1) There is an argument that Feast is really good, especially because the Monarch mechanic can really snowball things. There is also the idea that Feast would be good enough without Monarch. Even an argument that Feast might be not good because you might not be able to defend the Monarch.
I just think it is obviously good if you untap the next turn as the Monarch and it is probably okay enough if you just kill two creatures, draw a card, and then lose the Monarchy next turn. Sometimes, you just have to survive and catch up and Feast is a great catch-up card with Monarch. I also think losing the Monarch ability would end my interest in cubing Feast.
2) Feast is also a matchup dependent card. With the discussion of how easy it is to take back the crown next turn, it should be noted that some decks might not have any good answers, at which point Feast is basically a game winner. It might even be a card you board out sometimes. Which I am fine with on a 6-mana sorcery spell.
25) Frenzied Saddlebrute- Good stats and a good ability, but that only makes this the ~5th best red 5-drop, and there's no room for that.
I feel you can make the case that Monstrosaur or Rite of the Raging Storm is better (depending on what you want of your red 5 drops), but that's about it. Which cards would you consider the top 5?
I think my internal list put it 4th among red 5 drops. Behind Charging Montrosaur (which I am currently playing), Rite of the Raging Storm (which I am not), and Garbage Elemental (d), which is the 3/3 with cascade that also deals the opponent d6 damage.
I mostly wanted to be careful that I did not forgot anything else, so top 5 to be conservative.
I personally think both Montrosaur and Sdadlebrute are the kind of cards your opponent needs to kill in 2 turns regardless, and in that case, I would rather have the 5-toughness trampler over the extra haste on Saddlebrute.
Feast of Succession is also getting a bit of talk, but honestly, I like it less. I prefer my wraths to be less than six mana, especially if they aren't unconditional or one-sided. If this were Languish, I would run it in a heartbeat, but two extra mana is a lot to ask. There will be games where you really need to cast it now but only have five mana. I'd rather the cheaper cost without the card draw. The closest thing to this in my cube is Slice and Dice, which is essentially the same cost for the same wrath, but it offers a much more flexible card because you can cycle for 2R to draw a card and top off 1 damage to each creature (perhaps post combat to even kill bigger things). For everyone who's been extolling the flexibility of the MDFCs from Zendikar, I'd recommend Slice and Dice over Feast of Succession.
I also run Slice and Dice, but I really like Feast of Succession because it feels like a control deck finisher. And it being a more powerful card than Languish at the extra two mana is more in line with Peasant-level power. Languish would probably be too good, since it would not give the aggro decks enough time to do anything.
Feast of Succession has some interesting counter-play built in. Aggro decks get more time to utilize their early creature and a better change to play x/5s that would survive.
Good day, all! I basically only show up to make my traditional Way Too Early Top 20 cards for Commander Legends. This set is so jam-packed with interesting cards that I even found room for 5 more besides the top 20. There are obviously tons of interesting and powerful cards for our CUbes, but it is a tad disappointing that we got so few interesting cards under 3-mana. Would have been nice if the overall power of the set leaked down to 1 and 2 CMC as well. First, some broad thoughts on the set.
Cascade- A very swingy ability, especially on more expensive cards with a wider range of outcomes. In this set, it felt like all the cascade cards are just less powerful than the base card on several existing creatures.
Monarch- An easy way to run away with the game, but is another very swingy ability. The best Monarch cards are those that either make it harder to lose the Monarchy or easy to win it back. As they say, it's good to be king.
Expensive Spells- It has become easier and easier to find powerful spells at 6+ mana in CUbe. The job of a good Peasant Cube manager is to figure out how much of that power to make available before the ramp and control decks start overpowering the aggro decks. A few cards in this set really push those boundaries in Peasant.
Now, onto the rankings.
25-20: Solid Cards
25) Frenzied Saddlebrute- Good stats and a good ability, but that only makes this the ~5th best red 5-drop, and there's no room for that.
24) Kinsbaile Courier- An okay creature that can get one last lick in. Reasonable in +1/+1 counter heavy CUBes.
23) Slaughter the Strong- A spell that requires that right accompanying board presence to be great. That makes it feel like a white Infest or Barter in Blood, but in a color that does not want the effect.
22) Araumi of the Dead Tide- Decent value engine, but it is not this hard to make Skinrender and Cloudkin Seer good.
21) Breeches, Brazen Plunderer- A little too much needs to go right to generate card advantage from this. Bonus if you have lots of red Pirates.
20) Benevolent Blessing- An overpriced combat trick that could sometimes win the game. I might have this 10 spots too low.
19-13: Cards That Need Some Support
19) Ghost of Ramirez DePietro- I like the evasion ability and the possible card advantage, just needs to be paired with constant self-mill or looting.
18) Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty- I think this offers just a bit too little from the initial body and an inconsistent upside with 6+ CMC spells. Great if you push ramp a lot.
17) Thalisse, Reverent Medium- A lot of time and effort to set up, but has a ton of upside with commonly played white and black token makers.
16) Tormod, the Desecrator- Similar to Thalisse, but with a little less set up, and a few decent engines in black to pair with it (Phyrexian Reclamation, Dredge cards).
15) Armix, Filigree Thrasher- Not too difficult to throw around free Disfigure, but requires attack triggers and the body itself is a little fragile.
14) Dargo, the Shipwrecker- Not a card I can support at all right now, but makes me more interested in having a sacrifice archetype in Rakdos.
13) Alharu, Solemn Ritualist- Has a decent effect on its own, but would really shine with extra +1/+1 counter support. Surprisingly similar to Elite Scaleguard, another good option for that +1/+1 archetype.
12-6: Cards That Might Support Themselves
12) Kangee, Sky Warden- A card that attacks and blocks pretty solidly on its own and packs a huge wallop with even 1 other flier. That said, it is difficult to be too excited for a multicolored 5-drop that has no impact the turn it hits the battlefield
11) Tuya Bearclaw- The floor is pretty low for a card that could sometimes be a multicolored Hungry Spriggan. Plays great with big creatures, but hard to justify cutting one of those big creatures from a packed Gruul section. That said, the upside is huge (attacking for 7 on turn 4!) and it doubles up all your pump, auras, and equipment. Will certainly try it out to support the Gruul Pump archetype.
10) Merchant Raiders and 9) Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator- Two cards that are pretty close on their own (Raiders feel very similar to Mist Raven, in my opinion) and have the additional Pirate upside. It would be nice to add them together, as I have also added a few other cheap Blue pirates lately.
8) Prava of the Steel Legion- Like some others, I am replacing Intangible Virtue with this. I think the bonus of +1/+4 on your turn is better than +1/+1 and vigilance. Easier to destroy than the enchantment, but the token making ability might give it some extra play in controlling Azorius decks.
7) Halana, Kessig Ranger- Does require you to untap and play another creature before you get more than just an okay 4-drop. Obviously not too hard to play another creature, but some set up required. Also a little awkward in ramp decks, where the mana elves usually cannot kill anything else and the ramp targets are too expensive to also activate the ability.
6) Crimson Fleet Commodore- A 5/2 trample for 3R that also draws a card? Seems great. Obviously the Monarchy has potential downside, but I trust my red aggro decks to deal combat damage and it helps to have a 5-power trampler to steal back the Monarchy if needed.
5-1: Great Cards
5) Fall from Favor- A cheaper removal spell that has card advantage upside. Blue keeping the crown may be difficult, but it certainly helps that you lock down their best creature. It is also nice that your opponent needs to keep the Monarchy for an entire turn cycle to even untap their creature, meaning that creature cannot even defend against you stealing the crown back.
4) Gilt-Leaf Winnower- A very respectable body attached to a kill spell that hits ~40% of creatures by a rough estimate of my CUbe. Decent enough floor with a high ceiling. Feel like I might be close to having enough black creatures that also kill an opposing creature.
3) Feast of Succession- Almost exactly what I want from a 6-mana control spell. Game winning against aggro, but not 100% of the time. Relevant but not back-braking against mid-range and ramp. Even could be a decent card advantage engine in control matchups. Could be the foundation of black control decks. Sky-high ceiling, but enough holes in the floor plan to feel balanced.
2) Toggo, Goblin Weaponsmith- Amazing reach for aggro red decks and good board control for ramp-based Gruul decks. Turning a land drop into a Shock is such great upside, even if the damage dealing is a little clunky. Extra Rocks laying around make creatures relevant into the late game and tilts combat in your favor. Excellent creature.
1) Coastline Marauders- Pure aggro goodness. Does not block well, but who cares when your 3-drop is a 5-power trampler that requires little set up. The Encore ability is such an awesome way to help finish a long game. Exactly the kind of card that helps aggro beat cards like Feast of Succession. A hasty, 6-power trampler that steals the crown back and does not even cost you a card? Solid #1 pick for me.
1) There is an argument that Feast is really good, especially because the Monarch mechanic can really snowball things. There is also the idea that Feast would be good enough without Monarch. Even an argument that Feast might be not good because you might not be able to defend the Monarch.
I just think it is obviously good if you untap the next turn as the Monarch and it is probably okay enough if you just kill two creatures, draw a card, and then lose the Monarchy next turn. Sometimes, you just have to survive and catch up and Feast is a great catch-up card with Monarch. I also think losing the Monarch ability would end my interest in cubing Feast.
2) Feast is also a matchup dependent card. With the discussion of how easy it is to take back the crown next turn, it should be noted that some decks might not have any good answers, at which point Feast is basically a game winner. It might even be a card you board out sometimes. Which I am fine with on a 6-mana sorcery spell.
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/peasantsnowcube
-- Updated with Outlaws of Thunder Junction
The PioneWer Peasant CUbe
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/pionewer
-- Updated with Murders at Karlov Manor
I think my internal list put it 4th among red 5 drops. Behind Charging Montrosaur (which I am currently playing), Rite of the Raging Storm (which I am not), and Garbage Elemental (d), which is the 3/3 with cascade that also deals the opponent d6 damage.
I mostly wanted to be careful that I did not forgot anything else, so top 5 to be conservative.
I personally think both Montrosaur and Sdadlebrute are the kind of cards your opponent needs to kill in 2 turns regardless, and in that case, I would rather have the 5-toughness trampler over the extra haste on Saddlebrute.
I also run Slice and Dice, but I really like Feast of Succession because it feels like a control deck finisher. And it being a more powerful card than Languish at the extra two mana is more in line with Peasant-level power. Languish would probably be too good, since it would not give the aggro decks enough time to do anything.
Feast of Succession has some interesting counter-play built in. Aggro decks get more time to utilize their early creature and a better change to play x/5s that would survive.
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/peasantsnowcube
-- Updated with Outlaws of Thunder Junction
The PioneWer Peasant CUbe
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/pionewer
-- Updated with Murders at Karlov Manor
Cascade- A very swingy ability, especially on more expensive cards with a wider range of outcomes. In this set, it felt like all the cascade cards are just less powerful than the base card on several existing creatures.
Monarch- An easy way to run away with the game, but is another very swingy ability. The best Monarch cards are those that either make it harder to lose the Monarchy or easy to win it back. As they say, it's good to be king.
Expensive Spells- It has become easier and easier to find powerful spells at 6+ mana in CUbe. The job of a good Peasant Cube manager is to figure out how much of that power to make available before the ramp and control decks start overpowering the aggro decks. A few cards in this set really push those boundaries in Peasant.
Now, onto the rankings.
25-20: Solid Cards
25) Frenzied Saddlebrute- Good stats and a good ability, but that only makes this the ~5th best red 5-drop, and there's no room for that.
24) Kinsbaile Courier- An okay creature that can get one last lick in. Reasonable in +1/+1 counter heavy CUBes.
23) Slaughter the Strong- A spell that requires that right accompanying board presence to be great. That makes it feel like a white Infest or Barter in Blood, but in a color that does not want the effect.
22) Araumi of the Dead Tide- Decent value engine, but it is not this hard to make Skinrender and Cloudkin Seer good.
21) Breeches, Brazen Plunderer- A little too much needs to go right to generate card advantage from this. Bonus if you have lots of red Pirates.
19-13: Cards That Need Some Support
19) Ghost of Ramirez DePietro- I like the evasion ability and the possible card advantage, just needs to be paired with constant self-mill or looting.
18) Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty- I think this offers just a bit too little from the initial body and an inconsistent upside with 6+ CMC spells. Great if you push ramp a lot.
17) Thalisse, Reverent Medium- A lot of time and effort to set up, but has a ton of upside with commonly played white and black token makers.
16) Tormod, the Desecrator- Similar to Thalisse, but with a little less set up, and a few decent engines in black to pair with it (Phyrexian Reclamation, Dredge cards).
15) Armix, Filigree Thrasher- Not too difficult to throw around free Disfigure, but requires attack triggers and the body itself is a little fragile.
14) Dargo, the Shipwrecker- Not a card I can support at all right now, but makes me more interested in having a sacrifice archetype in Rakdos.
13) Alharu, Solemn Ritualist- Has a decent effect on its own, but would really shine with extra +1/+1 counter support. Surprisingly similar to Elite Scaleguard, another good option for that +1/+1 archetype.
12-6: Cards That Might Support Themselves
12) Kangee, Sky Warden- A card that attacks and blocks pretty solidly on its own and packs a huge wallop with even 1 other flier. That said, it is difficult to be too excited for a multicolored 5-drop that has no impact the turn it hits the battlefield
11) Tuya Bearclaw- The floor is pretty low for a card that could sometimes be a multicolored Hungry Spriggan. Plays great with big creatures, but hard to justify cutting one of those big creatures from a packed Gruul section. That said, the upside is huge (attacking for 7 on turn 4!) and it doubles up all your pump, auras, and equipment. Will certainly try it out to support the Gruul Pump archetype.
10) Merchant Raiders and 9) Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator- Two cards that are pretty close on their own (Raiders feel very similar to Mist Raven, in my opinion) and have the additional Pirate upside. It would be nice to add them together, as I have also added a few other cheap Blue pirates lately.
8) Prava of the Steel Legion- Like some others, I am replacing Intangible Virtue with this. I think the bonus of +1/+4 on your turn is better than +1/+1 and vigilance. Easier to destroy than the enchantment, but the token making ability might give it some extra play in controlling Azorius decks.
7) Halana, Kessig Ranger- Does require you to untap and play another creature before you get more than just an okay 4-drop. Obviously not too hard to play another creature, but some set up required. Also a little awkward in ramp decks, where the mana elves usually cannot kill anything else and the ramp targets are too expensive to also activate the ability.
6) Crimson Fleet Commodore- A 5/2 trample for 3R that also draws a card? Seems great. Obviously the Monarchy has potential downside, but I trust my red aggro decks to deal combat damage and it helps to have a 5-power trampler to steal back the Monarchy if needed.
5-1: Great Cards
5) Fall from Favor- A cheaper removal spell that has card advantage upside. Blue keeping the crown may be difficult, but it certainly helps that you lock down their best creature. It is also nice that your opponent needs to keep the Monarchy for an entire turn cycle to even untap their creature, meaning that creature cannot even defend against you stealing the crown back.
4) Gilt-Leaf Winnower- A very respectable body attached to a kill spell that hits ~40% of creatures by a rough estimate of my CUbe. Decent enough floor with a high ceiling. Feel like I might be close to having enough black creatures that also kill an opposing creature.
3) Feast of Succession- Almost exactly what I want from a 6-mana control spell. Game winning against aggro, but not 100% of the time. Relevant but not back-braking against mid-range and ramp. Even could be a decent card advantage engine in control matchups. Could be the foundation of black control decks. Sky-high ceiling, but enough holes in the floor plan to feel balanced.
2) Toggo, Goblin Weaponsmith- Amazing reach for aggro red decks and good board control for ramp-based Gruul decks. Turning a land drop into a Shock is such great upside, even if the damage dealing is a little clunky. Extra Rocks laying around make creatures relevant into the late game and tilts combat in your favor. Excellent creature.
1) Coastline Marauders- Pure aggro goodness. Does not block well, but who cares when your 3-drop is a 5-power trampler that requires little set up. The Encore ability is such an awesome way to help finish a long game. Exactly the kind of card that helps aggro beat cards like Feast of Succession. A hasty, 6-power trampler that steals the crown back and does not even cost you a card? Solid #1 pick for me.
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/peasantsnowcube
-- Updated with Outlaws of Thunder Junction
The PioneWer Peasant CUbe
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/pionewer
-- Updated with Murders at Karlov Manor