I currently have two cubes: one is an EDH cube and one is a pauper cube. I spend a decent amount of time tuning my EDH cube (unfortunately, probably more time than actually playing it...), but I don't want to spend as much time on my pauper cube. I've been copying Usman's Pauper Cube list, but he has been less than diligent in keeping it up to date.
I'm ready to branch out a bit and I considered swapping over to Adam Styborski's Pauper Cube list, but now I'm considering converting to a peasant cube instead. It seems like the power level and flexibility of archetypes can be increased substantially at peasant, without increasing the budget substantially.
So my request: please recommend a peasant cube list for me to follow. Ideally, it would be updated every time a new set is released and properly tuned. My current list is 400 cards, so I'd like to stay in that neighborhood so I don't have to invest in all new sleeves.
It depends on what you mean by "properly tuned", but I think you could go with one of the many Peasant cube list that you can find in the Cube Lists section. Everyone has a different philosophy with their cubes, so no two are going to be exactly alike, and they'll all offer a slightly different experience. People who I know of that have completed, regularly updated Peasant cubes around the size that you're looking for are:
Leelue
majikian
Squirrely
BrownDog5117
inscho
Arbor4817
VariSami
palingensia
me
Hedge Knight
There may be others that I missed as well. I'd recommend poking around at all of those and see what you like, and then pick from one of them. Or, you could just use one of them as a starting point and make tweaks as you see fit.
if budget is a concern i think you should rule out my cube. I also am pretty liberal with I consider as legal for peasant (online releases, U2s, Renaissance rarities, etc)
I always think MagnetMan's cube is a good starting point. Very aggro oriented, less fringe archetypes. Updates with each set, but the cube stays pretty consistent: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1037
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there's Squirrely's. I think his cube is probably the most interested in fringe archetypes: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/264
In between, Majikian supports a good amount of archetypes, but still focuses a lot on power. He does tinker and adjust his cube a lot, so it might be a little harder to follow the developments: http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/15656
Leelue makes a lot of personal decisions in his cube: draft 1 squadron hawk, get 3. multiples of some lands. no functional reprints. no strictly better thans. I don't think his cube is a good starting point, but it is a good reference to some alternative approaches to cu/bing: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/274
EDIT: Also BrownDogs cube is a good one to follow as he is the most thorough in documenting his cube drafts, if you are interested in a larger multicolored section his is a good one to look at: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/371
I do do a lot of esoteric rule bending to get my environment where to me it makes the most sense. If someone finds my philosophy agreeable, then I'm probably the one with the most fully realized version of it. If you want a more traditional "play the best cards, support traditional archetypes" cube, pass me over.
But to recap
I do not include any cards that have no realistic way to be picked over another card. For example, because I have control magic, I don't have mind control. Fair enough, but I made a controversial decision to cut lightning bolt because it more or less invalidated too many other cards. I did this because I didn't like that there was no trade-off or ability to turn a weakness into an Aaron advantage with strictly worse cards or functionally worse cards. Now the decision between flame slash. Burst lightning, and searing blaze is always interesting for aggro. It never really just goes "ooh, bolt".
After that, I do include the aforementioned squadron hawk rule which has been excellent and fun for everyone. 3x 5 color lands so I don't have to play with lots of lands that only go in one deck and somewhat dilute the draft like gold cards do (to a lesser extent.)
Lastly, I very strongly support blue aggro and push white control. If anything, I think my list is the place to go for blue aggro.
I'm not sure about 'opposite end', as I think I still support aggro more than average, but you're dead on about that I support as much archetypes as I can without playing too many underpowered cards.
Agreed. I was just trying to set up a reasonable spectrum to discuss a few cubes. Your cube is at the threshold of what I would consider for myself as it doesn't sacrifice aggro's potency too much. The opposite was in reference to fringe archetype support, because I was only listing cubes with a strong presence of aggro....which is a key component to a balanced cube IMO.
Which is something I am surprised nobody mentioned before about Browndog's cube. It seems very hard fro aggro to do well in his list, unless grafted wargear is involved, and 3+ color decks take down his drafts an inordinate amount of times.
Is it weird that whenever I see a comment like that I want to just start typing something really defensive?? ha..
Aggro does exist in my cube and it does win. It actually won the last cube. Perhaps running a 5 color guild section or a solid blue control section is the culprit for a stymied aggro section, but it's not stymied to the point where it's almost impossible to win with it.
I think it's natural to get defensive, especially when you've put a lot of time and effort into something. But it's good to remember that you're in a unique position. You supply the most thorough results of your cube which opens it up to more detailed analyses and criticisms. Which is better for everyone because we get to do more than theorize, we get to look at numbers and debate about them. Like I couldn't do the following with anyone else's cube:
I sourced your winning decks from the last 3 pages of your cube: 19 drafts total. 16 of those decks were not strict aggro decks, 3 were. There were a few speedier midrange builds in that 16 so it could be somewhat debatable. But of those 16 non-aggro decks, 11 of them had more than 2 colors.
So...
3 of 19 were aggro
16 of 19 weren't
11 of 19 were 3+ colors
I've probably drafted 19 total times with my cube since creating it haha..and that's just 3 of 34 pages of your cube's recorded history. That does gives us clear information to debate.
Is it weird that whenever I see a comment like that I want to just start typing something really defensive?? ha..
No, not at all. It'd be weirder if you didn't. I know when inscho called my cube "not a good starting point" I wanted to get defensive, but then again it might be true.
and I actually didn't mean that as any kind of slight. I just think the customizations you've made to the format make more sense after having some experience with a peasant cube to begin. I also think it's easier to hit the ground running with a more traditional cube that uses traditional draft formats.
If you're still looking for influence and inspiration — I've completed my most current iteration and it's a very straight-forward "limited player's peasant cube." http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/5040
I'm ready to branch out a bit and I considered swapping over to Adam Styborski's Pauper Cube list, but now I'm considering converting to a peasant cube instead. It seems like the power level and flexibility of archetypes can be increased substantially at peasant, without increasing the budget substantially.
So my request: please recommend a peasant cube list for me to follow. Ideally, it would be updated every time a new set is released and properly tuned. My current list is 400 cards, so I'd like to stay in that neighborhood so I don't have to invest in all new sleeves.
Leelue
majikian
Squirrely
BrownDog5117
inscho
Arbor4817
VariSami
palingensia
me
Hedge Knight
There may be others that I missed as well. I'd recommend poking around at all of those and see what you like, and then pick from one of them. Or, you could just use one of them as a starting point and make tweaks as you see fit.
CubeTutor: www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/72
Thread: http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=512410
I always think MagnetMan's cube is a good starting point. Very aggro oriented, less fringe archetypes. Updates with each set, but the cube stays pretty consistent:
http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1037
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there's Squirrely's. I think his cube is probably the most interested in fringe archetypes:
http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/264
In between, Majikian supports a good amount of archetypes, but still focuses a lot on power. He does tinker and adjust his cube a lot, so it might be a little harder to follow the developments:
http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/15656
Leelue makes a lot of personal decisions in his cube: draft 1 squadron hawk, get 3. multiples of some lands. no functional reprints. no strictly better thans. I don't think his cube is a good starting point, but it is a good reference to some alternative approaches to cu/bing:
http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/274
EDIT: Also BrownDogs cube is a good one to follow as he is the most thorough in documenting his cube drafts, if you are interested in a larger multicolored section his is a good one to look at:
http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/371
But to recap
I do not include any cards that have no realistic way to be picked over another card. For example, because I have control magic, I don't have mind control. Fair enough, but I made a controversial decision to cut lightning bolt because it more or less invalidated too many other cards. I did this because I didn't like that there was no trade-off or ability to turn a weakness into an Aaron advantage with strictly worse cards or functionally worse cards. Now the decision between flame slash. Burst lightning, and searing blaze is always interesting for aggro. It never really just goes "ooh, bolt".
After that, I do include the aforementioned squadron hawk rule which has been excellent and fun for everyone. 3x 5 color lands so I don't have to play with lots of lands that only go in one deck and somewhat dilute the draft like gold cards do (to a lesser extent.)
Lastly, I very strongly support blue aggro and push white control. If anything, I think my list is the place to go for blue aggro.
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
Agreed. I was just trying to set up a reasonable spectrum to discuss a few cubes. Your cube is at the threshold of what I would consider for myself as it doesn't sacrifice aggro's potency too much. The opposite was in reference to fringe archetype support, because I was only listing cubes with a strong presence of aggro....which is a key component to a balanced cube IMO.
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
Aggro does exist in my cube and it does win. It actually won the last cube. Perhaps running a 5 color guild section or a solid blue control section is the culprit for a stymied aggro section, but it's not stymied to the point where it's almost impossible to win with it.
My Peasant Cube thread !!! (380 cards)
Draft my Peasant Cube on Cube Cobra !!!
I sourced your winning decks from the last 3 pages of your cube: 19 drafts total. 16 of those decks were not strict aggro decks, 3 were. There were a few speedier midrange builds in that 16 so it could be somewhat debatable. But of those 16 non-aggro decks, 11 of them had more than 2 colors.
So...
3 of 19 were aggro
16 of 19 weren't
11 of 19 were 3+ colors
I've probably drafted 19 total times with my cube since creating it haha..and that's just 3 of 34 pages of your cube's recorded history. That does gives us clear information to debate.
No, not at all. It'd be weirder if you didn't. I know when inscho called my cube "not a good starting point" I wanted to get defensive, but then again it might be true.
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
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
http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/5040