Hero's Downfall > Never // Return
Return is pretty unremarkable. I prefer the instant speed.
Sundering Titan > Ancient Stone Idol > Kozilek, the Great Distortion
Titan is a good Tinker target. Kozilek is just too narrow.
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar = Elspeth, Knight-Errant > Serra the Benevolent
Serra needs more testing but this is tentative for now
Lyra Dawnbringer > Cloudgoat Ranger
This depends on the number of Angels you have and how many armies-in-a-can you need
Fire and Ice > Feast and Famine > Light and Shadow > Steel and Sinew > Body and Mind > Truth and Justice > War and Peace
Fire and Ice & Feast and Famine - best on-hit effects
Light and Shadow - best protections
Steel and Sinew - probably the highest ceiling, but depends on how many walkers you are likely to hit. Protection from red less good than black/white since the +2/+2 will obviate a lot of red removal already
Body and Mind - the mill can be strong, but if you're connecting a few times you're probably already winning from damage anyway. The Wolf is good
Truth and Justice - depends on how much proliferate synergy you have. By itself, pretty mediocre.
War and Peace - big potential damage shifts but terrible floor.
Hero's Downfall VS Never // Return
Kozilek, the Great Distortion VS Sundering Titan VS Ancient Stone Idol
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar VS Elspeth, Knight-Errant VS Serra the Benevolent
Cloudgoat Ranger VS Lyra Dawnbringer
All 7 Swords.
Downfall > Never // Return
Instant speed is valuable, the flashback is rarely used
Idol > Sundering Titan > Kozilek
Idol is a great win condition for Tinker and Sneak Attack decks. Titan is a bad win condition. Kozilek is nearly uncastable and is also a slow win condition, not to mention not passing the Vindicate test in most cases and not providing value with Sneak Attack.
Elspeth > Serra > Gideon
All are good and I'd play all three
Lyra > Cloudgoat
Lyra is the best in her category and Cloudgoat isn't. Cloudgoat loses most of its power to a Lightning Bolt and is a worse card in a race.
Fire and Ice > Body and Mind >> Light and Shadow > Sinew and Steel > Feast and Famine > War and Peace
I’ve finally come around on my disdain for mana drain, and will be adding it in the next update to my 450. However, each counterspell I currently run is mostly uncuttable for my size, and adding another with a free slot would bring me up to the counterspell density of a 540 cube. What would you do?
I currently run:
Daze
Force of Will
Force Spike
Arcane Denial (very unlikely that I would cut this)
Counterspell
Mana Leak
Memory Lapse
Miscalculation
Remand
Looking at your list, I'd cut Nimble Obstructionist to make room for Mana Drain. It was one of those cards that looked really cool on paper, but always felt just below the curve when it came up. It really needed to be an ETB Stifle on a 3/1 flash flying to be cube worthy, imo.
The blue ones are a bit harder, but I'd cut Clever Impersonator, Frantic Search, Jace, Architect of Thought, Mu Yanling, Sky Dancer, Serendib Efreet, Spell Pierce & Thirst for Knowledge.
Behemoth and Raptor are the only cuts I really like from that pool, assuming that the other cards are supporting their respective decks they're supposed to help out with.
Really depends on your cube environment. Metalworker and Mishra's Workshop are niche; they could be great or terrible depending on your artifact.dec support and Gitaxian Probe is really only good in combo like storm. But if you forced me to pick:
Cursed Scroll
Gitaxian Probe
Lightning Greaves
Sword of War and Peace
Emissary's Ploy
If you really like Emissary's Ploy, then cut Sword of Sinew and Steel instead.
I would cut workshop over probe though. Even if you support the artifact deck, it's a little too niche. Gitaxian probe can play in any deck and I would personally prefer the versatility. There are only so many spots for artifact support cards and workshop is pretty low on that list.
They're all good, but extraneous, IMO. Ask yourself if you need more support for artifacts / blink / graveyard strategies and one of those creatures will fit the bill.
Titan > Idol >> Kozilek
Elspeth ≥ Gideon > Serra
Lyra ≥ Cloudgoat
Fire & Ice >> Light & Shadow = Truth & Justice ≥ Body & Mind >> Sinew & Steel > Feast & Famine > War & Peace
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Return is pretty unremarkable. I prefer the instant speed.
Sundering Titan > Ancient Stone Idol > Kozilek, the Great Distortion
Titan is a good Tinker target. Kozilek is just too narrow.
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar = Elspeth, Knight-Errant > Serra the Benevolent
Serra needs more testing but this is tentative for now
Lyra Dawnbringer > Cloudgoat Ranger
This depends on the number of Angels you have and how many armies-in-a-can you need
Fire and Ice > Feast and Famine > Light and Shadow > Steel and Sinew > Body and Mind > Truth and Justice > War and Peace
Fire and Ice & Feast and Famine - best on-hit effects
Light and Shadow - best protections
Steel and Sinew - probably the highest ceiling, but depends on how many walkers you are likely to hit. Protection from red less good than black/white since the +2/+2 will obviate a lot of red removal already
Body and Mind - the mill can be strong, but if you're connecting a few times you're probably already winning from damage anyway. The Wolf is good
Truth and Justice - depends on how much proliferate synergy you have. By itself, pretty mediocre.
War and Peace - big potential damage shifts but terrible floor.
Tinker vs. Show and Tell
Downfall > Never // Return
Instant speed is valuable, the flashback is rarely used
Idol > Sundering Titan > Kozilek
Idol is a great win condition for Tinker and Sneak Attack decks. Titan is a bad win condition. Kozilek is nearly uncastable and is also a slow win condition, not to mention not passing the Vindicate test in most cases and not providing value with Sneak Attack.
Elspeth > Serra > Gideon
All are good and I'd play all three
Lyra > Cloudgoat
Lyra is the best in her category and Cloudgoat isn't. Cloudgoat loses most of its power to a Lightning Bolt and is a worse card in a race.
Fire and Ice > Body and Mind >> Light and Shadow > Sinew and Steel > Feast and Famine > War and Peace
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In your cube, definitely Show and Tell.
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I currently run:
Daze
Force of Will
Force Spike
Arcane Denial (very unlikely that I would cut this)
Counterspell
Mana Leak
Memory Lapse
Miscalculation
Remand
Forbid
Cryptic Command
Mystic Confluence
Condescend
Thanks for your help!
This is still the best place for high-power-level cube chat & debate.
Here's to many more years at MTGS *clink*
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WHITE: (2 cuts needed)
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Cheers,
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IMO
- Ammit Eternal
- Collective Brutality
- Hypnotic Specter
- Makeshift Mannequin
- Ruinous Path or Vraska's Contempt
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My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
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- Thirst for Knowledge
- Spell Pierce
- Serendib Efreet
- Jace, Architect of Thought
- Frantic Search
- Cavalier of Gales
- Clever Impersonator
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Really depends on your cube environment. Metalworker and Mishra's Workshop are niche; they could be great or terrible depending on your artifact.dec support and Gitaxian Probe is really only good in combo like storm. But if you forced me to pick:
Cursed Scroll
Gitaxian Probe
Lightning Greaves
Sword of War and Peace
Emissary's Ploy
If you really like Emissary's Ploy, then cut Sword of Sinew and Steel instead.
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
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/63569
As far as blue's 3 drop creatures go, how do these stack up (Im at 540 powered currently):
This is assuming all three are ranked after
and
Phyrexian Metamorph, if you count it as one.
Thanks in advance!
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They're all good, but extraneous, IMO. Ask yourself if you need more support for artifacts / blink / graveyard strategies and one of those creatures will fit the bill.
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