Scribe of the Mindful seems like an interesting version ofArchaeomancer. It has a body that can actually be useful, played earlier and can be sacced for 1 when you need it. It can't benefit from being blinked, but it does provide all round greater utility and supports sacrifice archetypes. I really like it. Pretty sure I will replace Archaeomancer with this. I really like getting a vaguely useful body and more sacrifice is good.
Tah-Crop Elite is sort of interesting for swarm; overcosted, but you get a repeatable effect for the extra mana.
Splendid Agony seems to only shine in certain situations and be average otherwise. Used as a combat trick or just generally you might be able to get a 2 for 1.
the scribe would be more interesting if it wouldnt be in the cc3 slot
it definitely doesnt replace archaeomancer in my cube, because its only there for the blink shenenigans in the first place and it supports the sacrifice archetype as a useless body as good
the elite, idk. if we already havent Dawnfeather Eagle i might have considererd it.
Jeepers. The Cartouche cycle all seem pretty awesome as far as auras go, the blue and green ones in particular. The red one is underwhelming by comparison, but you can't complain for 1 mana. It suits red aggro perfectly and you are going to be getting a big chunk of unexpected damage in. I'm pretty sure I'll wang the whole bunch in.
i also like the cycle.
pretty sure ill end up running the blue one and need to find slots for green and probably black and white in the t2 as well.
blue: i wont consider it strictly better than spectral flight which i continue to run in t1. the additional point of thoughness pushes x/2 over the sweet spot of toughness 3 and makes it way more resilent. also a 4 or 5/x beater hits way harder than 3/x. still the aura is the best of the cycle and can probably included in almost every deck.
green: so far i dont run any of the fight spells, but +1+1 and especially trample makes it awesome for bigger creatures
black: another x/1 killer. a little bit clunky for my taste, but lifelink is very good for black
red: well, its fine a guess. the effect wont probably warrant a cardslot for me
white: the amount of value for 1 mana makes me consider this card. you get 4 points of stats and 2 abilities. but yeah, it wont probably make the cut in the end, although i first was excited by the card.
I think Spectral Flight is better than the Cartouche of Knowledge. Hit by 4 is way better than hit by 3.
The 2 for 1 potential of spectral flight is so much worse, though. Higher ceiling, and while the absolute worst the floor can be is the same (remove creature in response to casting), the step above that for Cartouche is a LOT better.
The blue one is definitely the best and I prefer it to Spectral Flight in most situations as you avoid removal blow outs.
The green fight card is basically one mana cheaper than Hunt the Weak and the aura aspect is a bonus to cubes running enchantment synergies plus you get bonus trample. A lot of cubes have a lot of big 5/5 creatures in green that don't come with trample. Cards that tack trample on seem like a good deal to me. Also handy if you run things like Ruination Wurm.
Al makes a good point about White's one, although I could see running it in an aura deck.
I don't mind the black one. I dig cards that can do a few things.
Might not seem it but but this is a bit of a powercreep. Happy to see splashable options and I am looking into if they fit into my main cube or reserve section
My magic fetish has been itched. The first green fatty at common is out. A Hollowhenge Beast without the double mana requirement. The artwork also doesn't make me wet me kex with fright.
The artwork does make me grin though, I love old mate angering it up by prodding it with a stick. Good times to follow.
They also cut the mana cost of King Cheetah and gave us Pouncing Cheetah. I really dig on utility cards like this and Slaughterhorn, but they never seem to make it into the cube. It can be used as removal of an enemy attacker rather than a pump spell, so it probably holds a bit more value. It's obviously handy in a control deck as well.
edit: I agree about the powercreep on the Colossapede. If you want a 5/5 for five with no drawbacks you should at least be somewhat committed to green. Then again, look at Nessian Asp...
I've been pondering this exact comparison for my cube. I value the lifelink more than the extra stats. I also like the cheaper cost and the potential to kill a bonus creature or reduce the toughness of one enemy creature you can't attack into yet; which gives a virtual +2/+2 against that creature... I think I will be putting the cartouche in.
The usual negatives of auras are already significantly reduced in my cube as all the hard removal is conditional or more reasonably priced. There are no 1B Terror or Doom Blades.
If you speak of Foul Orchard and Stone Quarry, those were already in Shadows over Innistrad. They were Uncommon there, but in previous Planeswalker decks we already got a few of them. Stone Quarry we definitly had, but I'm not sure abaout Foul Orchard.
Supply Caravan is kind of cool. A conditional total of 4 power and six toughness. I'm not sure how keen people are for 1/1 warriors on turn five though. I think you want your creatures having an attached mass pump at that point.
Winged Shepherd is sort of interesting. I feel that most cube designers would prefer an actual card that will get used rather than cycled 90% of the time. I'm assuming no one has a cube with big cycling pay-offs.
Bramblewood Paragon is uncommon. Sounds like it might do better in a peasant cube
With duals I'd rather wait on the full cycle to be downgraded and then consider inclusion. It looks like that may take a while. Of course, if it takes too long then the sharpie solution may come into play.
With the Shepherd, I'm not a fan of including a card that will be used for cycling 99% of the time. The creature part is overcosted by far, and doesnt give you any value for its cost. Even in regular limited, I would probably play this, but I wouldn't be happy about it.
Caravan gives too little value and I agree with you that the 1/1 doesnt really impact the board at that point. On the plus side, I like that more and more tokens are getting keywords since Wizards started playing with value-for-cost margins
My 490 Pauper Cube
Modern frame only- Common on paper only - no functional copies, no strictly-betters - no subtype-matters
Tah-Crop Elite is sort of interesting for swarm; overcosted, but you get a repeatable effect for the extra mana.
Splendid Agony seems to only shine in certain situations and be average otherwise. Used as a combat trick or just generally you might be able to get a 2 for 1.
My singleton Masters Cube
it definitely doesnt replace archaeomancer in my cube, because its only there for the blink shenenigans in the first place and it supports the sacrifice archetype as a useless body as good
the elite, idk. if we already havent Dawnfeather Eagle i might have considererd it.
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
The same thoughts went through my mind for the Dawnfeather Eagle.
My singleton Masters Cube
4UU
Sorcery
Return up to two target creatures to their owners' hands.
Cycling 2 (2, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
The same with Decision Paralysis
3U
Instant
Tap up to two target creatures. Those creatures don't untap during their controller's next untap step.
Or are you interested in a Fiora flavor cube? Conspire and win!
Level 2 Judge
Cartouche of Knowledge
Cartouche of Strength
Cartouche of Ambition
Cartouche of Solidarity
Cartouche of Zeal
My singleton Masters Cube
pretty sure ill end up running the blue one and need to find slots for green and probably black and white in the t2 as well.
blue: i wont consider it strictly better than spectral flight which i continue to run in t1. the additional point of thoughness pushes x/2 over the sweet spot of toughness 3 and makes it way more resilent. also a 4 or 5/x beater hits way harder than 3/x. still the aura is the best of the cycle and can probably included in almost every deck.
green: so far i dont run any of the fight spells, but +1+1 and especially trample makes it awesome for bigger creatures
black: another x/1 killer. a little bit clunky for my taste, but lifelink is very good for black
red: well, its fine a guess. the effect wont probably warrant a cardslot for me
white: the amount of value for 1 mana makes me consider this card. you get 4 points of stats and 2 abilities. but yeah, it wont probably make the cut in the end, although i first was excited by the card.
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
My 490 Pauper Cube
Modern frame only- Common on paper only - no functional copies, no strictly-betters - no subtype-matters
The 2 for 1 potential of spectral flight is so much worse, though. Higher ceiling, and while the absolute worst the floor can be is the same (remove creature in response to casting), the step above that for Cartouche is a LOT better.
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
The green fight card is basically one mana cheaper than Hunt the Weak and the aura aspect is a bonus to cubes running enchantment synergies plus you get bonus trample. A lot of cubes have a lot of big 5/5 creatures in green that don't come with trample. Cards that tack trample on seem like a good deal to me. Also handy if you run things like Ruination Wurm.
Al makes a good point about White's one, although I could see running it in an aura deck.
I don't mind the black one. I dig cards that can do a few things.
My singleton Masters Cube
5/5
__________________
Pouncing Cheetah - 3G
Flash
3/2
Might not seem it but but this is a bit of a powercreep. Happy to see splashable options and I am looking into if they fit into my main cube or reserve section
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
Colossapede
The artwork does make me grin though, I love old mate angering it up by prodding it with a stick. Good times to follow.
They also cut the mana cost of King Cheetah and gave us Pouncing Cheetah. I really dig on utility cards like this and Slaughterhorn, but they never seem to make it into the cube. It can be used as removal of an enemy attacker rather than a pump spell, so it probably holds a bit more value. It's obviously handy in a control deck as well.
edit: I agree about the powercreep on the Colossapede. If you want a 5/5 for five with no drawbacks you should at least be somewhat committed to green. Then again, look at Nessian Asp...
My singleton Masters Cube
should have powercreeped the cheetah to a cc4 3/4 flash
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
The usual negatives of auras are already significantly reduced in my cube as all the hard removal is conditional or more reasonably priced. There are no 1B Terror or Doom Blades.
My singleton Masters Cube
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
My 490 Pauper Cube
Modern frame only- Common on paper only - no functional copies, no strictly-betters - no subtype-matters
but potentially you will get an additional combat step due to cheaper cost. and the +1 life hardly matters
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/9o1
Or are you interested in a Fiora flavor cube? Conspire and win!
Level 2 Judge
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Winged Shepherd is sort of interesting. I feel that most cube designers would prefer an actual card that will get used rather than cycled 90% of the time. I'm assuming no one has a cube with big cycling pay-offs.
My singleton Masters Cube
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
With duals I'd rather wait on the full cycle to be downgraded and then consider inclusion. It looks like that may take a while. Of course, if it takes too long then the sharpie solution may come into play.
With the Shepherd, I'm not a fan of including a card that will be used for cycling 99% of the time. The creature part is overcosted by far, and doesnt give you any value for its cost. Even in regular limited, I would probably play this, but I wouldn't be happy about it.
Caravan gives too little value and I agree with you that the 1/1 doesnt really impact the board at that point. On the plus side, I like that more and more tokens are getting keywords since Wizards started playing with value-for-cost margins
My Cube (DeckStats)
My Pauper Cube: 540 (CubeTutor link!)
Level 1 Judge
my bad.
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own