I agree that Soulherder is often better than Brago, but the fact that it is so killable and has no benefits in a vacuum other than slowly, slowly growing larger kills it for my environment. I could also just cut Brago and bring back Geist of Saint Traft, but I'd like to benefit the flicker decks with 1 azorius card.
Brago doesn't just support flicker either. He holds equipment well, doubles the mana of your rocks, and resets your planeswalkers after a minus ability. He plays well in archetypes I have been trying to bolster, like Super Friends. The biggest downsides are that if they have a bigger flyer, he doesn't really do anything, and that while he doesn't die to bolt, he dies to everything else. But, at least for a few more tests, I think he's the pick for me.
The second part is a bit interesting - helping super friends/ resetting mana rocks. But I think there is something that should be kept in mind:
- Flicker decks don't need that much support, in fact 10 flicker enablers in a 720 cube is usually is good enough (not counting Teferi). The deck is generally slow and needs early interaction, ramp, flicker targets and finally enablers. For this reason, a flicker deck can only play upwards of 3 maximum 4 enablers, even if it drafted the entire package. Similarly, the "flicker" deck can function with literally one flicker enabler and still do incredibly well. Its not like reanimator/ storm where it needs the critical mass. I found that extra flicker enablers aren't usually necessary.
I could see Brago become a bit stronger Clocknapper and Arcane Savant (with a time walk effect) were both legal and could be used to setup a soft loop- combo win, but those cards are usually not played in cube.
- Similarly, Super Friends deck/ Mana Rock decks also have a high density of cards they could play - in particular high CMC spells are plentiful in cube + mana rock ramp decks could and usually do go into 3-4 colors. Super Friend decks require early interaction and high a very high pool of playable cards.
TLDR - Brago might look good on paper, but frequently its going to be the 24th card in a lot of decks and won't make it into the mainboard.
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
Wow, those are really great points against the practicality of including him in your draft deck. Maybe it's his time, after all.
There's something to be said about the difference between the stronger more consistent flicker deck that only needs 1-2 extra flickers to get there, and the flicker deck that lets you ghostway your whole board how you've always wanted to. But the priority here is power, after all. Soulherder guarantees value faster, but perhaps neither are necessary for as many cubes as owners who play them.
The second part is a bit interesting - helping super friends/ resetting mana rocks. But I think there is something that should be kept in mind:
- Flicker decks don't need that much support, in fact 10 flicker enablers in a 720 cube is usually is good enough (not counting Teferi). The deck is generally slow and needs early interaction, ramp, flicker targets and finally enablers. For this reason, a flicker deck can only play upwards of 3 maximum 4 enablers, even if it drafted the entire package. Similarly, the "flicker" deck can function with literally one flicker enabler and still do incredibly well. Its not like reanimator/ storm where it needs the critical mass. I found that extra flicker enablers aren't usually necessary.
I could see Brago become a bit stronger Clocknapper and Arcane Savant (with a time walk effect) were both legal and could be used to setup a soft loop- combo win, but those cards are usually not played in cube.
- Similarly, Super Friends deck/ Mana Rock decks also have a high density of cards they could play - in particular high CMC spells are plentiful in cube + mana rock ramp decks could and usually do go into 3-4 colors. Super Friend decks require early interaction and high a very high pool of playable cards.
TLDR - Brago might look good on paper, but frequently its going to be the 24th card in a lot of decks and won't make it into the mainboard.
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
There's something to be said about the difference between the stronger more consistent flicker deck that only needs 1-2 extra flickers to get there, and the flicker deck that lets you ghostway your whole board how you've always wanted to. But the priority here is power, after all. Soulherder guarantees value faster, but perhaps neither are necessary for as many cubes as owners who play them.
This is still the best place for high-power-level cube chat & debate.
Here's to many more years at MTGS *clink*