I've been getting back into magic after a while away and have recently spent a decent amount of time putting together a 360 card (semi) powered cube. The most common draft type is 6 man booster draft.
Since I've been out of the game for quite a while, I'd really appreciate any feedback on cards I may be missing or questionable picks.
Right now, the cube is a 360-card semi-powered cube that strives for balance between control, aggro and mid-range.
Combo is currently not supported, but it could be if people were interested in that.
Furthermore, I easily have enough cards to expand the cube to 405 or 450 cards without issue.
Meta Game Considerations: One issue with the MTGO Vintage cube is an overabundance of combo decks, which devalue
creature based-decks. White, red and green creature based decks typically have no answers for these types of decks
and they are very non-interactive. Hence, I worry that adding storm would hurt create based decks and strengthen the
two colors that are already the strongest in almost any vintage cube (blue and black) while leading to less interactive
magic games.
Meta Game Considerations: This suffers from many of the weaknesses of adding Storm. However, most of the combo pieces
are creatures that are fine in their own right, so it's not such an all-or-nothing combo and it doesn't devalue creature based strategies nearly as much. Furthermore, it helps give red another dimension.
3) Signets (current NOT supported):
Meta Game Considerations: The cube does support Wildfire strategy but I haven't found space for Signets.
Signets are also great in the Artifact deck, which is not currently strongly supported. It might make sense to add some of the better Signets (UR, UB and maybe RG), however I've had difficulty finding anything to cut.
Meta Game Considerations: My worry with Mana Drain and Ancestral Recall is that blue is already the strongest color in pretty much every vintage cube, and these cards are just absurdly and strictly better than very playable counter magic and draw spells. Along with Library of Alexandria, these cards also risk unbalancing the cube by strengthening control and weakening aggressive creature-based strategies.
Black Lotus, Sol Ring and Mana Crypt are all absurdly better than already good cards (Dark Ritual, Worn Powerstone) and are universal P1P1 over everything else. Furthermore, they greatly strengthen Mid-Range and Control strategies at the expense of aggressive decks.
Channel, True Name Nemesis and Mind Twist may be unconventional bans - the first randomly just ends the game Turn 1 or Turn 2 with cards like Eldrazi while the latter two have just been unfun in my experience. But like everything, the ban list is up for review and discussion.
5) Swords (currently supported):
We currently run all 5 swords in the cube, which could be a little heavy.
Meta Game Considerations: I don't think these cards unbalance the metagame - they help creature-based decks and I really don't think thy are overpowered. However, some people find them unfun, especially when they randomly get hosed by the protection from colors. Certainly up for discussion.
6) Artifact Deck (currently NOT supported):
In addition to adding 5+ of the signets and/or Lotus+Sol Ring+Mana Crypt+Lotus Petal, this boils down to adding the following cards:
Meta Game Considerations: This could be a fun deck to support, and as long as it doesn't involve adding in Lotus+Sol Ring+Mana Crypt it probably wouldn't be too unbalancing. Like most of the potential changes, this would probably make the best color (Blue) even better.
The guild section is a little imbalanced, offsetting color imbalance for the most part.
Using fractional apportionment, the guild section works out to:
Black: 10.5 cards (54.5 total black cards)
Blue: 10 cards (56 total blue cards)
White: 10.5 cards (54.5 total white cards)
Green: 11.5 cards (54.5 total green cards)
Red: 10.5 cards (54.5 total red cards)
I've been getting back into magic after a while away and have recently spent a decent amount of time putting together a 360 card (semi) powered cube. The most common draft type is 6 man booster draft.
Since I've been out of the game for quite a while, I'd really appreciate any feedback on cards I may be missing or questionable picks.
Here's my current list:
http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/105282
Cube Design:
Right now, the cube is a 360-card semi-powered cube that strives for balance between control, aggro and mid-range.
Combo is currently not supported, but it could be if people were interested in that.
Furthermore, I easily have enough cards to expand the cube to 405 or 450 cards without issue.
Design Questions:
1) Storm Support (currently NOT supported).
This boils down to adding the following cards:
Meta Game Considerations: One issue with the MTGO Vintage cube is an overabundance of combo decks, which devalue
creature based-decks. White, red and green creature based decks typically have no answers for these types of decks
and they are very non-interactive. Hence, I worry that adding storm would hurt create based decks and strengthen the
two colors that are already the strongest in almost any vintage cube (blue and black) while leading to less interactive
magic games.
2) Splinter Twin Support (currently NOT supported) - Restoration Angel is already in the cube and Zealous Conscripts is fighting with Glorybringer for a spot.
This boils down to adding the following cards:
Meta Game Considerations: This suffers from many of the weaknesses of adding Storm. However, most of the combo pieces
are creatures that are fine in their own right, so it's not such an all-or-nothing combo and it doesn't devalue creature based strategies nearly as much. Furthermore, it helps give red another dimension.
3) Signets (current NOT supported):
Meta Game Considerations: The cube does support Wildfire strategy but I haven't found space for Signets.
Signets are also great in the Artifact deck, which is not currently strongly supported. It might make sense to add some of the better Signets (UR, UB and maybe RG), however I've had difficulty finding anything to cut.
4) Other power / Ban List
These cards are banned:
Meta Game Considerations: My worry with Mana Drain and Ancestral Recall is that blue is already the strongest color in pretty much every vintage cube, and these cards are just absurdly and strictly better than very playable counter magic and draw spells. Along with Library of Alexandria, these cards also risk unbalancing the cube by strengthening control and weakening aggressive creature-based strategies.
Black Lotus, Sol Ring and Mana Crypt are all absurdly better than already good cards (Dark Ritual, Worn Powerstone) and are universal P1P1 over everything else. Furthermore, they greatly strengthen Mid-Range and Control strategies at the expense of aggressive decks.
Channel, True Name Nemesis and Mind Twist may be unconventional bans - the first randomly just ends the game Turn 1 or Turn 2 with cards like Eldrazi while the latter two have just been unfun in my experience. But like everything, the ban list is up for review and discussion.
5) Swords (currently supported):
We currently run all 5 swords in the cube, which could be a little heavy.
Meta Game Considerations: I don't think these cards unbalance the metagame - they help creature-based decks and I really don't think thy are overpowered. However, some people find them unfun, especially when they randomly get hosed by the protection from colors. Certainly up for discussion.
6) Artifact Deck (currently NOT supported):
In addition to adding 5+ of the signets and/or Lotus+Sol Ring+Mana Crypt+Lotus Petal, this boils down to adding the following cards:
Meta Game Considerations: This could be a fun deck to support, and as long as it doesn't involve adding in Lotus+Sol Ring+Mana Crypt it probably wouldn't be too unbalancing. Like most of the potential changes, this would probably make the best color (Blue) even better.
Sampling of Supported Archetypes:
Wildfire / Crucible:
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/953122
BR Aggro:
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/954153
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/949483
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/949159
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/949157
Recurring Nightmare / Tokens:
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/953027
UG Tempo Lands / Fastbond / Upheaval:
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/950669
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/950194
Dimir Reanimator / Control:
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/941777
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/949163
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/949222
Orzhov Weenies:
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/950660
Mono-Green Ramp:
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/950150
UW Control:
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/950285
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/950213
Bant Ramp Pod:
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubedeck/949106
The guild section is a little imbalanced, offsetting color imbalance for the most part.
Using fractional apportionment, the guild section works out to:
Black: 10.5 cards (54.5 total black cards)
Blue: 10 cards (56 total blue cards)
White: 10.5 cards (54.5 total white cards)
Green: 11.5 cards (54.5 total green cards)
Red: 10.5 cards (54.5 total red cards)
Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice!
360 card powered Chicago cube:
https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/e7r
2020 Numerical Power Rankings:
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/the-cube-forum/cube-card-and-archetype/817969-2020-numerical-cube-power-rankings
2018 CubeTutor Power Rankings:
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/the-cube-forum/cube-card-and-archetype/803301-cubetutor-power-rankings-2018-by-color-and-cmc