Wow, so like most everyone else, tons of cards I like. Probably ended up the most cards I have ordered from one set, although I won't be playing/testing them all right away. I will be moving my cube from 380-390 as I am finding it a lot harder to find cuts that I like and my play group has become a lot larger so I want a little more variation in the drafts.
White
Cast Out - I like this card more than a lot I think. In a bind the cycle could be very strong, but always a back up to the strength of this removal.
Vizier of Deferment -> Stonecloaker - I think this card is interesting enough to test, conditional for sure, but I think it will work out most of the time, worst case scenario I cannot setup my blink target well enough but I can blank one of my opponents attacks.
Devoted Crop-Mate - I don't think this card will make the cut, I don't play timely hordemate and I think this card is about on par with that one. Picked up a copy though.
Trial of Solidarity - I think this is the best go wide pump in white in a long time. Yes, its a sorcery speed card, but +2/+1 vigilance for 3 mana is pretty good imo. Will test.
Angler Drake - I think the card is strong and would play decently well, but I already have so many man o' war like cards and usually my wu blink or tempo decks are doing more broken things by the time this creature would hit the board. Picked this up in case I bring my cube up to 450+
Cryptic Serpent - I think this will be a super strong card, will work in any blue deck, but in spells matter just another finisher. I don't doubt that this card will hit the table for 2 mana many times.
Black
Baleful Ammit - I am not sure how to evaluate the creatures with this add x -1/-1 counters to one of your creatures yet. I think I like this one the most out of all of them. Black has a lot of creature recursion and GY interaction, so this might get the first test and if the counters work out most of the time I might try some more.
Bone Picker - The card seems great if you can get the "morbid" trigger, mediocre if you cannot. Not sure I have a spot for this card right now, but picked up a copy anyway.
Supernatural Stamina - I think I want another one of these effects, not sure though. Will evaluate my black section and see if I can fit this. 50/50 right now.
Red
Bloodrage Brawler - This card is super hyped by a lot of people, I won't be playing it right away as I don't have a huge red GY theme and I think this discard will hurt a lot more than the extra 1 power will help.
Ahn-Crop Crasher - Seems great, I use to play the 2/1 haste with enter the battlefield cannot block, took it out because after its initial strike it didn't do much. The fact that this card has haste and you can choose to exert or not is great. You can also use the ability multiple times (even though every other turn) seems strong.
Bloodlust Inciter - I think this card can lead to some strong plays, I will likely test it out, but I can see it being cut relatively quickly
Green
Crocodile of the Crossing / Defiant Greatmaw / Exemplar of Strength - Again, I don't know how to evaluate these cards yet, I picked them up because I could see some of them joining my cube, but for now they are going to stay in my binder. Will likely test the black one and go from there.
Manglehorn - I like the card, but not as much as reclamation sage, if my cube increases in size or becomes a lot more artifact center could see this coming in.
Shefet Monitor - Everything my green decks want. Ramp, GY, big creature. Love it. Come on in and join your brother.
Scaled Behemoth - Yep, right in. Another hexproof big dude, I think this solidifies my green ramp targets and reanimate targets. I have a lot of cards that make either an impact when it hits the table or is very hard to remove. Makes the pay off of these strategies worth it.
Boros
Honored Crop-Champion - IMO best card of the set. Boros needed a card like this and I think this will deliver.
I think we need to talk about Edifice of Authority a bit more. The effect is good at the beginning and super powerful later on. I feel like this is one of the few cards in the set that could easily see play in most lists.
Eh, I mean it goes from a worse Icy Manipulator to a slightly better Icy after a bunch of turns. If you're not already playing Icy then this isn't going to do much different, and if you are you probably don't want a second copy.
After taking a look through the full spoiler, here are the cards I'll be adding:
White: Forsake the Worldly: I'm swapping out Disenchant for this. The one more mana is a fine enough drawback for the flexibility of cycling it away when it is dead. This could make it, perhaps, a more maindeckable option for those who want this effect. Plus, it has the fringe scenario of dealing with Darksteel Sentinel. It's a slight upgrade to a sideboard card.
Seraph of the Suns: I think this is a great finisher for W/x control/midrange decks, an archetype that I'd like to see more of. A 4/4 flying, indestructible angel is nothing to scoff at, and we'll see if its 7cmc is too steep. I think it warrants a test.
Blue: Angler Drake: I obviously like the effect, and it comes on a decently sized body, so it may definitely be good. How many times have I casted Dinrova Horror on a creature and just have my opponent pitch a land. Essentially the same scenario, but I get a 4/4 flier instead. I like this card.
Cryptic Serpent: This is a great payoff card for the spells matters decks, as well as just being a huge undercosted creature for most control decks. It has a few different homes and is just a big big boy for cheap. Great card.
Labyrinth Guardian: My friends are more excited about this card than I am. I'm trying to see its value... It definitely eats bears and its base stats are a bit above curve... is that good enough? It comes back for 4 mana... but is a 2/3 vanilla really what I want to be doing. I think I'll test it to see how much damage it can net and how annoying it is for an opponent to waste a spell on it. Short leash, but could be good.
Open into Wonder: This is the pet card of the set for me. It can break open stalemates, while drawing you some cards. In a cube with a lot of creatures and combat, this card can definitely gain some value, especially since I reworked blue about a year ago to become more tempo. Another short leasher, but I can see it finding a home.
Black: Baleful Ammit: Lifelink is something I've wanted more of in black, or even just in the cube in general. Obviously a 4/3 for 3 is above curve, and it combos great with a few creatures already in the cube like Perilous Myr, Myr Sire, Carrier Thrall, etc. It's nothing super impressive, but could generate quite a life swing if you can manage to pawn that -1/-1 counter onto a creature that synergizes with it.
Bone Picker: This is my 2nd favorite card of the set (We havn't got to Boros yet). Obviously it's ceiling is super high. Turn 2 or 3ing this card for 1 mana seems insane. Sometimes you won't even have to waste a removal for the discount, as you can just wait for a chump block by your opponent or a trade. 3/2 fliers for 1 have been historically good... (looking at Delver), and the discounted version of this card is too much value to pass up, specifically because Morbid is one of the easiest triggers to enable.
Doomed Dissenter: This is me trying to create more support for the sacrifice theme and it also makes the Ammit better. I like cards like this, as they can fit into both sacrifice decks and sometimes even in control shells. Decent enabler.
Supernatural Stamina: Undying Evil has been a superstar in my cube. This is just a more fair version, with the fringe case of being a post combat buffer. I really like this effect and the only think I'm pondering is whether I want both this AND Undying Evil in the cube.
Red: Ahn-Crop Crasher: A 3/2 haster for 3 with the option of skipping its next turn so a creature can't block... seems solid. I like how we don't even have to exert it the turn you play it. If you can pull off the profitable attack when he enters and save the exert for next turn... he becomes super powerful. Can't block effects in red are definitely my favorite, so its nice to get a nice aggressive creature with an optional one.
Bloodrage Brawler: Inherent card disadvantage, but I get a huge above curve aggressive creature? Definitely worth a test. Discarding Hellspark Elemental would be sweet. However, I don't have a lot of synergy to take advantage of its discard trigger, so he'll be on a short leash if his drawback proves to be too hard to live with.
Green: Scaled Behemoth: I like this creature just for the fact that it gives the ramp deck a more secure payoff creature, unlike the Vigilant Spider or Nemesis of Mortals, where they can just die on the spot. I do have to be careful, since Hexproof is almost impossible to interact with, so if it proves to be to overbearing, I'll have to settle with just the Crusher.
I don't run Tusker, so I'm not planning on running the other cycler ramp guy. I don't have any graveyard synergies supported quite yet, so I don't quite see the value of those cards ... YET.
Boros Honored Crop-Captain: **Trumpets flare*** ***Fireworks explode*** WOOOOOO.. Did we just get a good boros card??? YES! Favorite card of the set, and probably the most powerful for us. 3/2 for 2 with battlecry?? All day every day windmill slam.
I forgot about Butcher Ghoul. However, I think both of those cards are relatively close in power level for their specific roles. I'm not worried about any +1/+1 synergy. Dissenter helps with Delve cards, Unearth, Corpse Augur, and Undying Evil. The difference is so minute that they are almost interchangeable. Or you could run both, but I think I only need one more since I already run Carrier Thrall and Reassembling Skeleton.
I'm skeptical of anyone using Forsake the Worldly over Cast Out... unless you're consciously avoiding another piece of (creature) removal.
If you want a main-deckable way to hit artifacts and enchantments... a 4-mana O-Ring (with cycling) seems way better than a 3-mana Disenchant (with more expensive cycling).
Dissenter helps with Delve cards, Unearth, Corpse Augur, and Undying Evil.
Sultai Emissary seems better than Doomed Dissenter for all of these cases. 2 cards for delve, 1 and a bit creatures for Unearth and Corpse Augur, manifest with undying evil can be great, and manifest is just upside.
Dissenter helps with Delve cards, Unearth, Corpse Augur, and Undying Evil.
Sultai Emissary seems better than Doomed Dissenter for all of these cases. 2 cards for delve, 1 and a bit creatures for Unearth and Corpse Augur, manifest with undying evil can be great, and manifest is just upside.
Cool things. I did not consider that having a body/card in the graveyard could be an upside. I also didn't think too hard on this, my main point was that this dude isn't anything new, and existing options doesn't see much play. Agree that the Sultai Emissary probably is the best option unless +1/+1 counters in black is something you are trying to do. (Which only has the deathtouch-lord to work with, right?)
EDIT:The sultai dude is also a Zombie Warrior.
---
I also need to take a long walk in the woods and meditate on my white removal and the role of Disenchant.
That said, the only card that's getting windmill-slammed into the c/ube is probably Honored Crop-Captain. I think someone else said something similar before - this set is filled with cards that are probably very close to being good. I'll be looking through my c/ube for cards that seem weak and I'll put things in where I feel I have room for testing.
I'm also going to get a copy of every Trial and Cartouche, maybe the monuments, and all the zombie-matters cards, especially the white ones. Because I can see myself making a weird, synergy-deep and low-power cube sometime in the future that would want all that.
Also getting a foil of that new Gravedigger art just to look at.
I'm including Trueheart Duelist for now, because I really like the Embalm mechanic... I almost also included Oketra's Attendant, but then I realized I don't even play Phantom Monster, and this is exactly that but for 5 mana... twice. idk. Can anyone sell me on it?
I'm including Trueheart Duelist for now, because I really like the Embalm mechanic... I almost also included Oketra's Attendant, but then I realized I don't even play Phantom Monster, and this is exactly that but for 5 mana... twice. idk. Can anyone sell me on it?
Uh
How exactly can you like the Embalm mechanic but need to get sold on the idea that it's good to over-pay for a creature for the chance to cast it multiple times?
I mean, Firebolt is a bad Shock and an unspeakably bad 5-drop removal spell, but put them on the same card and it's GREAT.
I like the idea of letting creatures come back as mummies. Hm. What should I cut for the attendant, in your opinions, if I were to include it? Is it good enough?
I'm cutting Daring Skyjek for now. And on Guardian of the Guildpact: It is quite a nuisance when it is good, but it is also an anchor for the Boros control archtype, an archtype which seldom comes together, but when it does... It also has synergy with the Pestilence deck, a deck which is seldom very overpowering and again, it seldom comes together. Also it is quite a unique effect, and one I'd like to keep in my cube. And I also agree, but I'm not quite yet ready to part with my beloved Serra Angel... </3
White
Cast Out - I like this card more than a lot I think. In a bind the cycle could be very strong, but always a back up to the strength of this removal.
Vizier of Deferment -> Stonecloaker - I think this card is interesting enough to test, conditional for sure, but I think it will work out most of the time, worst case scenario I cannot setup my blink target well enough but I can blank one of my opponents attacks.
Devoted Crop-Mate - I don't think this card will make the cut, I don't play timely hordemate and I think this card is about on par with that one. Picked up a copy though.
Trial of Solidarity - I think this is the best go wide pump in white in a long time. Yes, its a sorcery speed card, but +2/+1 vigilance for 3 mana is pretty good imo. Will test.
Trueheart duelist -> Syndic of Tithes - I think the duelist will fit in more decks than the Syndic. Nice easy switch.
Blue
Angler Drake - I think the card is strong and would play decently well, but I already have so many man o' war like cards and usually my wu blink or tempo decks are doing more broken things by the time this creature would hit the board. Picked this up in case I bring my cube up to 450+
Cryptic Serpent - I think this will be a super strong card, will work in any blue deck, but in spells matter just another finisher. I don't doubt that this card will hit the table for 2 mana many times.
Black
Baleful Ammit - I am not sure how to evaluate the creatures with this add x -1/-1 counters to one of your creatures yet. I think I like this one the most out of all of them. Black has a lot of creature recursion and GY interaction, so this might get the first test and if the counters work out most of the time I might try some more.
Bone Picker - The card seems great if you can get the "morbid" trigger, mediocre if you cannot. Not sure I have a spot for this card right now, but picked up a copy anyway.
Supernatural Stamina - I think I want another one of these effects, not sure though. Will evaluate my black section and see if I can fit this. 50/50 right now.
Red
Bloodrage Brawler - This card is super hyped by a lot of people, I won't be playing it right away as I don't have a huge red GY theme and I think this discard will hurt a lot more than the extra 1 power will help.
Ahn-Crop Crasher - Seems great, I use to play the 2/1 haste with enter the battlefield cannot block, took it out because after its initial strike it didn't do much. The fact that this card has haste and you can choose to exert or not is great. You can also use the ability multiple times (even though every other turn) seems strong.
Bloodlust Inciter - I think this card can lead to some strong plays, I will likely test it out, but I can see it being cut relatively quickly
Green
Crocodile of the Crossing / Defiant Greatmaw / Exemplar of Strength - Again, I don't know how to evaluate these cards yet, I picked them up because I could see some of them joining my cube, but for now they are going to stay in my binder. Will likely test the black one and go from there.
Manglehorn - I like the card, but not as much as reclamation sage, if my cube increases in size or becomes a lot more artifact center could see this coming in.
Shefet Monitor - Everything my green decks want. Ramp, GY, big creature. Love it. Come on in and join your brother.
Scaled Behemoth - Yep, right in. Another hexproof big dude, I think this solidifies my green ramp targets and reanimate targets. I have a lot of cards that make either an impact when it hits the table or is very hard to remove. Makes the pay off of these strategies worth it.
Boros
Honored Crop-Champion - IMO best card of the set. Boros needed a card like this and I think this will deliver.
White:
Forsake the Worldly: I'm swapping out Disenchant for this. The one more mana is a fine enough drawback for the flexibility of cycling it away when it is dead. This could make it, perhaps, a more maindeckable option for those who want this effect. Plus, it has the fringe scenario of dealing with Darksteel Sentinel. It's a slight upgrade to a sideboard card.
Seraph of the Suns: I think this is a great finisher for W/x control/midrange decks, an archetype that I'd like to see more of. A 4/4 flying, indestructible angel is nothing to scoff at, and we'll see if its 7cmc is too steep. I think it warrants a test.
Blue:
Angler Drake: I obviously like the effect, and it comes on a decently sized body, so it may definitely be good. How many times have I casted Dinrova Horror on a creature and just have my opponent pitch a land. Essentially the same scenario, but I get a 4/4 flier instead. I like this card.
Cryptic Serpent: This is a great payoff card for the spells matters decks, as well as just being a huge undercosted creature for most control decks. It has a few different homes and is just a big big boy for cheap. Great card.
Labyrinth Guardian: My friends are more excited about this card than I am. I'm trying to see its value... It definitely eats bears and its base stats are a bit above curve... is that good enough? It comes back for 4 mana... but is a 2/3 vanilla really what I want to be doing. I think I'll test it to see how much damage it can net and how annoying it is for an opponent to waste a spell on it. Short leash, but could be good.
Open into Wonder: This is the pet card of the set for me. It can break open stalemates, while drawing you some cards. In a cube with a lot of creatures and combat, this card can definitely gain some value, especially since I reworked blue about a year ago to become more tempo. Another short leasher, but I can see it finding a home.
Black:
Baleful Ammit: Lifelink is something I've wanted more of in black, or even just in the cube in general. Obviously a 4/3 for 3 is above curve, and it combos great with a few creatures already in the cube like Perilous Myr, Myr Sire, Carrier Thrall, etc. It's nothing super impressive, but could generate quite a life swing if you can manage to pawn that -1/-1 counter onto a creature that synergizes with it.
Bone Picker: This is my 2nd favorite card of the set (We havn't got to Boros yet). Obviously it's ceiling is super high. Turn 2 or 3ing this card for 1 mana seems insane. Sometimes you won't even have to waste a removal for the discount, as you can just wait for a chump block by your opponent or a trade. 3/2 fliers for 1 have been historically good... (looking at Delver), and the discounted version of this card is too much value to pass up, specifically because Morbid is one of the easiest triggers to enable.
Doomed Dissenter: This is me trying to create more support for the sacrifice theme and it also makes the Ammit better. I like cards like this, as they can fit into both sacrifice decks and sometimes even in control shells. Decent enabler.
Supernatural Stamina: Undying Evil has been a superstar in my cube. This is just a more fair version, with the fringe case of being a post combat buffer. I really like this effect and the only think I'm pondering is whether I want both this AND Undying Evil in the cube.
Red:
Ahn-Crop Crasher: A 3/2 haster for 3 with the option of skipping its next turn so a creature can't block... seems solid. I like how we don't even have to exert it the turn you play it. If you can pull off the profitable attack when he enters and save the exert for next turn... he becomes super powerful. Can't block effects in red are definitely my favorite, so its nice to get a nice aggressive creature with an optional one.
Bloodrage Brawler: Inherent card disadvantage, but I get a huge above curve aggressive creature? Definitely worth a test. Discarding Hellspark Elemental would be sweet. However, I don't have a lot of synergy to take advantage of its discard trigger, so he'll be on a short leash if his drawback proves to be too hard to live with.
Green:
Scaled Behemoth: I like this creature just for the fact that it gives the ramp deck a more secure payoff creature, unlike the Vigilant Spider or Nemesis of Mortals, where they can just die on the spot. I do have to be careful, since Hexproof is almost impossible to interact with, so if it proves to be to overbearing, I'll have to settle with just the Crusher.
I don't run Tusker, so I'm not planning on running the other cycler ramp guy. I don't have any graveyard synergies supported quite yet, so I don't quite see the value of those cards ... YET.
Boros
Honored Crop-Captain: **Trumpets flare*** ***Fireworks explode*** WOOOOOO.. Did we just get a good boros card??? YES! Favorite card of the set, and probably the most powerful for us. 3/2 for 2 with battlecry?? All day every day windmill slam.
My Peasant Cube thread !!! (380 cards)
Draft my Peasant Cube on Cube Cobra !!!
Cubetutor Peasant'ish-Funbox
Project: Khans of Tarkir Cube (cubetutor)
I forgot about Butcher Ghoul. However, I think both of those cards are relatively close in power level for their specific roles. I'm not worried about any +1/+1 synergy. Dissenter helps with Delve cards, Unearth, Corpse Augur, and Undying Evil. The difference is so minute that they are almost interchangeable. Or you could run both, but I think I only need one more since I already run Carrier Thrall and Reassembling Skeleton.
My Peasant Cube thread !!! (380 cards)
Draft my Peasant Cube on Cube Cobra !!!
If you want a main-deckable way to hit artifacts and enchantments... a 4-mana O-Ring (with cycling) seems way better than a 3-mana Disenchant (with more expensive cycling).
My Peasant Cube thread !!! (380 cards)
Draft my Peasant Cube on Cube Cobra !!!
WiJ
Peasant 540 Cube
My Peasant Cube thread !!! (380 cards)
Draft my Peasant Cube on Cube Cobra !!!
Sultai Emissary seems better than Doomed Dissenter for all of these cases. 2 cards for delve, 1 and a bit creatures for Unearth and Corpse Augur, manifest with undying evil can be great, and manifest is just upside.
Ooooooo... nice find. I think I like that more.
My Peasant Cube thread !!! (380 cards)
Draft my Peasant Cube on Cube Cobra !!!
EDIT:The sultai dude is also a Zombie Warrior.
---
I also need to take a long walk in the woods and meditate on my white removal and the role of Disenchant.
Cubetutor Peasant'ish-Funbox
Project: Khans of Tarkir Cube (cubetutor)
Bdog, it's instant speed, uncounterable divination, if divination always helped you draw the land you needed.
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
My Peasant Cube thread !!! (380 cards)
Draft my Peasant Cube on Cube Cobra !!!
Cast Out
Devoted Crop-Mate
Forsake the Worldly
Gust Walker
Seraph of the Suns
Trueheart Duelist
Angler Drake
Censor
Baleful Ammit
Bone Picker
Stir the Sands
Supernatural Stamina
Ahn-Crop Crasher
Bloodlust Inciter
Warfire Javelineer
Defiant Greatmaw
Exemplar of Strength
Greater Sandwurm
Scaled Behemoth
Shefet Monitor
Honored Crop-Captain
Spring//Mind
That said, the only card that's getting windmill-slammed into the c/ube is probably Honored Crop-Captain. I think someone else said something similar before - this set is filled with cards that are probably very close to being good. I'll be looking through my c/ube for cards that seem weak and I'll put things in where I feel I have room for testing.
I'm also going to get a copy of every Trial and Cartouche, maybe the monuments, and all the zombie-matters cards, especially the white ones. Because I can see myself making a weird, synergy-deep and low-power cube sometime in the future that would want all that.
Also getting a foil of that new Gravedigger art just to look at.
Draft my Peasant Cube.
Labyrinth Guardian doesn't trigger off abilities!
I just automatically read it as Phantasmal Bear..
Cubetutor Peasant'ish-Funbox
Project: Khans of Tarkir Cube (cubetutor)
Then I compare it to trueheart duelist (a card I still don't see making it) and I get annoyed. I guess I don't know what to think.
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
WiJ
Peasant 540 Cube
Uh
How exactly can you like the Embalm mechanic but need to get sold on the idea that it's good to over-pay for a creature for the chance to cast it multiple times?
I mean, Firebolt is a bad Shock and an unspeakably bad 5-drop removal spell, but put them on the same card and it's GREAT.
WiJ
Peasant 540 Cube
I think Attendant is another new card that's better than Serra Angel, but the pull of nostalgia is certainly powerful and way in Serra Angel's favor.
WiJ
Peasant 540 Cube
Except puppies
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