I like all these changes! I think that I like all your lands more than Crawling Barrens. I think I like it more than Powder Keg or Lightning Greaves, but I know I'm more down on Greaves than most are (I don't run it at 630).
Thanks. I was looking at Powder Keg as the potential cut for Barrens. The only thing that gives me pause is that Keg is an answer to manlands like the Barrens.
I don't love Greaves but it's been useful for the Eureka/reanimator decks and to protect Kiki-Jiki.
I'd like to try to find room for Crawling Barrens. Any suggestions for cuts in colorless or lands?
How do you feel about cutting one of Terramorphic Expanse / Evolving Wilds to make room? The effect is redundant and you have Prismatic Vista and Fabled Passage as well. I think I'd be ok cutting one of the original ETBT ones to open up a slot for something different and a little more interesting.
I'd like to try to find room for Crawling Barrens. Any suggestions for cuts in colorless or lands?
How do you feel about cutting one of Terramorphic Expanse / Evolving Wilds to make room? The effect is redundant and you have Prismatic Vista and Fabled Passage as well. I think I'd be ok cutting one of the original ETBT ones to open up a slot for something different and a little more interesting.
That's not a bad idea. We've gotten two superior basic land searchers recently. Maybe only one Expanse/Wilds variant is needed these days.
The biggest changes are reconfiguring my multicolor sections so that each guild now has five lands and a signet. I cut half the tricolored cards to help with this goal. Persist and Kiki-Jiki combos have left the building.
I'm kinda meh about Sword of Light and Shadow and Dismissive Pyromancer.
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Have you cut monarch as a theme or were the cards underperforming for you? Fall from Favor and Court of Grace aren't in my current list but that's really just down to card availability. In a bit of proxied testing Fall was a great performer for us. Otherwise the changes look great.
I personally value Robber of the Rich over Earthshaker Khenra. Especially with your curve trending lower in red with this update.
I never really got to test the monarch theme. I love the mechanic but I had to find room somewhere. Looking at other cubes, a lot of the monarch cards didn't last in them. Fall from Favor doesn't seem to be what blue needs anyway and that would be the monarch card I'd be least interested in bringing back. The one I will most miss is Custodi Lich and that could see a return.
Cutting Khenra for Robber is an idea. I'll think about that.
How did Luminious Broodmoth perform for you? Surprised to see spellskite go. Have you considered counting it as colorless? Giving Faerie Conclave a try or has Aetherling been underperforming? Would you say Yawgmoth isn't worth running with persist leaving? Why cut kiki? Do your players not like it?
Sphinx of the Steel Wind is a great Tinker/Fattie target, but you did just add in a bunch of others. It's a bit difficult to cast outside of that in comparison to Karn. I think the pathway lands are a good addition.
Custodi lich is so good. One of my favorite recurring nightmare targets in the sort of fair graveyard decks. I like the idea of Fall curving into planeswalkers but I definitely haven't tested it enough to have a strong opinion. Just impressed in very limited testing.
How did Luminious Broodmoth perform for you? Surprised to see spellskite go. Have you considered counting it as colorless? Giving Faerie Conclave a try or has Aetherling been underperforming? Would you say Yawgmoth isn't worth running with persist leaving? Why cut kiki? Do your players not like it?
Sphinx of the Steel Wind is a great Tinker/Fattie target, but you did just add in a bunch of others. It's a bit difficult to cast outside of that in comparison to Karn. I think the pathway lands are a good addition.
Due to covid, I never actually got to test Broodmoth and the persist combo. Ditto Kiki. In my trial drafts, persist was very hard to put together and I didn't want to dedicate more slots to it, so I thought scrapping it was better. I would've liked to keep Kiki, Aetherling, and Yawgmoth, but I needed to find room for the new stuff and some returning old stuff. They seemed expendable. Spellskite was OK but not critical for any deck.
Custodi lich is so good. One of my favorite recurring nightmare targets in the sort of fair graveyard decks. I like the idea of Fall curving into planeswalkers but I definitely haven't tested it enough to have a strong opinion. Just impressed in very limited testing.
Custodi Lich is quite likely to make a return. Fall never got a chance for testing due to the virus, but it seemed a bit underpowered compared to other cards.
Huge update. This brings my cube current to Crimson Vow. Still considering finding room for Dread Fugue, Force of Negation, and Hand of Vecna. Dark Ritual was a tough cut for me, and my group isn't going to love it. How much do I need Cabal Initiate? Hard choices in cubes these days, which is not a bad problem really.
i like dark ritual better than most of the black cards in your cube list, but i'm sure thats b/c of my experiences w/ it in vintage & legacy.
However constructed formats differ so much from cube, so i could be completely off base here, but i'd rather have it than dread wanderer of the black cards listed in your cube.
guess i should elaborate a little more. i just find dread wanderer's ability too conditional, costly & inefficient. heck @ least w/ persistent specimen i dont have to meet all the requirements, (timing, cards in hand), to re-cast it from the yard for 2B mana
guess i should elaborate a little more. i just find dread wanderer's ability too conditional, costly & inefficient. heck @ least w/ persistent specimen i dont have to meet all the requirements, (timing, cards in hand), to re-cast it from the yard for 2B mana
One mana 1/1s are a far cry from one mana 2/1s. If a cube is only looking for recursive creatures with no aggressive strategy for black, then something like Specimen or Reassembling Skeleton might be better choices. However, if you want recursive creatures for Stax shells and also want to support an aggro deck in black, a card like Dread Wanderer is a necessity.
guess i should elaborate a little more. i just find dread wanderer's ability too conditional, costly & inefficient. heck @ least w/ persistent specimen i dont have to meet all the requirements, (timing, cards in hand), to re-cast it from the yard for 2B mana
One mana 1/1s are a far cry from one mana 2/1s. If a cube is only looking for recursive creatures with no aggressive strategy for black, then something like Specimen or Reassembling Skeleton might be better choices. However, if you want recursive creatures for Stax shells and also want to support an aggro deck in black, a card like Dread Wanderer is a necessity.
i get that, but he asked for suggestion for a swap... besides, how often does black aggro happen, 1 less piece isnt going to really hurt an archetype, supported or not, that is rarely drafted. red, r/w, r/b or mono white are probaby the most common aggro that i see
It's really important to have 3-4 colors support aggro if you want aggro to be a full third of the metagame and to not have control run away with the show. I like black aggro a lot. I'm not looking to cut another 2-power 1-drop in black because I already cut one (Carnophage) in this update.
I wonder if I need Cabal Initiate and/or Rotting Regisaur because I might have enough discard outlets without one of them. Also, I wonder if I'm running too many removal spells and could live without one to get Dark Ritual back in.
Also, I kinda miss Thrun but he's probably outlived his cube time.
There might be an argument to keeping Carnophage or Dark Ritual in over Cabal Initiate since you're adding in Putrid Imp with this update. Maybe Putrid Imp was better Cabal Initiate all along?
There might be an argument to keeping Carnophage or Dark Ritual in over Cabal Initiate since you're adding in Putrid Imp with this update. Maybe Putrid Imp was better Cabal Initiate all along?
that seems like a reasonable compromise/cut for dark rit
Really sad to see BSA go. That card was so impressive back in the day, and I remember how happy I was to finally trade for a foil. I also wish I could have found room for The Wandering Emperor.
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I don't love Greaves but it's been useful for the Eureka/reanimator decks and to protect Kiki-Jiki.
Cheers,
rant
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Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
How do you feel about cutting one of Terramorphic Expanse / Evolving Wilds to make room? The effect is redundant and you have Prismatic Vista and Fabled Passage as well. I think I'd be ok cutting one of the original ETBT ones to open up a slot for something different and a little more interesting.
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That's not a bad idea. We've gotten two superior basic land searchers recently. Maybe only one Expanse/Wilds variant is needed these days.
Thanks!
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
Sylvan Caryatid -> Magus of the Order
Garruk Relentless -> Nissa, Voice of Zendikar
Wild Mongrel -> Kessig Prowler
Wordly Tutor -> Experiment One
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
Luminous Broodmoth > Prismatic Ending
Starnheim Unleashed > Solitude
Court of Grace > Maul of the Skyclaves
Doomskar > Ephemerate
Spellskite > Sea Gate Stormcaller
Aetherling > Faerie Conclave
Fall from Favor > Lose Focus
Kitesail Freebooter > Dauthi Voidwalker
Opposition Agent > Grief
Woe Strider > Sedgemoor Witch
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician > Cabal Initiate
Custodi Lich > Archon of Cruelty
Goblin Bombardment > Fury
Stromkirk Noble > Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
Magma Jet > Searing Spear
Kargan Intimidator > Stormblood Berserker
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker > Laelia, the Blade Reforged
Chandra, Flamecaller > Embercleave
Zealous Conscripts > Flametongue Yearling
Koth of the Hammer > Dismissive Pyromancer
Manglehorn > Foundation Breaker
Great Oak Guardian > Abundant Harvest
Kazandu Mammoth > Timeless Witness
Noose Constrictor > Pest Infestation
- Reflector Mage
- Fallen Shinobi
- Murderous Redcap
- Rhythm of the Wild
- Copperline Gorge
- Kitchen Finks
- Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
- Unburial Rites
- Saheeli, Sublime Artificer
- Saheeli, the Gifted
- Deathrite Shaman
- Pernicious Deed
- Boros Charm
- Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice
- Edric, Spymaster of Trest
- Sphinx of the Steel Wind
- Hellkite Overlord
- Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
- Yasova Dragonclaw
- Kykar, Wind's Fury
- Tasigur, the Golden Fang
- Blast Zone
- Lightning Greaves
+ Hengegate Pathway
+ Clearwater Pathway
+ Brightclimb Pathway
+ Cragcrown Pathway
+ Riverglide Pathway
+ Blackcleave Cliffs
+ Golgari Signet
+ Selesnya Signet
+ Boros Signet
+ Gruul Signet
+ Damn
+ Prismari Command
+ Grist, the Hunger Tide
+ Rip Apart
+ Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
+ Ignoble Hierarch
+ Urza's Saga
+ Ornithopter of Paradise
+ Dust Bowl
+ Basalt Monolith
+ Ancient Stone Idol
+ Triplicate Titan
+ Scroll Rack
The biggest changes are reconfiguring my multicolor sections so that each guild now has five lands and a signet. I cut half the tricolored cards to help with this goal. Persist and Kiki-Jiki combos have left the building.
Other changes I'm considering:
Diregraf Ghoul > Putrid Imp
??? > Robber of the Rich
Karn Liberated > Sphinx of the Steel Wind
Sword of Feast and Famine > Quicksilver Amulet
Sword of Sinew and Steel > Heirloom Blade
??? > Liquimetal Torque
Very interested in any constructive feedback!
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
I'm kinda meh about Sword of Light and Shadow and Dismissive Pyromancer.
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
Pyromancer is a useful discard outlet. I'm giving it another chance in the cube. We'll see what happens.
I actually think SoLaS is the second-best sword.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
I personally value Robber of the Rich over Earthshaker Khenra. Especially with your curve trending lower in red with this update.
Cutting Khenra for Robber is an idea. I'll think about that.
Thanks for the feedback.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
Sphinx of the Steel Wind is a great Tinker/Fattie target, but you did just add in a bunch of others. It's a bit difficult to cast outside of that in comparison to Karn. I think the pathway lands are a good addition.
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Due to covid, I never actually got to test Broodmoth and the persist combo. Ditto Kiki. In my trial drafts, persist was very hard to put together and I didn't want to dedicate more slots to it, so I thought scrapping it was better. I would've liked to keep Kiki, Aetherling, and Yawgmoth, but I needed to find room for the new stuff and some returning old stuff. They seemed expendable. Spellskite was OK but not critical for any deck.
Custodi Lich is quite likely to make a return. Fall never got a chance for testing due to the virus, but it seemed a bit underpowered compared to other cards.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
All feedback appreciated.
Maul of the Skyclaves > Portable Hole
Charming Prince > Cave of the Frost Dragon
Soldier of the Pantheon > Intrepid Adversary
Thalia, Heretic Cathar > Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
Barrin, Tolarian Archmage > Consider
Tezzeret the Seeker > Torrential Gearhulk
Looter il-Kor > Suspicious Stowaway
Inkwell Leviathan > Shark Typhoon
Carnophage > Putrid Imp
Agadeem's Awakening > Hive of the Eye Tyrant
Dark Ritual > Baleful Mastery
Doom Whisperer > Custodi Lich
Stormblood Berserker > Bloodthirsty Adversary
Embercleave > Den of the Bugbear
Falkenrath Gorger > Falkenrath Pit Fighter
Experiment One > Ascendant Packleader
Timeless Witness > Esika's Chariot
Thrun, the Last Troll > Lair of the Hydra
Foundation Breaker > Outland Liberator
Magus of the Order > Primal Adversary
Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh > Sphinx of the Steel Wind
Sword of Feast and Famine > Heirloom Blade
Assassin's Trophy > Pernicious Deed
Karn Liberated > Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
Suggestions for another cut?
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
However constructed formats differ so much from cube, so i could be completely off base here, but i'd rather have it than dread wanderer of the black cards listed in your cube.
One mana 1/1s are a far cry from one mana 2/1s. If a cube is only looking for recursive creatures with no aggressive strategy for black, then something like Specimen or Reassembling Skeleton might be better choices. However, if you want recursive creatures for Stax shells and also want to support an aggro deck in black, a card like Dread Wanderer is a necessity.
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i get that, but he asked for suggestion for a swap... besides, how often does black aggro happen, 1 less piece isnt going to really hurt an archetype, supported or not, that is rarely drafted. red, r/w, r/b or mono white are probaby the most common aggro that i see
I wonder if I need Cabal Initiate and/or Rotting Regisaur because I might have enough discard outlets without one of them. Also, I wonder if I'm running too many removal spells and could live without one to get Dark Ritual back in.
Also, I kinda miss Thrun but he's probably outlived his cube time.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
MTGS Average Peasant Cube 2023 Edition
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that seems like a reasonable compromise/cut for dark rit
Baneslayer Angel -> Lion Sash
Cabal Initiate -> Blade of the Oni
Ilharg, the Raze-Boar -> Twinshot Sniper
Acidic Slime -> Boseiju, Who Endures
Powder Keg -> Eater of Virtue
Really sad to see BSA go. That card was so impressive back in the day, and I remember how happy I was to finally trade for a foil. I also wish I could have found room for The Wandering Emperor.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963