I prefer cc and think its more intuitive than ct. Only switching cubes is too clunky. Site is more responsive, better managed and not down half the time
The only spells matters card i run and consider good enough in the vacuum is Firebrand Archer. I even cut kiln fiend which is debatable.
Not a fan of djinn. Too risky against pacifism. I run Foul Imp which is bb though. Golem is better than all of them.
The thing I dislike about CubeCobra is that it doesn't seem to aggregate follows. So even if I click "Follow" on someone's Cube it doesn't seem to help me reaccess it later. I feel like I must be missing something obvious.
Iunno, cubecobra sometimes gives me "Undefined" error when I try to edit a card's CMC, type or color and can only fix it by refreshing the page. I'm giving it the benefit of doubt since it's a relatively new open source project, so it should get better as time passes. You've sold me on Fledgling Djinn vs Gluttonous Slug with the Pacifism argument for the time being, although Djinn will always be the better topdeck when you need to keep up the pressure or sneak in the last points of damage
On the new cards, finally made some cuts:
- Faceless Butcher -> Bushmeat Poacher: Not a cut I'm happy making, and I'll try to find something to cut to get Butcher back in, but this will have to do for now.
- Makeshift Mauler -> Dreamtail Heron: I've moved the graveyard theme away from UB to GB, and a 3/4 flier is better than a 4/5 ground attacker most of the time. It's Mutate trigger also negates the ability's card disadvantage by replacing whatever irrelevant creature you just mutated into.
- Attended Knight -> Vulpikeet: I hate cutting the ever-diminishing White blink targets, but Knight's rate is a bit poor and is also a Human, which Vulpikeet doesn't like. It's also the worst of my current White threes, where you would always play it if you got it, but you wouldn't actively go hunting for it.
- Martyr of Ashes -> Lava Serpent: Strictly better Tenement Crasher, which I've seen some people run and is classified as Cubeable. Great top end for midrange Red decks that can also cycle for value early game. Martyr is just a provisional cut, but since it's super clunky late game and Red has tons of divisible burn for board control in the midrange/control red decks, I don't see it as a big loss.
Furthermore, although Ram Through's Trample rider is certainly cherry on top and not the main attraction of the card, it has made me reconsider some Trample dudes that are always in and out of my cube:
- Goblin War Party -> Ill-Tempered Cyclops: War Party was a cog for both RW tokens and RB sac, but it's overcosted in both modes and the Entwine mode basically never happened. I believe Cyclops was the card I cut for it back in the day, and it's an overall solid creature at base rate and a good mana sink later, so back into the cube he goes.
- Entourage of Trest -> Tajuru Pathwarden: Losing one of the almost non-existent Green card advantage engines hurts, but a 4/4 for 5 is not where I want to be, and there's always the possibility of a Flier or Shadow creature stealing the crown from you. Pathwarden is an overall solid creature being able to play both offense and defense at the same time, which is where Green wants to be IMO.
I'm still on the fence about Cavern Whisperer. My Black fours are stacked and I'm already trying to bring Faceless Butcher back in, and Mutate seems like it could play clunky and open you up to 2-for-1s, but discarding a card and being a beefy evasion dude could make up for it. What are your thoughts on this one?
On a different note, I still think Spelleater Wolverine is worth a look. A 3/2 for 3 as base rate isn't terrible, and double strike is both really powerful and a rare ocurrence at common rarity. You don't even have to jump through hoops, all it asks of you is that you play a regular game of Magic (and for you to not Delve your spells away I suppose).
Overall I feel this set has been pretty decent for us, lots of great solid cards all around. The power level seems to be higher than the previous Standard set.
Boggart Brute imo is better than the Wolverine. Dohblestrike is ok if you can really weaponize it with evasion, but a 2 rear still dies to much of the early bodies and 1-2cmc removal. However, notmusing just that crutch, until it has Double Strike it is a low priority target so it may survive attrition.
Does fall to Evincar's Justice. (As does the Boggart)
Just because of how starved this format gets, the main lasting pieces from the set will be the Mutates. I like some of the Keyword Counter stuff, but not enough to see much surviving for more than a year. (I am adding the Lifelink instsnt)
Yeah, for some reason a lot of people are up on Cavern Whisperer. I'm not entirely sure why, since it was actually the mutate creature that I've been least interested in. It has a good body, it's efficiently costed, but sometimes discard on turn 4 is just moot. I think discard needs to be earlier, or repeatable. You can't blink this - there are better cards to play if you want that effect.
SCG has foils up. Wilt is sold out as of now, not that that was a dealbreaker. I got about 14 cards and Evolving Wild because I have an art collection for those.
I ended up adding all but the red mutate. which is also good, but i end my red creaturescurve at 3 pretty much. with the only exeption being Gorehorn MinotaursSprinting Warbrute, which are better imo. I dont care about loot or reach, if only it had trample..
The cavern guy is another piece in the rakdos aggrodeck i fringy support. I think the unexpected discard can catch some worse players offguard a lot. they tend to play all their lands and keep removal. its main attraction is to turn Grim Initiate into a scary beater.
I also eventually did cut Faceless Butcher, which is only really useful if you have sac-enabler, so its funny to replace it with poacher.
Wingfold Pteron - [-]Bad[/-] Borderline. Flexibility at 6cmc is acceptable. But often you already know what you want it for and there are better dedicated in each keyword.
Ferocious Tigorilla - Borderline - Flexible, but not really better than the competition
Fire Prophecy - Borderline - Card filtering in Red is welcomed. Not hitting players keeps this from a better rating. At least it is Instant speed.
Forbidden Friendship - Borderline - Giving one of the tokens haste is more unique. The different creature types is interesting.
Go for Blood - Bad - In any other color this would be more valuable. But the Sorcery speed coupled with the Fight mechanic make it worse than most of the competitors.
Heightened Reflexes - Borderline - Keeping the First Strike and the low cost make this viable, but not always worth the slot.
Lava Serpent - Cubeable - Better than all the other 6cmc Haste bodies!
Prickly Marmoset - Borderline - Even though the ability is not likely to be used, most of the others are 2/2, so this is +0/+1 better.
Pyroceratops - Cubeable - Better than Pyre Hounds, since now can be used with Auras and Artifacts.
Migratory Greathorn - Cubeable - All things considered, Green is not known for Humans, so it will often have a target. This is just an efficient body and ability coupled for outclassed targets.
Mosscoat Goriak - Borderline - Not typically what green wants. But it is a powercreep card.
Ram Through - Cubeable - Depends on Trample count, but this has the ability to deal damage to players and finish close races.
Sudden Spinnerets - Borderline - Very likeable. Leaving behind Reach is a drastic change, and adding the cheap cost and Untap makes it playable.
Survivors' Bond - Borderline - Not usual for Green. Likely to be usuable though.
Thwart the Enemy - Borderline - 3cmc Fogs aren't where most want to be. But it can set up blowouts; however unlikely.
Wilt - Borderline - Sideboard normally, adding Cycling makes it possible for maindeck.
Notables
Mutates - U/W/G (B/R are up for debate)
Unexpected Fangs - 2cmc instant that acts like an aura.
Ram Through - most are replacing Ambuscade
Pyroceratops - Now Pyre Hounds can fit any deck
Lava Serpent - Final word in 6cmc Hasters
My Cubes - The Busted Cube. A fully functional, almost 100% custom cube. The project started out by asking "What if other colors got cards on the power level of Mana Drain,Ancestral Recall, and Time Walk?" Draft and enjoy!
Imposing Vantasaur vs Noble Templar. at cmc 6 the creature is more or less irrelevant. 3/6 vigilance is okayish though. So it boils down to cycling. Id argue cycling 1 is better than landcycling 2. Its more flexible, better lategame and probably even better when screwed. So unless you deperately want a "Rampant Growth" in white, run the beast.
As aggressive as your cube. I did not say it was gospel.
The Cat is in the Doomed Traveller / Hunted Witness camp. The details are marginally different and while it is the worst overall of the 3, I do not see it really needing spelled out. I can accept if others do. Edit: Also, Tukatongue Thallid
And a rebuttal evaluation is always welcomed. I look forward to your write up.
I would hope alsomthat taking a step back to review your own words you can see that there is a somewhat standoffish opinion when challeneged to do your own complete review.
Waste of energy? We are one of the smallest factions of MtG besides dead formats. There is one major player in Pauper Cube, we are not it. All of our energy is wasted energy. But, as a select set of passionate, and often in disagreement group, extra investments of energy when applicable help the group as a whole. So, if you do not feel my sense makes much sense, or simply disagree, then you are welcomed by everyone here to also invest the hours it takes to maintain, update, format, and debate thr Evaluate Everything situation we have. It has to be a group effort or it is null.
As a comment on your numerous involvements across the numerous topics here, you often have the last say many times. If that energy can be channeled into the banal task of ALL cards in the given set every few months, then this would likely be others criticizing your opinions. I welcome a challenge. I am always over valuing specific things. So I do need to be challeneged. But I take the time to form and explain my side, reconsider, and find a settling point.
Like a good family, we should not argue in front of the newer members. But healthy discourse can build us back up.
TL;DR
Optics do not look great if you want to throw stones and not do the work as well.
Please helps us do more, by investing the keystrokes instead of dismissing the efforts.
Update Notes:
One of the easiest ones to date as most of these are lateral "upgrades". Mutate is not a mechanic I want to adopt. However, for the context of this, it is just an 'upgrade' to Aggro/Midrange early bodies. No real ideologies change, and I just have to consider Pyroceratops as a slot that needs forced in.
Rules Note:
Mutate is a nightmare. On the positive side, these things can upgrade Hexproof bodies, have "Haste" if the creature they are going on Top of has been under your control since beginning of turn... But no shenanigans with Faceless Butcher. I mean these will single-handedly cause some of the most headche-inducing explanations since Conspiracy.
Increasing the validity of Tokens and "Army in a Can" bodies is intriguing. I think all are worth testing and may surprise us in how often then are valid.
ok, since people seem to enjoy reading those evaluations and i got ask for it, lets go. not much to do in corona times anyway.
A=cubable, B Borderline, C Crap
Ill mostly look at cards from my cubes meta perspective, but i kinda try to see them in a vacuum.
Adaptive Shimmerer - way too overcosted -C Adventurous Impulse - If it would mill it would be awesome. As is you just waste ressources to cycle it. C Aegis Turtle Although im hyperaggerssive this doesnt offer anything. Wall of Runes also blocks reds cmc2 3/x and scrys C Almighty Brushwagg the pump is overcosted. compare to frilled sandwalla and basking rootwalla its an awesome mutatetarget in IKO lim. C Anticipate cmc2 cantrips are just too slow. If you want one, go for Impulse or Omen of the Sea C Blade Banish Exile can be relevant against Golgari, but you dont want to spend 4 on it. It also offers no synergies with whites enchantment theme. C Blazing Volley this can be relevant if you suffer against early x/1s or token strategies in the midgame. if the latter is the problem we already have better solutions. so its a very fringe application B Blisterspit Gremlin the activation cost kills its potential. especially you get the effect for free on 2 2-drops already Blitz Leech with a power of 5 it should block and kill almost everything, so you can use the trigger to kill something else on top. Naturally all cards that offer a 2:1 trade belong to B for me. Blood Curdle Id say, if you want to cut down on hyperefficient removal for gameplay reasons, this is a good alternative B Boot Nipper either Child of Night or Hand of Silumgar both modes are awesome. A Bristling Boar green offers way better 4 drops C Bushmeat Poacher turn your obsolete and pacified creatures into lifegain+draw. hell yeah. 2/4 for 4 is unimpressive though B-A Capture Sphere cmc4 for removal is too much in the average cube and blues colorpie should bounce for U -C Cathartic Reunion Im not high on reds "draw" and discarding upfront asks for problems C Cavern Whisperer as all mutates its awesome to turn a onedrop into a midgame thread for competitive manacosts. It offers a 2-1, albeit a weak one -B Checkpoint OfficerBlinding Mage -C Cloudpiercer worst of the bunch imo. cmc4 in red is a lot and it has a defensive ability, why? -C Convolute solid counterspell for draw-go strategies and splashable. Usually a hardcounter -B Coordinated Charge too costly, although Instant makes it more appealing. C-B Corpse Churn Blacks take on Anticipate. Why not just draw 2 instead?Night's Whisper It plays well in gy strategies -B Crystacean oh boy, 6 is a big butt, but 4 is expensive. I can see extremly fringe use in draw-go C-B Dark Bargain its dig is acceptable, especially in gy decks -B Daysquad Marshal 2 2/2s seem kinda better than 3/3 +1/1, might still have its uses C-B Dead Weight cmc1 removal is always good, it offers synergies with auramancer. but sorceryspeed is a bummer B-A Divine Arrow I rather play unconditional enchantment based removal for sure C Drannith Healer I dont care about the ability. A bear is always useful, especially one with cycle 1. Will be staple in IKO limited, but we have so many 2 drops to chose from. C Drannith Stinger see healer - C Dreamtail Heron Expect it to play close to Wretched Gryff, with a cheaper "hardcast" mode. 3/4 fly are very good stats B-A Durable Coilbug recycle 5 is just excessivly costed, Ain't Nobody Got Time For That. C Essence Scatter blues situational doomblade. only really playable in draw-go B Essence Symbiont sadly, we dont have enough density for mutate. seems good in IKO lim. C Excavation Mole some still run centaurs and this one has trample and mills, which is usually a ressource gain and not a cost. Still it trades with reds 2 drops, so meh. B Facet Reader blue can loot for free on cmc2 creatures C Farfinder this does offer nothing 3 better creatures already do. not even any artifact synergy. C Ferocious Tigorilla red can do better at cmc4. toughness of 3 is meh C Fertilid I like it for durdly cubes that might even be able to give it back some counters. more interesting than cultivate, but very slow C-B Fire Prophecy doesnt hit players, doesnt enable madness C Flycatcher Giraffid very bad choice to run in greens 5 section. okayish in IKO lim. C Forbidden Friendship we have a critical mass of Dragon Fodder now, which both fuel token as spells matters strategies. B-A
Frenzied Raptor very aggressive, enables ferocious, but toughness 2 is way too fragile. C Frost Lynx the bad version of Man-o'-War but thats still good in agressive strategies, which blue is usually not. B-C Frostveil Ambush I might just run it for its cycling of 1 and then every other game have a useful card. B-C Fully Grown (permanent) trample effects are usually good for green. cmc3 combat tricks are barely a surprise though and +3+3 isnt stellar either. Still. B Garrison Cat worst in the triplet of tokenleaver. Can be very annoying to deal with. B Glimmerbell for that activation cost, I dont see any use. I think Horseshoe Crab is what youre looking for (+Hermetic Study C Gloom Pangolin I like big butts, when they fly Vampire Envoy C Go for Blood just run more Incinerates C Greater Sandwurm thats a good one, but we dont want to ramp usually B Gust of Wind flying matters starts to accumulate, but sorceryspeed stays meh C-B Hampering Snare pure filler and a desperate latepick in IKO lim. C Heightened Reflexes very good combat trick, if you want to run them. they make combat more interesting B Helica Gliderits a nightmare squirrel, thats something C Honey Mammoth 4 life is not enough on a 6 drop without ability. Not when we have Fierce Witchstalker for the same purpose C-B Humble Naturalist there are way better options for a cmc2 manaelf. C Imposing Vantasaur just run it for the cycle and a lategame option. Slots are tight though, so only B Keep Safe very useful in draw go and spells matters B Lava Serpent as said, suprise attack for 5 costs 4 in red (Warbrute) and cycling 2 is too much to just have it around. C Light of Hope all modes do something, but not very well C Lurking Deadeye with flash, I feel it can get a blocked creature somewhat reliably, but the statline is just awful, sadly it cant block and kill sth, unless you have first strike, which red might have, its a Rakdos card for sure B-C Maned Serval blocks red 2 drops, so thats something. But white wants to play aggressive and doesnt support control very well. C-B Memory Leak sometimes you take their only out or playable card. Often it misses. Not worth a slot C Migratory Greathorn best common in the Set. turn my llanowar elf into a 3/4 on turn 2, yeah baby. Give me a land on top, so I ramp to 5, even better. I love this card. A+ Mosscoat Goriak If I dont find the Greathorn but want to survive sligh, this is my 3 drop of choice A-B
Mutual DestructionSpark Harvest alternative cost is more appealing than instant for this one B-C Mysterious Egg not enough mutate around. Solid pick in IKO lim. C Nightsquad Commando I dont even run the white version in a tokendeck. The requirement is often more annoying than expected and black is not dense on tokensupport yet. C Of One Mind I doubt we can reliably cast it for U unless you are UW. B Pacifism well, its Pacifism A Patagia Tiger 3/4 is a great statline again, but the pump is lackluster. Id rather pump the team and finish the game Dawnfeather Eagle C Perimeter Sergeant crusade like effects are hard to come by in pauper, but this one only pumps attack (the more relvant stat) and then dies. If he ever attacked in the first place C Phase Dolphin this card has potential for Otter draws. Pick it reasonably high in IKO lim B Plummet SB cards are not what we want in cubes. C Prickly Marmoset I mean, IF you end up with 5+ cycler in your deck, its quite good. Very borderline for us B-C Pyroceratops at a cmc of 4 this comes down very late and you might have shot your shoot. Very slow to grow later. C-B Raking Claws just doublestrike and no statboost is meh. C Ram Through Id say second best green removal after Savage Swipe, but why run 1:1 removal in green at all? It doesnt fit. B-C Rumbling Rockslide so cmc 4 4dmg+ on a creature only. At Sorcery speed?, no thanks C Savai Sabertooth I dont like x/1s at all. C Serrated Scorpion you must be very desperate for black onedrops to run this. But drain 2 can sometimes safe your ass. C-B Shredded Sails SB only card, even with cycle (of 2, meh) C Sleeper Dart the effect seems quite good for only 2 and a draw. IKO lim high pick B-C Snare Tacticiansee marmoset. can add a cool effect to the cycle cards you might already run. C-B Solid Footing man, they really want you to pick maned serval. well if you run it, so do this C-B Spelleater Wolverine after its active, it seems better than Splatter Thug. the toughness of 2 makes it vulnerable to slightly more removal. well. B-A Spontaneous Flight seems overcosted by 1 or needed the untap effect. C Springjaw Trap as all artifact based removals, its expensive, but colorless. IKO lim allstar. C Startling Development Id rather run Wings of Velis Vel for this effect, cuz it flies and randomly enables tribalstuff C Sudden Spinnerets cmc 1 trick, check. surprise effect, check. aggrocard, fail. this is how greens removal looks like though B Suffocating Fumes get rid of reds token armee and my ***** still lives. nice. B Survivors' Bond its a 2:1 in gy decks. B Tentative Connection all threaten effects are busted with saceffects B Thieving Otter yeah, this bugger finally works with pingeffects. B Thwart the Enemy i rally can evaluate this. I think the floor is a fightlike pseudoremoval, and the ceiling a complete blowout and free counterattack. cmc3 kinda holds it back a bit. seems solid enough B Unexpected Fangs Id happily pay B for it, but 1B, nah. B-C Unlikely Aid kinda same C Vulpikeet dont fool yourself, this is a selesnyacard and turns said manaelf into a 3/4 fly. B-A Whisper Squad a cube runs singletons, remember? It doesnt even feel exiting if you got couples. C Wilt still a SB card C Wingfold Pteron Its not as good of a finisher Benthic Giant is and youll find flying elsewhere C-B
Does anyone know of sites that generate similarity scores for magic cards. I'm aware of mtgassist but it doesn't have the new cards up instantaneously like scryfall. It really helps to center and focus analysis imo -- and also identifying functional reprints.
Secondly, there are 20 reprints in this set so one can save a fair amount by glossing over those.
It helps me also to try and keep perspective on the set's themes and what they are trying to do. In this case, mutate is the frontline face of the set. IMO it is an overcomplicated reprise of auras a la bestow. But the individual cards seem notably stronger for mutate.
I mean they just copying hearthstone at this moment. thats were the mechanics and cards come from
Definitely can't disagree with that. Which makes it weird how when they bragged about how they had brilliant ideas like this coming out of their "hackathons". Which I assume involve failed attempts to hack Blizzard servers. It's so blatantly transparent it's like they're not even trying to hide it.
I guess what they mean when they say that they can't look at unpublished designs is that they're therefore forced to only copy published designs.
Looking through Humps evaluations. Will try to go more systematically later but I don't Excavation Mole dies to that many red 2-drops. Most of the ones with 3 power have drawbacks like "can't block" or "must attack" or only have 3 power when attacking.
Cloud Piercer - Borderline - Everything together is fine. But a rummage 5/4 with Reach is not very Red.
It feels weird as a product of them forcing dinos as base red which is a big time huh?????? imo
As a quick review, I agree with Night Hydra that Ikoria is pretty linear in that it offers some options that are more or less the best in their class but also essentially minor upgrades on cards that already exist. So it comes down to if you have already have those cards or want more of them.
The only spells matters card i run and consider good enough in the vacuum is Firebrand Archer. I even cut kiln fiend which is debatable.
Not a fan of djinn. Too risky against pacifism. I run Foul Imp which is bb though. Golem is better than all of them.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
sweet thanks!
Yea I missed it. The tags don't show up on mobile on the Cube Forum page,and they're half covered by the breadcrumb nav on this page.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
On the new cards, finally made some cuts:
- Faceless Butcher -> Bushmeat Poacher: Not a cut I'm happy making, and I'll try to find something to cut to get Butcher back in, but this will have to do for now.
- Makeshift Mauler -> Dreamtail Heron: I've moved the graveyard theme away from UB to GB, and a 3/4 flier is better than a 4/5 ground attacker most of the time. It's Mutate trigger also negates the ability's card disadvantage by replacing whatever irrelevant creature you just mutated into.
- Attended Knight -> Vulpikeet: I hate cutting the ever-diminishing White blink targets, but Knight's rate is a bit poor and is also a Human, which Vulpikeet doesn't like. It's also the worst of my current White threes, where you would always play it if you got it, but you wouldn't actively go hunting for it.
- Martyr of Ashes -> Lava Serpent: Strictly better Tenement Crasher, which I've seen some people run and is classified as Cubeable. Great top end for midrange Red decks that can also cycle for value early game. Martyr is just a provisional cut, but since it's super clunky late game and Red has tons of divisible burn for board control in the midrange/control red decks, I don't see it as a big loss.
Furthermore, although Ram Through's Trample rider is certainly cherry on top and not the main attraction of the card, it has made me reconsider some Trample dudes that are always in and out of my cube:
- Goblin War Party -> Ill-Tempered Cyclops: War Party was a cog for both RW tokens and RB sac, but it's overcosted in both modes and the Entwine mode basically never happened. I believe Cyclops was the card I cut for it back in the day, and it's an overall solid creature at base rate and a good mana sink later, so back into the cube he goes.
- Entourage of Trest -> Tajuru Pathwarden: Losing one of the almost non-existent Green card advantage engines hurts, but a 4/4 for 5 is not where I want to be, and there's always the possibility of a Flier or Shadow creature stealing the crown from you. Pathwarden is an overall solid creature being able to play both offense and defense at the same time, which is where Green wants to be IMO.
Mosscoat Goriak is the last card from the set that I want to add but I don't find a cut for. Heightened Reflexes and Sudden Spinnerets also look super promising.
I'm still on the fence about Cavern Whisperer. My Black fours are stacked and I'm already trying to bring Faceless Butcher back in, and Mutate seems like it could play clunky and open you up to 2-for-1s, but discarding a card and being a beefy evasion dude could make up for it. What are your thoughts on this one?
On a different note, I still think Spelleater Wolverine is worth a look. A 3/2 for 3 as base rate isn't terrible, and double strike is both really powerful and a rare ocurrence at common rarity. You don't even have to jump through hoops, all it asks of you is that you play a regular game of Magic (and for you to not Delve your spells away I suppose).
Overall I feel this set has been pretty decent for us, lots of great solid cards all around. The power level seems to be higher than the previous Standard set.
Thanks to DNC from Heroes of the Plane Studios for the sig
Check my Pauper Cube!
Does fall to Evincar's Justice. (As does the Boggart)
Just because of how starved this format gets, the main lasting pieces from the set will be the Mutates. I like some of the Keyword Counter stuff, but not enough to see much surviving for more than a year. (I am adding the Lifelink instsnt)
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
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GWUBRDraft my Old Border Nostalgia Cube! and/or The Little Pauper Cube That Could!RBUWG
Modern:WDeath & TaxesW | RUGRUG DelverRUG
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Gorehorn MinotaursSprinting Warbrute, which are better imo. I dont care about loot or reach, if only it had trample..The cavern guy is another piece in the rakdos aggrodeck i fringy support. I think the unexpected discard can catch some worse players offguard a lot. they tend to play all their lands and keep removal. its main attraction is to turn Grim Initiate into a scary beater.
I also eventually did cut Faceless Butcher, which is only really useful if you have sac-enabler, so its funny to replace it with poacher.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Colorless
Adaptive Shimmerer - Bad - Cool idea. Not enough.
Farfinder - Borderline - We have flying versions, but better than non-flying. NOT AN ARTIFACT.
Mysterious Egg - Bad - We only have 5 Mutate bodies
Sleeper Dart - Borderline - Variant on an unused design.
Springjaw Trap - Borderline - While the activation is steep and single use, adding FLash and the ability to hit players means it can be useful.
White
Blade Banish - Bad. 4cmc is too much. Nice to Exile.
Checkpoint Officer - Bad (terrible).
Coordinated Charge - Bad. Marshalling Cry exists.
Daysquad Marshal - Bad. We have versions that make better tokens.
Drannith Healer - Bad.
Garrison Cat - Functional Reprint
Helica Glider - Borderline. NIGHTMARE SQUIRREL! But either ability is just par at this cost
Imposing Vantasaur - Borederline - Noble Templar is better more often.
Light of Hope - Borderline. Maindeck-able flex card
Maned Serval - Borderline. 2 mana Yotian Soldier, so it is defensive.
Pacifism - reprint.
Patagia Tiger - Borderline. It is better bodied than the other 5cmc EtB boosters, but limited targets.
Perimeter Sergeant - Bad. Very limited boost. Body is vanilla.
Savai Sabertooth - Functional Reprint
Snare Tactician - Bad.
Solid Footing - Bad. Triclopean Sight is better.
Spontaneous Flight - Borderline. Flying sticks and is an instant. 3 cmc is not where you want most tricks.
Vulpikeet - Cubeable. Non-Human makes this a Mutate formthe splash color. However, 3cmc for 3/4 Flying is VERY acceptable!
Blue
Aegis Turtle - Borderline. Power creep, but unimpressive
Capture Sphere - Functional
Crystacean - Bad. Flash costs too much here.
Dreamtail Heron - Cubeable. Non-human is not a big deal. Discounted, and better, Phantom Monster. Worth the gamble.
Essence Scatter - Reprint
Facet Reader - Bad.
Frost Lynx - Reprint
Frostveil Ambush - Bad. Too costly.
Glimmerbell - Borderline. Powercreep of a small flying body, pseudo-vigilance.
Gust of Wind - Borderline. In the right color for the discount. But Sorcey hurts.
Hampering Snare - Bad. *Caveat, better in Sealed.
Keep Safe - Borderline. Compares to Confound.
Of One Mind - Borderline. Most Cubes will be able to fit this. But compared to Winged Words, it is less reliable a discount.
Phase Dolphin - Borderline. Powercreep does not make up for an unflattering body.
Startling Development - Borderline. Pseudo-Giant Growth with cycling.
Thieving Otter - Functional reprint of Stealer of Secrets.
Wingfold Pteron - [-]Bad[/-] Borderline. Flexibility at 6cmc is acceptable. But often you already know what you want it for and there are better dedicated in each keyword.
Black
Blitz Leech - Bad. Too much.
Blood Curdle - Borderline. Effectively a 1.5-for-1. Upgrading a body and instant speed ar comparable at 4cmc. But more efficient options exist.
Boot Nipper - Borderline. Flexibility kills its agression.
Bushmeat Poacher - Borderline. Cost is lower than other options, even if it needs to tap now.
Cavern Whisperer - Borderline. Black has many co peting slots like Okiba-Gang. Still a fine choice.
Corpse Churn - Reprint.
Dark Bargain - Reprint.
Dead Weight - Reprint.
Durable Coilbug - Bad. Ability costs too much.
Gloom Pangolin - Bad. Wrong color.
Lurking Deadeye - Borderline. Flash and aggressive body. Another 1.5-for-1. Body won't survive combat.
Memory Leak - Borderline. Coercion-esque with cheap cycling.
Mutual Destruction - Bad.
Nightsquad Commando - Borderline. For Sacrifice decks only.
Serrated Scorpion - Borderline. Aggressive, but unimpressive.
Suffocating Fumes - Borderline. Instant and cycling keep this Nausea variant acceptable.
Unexpected Fangs - Cubeable. Being an Instant versus the Aura versions makes it sneakier. Avoids Disenchants.
Unlikely Aid - Functional
Whisper Squad - Bad.
Red
Blazing Volley - BAD - Not enough
Blisterspit Gremlin - Borderline - Compared to the others that do not have the untap clause, the decision to keep spending mana seems questionable.
Cloudpiercer - Borderline - Everything together is fine. But a rummage 5/4 with Reach is not very Red.
Drannith Stinger - BAD
Ferocious Tigorilla - Borderline - Flexible, but not really better than the competition
Fire Prophecy - Borderline - Card filtering in Red is welcomed. Not hitting players keeps this from a better rating. At least it is Instant speed.
Forbidden Friendship - Borderline - Giving one of the tokens haste is more unique. The different creature types is interesting.
Go for Blood - Bad - In any other color this would be more valuable. But the Sorcery speed coupled with the Fight mechanic make it worse than most of the competitors.
Heightened Reflexes - Borderline - Keeping the First Strike and the low cost make this viable, but not always worth the slot.
Lava Serpent - Cubeable - Better than all the other 6cmc Haste bodies!
Prickly Marmoset - Borderline - Even though the ability is not likely to be used, most of the others are 2/2, so this is +0/+1 better.
Pyroceratops - Cubeable - Better than Pyre Hounds, since now can be used with Auras and Artifacts.
Raking Claws - BAD
Rumbling Rockslide - BAD
Shredded Sails - Borderline - Flexible and cycling are acceptable. Limited to killing Flying is a cube-based decision.
Spelleater Wolverine - Borderline - Double Strike is not better than Evasion in a damage race.
Tentative Connection - Bad - Sorcery and unlikely discount
Green
Almighty Brushwagg - Bad - Unimpressive, or overcosted ability. Combined is not good.
Essence Symbiote - Bad
Excavation Mole - Borderline - Above curve body + ability, adding self-mill support is dependent.
Flycatcher Giraffid - Bad - We have better cards with 2 abilities, not a choice
Fully Grown - Borderline - Green has so many Trample bodies, and splashing it is ok; not overblown.
Honey Mammoth - Borderline - Solid stats and ability. But Green usually gives evasive or bigger at this cmc.
Humble Naturalist - Bad - Worse than the Sliver
Migratory Greathorn - Cubeable - All things considered, Green is not known for Humans, so it will often have a target. This is just an efficient body and ability coupled for outclassed targets.
Mosscoat Goriak - Borderline - Not typically what green wants. But it is a powercreep card.
Ram Through - Cubeable - Depends on Trample count, but this has the ability to deal damage to players and finish close races.
Sudden Spinnerets - Borderline - Very likeable. Leaving behind Reach is a drastic change, and adding the cheap cost and Untap makes it playable.
Survivors' Bond - Borderline - Not usual for Green. Likely to be usuable though.
Thwart the Enemy - Borderline - 3cmc Fogs aren't where most want to be. But it can set up blowouts; however unlikely.
Wilt - Borderline - Sideboard normally, adding Cycling makes it possible for maindeck.
Notables
Mutates - U/W/G (B/R are up for debate)
Unexpected Fangs - 2cmc instant that acts like an aura.
Ram Through - most are replacing Ambuscade
Pyroceratops - Now Pyre Hounds can fit any deck
Lava Serpent - Final word in 6cmc Hasters
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
Regular 450 unpowered cube (with some custom cards) - 450 Unpowered
Garrison Cat is not a functional reprint
Farfinder, Glimmerbell is horrible
how is Startling Development a giant growth?? its a worse Wings of Velis Vel with cycling
Blitz Leech is probably still borderline. offering a 2:1
Boot Nipper -flexibility kills aggression??? how?? its a supersolid card. cubable
I stop here. Seen better ratings. (and evaluation in the paupertopic)
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
The Cat is in the Doomed Traveller / Hunted Witness camp. The details are marginally different and while it is the worst overall of the 3, I do not see it really needing spelled out. I can accept if others do. Edit: Also, Tukatongue Thallid
And a rebuttal evaluation is always welcomed. I look forward to your write up.
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
borderlina can get notable mentions.
but if you put the time into it, pls use a somewhat consitent logic to it.
commenting on every card takes more time than writing it itself.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Waste of energy? We are one of the smallest factions of MtG besides dead formats. There is one major player in Pauper Cube, we are not it. All of our energy is wasted energy. But, as a select set of passionate, and often in disagreement group, extra investments of energy when applicable help the group as a whole. So, if you do not feel my sense makes much sense, or simply disagree, then you are welcomed by everyone here to also invest the hours it takes to maintain, update, format, and debate thr Evaluate Everything situation we have. It has to be a group effort or it is null.
As a comment on your numerous involvements across the numerous topics here, you often have the last say many times. If that energy can be channeled into the banal task of ALL cards in the given set every few months, then this would likely be others criticizing your opinions. I welcome a challenge. I am always over valuing specific things. So I do need to be challeneged. But I take the time to form and explain my side, reconsider, and find a settling point.
Like a good family, we should not argue in front of the newer members. But healthy discourse can build us back up.
TL;DR
Optics do not look great if you want to throw stones and not do the work as well.
Please helps us do more, by investing the keystrokes instead of dismissing the efforts.
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
Aim High -> Sudden Spinnerets
Thriving Rhino -> Migratory Greathorn
Savage Swipe/Utopia Vow -> Ram Through(Maybe)[No Ambuscade to cut]
Phantom Monster -> Dreamtail Heron
Giant's Skewer -> Unexpected Fangs (somehow I left it in?)
Faceless Butcher -> Cavern Whisperer (Experimental)
Granitic Titan -> Lava Serpent (may find room for both)
Keldon Raider -> Cloudpiercer
Master of Diversions -> Vulpikeet (still have Hammerskull)
Update Notes:
One of the easiest ones to date as most of these are lateral "upgrades". Mutate is not a mechanic I want to adopt. However, for the context of this, it is just an 'upgrade' to Aggro/Midrange early bodies. No real ideologies change, and I just have to consider Pyroceratops as a slot that needs forced in.
Rules Note:
Mutate is a nightmare. On the positive side, these things can upgrade Hexproof bodies, have "Haste" if the creature they are going on Top of has been under your control since beginning of turn... But no shenanigans with Faceless Butcher. I mean these will single-handedly cause some of the most headche-inducing explanations since Conspiracy.
Increasing the validity of Tokens and "Army in a Can" bodies is intriguing. I think all are worth testing and may surprise us in how often then are valid.
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
lava serpent seems overrated. cycling 2 is overcosted these days and 5/5 haste for 6! isnt good either when we have Sprinting Warbrute
Red either dont need or has better finishers for the lategame. Vildin-Pack OutcastQuakefoot Cyclops, I even like Granitic Titan more. It wont be just chumped by a random token
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
A=cubable, B Borderline, C Crap
Ill mostly look at cards from my cubes meta perspective, but i kinda try to see them in a vacuum.
Adaptive Shimmerer - way too overcosted -C
Adventurous Impulse - If it would mill it would be awesome. As is you just waste ressources to cycle it. C
Aegis Turtle Although im hyperaggerssive this doesnt offer anything. Wall of Runes also blocks reds cmc2 3/x and scrys C
Almighty Brushwagg the pump is overcosted. compare to frilled sandwalla and basking rootwalla its an awesome mutatetarget in IKO lim. C
Anticipate cmc2 cantrips are just too slow. If you want one, go for Impulse or Omen of the Sea C
Blade Banish Exile can be relevant against Golgari, but you dont want to spend 4 on it. It also offers no synergies with whites enchantment theme. C
Blazing Volley this can be relevant if you suffer against early x/1s or token strategies in the midgame. if the latter is the problem we already have better solutions. so its a very fringe application B
Blisterspit Gremlin the activation cost kills its potential. especially you get the effect for free on 2 2-drops already
Blitz Leech with a power of 5 it should block and kill almost everything, so you can use the trigger to kill something else on top. Naturally all cards that offer a 2:1 trade belong to B for me.
Blood Curdle Id say, if you want to cut down on hyperefficient removal for gameplay reasons, this is a good alternative B
Boot Nipper either Child of Night or Hand of Silumgar both modes are awesome. A
Bristling Boar green offers way better 4 drops C
Bushmeat Poacher turn your obsolete and pacified creatures into lifegain+draw. hell yeah. 2/4 for 4 is unimpressive though B-A
Capture Sphere cmc4 for removal is too much in the average cube and blues colorpie should bounce for U -C
Cathartic Reunion Im not high on reds "draw" and discarding upfront asks for problems C
Cavern Whisperer as all mutates its awesome to turn a onedrop into a midgame thread for competitive manacosts. It offers a 2-1, albeit a weak one -B
Checkpoint Officer Blinding Mage -C
Cloudpiercer worst of the bunch imo. cmc4 in red is a lot and it has a defensive ability, why? -C
Convolute solid counterspell for draw-go strategies and splashable. Usually a hardcounter -B
Coordinated Charge too costly, although Instant makes it more appealing. C-B
Corpse Churn Blacks take on Anticipate. Why not just draw 2 instead?Night's Whisper It plays well in gy strategies -B
Crystacean oh boy, 6 is a big butt, but 4 is expensive. I can see extremly fringe use in draw-go C-B
Dark Bargain its dig is acceptable, especially in gy decks -B
Daysquad Marshal 2 2/2s seem kinda better than 3/3 +1/1, might still have its uses C-B
Dead Weight cmc1 removal is always good, it offers synergies with auramancer. but sorceryspeed is a bummer B-A
Divine Arrow I rather play unconditional enchantment based removal for sure C
Drannith Healer I dont care about the ability. A bear is always useful, especially one with cycle 1. Will be staple in IKO limited, but we have so many 2 drops to chose from. C
Drannith Stinger see healer - C
Dreamtail Heron Expect it to play close to Wretched Gryff, with a cheaper "hardcast" mode. 3/4 fly are very good stats B-A
Durable Coilbug recycle 5 is just excessivly costed, Ain't Nobody Got Time For That. C
Essence Scatter blues situational doomblade. only really playable in draw-go B
Essence Symbiont sadly, we dont have enough density for mutate. seems good in IKO lim. C
Excavation Mole some still run centaurs and this one has trample and mills, which is usually a ressource gain and not a cost. Still it trades with reds 2 drops, so meh. B
Facet Reader blue can loot for free on cmc2 creatures C
Farfinder this does offer nothing 3 better creatures already do. not even any artifact synergy. C
Ferocious Tigorilla red can do better at cmc4. toughness of 3 is meh C
Fertilid I like it for durdly cubes that might even be able to give it back some counters. more interesting than cultivate, but very slow C-B
Fire Prophecy doesnt hit players, doesnt enable madness C
Flycatcher Giraffid very bad choice to run in greens 5 section. okayish in IKO lim. C
Forbidden Friendship we have a critical mass of Dragon Fodder now, which both fuel token as spells matters strategies. B-A
Frenzied Raptor very aggressive, enables ferocious, but toughness 2 is way too fragile. C
Frost Lynx the bad version of Man-o'-War but thats still good in agressive strategies, which blue is usually not. B-C
Frostveil Ambush I might just run it for its cycling of 1 and then every other game have a useful card. B-C
Fully Grown (permanent) trample effects are usually good for green. cmc3 combat tricks are barely a surprise though and +3+3 isnt stellar either. Still. B
Garrison Cat worst in the triplet of tokenleaver. Can be very annoying to deal with. B
Glimmerbell for that activation cost, I dont see any use. I think Horseshoe Crab is what youre looking for (+Hermetic Study C
Gloom Pangolin I like big butts, when they fly Vampire Envoy C
Go for Blood just run more Incinerates C
Greater Sandwurm thats a good one, but we dont want to ramp usually B
Gust of Wind flying matters starts to accumulate, but sorceryspeed stays meh C-B
Hampering Snare pure filler and a desperate latepick in IKO lim. C
Heightened Reflexes very good combat trick, if you want to run them. they make combat more interesting B
Helica Gliderits a nightmare squirrel, thats something C
Honey Mammoth 4 life is not enough on a 6 drop without ability. Not when we have Fierce Witchstalker for the same purpose C-B
Humble Naturalist there are way better options for a cmc2 manaelf. C
Imposing Vantasaur just run it for the cycle and a lategame option. Slots are tight though, so only B
Keep Safe very useful in draw go and spells matters B
Lava Serpent as said, suprise attack for 5 costs 4 in red (Warbrute) and cycling 2 is too much to just have it around. C
Light of Hope all modes do something, but not very well C
Lurking Deadeye with flash, I feel it can get a blocked creature somewhat reliably, but the statline is just awful, sadly it cant block and kill sth, unless you have first strike, which red might have, its a Rakdos card for sure B-C
Maned Serval blocks red 2 drops, so thats something. But white wants to play aggressive and doesnt support control very well. C-B
Memory Leak sometimes you take their only out or playable card. Often it misses. Not worth a slot C
Migratory Greathorn best common in the Set. turn my llanowar elf into a 3/4 on turn 2, yeah baby. Give me a land on top, so I ramp to 5, even better. I love this card. A+
Mosscoat Goriak If I dont find the Greathorn but want to survive sligh, this is my 3 drop of choice A-B
Mutual Destruction Spark Harvest alternative cost is more appealing than instant for this one B-C
Mysterious Egg not enough mutate around. Solid pick in IKO lim. C
Nightsquad Commando I dont even run the white version in a tokendeck. The requirement is often more annoying than expected and black is not dense on tokensupport yet. C
Of One Mind I doubt we can reliably cast it for U unless you are UW. B
Pacifism well, its Pacifism A
Patagia Tiger 3/4 is a great statline again, but the pump is lackluster. Id rather pump the team and finish the game Dawnfeather Eagle C
Perimeter Sergeant crusade like effects are hard to come by in pauper, but this one only pumps attack (the more relvant stat) and then dies. If he ever attacked in the first place C
Phase Dolphin this card has potential for Otter draws. Pick it reasonably high in IKO lim B
Plummet SB cards are not what we want in cubes. C
Prickly Marmoset I mean, IF you end up with 5+ cycler in your deck, its quite good. Very borderline for us B-C
Pyroceratops at a cmc of 4 this comes down very late and you might have shot your shoot. Very slow to grow later. C-B
Raking Claws just doublestrike and no statboost is meh. C
Ram Through Id say second best green removal after Savage Swipe, but why run 1:1 removal in green at all? It doesnt fit. B-C
Rumbling Rockslide so cmc 4 4dmg+ on a creature only. At Sorcery speed?, no thanks C
Savai Sabertooth I dont like x/1s at all. C
Serrated Scorpion you must be very desperate for black onedrops to run this. But drain 2 can sometimes safe your ass. C-B
Shredded Sails SB only card, even with cycle (of 2, meh) C
Sleeper Dart the effect seems quite good for only 2 and a draw. IKO lim high pick B-C
Snare Tacticiansee marmoset. can add a cool effect to the cycle cards you might already run. C-B
Solid Footing man, they really want you to pick maned serval. well if you run it, so do this C-B
Spelleater Wolverine after its active, it seems better than Splatter Thug. the toughness of 2 makes it vulnerable to slightly more removal. well. B-A
Spontaneous Flight seems overcosted by 1 or needed the untap effect. C
Springjaw Trap as all artifact based removals, its expensive, but colorless. IKO lim allstar. C
Startling Development Id rather run Wings of Velis Vel for this effect, cuz it flies and randomly enables tribalstuff C
Sudden Spinnerets cmc 1 trick, check. surprise effect, check. aggrocard, fail. this is how greens removal looks like though B
Suffocating Fumes get rid of reds token armee and my ***** still lives. nice. B
Survivors' Bond its a 2:1 in gy decks. B
Tentative Connection all threaten effects are busted with saceffects B
Thieving Otter yeah, this bugger finally works with pingeffects. B
Thwart the Enemy i rally can evaluate this. I think the floor is a fightlike pseudoremoval, and the ceiling a complete blowout and free counterattack. cmc3 kinda holds it back a bit. seems solid enough B
Unexpected Fangs Id happily pay B for it, but 1B, nah. B-C
Unlikely Aid kinda same C
Vulpikeet dont fool yourself, this is a selesnyacard and turns said manaelf into a 3/4 fly. B-A
Whisper Squad a cube runs singletons, remember? It doesnt even feel exiting if you got couples. C
Wilt still a SB card C
Wingfold Pteron Its not as good of a finisher Benthic Giant is and youll find flying elsewhere C-B
saccing Gloom Pangolin to Bushmeat Poacher, drawing into og Spacegodzilla Death Corona wins you the game by Style.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Secondly, there are 20 reprints in this set so one can save a fair amount by glossing over those.
It helps me also to try and keep perspective on the set's themes and what they are trying to do. In this case, mutate is the frontline face of the set. IMO it is an overcomplicated reprise of auras a la bestow. But the individual cards seem notably stronger for mutate.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Definitely can't disagree with that. Which makes it weird how when they bragged about how they had brilliant ideas like this coming out of their "hackathons". Which I assume involve failed attempts to hack Blizzard servers. It's so blatantly transparent it's like they're not even trying to hide it.
I guess what they mean when they say that they can't look at unpublished designs is that they're therefore forced to only copy published designs.
It feels weird as a product of them forcing dinos as base red which is a big time huh?????? imo
As a quick review, I agree with Night Hydra that Ikoria is pretty linear in that it offers some options that are more or less the best in their class but also essentially minor upgrades on cards that already exist. So it comes down to if you have already have those cards or want more of them.
The best of this type seem to be
Dreamtail Heron
Unexpected Fangs (not sure of the exact analogue but its like half of a Mark of the Vampire)
Ram Through
Boot Nipper
Forbidden Friendship (the dino token has haste)
Mosscoat Goriak
Pyroceratops
yeah its an aggressive card, but Gx will not be able to outrace red.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t