Well, it's not a lack of fixing. I run more fixing lands than the average cube, and by a decent amount. I just don't have a surplus of fixing. It's not automatic. Players have to prioritize it in order to get access to a manabase that can comfortably play 3+ colors. It's very doable with attention being paid to it, but it's hard to just have it fall into your lap like it might if someone was running 10+ lands per guild in a small cube, for example.
There are pros and cons to having an over-abundance of fixing. I've tried both, and I prefer to be somewhere in the middle.
I would actually run a 11th or a 12th land cycle if there are good fixing cycles.
"have it fall into your lap" sounds pretty good for me. I would really like to see Recurring Nightmare - Vannifar decks or Oko - Daretti - Urza artifact decks etc or Jund Aristocrat Aggro. That all sounds incredible to me.
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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
So, all the MDFCs I added in are playing incredibly well. Well enough that I might be looking to expand the 1 "tax" net that I cast to 2 and see what else it grabs. Nothing definitive at the moment, but I'm keeping an eye on:
- Tap a creature + draw a card is really not a joke - its an incredibly strong tempo play for decks that are trying to assemble or for more aggressive decks to push through damage.
- Artifact // Enchantment removal that cycles has always been incredible, especially for slower archetypes.
What I do not like about the cards you listed is they open themselves up to 2 for 1 really easily and are too narrow - they only fit in 1-2 archetypes.
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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
FWIW, I'm going to experiment with one additional cycle of fixing. CubeCobra (and the OP) will be updated with that change soon.
Looks like this:
Reflector Mage -> Irrigated Farmland (Placeholder for W/U Pathway Land)
The Scarab God -> Darkslick Shores
Dreadbore -> Canyon Slough (Placeholder for B/R Pathway Land)
Radha, Heart of Keld -> Copperline Gorge
Qasali Pridemage -> Grasslands
Kaya’s Wrath -> Concealed Courtyard
Lotleth Troll -> Woodland Cemetery (Placeholder for B/G Pathway Land)
Bounding Krasis -> Hinterland Harbor (Placeholder for G/U Pathway Land)
Saheeli, the Gifted -> Spirebluff Canal
Skyknight Vanguard -> Inspiring Vantage
These are all really nice quality cards, but I opted for the mono color versions:
- Man - o war and Barrin, Tolarian Archmage over Reflector Mage.
- Noose Constrictor and Wild Mongrel over Lotleth Troll
Kaya's Wrath has been an interesting card for me - is the double white/ double black really castable?
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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
I just looked through my cards for Cube reasons and found Elsewhere Flask. I don't think I saw it mentioned somewhere before, but thought it might be interesting to think about for Cubes that run High Tide. Just wanted to get that out here for the remote chance that you haven't already considered the card at some point in the past.
Hopefully you get texting done before the sale is over haha thinking of just flipping the whole lair or all the non-Rick cards just to get it for the $49.99 price
How did the Aggro-Loam package work for you so far?
While doing my ZNR-changes, I held Vinelasher Kudzu next to Luminarch Aspirant and wondered whether it is really worth the real-estate^^
Working quite well so far. No complaints. In decks playing multiple lands a turn and cracking fetches and stuff, Fledgling/Kudzu are super cool.
I am interested in trying this package in my cube, but at 540, I am finding it hard to find room for them, especially in green... are these aggro-loam guys worth swapping in over other green aggro one and two drops? Like Elvish Reclaimer/Scythe Leopard over Jungle Lion/Pelt Collector/Experiment One? Or Vinelasher Kudzuu over Noose Constrictor/Tarmogoyf/Scavenging Ooze? I have a hard time picturing that would be an improvement, but I have not played with any of the cards in this aggro-loam package myself.
Also, thanks for all the cube content and discussions you post wtwlf123!
Here is my issue with Monarchy - it can be incredibly feast or famine. If you are ahead, it allows you to win more. If you are behind, it is incredibly useless and could backfire.
The issue I find with Court of Grace and Court of Cunning is their monarch clause essentially allows you to win the game in 2-3 turns if it is not answered immediately and is relatively difficult for non-white/ green decks to interact with enchantments.
I wasn't a fan of Monarchy before - Palace Jailer and Custodi Lich weren't the best in terms of play experience, but they were more benign as drawing an additional card often out of more aggressive archetypes isn't the end of the world.
What I like to see in the coming days is the community comes up with ideas on how to counter balance these effects and make the games still fun and interactive.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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
I rather enjoy Monarch as a mechanic. I think the mini-game is fun and interesting, and I like how it can provide midrange with tools that are powerful against control and weaker against aggro.
There are pros and cons to having an over-abundance of fixing. I've tried both, and I prefer to be somewhere in the middle.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
"have it fall into your lap" sounds pretty good for me. I would really like to see Recurring Nightmare - Vannifar decks or Oko - Daretti - Urza artifact decks etc or Jund Aristocrat Aggro. That all sounds incredible to me.
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
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
these for sure
Skyclave Cleric // Skyclave Basilica
Spikefield Hazard // Spikefield Cave
and maybe
Blackbloom Rogue // Blackbloom Bog
Valakut Awakening // Valakut Stoneforge
then lastly:
Kazuul's Fury // Kazuul's Cliffs
Kabira Takedown // Kabira Plateau
Khalni Ambush // Khalni Territory
depending on how the 2nd wave goes.
Again, nothing's for certain yet, but those look like other promising cards if the mechanic continues to perform like it has been in testing.
MDFC lands are the real deal.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
- Cleansing Wildfire
- Shredded Sails
- Pressure Point
- Topple the Statue
- Explore
- Wilt
- Fire // Ice
- Tap a creature + draw a card is really not a joke - its an incredibly strong tempo play for decks that are trying to assemble or for more aggressive decks to push through damage.
- Artifact // Enchantment removal that cycles has always been incredible, especially for slower archetypes.
What I do not like about the cards you listed is they open themselves up to 2 for 1 really easily and are too narrow - they only fit in 1-2 archetypes.
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
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
Looks like this:
Reflector Mage -> Irrigated Farmland (Placeholder for W/U Pathway Land)
The Scarab God -> Darkslick Shores
Dreadbore -> Canyon Slough (Placeholder for B/R Pathway Land)
Radha, Heart of Keld -> Copperline Gorge
Qasali Pridemage -> Grasslands
Kaya’s Wrath -> Concealed Courtyard
Lotleth Troll -> Woodland Cemetery (Placeholder for B/G Pathway Land)
Bounding Krasis -> Hinterland Harbor (Placeholder for G/U Pathway Land)
Saheeli, the Gifted -> Spirebluff Canal
Skyknight Vanguard -> Inspiring Vantage
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
These are all really nice quality cards, but I opted for the mono color versions:
- Man - o war and Barrin, Tolarian Archmage over Reflector Mage.
- Noose Constrictor and Wild Mongrel over Lotleth Troll
Kaya's Wrath has been an interesting card for me - is the double white/ double black really castable?
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
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
I remember you writing that playing with silver-bordered cards does not feel like real MTG to you. Does playing with The Walking Dead cards?
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
While doing my ZNR-changes, I held Vinelasher Kudzu next to Luminarch Aspirant and wondered whether it is really worth the real-estate^^
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
I am interested in trying this package in my cube, but at 540, I am finding it hard to find room for them, especially in green... are these aggro-loam guys worth swapping in over other green aggro one and two drops? Like Elvish Reclaimer/Scythe Leopard over Jungle Lion/Pelt Collector/Experiment One? Or Vinelasher Kudzuu over Noose Constrictor/Tarmogoyf/Scavenging Ooze? I have a hard time picturing that would be an improvement, but I have not played with any of the cards in this aggro-loam package myself.
Also, thanks for all the cube content and discussions you post wtwlf123!
My 36+ Commander Decks: TAPPEDOUT
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
My 36+ Commander Decks: TAPPEDOUT
WWW
Court of Grace
UUU
Court of Cunning
Fall from Favor
Hullbreacher
BBB
Opposition Agent
RRR
None
GGG
None
WUBRG
None
1XT
None
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
The issue I find with Court of Grace and Court of Cunning is their monarch clause essentially allows you to win the game in 2-3 turns if it is not answered immediately and is relatively difficult for non-white/ green decks to interact with enchantments.
I wasn't a fan of Monarchy before - Palace Jailer and Custodi Lich weren't the best in terms of play experience, but they were more benign as drawing an additional card often out of more aggressive archetypes isn't the end of the world.
What I like to see in the coming days is the community comes up with ideas on how to counter balance these effects and make the games still fun and interactive.
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
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!