Now we can curve into a 3-drop Luminarch Aspirant. Having seen how absurd that effect is, I think Veteran is cube material for sure. The token making trigger could be useful too, depending on your build.
I'd probably play Citadel Siege before this as a second Luminarch Aspirant effect. White 3s are tight and this card is vulnerable to removal, even if it does give you one +1/+1 counter soon after arriving.
I love luminarch aspirant.
Its one of the few 2 drop creatures in cube that I’m happy to play in my deck.
I don’t think it’s good enough to pay an extra mana for what’s effectively a +1/+1 buff. Especially because of how stacked the 3 drop slot (and how shallow the 2 drop slot is).
If the extra ability triggered on its own death, I’d be interested. But not as is.
I don't quite get the logic of paying extra for the +1/+1 though. You're paying for the whole package, and the original ability is very strong. It's like not running a card that reads 'Ancestral Memo U1 - Instant - Draw 3 cards. Then gain 1 life.' because 'you're only paying 1 more to gain 1 life' compared to Ancestral Recall...
Ultimately this gives us the possibility to run a 2nd creature with the Luminarch effect, which looks interesting to me - although indeed the competition in white 3-drops is quite fierce.
I think this is actually fairly comparable to things like Adeline / Brimaz as far as combat oriented 3 drops goes. Those go wider over time, but this has more immediate impact, a clean 2W mana cost, and can give you some insurance vs sweepers / removals if you got other soldiers lying around.
I don't quite get the logic of paying extra for the +1/+1 though. You're paying for the whole package, and the original ability is very strong. It's like not running a card that reads 'Ancestral Memo U1 - Instant - Draw 3 cards. Then gain 1 life.' because 'you're only paying 1 more to gain 1 life' compared to Ancestral Recall...
Ultimately this gives us the possibility to run a 2nd creature with the Luminarch effect, which looks interesting to me - although indeed the competition in white 3-drops is quite fierce.
A critical piece of the logic missing is that I don't think luminarch aspirant is much above par for it's current 1W cost.
A very significant downgrade to a card that is already not THAT good makes me think this card is not good enough.
Ancestral recall is so hilariously above rate that an extra mana tagged on it would still be a broken card.
I agree it's interesting to have another playabe luminarch aspirant effect in cube for synergy reasons and worth considering.
By the way, there is a slightly similar card in Nils, Discipline Enforcer that nobody is interested in. It does add counters at end step instead of combat, which is a big drawback, but the taxing effect on creatures attacking you is stronger than the rarely-relevant second ability on Siege Veteran
A critical piece of the logic missing is that I don't think luminarch aspirant is much above par for it's current 1W cost.
I think Luminarch Aspirant is very underrated. IMO it's one of the better 2-cmc white creatures not named Stoneforge Mystic and can hang with any of the 3 powered Adanto Vanguard / Porcelain Legionnaire variants, IMO. It can swing by itself for 3 on curve if it really wants to like every other 3 powered 2-cmc creature, but has the unique property of spreading out the damage, can provide value the turn its played, and can grow to a 4/4 on its on second attack.
Pound for pound, this is weaker than Luminarch Aspirant, sure, but the second triggered ability ain't nothing. There are a good amount of soldiers for it to trigger off of that gives you some insurance vs Wrath effects, which compounds with a lot of their creatures that can turn indestructible.
While I think luminarch aspirant is better than the vast majority of commonly cubed 2 drops, it’s by a gradient. Not by a leap.
It’s a very good creature. But pound for pound I think it’s comparable to the average commonly cubed 3 drop in power. (Emphasis on pound for pound).
It’s a higher pick than that because of its weak competition.
The 2 drop creature slot is the weakest slot in magic and it’s not remotely close, so being top tier in that slot isn’t much of a praise.
Fair enough Lucid. I think Luminarch is a stellar 2-drop, so it makes sense that I'm more comfortable considering a 3-drop variant. That ability just runs away with games, a quality that is rare even for 3-drops.
Fair enough Lucid. I think Luminarch is a stellar 2-drop, so it makes sense that I'm more comfortable considering a 3-drop variant. That ability just runs away with games, a quality that is rare even for 3-drops.
!! I had the thought "I wonder if Fredo runs less cheap spot removal than I do". Did a list check on your cube-cobra anad sure enough...
Significantly less spot removal.
A cheap snowbally stat creature in your cube will be better than in mine, definitely true for luminarch aspirant fwiw
I've liked Lunmiarch more or and more as time passes, primarily because it can put a +1/+1 counter the turn it comes in which makes it insanely good against early planeswalkers.
However, I think this slot is a bit too competitive as of right now.
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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
Now we can curve into a 3-drop Luminarch Aspirant. Having seen how absurd that effect is, I think Veteran is cube material for sure. The token making trigger could be useful too, depending on your build.
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Its one of the few 2 drop creatures in cube that I’m happy to play in my deck.
I don’t think it’s good enough to pay an extra mana for what’s effectively a +1/+1 buff. Especially because of how stacked the 3 drop slot (and how shallow the 2 drop slot is).
If the extra ability triggered on its own death, I’d be interested. But not as is.
Last Updated 02/06/23
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I don't quite get the logic of paying extra for the +1/+1 though. You're paying for the whole package, and the original ability is very strong. It's like not running a card that reads 'Ancestral Memo U1 - Instant - Draw 3 cards. Then gain 1 life.' because 'you're only paying 1 more to gain 1 life' compared to Ancestral Recall...
Ultimately this gives us the possibility to run a 2nd creature with the Luminarch effect, which looks interesting to me - although indeed the competition in white 3-drops is quite fierce.
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StaffMy High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
Unless you have some strange interaction with Mikaeus, then yes, this card is substantially better.
465 unpowered cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/601ac624832cdf1039947588
A critical piece of the logic missing is that I don't think luminarch aspirant is much above par for it's current 1W cost.
A very significant downgrade to a card that is already not THAT good makes me think this card is not good enough.
Ancestral recall is so hilariously above rate that an extra mana tagged on it would still be a broken card.
I agree it's interesting to have another playabe luminarch aspirant effect in cube for synergy reasons and worth considering.
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StaffI think Luminarch Aspirant is very underrated. IMO it's one of the better 2-cmc white creatures not named Stoneforge Mystic and can hang with any of the 3 powered Adanto Vanguard / Porcelain Legionnaire variants, IMO. It can swing by itself for 3 on curve if it really wants to like every other 3 powered 2-cmc creature, but has the unique property of spreading out the damage, can provide value the turn its played, and can grow to a 4/4 on its on second attack.
Pound for pound, this is weaker than Luminarch Aspirant, sure, but the second triggered ability ain't nothing. There are a good amount of soldiers for it to trigger off of that gives you some insurance vs Wrath effects, which compounds with a lot of their creatures that can turn indestructible.
My High Octane Unpowered Cube on CubeCobra
It’s a very good creature. But pound for pound I think it’s comparable to the average commonly cubed 3 drop in power. (Emphasis on pound for pound).
It’s a higher pick than that because of its weak competition.
The 2 drop creature slot is the weakest slot in magic and it’s not remotely close, so being top tier in that slot isn’t much of a praise.
Last Updated 02/06/23
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!! I had the thought "I wonder if Fredo runs less cheap spot removal than I do". Did a list check on your cube-cobra anad sure enough...
Significantly less spot removal.
A cheap snowbally stat creature in your cube will be better than in mine, definitely true for luminarch aspirant fwiw
Last Updated 02/06/23
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However, I think this slot is a bit too competitive as of right now.
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