To be fair its not too much of a dramatization, when Modern and Legacy Burn were splashing blue for it, you can officially describe it as format warping.
It is less broken in a limited environment like cube. I know for sure that my cube does not have enough self mill/ delver support to make Treasure Cruise broken.
It has definitely found it's way into my list of 'first pick blue cards', along with Ponder, Compulsive Research, Brainstorm ect. But it sits far below Sol Ring, Library of Alexandria and Skullclamp in the list of 'peasant's most broken cards'.
Still not convinced TC isn't too busted. Got scarred pretty bad in those horrible horrible months when it was constructed legal, running around, warping every format.
I was using the good card draw spells as a like for like comparison to TC, it is harder to make power comparisons to other archetypes.
Also, Fact or Fiction has an inerrant risk to it (and a high mana cost), I would normally pick Brainstorm first, but that is just me.
I wouldn't be excited to pick a brainstorm, especially if I didn't have a fetch or other shuffle effect. The "risk" of FoF is so low compared to its power level, certainly much better than Brainstorm's.
Still not convinced TC isn't too busted. Got scarred pretty bad in those horrible horrible months when it was constructed legal, running around, warping every format.
But jokes aside. The card was totally busted in modern. Not only burn decks were splashing for it (for a card that doesn't do a single point of damage) but in the end even BGx and who-knows-what were splashing Blue only for cruise. Strong signs that a card of that powerlevel has no buisness being modern legal.
Of the last 2 GP top16's, only 1 burn deck (50%) played cruise (as a 3 of). In my experience, the cruise burn decks were worse than the traditional (RWx) builds and the people piloting them were just caught up in the cruise hype.
I'd love to see the evidence that BGx decks were splashing blue, because I don't see it reflected in the top16's (and I've certainly never seen it). Maybe people were playing bad decks but that doesn't make cruise actually too strong.
I can only speak about modern though since it's the only format I play. Pod didn't need to be banned (yet) either, but that's another discussion.
I've been loving Treasure Cruise as an integral part of blue's draw/control package. I was lucky enough to crack a foil at KTK prerelease, and before the bannings it was also the most monetarily expensive card in my cube. Thank goodness I didn't actually pay for the thing.
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Can you name all of the creature types with at least 20 cards? Try my Sporcle Quiz! Last Updated: 6/29/20 (Core Set 2021).
Dropping the price of the foil version was one of the reasons I'm glad it was banned. TC has been a solid draw spell that even the more tempo-y decks have access to. Definitely solid, but a long way from broken in peasant. Also, Fact or Fiction seems to be the consensus "best blue card" in my playgroup, though I think Control Magic and Mulldrifter are contenders like n00b mentioned.
My main issue with evaluating the delve cards (besides Cruise) is that sometimes the discount isn't as useful. They're almost TOO conditional to evaluate because so many variables are in play. When you draw the card, when you want to play it, what else do you want to do that turn.
(Cruise is amazing since any discount playing it helps you then cast what you draw.)
For example, I've basically given up on the idea of delve creatures being super helpful for aggro because they are inconsistent in that discount. I think the real benefit to cards like Sultai Scavenger and Gurmag Angler is that you can possibly do multiple relevant things to take control (or catch up) later game. It's hard to cast Angler for 4 mana on turn four in aggro, but it's easier to Foresee on turn 7 and then also cast Angler for 3 mana afterwards.
That said, I don't know what the destiny is for delve cards. They seem best in control, and I'm not sure I need them for that purpose.
I wouldn't say Cruise busted C/Ubes. Sure, I'd be happy to first pick it, but as others have mentioned, it's not the top tier of blue cards. I'd say it's the best sorcery draw spell, but easily replaceable (Concentrate, Deep Analysis).
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"Once you let go of your morals, everything becomes funny."
I'm not a big fan of the delve creatures. It seems like any discount you get from them isn't worth much at the point in the game where you actually cast them, outside of a deck built around filling the yard (in which case, you probably don't want to go exiling too many cards anyway).
To be fair its not too much of a dramatization, when Modern and Legacy Burn were splashing blue for it, you can officially describe it as format warping.
It is less broken in a limited environment like cube. I know for sure that my cube does not have enough self mill/ delver support to make Treasure Cruise broken.
It has definitely found it's way into my list of 'first pick blue cards', along with Ponder, Compulsive Research, Brainstorm ect. But it sits far below Sol Ring, Library of Alexandria and Skullclamp in the list of 'peasant's most broken cards'.
Brainstorm is nearly uncubeable at Peasant unless you play like a thick pile of Terramorphic Expanse or the Mirage fetchlands (or break the rarity restriction to play real ones).
Ponder is weakened for the same reason (keep all three or shuffle as it resolves, nothing in between unless you have an outside shuffle effect). Still solid and playable, but about 1/3rd as good as Preordain.
Compulsive Research is legit great, not usually a first pick for me but definitely close.
Play to win. If you don't, you're disrespecting everyone you're playing with by wasting their time. The Douchbag check is at the level of deck construction.
(listed in a rough best -> worst order, let me know why I'm wrong).
For those who run these cards, how value are they? I love to draw cards more than would be considered healthy.
This creature type is usually called "Ophidian", after the original one with that (general) ability.
I love 'em, also perhaps more than I should.
Lu Xun is a pretty easy #1. Either it gets removed, or it starts drawing cards. With the caveat that I've only cubed that, Magpie, and Emissary, I'd rank them as:
I'd take a vanilla, easier to cast 1/3 over the shroud 2/1 -- avoiding removal isn't worth it when you die to literally everything once blocked (obviously the idea is using tempo/bounce stuff to keep blockers out of the way, but that clearly won't happen in every game).
I think I like the look of Scroll Thief more than the non-Soulbond/horsemanship/ninjustsu options. 2/1s and 2/2s just trade with everything, and 4 mana is a lot for that sort of card draw.
Tandem is a great support dude for tempo/skies...I don't really support blue-centered aggro, but i do like to give aggro some tools on a blue splash. Mask of memory is pretty great and worthy of a mention here...I love that card.
Lu xun was brought in because I felt like blue needed an option for continual draw...i haven't seen it in action yet. If it doesn't work out I'll probably bring in another draw spell.
I also super love Tandem Lookout. I haven't fully gone over to blue aggro, but I try to support blue tempo as a good secondary color for other aggro decks.
I haven't played Neurok Commando, but it seems better than Scroll Thief just because the answers for it are more specific. They have to have a good blocker AND hope you can't deal with it. I do run Stealer of Secrets and also enjoy it.
That said, the low toughness and double blue keep Commando out of my cube, but I'd likely add to an more aggro blue section.
Stealer of secrets has had passable success with me. You do need to get the support in there (pumps and can't block effects like snap) but if it can draw one card and force bad blocks it did an ok job. I still think the shroud guy should be better but it just hadn't played out that way in practice.
Basically everything about the pestilence image I doctored suits my self image. The tall guy with too much hair, domineering and condescending while effortlessly dispatching his opponents in ways where the opponent can't even interact with you on their own terms. That's how I played halo and how I gained what little notoriety I had in smash, and originally how people knew me to play magic.
My Type 4 stack (Cube Tutor link)
It is less broken in a limited environment like cube. I know for sure that my cube does not have enough self mill/ delver support to make Treasure Cruise broken.
It has definitely found it's way into my list of 'first pick blue cards', along with Ponder, Compulsive Research, Brainstorm ect. But it sits far below Sol Ring, Library of Alexandria and Skullclamp in the list of 'peasant's most broken cards'.
No it didn't.
Are we playing the same format? Those cards are hardly the top tier of blue cards.
Draft it on Cubetutor here, and CubeCobra here.
Treasure Cruise did nothing wrong.
Also, Fact or Fiction has an inerrant risk to it (and a high mana cost), I would normally pick Brainstorm first, but that is just me.
Draft it on Cubetutor here, and CubeCobra here.
Treasure Cruise did nothing wrong.
Yep.
Of the last 2 GP top16's, only 1 burn deck (50%) played cruise (as a 3 of). In my experience, the cruise burn decks were worse than the traditional (RWx) builds and the people piloting them were just caught up in the cruise hype.
I'd love to see the evidence that BGx decks were splashing blue, because I don't see it reflected in the top16's (and I've certainly never seen it). Maybe people were playing bad decks but that doesn't make cruise actually too strong.
I can only speak about modern though since it's the only format I play. Pod didn't need to be banned (yet) either, but that's another discussion.
Draft it on Cubetutor here, and CubeCobra here.
Treasure Cruise did nothing wrong.
My 720 Peasant Cube
Modern
Value Town
Amulet Titan
Legacy
4C Loam
My Peasant Cube
http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/11667
(Cruise is amazing since any discount playing it helps you then cast what you draw.)
For example, I've basically given up on the idea of delve creatures being super helpful for aggro because they are inconsistent in that discount. I think the real benefit to cards like Sultai Scavenger and Gurmag Angler is that you can possibly do multiple relevant things to take control (or catch up) later game. It's hard to cast Angler for 4 mana on turn four in aggro, but it's easier to Foresee on turn 7 and then also cast Angler for 3 mana afterwards.
That said, I don't know what the destiny is for delve cards. They seem best in control, and I'm not sure I need them for that purpose.
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/peasantsnowcube
-- Updated with Outlaws of Thunder Junction
The PioneWer Peasant CUbe
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/pionewer
-- Updated with Murders at Karlov Manor
~David Hayden
[420 Peasant Cube] (work in progress)
http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/21789
Draft it on Cubetutor here, and CubeCobra here.
Treasure Cruise did nothing wrong.
Brainstorm is nearly uncubeable at Peasant unless you play like a thick pile of Terramorphic Expanse or the Mirage fetchlands (or break the rarity restriction to play real ones).
Ponder is weakened for the same reason (keep all three or shuffle as it resolves, nothing in between unless you have an outside shuffle effect). Still solid and playable, but about 1/3rd as good as Preordain.
Compulsive Research is legit great, not usually a first pick for me but definitely close.
Omnath: he's on PCP
RW Redirection
My 360 Pauper Cube
someone
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
(listed in a rough best -> worst order, let me know why I'm wrong).
For those who run these cards, how value are they? I love to draw cards more than would be considered healthy.
Draft it on Cubetutor here, and CubeCobra here.
Treasure Cruise did nothing wrong.
So:
Afterlife (U:C)
Battle Screech (U:C)
Exile (R:C) (already common in an online set)
Gilded Light (U:C)
Mistmoon Griffin (U:C)
Pianna, Nomad Captain (R:U)
Radiant, Archangel (R:U)
Sidar Jibari (R:U)
Soltari Emissary (R:C)
Circular Logic (U:C)
Killer Whale (U:C)
Serendib Efreet (R:U)
Thalakos Drifters (R:U)
Addle (U:C)
Chainer's Edict (U:C)
Dark Hatchling (R:U)
Dauthi Mercenary (U:C)
Kezzerdrix (R:U)
Lurking Evil (R:U)
Predatory Nightstalker (U:C)
Sarcomancy (R:U)
Skirge Familiar (U:C)
Beetleback Chief (U:C)
Goblin Commando (U:C)
Goblin General (U:C) (both rare and uncommon in paper)
Goblin Goon (R:U)
Pillaging Horde (R:U)
Skirk Drill Sergeant (U:C)
Arrogant Wurm (U:C)
Brindle Shoat (U:C)
Claws of Wirewood (U:C)
Elephant Guide (U:C)
Erhman Djinn (R:U)
Nostalgic Dreams (R:U)
Penumbra Wurm (R:U)
Symbiotic Wurm (R:U)
Tribute to the Wild (U:C)
Blazing Specter (R:U)
Death's Grasp (R:U)
Goblin Trenches (R:U)
Prophetic Bolt (R:U)
Ivory Tower (R:U)
Mana Prism (U:C)
Su-Chi (R:U)
Thopter Squadron (R:U)
Triangle of War (R:U)
And the Tempest tapped pain lands, all from rare to uncommon:
Caldera Lake
Pine Barrens
Salt Flats
Scabland
Skyshroud Forest
This creature type is usually called "Ophidian", after the original one with that (general) ability.
I love 'em, also perhaps more than I should.
Lu Xun is a pretty easy #1. Either it gets removed, or it starts drawing cards. With the caveat that I've only cubed that, Magpie, and Emissary, I'd rank them as:
I'd take a vanilla, easier to cast 1/3 over the shroud 2/1 -- avoiding removal isn't worth it when you die to literally everything once blocked (obviously the idea is using tempo/bounce stuff to keep blockers out of the way, but that clearly won't happen in every game).
And in the "not at all playable" tier, there is Marchesa's Infiltrator and Slith Strider.
EDH Decks:
- Reya Dawnbringer // - Mistform Ultimus // - Balthor the Defiled // - Urabrask the Hidden // - Mirri, Cat Warrior
He was already on the list.
Cubetutor Peasant'ish-Funbox
Project: Khans of Tarkir Cube (cubetutor)
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Tandem Lookout seems amazing in those decks. I know Leelue will agree. :). I'm actually surprised Leelue's picture isn't of this card. hehe
My Peasant Cube thread !!! (380 cards)
Draft my Peasant Cube on Cube Cobra !!!
Tandem is a great support dude for tempo/skies...I don't really support blue-centered aggro, but i do like to give aggro some tools on a blue splash. Mask of memory is pretty great and worthy of a mention here...I love that card.
Lu xun was brought in because I felt like blue needed an option for continual draw...i haven't seen it in action yet. If it doesn't work out I'll probably bring in another draw spell.
I haven't played Neurok Commando, but it seems better than Scroll Thief just because the answers for it are more specific. They have to have a good blocker AND hope you can't deal with it. I do run Stealer of Secrets and also enjoy it.
That said, the low toughness and double blue keep Commando out of my cube, but I'd likely add to an more aggro blue section.
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/peasantsnowcube
-- Updated with Outlaws of Thunder Junction
The PioneWer Peasant CUbe
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/pionewer
-- Updated with Murders at Karlov Manor
Basically everything about the pestilence image I doctored suits my self image. The tall guy with too much hair, domineering and condescending while effortlessly dispatching his opponents in ways where the opponent can't even interact with you on their own terms. That's how I played halo and how I gained what little notoriety I had in smash, and originally how people knew me to play magic.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article