After prerelease weekend I have fully committed to testing Vraska, Relic Seeker as the card was absolutely bananas in normal limited. Her minus feels like Karn and her plus protects her and makes significant threats. The ultimate can't be ignored on the card either, because if you play her while your at all ahead on board the game will most likely end 2 turns later when you use the ultimate.
Just played against new Vraska twice this weekend at the pre-release and my friend had it in his deck. I'm re-evaluating her for cube now. Having a plus ability that protects her and getting to her ultimate two turns after being put on the board is big game.
The ability to come down in "defensive Karn" mode is a nice spot to be in for a 6 drop too. She hits almost every relevant non-planeswalker threat as removal, then sticks around pumping out evasive 2/2s and removing more threats. This is all ignoring the treasure tokens which feel more like flavor text on her, but hey, if you need lotus petals there you go.
Her ultimate is actually a nice game-ending ability which isn't necessary on a walker, but on a 6 drop it's nice to have what feels like a win-condition. If you're at board parity and use her ulitmate, chances are you've ended the game with your next swing, especially if you've managed to keep your menace tokens in play and not been forced to chump with them.
Overall I've been very impressed, and combined with the splashiness you feel playing her I think Lotleth Troll or Deathrite Shaman might be getting the boot.
BLUE
Chart a Course
Search for Azcanta
Spell Swindle
BLACK
Ruin Raider
Dire Fleet Ravager*
RED
Rampaging Ferocidon*
Vance's Blasting Cannons
GREEN
Carnage Tyrant
Ripjaw Raptor
MULTI
Hostage Taker
Regisaur Alpha
COLORLESS
Treasure Map*
Sorcerous Spyglass
Cards with asterisks are just marked as less likely to make the final cut. As always the list I post here is just every card in the set I'm interested in, not guaranteed includes.
I have compiled my complete list of interesting cards for 540 unpowered cube. Asterisks denote loose additions, but they deserve to be talked about or possibly tested.
WHITE
Angel of Sanctions
Gideon of the Trials
Forsake the Worldly
Glory-Bound Initiate
BLUE
Vizier of Many Faces
*Censor
*Pull from Tomorrow
*As Foretold
BLACK
Liliana, Death's Majesty
Dread Wanderer
Never // Return
*Plague Belcher
RED
Soul-Scar Mage
Combat Celebrant (Running Kiki-Twin archetype, increasing its value)
*Bloodrage Brawler
*Harsh Mentor
GREEN
Manglehorn
Rhonas the Indomitable
*Vizier of the Menagerie
MULTI
Nissa, Steward of Elements
Allied Cycling Lands
As far as the 4-cmc slot is concerned, I think this competes directly with Avalanche Riders. Purphoros is a lynchpin for red tokens, so I wouldn't cut that if you support that. I think both fugue and riders see play in the same decks: aggro and aggressive midrange decks. I can see myself possibly playing Fugue in a control deck as a pseudo-Confiscate. This also gives red more tools to "deal" with Titan sized creatures. There aren't a lot of effects that not only steal PWs, but any permanent. Also, more threaten effects to help feed my Greater Gargadon are always welcome.
I could get behind this, I like both this and Purphoros better from a gameplay perspective than "Shock+Stone Rain with cute fringe interactions" anyway.
Really? I don't think the card is playable outside of hard aggro, and the effects from both Purphoros and Riders isn't replaceable with other cards.
Maybe the cut is wrong but I still think this card is test-worthy.
The card seems to be great against every deck type other than hard aggro. If anything I'd be using this in midrange first and foremost. Your aggro match-up is usually good in midrange and you need to turn the game against a resolved control finisher or to keep a deck like reanimator or ramp in check.
The card also seems great in aggro and it's unique enough that I'd try it in a rUG cheaty deck too just to see how it plays out in a few drafts.
I don't think a card this unique should be shoved aside without testing it. We might be looking at the next Elesh Norn, a card nobody played at first, and now is in most cube lists posted here. Hyperbole of course but it gets the point across.
This card is easily testable over Avalanche Riders or Purphoros for anyone running those. I'd say the unique effect alone makes it more exciting than most red 4 drops. I'd look at drafting this outside of red aggro decks, which is more than I can say for several red 4's.
There were 32 copies of Smuggler's Copter in the top 8 that means every deck played 4 of the same card. When is the last time there were 32 copies of a card in standard at the top 8 of an SCG open?
Collected Company, last standard. And as a general colorless evasive beatstick/filter card Copter's going to be a 4-of in almost every deck in the format until people start changing deck compositions to punish it.
EDIT:
The following list is pulled from MTGGoldfish for the top 64 analysis.
Hi all, I have a pptq tomorrow of which I'm running this list. The best way to find out if this deck has legs (wings?) I feel is to jam it in a competitive tourney since there's no fnms in that time. I finnnnaallyy found someone with collective brutality and picked up 2. foil ones nonetheless! I probably should have traded for a 3rd but we will see how 2 are for now. Please give critiques! I value every opinion even if you think I'm wasting my time with this pile of hot sharty garbage
what I worry about is this decks game 1 vs a random field. Many of my guys are boltable which is a problem but the deck is pretty resilient. Man is crane awesome but you guys already know that. Copter was good but not busted. I have a lot of ways to turn it on and it does good dmg and trades with most guys. Over all pretty happy with it. Maybe it's better as a 2 of? we shall see. Also debating turning liliana into a 2nd explosives. I love liliana though so I'm not sure that's right. I think though i will run 61 cards and add a inventor's fair.
Run 2 Fairs and cut Academy. I've been testing the list a lot the past few days against my gauntlet (UB version) and Fair is a busted magic card in this deck. You just need to be very vigilant about your triggers to make full use of Fair.
I'd go down on Copter to 1, 2 at most. I cut it completely, but I'm running Vault Skirge over Tidehollow, 1 seems nice just for long games where Tidehollow wants to keep clear of combat but get a few extra points through or loot, two might be right in your version however. Worth noting, topdeck Spellskite feels really bad with Copter in play.
I'd use the open spot from copter to run a silver bullet, I'd go with Relic against an open field. Relic helps against Dredge game one to give us the turns we need to turn the game our way, and has incidental value against Goyf and Snapcaster decks. Relic also draws itself away and has no color requirement to do so, which seems relevant in a 3 color deck. If you cut another Copter I'd add an executioner's capsule, I like having removal I can aggressively dig for in an emergency. Explosives is great, but sometimes Primeval Titan or an Eldrazi needs to be kept in check too.
I also run a full set of Brutality, but I run a set of bridges which is why the extra synergy is so great, so I won't recommend you do that blindly.
Sideboard I'd swap the counts for Damnation and Tendrils. Tendrils is better against low curve aggro decks, which we tend to need our removal for, and is much better against dredge than Damnation. I'd also swap Negate for Dispel, as against Infect the 1 extra mana matters, and Path+Dispel for the shroud spell may buy you several turns. Negate is fine if you're trying to stop a Stony Silence, but side out some of the combo against a heavy White deck expecting them to sideboard in the hate.
Sorry for the horrible formatting, just got back from the bar.
Only major downside is that you can't reasonably hold counter mana when you flash him in, so against control he loses value.
My issue with this argument is that it also works against the other 6 drops in cube. The issue you have is actually less painful with Gearhulk, as flash is purely an upside against control decks.
If you try to cast Frost Titan at sorcery speed you also cannot reasonably hold up counter mana. At least when flashing in Gearhulk you can do it in response to a spell the opponent attempts to cast, or at worst, at their end step. Even if they counter Gearhulk at the end of their turn, you immediately untap at the beginning of your turn, if Frosty gets countered you are now tapped out when your opponent untaps, allowing them to play their gameplan unmolested for the turn.
I would agree it is a loss of value, but it's still better than the card it would be replacing in that case, even with the lost value.
I already lived the dream of Mystic Confluence ramped out on turn 4 by a Mind Stone countering my opponent's 4 drop and drawing 2 cards (including Gearhulk.) Turn 5 flashing in Gearhulk bringing back confluence to lock the game in my favor. This card is just so much more fun that Frosty ever dreamed of being. Other fun targets included "EOT flashback Gifts Ungiven" and "flashback Hero's Downfall and block with my 5/6." The Hero's Downfall play was dubbed "What Black Gearhulk?"
If you have room in a mid-sized list to try this guy, I highly recommend it.
My gut tells me Trooper, but I don't know. I can't say I've played much with Relic Seeker yet and Skyfisher isn't as strong in unpowered but might still be better than the others.
The ability to come down in "defensive Karn" mode is a nice spot to be in for a 6 drop too. She hits almost every relevant non-planeswalker threat as removal, then sticks around pumping out evasive 2/2s and removing more threats. This is all ignoring the treasure tokens which feel more like flavor text on her, but hey, if you need lotus petals there you go.
Her ultimate is actually a nice game-ending ability which isn't necessary on a walker, but on a 6 drop it's nice to have what feels like a win-condition. If you're at board parity and use her ulitmate, chances are you've ended the game with your next swing, especially if you've managed to keep your menace tokens in play and not been forced to chump with them.
Overall I've been very impressed, and combined with the splashiness you feel playing her I think Lotleth Troll or Deathrite Shaman might be getting the boot.
WHITE
Legion's Landing*
Thalia's Lancers*
BLUE
Chart a Course
Search for Azcanta
Spell Swindle
BLACK
Ruin Raider
Dire Fleet Ravager*
RED
Rampaging Ferocidon*
Vance's Blasting Cannons
GREEN
Carnage Tyrant
Ripjaw Raptor
MULTI
Hostage Taker
Regisaur Alpha
COLORLESS
Treasure Map*
Sorcerous Spyglass
Cards with asterisks are just marked as less likely to make the final cut. As always the list I post here is just every card in the set I'm interested in, not guaranteed includes.
WHITE
Adorned Pouncer
Angel of Condemnation
BLUE
Supreme Will
Nimble Obstructionist
BLACK
Ammit Eternal
Bontu's Last Reckoning
RED
Earthshaker Kherna
Abrade
Hour of Devastation
GREEN
Ramunap Excavator
MULTI
The Scarab God
Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh
As a bonus, here's my test cards from Amonkhet that people have talked me into testing (Mostly Usman's doing, partly playgroup, partly twitter peeps):
WHITE
Cast Out
BLACK
Plague Belcher
RED
Bloodlust Inciter
Ahn-Crop Crasher
Glorybringer
COLORLESS
Throne of the God-Pharaoh
WHITE
Angel of Sanctions
Gideon of the Trials
Forsake the Worldly
Glory-Bound Initiate
BLUE
Vizier of Many Faces
*Censor
*Pull from Tomorrow
*As Foretold
BLACK
Liliana, Death's Majesty
Dread Wanderer
Never // Return
*Plague Belcher
RED
Soul-Scar Mage
Combat Celebrant (Running Kiki-Twin archetype, increasing its value)
*Bloodrage Brawler
*Harsh Mentor
GREEN
Manglehorn
Rhonas the Indomitable
*Vizier of the Menagerie
MULTI
Nissa, Steward of Elements
Allied Cycling Lands
I could get behind this, I like both this and Purphoros better from a gameplay perspective than "Shock+Stone Rain with cute fringe interactions" anyway.
Maybe the cut is wrong but I still think this card is test-worthy.
The card seems to be great against every deck type other than hard aggro. If anything I'd be using this in midrange first and foremost. Your aggro match-up is usually good in midrange and you need to turn the game against a resolved control finisher or to keep a deck like reanimator or ramp in check.
The card also seems great in aggro and it's unique enough that I'd try it in a rUG cheaty deck too just to see how it plays out in a few drafts.
I don't think a card this unique should be shoved aside without testing it. We might be looking at the next Elesh Norn, a card nobody played at first, and now is in most cube lists posted here. Hyperbole of course but it gets the point across.
Snap Include:
Frenzied Fugue
Ash Barrens
Testing:
Vial Smasher
Crystalized Crawler
Might Test:
Selfless Squire
Prismatic Geoscope
Collected Company, last standard. And as a general colorless evasive beatstick/filter card Copter's going to be a 4-of in almost every deck in the format until people start changing deck compositions to punish it.
EDIT:
The following list is pulled from MTGGoldfish for the top 64 analysis.
Top Cards
Card Copies Decks
1 Smuggler's Copter 146 58.73%
2 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar 100 46.03%
3 Declaration in Stone 90 44.44%
4 Scrapheap Scrounger 87 36.51%
5 Inventor's Apprentice 84 33.33%
6 Thraben Inspector 80 31.75%
7 Pia Nalaar 69 39.68%
8 Toolcraft Exemplar 68 26.98%
9 Selfless Spirit 63 31.75%
10 Incendiary Flow 57 23.81%
Copter looks far less dangerous when you realize Gideon was in almost half of the decks and required a color commitment, unlike copter.
Run 2 Fairs and cut Academy. I've been testing the list a lot the past few days against my gauntlet (UB version) and Fair is a busted magic card in this deck. You just need to be very vigilant about your triggers to make full use of Fair.
I'd go down on Copter to 1, 2 at most. I cut it completely, but I'm running Vault Skirge over Tidehollow, 1 seems nice just for long games where Tidehollow wants to keep clear of combat but get a few extra points through or loot, two might be right in your version however. Worth noting, topdeck Spellskite feels really bad with Copter in play.
I'd use the open spot from copter to run a silver bullet, I'd go with Relic against an open field. Relic helps against Dredge game one to give us the turns we need to turn the game our way, and has incidental value against Goyf and Snapcaster decks. Relic also draws itself away and has no color requirement to do so, which seems relevant in a 3 color deck. If you cut another Copter I'd add an executioner's capsule, I like having removal I can aggressively dig for in an emergency. Explosives is great, but sometimes Primeval Titan or an Eldrazi needs to be kept in check too.
I also run a full set of Brutality, but I run a set of bridges which is why the extra synergy is so great, so I won't recommend you do that blindly.
Sideboard I'd swap the counts for Damnation and Tendrils. Tendrils is better against low curve aggro decks, which we tend to need our removal for, and is much better against dredge than Damnation. I'd also swap Negate for Dispel, as against Infect the 1 extra mana matters, and Path+Dispel for the shroud spell may buy you several turns. Negate is fine if you're trying to stop a Stony Silence, but side out some of the combo against a heavy White deck expecting them to sideboard in the hate.
Sorry for the horrible formatting, just got back from the bar.
My issue with this argument is that it also works against the other 6 drops in cube. The issue you have is actually less painful with Gearhulk, as flash is purely an upside against control decks.
If you try to cast Frost Titan at sorcery speed you also cannot reasonably hold up counter mana. At least when flashing in Gearhulk you can do it in response to a spell the opponent attempts to cast, or at worst, at their end step. Even if they counter Gearhulk at the end of their turn, you immediately untap at the beginning of your turn, if Frosty gets countered you are now tapped out when your opponent untaps, allowing them to play their gameplan unmolested for the turn.
I would agree it is a loss of value, but it's still better than the card it would be replacing in that case, even with the lost value.
I already lived the dream of Mystic Confluence ramped out on turn 4 by a Mind Stone countering my opponent's 4 drop and drawing 2 cards (including Gearhulk.) Turn 5 flashing in Gearhulk bringing back confluence to lock the game in my favor. This card is just so much more fun that Frosty ever dreamed of being. Other fun targets included "EOT flashback Gifts Ungiven" and "flashback Hero's Downfall and block with my 5/6." The Hero's Downfall play was dubbed "What Black Gearhulk?"
If you have room in a mid-sized list to try this guy, I highly recommend it.
I actually have Fiend Hunter to cut for Thalia 2.0. I might cut the pair and re-add my buddy Lone Missionary however.
Accorder Paladin
Imposing Sovereign
Kor Skyfisher
Relic Seeker
Soltari Monk
Soltari Priest
Soltari Trooper
Stoneforge Mystic
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Wall of Omens
My gut tells me Trooper, but I don't know. I can't say I've played much with Relic Seeker yet and Skyfisher isn't as strong in unpowered but might still be better than the others.