White
+Hidden Dragonslayer
+Fragmentize
+Angel of Invention
-Spear of Heliod
-Seeker of the Way
-Precinct Captain
Blue
+Torrential Gearhulk
+Telling Time
-Rite of Replication
-Future Sight
Black
+Scrapheap Scrounger
+Vampire Nighthawk
+Painful Truths
-Abyssal Persecutor
-Contamination
-Yawgmoth's Will
Red
+Firestorm
+Pyroclasm
+Chandra, Torch of Defiance
-Altac Bloodseeker
-Magus of the Wheel
-Collective Defiance
Green
+Verdurous Gearhulk
-Greenwarden of Murasa
Colorless
+Pithing Needle
+Smuggler's Copter
+Fleetwheel Cruiser
+Crystalline Crawler
-Coercive Portal
-Chrome Mox
-Chromatic Lantern
-Kozilek, the Great Distortion
Land
+Ash Barrens
-Reflecting Pool
Multi
+Dovin Baan
+Flinthoof Boar
-Spitting Image
-Chained to the Rocks
Besides Chrome Mox, those are all thing I've recently cut, want to ditch or could see axing in the near future at my 720. How has Contamination Performed?
Also, I'm interested in your results with Telling Time and Crystalline Crawler once you have any
Besides Chrome Mox, those are all thing I've recently cut, want to ditch or could see axing in the near future at my 720. How has Contamination Performed?
Also, I'm interested in your results with Telling Time and Crystalline Crawler once you have any
Contamination was a disappointment. It was not even good enough in the decks that contained the best synergies. I really wanted it to work, but it simply did not.
I do not have experience with Crawler yet, but we have played Telling Time on and off for a long time. It's nothing spectacular, but it sees play, and it has set up miracles several times. It's lower-tier filler, but I think it's more playable than the underperforming blue cards I am cutting.
White
+Thraben Inspector
+Glory-Bound Initiate
+Adorned Pouncer
+Angel of Sanctions
+Gideon of the Trials
+Forsake the Worldly
+Cast Out
-Soltari Monk
-Soltari Priest
-Relic Seeker
-Loyal Retainers
-Karmic Guide
-Fragmentize
-Seal of Cleansing
Blue
+Champion of Wits
+Vizier of Many Faces
+Glyph Keeper
+Supreme Will
+Commit//Memory
+Pull from Tomorrow
-Careful Study
-Strategic Planning
-Frantic Search
-Imprisoned in the Moon
-Intuition
-Crystal Shard
Black
+Dread Wanderer
+Cryptbreaker
+Never//Return
+Bontu's Last Reckoning
+Liliana, Death's Majesty
-Priest of the Blood Rite
-Contagion
-Malicious Affliction
-Murderous Cut
-Corpse Dance
Red
+Earthshaker Khenra
+Harsh Mentor
+Burning-Fist Minotaur
+Ahn-Crop Crasher
+Hazoret the Fervent
+Glorybringer
+Abrade
+Sweltering Suns
-War-Name Aspirant
-Grenzo, Havoc Raiser
-Ash Zealot
-Zo-Zu the Punisher
-Firestorm
-Pyroclasm
-Rivalry
-Bonfire of the Damned
Green
+Overgrown Battlement
+Manglehorn
+Rhonas the Indomitable
+Ramunap Excavator
+Call of the Herd
+Greenwarden of Murassa
-Shaman of Forgotten Ways
-Indrik Stomphowler
-Conclave Naturalists
-Sylvan Tutor
-Worldly Tutor
-Life from the Loam
Multi
+Nissa, Steward of Elements
+The Scarab God
+Nicol Boas, God-Pharaoh
-Shadowmage Infiltrator
-Putrefy
-Mortify
-Murderous Redcap
-Falkenrath Aristocrat
-Flinthoof Boar
-Arlinn Kord
-Armada Wurm
-Grim Flayer
-Villainous Wealth
-Anguished Unmaking
-Grenzo, Dungeon Warden
-Dovin Baan
-Unburial Rites
-Fire//Ice
Other Additions
+Reflecting Pool
+Kor Haven
+Westvale Abbey
-2nd copy of each fetch
-2nd copy of each shock
Land changes bring Cube in line with other "legal" Cubes... (No two copies of any card). Adding 12 cards to land section and taking 12 cards out of multicolored section.
All of those cards have been pretty disappointing over the course of many Cube drafts. I keep adding Needle back into the Cube because I always get that feedback here, but it's almost never maindecked. I'm not sure if that's a fault of the players or what, but it's annoying that it feels like an unused slot even though it's supposedly a great card in most Cubes.
Edit: cutting Loyal Retainers over Mirror Entity per recommendation.
I think that part of the issue with Pithing Needle is that players view it as a sideboard card. I always maindeck it because there are just so many cards in cube it shuts down. It may allow an activation of something like a walker, but one activation is better than a game full of them. Also, we had an influx of manlands and Needle takes care of those too. It's rare that you come up against a deck that isn't sporting some kind of Needle target.
White
+Dauntless Bodyguard
+Kor Skyfisher
+Lyra Dawnbringer
+Legion's Landing
+Seal of Cleansing
+Spear of Heliod
+Settle the Wreckage
-Steppe Lynx
-Nearheath Pilgrim
-Hokori, Dust Drinker
-Wingmate Roc
-Condemn
-Sram's Expertise
-Ajani Goldmane
Blue
+Trinket Mage
-Evasive Action
Black
+Kitesail Freebooter
+Ruin Raider
+Demonlord Belzenlok
+Divest
+Cast Down
-Cryptbreaker
-Relentless Dead
-Lifebane Zombie
-Painful Truths
-Whip of Erebos
Red
+Rampaging Ferocidon
+Verix, Bladewing
-Pia Nalaar
-Twinbolt
Green
None
Multi
+Darigaaz Reincarnated
-Fleecemane Lion
Colorless
+Karn, Scion of Urza
+Pithing Needle
-Crytalline Crawler
-Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
The changes look solid. Almost all the cards you remove I no longer play, or could see cutting the very next set (besides Pia Nalaar). Additions look mostly good. Careful Study seems like it relies too heavily on synergy to shine in this cube size.
White
+Steppe Lynx
+Remorseful Cleric
+Brightling
+Emeria Angel
+Leonin Warleader
+Sram’s Expertise
-Exalted Angel
-Regal Caracal
-Revoke Existence
-Gather the Townsfolk
-Forsake the Worldly
-Terminus
Blue
+Exclusion Mage
+Arcane Artisan
+Spellseeker
+Careful Study
+Disallow
+Tezzeret, Artifice Master
+Will Kenrith
-Baral, Chief of Compliance
-Dimensional Infiltrator
-Crystal Shard
-Commit//Memory
-Treasure Cruise
-Stroke of Genius
-Pull from Tomorrow
Black
+Vampire Lacerator
+Carnophage
+Graveyard Marshal
+Isareth the Awakener
+Gonti, Lord of Luxury
+Doom Whisperer
+Ritual of Soot
+Wretched Confluence
-Vampire Hexmage
-Xathrid Necromancer
-Bane of the Living
-Smallpox
-Ruinous Path
-Hero's Downfall
-Yahenni's Expertise
-Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
Red
+Goblin Cratermaker
+Dismissive Pyromancer
+Pia Nalaar
+Najeela, the Blade-Blossom
+Legion Warboss
+Emissary of Grudges
+Rivalry
-Eidolon of the Great Revel
-Rampaging Ferocidon
-Blistering Firecat
-Verix Bladewing
-Glorybringer
-Flame Slash
-Release the Gremlins
Green
+Pelt Collector
+Dryad Greenseeker
+Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma
+Nissa, Vital Force
-Rishkar, Peema Renegade
-Fastbond
-Evolutionary Leap
-Naturalize
Multi
+Knight of Autumn
+Assassin's Trophy
+Tajic, Legion's Edge
+Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice
+Connive/Concoct
+Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
-Supreme Verdict
-Vraska, Relic Seeker
-Voice of Resurgence
-Darigaaz Reincarnated
-Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh
-Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
Colorless
+Ancient Stone Idol
+Retrofitter Foundry
-Isochron Scepter
-Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Good changes overall, but I'd keep Scarhide and Verdict. I find them necessary at 450, so it seems like they would be even more needed in 720. I'd probably cut Distended Mindbender or Vampire Hexmage. I wasn't impressed with Spell Queller, so I'd keep the Verdict over that.
@rantipole Thanks for the feedback! I ended up keeping Scarhide and even added a couple more black aggro creatures in. I know this is nothing new... But I waffle on the "black aggro problem" - the archetype consistently performs well when people draft it, but a lot of players hate that it's there and scoff at it. I am back to including it.
Recently I have spent a LOT of time tweaking my Cube. I've done so many isolated swaps that I have not tracked total changes, but please feel free to look at the current iteration of my Cube on CubeTutor: http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/38503. The paper version also has a 100% up-to-date color-coded token set which I geek out on...
We are doing a Cube marathon weekend to record some footage to test tech for my startup CardBoard Live, and I'm pumped about starting to do some legit stats tracking for the drafts!
I am now maintaining my Cube on Cube Cobra since they are doing a great job with timely set releases and site updates. I wish Ben at CubeTutor had taken many of us up on our help offers... but alas, at least there’s a new option. Check out my Cube here: https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/5e2496f7f4f4d862e89853b7.
Outside the typical “new in, old out” swaps, we’re adding support for aristocrats with Blood Artist, Zulaport Cutthroat, Woe Strider, and Mogg War Marshal. Painful Truths is also a nod to increasing support for this non-blue, potentially 3-color grindy deck.
Of these adds I'm least sure of how Uro will play out but am adding it because of the positive reviews on this forum.
White
+Elspeth, Sun’s Nemesis
+Shatter the Sky
-Mirror Entity
-Timely Reinforcements
Blue
+Nadir Kraken
+Thassa’s Intervention
-Flash
-Disallow
Black
+Blood Artist
+Zulaport Cutthroat
+Woe Strider
+Nightmare Shepherd
+Painful Truths
-Sheoldred
-Vilis
-Slaughter Pact
-Liliana’s Triumph
-Liliana, Dreadhorde General
Red
+Mogg War Marshal
+Irreverent Revelers
+Phoenix of Ash
+Storm’s Wrath
-Manic Vandal
-Seasoned Pyromancer
-Glorybringer
-Staggershock
Green
+Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
+Master of the Wild Hunt
+Once Upon a Time
-Dryad Greenseeker
-Den Protector
-Manglehorn
Multi
+Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
-Rakdos’s Return
Pretty substantial update for IKO. Half the cards added are not new.
White
+Eldrazi Displacer
+Luminous Broodmoth
-Ephemerate
-Fumigate
Cutting 2 underwhelming cards. Luminous seems really interesting in BW sacrifice/aggro and great in GW aggro. Wrath protection is very important in GW aggro to the extent that you’re grabbing Selfless Spirit super high if you know you’re building that deck. Adding Eldrazi Displacer after seeing it in Metamind’s Cube and realizing that the typical deck probably has enough colorless sources to support it without Waste.
Blue
+Ethereal Forager
+Sphinx’s Tutelage
+Careful Study
+Disallow
-Trinket Mage
-Trophy Mage
-Tribute Mage
-Nadir Kraken
After adding Twin support in the last update I realized that we have way too many blue 3-drop creatures, especially when you consider the blue multicolored section. Excited to add the whale, as blue aggressive/midrange decks see a lot of play in our group. Sphinx’s Tutelage was in the Cube for a while and missed by the group. It goes great in UR Wheel. Careful Study is mediocre, but I wanted to increase Reanimator enabler support, as some of those cards have been slowing leaking out each update. Disallow is what the group voted on for the last slot. Not exciting, but all countermagic goes at a premium in our group.
Black
+Heartless Act
+Bolas’s Citadel
-Diabolic Edict
-Shallow Grave
Heartless Act is probably the best generic black removal spell ever printed for Cube. Adding Bolas’s Citadel after playing a lot of Vintage recently. While we don’t support Storm, my hope is that Citadel helps support Welder and Tinker while also providing powerful midrange/control top end. Shallow Grave has felt way too narrow, and edict effects are needed in the Cube but often bad. We still have Liliana’s Triumph, Angrath’s Rampage, and Liliana of the Veil to provide that effect when needed.
Green
+Nissa, Who Shakes the World
+Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate
+Selective Adaptation
+Wilt
+Rancor
-Whisperwood Elemental
-Voracious Hydra
-Wild Growth
-Overgrowth
-Nissa, Vital Force
Selective Adaptation is perfect for this Cube. The green cheaty-ramp hybrid deck has been popular, and this effect adds redundancy. Wilt is an easy add. Rancor... Yeah I know I know, this should be in the list since we support green aggro. I’m conscious of crowded green 5-drop density, so in order to play these 2 solid green walkers I needed to cut cards from the 5cc slot. Voracious Hydra has been disappointing, and no one is excited to run it in their starting 23. Utopia Sprawl and Wild Growth have felt dated. The gap between those cards and elves continues to widen as new printings generally support creature synergies. It’s like I woke up one day and realized that I shouldn’t assume those cards are stock. I almost cut Sprawl, but one of our players is making me keep it for the UG fatty decks (that sometimes have Oath). Cutting Overgrowth instead which is also a bit outdated.
Multi
+Niv-Mizzet, Parun
+Fiend Artisan
+Winota, Joiner of Forces
+Leovold, Emissary of Trest
-Domri, Anarch of Bolas
-Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice
-Lim-dul’s Vault
-Fire/Ice
Mana has improved quite a bit over the past couple years, and I’ve seen a lot more decks that could play Leovold. Add a new fetchable tri-land, and it’s time to try him out. Niv-Mizzet is a test, but after playing him in other formats I now realize how absurdly powerful he is if you manage to get him into play. I’m super high on Winota, and my whole group had the same reaction to the spoiler. Fiend Aristisan is perfect for my favorite deck, GB value toolbox. The cuts are pretty straightforward. I’m definitely lower on Domri than most here - he played like a worse Rampant Growth a lot of the time which is a really bad place to be.
Wow I really underestimated Golos. The group is excited to try him in this format.
Land
+Raugrin Triome
+Zagoth Triome
+Ketria Triome
+Savai Triome
+Indatha Triome
-Reflecting Pool
-Orzhov Basilica
-Izzet Boilerworks
-Dimir Aqueduct
-Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
I was initially only going to add the 3 blue tri-lands, but I have been convinced by our Cubers to add all 5. The last bounceland remaining in the Cube is UW, and that one was always the best by a lot. Happy to remove Reflecting Pool which never did much.
@Metamind It's messy because I've had a running change list from the last set due to being unable to Cube during quarantine, but here's the M21 breakdown:
White
+Seasoned Hallowblade
-Glory-Bound Initiate
Blue
+Barrin, Tolarian Archmage
-Nadir Kraken
Black
None
Red
+Heartfire Immolator
-Plated Geopede
Green
+Elder Gargaroth
-Duskwatch Recruiter
Multi
+Radha, Heart of Keld
-Domri, Anarch of Bolas
I’ve been toying around with powering up the Cube...
10 years ago when I created the 720 most of our group included college-age guys who played Magic competitively and saw Cube as an extension of our competitive take on the hobby; it was an opportunity to try to beat each other in a complex format that took the best from draft and eternal constructed. Over the years much of the group drifted away from playing competitive Magic but still gets together to Cube. We play less, but when we do get to Cube we make a weekend out of it (including a couple guys traveling multiple states to make it happen), and the focus is less on who wins the drafts and more about good friends enjoying the weekend together playing a game we all love.
So what does this have to do with power? I think the changing dynamics of why we Cube may cause the powered ‘bad beats’ to become more positively memorable as opposed to competitive feel-bad. Opening a Lotus in a 720 feels more like gambling which is perhaps fun and exciting for how we currently enjoy the Cube.
———
Here’s my first stab at making “Wilson’s Cube” powered.
Major section changes to “Wilson’s Cube” include +20 colorless, +5 multi, -3 of each color, and -10 land (one of each dual - but I support way more duals than many Cubes to begin with). I’m trying an artifact theme which includes several cards that never worked well for us in unpowered, like the Tezzerets. I’m also including Time Vault combo support and Mishra’s Workshop support (includes Workshop plus a couple artifacts that are otherwise mediocre without the card). I upped the artifact hate with cards like Manglehorn, Ancient Grudge, and Collector Ouphe - which I’m unsure is good enough, but I like as many hatebears as possible to make GW decks decent. I need to keep my eye on artifact destruction to make sure I don’t overdo it.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
Update:
White
+Hidden Dragonslayer
+Fragmentize
+Angel of Invention
-Spear of Heliod
-Seeker of the Way
-Precinct Captain
Blue
+Torrential Gearhulk
+Telling Time
-Rite of Replication
-Future Sight
Black
+Scrapheap Scrounger
+Vampire Nighthawk
+Painful Truths
-Abyssal Persecutor
-Contamination
-Yawgmoth's Will
Red
+Firestorm
+Pyroclasm
+Chandra, Torch of Defiance
-Altac Bloodseeker
-Magus of the Wheel
-Collective Defiance
Green
+Verdurous Gearhulk
-Greenwarden of Murasa
Colorless
+Pithing Needle
+Smuggler's Copter
+Fleetwheel Cruiser
+Crystalline Crawler
-Coercive Portal
-Chrome Mox
-Chromatic Lantern
-Kozilek, the Great Distortion
Land
+Ash Barrens
-Reflecting Pool
Multi
+Dovin Baan
+Flinthoof Boar
-Spitting Image
-Chained to the Rocks
Besides Chrome Mox, those are all thing I've recently cut, want to ditch or could see axing in the near future at my 720. How has Contamination Performed?
Also, I'm interested in your results with Telling Time and Crystalline Crawler once you have any
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
Contamination was a disappointment. It was not even good enough in the decks that contained the best synergies. I really wanted it to work, but it simply did not.
I do not have experience with Crawler yet, but we have played Telling Time on and off for a long time. It's nothing spectacular, but it sees play, and it has set up miracles several times. It's lower-tier filler, but I think it's more playable than the underperforming blue cards I am cutting.
White
+Sram's Expertise
-Hidden Dragonslayer
Blue
+Baral, Chief of Compliance
+Trophy Mage
+Baral's Expertise
-Telling Time
-Withdraw
-Gifts Ungiven
Black
+Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
+Fatal Push
+Yahenni's Expertise
-Vampire Nighthawk
-Collective Brutality
-Hatred
Red
+Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
+AEther Chaser
+Release the Gremlins
-Generator Servant
-Chandra's Phoenix
-Pyrokinesis
Green
+Life from the Loam
-Managorger Hydra
Land
None
Colorless
+Metallic Mimic
-Gauntlet of Power
Multi
None
Tokens:
+1/1 colorless artifact servos (4)
+2/2 red gremlins (3)
+2/1 red legendary monkey (1)
+energy counter (2)
Surprised there hasn't been any chatter about Metallic Mimic - pretty Excited to try it out. This set has been fantastic for my Cube.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
White
+Thraben Inspector
+Glory-Bound Initiate
+Adorned Pouncer
+Angel of Sanctions
+Gideon of the Trials
+Forsake the Worldly
+Cast Out
-Soltari Monk
-Soltari Priest
-Relic Seeker
-Loyal Retainers
-Karmic Guide
-Fragmentize
-Seal of Cleansing
Blue
+Champion of Wits
+Vizier of Many Faces
+Glyph Keeper
+Supreme Will
+Commit//Memory
+Pull from Tomorrow
-Careful Study
-Strategic Planning
-Frantic Search
-Imprisoned in the Moon
-Intuition
-Crystal Shard
Black
+Dread Wanderer
+Cryptbreaker
+Never//Return
+Bontu's Last Reckoning
+Liliana, Death's Majesty
-Priest of the Blood Rite
-Contagion
-Malicious Affliction
-Murderous Cut
-Corpse Dance
Red
+Earthshaker Khenra
+Harsh Mentor
+Burning-Fist Minotaur
+Ahn-Crop Crasher
+Hazoret the Fervent
+Glorybringer
+Abrade
+Sweltering Suns
-War-Name Aspirant
-Grenzo, Havoc Raiser
-Ash Zealot
-Zo-Zu the Punisher
-Firestorm
-Pyroclasm
-Rivalry
-Bonfire of the Damned
Green
+Overgrown Battlement
+Manglehorn
+Rhonas the Indomitable
+Ramunap Excavator
+Call of the Herd
+Greenwarden of Murassa
-Shaman of Forgotten Ways
-Indrik Stomphowler
-Conclave Naturalists
-Sylvan Tutor
-Worldly Tutor
-Life from the Loam
Multi
+Nissa, Steward of Elements
+The Scarab God
+Nicol Boas, God-Pharaoh
-Shadowmage Infiltrator
-Putrefy
-Mortify
-Murderous Redcap
-Falkenrath Aristocrat
-Flinthoof Boar
-Arlinn Kord
-Armada Wurm
-Grim Flayer
-Villainous Wealth
-Anguished Unmaking
-Grenzo, Dungeon Warden
-Dovin Baan
-Unburial Rites
-Fire//Ice
Colorless
+Walking Ballista
-Pithing Needle
Land
+Canyon Slough
+Sulfurous Springs
+Blackcleave Cliffs
+Fetid Pools
+Drowned Catacomb
+River of Tears
+Irrigated Farmland
+Glacial Fortress
+Nimbus Maze
+Scattered Grove
+Razorverge Thicket
(move Horizon Canopy here)
+Sheltered Thicket
+Karplusan Forest
+Copperline Gorge
+Battlefield Forge
+Inspiring Vantage
+Clifftop Retreat
+Llanowar Wastes
+Blooming Marsh
+Woodland Cemetery
+Caves of Koilos
+Concealed Courtyard
+Isolated Chapel
+Shivan Reef
+Spirebluff Canal
+Sulfur Falls
+Yavimaya Coasts
+Botanical Sanctum
+Hinterland Harbor
Other Additions
+Reflecting Pool
+Kor Haven
+Westvale Abbey
-2nd copy of each fetch
-2nd copy of each shock
Land changes bring Cube in line with other "legal" Cubes... (No two copies of any card). Adding 12 cards to land section and taking 12 cards out of multicolored section.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
Edit: cutting Loyal Retainers over Mirror Entity per recommendation.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
White
+Skymarcher Aspirant
+Adanto Vanguard
-Nearheath Pilgrim
-Thalia's Lieutenant
Blue
+Chart a Course
+Search for Azcanta
+Crystal Shard
-Baral, Chief of Compliance
-Wharf Infiltrator
-Think Twice
Black
+Ravenous Chupacabra
+Collective Brutality
-Innocent Blood
-Bontu's Last Reckoning
Red
+Bomat Courier
+Dire Fleet Daredevil
+Pia Nalaar
+Twinbolt
-Gore-House Chainwalker
-Borderland Marauder
-Lightning Mauler
-Goblin Heelcutter
Green
+Carnage Tyrant
+Thrashing Brontodon
-Greenwarden of Murasa
-Call of the Herd
Colorless
+Sorcerous Spyglass
-Metallic Mimic
Multi
+Hostage Taker
+Fire//Ice
+Fractured Identity
-Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
-Dack's Duplicate
-Sphinx's Revelation
White
+Dauntless Bodyguard
+Kor Skyfisher
+Lyra Dawnbringer
+Legion's Landing
+Seal of Cleansing
+Spear of Heliod
+Settle the Wreckage
-Steppe Lynx
-Nearheath Pilgrim
-Hokori, Dust Drinker
-Wingmate Roc
-Condemn
-Sram's Expertise
-Ajani Goldmane
Blue
+Trinket Mage
-Evasive Action
Black
+Kitesail Freebooter
+Ruin Raider
+Demonlord Belzenlok
+Divest
+Cast Down
-Cryptbreaker
-Relentless Dead
-Lifebane Zombie
-Painful Truths
-Whip of Erebos
Red
+Rampaging Ferocidon
+Verix, Bladewing
-Pia Nalaar
-Twinbolt
Green
None
Multi
+Darigaaz Reincarnated
-Fleecemane Lion
Colorless
+Karn, Scion of Urza
+Pithing Needle
-Crytalline Crawler
-Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Land
+Vivid Creek
-Kor Haven
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
*CubeTutor updated*
White
+Steppe Lynx
+Remorseful Cleric
+Brightling
+Emeria Angel
+Leonin Warleader
+Sram’s Expertise
-Exalted Angel
-Regal Caracal
-Revoke Existence
-Gather the Townsfolk
-Forsake the Worldly
-Terminus
Blue
+Exclusion Mage
+Arcane Artisan
+Spellseeker
+Careful Study
+Disallow
+Tezzeret, Artifice Master
+Will Kenrith
-Baral, Chief of Compliance
-Dimensional Infiltrator
-Crystal Shard
-Commit//Memory
-Treasure Cruise
-Stroke of Genius
-Pull from Tomorrow
Black
+Vampire Lacerator
+Carnophage
+Graveyard Marshal
+Isareth the Awakener
+Gonti, Lord of Luxury
+Doom Whisperer
+Ritual of Soot
+Wretched Confluence
-Vampire Hexmage
-Xathrid Necromancer
-Bane of the Living
-Smallpox
-Ruinous Path
-Hero's Downfall
-Yahenni's Expertise
-Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
Red
+Goblin Cratermaker
+Dismissive Pyromancer
+Pia Nalaar
+Najeela, the Blade-Blossom
+Legion Warboss
+Emissary of Grudges
+Rivalry
-Eidolon of the Great Revel
-Rampaging Ferocidon
-Blistering Firecat
-Verix Bladewing
-Glorybringer
-Flame Slash
-Release the Gremlins
Green
+Pelt Collector
+Dryad Greenseeker
+Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma
+Nissa, Vital Force
-Rishkar, Peema Renegade
-Fastbond
-Evolutionary Leap
-Naturalize
Multi
+Knight of Autumn
+Assassin's Trophy
+Tajic, Legion's Edge
+Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice
+Connive/Concoct
+Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
-Supreme Verdict
-Vraska, Relic Seeker
-Voice of Resurgence
-Darigaaz Reincarnated
-Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh
-Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
Colorless
+Ancient Stone Idol
+Retrofitter Foundry
-Isochron Scepter
-Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Land
None
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
Recently I have spent a LOT of time tweaking my Cube. I've done so many isolated swaps that I have not tracked total changes, but please feel free to look at the current iteration of my Cube on CubeTutor: http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/38503. The paper version also has a 100% up-to-date color-coded token set which I geek out on...
We are doing a Cube marathon weekend to record some footage to test tech for my startup CardBoard Live, and I'm pumped about starting to do some legit stats tracking for the drafts!
I am now maintaining my Cube on Cube Cobra since they are doing a great job with timely set releases and site updates. I wish Ben at CubeTutor had taken many of us up on our help offers... but alas, at least there’s a new option. Check out my Cube here: https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/5e2496f7f4f4d862e89853b7.
Outside the typical “new in, old out” swaps, we’re adding support for aristocrats with Blood Artist, Zulaport Cutthroat, Woe Strider, and Mogg War Marshal. Painful Truths is also a nod to increasing support for this non-blue, potentially 3-color grindy deck.
Of these adds I'm least sure of how Uro will play out but am adding it because of the positive reviews on this forum.
White
+Elspeth, Sun’s Nemesis
+Shatter the Sky
-Mirror Entity
-Timely Reinforcements
Blue
+Nadir Kraken
+Thassa’s Intervention
-Flash
-Disallow
Black
+Blood Artist
+Zulaport Cutthroat
+Woe Strider
+Nightmare Shepherd
+Painful Truths
-Sheoldred
-Vilis
-Slaughter Pact
-Liliana’s Triumph
-Liliana, Dreadhorde General
Red
+Mogg War Marshal
+Irreverent Revelers
+Phoenix of Ash
+Storm’s Wrath
-Manic Vandal
-Seasoned Pyromancer
-Glorybringer
-Staggershock
Green
+Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
+Master of the Wild Hunt
+Once Upon a Time
-Dryad Greenseeker
-Den Protector
-Manglehorn
Multi
+Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
-Rakdos’s Return
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/5e2496f7f4f4d862e89853b7
Pretty substantial update for IKO. Half the cards added are not new.
White
+Eldrazi Displacer
+Luminous Broodmoth
-Ephemerate
-Fumigate
Cutting 2 underwhelming cards. Luminous seems really interesting in BW sacrifice/aggro and great in GW aggro. Wrath protection is very important in GW aggro to the extent that you’re grabbing Selfless Spirit super high if you know you’re building that deck. Adding Eldrazi Displacer after seeing it in Metamind’s Cube and realizing that the typical deck probably has enough colorless sources to support it without Waste.
Blue
+Ethereal Forager
+Sphinx’s Tutelage
+Careful Study
+Disallow
-Trinket Mage
-Trophy Mage
-Tribute Mage
-Nadir Kraken
After adding Twin support in the last update I realized that we have way too many blue 3-drop creatures, especially when you consider the blue multicolored section. Excited to add the whale, as blue aggressive/midrange decks see a lot of play in our group. Sphinx’s Tutelage was in the Cube for a while and missed by the group. It goes great in UR Wheel. Careful Study is mediocre, but I wanted to increase Reanimator enabler support, as some of those cards have been slowing leaking out each update. Disallow is what the group voted on for the last slot. Not exciting, but all countermagic goes at a premium in our group.
Black
+Heartless Act
+Bolas’s Citadel
-Diabolic Edict
-Shallow Grave
Heartless Act is probably the best generic black removal spell ever printed for Cube. Adding Bolas’s Citadel after playing a lot of Vintage recently. While we don’t support Storm, my hope is that Citadel helps support Welder and Tinker while also providing powerful midrange/control top end. Shallow Grave has felt way too narrow, and edict effects are needed in the Cube but often bad. We still have Liliana’s Triumph, Angrath’s Rampage, and Liliana of the Veil to provide that effect when needed.
Green
+Nissa, Who Shakes the World
+Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate
+Selective Adaptation
+Wilt
+Rancor
-Whisperwood Elemental
-Voracious Hydra
-Wild Growth
-Overgrowth
-Nissa, Vital Force
Selective Adaptation is perfect for this Cube. The green cheaty-ramp hybrid deck has been popular, and this effect adds redundancy. Wilt is an easy add. Rancor... Yeah I know I know, this should be in the list since we support green aggro. I’m conscious of crowded green 5-drop density, so in order to play these 2 solid green walkers I needed to cut cards from the 5cc slot. Voracious Hydra has been disappointing, and no one is excited to run it in their starting 23. Utopia Sprawl and Wild Growth have felt dated. The gap between those cards and elves continues to widen as new printings generally support creature synergies. It’s like I woke up one day and realized that I shouldn’t assume those cards are stock. I almost cut Sprawl, but one of our players is making me keep it for the UG fatty decks (that sometimes have Oath). Cutting Overgrowth instead which is also a bit outdated.
Multi
+Niv-Mizzet, Parun
+Fiend Artisan
+Winota, Joiner of Forces
+Leovold, Emissary of Trest
-Domri, Anarch of Bolas
-Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice
-Lim-dul’s Vault
-Fire/Ice
Mana has improved quite a bit over the past couple years, and I’ve seen a lot more decks that could play Leovold. Add a new fetchable tri-land, and it’s time to try him out. Niv-Mizzet is a test, but after playing him in other formats I now realize how absurdly powerful he is if you manage to get him into play. I’m super high on Winota, and my whole group had the same reaction to the spoiler. Fiend Aristisan is perfect for my favorite deck, GB value toolbox. The cuts are pretty straightforward. I’m definitely lower on Domri than most here - he played like a worse Rampant Growth a lot of the time which is a really bad place to be.
Colorless
+Golos, Tireless Pilgrim
-Engineered Explosives
Wow I really underestimated Golos. The group is excited to try him in this format.
Land
+Raugrin Triome
+Zagoth Triome
+Ketria Triome
+Savai Triome
+Indatha Triome
-Reflecting Pool
-Orzhov Basilica
-Izzet Boilerworks
-Dimir Aqueduct
-Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
I was initially only going to add the 3 blue tri-lands, but I have been convinced by our Cubers to add all 5. The last bounceland remaining in the Cube is UW, and that one was always the best by a lot. Happy to remove Reflecting Pool which never did much.
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/5e2496f7f4f4d862e89853b7
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
White
+Seasoned Hallowblade
-Glory-Bound Initiate
Blue
+Barrin, Tolarian Archmage
-Nadir Kraken
Black
None
Red
+Heartfire Immolator
-Plated Geopede
Green
+Elder Gargaroth
-Duskwatch Recruiter
Multi
+Radha, Heart of Keld
-Domri, Anarch of Bolas
Colorless
None
Land
None
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
10 years ago when I created the 720 most of our group included college-age guys who played Magic competitively and saw Cube as an extension of our competitive take on the hobby; it was an opportunity to try to beat each other in a complex format that took the best from draft and eternal constructed. Over the years much of the group drifted away from playing competitive Magic but still gets together to Cube. We play less, but when we do get to Cube we make a weekend out of it (including a couple guys traveling multiple states to make it happen), and the focus is less on who wins the drafts and more about good friends enjoying the weekend together playing a game we all love.
So what does this have to do with power? I think the changing dynamics of why we Cube may cause the powered ‘bad beats’ to become more positively memorable as opposed to competitive feel-bad. Opening a Lotus in a 720 feels more like gambling which is perhaps fun and exciting for how we currently enjoy the Cube.
———
Here’s my first stab at making “Wilson’s Cube” powered.
Major section changes to “Wilson’s Cube” include +20 colorless, +5 multi, -3 of each color, and -10 land (one of each dual - but I support way more duals than many Cubes to begin with). I’m trying an artifact theme which includes several cards that never worked well for us in unpowered, like the Tezzerets. I’m also including Time Vault combo support and Mishra’s Workshop support (includes Workshop plus a couple artifacts that are otherwise mediocre without the card). I upped the artifact hate with cards like Manglehorn, Ancient Grudge, and Collector Ouphe - which I’m unsure is good enough, but I like as many hatebears as possible to make GW decks decent. I need to keep my eye on artifact destruction to make sure I don’t overdo it.
I welcome any feedback on the first attempt at powered, thanks!
http://cubecobra.com/cube/list/5fcbd768911aef64c574adc2