The humble Stinkweed Imp seems to get no regard in this thread. It is a fantastic enabler of delve and other graveyard shenanigans whilst simultaneously functioning as endless removal versus your opponent's creatures unless they can exile it.
I'm currently fine tuning my cube and realised how much work he can do putting cards into the graveyard.
Seems a bit odd to me, Foxfire Oak can be a 9/6 on its first swing if you can spare the six mana, but Ruination Wurm is 7/6 with no further mana required and can block better. If you only spend three mana on the Oak in your next turn it isn't as good as the Wurm. There is nothing beefier at six mana in common than the Wurm.
The value of such cards go up and down in value depending what is in your cube. For slower cubes, six drops in general are more playable, especially if your cube isn't half removal.
A gold card is subject to much stricter evaluation than a monocolored card. It's harder to get into play, it's narrower and fits into less decks, and it competes against other gold cards in a much smaller set of inclusions.
That being said, Foxfire Oak should probably be downgraded. It doesn't actually get played
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this huge project! I've just completed a long-overdue update to my commons cube using this thread as a reference for card evaluation. I decided to go from 520 to 540 cards but, since I hadn't worked on the cube since New Phyrexia came out, I had a lot of changes to make. As I'd collected a lot of cards for the cube in that time, it was very helpful to have this thread for reference and I ended up making 250 cuts and 270 additions.
There are a few evaluations I'd like to discuss here.
Big colorless creaturesRusted Relic, Hexplate Golem, and Razorfield Thresher seem to have been missed in the effort to evaluate everything and recent options Kozilek's Channeler and Eldrazi Devastator have not yet been rated here. What do you all think of these cards? I suspect Rusted Relic is only worth considering for a cube with an artifact theme and felt Razorfield Thresher had unimpressive stats. I feel Hexplate Golem is decent and I was running it in the previous iteration of my cube have now cut it such that my big colorless creatures only include Ulamog's Crusher, Eldrazi Devastator, Kozilek's Pathfinder, Lurking Automaton and Kozilek's Channeler.
Skyshroud Troll rated as borderline while Clay Statue is rated cubable; these are quite similar cards. I understand Green's four-drops are pretty stacked with quality cards which might lead to the Troll being rated lower within Green but I have a hard time understanding what non-green deck wants a worse version of the Troll such that Clay Statue would be a good option. I'll be giving it a go for now but am skeptical that Clay Statue is all that strong of a card. What kind of decks do you see Clay Statue pull it's weight in? Do you agree that Skyshroud Troll is only a borderline consideration compared to other Green four-drops?
Guardians of Akrasa rated as bad while Kabuto Moth is rated cubable; I've been interested in trying out Kabuto Moth since reading about people's experiences with it in pauper cube discussion threads here back when I first started the cube. This was the cut I made for it, but I am not completely sure Guardians of Akrasa deserves to be rated as a bad card and I have some doubts about just how powerful the Moth is. I feel that Guardians of Akrasa is far from a bad card; if you had a creature out before casting Guardians of Akrasa, that creature gets +1/+1 the turn Guardians of Akrasa comes into play and Guardians of Akrasa is quite respectable as a blocker that turn, too. Kabuto Moth has always seemed much worse to me, doing nothing when it enters. You won't block with it. It's on the following turns where the valuation shifts; for a voltron-type deck that aims to attack with one threat, Guardians are still the better choice, I believe, as it both pumps the attacking creature and remains a solid wall. Kabuto Moth, however, threatens a pump that supports the type of deck that attacks with more than one creature. Typically, the pump only happens if the opponent blocks; if the opponent doesn't block, you'll usually rather keep the moth up as a 2/4 flying blocker, which is a much better wall than the Guardians' grounded 0/4. Of course, the Moth also has the opportunity to pump some other blocker on defence, instead.
I would prefer the 0/4 defender over a 1/2 flyer any day. The difference is Kabuto Moth isn't just a 1/2 flyer, its a 2/4 flyer on the defense with the option to pump other creatures. Guardians of Akrasa on the other hand is an overcosted Kraken Hatchling on an otherwise empty board.
Clay Statue is good in U/x Control. G/x Control seldom exists.
Moth was an MVP during Triple Kamigawa due to low removal choices. But also handing out a Holy Strengh on-demand. The limitations of the Guardian are numerous compared to a Flying, non-Defender, that can boost not just a lone attacker. I NEVER liked the Exalted mechanic, as it was an eggs-in-one-basket idea.
@humphrey and Al: Humphrey did you ever sent in these updates you made? Or Al, did you never include them? Because it annoys me a little bit more with every set that this thread isn't up to date (no offense. I would appreciate if it gets an update. I would even do it myself, if I could. Or know that it will be included.)
well i started with some updates, but its pretty tedious to rate them to be honest. especially since were now at the point where many cubers around here are looking for funny and intersting synergies/archetypes and less power only.
I think the set discussion threads are a good source of information which cards are interesting and which arent.
Good point, maybe this whole thing needs to be evaluated. And I guess not all players trying both like me: Funny and interesting archetypes and the most powerful versions of them. And I don't even know if I'm succesful with that.
I tend to rate things better than they are, so with your arguments, I mostly agree with your critics. I even dare to quote you on one or two cards. But I still think Guardian Automaton is Cubeable. Compared to the staple Cathodion it's not much worse.
I looked through the other green removal spells, and the closest I found is Hunt the weak which is classified as Borderline and I think is weaker than Wild Instincts.
Okay then. I'll downgrade it and change the text.
I recognized, we don't have a land section. Where do I put something like the new BFZ lands?
Forget it, I'm blind.
Kozilek's Channeler: Borderline. Your deck needs to be incredibly mana hungry to be interested in ramp for 5 mana and the problem is, that you don't have access to the mana during your turn, when you still want to block or attack with this guy.
Ruin Processor: Borderline. This creature is big and must be handled, but it has no evasion the processing is almost irrelevant.
Scour from Existence: Bad. It can get rid of everything and fits in every deck, but 7 mana are way to much.
Fertile Thicket: Borderline. This card fixes in early game and is bad in late game.
Looming Spire: Cubeable. Pump plus first strike is a nice addition to a land.
Mortuary Mire: Cubeable. The ability to recur a creature with a land drop is strong, but it's useless in early game.
Sandstone Bridge: Cubeable. Pump plus the ability to block after the creature attacked is useful.
Skyline Cascade: Cubeable. The creature has to already be tapped, but on a land it's still strong.
Shadow Glider is a Wind Drake. Aka French Vanilla, yet par for the course. Not arguing rating, just evaluation.
Sheer Drop is White's Shriekmaw. I do not mean it is a White Shriekmaw, I mean it is a Pauper White etb Kill a guy with limited targeting, and a 3/3 card. With an alternate mode. If Borderline Plus was a rating, this would be the poster child.
Clutch of Currents is Cubeable, Rush of Ice is bordeline. Bounce is better than tapdown all day, everyday unless a broken EtB ability is there; which perhaps sans Mulldrifter, there is not. Same stats in the same set is wierd design.
Cloud Manta being strictly worse than a Cubeable/Borderline makes it bad in my book. With an official paper version of Phantom Monster now, this should never be run in 360, and I doubt even 540 would play this. Also, functional reprint of Snapping Drake
Eldrazi Skyspawner is, imo, a Staple. Not a 1st pick mvp, but every cube should be running it. It gives 2 bodies in blue, Is fairly costed, on curve, and splashable; NEVER happens.
Silent Skimmer would be almost Cubaeable in black if it was a 2/4 Flyer, but it is not. Rating is right, reasoning is lax.
Eyeless Watcher is what used to be known as a Role Player. If you like 4cc 1/4 Unblockables, then this deserves the same rating. It is an Army-in-a-Can, Ramp, and fairly/splashable costed. Borderline.
Eldrazi Devistator may be the beast of Big, Dumb Smasher. But it still only has 1 role, and 1 HUGE cost. Ramp is not ubiquitous, so this can attain no higher than Borderline.
These are not snipes at you. However, I see certain prejudice and predisposition for certain kinds of cards. I am like that with Utility like Charms. However, Staple means you NEED this card. It is top 3 in its color/cost. Cubeable is the highest possible recommendation without telling you "it should be in your cube or you are an idiot". Bordeline is Playable. I also consider it "Acceptable Filler".
Value on cards is hard to determine without seeing them in action, or having direct comparisons. Sheer Drop from this set is probably the biggest argument point. However it is White's only Shriekmaw/Aethersnipe. I value it high, and if I did a set review, I would rate it Cubeable; higher than most. But I feel it has great value, and a unique place in most W/x or X/w Control and as a curve filler in midrange.
/rant
-Thanks for the write up though, it takes time and thought to do these.
Shadow Glider: What do you mean, you're just arguing evaluation? Noobincube's evaluation here is spot on. Wind Drakes aren't exciting. They aren't even cubeable, lol. Most flyers at this cost clock in with 3 power, or come with some extra ability tacked on. I would downgrade all the vanilla Wind Drakes to bad, because there are plenty of non-vanilla options out there now.
Sheer Drop I would agree to being white's poor man's Shriekmaw. Card is real good and its options are always relevant.
Cloud Manta and Eldrazi Skyspawner should be downgraded and upgraded based on context to current cards. In your own words, Noobincube, Skyspawner is a better version of a cubeable card. That puts it in staple. Cloud Manta I can't see anybody ever running, especially with Phantom Monster available as previously stated.
From my own notes, Benthic Infiltrator is almost certainly not cubeable. One power for three mana is a terrible cost to effectiveness ratio, and the disparity between big butt and low power makes it dissynergistic rather than flexible, because you're then using it for defense instead of for its unblockability.
I do like Kozilek's Channeler, but I'm not sure about its ranking. A 4/4 for 5 mana in any color seems like it would be a 23rd card for a lot of decks, or something you only take as filler to help out your curve and ramp goals
I think this is my curmudgeon drafter "old skool" talking:
90% of a given set is probably Bad.
Borderline, I feel needs references and/or clearer context
Cubeable, as I stated, is the strongest recommendation without beating you over the head
Staple, is an auto-include caliber card.
I figure most sets give 0-2 Staples. 3-8 Cubeable. 6-12 Borderline. And the rest is Bad at best. This assumes no new, revolutionary mechanism that skews design. (See Shadow or Flashback).
I may submit my own overview, but for anyone who reads my overthought articles, I ramble about context and reference to make myself seem smart.
Change log: (Under construction. I will make more changes with more time.)
Downgraded Shadow Glider to Bad, because Al is right about the other 3 drops.
Changed the reasoning on Sheer Drop, I recognize the ability to do great stuff, but I don't think it's worth of cubeable.
Downgraded Ondu Greathorn to Borderline. Forgot all white bombs are sitting on 4.
Downgraded Lithomancer's Focus to Bad, because I can see, that it isn't as good as Giant Growth or somenthing similar.
Downgraded Ghostly Sentinel to Borderline. Never felt comfortable with the rating of this anyway.
switched the ratings of Clutch and rush. Don't know what I was thinking when writing that. Maybe some sort of brain stutter.
Downgraded Cloud Manta to Bad. I didn't realize it's a reprint.
Downgraded Benthic Infiltator to bad. I never saw it as a nonbo, but yet, it is one.
No change to Eldrazi Skyspawner. This creature hasn't enough impact to be a staple. It isn't a creature you have to handle fast, but much value.
Downgraded Spell Shrivel to Bad. I can't believe I didn't think of Cancel and its better versions. I shouldn't do ratings at 11pm.
Downgraded Oracle of Dust to Bad. With second thought a 3/5 body isn't really good.
Downgraded Culling Drone to Terrible. Personally a bear isn't Terrible in my opionion, but all other bears are in this category, so this will be too.
Downgraded Dominator Drone to bad.
Downgraded Grave Birthing to bad.
No change to Mire's Malice. If it would cost 2B for the first mode I would totally put in Cubeable but this way it's overcosted in my opinion.
Downgraded Silent Skimmer to bad. The blocking argument is valid.
Downgraded Sludge Crawler to bad.
Upgraded Voracious Null to bad. I never played it, because it looks so terrible. But I trust Al on this one.
No changes to Lavastep Raider. I compared it to other one drops and you don't get a body greater than 1/1 without a drawback. The ability is still overcosted though.
Changed Sure Strike to Borderline. Yeah, I got it, I should compare more.^^
Upgraded Valakut Predator to Cubeable.
No changes to Vestige of Emrakul yet. There are a lot of X/1 or X/2 in a cube and I think trample on a 3 power creature is indeed relevant in this situations. But I maybe convinced with more arguments.
Downgraded Broodhunter Wurm to bad. Right, green got bigger creatures for the same mana costs.
Downgraded Earthen Arms to bad. Didn't realise it's a sorcery, although I wrote it. Strange.
No changes to Eyeless Watcher. Even if this card is versatile, the ramp is overcosted and jumpblocking isn't what I want to do with four mana.
Downgraded Natural Connection to bad. Good point, with the lack of landfall it's not very good.
Upgraded Snapping Gnarlid to Cubeable. It's a pet card of mine, so I wasn't truly convinced and graded it lower than I would have.
No changes to Eldrazi Devastator. I think it's on the same power level as Ulamog's Crusher and it's rated cubeable. So I rate Devastator Cubeable.
Downgraded Kozilek's Channeler to Borderline. I thought about it and I play it with the other two big Eldrazi and when it hits it's awesome, because you play a big one at next turn, but if you don't have one of the others, than yes, its not so good.
Crazy Idea: Why not replace (or add to) the evaluate everything proyect with a 'rank everything proyect' where simply there is a 'top 5', 'top 10' and a 'top 15' for each colour+cmc category (not every top for every category, some will have only top 5+10 and others only top 5)?
That way a beginner will know more easily which cards are considered the best in each slot to start a cube from scratch; and every time a new expansion is released, we simply discuss if a card deserves to enter the tops.
It seems to me that this metodology avoids discussing thousands of cards that are between 'terrible' and 'worst-borderline'.
Also it seems a lot easier to make an ordinal caracterization of cards (this one I prefer over this one, basically what we do all the time in the This-or-that thread) than to put a cardinal number on every card that is released based on more-or-less arbitrary categories (terrible-bad-border-cub-etc).
3 Examples extracted directly from the EEP: *
Blue creatures cc2
Top 5
Errant Ephemeron
Looter Il-Kor
Merfolk Looter / Thought Courier
Ninja of the Deep Hours
Spined Thopter
Top 15
Silver Myr
Briarberry Cohort
Augury Owl
Dreamscape Artist
Gossamer Phantasm
-----------
Green creatures cc5
Top 5
Nessian Asp
Sprout Swarm
Rubbleback Rhino
Sentinel Spider
Rhox Maulers
Top 10
Stampeding Elk Herd
Tangle Hulk
Hollowhenge Beast
Kavu Climber
Okina Nightwatch
---------------------
Azorius
Top 5
Curse of Chains
Feeling of Dread
Dismantling Blow
Deft Duelist
Momentary Blink
* Off course theese are just made-up examples, sure the ranking (and the amount of tops per category) is debatable, I didn't even thought about them, here they are random.
@Merovingiann
I like the idea. Now to make it stick, or impliment it. Basically, new thread and give it your spin. I would recommend at least a little write up for qualities of the Top 5 vs the Top 10. It will be a lot of work, but this thread took that and it itself is a "Staple"; [/bad pun]
@metalevolence:
I do not believe any aggro creature can be a staple, because Aggro in 360 pauper is not a Staple. Some have blended aggro into Tempo and there are not slots for Pure Aggro in most cubes. I myself waffle all the time on leaving my aggro in as it is a good 5+ slots in any given color, and none in Blue.
I'm currently fine tuning my cube and realised how much work he can do putting cards into the graveyard.
My singleton Masters Cube
Seems a bit odd to me, Foxfire Oak can be a 9/6 on its first swing if you can spare the six mana, but Ruination Wurm is 7/6 with no further mana required and can block better. If you only spend three mana on the Oak in your next turn it isn't as good as the Wurm. There is nothing beefier at six mana in common than the Wurm.
The value of such cards go up and down in value depending what is in your cube. For slower cubes, six drops in general are more playable, especially if your cube isn't half removal.
My singleton Masters Cube
That being said, Foxfire Oak should probably be downgraded. It doesn't actually get played
My Cube (DeckStats)
My Pauper Cube: 540 (CubeTutor link!)
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check out my EDH and Pauper EDH decks here
There are a few evaluations I'd like to discuss here.
Big colorless creatures Rusted Relic, Hexplate Golem, and Razorfield Thresher seem to have been missed in the effort to evaluate everything and recent options Kozilek's Channeler and Eldrazi Devastator have not yet been rated here. What do you all think of these cards? I suspect Rusted Relic is only worth considering for a cube with an artifact theme and felt Razorfield Thresher had unimpressive stats. I feel Hexplate Golem is decent and I was running it in the previous iteration of my cube have now cut it such that my big colorless creatures only include Ulamog's Crusher, Eldrazi Devastator, Kozilek's Pathfinder, Lurking Automaton and Kozilek's Channeler.
Skyshroud Troll rated as borderline while Clay Statue is rated cubable; these are quite similar cards. I understand Green's four-drops are pretty stacked with quality cards which might lead to the Troll being rated lower within Green but I have a hard time understanding what non-green deck wants a worse version of the Troll such that Clay Statue would be a good option. I'll be giving it a go for now but am skeptical that Clay Statue is all that strong of a card. What kind of decks do you see Clay Statue pull it's weight in? Do you agree that Skyshroud Troll is only a borderline consideration compared to other Green four-drops?
Guardians of Akrasa rated as bad while Kabuto Moth is rated cubable; I've been interested in trying out Kabuto Moth since reading about people's experiences with it in pauper cube discussion threads here back when I first started the cube. This was the cut I made for it, but I am not completely sure Guardians of Akrasa deserves to be rated as a bad card and I have some doubts about just how powerful the Moth is. I feel that Guardians of Akrasa is far from a bad card; if you had a creature out before casting Guardians of Akrasa, that creature gets +1/+1 the turn Guardians of Akrasa comes into play and Guardians of Akrasa is quite respectable as a blocker that turn, too. Kabuto Moth has always seemed much worse to me, doing nothing when it enters. You won't block with it. It's on the following turns where the valuation shifts; for a voltron-type deck that aims to attack with one threat, Guardians are still the better choice, I believe, as it both pumps the attacking creature and remains a solid wall. Kabuto Moth, however, threatens a pump that supports the type of deck that attacks with more than one creature. Typically, the pump only happens if the opponent blocks; if the opponent doesn't block, you'll usually rather keep the moth up as a 2/4 flying blocker, which is a much better wall than the Guardians' grounded 0/4. Of course, the Moth also has the opportunity to pump some other blocker on defence, instead.
Moth was an MVP during Triple Kamigawa due to low removal choices. But also handing out a Holy Strengh on-demand. The limitations of the Guardian are numerous compared to a Flying, non-Defender, that can boost not just a lone attacker. I NEVER liked the Exalted mechanic, as it was an eggs-in-one-basket idea.
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
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I think the set discussion threads are a good source of information which cards are interesting and which arent.
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
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BLACK:
Dark Dabbling - Borderline. This card trades 1-for-1 or can save all your creatures and replaces itself, but most of the time it's too situational.
Deadbridge Shaman - Borderline. A 3/1 for 3 isn't very good and the opponent sees the discard coming, so he can prepare himself/herself.
Eyeblight Assassin - Borderline. A 2/2 for 3 with a ability that doesn't matter really often.
Fetid Imp - Borderline. This creature would be interesting if you didn't have to pay for deathtouch, but as it is it's not really good.
Infernal Scarring - Borderline. To get the additional value out of this card it needs to die. Also Pacifism-effects arn't a corner case in most cubes.
Nightsnare - Borderline. It's nice to discard either one specific card or discard two, but 4 mana are a lot for that effect.
Rabid Bloodsucker - Bad. 5 mana for such a bad body with an ability that is bad when your behind is just bad.
Reave Soul - Bad. This card is just outclassed by so many other cards.
Shambling Ghoul - Cubeable. The body is worth the drawback most of the time.
Thornbow Archer - Borderline. The body is okay for the cost, but the ability is conditional and does probably nothing.
Touch of Moonglove - Bad. This card is a 2-for-1 most of the time.
Undead Servant - Terrible. This card is just overcosted in Singleton Cube.
Unholy Hunger - Bad. Killing a creature and getting life is nice, but this card is outclassed by better ones.
RED:
Akroan Sergeant - Cubeable. A 2/2 with first strike for three is already good, but the possibility to get a 3/3 makes this one good.
Boggart Brute - Cubeable. A 3 power creature with evasion is quite useful.
Fiery Impulse - Bad. This spell only hits creatures and is just outclassed by so many staples.
Firefiend Elemental - Borderline. A 3/2 with haste than can grow bigger is nice, but very situative too.
Ghirapur Gearcrafter - Cubeable. The red version of Sandsteppe Outcast.
Infectious Bloodlust - Terrible. This card isn't worth the drawback and in Singleton it doesn't even replace itself.
Lightning Javelin - Bad. 4 mana is just too much for this effect.
Mage-Ring Bully - Bad. The drawback is just too big for the body.
Prickleboar - Borderline. A 5/3 first strike for 5 is okay, but it's only when attacking. While blocking it's pretty bad.
Subterranean Scout - Bad. This card is just too situational and the ability is not repeatable.
Volcanic Rambler - Bad. A 6/4 isn't very much for this cost and the ability is overcosted.
GREEN:
Aerial Volley - Bad. This is a sideboard card at maximum and not even the best of its kind.
Caustic Caterpillar - Borderline. A Naturalize on a stick is only useful in enchantment or artiface heavy cubes.
Hitchclaw Recluse - Bad. 4 toughness is a big butt, but just 1 power isn't very much.
Mantle of Webs - Bad. Auras are always risky and this effect is far from beeing worth the risk.
Nissa's Pilgrimage - Bad. This ramp is outclassed by Cultivate by just fetching forests.
Pharika's Disciple - Borderline. You want to block it, but you don't want to block it. That makes it useable. But 4 mana is a bit to much.
Rhox Maulers - Cubeable. A big body with trample with the possibility to get even bigger is just good.
Vine Snare - Terrible. This just a very bad Fog.
Wild Instincts - Borderline. Similiar to Hunt the Weak.
COLORLESS:
Alchemist's Vial - Borderline. It replaces itself and does a Pacifism for one turn, but it's very situative.
Bonded Construct - Borderline. It's a colorless but worse Jackal Familiar.
Guardian Automaton - Borderline. A 3/3 for 4 with a small upside is playable.
Veteran's Sidearm - Borderline. A worse version of Leonin Scimitar.
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I recognized, we don't have a land section. Where do I put something like the new BFZ lands?
Forget it, I'm blind.
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So, I did some BFZ. Looking forward for your opinions.
Angelic Gift - Borderline. This doesn't create card disadvantage and give evasion but nothing more.
Cliffside Lookout - Bad. A 1/1 for isn't good, even if it has a overcosted ability.
Courier Griffin - Borderline. 2 life aren't much, but 2/3 flyer for 4 isn't totally bad.
Felidar Cub - Cubeable. Reprint of Keening Apparition.
Fortified Rampart - Bad. High toughness but it doesn't kill anything on its own.
Ghostly Sentinel - Borderline. A solid body with evasion and vigilance.
Gideon's Reproach - Cubeable. This kills many creatures, but not all.
Kitesail Scout - Bad. Flying Men aren't good.
Kor Castigator - Cubeable. The ability is almost irrelevant, but 3/1 for 2 is still good.
Lithomancer's Focus - Bad. A combat trick, but it lacks a relevant upside.
Makindi Patrol
- Bad. Without an Ally theme, Rally is not very useless.
Ondu Greathorn - Cubeable. A 2/3 body for 4 with first strike is nice, but often, this is a 4/5.
Shadow Glider: Bad. There are a lot of 2/x fliers for cc3, that have upsides. This is none of them.
Sheer Drop - Borderline. It only destroys tapped creatures, but the possibility to awaken a land can turn the tables.
Stone Haven Medic - Borderline. Just 1 life for 1 mana and tap a guy is not enough to be playable. At least it has a big butt.
Tandem Tactics - Cubeable. This card is able to kill two creatures at once and gives you some life.
Benthic Infiltrator - Bad. The high toughness is a nonbo with the unblockable ability.
Brilliant Spectrum - Bad. This card is not even really good with four colors, but with only two - like in most drafts - it's just not good.
Cloud Manta - Bad. A worse version of Phantom Monster.
Clutch of Currents - Cubeable. A Unsummon in one mode, but a quite useful spell with the other.
Coralhelm Guide - Bad. A 2/1 for 2 is not very good, an overcosted ability doesn't change that.
Eldrazi Skyspawner - Cubeable. A blue and better version of Sansteppe Outcast
Incubator Drone - Borderline. Either a 3/4 in two bodies for 4 or a 2/3 for 3. Not bad, but not very exciting either.
Mist Intruder - Bad. Ingest is not a viable archetype in pauper and a 1/2 flyer for 2 isn't very good.
Murk Strider - Bad. This is a way worse Man'o'war.
Oracle of Dust - Bad. There aren't enough exiling cards in pauper to feed the processors, and the body isn't very big for its mana cost.
Roilmage's Trick - Bad. It isn't card disadvantage, but Converge is hard to get with more than two colors in cube.
Rush of Ice - Borderline. There are many cards with this effect, but not for 1 mana and not with the ability to attach a creature onto it.
Salvage Drone - Bad. A 1/1 for without even flying. At least it lets you loot, when it dies.
Spell Shrivel - Bad. This card is worse than Cancel.
Tightening Coils - Borderline. -6 is a lot, but you probably give your opponent a good blocker.
Wavewing Elemental - Borderline. A 3/4 flyer for 6 is bad, but 5/6 sounds better.
Complete Disregard - Bad. This card is outclassed by many other removal spells and exile isn't very relevant in cube.
Culling Drone - Terrible. It's a bear. Nothing else.
Demon's Grasp - Bad. 5 mana is just too much for this effect.
Dominator Drone - Bad. Without the right support this is just a vanilla creature.
Geyserfield Stalker - Borderline. A 5/4 with evasion is nice, but if you don't hit this on curve, it's pretty bad.
Grave Birthing - Bad. This card replaces itself and brings a 1/1 body, but the gravehate is irrelevant.
Kalastria Healer - Bad. without the right support this creature does nothing.
Kalastria Nightwatch - Borderline. A 4/5 flyer for 5 is nice, but you have to trigger it.
Mind Raker - Bad. The processor ability is almost irrelevant in pauper cube and 3/3 for 4 isn't very good.
Mire's Malice - Borderline. It's an overcosted Mind Rot, but the Awaken-Mode makes it playable.
Nirkana Assassin - Bad. A 2/3 Deathtouch for 3 would be good, but the restirctions are too high n this card.
Silent Skimmer - Bad. A 2/4 flyer for 4 isn't good, but with pump this creature is a very good attacker. Blocking however isn't its skill.
Sludge Crawler - Bad. A 1/1 for 1 mana is terrible but the ability to pump makes this creature a little bit better.
Swarm Surge - Bad. A black Trumpet Blast, but black isn't a swarm color.
Voracious Null - Bad. The Sorcery speed of the ability makes it totally unplayable, but with a Sacrifice theme this could be a consideration.
Belligerent Whiptail - Borderline. The toughness is too low on this one to be really useful.
Boiling Earth - Bad. 1 damage doesn't kill very much and the awaken part is overcosted.
Kozilek's Sentinel - Borderline. It has a big butt, but the ability will almost never trigger.
Lavastep Raider - Borderline. The body is okay but the ability is overcosted.
Makindi Sliderunner - Cubeable. Trample makes this creature quite valuable.
Nettle Drone - Bad. Without the right support this creature is just mediocre.
Ondu Champion - Borderline. The ability can kill your opponent, but it can also do nothing without the right support.
Outnumber - Borderline. This card can kill anything with enough creatures, but it can also do nothing.
Reckless Cohort - Bad. The drawback is too high for a bear.
Shatterskull Recruit - Cubeable. A 4/4 with evasion for 5 is okay.
Stonefury - Bad. This card simply costs too much.
Sure Strike - Borderline. First Strike makes this card a very nice combat trick, but it can't compete to stuff like Lightning Strike.
Touch of the Void - Bad. Exile isn't relevant in most cubes, so the spell is overcosted.
Valakut Invoker - Bad. The ability is simply overcosted.
Valakut Predator - Cubeable. A 4/4 attacking in turn 4 is just huge and relevant at pretty much any time of the game.
Vestige of Emrakul - Cubeable. A 3/4 with trample for 4 is already playable. The ability to get around protection is the icing of the cake.
Volcanic Upheaval - Terrible. It costs 4 mana and can only destroy lands.
Blisterpod: Borderline. It replaces itself, but it does nothing else.
Broodhunter Wurm: Bad. In other colors 3/4 or 4/3 vanillas for cc4 can be ok, but in green they aren't a consideration.
Call the Scions: Bad. Two 1/1s for three is not good.
Earthen Arms: Bad. Two counters for two are nice, but Sorcery speed is a downside and the Awaken-ability is one mana overcosted.
Eyeless Watcher: Bad. 3 power and 3 toughness for 4 is not good.
Lifespring Druid: Borderline. It fixes mana, but not before turn 4.
Natural Connection: Bad. In the most cubes there is not enough upside for the ramp spell to be instant. You will always want the cheaper version.
Oran-Rief Invoker: Borderline. A bear with an overcosted upside.
Reclaiming Vines: Borderline. The land destruction is overcosted as are the other two modes. But all in one card makes it playable.
Seek the Wilds: Bad. There are better ramp spells than this.
Snapping Gnarlid: Cubeable. A bear that can attack for 3 in turn 3.
Swell of Growth: Bad. just pump 2 for isn't good and the land drop is very situational
Tajuru Beastmaster: Bad. Without the right support this creature isn't very strong.
Tajuru Stalwart: Borderline. A 2/3 for 3 isn't impressive. A 3/4 for 3 is.
Unnatural Aggression: Bad. There are better fight spells.
Eldrazi Devastator: Cubeable. This creature ends the game if not handled very fast, but it easily killable.
Hedron Blade: Bad. This is a worse version of Leonin Scimitar in most of the cases.
Kozilek's Channeler: Borderline. Your deck needs to be incredibly mana hungry to be interested in ramp for 5 mana and the problem is, that you don't have access to the mana during your turn, when you still want to block or attack with this guy.
Ruin Processor: Borderline. This creature is big and must be handled, but it has no evasion the processing is almost irrelevant.
Scour from Existence: Bad. It can get rid of everything and fits in every deck, but 7 mana are way to much.
Fertile Thicket: Borderline. This card fixes in early game and is bad in late game.
Looming Spire: Cubeable. Pump plus first strike is a nice addition to a land.
Mortuary Mire: Cubeable. The ability to recur a creature with a land drop is strong, but it's useless in early game.
Sandstone Bridge: Cubeable. Pump plus the ability to block after the creature attacked is useful.
Skyline Cascade: Cubeable. The creature has to already be tapped, but on a land it's still strong.
Or are you interested in a Fiora flavor cube? Conspire and win!
Level 2 Judge
Shadow Glider is a Wind Drake. Aka French Vanilla, yet par for the course. Not arguing rating, just evaluation.
Sheer Drop is White's Shriekmaw. I do not mean it is a White Shriekmaw, I mean it is a Pauper White etb Kill a guy with limited targeting, and a 3/3 card. With an alternate mode. If Borderline Plus was a rating, this would be the poster child.
Clutch of Currents is Cubeable, Rush of Ice is bordeline. Bounce is better than tapdown all day, everyday unless a broken EtB ability is there; which perhaps sans Mulldrifter, there is not. Same stats in the same set is wierd design.
Cloud Manta being strictly worse than a Cubeable/Borderline makes it bad in my book. With an official paper version of Phantom Monster now, this should never be run in 360, and I doubt even 540 would play this. Also, functional reprint of Snapping Drake
Eldrazi Skyspawner is, imo, a Staple. Not a 1st pick mvp, but every cube should be running it. It gives 2 bodies in blue, Is fairly costed, on curve, and splashable; NEVER happens.
Silent Skimmer would be almost Cubaeable in black if it was a 2/4 Flyer, but it is not. Rating is right, reasoning is lax.
Eyeless Watcher is what used to be known as a Role Player. If you like 4cc 1/4 Unblockables, then this deserves the same rating. It is an Army-in-a-Can, Ramp, and fairly/splashable costed. Borderline.
Eldrazi Devistator may be the beast of Big, Dumb Smasher. But it still only has 1 role, and 1 HUGE cost. Ramp is not ubiquitous, so this can attain no higher than Borderline.
These are not snipes at you. However, I see certain prejudice and predisposition for certain kinds of cards. I am like that with Utility like Charms. However, Staple means you NEED this card. It is top 3 in its color/cost. Cubeable is the highest possible recommendation without telling you "it should be in your cube or you are an idiot". Bordeline is Playable. I also consider it "Acceptable Filler".
Value on cards is hard to determine without seeing them in action, or having direct comparisons. Sheer Drop from this set is probably the biggest argument point. However it is White's only Shriekmaw/Aethersnipe. I value it high, and if I did a set review, I would rate it Cubeable; higher than most. But I feel it has great value, and a unique place in most W/x or X/w Control and as a curve filler in midrange.
/rant
-Thanks for the write up though, it takes time and thought to do these.
EDIT: grammer and Snapping Drake reference
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
Shadow Glider: What do you mean, you're just arguing evaluation? Noobincube's evaluation here is spot on. Wind Drakes aren't exciting. They aren't even cubeable, lol. Most flyers at this cost clock in with 3 power, or come with some extra ability tacked on. I would downgrade all the vanilla Wind Drakes to bad, because there are plenty of non-vanilla options out there now.
Sheer Drop I would agree to being white's poor man's Shriekmaw. Card is real good and its options are always relevant.
Clutch of Currents and Rush of Ice should be switched, yeah.
Cloud Manta and Eldrazi Skyspawner should be downgraded and upgraded based on context to current cards. In your own words, Noobincube, Skyspawner is a better version of a cubeable card. That puts it in staple. Cloud Manta I can't see anybody ever running, especially with Phantom Monster available as previously stated.
From my own notes, Benthic Infiltrator is almost certainly not cubeable. One power for three mana is a terrible cost to effectiveness ratio, and the disparity between big butt and low power makes it dissynergistic rather than flexible, because you're then using it for defense instead of for its unblockability.
I do like Kozilek's Channeler, but I'm not sure about its ranking. A 4/4 for 5 mana in any color seems like it would be a 23rd card for a lot of decks, or something you only take as filler to help out your curve and ramp goals
My Cube (DeckStats)
My Pauper Cube: 540 (CubeTutor link!)
Level 1 Judge
90% of a given set is probably Bad.
Borderline, I feel needs references and/or clearer context
Cubeable, as I stated, is the strongest recommendation without beating you over the head
Staple, is an auto-include caliber card.
I figure most sets give 0-2 Staples. 3-8 Cubeable. 6-12 Borderline. And the rest is Bad at best. This assumes no new, revolutionary mechanism that skews design. (See Shadow or Flashback).
I may submit my own overview, but for anyone who reads my overthought articles, I ramble about context and reference to make myself seem smart.
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
Downgraded Shadow Glider to Bad, because Al is right about the other 3 drops.
Changed the reasoning on Sheer Drop, I recognize the ability to do great stuff, but I don't think it's worth of cubeable.
Downgraded Ondu Greathorn to Borderline. Forgot all white bombs are sitting on 4.
Downgraded Lithomancer's Focus to Bad, because I can see, that it isn't as good as Giant Growth or somenthing similar.
Downgraded Ghostly Sentinel to Borderline. Never felt comfortable with the rating of this anyway.
switched the ratings of Clutch and rush. Don't know what I was thinking when writing that. Maybe some sort of brain stutter.
Downgraded Cloud Manta to Bad. I didn't realize it's a reprint.
Downgraded Benthic Infiltator to bad. I never saw it as a nonbo, but yet, it is one.
No change to Eldrazi Skyspawner. This creature hasn't enough impact to be a staple. It isn't a creature you have to handle fast, but much value.
Downgraded Spell Shrivel to Bad. I can't believe I didn't think of Cancel and its better versions. I shouldn't do ratings at 11pm.
Downgraded Oracle of Dust to Bad. With second thought a 3/5 body isn't really good.
Downgraded Culling Drone to Terrible. Personally a bear isn't Terrible in my opionion, but all other bears are in this category, so this will be too.
Downgraded Dominator Drone to bad.
Downgraded Grave Birthing to bad.
No change to Mire's Malice. If it would cost 2B for the first mode I would totally put in Cubeable but this way it's overcosted in my opinion.
Downgraded Silent Skimmer to bad. The blocking argument is valid.
Downgraded Sludge Crawler to bad.
Upgraded Voracious Null to bad. I never played it, because it looks so terrible. But I trust Al on this one.
No changes to Lavastep Raider. I compared it to other one drops and you don't get a body greater than 1/1 without a drawback. The ability is still overcosted though.
Changed Sure Strike to Borderline. Yeah, I got it, I should compare more.^^
Upgraded Valakut Predator to Cubeable.
No changes to Vestige of Emrakul yet. There are a lot of X/1 or X/2 in a cube and I think trample on a 3 power creature is indeed relevant in this situations. But I maybe convinced with more arguments.
Downgraded Broodhunter Wurm to bad. Right, green got bigger creatures for the same mana costs.
Downgraded Earthen Arms to bad. Didn't realise it's a sorcery, although I wrote it. Strange.
No changes to Eyeless Watcher. Even if this card is versatile, the ramp is overcosted and jumpblocking isn't what I want to do with four mana.
Downgraded Natural Connection to bad. Good point, with the lack of landfall it's not very good.
Upgraded Snapping Gnarlid to Cubeable. It's a pet card of mine, so I wasn't truly convinced and graded it lower than I would have.
No changes to Eldrazi Devastator. I think it's on the same power level as Ulamog's Crusher and it's rated cubeable. So I rate Devastator Cubeable.
Downgraded Kozilek's Channeler to Borderline. I thought about it and I play it with the other two big Eldrazi and when it hits it's awesome, because you play a big one at next turn, but if you don't have one of the others, than yes, its not so good.
Or are you interested in a Fiora flavor cube? Conspire and win!
Level 2 Judge
That way a beginner will know more easily which cards are considered the best in each slot to start a cube from scratch; and every time a new expansion is released, we simply discuss if a card deserves to enter the tops.
It seems to me that this metodology avoids discussing thousands of cards that are between 'terrible' and 'worst-borderline'.
Also it seems a lot easier to make an ordinal caracterization of cards (this one I prefer over this one, basically what we do all the time in the This-or-that thread) than to put a cardinal number on every card that is released based on more-or-less arbitrary categories (terrible-bad-border-cub-etc).
3 Examples extracted directly from the EEP: *
Blue creatures cc2
Top 5
Errant Ephemeron
Looter Il-Kor
Merfolk Looter / Thought Courier
Ninja of the Deep Hours
Spined Thopter
Top 10
Waterfront Bouncer
Omenspeaker
Vaporkin / Welkin Tern
Sigiled Starfish
Halimar Wavewatch
Top 15
Silver Myr
Briarberry Cohort
Augury Owl
Dreamscape Artist
Gossamer Phantasm
-----------
Green creatures cc5
Top 5
Nessian Asp
Sprout Swarm
Rubbleback Rhino
Sentinel Spider
Rhox Maulers
Top 10
Stampeding Elk Herd
Tangle Hulk
Hollowhenge Beast
Kavu Climber
Okina Nightwatch
---------------------
Azorius
Top 5
Curse of Chains
Feeling of Dread
Dismantling Blow
Deft Duelist
Momentary Blink
* Off course theese are just made-up examples, sure the ranking (and the amount of tops per category) is debatable, I didn't even thought about them, here they are random.
My 490 Pauper Cube
Modern frame only- Common on paper only - no functional copies, no strictly-betters - no subtype-matters
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check out my EDH and Pauper EDH decks here
I like the idea. Now to make it stick, or impliment it. Basically, new thread and give it your spin. I would recommend at least a little write up for qualities of the Top 5 vs the Top 10. It will be a lot of work, but this thread took that and it itself is a "Staple"; [/bad pun]
@metalevolence:
I do not believe any aggro creature can be a staple, because Aggro in 360 pauper is not a Staple. Some have blended aggro into Tempo and there are not slots for Pure Aggro in most cubes. I myself waffle all the time on leaving my aggro in as it is a good 5+ slots in any given color, and none in Blue.
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube