, Traitor King.

Keldon Marauders is a very solid 2 drop in my experience. Can be a significant source of damage against an unsuspecting opponent.

As for the duals / fetches, I plan on adding them in as the cube grows. But I have found that the Filters and Karoos are actually best for color fixing, which at this point is a priority. Fetches are only really spectacular when Duals / Rav Duals are also added; as such, they in turn will follow.

If there are any other questions/comments/suggestions, i would love to hear them. Thanks again.

*ugh, not looking forward to fixing all those tags...

Where in Phoenix are you? I personally know of 2 cubes in Tempe (one of which is mine) and 1-2 out on the west side of town as well.

-AA

Quote from DerBK

Here you go:

Thanks man, too bad i saw your post right after i finished fixing them myself :).

@Antknee: I live out in Peoria. The store i frequent is Game Nightz @ Metrocenter and no one there has much cube experience, at least among those who I have met.

@burek - i meant putting a pariah on an opponent's platinum angel. it happend to me the other day when i was below zero life and it was brutal. if they want to cheat death with the platinum angel then they have to destroy the pariah.

Quote from Miscalcul8edRisk

@Antknee: I live out in Peoria. The store i frequent is Game Nightz @ Metrocenter and no one there has much cube experience, at least among those who I have met.

Were you there for the GP trial a few weeks ago?

Anyway, I don't frequent that location too much because of people who used to be associated with the store, but I will stop by occasionally. If you ever want to use my pimp Cube, I play mostly at Gamer's Inn in Mesa. I also have a few friends who game a lot (and have a cube) at Samurai Comics in Avondale.

Let me know in advance if you are planning on coming to Mesa to game, and I will try to show up so we can Cube together! I actually work in Phoenix, so I'm not terribly far from Nightz either if you wanted to game.

-AA

Where do you work in Phoenix? I work off of Camelback. I need to come check out Gamers Inn sometime I buy stuff from them online all of the time.

My cube unfortunately isn't very "pimped". TBH i don't really like foils, but hey I know I'm the odd one out on that one. To me "pimp" is playing a beta Balance or Armageddon, etc. Which I am, in fact, trying to track down.

I teach in a school district around 46th/79th Av. and Osborne. Once in a great while I will go there to trade after work if I have my cards on me.

Inn just recently opened a brand new space for card gamers, and it is pretty nice. They are also open 24 hrs, which is nicer than the mall sotres cutting you off at closing time.

I am going to be posting my cube soon, but I'm going to take a look over your list now and see how it is

-AA

Woo, another AZ cube! I am from Tempe and have a cube of my own. I, as Antknee42, play mostly at Gamers Inn and also Pop Culture Paradise (although I don't frequent to either anymore because I choose to just cube at home). I might decide to attend more though because of the great trading that occurs there.

On the +/- section, I will judge the cards that I run:

8 1/2 Tails - Been great. Not much else to say here.
Hallowed Burial - never saw much play honestly. One of the weaker wrath effects imo.
Vendillion Clique - Amazing. Flashes in to mess with your opponents hand and beats for 3 in the air. Great in Tempo decks.
Intuition - never saw much play. Not great in a singleton format imo, much better in constructed.
Legacy's Allure - Good card, but one of the weaker Control Magic type effects. Was cut during my last edit.
Dissipate - Strong Counter and works well against anything that uses the GY, namely most every deck. Genesis, Volrath's Stronghold, Reanimator, you get the point..
Nezumi Graverobber - Awesome card here. Beats for 4 pretty easily and brings back **** instant speed. Sweet.
Pups - Great. Not much else to say here.
Kird Ape - see above.
Aether Vial - Ridiculous good in any aggro deck. Gets around counters and puts into play anytime you want. Really really good.
Gemstone Mine - Good card, especially with the Karoos, however was cut because it wasnt as good as the other fixing lands that I run.

Hope this helps!

I agree with all of your decisions Azbander. However, I have to say I have never been impressed by Aether Vial. Most of the time it's a "do nothing" card. While some people enjoy playing with it, I would personally never put it in any deck I would play. A lot of us here in NYC feel the same way, so we cut it from the cube.

Vial has been a strong one for us down here in VA. It's one of those cards that's amazing in the opener, and gets progressively less so the later the game goes on. Turn 1 Vial is such a beating though...

Quote from Ammo187

I agree with all of your decisions Azbander. However, I have to say I have never been impressed by Aether Vial. Most of the time it's a "do nothing" card. While some people enjoy playing with it, I would personally never put it in any deck I would play. A lot of us here in NYC feel the same way, so we cut it from the cube.

I'm with Kenny on this one. Vial can just be so strong on turn one (or soon after). I had to Force it last week as there was no way by blue deck could beat an active Vial. If I knew I was in a fairly agressive deck with plenty of creatures I'd happily take it very high in packs 2-3. I also am always happy to take it middle or so of pack 1.

ok guys: Has anyone seen/done much with Mistmeadow Witch?
Seems like it could be a good replacement for Augury Adept and has more of a control aspect that I have been looking into for UW.

Also, Boggart Ram-Gang vs. Tattermunge Maniac in the open slot from Scab-Clan Mauler. I am already leaning towards one, but I am curious to see what others have to say on this.

Thanks.

Quote from Wermine

Boggart Ram-Gang is good creature. Tattermunge Maniac not so much. There are many monored and monogreen 1-drops, which are better.

Thats exactly what I was thinking. Thanks.

Too bad on Mistmeadow Witch...I need a UW creature to fill the Augury Adept slot. In UW I currently have...

1x Azorius Guildmage
1x Augury Adept (to be removed)
1x Swans of Bryn Argoll
1x Windreaver
1x Absorb
1x Mirrorweave

I'm thinking either Grand Arbiter Augustin IV or Pride of the Clouds but I am leaning towards more of a control based card.

I am trying to avoid using crap like Kiki + Hussar / Kiki + Pestermite, that is why neither are in the deck. However, I realize cards like Palinchron are ripe for brokenness when combined with Recurring Nightmare and/or Mirari's Wake.

I think I will go for the taxman, Grand Arbiter Augustin IV. I've never really liked the forecast ability anyway, way too costly for such a little effect. My cube is exactly 50% creatures and I like this feature, which is why I require a creature in the Augury Adept slot.

*cube analysis of type/cost breakdown to be added to initial post.

Arbiter has been pretty good in my Cube. Any blue-based control deck will take it, even if they have to splash.

Teferi's Moat has been solid but not stellar. It's pretty rare that a deck is mono-colored or has no fliers, so it doesn't completely stall aggro. However, it does slow the beats down considerably.

Cheers,
rant

Added analysis to initial post, please review and inform me of any potential problems if anything stands out.

I actually like Cloud Cover and I don't see that one in other people's cubes...

Yeah I really like Cloud Cover too and I was considering it when building my cube but I ended up needing 4 creatures out of the 6 total cards in UW and i like Mirrorweave and Absorb more than I like cloud cover.

Ok here is what I am thinking

I already added anoter board sweeper for white in Final Judgment. IMO better than Hallowed Burial in pretty much every conceivable way aside from CMC.

-1 Battlegrace Angel
+1 Pristine Angel

-1 Faerie Macabre
+1 Nezumi Graverobber

I really really like Tradewind Rider but I think his ability might be difficult to pull off consistently. He is especially good post 'Geddon assuming good board position, effectively keeping lands off of your opponents side indefinitely. But I'm still on the fence about him. My blue creature suite is already pretty solid as is; cuts will be extremely difficult.

The thing with Kird Ape is that he forces you to play Gruul, which I might add he is fantastic in, but I think he is extraordinarily narrow in all but 1 color combination.

Saying Kird Ape is narrow because he can only be played in GR is like saying Terminate is only good in RB. He's one of the top 1-drops ever printed. I can't imagine cutting him. He is such a boon to RG and RGW aggro.

Cheers,
rant

I guess narrow was not the right word to use, don't get me wrong, I know that Kird Ape is great, but it is virtually pointless to play Kird Ape in mono-red, RW, RB, and RU simply because he is a vanilla 1/1. He requires that you have a forest to be worth his snuff. Looking at my cube in particular, I don't have fetches or duals/shocks so splashing a forest into one of the other aformentioned color combinations, aside from mono-red isn't as feasible.

However I do understand your argument: I wouldn't cut Desolation Angel simply because you need to play white to make it worthwhile.

What I think I will do is actually move a number of cards such as Desolation Angel and Kird Ape into their respective multicolor slots in place of a weaker existing card.

+ Nezumi Graverobber
move Desolation Angel
- Angel of Despair
+ Kird Ape
- Boggart Ram Gang

*Dismantling Blow falls under this category but is still relevant even if not playing blue

I'm a fan of the Bogger Ram-Gang. Both red and green need a solid creature like this one. In my personal opinion, red and green are the two weakest colors in the cube, so why deprive them of a solid threat?