Does it matter whether or not Forked Bolt would be printed as a common nowadays? Flame Slash would not be printed as a common nowadays, nor would Lightning Bolt. Should these cards be excluded as well?
I would argue that wizards could print Forked Bolt as a common in a draftable set. In a format with very few x/1 creatures, Forked Bolt is a sorcery speed shock most of the time. Especially considering that 1 drops are notoriously bad in limited (outside of cube that is), I think Forked bolt is a perfectly reasonable common; definitely more reasonable than both Flame Slash and Lightning Bolt.
Edit: As for the printing Jace as a common in a supplementary product, I think we all know that wouldn't ever happen. Cards in supplementary products tend to be given the rarity that Wizards thinks is appropriate for that effect with the exception of special products like From the Vault.
Just to clarify my position, I don't think that Forked Bolt is too powerful to be a common. I think that, IN MY CUBE, it would be too harmful to aggro. Lightning bolt is sooo much more powerful than Forked.
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My 490 Pauper Cube
Modern frame only- Common on paper only - no functional copies, no strictly-betters - no subtype-matters
Just to clarify my position, I don't think that Forked Bolt is too powerful to be a common. I think that, IN MY CUBE, it would be too harmful to aggro. Lightning bolt is sooo much more powerful than Forked.
Forked bolt is only sometimes a 2 for 1 against aggro. Arc Lightning nearly always is a 2 for 1. Are you going to cut arc lightning
I think firebolt is also better than forked bolt, and in situations where they have multiple 1 toughness creatures flame jab (which you also run) is extremely close.
And I don't think any of these wreck aggro as hard as staggershock often does.
Maybe I'm underestimating how often forked bolt will be a 2 for 1 but I don't think it's that big a deal?
The thing is, Arc Lightning and Staggershock are CC3. But yeah, what you say is true, they are a threat.
The thing is, I have seen twin bolt being an aggro wiper all the time when it was in my cube. While the other 2, not so much. For the time being, they stay. But that could change in the future.
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My 490 Pauper Cube
Modern frame only- Common on paper only - no functional copies, no strictly-betters - no subtype-matters
I cut it because it is extremely mana intensive, and the life loss prevents it from helping you stabilize against aggressive decks (especially if those decks have reach in the form of burn). I am also cutting crypt rats soon for similar reasons. When Pestilence is good, it dominates the game, and when its bad, its terrible. I don't like cards that are extremely high variance.
I don't know, there are two types of cards with high variance: cards that ask for perfect scenarios (which you should not keep) and cards that shape archetypes (which you should keep if you want some archetyes to exist in your cube).
I think that Pestilence belongs to the second kind, with high thoughness control decks.
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My 490 Pauper Cube
Modern frame only- Common on paper only - no functional copies, no strictly-betters - no subtype-matters
In a token deck, it is very consistently a 4/4 or larger. Outside of this deck, I have found that it is usually a 3/3, occasionally a 4/4 or 2/2. Of course this depends on how much removal you have in your cube. My biggest issue with this card is that it turns instant speed removal into a combat trick, which makes it much worse against red or black decks (even blue decks with bounce spells).
Not so much worse that you wouldn't cube it only on cost though. Even if it's hard to cast on turn 3, the cheaper cost keeps it relevant in the mid to late game where you can chain or sequence multiple spells per turn.*
*And only in reference to Aether Adept, which always has a relevant effect rather than a Courser variant who may be irrelevant depending on board state.
Mortuary Mire seems like the best one, but they are all fairly good I think. I am going to cube all of them to start, then remove them if they under perform.
I'm kind of surprised nobody cubes scab-clan mauler? Especially someone like Humphs who has a low curve and aims for max powerlevel. This card is nuts if you can get turn 2 bloodthirst, and green has the most good 1 drops. But he's still plenty good if he has to wait til turn 3. Like stormblood berserker.
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@Melalvolence: As i'm currently running Horned kavu (for COTB shenanigans) and don't like it anyways, I am swapping Scab-clan mauler right away! Thx!^^
Scab-Clan Maulers is a solid card, and gruul is a fairly weak guild. I have been considering swapping out Branching Bolt for it in my 2 card guild section for a while. If I owned a copy, I probably would have by now. I think part of the problem might be that many people don't support green aggro.
Speaking of Green, I've been overhauling my green section and had a few questions. First of all, has anyone had any experience with Overgrown Battlement? I just recently added it to my cube, and it has been performing fairly well. Its definitely no Wall of Roots, but its still a solid ramp creature.
The other problem I am having in green is the lack of solid 5 drop creatures. I currently run Sentinel Spider, Nessian Asp, and Rhox Maulers. I haven't seen the Maulers get played yet, and am unsure if they are worth the slot. Are there any other 5 drops that are worth playing? And how has Rhox Maulers been for those of you who tested it?
Branching Bolt has been good, I have no complaints about it. Its just if I were to test Scab-Clan Maulers, that would be my cut, because Kird Ape is a much needed aggro one drop, whereas Branching Bolt is a gold removal spell (a very good removal spell though).
I guess for 5 drops, I am specifically looking for ones that are good to ramp into on turn 3, which Imperiosaur and Hooting Mandrils struggle with. I'm already running Wickerbough Elder, which has been fantastic.
I don't like Rubbleback Rhino because its stats are bad for its cost, and I don't like hexproof. Its not that I have banned hexproof from my cube, its just that I want the hexproof creature to be good without support from auras and equipment. The only Hexproof card that meets this criteria for me is Benthic Giant. I could be underrating Rubbleback Rhino though. It dodges pretty much any removal spell and is bigger than the majority of non green creatures in pauper. Do you think the Rhino is worth running if I don't support the hexproof / voltron deck?
Maybe I will try Stampeding Elk Herd. Do you think the Elk Herd is better than Rhox Maulers?
scab-clan-mauler
I already had this card in my cube, but its too unreliable to trigger. You need a 1-drop that connects (since my cube has a lower curve there often is a blocker. Also the manacost is a real problem. The deck most likely want this is RG Stompy and that deck is heavy green with a light red splash. Midgame a 3/3 for 2 isnt that interesting. Awful topdeck. Most of the time this card is just bad.
my Gruul section is
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
I would argue that wizards could print Forked Bolt as a common in a draftable set. In a format with very few x/1 creatures, Forked Bolt is a sorcery speed shock most of the time. Especially considering that 1 drops are notoriously bad in limited (outside of cube that is), I think Forked bolt is a perfectly reasonable common; definitely more reasonable than both Flame Slash and Lightning Bolt.
Edit: As for the printing Jace as a common in a supplementary product, I think we all know that wouldn't ever happen. Cards in supplementary products tend to be given the rarity that Wizards thinks is appropriate for that effect with the exception of special products like From the Vault.
My 490 Pauper Cube
Modern frame only- Common on paper only - no functional copies, no strictly-betters - no subtype-matters
Forked bolt is only sometimes a 2 for 1 against aggro. Arc Lightning nearly always is a 2 for 1. Are you going to cut arc lightning
I think firebolt is also better than forked bolt, and in situations where they have multiple 1 toughness creatures flame jab (which you also run) is extremely close.
And I don't think any of these wreck aggro as hard as staggershock often does.
Maybe I'm underestimating how often forked bolt will be a 2 for 1 but I don't think it's that big a deal?
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The thing is, I have seen twin bolt being an aggro wiper all the time when it was in my cube. While the other 2, not so much. For the time being, they stay. But that could change in the future.
My 490 Pauper Cube
Modern frame only- Common on paper only - no functional copies, no strictly-betters - no subtype-matters
I want to keep it around just for the uniqueness of the effect, but it seems even heavy black decks have better cards to slot in over it.
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I think that Pestilence belongs to the second kind, with high thoughness control decks.
My 490 Pauper Cube
Modern frame only- Common on paper only - no functional copies, no strictly-betters - no subtype-matters
so does anyone want to endorse scion of the wild or should I just take it out of its sleeve and put it in the trash
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("C" = 1 colored mana)
Aether adept is much, much worse than man-o'-war, for instance
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*And only in reference to Aether Adept, which always has a relevant effect rather than a Courser variant who may be irrelevant depending on board state.
My Cube (DeckStats)
My Pauper Cube: 540 (CubeTutor link!)
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Speaking of Green, I've been overhauling my green section and had a few questions. First of all, has anyone had any experience with Overgrown Battlement? I just recently added it to my cube, and it has been performing fairly well. Its definitely no Wall of Roots, but its still a solid ramp creature.
The other problem I am having in green is the lack of solid 5 drop creatures. I currently run Sentinel Spider, Nessian Asp, and Rhox Maulers. I haven't seen the Maulers get played yet, and am unsure if they are worth the slot. Are there any other 5 drops that are worth playing? And how has Rhox Maulers been for those of you who tested it?
rubbleback rhino is a thing
I consider wickerbough elder to be a 5 drop and I look at imperiosaur and hooting mandrills as 5 drops that sometimes come down sooner
If you're only running 2 gruul cards I don't think you can top kird ape and branching bolt. You don't like branching bolt?
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I guess for 5 drops, I am specifically looking for ones that are good to ramp into on turn 3, which Imperiosaur and Hooting Mandrils struggle with. I'm already running Wickerbough Elder, which has been fantastic.
I don't like Rubbleback Rhino because its stats are bad for its cost, and I don't like hexproof. Its not that I have banned hexproof from my cube, its just that I want the hexproof creature to be good without support from auras and equipment. The only Hexproof card that meets this criteria for me is Benthic Giant. I could be underrating Rubbleback Rhino though. It dodges pretty much any removal spell and is bigger than the majority of non green creatures in pauper. Do you think the Rhino is worth running if I don't support the hexproof / voltron deck?
Maybe I will try Stampeding Elk Herd. Do you think the Elk Herd is better than Rhox Maulers?
My 490 Pauper Cube
Modern frame only- Common on paper only - no functional copies, no strictly-betters - no subtype-matters
Nessian Asp -staple
Okina Nightwatch -very good in UG midrange/control
Rhox Maulers -yet to be tested
Rubbleback Rhino -pretty solid even without auras
Sentinel Spider -paupers serra angel
scab-clan-mauler
I already had this card in my cube, but its too unreliable to trigger. You need a 1-drop that connects (since my cube has a lower curve there often is a blocker. Also the manacost is a real problem. The deck most likely want this is RG Stompy and that deck is heavy green with a light red splash. Midgame a 3/3 for 2 isnt that interesting. Awful topdeck. Most of the time this card is just bad.
my Gruul section is
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t