I drafted my cube for the first time in a very long time, and one specific piece of feedback was that drafters wanted more two-color gold cards to pull them into guilds. I do love a good gold card, but I'm wondering if there's a risk of having too many?
I'm currently looking at cutting 3 cards from each color plus 5 colorless cards to add two more cards to each guild for our next draft. My current guild card density is 9 dual lands, talisman & signet, and 5 other cards.
I'm currently thinking of making the following cuts:
White: Serra Paragon; Space Marine Devastator; Maul of the Skyclaves
Blue: Man-o'-War; Phyrexian Metamorph; Thassa, Deep-Dwelling
Black: Triarch Praetorian; Liliana, Heretical Healer; The Meathook Massacre
Red: Rabbit Battery; Pia and Kiran Nalaar; Rolling Earthquake
Green: Biophagus; Bala Ged Recovery; Oath of Nissa
Colorless: Metallic Mimic; Standard Procedure; Sword of Sinew and Steel; Sword of Truth and Justice; Mindslaver
And then likely making the following additions/changes:
WU: Geist of Saint Traft; Soulherder; Faramir, Prince of Ithilien (cutting Twining Twins, which was unpopular)
UB: Ertai Resurrected; Hostage Taker
BR: Rakdos Cackler; Fire Covenant
RG: Radha, Heart of Keld; Halana and Alena, Partners
GW: Voice of Resurgence; Ajani, the Greathearted (or Shalai, Voice of Plenty)
WB: Tidehollow Sculler; Vanishing Verse
UR: Prismari Command; Zoanthrope (not convinced, but it's an excuse to test)
BG: Deathrite Shaman; Life//Death
RW: Merry, Esquire of Rohan; Eomer, King of Rohan
GU: Hydroid Krasis; Mystic Snake
Two additional changes I'm making that I forgot about with the Street Fighter SLD. I'm a bit more confident on Ken than Chun-Li, but I'm going to test both!
I've missed a couple updates (NEO and SNC), plus a couple minor changes, so here's my changes so far this year. These changes include trimming one card from each guild to make room for the 5 SNC triomes, and adding a card back into each color, some general changes for new sets, and a few additional changes to a few guilds to add lower MV options.
Whats the reason for all the artifact - eggs? I don't see Lurrus, Emry or Auriok or Delirium in your cube.
I've been toying with my persist package for a while now - its a very eloquent archetype to have. I would love it a bit more if I can have +1 strong creature tutor or +1 good persist or +1 recursion or +1 sacrifice outlet.
The eggs are being tested for density of searching with Urza's Saga. I'm not against supporting Lurrus/Emry or delirium in the cube, but haven't considered it in detail. Lurrus was in the cube briefly but I believe got cut for Vanishing Verse (coupled with the companion changes).
I wouldn't cut Faerie Conclave. I prefer it to Academy Ruins, Sea Gate Restoration, and Jiwari Disruption, as well as several other cards you are running.
You could skip Mimic to add the Hand. Sword of Truth and Justice seems like another good cut for it.
Cheers,
rant
I like Academy Ruins more, but Sea Gate Restoration is fine to cut.
I wasn't sure with Mimic - I'd intended to add it for persist support but just forgot about it. I'm not sure if it's needed for density at this size?
Can you maybe elaborate on Order of Midnight? It never seemed overly appealing to me, but I have seen you speak up for it on several occasions and am intrigued.
Whoops, I missed this from a couple months back! I liked having it as a two-drop 2/2 with flying for aggro that was also attached to a raise dead effect. It was fine to just cast on-curve but also had an acceptable topdeck mode if you weren't on the back foot when you drew it. It has since been cut, though, to test Necrogen Spellbomb alongside Urza's Saga.
I love almost all the new additions. The one that I’ll keep my eye on and personally have never tried is Hero of Precinct One.
I'll definitely miss the Ferocidon and the Vanguard as well. I hadn't considered Hero of Precinct One, but I really wanted to try out General Ferrous Rokiric, and someone in a cube Discord suggested I also try adding Hero alongside it. I'm interested to see how it plays, although the roof on it is definitely lower than on the General.
Here are my STX, C21 and MH2 changes, plus some additional changes I've made in the process! I thought I'd posted my STX changes, but apparently only edited them into my opening post:
These are good changes if you want to pare down green aggro. If I went up to a 630 card cube, I'd probably reinclude the green aggro cards I just cut.
Cheers,
rant
Green aggro just never really ends up being the primary aggro color. I want to keep the cards in that I'm adding, but it's possible paring down green aggro isn't correct. It's not like I can't undo the swap!
Making a few small changes in green based on thoughts about its role as a secondary aggro color and not a primary one. I'm not sure that this is correct, but for now, I'm axing three one-drops (although one is becoming a different one-drop), plus axing a 5-drop, since I have so many now:
That's fair - I don't like how much of a mana sink Student ends up being (while still being in red removal range), so I'm taking the opportunity to cut it now.
I've decided to un-add Valki for now, since I'm not enthusiastic enough about him right now, so have re-added Tormented Hero (instead of just reverting to Heir of Falkenrath).
First round of Kaldheim changes! I might add more, and this doesn't line up with what I said I'd add in the thread I created in Cube New Card Discussion, but decided to start here for now:
I'm currently looking at cutting 3 cards from each color plus 5 colorless cards to add two more cards to each guild for our next draft. My current guild card density is 9 dual lands, talisman & signet, and 5 other cards.
I'm currently thinking of making the following cuts:
White: Serra Paragon; Space Marine Devastator; Maul of the Skyclaves
Blue: Man-o'-War; Phyrexian Metamorph; Thassa, Deep-Dwelling
Black: Triarch Praetorian; Liliana, Heretical Healer; The Meathook Massacre
Red: Rabbit Battery; Pia and Kiran Nalaar; Rolling Earthquake
Green: Biophagus; Bala Ged Recovery; Oath of Nissa
Colorless: Metallic Mimic; Standard Procedure; Sword of Sinew and Steel; Sword of Truth and Justice; Mindslaver
And then likely making the following additions/changes:
WU: Geist of Saint Traft; Soulherder; Faramir, Prince of Ithilien (cutting Twining Twins, which was unpopular)
UB: Ertai Resurrected; Hostage Taker
BR: Rakdos Cackler; Fire Covenant
RG: Radha, Heart of Keld; Halana and Alena, Partners
GW: Voice of Resurgence; Ajani, the Greathearted (or Shalai, Voice of Plenty)
WB: Tidehollow Sculler; Vanishing Verse
UR: Prismari Command; Zoanthrope (not convinced, but it's an excuse to test)
BG: Deathrite Shaman; Life//Death
RW: Merry, Esquire of Rohan; Eomer, King of Rohan
GU: Hydroid Krasis; Mystic Snake
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
Multicolor:
Soulherder -> Chun-Li, Countless Kicks
Boros Reckoner -> Ken, Burning Brawler
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
White:
Starnheim Unleashed -> Lion Sash
Secure the Wastes -> Grand Crescendo
Lyra Dawnbringer -> The Wandering Emperor
Nadaar, Selfless Paladin -> Prismatic Ending
Damn -> Maul of the Skyclaves
Timeless Dragon -> Swift Reconfiguration
Banishing Light -> Touch the Spirit Realm
Blue:
Dack's Duplicate -> Forbid
Condescend -> Tezzeret, Betrayer of Flesh
Black:
Diregraf Ghoul -> Okiba Reckoner Raid
Kitesail Freebooter -> Blade of the Oni
Vraska, Golgari Queen -> Tenacious Underdog
Flesh Carver -> Fell Stinger
Custodi Lich -> Junji, the Midnight Sky
Hagra Mauling -> Lethal Scheme
Red:
Experimental Frenzy -> Kumano Faces Kakkazan
Greater Gargadon -> Rabbit Battery
Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice -> Lizard Blades
Arc Trail -> Twinshot Sniper
Green:
Tovolar's Huntmaster -> Titan of Industry
Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy -> Beast Within
Once Upon a Time -> Boseiju, Who Endures
Multicolor:
Geist of Saint Traft -> Scheming Fence
Dragonlord Silumgar -> Drown in the Loch
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer -> Expressive Iteration
Glenn, the Voice of Calm -> Spara's Headquarters
Tamiyo, Field Researcher -> Rigo, Streetwise Mentor
Master of Death -> Raffine's Tower
Dakkon, Shadow Slayer -> Toluz, Clever Conductor
Judith, the Scourge Diva -> Xander's Lounge
Bloodbraid Elf -> Ziatora's Proving Ground
Darigaaz Reincarnated -> Ognis, the Dragon's Lash
Voice of Resurgence -> Jetmir's Garden
Minsc, Beloved Ranger -> Jinnie Fay, Jetmir's Second
Kykar, Wind's Fury -> Soulfire Grand Master
Colorless:
Mimic Vat -> Eater of Virtue
Inventors' Fair -> Currency Converter
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
I wasn't sure with Mimic - I'd intended to add it for persist support but just forgot about it. I'm not sure if it's needed for density at this size?
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
White:
Elite Spellbinder -> Nadaar, Selfless Paladin
Serra the Benevolent -> Portable Hole
Kjeldoran Outpost -> Cave of the Frost Dragon
Blue:
Hypnotic Sprite -> Aether Spellbomb
Faerie Conclave -> Hall of Storm Giants
Black:
Heartless Act -> Hero's Downfall
Order of Midnight -> Necrogen Spellbomb
Agadeem's Awakening -> Hive of the Eye Tyrant
Red:
Roil Eruption -> Pyrite Spellbomb
Spikefield Hazard -> Den of the Bugbear
Green:
The Great Henge -> Oath of Nissa
Noose Constrictor -> Lair of the Hydra
Multicolor:
Sorin, Lord of Innistrad -> Kaya, Ghost Assassin
Realm Razer -> Minsc, Beloved Ranger
Colorless:
Thaumatic Compass -> Metallic Mimic
Treasure Map -> Inventors' Fair
Spire of Industry -> Urza's Saga
I'm also still strongly considering Hand of Vecna, but don't have a cut in mind.
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
Thanks!
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
White:
Adanto Vanguard -> Hero of Precinct One
Mirror Entity -> Skyclave Apparition
Spectral Procession -> Elite Spellbinder
Halvar, God of Battle -> Timeless Dragon
Harmonious Archon -> Solitude
Elspeth Conquers Death -> Ephemerate
Blue:
Forbid -> Lose Focus
Black:
Scrapheap Scrounger -> Dauthi Voidwalker
Nullpriest of Oblivion -> Tourach, Dread Cantor
Nighthawk Scavenger -> Sedgemoor Witch
Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet -> Grief
Flesh Carver -> Archon of Cruelty
Go for the Throat -> Baleful Mastery
Hero's Downfall -> Persist
Oona's Prowler -> Unmarked Grave
Red:
Jackal Pup -> Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
Embereth Shieldbreaker -> Flametongue Yearling
Rampaging Ferocidon -> Laelia, the Blade Reforged
Siege-Gang Commander -> Fury
Green:
Experiment One -> Avacyn's Pilgrim
Mayor of Avabruck -> Boreal Druid
Pelt Collector -> Elves of Deep Shadow
Great Oak Guardian -> Ignoble Hierarch
Oracle of Mul Daya -> Abundant Harvest
Acidic Slime -> Pest Infestation
Multicolor:
Hostage Taker -> Master of Death
Falkenrath Aristocrat -> Fire Covenant
Corpse Knight -> Damn
Tidehollow Sculler -> Vanishing Verse
Fire//Ice -> Prismari Command
Lotleth Troll -> Grist, the Hunger Tide
Boros Charm -> Rip Apart
Nahiri, the Harbinger -> Flamescroll Celebrant -> General Ferrous Rokiric
Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign -> Dakkon, Shadow Slayer
Inventors' Fair -> Niv-Mizzet, Reborn
Colorless:
EDIT: Added a few extra changes!
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
Jungle Lion -> Elvish Reclaimer
Kessig Prowler -> Farseek
Wolfbitten Captive -> Cultivate
Biogenic Ooze -> Sylvan Caryatid
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
I've also cut Elvish Piper to add Esika's Chariot.
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
Student of Warfare -> Usher of the Fallen
Leonin Warleader -> Halvar, God of Battle // Sword of the Realms
Archangel Avacyn // Avacyn, the Purifier -> Starnheim Unleashed
Shatter the Sky -> Doomskar
Spellskite -> Cosima, God of the Voyage // The Omenkeel
Heir of Falkenrath // Heir to the Night -> Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor
Seachrome Coast -> Hengegate Pathway // Mistgate Pathway
Smoldering Marsh -> Blightstep Pathway // Searstep Pathway
Blooming Marsh -> Darkbore Pathway // Slitherbore Pathway
Botanical Sanctum -> Barkchannel Pathway // Tidechannel Pathway
Draft my cube! (630 cards)