Dragons of Tarkir has brought a lot of very nice commons to the table for cube draft. I really like what Wizards did as far as showing the storyine and time changes through the cards and the art, really great job on their part. They also printed enough great commons that I expect DTK/DTK/FRF to be a great set for drafting. Here are the changes I made to my cube: http://www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/10184
We already have a 1/3 flying for 2 in Blue, and it has performed well, so I expect that it will be similarly suited for White. While White does tend to be more aggressive than Blue, it often adopts a more midrange approach and is also often in control decks. Akroan Skygaurd has been underperforming in the Cube, and while Herioc is a great mechanic in it, 3 is enough for right now. I may change this if Territorial Roc isn’t that good, but roght now it seems worth a try.
Sidisi’s Faithful is a very interesting card. I really like the flexibility it gives you. It can be an unsummon at sorcery speed, or it can be a 0/4 for 1. This is great flexibility for a control oriented deck to have. It should outperform Whirlpool Whelm 8 times out of 10.
I really love looters. The Cube currently has 3, and they are all potential first picks. Zephyr Scribe is a bit slower than they are and requires mana, but it has a really nice upside. the Cube is about 1/3 noncreature spells, so triggering the ability one or 2 times a turn in the later games will prevent mana flood and keep your threats coming, not to mention your graveyard full. It can even untap to ambush something in a pinch, the 2 power really helps it with that. Divination is the worst of the card draw spells, and this card should easily outperform it, grant virtual card advantage out the wazoo.
Ooooohhh Yeah. Foul Tongue Shriek is just about the best card I could have hoped for for black out of this set. It is basically a contitional burn spell in aggressive decks, and a way to break the standoff in the midrange mirror. People will never expect the 5, 7, heck, maybe 10 point blast to the face. Cast this after blockers and they will realize that they should not have been so willing to take damage trusting that they could kill you on the return attack. Black had a little too much removal, so I removed Nameless Inversion (one of the most conditional) to thin it out a bit.
Reckless Imp if really great for black aggro. If you can keep the board clear, it is basically 2 mana a turn to do 2 damage, and they need instant speed removal to deal with it. Black needed a little more flying, so this fits perfectly. (It also goes really well with Impact Tremors). Wakedancer wasn’t doing very well. I wanted to give it more time, but I like this better.
Red got some great stuff this time around. The list had to be narrowed down considerably. Impact Tremors is what I am most excited about. Red finally has a first pick limited bomb! The amount of damage this will do over a long game is really awesome. It combos with Dash, Cenn’s Enlistment, Selesnya Evangel, and tokens in general. An aggro deck will happily give up turn 2 to play this for the promise of the constant source of damage later in the game. Zektar Shrine Expedition is basically the same type of card (promise of lots of damage a little bit later) but doesn’t have the same longevity or combos as Impact Tremors. It also doesn’t fit at all in midrange decks.
Red needed a higher curve and more creatures, so I chose this. It is a very aggressive card; a 5/4 coming at you on turn 4 is nothing to scoff at. I really like dash for limited, so if this (and Goblin Heelcutter and Reckless Imp) does well enough, I may add a few more, just for that ability. I wasn’t really liking Lash Out for aggro decks, as it rarely won clash, and the 3 damage rarely matters in control decks, so I decided to cut it.
Twin Bolt: Very very good limited card, for Aggro and Midrange and Control alike. The card advantage, the flexibility, the incidental damage… what’s not to like? It will almost always be better than Searing Blaze, especially since the RR in it’s mana cost is somewhat limiting.
There were a lot of great green cards in the set, but Green is my tightest color right now, so I only fit these. They is by far the best. 5 mana for a 5/5 is already solid. Trample for your whole team is amazing. And all you have to do is have 3 more power among other creatures you control? Wow that is good! Formidable is a very easy requirement to meet, especially on turn 5. This is a pauper limited bomb. Everyone having Trample in a base-green deck is absolutely terrifying if you are the other player. I look forward to playing with this card. The cube didn’t need as much hexproof as it had, so I removed Primal Huntbeast to make room. Stampeding Elk Herd will always outperform it. It is easily a first-pick card.
Dragon Scarred Bear is not quite as good, but will fit right in to midrange strategies. Formidable probably won’t be met until turn 4 or 5, so at first it is just a 3/2 for 3, but once it has regenerate it will be one of the best creatures on your side of the table. Phantom Tiger won't generally be as good, since it just dies to 3 total damage. It is really nice with an Aura like Armadillo Cloak, but Dragon-Scarred Bear will be better if you have the regen mana.
Summary:
I really look forward to drafting with these new changes. Red and Green got new first pick cards, and all the colors except White have been significantly empowered. I have been slowly weening my cube off of set, cut and dry strategies to more flexibility and challenge while drafting. These changes include a lot of combo-like synergies, but these are between individual cards (that are great on their own) rather than whole groups of cards that aren’t that impressive alone. The Cube used to be very easy to draft for people who know it well (me), but now it is much more challenging for me and much more accessible for any decent drafter. I am really happy with where it has ended up.
White:
Territorial Roc>Akroan Skyguard
We already have a 1/3 flying for 2 in Blue, and it has performed well, so I expect that it will be similarly suited for White. While White does tend to be more aggressive than Blue, it often adopts a more midrange approach and is also often in control decks. Akroan Skygaurd has been underperforming in the Cube, and while Herioc is a great mechanic in it, 3 is enough for right now. I may change this if Territorial Roc isn’t that good, but roght now it seems worth a try.
Blue:
Sidisi’s Faithful>Whirlpool Whelm
Zephyr Scribe>Divination
Sidisi’s Faithful is a very interesting card. I really like the flexibility it gives you. It can be an unsummon at sorcery speed, or it can be a 0/4 for 1. This is great flexibility for a control oriented deck to have. It should outperform Whirlpool Whelm 8 times out of 10.
I really love looters. The Cube currently has 3, and they are all potential first picks. Zephyr Scribe is a bit slower than they are and requires mana, but it has a really nice upside. the Cube is about 1/3 noncreature spells, so triggering the ability one or 2 times a turn in the later games will prevent mana flood and keep your threats coming, not to mention your graveyard full. It can even untap to ambush something in a pinch, the 2 power really helps it with that. Divination is the worst of the card draw spells, and this card should easily outperform it, grant virtual card advantage out the wazoo.
Black:
Foul-Tongue Shriek>Nameless Inversion
Reckless Imp>Wakedancer
Ooooohhh Yeah. Foul Tongue Shriek is just about the best card I could have hoped for for black out of this set. It is basically a contitional burn spell in aggressive decks, and a way to break the standoff in the midrange mirror. People will never expect the 5, 7, heck, maybe 10 point blast to the face. Cast this after blockers and they will realize that they should not have been so willing to take damage trusting that they could kill you on the return attack. Black had a little too much removal, so I removed Nameless Inversion (one of the most conditional) to thin it out a bit.
Reckless Imp if really great for black aggro. If you can keep the board clear, it is basically 2 mana a turn to do 2 damage, and they need instant speed removal to deal with it. Black needed a little more flying, so this fits perfectly. (It also goes really well with Impact Tremors). Wakedancer wasn’t doing very well. I wanted to give it more time, but I like this better.
Red:
Impact Tremors>Zektar Shrine Expedition
Sprinting Warbrute>Lash Out
Twin Bolt>Searing Blaze
Red got some great stuff this time around. The list had to be narrowed down considerably. Impact Tremors is what I am most excited about. Red finally has a first pick limited bomb! The amount of damage this will do over a long game is really awesome. It combos with Dash, Cenn’s Enlistment, Selesnya Evangel, and tokens in general. An aggro deck will happily give up turn 2 to play this for the promise of the constant source of damage later in the game. Zektar Shrine Expedition is basically the same type of card (promise of lots of damage a little bit later) but doesn’t have the same longevity or combos as Impact Tremors. It also doesn’t fit at all in midrange decks.
Red needed a higher curve and more creatures, so I chose this. It is a very aggressive card; a 5/4 coming at you on turn 4 is nothing to scoff at. I really like dash for limited, so if this (and Goblin Heelcutter and Reckless Imp) does well enough, I may add a few more, just for that ability. I wasn’t really liking Lash Out for aggro decks, as it rarely won clash, and the 3 damage rarely matters in control decks, so I decided to cut it.
Twin Bolt: Very very good limited card, for Aggro and Midrange and Control alike. The card advantage, the flexibility, the incidental damage… what’s not to like? It will almost always be better than Searing Blaze, especially since the RR in it’s mana cost is somewhat limiting.
Green:
Stampeding Elk Herd>Primal Huntbeast Dragon-Scarred Bear>Phantom Tiger
There were a lot of great green cards in the set, but Green is my tightest color right now, so I only fit these. They is by far the best. 5 mana for a 5/5 is already solid. Trample for your whole team is amazing. And all you have to do is have 3 more power among other creatures you control? Wow that is good! Formidable is a very easy requirement to meet, especially on turn 5. This is a pauper limited bomb. Everyone having Trample in a base-green deck is absolutely terrifying if you are the other player. I look forward to playing with this card. The cube didn’t need as much hexproof as it had, so I removed Primal Huntbeast to make room. Stampeding Elk Herd will always outperform it. It is easily a first-pick card.
Dragon Scarred Bear is not quite as good, but will fit right in to midrange strategies. Formidable probably won’t be met until turn 4 or 5, so at first it is just a 3/2 for 3, but once it has regenerate it will be one of the best creatures on your side of the table. Phantom Tiger won't generally be as good, since it just dies to 3 total damage. It is really nice with an Aura like Armadillo Cloak, but Dragon-Scarred Bear will be better if you have the regen mana.
Summary:
I really look forward to drafting with these new changes. Red and Green got new first pick cards, and all the colors except White have been significantly empowered. I have been slowly weening my cube off of set, cut and dry strategies to more flexibility and challenge while drafting. These changes include a lot of combo-like synergies, but these are between individual cards (that are great on their own) rather than whole groups of cards that aren’t that impressive alone. The Cube used to be very easy to draft for people who know it well (me), but now it is much more challenging for me and much more accessible for any decent drafter. I am really happy with where it has ended up.
In>Out
Territorial Roc>Akroan Skyguard
Sidisi’s Faithful>Whirlpool Whelm
Zephyr Scribe>Divination
Foul-Tongue Shriek>Nameless Inversion
Reckless Imp>Wakedancer
Impact Tremors>Zektar Shrine Expedition
Sprinting Warbrute>Lash Out
Twin Bolt>Searing Blaze
Stampeding Elk Herd>Primal Huntbeast Dragon-Scarred Bear>Phantom Tiger
Any and all opinions welcome!