As far as I can tell, nobody ever created a thread for Endurance during MH2 spoiler season? Or maybe it was mistranslated or something and I never fixed the title (if that's the case, somebody please notify me).
During MH2 spoiler season, this was pretty much the least favorite of the cycle, but it's been working out pretty well for me as a hate bear / defensive stat monster that plays well with green's creature utility belt ecosystem. 3/4 flash with reach is essentially a 3-cmc Restoration Angel on defense, and graveyard interaction has become more important than ever. Against fair decks, this is a solid combat trick, and against unfair decks that abuse the graveyard, this is probably the best disruption tool for green because it can't do much on its own once they actually go off. This having reach is also really nice since green doesn't have too many ways to block in the air.
While this was my least favorite of the cycle at first, it's at least moved up one position for me with Subtlety being my least favorite of the bunch now. They're all great cards, IMO, but I feel like this card was pretty underrated at first glance, which is probably why there was never a SCD thread for this in the first place.
The more unfair your cube is, the better endurance is.
I personally run it and label it under the "maindeckable sideboard card" category.. It's the type of hate card I like to support.
I see it as an optional inclusion, late pick... but it's in my cube and I'm happy with it.
Current ranking for cube is:
1. Solitude
2. Fury
3. Grief
---- Big gap ----
4. Endurance
---- Big gap ----
5. Subtlety
The MH2 evoke creatures are one of the best cycles ever printed for cube (gameplay and power). All other things equal, a card seeing play in constructed AND it completing a cycle in my cube would increase my interest in adding it. Endurance checks both of those boxes.
The more unfair your cube is, the better endurance is.
I personally run it and label it under the "maindeckable sideboard card" category.. It's the type of hate card I like to support.
I see it as an optional inclusion, late pick... but it's in my cube and I'm happy with it.
Current ranking for cube is:
1. Solitude
2. Fury
3. Grief
---- Big gap ----
4. Endurance
---- Big gap ----
5. Subtlety
The MH2 evoke creatures are one of the best cycles ever printed for cube (gameplay and power). All other things equal, a card seeing play in constructed AND it completing a cycle in my cube would increase my interest in adding it. Endurance checks both of those boxes.
- Solitude has been incredible as a flicker/ Mimic Vat/ Crystal Shard card - Incredible value as a top end flicker threat/ early interaction. Flicker value creatures are traditionally 3 CMC+ and this has been incredible at helping to smooth out draws
- Grief has under performed - discard just hasn't been that great and black really isn't a great color for flicker shenanigans. It saving grace is it has been good in reanimator decks as a back up reanimator target for hands with excessive reanimation spells.
- Endurance has its problems - The green decks need 3 CMC creatures to generate a 2 for 1 to recoup the card disadvantage from mana dorks. The green splash decks often had trouble playing the double green to cast him on curve.
But I ended up cutting him as I've found storm/ reanimator under performing 3 weeks in a row and I felt I was a bit short on land ramp and replaced him with Explore.
I could see him return in the future if reanimator/ storm/ graveyard decks gain a resurgence.
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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
@Breathe - do you not play functional reprints? i saw in another thread that you've started running Three Visits, why not Nature's Lore, instead of Explore?
@Breathe - do you not play functional reprints? i saw in another thread that you've started running Three Visits, why not Nature's Lore, instead of Explore?
I probably should replace Explore with Nature's Lore
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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
As far as I can tell, nobody ever created a thread for Endurance during MH2 spoiler season? Or maybe it was mistranslated or something and I never fixed the title (if that's the case, somebody please notify me).
During MH2 spoiler season, this was pretty much the least favorite of the cycle, but it's been working out pretty well for me as a hate bear / defensive stat monster that plays well with green's creature utility belt ecosystem. 3/4 flash with reach is essentially a 3-cmc Restoration Angel on defense, and graveyard interaction has become more important than ever. Against fair decks, this is a solid combat trick, and against unfair decks that abuse the graveyard, this is probably the best disruption tool for green because it can't do much on its own once they actually go off. This having reach is also really nice since green doesn't have too many ways to block in the air.
While this was my least favorite of the cycle at first, it's at least moved up one position for me with Subtlety being my least favorite of the bunch now. They're all great cards, IMO, but I feel like this card was pretty underrated at first glance, which is probably why there was never a SCD thread for this in the first place.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
agree - we've been loving it, and I hope we continue getting more interesting G disruptive tools like this against unfair strategies
I personally run it and label it under the "maindeckable sideboard card" category.. It's the type of hate card I like to support.
I see it as an optional inclusion, late pick... but it's in my cube and I'm happy with it.
Current ranking for cube is:
1. Solitude
2. Fury
3. Grief
---- Big gap ----
4. Endurance
---- Big gap ----
5. Subtlety
The MH2 evoke creatures are one of the best cycles ever printed for cube (gameplay and power). All other things equal, a card seeing play in constructed AND it completing a cycle in my cube would increase my interest in adding it. Endurance checks both of those boxes.
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- Solitude has been incredible as a flicker/ Mimic Vat/ Crystal Shard card - Incredible value as a top end flicker threat/ early interaction. Flicker value creatures are traditionally 3 CMC+ and this has been incredible at helping to smooth out draws
- Grief has under performed - discard just hasn't been that great and black really isn't a great color for flicker shenanigans. It saving grace is it has been good in reanimator decks as a back up reanimator target for hands with excessive reanimation spells.
- Endurance has its problems - The green decks need 3 CMC creatures to generate a 2 for 1 to recoup the card disadvantage from mana dorks. The green splash decks often had trouble playing the double green to cast him on curve.
But I ended up cutting him as I've found storm/ reanimator under performing 3 weeks in a row and I felt I was a bit short on land ramp and replaced him with Explore.
I could see him return in the future if reanimator/ storm/ graveyard decks gain a resurgence.
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 probably should replace Explore with Nature's Lore
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