So after a failed attempt on my Tribal cube, I started to put that cube project into cold storage for a while, and start with a cube with cards that are much more accessible, and with less power spikes; Frontier (Officially, yeah I know M15 is a frontier set too, but I choose to only run cards from KTK and onwards.)
At the moment, this is my cube; http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/104000
But the cube has several glaring problems... I have way, way too much multicolor and colorless cards (in my opinion), and the cube runs hardly any guild archetypes, which is the next step I want to build into.
So here is my concern... I don't know what archetypes most guild colors could run, or what cards would be best to put in there. What archetypes should I run, or should it include some tribals (considering Ixalan gave a big nod to Tribal support.)
You can help support a spells matters deck with Young Pyromancer and maybe Talrand, Sky Summoner. Maybe even something spicy like Riddleform can help too. Maybe a Goblin Elecrromancer or the 1/3 flying haste prowess dude too? You already have Mentor, Baral, Thing in the Ice, etc. It might form rather organically for you after that.
Since Frontier is less redundant, you should just greatly slash the number of gold cards and choose your favourite draft archetype for each guild and put those cards as "archetype support". Even so, those cards are usually uncommon with a lower power level... I'm not sure if it would work that well.
Before Eternal Masters, my cube was 360 Modern-only cards and I already had some issue finding some archetype support (and I'm pretty sure gold sections were mostly good-stuff). I'd imagine a large Frontier cube will be hard-pressed to support multicolour archetypes. You're probably better off waiting for the upcoming Ravnica blocks.
I'm primarily looking for Archetype ideas, what theme/mechanic to use for each color. Flying is a pretty solid color already for W/B, but that's about it, the rest is either split among colors or doesn't have a solid archetype at all.
And at one point I don't really fancy waiting all the way until end 2018 either.
I honestly don't know much about Frontier, so I took a look at Scryfall, I guess you could make Dimir Artifacts, Rakdos Hellbent/Madness, Selesnya I have no idea, maybe tokens?, Orzhov Sacrifice, Golgari... no idea too, Simic +1/+1 counters, Izzet spell matters, Boros... whatever? Most colour combinations have around 20-25 cards and they don't really slip into an archetype in enough numbers or are powerful enough to single-handedly support an archetype.
In the end you'll have to decide whether it's better to support archetype with subpar multicolour cards that don't really go into other decks and will end up tabling a lot, or just go "good-stuff". Not sure what would be the best choice, especially for a Frontier cube.
Red that sounds like quite some good ideas for sure :). I'm curious though what white stuff would be useful for Sacrifice, I guess white would be more the Reanimation part? This is what I had in mind for what's possible to do:
Re:Orzhov, I thought of something like Hidden Stockpile/Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim and token sacking. You have Yaheeni and Nantuko Hustk as sac outlets without a mana cost too (and Smothering Abomination if you REALLY want to all-in in the sacrifice theme).
The Sagas could generate a good enchantment-matters archetype somewhere with white (blue has The Antiquities War for Dimir artifacts too) that could also tie in with the DFC enchantments from Ixalan. Take a look at the Dominaria legendaries too in case there's something you could build around. Actually, artifact can bleed into red for Pia and Kiran, Pia Nalaar and Bomat Courier too.
Selesnya, Golgari and Simic all could have +1/+1 counters matters cards with Shalai (supports going wide too), Winding Constrictor and Hadana's Climb (Hardened Scales for redundancy, other payoffs could be Walking Ballista/Hangarback Walker). I guess Energy could be a theme to support (maybe at Simic?), but probably not at 540 since there's very little redundancy.
I personally don't like tribal themes unless the cards stand out on their own, makes drafting a bit too "on rails" but you may feel differently. Also, are you set on 540? I really feel a smaller, leaner cube would generate a better experience.
Just brainstorming some ideas! Good luck with your cube.
Yeah my planning was to give at least some cards to just add some singleton value, but only 10 at max (1 for each archetype.), like Hardened Scales, Favorable Winds and Annointed Procession.
As well for Sacrifice outlets, how about Vampiric rites? I think white/black would fit quite good in an Aristocrat theme.
Today I ordered some cards in as well that I was still missing, cards like Archangel of Invention (tokens/counters/flying), Wingmate roc (flying/tokens), Archangel Avacyn (flying/aristocrat theme), Elenda the Dusk Rose (aristocrat theme) and Hanweir Militia Captain (tokens/aristocrat theme)
I think white/red would be a good choice for something with equipment tho, which in turn can simply bleed out in artifacts as well. But there aren't many WR cards beside Weapons Trainer that do anything with equipment in WR, it's more just aggro. I might as well just turn it into 'tactics aggro', aggro with arrays of abilities like First Strike, Double Strike, Menace... things to proc Path of Mettle, and creatures like Sky Tyrant.
So after a failed attempt on my Tribal cube, I started to put that cube project into cold storage for a while, and start with a cube with cards that are much more accessible, and with less power spikes; Frontier (Officially, yeah I know M15 is a frontier set too, but I choose to only run cards from KTK and onwards.)
At the moment, this is my cube; http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/104000
But the cube has several glaring problems... I have way, way too much multicolor and colorless cards (in my opinion), and the cube runs hardly any guild archetypes, which is the next step I want to build into.
So here is my concern... I don't know what archetypes most guild colors could run, or what cards would be best to put in there. What archetypes should I run, or should it include some tribals (considering Ixalan gave a big nod to Tribal support.)
You could do a U and B devotion strategy with Thassa, God of the Sea and Master of Waves, plus Gray Merchant of Asphodel and a Nightveil Specter for big devotion.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
Before Eternal Masters, my cube was 360 Modern-only cards and I already had some issue finding some archetype support (and I'm pretty sure gold sections were mostly good-stuff). I'd imagine a large Frontier cube will be hard-pressed to support multicolour archetypes. You're probably better off waiting for the upcoming Ravnica blocks.
And at one point I don't really fancy waiting all the way until end 2018 either.
In the end you'll have to decide whether it's better to support archetype with subpar multicolour cards that don't really go into other decks and will end up tabling a lot, or just go "good-stuff". Not sure what would be the best choice, especially for a Frontier cube.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
Azorius Tempo // Flyers
Selesnya Tokens // Counters
Orzov Sac'n'reanimate // Aristrocrats/life-matters // tokens
Boros tactical aggro // Enhancers (equipment/aura's)
Dimir Control // Artifacts
Rakdos reckless aggro // Discard
Golgari Counters // tokens // Dredge/Delerium
Simic on-hit // Control
Izzet Artifacts // Instants/Sorceries
Gruul Aggro // Ramp/'go big'
The Sagas could generate a good enchantment-matters archetype somewhere with white (blue has The Antiquities War for Dimir artifacts too) that could also tie in with the DFC enchantments from Ixalan. Take a look at the Dominaria legendaries too in case there's something you could build around. Actually, artifact can bleed into red for Pia and Kiran, Pia Nalaar and Bomat Courier too.
Selesnya, Golgari and Simic all could have +1/+1 counters matters cards with Shalai (supports going wide too), Winding Constrictor and Hadana's Climb (Hardened Scales for redundancy, other payoffs could be Walking Ballista/Hangarback Walker). I guess Energy could be a theme to support (maybe at Simic?), but probably not at 540 since there's very little redundancy.
I personally don't like tribal themes unless the cards stand out on their own, makes drafting a bit too "on rails" but you may feel differently. Also, are you set on 540? I really feel a smaller, leaner cube would generate a better experience.
Just brainstorming some ideas! Good luck with your cube.
Yeah my planning was to give at least some cards to just add some singleton value, but only 10 at max (1 for each archetype.), like Hardened Scales, Favorable Winds and Annointed Procession.
As well for Sacrifice outlets, how about Vampiric rites? I think white/black would fit quite good in an Aristocrat theme.
Today I ordered some cards in as well that I was still missing, cards like Archangel of Invention (tokens/counters/flying), Wingmate roc (flying/tokens), Archangel Avacyn (flying/aristocrat theme), Elenda the Dusk Rose (aristocrat theme) and Hanweir Militia Captain (tokens/aristocrat theme)
I think white/red would be a good choice for something with equipment tho, which in turn can simply bleed out in artifacts as well. But there aren't many WR cards beside Weapons Trainer that do anything with equipment in WR, it's more just aggro. I might as well just turn it into 'tactics aggro', aggro with arrays of abilities like First Strike, Double Strike, Menace... things to proc Path of Mettle, and creatures like Sky Tyrant.