MTG Salvation

I know most here are not fans of The Pauper Cube Blog. I keep an eye for any leftfielf ideas. They just did their TBH Q&A and I noticed something I forgot about...
BIASES

We all have them. But for Pauper as a community, it is an interesting take as to what we do and do not allow. They are adamantly against 5C "Silliness", yet FOR B/R Sac with some seriously ho-hum cards. Good to see they at least are seeing Scour the Possibilities are crap now. Only took 4 months.

Anyways, what is the major issue against 5C provided you do not have 10 Signets atop 10 land fetch spells? Running 2-5 mana fixers/ramp that get any color is not going to warp a cube too far, is it?

Also, TBH is about par for the course really. Without a Gold update, or nonbasics that alter anything, this is the usual 2-8 card trial update; imo. Anyone feel different?

@Humphrey
Is the Orc vs Hound strictly based on a "perfect curve" theory? Or is there other thought besides that?
For me though, I am a compromiser for a smoother and more realistic-simulation of normal drafts.

Red Underworld imo is at least in the running for Top 5 2cm 3/X. Unlike White, red has a large variety in the penalties of their ultra aggro bodies. Likely cut Rimrock Knight or Orchish Hellraiser if those are run.

Black Underworld was a hard slot to find. I cut Dead Reveler for now. It is a tough call as a 3/4 survives more, but the later turns for the Underworld are better.

I know what the Naiad can do in a vacuum. My perfect spot would be a Dimir midrange/control with Mystical Teachings. HC does work great with the "idea" of spell slinger.

But my (legitimate) question is:
What is the break even point where this FINALLY turns a profit? Is it 4 spells? More?

Because we have seen these "spell matters" types, and yes this rewards Flash where the others reward Sorcery also. I mean if you pushed Blue/Black's Flash package etc... but that is a lot to make a 3cmc 2/3 work

Sea Scryer effectively does the same without a restriction on timing or card type. Unless you are getting multiple triggers a turn. Yes the body is better on Hidden Cove, but the price is +1.

Just food for thought. As it really is a cool idea, but unless you are getting multiple triggers a turn, it still is juat 1 mana

From my talk with Al, Imthink I am turning Ephemerate -> Sentinel's Eyes.

Did anyone else notice Thirst for Meaning is an Instant? Does that mean it replaces Compulsive Research or Rain of Revelation?

Anyone running the nonbasic "untap cycle" lands. I am revisiting the ideas of them and many (U/B/W) seem almost worth the risk of you run Skyfisher types in multiples

Satyr's Cunning is def not good enough. The issues lie in the coat to get a Cannot Block 1/1. It is so far behind being either aggro or even fill in in the Sac Archetype because the escape coat of 2 cards AND 3 mana is such a set back for the effects Pauper Sac can generate.

Voracious Typhoon is mostly debatable in Midrange/Ramp as an alternate to the kicker Kavu. It's lack of Trample saddens me as it really makes it so vanilla and gets outclassed more times than not. Yes, it is flood insurance. But you still need many cards in the graveyard. If Dredge and Self Mill are in a cube, this will be acceptable.

Witness of Tomorrow costs so much for the ability. I would imagine only maybe activating this 3-5 times. And at that point, the others would have done similar yet earlier. Classic kill-test defense.

Wings of Hubris will likely make my cube. I do not run Trinket Mage so the change in Cost and Equip doesn't effect me that much. It would be a bigger issue if something like Humphreys Ultra Aggro Cube. But adding a pseudo Lava Axe option will prob win some games.

Omen of The Sea will likely get a trial run. But considering it is what it is... I am sure I am overexcited by new things and not considering how mediocre it is since it only benefits from an Enchantment subtheme/package.
Scry 2 + Draw, then Scry 2 later... Ponder and Predordain likely do it better even though they are a sorcery. I hope to be proven wrong ad I love my enchantment recursion package.
Think Twise gets you 2 cards for the same mana payments. And a pure card versus JUST Scry 2 is often better. So needs breaking.

Naiaid of HC would be sweet in a flashback/buyback build. But reminds me of Warden of Evos Isle in that it is a build around me with no redundancy

I like it as a balance to Grey Merchant. And the new Green devotion is acceptable.

Now that there is more than 1 or 2 cards worth discussing, why not compile the handful of so that are worthwhile?

Irreverent Revelers {2}{R}
Creature — Satyr

When Irreverent Revelers enters the battlefield, choose one —

• Destroy target artifact.

• Irreverent Revelers gains haste until end of turn.

To some satyrs, only blasphemy is sacred.

2/2
_______________________
CUBEABLE
Underworld Charger {2}{B}
Creature — Nightmare Horse

Underworld Charger can’t block.

Escape—{4}{B}, Exile three other cards from your graveyard. (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its escape cost.)

Underworld Charger escapes with two +1/+1 counters on it.

3/3
_____________________
Flummoxed Cyclops {3}{R}
Creature — Cyclops

Reach

Whenever two or more creatures your opponents control attack, Flummoxed Cyclops can’t block this combat.

“A cyclops thinks slowly but strikes quickly. Try to keep it thinking.”
—Brigone, soldier of Meletis

4/4
____________________
Discordant Piper {1}{B}
Creature — Zombie Satyr

When Discordant Piper dies, create a 0/1 white Goat creature token.

The death of the party.

2/1
___________
Omen of the Sea {1}{U}
Enchantment

Flash

When Omen of the Sea enters the battlefield, scry 2, then draw a card.

{2}{U}, Sacrifice Omen of the Sea: Scry 2.
_______________
Nylea's Huntmaster {3}{G}
Creature — Centaur Shaman

When Nylea’s Huntmaster enters the battlefield, target create you control gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is your devotion to green. (Each {G} in the mana costs of permanents you control counts towards your devotion to green.)

Nature is stillness and savagery in equal measure.

4/3
____________
Ilysian Caryatid {1}{G}
Creature — Plant

{T}: add one mana of any color. If you control a creature with power 4 or greater, add two mana of any one color instead.

Those who die as heroes are permitted to dwell in Ilysia, a protected realm of the Underworld as tranquil and vibrant as the rest is bleak.

1/1
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CUBEABLE
Underworld Rage-Hound {1}{R}
Creature — Elemental Hound

Underworld Rage-Hound attacks each combat if able.

Escape—{3}{R}, Exile three other cards from your graveyard. (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its escape cost.)

Underworld Rage-Hound escapes with a +1/+1 counter on it.

3/1
______________
Daybreak Chimera {3}{W}{W}
Creature — Chimera

This spell costs {X} less to cast, where X is your devotion to {W}. (Each {W} in the mana costs of permanents you control counts towards your devotion to white.)

Flying

3/3
______________
Blight-Breath Catoblepas {4}{B}{B}
Creature — Beast

When Blight-Breath Catoblepas enters the battlefield, target creature an opponent controls gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is your devotion to black. (Each {B} in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to black.)

Whenever it walks, famine follows behind.

3/2
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Witness of Tomorrows {4}{U}
Enchantment Creature — Sphinx

Flying

{3}{U}: Scry 1.

“As the future slips its way in to the present, it ceases to be my concern.”

3/4
_____________
Voracious Typhon {2}{G}{G}
Creature — Snake Beast

Escape—{5}{G}{G}, Exile four other cards from your graveyard. (You may cast this spell from your graveyard for its escape cost.)

Voracious Typhon escapes with three +1/+1 counters on it.

A typhoon’s escape from the Underworld makes armies flee and kingdoms fall.

4/4
_____________

Loathsome Chimera {2}{G}
Creature — Chimera

Escape-{4}{G}, exile three other cards from your graveyard. (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its escape cost.)

Loathsome Chimera escapes with a +1/+1 counter on it.

“I see… elk? And lion? And… teeth! A lot of teeth!”
—Teraklos of Meletis

4/1
_____________

Mogis's Favor {B}
Enchantment — Aura

Enchant creature

Enchanted creature gets +2/-1.

Escape—{2}{B}, Exile two other cards from your graveyard. (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its escape cost.)

Rage-crowned Mogis swiftly rewards the virtue of brutality.
___________

Sentinel's Eyes {W}
Enchantment — Aura

Enchant creature

Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has vigilance.

Escape—{W}, Exile two other cards from your graveyard. (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its escape cost.)
____________

Underworlds are probably the ones that excites me most; aggro lategame. Many others are just variations in slots what are overburdened.

Auras with Escape and a low cost act like pseudo equipment. They obviously interact differently, but especially the white one (since white likes auras), it may be better for specific builds.

Have you had Martyr's Soul show in games?
Getting rid of Faithless, to me, is tough. I love the cost on that card so much. The rest look relatively fine,

I love Hieroglyphic, and have a Well on order. Blue Blue didn't get a lot of good stuff, most of the set is "meh". White got some do-able Adventure bodies

Not a lot to talk about with ELD, it is a rather impact-less set us. I mean jump in and throw loose opinions in spoiler, only 14 replies so far.

@PyreDream
You are not wrong in most intersts. But I assume when push comes to shove, Slipper and Tactician are the 2 auto-tests. And many others are negligible preference choices.

I think this set as a whole is very unimpactful. Slipper has me the most excited and see it as a reason to see more R/X decks rewarded.

Giant's Skewer is going to be tested with Crystal Slipper. It is a bit out of range from Vulshok Morningstsr. However, putting it in a token gives a slight dilemma of "should I block it". If they prevent the damage to them they give a Seal of 3 Life to you. If not, then they take 3+ damage.

Trusty Machete -Uncommon- had similar buffs for 1 less cost and 1 less equip. But at common we have Morningstar as 2, and 2 equip. There is the v2.0 with2, and 3 equip. So this is not beyond reasonable and can alter a slugfest like Lifestaff does