I like Archon a TINY bit more than Griselbrand days as his average floor with cards like Sneak Attack, Show and Tell, and Reanimate as well as the potential to hardcast is overall slightly better than Griselbrand.
From what I've heard, Griselbrand has been described as the single most powerful card in no ban CEDH (above the power 9 etc.) for is incredible card draw ability, especially off a card like Goryo's Vengeance. I would really like a redundant Griselbrand to help make reanimator storm a thing ...
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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
It's been a long time since I didn't play Shard in my cube (when I removed blink archetype). Is it good without blink archetype? I mean it's a good card, but good enough at 450?
I have decided to bench inferno titan for a while to try out another red finisher. I really like that this guy is a hasty flying 6 power beater that redirects the first removal spell that comes its way.
BONUS QUESTION: What petty grudge will you take to the grave?
It's been a long time since I didn't play Shard in my cube (when I removed blink archetype). Is it good without blink archetype? I mean it's a good card, but good enough at 450?
It's a cut I've been struggling with; it's a fun card in a pet deck but it's been showing its age for a while. It's one of those cards that could do with an updated version, but I don't think wizards are a fan of some of its play patterns.
I enjoy smokestack a lot. I like the fact that you can break the symmetry by stacking it's triggers and it helps make up for it doing nothing the first turn.
It's pretty slow to start, and you can definitly play a slower attrition game with it, but I am a fan of just piling in the counters.
Usually bad when draw in the late game if the opponent still got a board. But it's one of my favorite archetype in the cube. Smokestack and Braids will never leave mine! Smokestack got a new art with 30th anniversary Secret Lair and I love it so much!
Usually bad when draw in the late game if the opponent still got a board. But it's one of my favorite archetype in the cube. Smokestack and Braids will never leave mine! Smokestack got a new art with 30th anniversary Secret Lair and I love it so much!
Yea that is its main downside, it does nothing for a turn cycle so if your under pressure it sucks. I've found it can be good for breaking up stalled boards though if you just tick it up agressivly.
The secret lair art is great, and was a pleasant suprise to see them reprinting Smokestack.
This cards existence in cube alone makes my players think twice about tapping out to cast a spell against any W/x deck.
I'm always a little surprised this kind of taxing counter hasn't bleed into white a bit more as it would be a nice way to spread about counters (ie white gets soft counters, blue gets hard counters)
I used to play the white one that put the countered spell on top of your library, but it didn't stick for nearly as long.
BONUS QUESTION: What's your favourite colour-pie bend/break?
An amazing card that can win you the game on the spot if opponent is not careful enough.
Force spike is good, but mana tithe is much better because of it's color. Probably the best white instant I like to draft.
I recently re-added the 2cmc ramp spell that get untapped lands. I had them out for afew years but I'm coming round to them as removal gets better as it's harder to remove than a dork/rock.
How are others feeling about them?
BONUS QUESTION: Is there a tourist location you always have to visit when you pass?
Been in my cube for a very long time. As a floor it's swinging for 4 damage with haste, not stellar but 1 of that damage automatically hits. As a ceiling it can represent more damage than any other 4 drop; any random bodies that couldn't attack profitably not get to suicide in for 1 unlockable damage.
Outside of agro Hellrider gives any R/x deck that's going wide a way to pay it off and push through damage on a stalled board.
BONUS QUESTION: What Magic card name sounds most like a heavy metal song name?
Zephyr Sentinel got me thinking about Skyfisher. I'm not particularly excited about Sentinel but Skyfisher has dodged being cut for years.
It's got good stats and a drawback you can turn to your advantage. Picking up a land in an agro deck to replay it, bouncing a value creature, resetting a planeswalker etc.; It can see play in alot of different decks.
How is Skyfisher doing in 2022?
BONUS QUESTION: Have you ever fallen victim to a phishing scam?
I think its worthwhile in a powered cube as resetting moxen is a plus, but I don't think there is sufficient value in a non-powered cube.
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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
Man I love that card. It costs 1 mana so often (between picking up moxes or being played on a turn where you don't have a land drop to make) or it's resetting Gemstone counters, or it's picking up a Sarcomancy, or it's securing extra ETB triggers, or it's rescuing low loyalty 'walkers ...it always seems to find something useful to do in addition to being a good flying body for cheap.
I just cut Skyfisher to try out Guardian of New Benalia. I do have moxes in my cube, but my cube size is 720, so it is not a given you would have a mox to go with it. Additionally I have a humans subtheme.
Ultimately, I think Skyfisher shines in small/medium powered cubes, but the powerful synergies get watered down with increasing cube size.
"The fixed Sol Ring"; I played this for a long time, proabaly longer than I should have. It's still proabaly ok in alot of environments.
Going from 3 mana to 6 mana (assuming a land drop) the next turn is still a solid jump. Obviously not in the running if you have all the top artifact mana, but not bad
BONUS QUESTION: What's something that "lasts forever" you have managed to wear out?
A solid 2cmc mana-rock. In deck building I'm usually counting this as colourless, but in reality it fixes your mana more often than you would think, what with all the off colour duals and rainbow lands people use for splashes.
A great budget option that still cut it in higher power cubes.
BONUS QUESTION: What is your favourite colour of gemstone?
From what I've heard, Griselbrand has been described as the single most powerful card in no ban CEDH (above the power 9 etc.) for is incredible card draw ability, especially off a card like Goryo's Vengeance. I would really like a redundant Griselbrand to help make reanimator storm a thing ...
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
I have had this in and out of my cube a couple of times but ai decided to give it another go as I added afew more cheap cantrips.
BONUS QUESTION: Is there anything you are proud of your ability to do swiftly?
Always feels like a solid playable in any green deck. Grows over time and provides card advantage.
BONUS QUESTION: How long could you evade someone tracking you if your life depended on it?
I have decided to bench inferno titan for a while to try out another red finisher. I really like that this guy is a hasty flying 6 power beater that redirects the first removal spell that comes its way.
BONUS QUESTION: What petty grudge will you take to the grave?
It's a cut I've been struggling with; it's a fun card in a pet deck but it's been showing its age for a while. It's one of those cards that could do with an updated version, but I don't think wizards are a fan of some of its play patterns.
I enjoy smokestack a lot. I like the fact that you can break the symmetry by stacking it's triggers and it helps make up for it doing nothing the first turn.
It's pretty slow to start, and you can definitly play a slower attrition game with it, but I am a fan of just piling in the counters.
BONUS QUESTION: Do you smoke?
Yea that is its main downside, it does nothing for a turn cycle so if your under pressure it sucks. I've found it can be good for breaking up stalled boards though if you just tick it up agressivly.
The secret lair art is great, and was a pleasant suprise to see them reprinting Smokestack.
This cards existence in cube alone makes my players think twice about tapping out to cast a spell against any W/x deck.
I'm always a little surprised this kind of taxing counter hasn't bleed into white a bit more as it would be a nice way to spread about counters (ie white gets soft counters, blue gets hard counters)
I used to play the white one that put the countered spell on top of your library, but it didn't stick for nearly as long.
BONUS QUESTION: What's your favourite colour-pie bend/break?
Force spike is good, but mana tithe is much better because of it's color. Probably the best white instant I like to draft.
It will stay in my cube for a very long time.
I recently re-added the 2cmc ramp spell that get untapped lands. I had them out for afew years but I'm coming round to them as removal gets better as it's harder to remove than a dork/rock.
How are others feeling about them?
BONUS QUESTION: Is there a tourist location you always have to visit when you pass?
Been in my cube for a very long time. As a floor it's swinging for 4 damage with haste, not stellar but 1 of that damage automatically hits. As a ceiling it can represent more damage than any other 4 drop; any random bodies that couldn't attack profitably not get to suicide in for 1 unlockable damage.
Outside of agro Hellrider gives any R/x deck that's going wide a way to pay it off and push through damage on a stalled board.
BONUS QUESTION: What Magic card name sounds most like a heavy metal song name?
Zephyr Sentinel got me thinking about Skyfisher. I'm not particularly excited about Sentinel but Skyfisher has dodged being cut for years.
It's got good stats and a drawback you can turn to your advantage. Picking up a land in an agro deck to replay it, bouncing a value creature, resetting a planeswalker etc.; It can see play in alot of different decks.
How is Skyfisher doing in 2022?
BONUS QUESTION: Have you ever fallen victim to a phishing scam?
My cube
My cube on Cube tutor
I'm OP_Forever. I'll be putting this in my signature for a while so everyone know I change my nickname.
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 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
Ultimately, I think Skyfisher shines in small/medium powered cubes, but the powerful synergies get watered down with increasing cube size.
This guy was popular back in the day but has really dropped off in popularity.
Does it still have a home in lower power environments? Shredder blinks well and something like Tortured Existence can let you keep getting it back.
BONUS QUESTION: Can you shred on guitar?
"The fixed Sol Ring"; I played this for a long time, proabaly longer than I should have. It's still proabaly ok in alot of environments.
Going from 3 mana to 6 mana (assuming a land drop) the next turn is still a solid jump. Obviously not in the running if you have all the top artifact mana, but not bad
BONUS QUESTION: What's something that "lasts forever" you have managed to wear out?
A solid 2cmc mana-rock. In deck building I'm usually counting this as colourless, but in reality it fixes your mana more often than you would think, what with all the off colour duals and rainbow lands people use for splashes.
A great budget option that still cut it in higher power cubes.
BONUS QUESTION: What is your favourite colour of gemstone?
Definitely worth adding if you want another ETB untapped rock. Alot less reliable than talismans if you need coloured mana, but not as painful
His talismans looked great, I'm more of a signet guy myself. I've been slowly acquiring his retro signets though, alas, only the green ones are cheap.