Of those 4 I don't run the Lich, mostly becuase I couldn't be bothered with the Monarch rules. Otherwise Living Death is the one that goes in and out of my cube as it's powerful but narrower than the others, it's back in as of my last update as green has some more graveyard interaction which is where I find it often works best.
From a power-level perspective, I think it goes Lich > Liliana > Living Death = Doom Whisperer.
I think Lich is being very underrated here - it's similar to Palace Jailer in that it's an immediate 3 for 1 that can potentially keep drawing you a card, and at least if they get monarch back you don't have to give them back the creature with Lich. Obviously Palace Jailer is absurdly strong in white - this card is worse, but not by that much.
1 - Apparition in powered, Spiritkeeper in unpowered.
2 - Mirror Mage > Beleren ...and you have no idea how much it hurts me to say that. I love (absolutely LOVE) Jace Beleren ...but Mirror Mage is better.
I'd cut Kor SKyfisher. If it is only between the two, Paladin is my cut. I do think Remorseful Cleric is better than both suggested cuts, but not by much. If your cube has few grave-centric decks, I'd not bother adding it.
Force >> Negate > Spell Pierce. I was hesitant to add Force, but it proved to be powerful.
Hagra Bite > Fatal Push > Bone Shredder. Bite's performance is speculation of course.
Declaration >> Prison Realm
I've never played Aphemia, but I believe she is worse. Being able to block is an upside, but not trading with a thopter token is a more important one for aggro decks, which are the only type of deck to be interested in such a card. In enchantment themed cubes things might be different, but I believe it is safe to ignore the triggered ability in the typical cube setting.
Lich is the most powerful of the bunch. The rest is context-dependent. LDM is the most self-contained of the bunch. LD is the best build-around and creates better stories. Whisperer plays double duty in reanimation lists. I'd personally cut Whisperer, it was disappointing in midrange lists without graveyard synergies.
Spiritkeeper > Apparition. Spiritkeeper is one of the better tools white-based aggro decks have against mass removals, but it is also good in token decks, Recurring Nightmare, and so on. I believe Apparition's competition is more with Oblivion Ring and its ilk, as it is a card you would likely keep in hand in the search for a good target to exile instead of casting it on curve.
Mirror Mage is better. I've always wanted to kick Jace
My gut tells me coldsteel just isn’t worth it any more.
I think Heart is the best by quite a bit. It is playable in more decks, castable with more hands, and fixes colors in a relevant stage of the game. Even in decks that would play Gilded Lotus, I never want to cast my first ramp spell of the game later than turn two.
I think coldsteel is quite good but also has the most redundancy among rocks. You might not play with all 10 talismans AND all 10 signets, but some cubes do, and I would hazard they're more likely to cut coldsteel than gilded lotus.
I think coldsteel is quite good but also has the most redundancy among rocks. You might not play with all 10 talismans AND all 10 signets, but some cubes do, and I would hazard they're more likely to cut coldsteel than gilded lotus.
Cheers,
rant
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Looking at cuts for Luminarch Aspirant, feel like it's Accorder Paladin or Imposing Sovereign in a 360 card cube. Also would you cut both and run Remorseful Cleric too?
The rest of my 2 drop section is
Thanks
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2 - Bone Shredder vs Fatal Push vs Hagra Bite // Hagra Pit ? What order ?
3 - Dauthi Horror vs Aphemia, the Cacophony ?
4 - Declaration in Stone vs Prison Realm ?
2 - Push > Bite/Pit > Shredder
3 - Aphemia ≥ Horror
4 - Declaration >> Prison
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From a power-level perspective, I think it goes Lich > Liliana > Living Death = Doom Whisperer.
I think Lich is being very underrated here - it's similar to Palace Jailer in that it's an immediate 3 for 1 that can potentially keep drawing you a card, and at least if they get monarch back you don't have to give them back the creature with Lich. Obviously Palace Jailer is absurdly strong in white - this card is worse, but not by that much.
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
2 - Preview: Sea Gate Restoration // Sea Gate, Reborn vs Glasspool Mimic // Glasspool Shore ?
3 - Mayor of Avabruck vs Den Protector ?
2 - Both? Yet to be seen.
3 - Mayor if you support humans and/or flash, otherwise Den Protector
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1. Hallowed Spiritkeeper or Skyclave Apparition
2. Jace Beleren or Jace, Mirror Mage
2 - Mirror Mage > Beleren ...and you have no idea how much it hurts me to say that. I love (absolutely LOVE) Jace Beleren ...but Mirror Mage is better.
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I'd cut Kor SKyfisher. If it is only between the two, Paladin is my cut. I do think Remorseful Cleric is better than both suggested cuts, but not by much. If your cube has few grave-centric decks, I'd not bother adding it.
Force >> Negate > Spell Pierce. I was hesitant to add Force, but it proved to be powerful.
Hagra Bite > Fatal Push > Bone Shredder. Bite's performance is speculation of course.
Declaration >> Prison Realm
I've never played Aphemia, but I believe she is worse. Being able to block is an upside, but not trading with a thopter token is a more important one for aggro decks, which are the only type of deck to be interested in such a card. In enchantment themed cubes things might be different, but I believe it is safe to ignore the triggered ability in the typical cube setting.
Lich is the most powerful of the bunch. The rest is context-dependent. LDM is the most self-contained of the bunch. LD is the best build-around and creates better stories. Whisperer plays double duty in reanimation lists. I'd personally cut Whisperer, it was disappointing in midrange lists without graveyard synergies.
Spiritkeeper > Apparition. Spiritkeeper is one of the better tools white-based aggro decks have against mass removals, but it is also good in token decks, Recurring Nightmare, and so on. I believe Apparition's competition is more with Oblivion Ring and its ilk, as it is a card you would likely keep in hand in the search for a good target to exile instead of casting it on curve.
Mirror Mage is better. I've always wanted to kick Jace
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2 - Xenagos, the Reveler vs Ancient Grudge ?
3 - Accorder Paladin vs Adorned Pouncer ?
4 - Anguished Unmaking vs Unburial Rites ?
1 - Den Protector
2 - Xenagos, both red and green have creatures that can kill artifacts that I like more than grudge
3 - Accorder paladin if your cube supports Wx go wide, pouncer if you have some kind of equipment or aura theme in white
4 - Anguished unmaking, but at 720 I'd try and jam both. How big are your guild sections? Those are both top-10 non-land Orzhov cards IMO.
375 unpowered cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/601ac624832cdf1039947588
2 - Grudge > Xenagos
3 - Paladin > Pouncer
4 - Rites > Unmaking (if you play Gifts)
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Skyclave Relic
Gilded Lotus
Coldsteel Heart
My gut tells me coldsteel just isn’t worth it any more.
Un-Spiracy Module - http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/63204
Utility Land Module - http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/53258
I think Heart is the best by quite a bit. It is playable in more decks, castable with more hands, and fixes colors in a relevant stage of the game. Even in decks that would play Gilded Lotus, I never want to cast my first ramp spell of the game later than turn two.
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Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
/\ /\ /\ This.
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My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
Garruk, Primal Hunter or Garruk, Unleashed?
Sarkhan the Masterless or Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker?
Other suggestions are welcome.