Out of every popular Cube card, this is the one that I do not understand the most. It was in my Cube in 2011, and it wasn't good then outside of decks that dedicate synergy slots to it with the most obvious being Upheaval (where honestly almost any 3 drop is good after an Upheaval...). In this modern Cube environment, I have no idea how it is good. Not trying to be argumentative or anything; I just genuinely do not understand why so many people love this card.
My experiences mimic TheTenneseeFireman. One game, it's just amazing. The next, it looks completely silly as a 3 drop. I've decided it's a high variance card and that's OK. I'm not currently running it, but I am always looking for a reason bring back Dr Teeth so he usually doesn't stay out of my list for long.
Discard outlet. Great blocker. Screw the maths and board states on the field. Also quite potent on offensive in some cases. Does have the upside to finish a game with Upheaval. Allow easy delve tricks and reanimator. Combo with stuff like Bloodghast, Bloodsoaked Champion, Gravecrawler and Goblin Nabob. Suitable with flashback spells and Snapcaster Mage. I think this card actually do a lot. And most important asset, he's very versatile.
I like Psychatog for it's flexibility. It can pull its weight in a lot of decks, and is a powerhouse in a few (Upheaval). However, it's jack-of-many-trades, master-of-some status is why I'm thinking about cutting it. I am going to move away from gold cards being role-players/good stuffs to being more build-around or key cards in a strategy. So I think I'm going to play UB Tezzeret over 'Tog. It's true Tog is somewhat a build around/lynch pin, but he's not crucial to the Upheaval deck (just a "nice to have") and Baleful Strix/Finkel are better in UB Control. Reanimator will miss 'Tog, but I'm going to give reanimator some more mono-black tools.
I am beginning to dislike gold cards that are good in their color combo, but don't send a strong signal. I want to cut some of the gold cards that, while they may be as good or better than some mono-color cards, don't entice a player to pick them over a mono-color card. Psychatog is the kind of card I'm often happy to get in UB, but not a card that's going to pull me into UB. Granted, Tezzeret may not be powerful enough, but if I go Wurmcoil -> mana rock and then see Tezzeret, I have a plan for the draft. In a pack with a bunch of good mono-color cards and 'Tog, I'm probably picking a mono-color card over him each time.
I realize that the discussion here is whether he's "good enough" and I think he's pretty good overall. I just want to reduce the number of multicolor cards in my cube, and he's the least interesting.
You should make a thread (if one doesn't already exist) on that subject (what type of gold cards to run - general or narrow - and advantages/disadvantages of each approach). It's an interesting topic and one I've flipped flop on over the years.
My allure to Psychatog is that it seems that it does something different every game. Gone are the days of getting new cards like Fact or Fiction / Gifts Ungiven that really makes both players think. Wrath of God is a great card, but it only does one thing and doesn't make for a great story. On the other hand, a card like Living Deathis always doing something different and produces some of the most memorable games people have played.
Gone are the days of getting new cards like Fact or Fiction / Gifts Ungiven that really makes both players think..
What other cards do you think do this? Just curious.
Really bad examples compared to FoF / Gifts, but...
- Steam Augury is probably the best example of a recent card. That card was really good when it first came out, but unfortunately got pushed out of most cubes when Dack Fayden was printed not too long after.
- Wild Mongrel has one of Psychatog's abilities + color changing, it really makes both players constantly weigh how much resources they should invest into him.
I have drafted upheaval/ tog deck a couple times but last Friday was the first time I lived the dream. Nine mana, upheaval, tog, go. Attack for 20 next turn.
I am pretty much the only one in my group who would ever draft this (well, they might follow now that they have seen it work) but I like the fact that it is in the cube.
I think I would, but Im also still running psychatog as is so there's that. Single color psychatog is clearly better than Dimir psychatog if you think the latter still performs.
I cast Psychatog round 1 and my (soon to be doomed) Dimir opponent now realizes why Psychatog didn't wheel to him:
Maze of Ith + Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin may be a great way to win the control mirror vs Psychatog, but it's nothing Catastrophe can't deal with!
Not even a tax evading 13 loyalty Jace, the Mind Sculptor is safe from Psychatog, the property tax collector!
A stolen Hazoret becomes best friends with Psychatog!
Things get awkward when my opponent cast Boros Charm in response to my Catastrophe. I just ended up blowing up my lands since my hungry Psychatog is more important anyways:
Just a 14/15 flying Psychatog smashing face out of nowhere, nothing to see here!
Psychatog >>>>> True-Name Nemesis, you heard it hear first!
20 to 0 Touch of Death with Psychatog I pulled off today
Deck: Esper (UBW) Spells Matters Control
Scenario:
STARTING SET UP
6 cards in hand / 6 cards in graveyard (mainly cantrips / counterspells / fetchlands)
5 lands in play (including Faerie Conclave)
Land Tax + Psychatog
My opponent casts Liliana, Death's Majesty (leaving 2 mana open), but I Arcane Denial the Liliana (+1 card in graveyard). So the following happens my turn
5 cards in hand + Arcane Denial (+1) + Land Tax (+3) + Draw (+1) = 10 cards in hand.
Discard 9 cards to Psychatog (leaving Miscalculation in hand just in case) + exile 16 cards in graveyard = 18 Psychatog damage + 2 Faerie Conclave damage for a total of 20 damage. I could've done 20 damage with Psychatog alone by cycling Miscalculation, but I didn't want to get blown out by Swords / Path
I was going through my drafts and I realized my UB decks lack strong 3 CMC playables - Signets, Mana Leak Variants etc.
This guy feels like he can play the role of the discard outlet for reanimator/ artifacts, but could also be a backup win con and early blocker if the primary plan is foiled.
I think I can come around to him a bit quicker if he had trample or something
I'm actively maintaining a comprehensive article to help explain to new cube players how some complex vintage level cards work in a cube environment. Vintage Cube Cards Explained
I find with supporting the draw 7 decks, tog has being seeing more play in my playgroup. Still very popular in reanimator here.
Looks like a pretty tight list you got there
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I'm actively maintaining a comprehensive article to help explain to new cube players how some complex vintage level cards work in a cube environment. Vintage Cube Cards Explained
I love this card as a reanimator/discard and a potential blowout. Even later in draft, this ia a great pick. It big win is its "unpredictable math" which can shape any many directions - i.e. a Fact or Fiction can add a total of 2-3 cards to the GY and 2 to 3 to hand as insta fuel, which isn't uncommonn in these colors
I'm actively maintaining a comprehensive article to help explain to new cube players how some complex vintage level cards work in a cube environment. Vintage Cube Cards Explained
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/modular-cube-5-colors.800/
Retro combo cube thread
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/retro-combo-cube.1454/
Zetsu's Cube on CubeTutor.com
Zetsu's Ebay MTG Online Store
Zetsu's Poker Draft Method
I am beginning to dislike gold cards that are good in their color combo, but don't send a strong signal. I want to cut some of the gold cards that, while they may be as good or better than some mono-color cards, don't entice a player to pick them over a mono-color card. Psychatog is the kind of card I'm often happy to get in UB, but not a card that's going to pull me into UB. Granted, Tezzeret may not be powerful enough, but if I go Wurmcoil -> mana rock and then see Tezzeret, I have a plan for the draft. In a pack with a bunch of good mono-color cards and 'Tog, I'm probably picking a mono-color card over him each time.
I realize that the discussion here is whether he's "good enough" and I think he's pretty good overall. I just want to reduce the number of multicolor cards in my cube, and he's the least interesting.
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/modular-cube-5-colors.800/
Retro combo cube thread
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/retro-combo-cube.1454/
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
What other cards do you think do this? Just curious.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Really bad examples compared to FoF / Gifts, but...
- Steam Augury is probably the best example of a recent card. That card was really good when it first came out, but unfortunately got pushed out of most cubes when Dack Fayden was printed not too long after.
- FoF was part of a cycle of cards, Bend or Break, Stand or Fall, Fight or Flight, and Death or Glory.
- Wild Mongrel has one of Psychatog's abilities + color changing, it really makes both players constantly weigh how much resources they should invest into him.
- Jace, Architect of Thought has a mini FoF built into him
- Truth or Tale got a lot of press when it was first spoiled, but didn't quite make the cut : /
There's probably more indirect parallels I can't think of right now, but nothing does it quite like FoF / Gifts.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
I am pretty much the only one in my group who would ever draft this (well, they might follow now that they have seen it work) but I like the fact that it is in the cube.
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
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!
MTGS Average Peasant Cube 2023 Edition
Follow me. I tweet.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
I cast Psychatog round 1 and my (soon to be doomed) Dimir opponent now realizes why Psychatog didn't wheel to him:
Maze of Ith + Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin may be a great way to win the control mirror vs Psychatog, but it's nothing Catastrophe can't deal with!
Not even a tax evading 13 loyalty Jace, the Mind Sculptor is safe from Psychatog, the property tax collector!
A stolen Hazoret becomes best friends with Psychatog!
Things get awkward when my opponent cast Boros Charm in response to my Catastrophe. I just ended up blowing up my lands since my hungry Psychatog is more important anyways:
Just a 14/15 flying Psychatog smashing face out of nowhere, nothing to see here!
Psychatog >>>>> True-Name Nemesis, you heard it hear first!
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
Deck: Esper (UBW) Spells Matters Control
Scenario:
STARTING SET UP
6 cards in hand / 6 cards in graveyard (mainly cantrips / counterspells / fetchlands)
5 lands in play (including Faerie Conclave)
Land Tax + Psychatog
My opponent casts Liliana, Death's Majesty (leaving 2 mana open), but I Arcane Denial the Liliana (+1 card in graveyard). So the following happens my turn
5 cards in hand + Arcane Denial (+1) + Land Tax (+3) + Draw (+1) = 10 cards in hand.
Discard 9 cards to Psychatog (leaving Miscalculation in hand just in case) + exile 16 cards in graveyard = 18 Psychatog damage + 2 Faerie Conclave damage for a total of 20 damage. I could've done 20 damage with Psychatog alone by cycling Miscalculation, but I didn't want to get blown out by Swords / Path
Psychatog too strong!
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
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!
This guy feels like he can play the role of the discard outlet for reanimator/ artifacts, but could also be a backup win con and early blocker if the primary plan is foiled.
I think I can come around to him a bit quicker if he had trample or something
Vintage Cube Cards Explained
Here are some other articles I've written about fine tuning your cube:
1. Minimum Archetype Support
2. Improving Green Archetypes
3. Improving White Archetypes
4. Matchup Analysis
5. Cube Combos (Work in Progress)
Draft my Cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/d8i
Looks like a pretty tight list you got there
Vintage Cube Cards Explained
Here are some other articles I've written about fine tuning your cube:
1. Minimum Archetype Support
2. Improving Green Archetypes
3. Improving White Archetypes
4. Matchup Analysis
5. Cube Combos (Work in Progress)
Draft my Cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/d8i
Sometimes I stream on twitch.tv/Game_Haus
Come trade with Puca Trade!, the best place to get those hard to get cards no one else will trade!
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!
I find Wtwlf is almost never wrong
Vintage Cube Cards Explained
Here are some other articles I've written about fine tuning your cube:
1. Minimum Archetype Support
2. Improving Green Archetypes
3. Improving White Archetypes
4. Matchup Analysis
5. Cube Combos (Work in Progress)
Draft my Cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/d8i
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!