So it has been 3 months since I really updated the thread and posted my current cube list. Things are quite a bit different now.
I'm using all power with the exception of Ancestral Recall and Mind Twist for power and fun reasons. There are now un-cards and the themes of each color have been focused some.
My goal now is to improve the colors as much as possible. You might notice that my blue section is a little strange. I'm pushing for an artifact theme and I think it could be quite good. And in conjunction with this I have 60 artifacts, and a good number of solid artifact creatures. Suggestions are always appreciated.
Sorry if this is more or less nothing but a list of cards, but it goes a lot faster if I don't have to formulate an individual comment on every card and some of them are really self explaining.
Still I can explain my card choices if you think I am completely wrong on some suggested cards.
possible cuts:
Eldrazi Monument Its been on the watchlist for a little while now, every time I go to take it out I see a game won with it. That and everyone at "The Table" where we reside loves it.
maybe: Voltaic Key There was an article written recently about having too many straight forward power cards in the cube. Linear Strategies for a linear game. I'm trying to promote a slightly more inventive set of strategies. Key plays many roles and makes many cards either better or broken in some cases. Bottle Gnomes Much of my deliberation was to fill in the particular card gaps that were in the cube. Some colors simply didn't have access to a method of gaining life and halting very aggressive strategies. Gnomes is a classic card that has seen lots of play over the years. It fills a particular role and is harder to deal with than you might expect. Gathan Raiders This is another Niche card, It fulfills two key roles in the cube, a discard outlet and a beat stick. That wouldn't be enough in most cases but because it can be played in any color its flexability gives it the nod
I like both of these and both have been in at some point. I feel that the one card which is likely to be cut at this point (monument) would be better as another card. There are simply too many mana artifacts in the cube already and mine isn't all that big.
possible cuts: Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth: as long as you count this as a black card, there is no reason to run it, because most cards in your black maybe pile for the cube do more than this land.
I should have probably specified in my last post but there are 2 lands for each color. I don't mind switching Urborg but it is still the 2nd best black land out there as far as I can find.
Gasp replaced Doom blade because the black Vs. Black decks happened way more than I expected.
I just put fiend in so I'm not sure how good it is yet, I strongly considered Cutthrout, and will keep an eye out to see which is more deserving
I can't say enough about Gladiator, he is simple and efficient. But more importantly he plays many many roles, and is good early, mid, and late game.
maurader is Iffy...I knew this, I wanted to black agro a few more tools but his slot is certainly in question.
Kagemaro is just a beating. I've locked opponents out multiple times with him. He is big efficient and does a great job at cleanup duty.
maybe Corpse Dance: so you don't have to care about graveyard order anymore
This card has been simply too fun, too good, and too loved for us to cut at the moment. Many of the individuals at the table are Legacy players anyway, so its second nature for us to keep our graveyards in order.
Makeshift was cut for Necromancy. It not only fit the curve better, but was more reliable. I feel Confident about this slot.
Barter is something I've considered for a while...and I always will. Its alway just behind the other cards I want to include. I Look not only to build a color with the best cards but to build a curve and make sure the cards work properly together.
Decree just came out this change. I may bring it back. Removal and the control Strategy as a whole had too many tools and I'm trying to put a premium on mass removal.
I've had all of those cards in the cube at some point:
Living Death was alway a bomb but at the time there was simply too much reanimation, I wanted to keep it in check.
Smother is a great card but still less reliable at killing creatures than Last Gasp from my experience. As always its still a great removal spell. Once again it is held back by my attempt to balance the amount of removal in the cube.
Sarcomancy/Lacerator/Carnophage were in the cube for over 6 months.. and they were not played....even once....Good or not...my group does not like them. That is the way it goes.
Cutthroat, strongly considered, may still replace fiend
Wretched Anurid, love the card, played it in legacy before Tarmogoyf was legal. I'll certainly consider it.
Yes, but only because I wasn't sure it was good enough...I know that sounds crazy...is it really that good or normally too little, too late by the time it comes out?
The lands are there for reasons I stated above, I personally really liked Yavimaya Hollow For that slot but I wanted to give Oran-Rief a shot.
Bestial Menace will be good I think, or at the very least I want to play with it for a month and see before I change it again.
Rootwalla is one of 2 aggressive 1 drops in green that has no drawbacks and can easily trade up even in mid-late game. It has loads of inherent synergies as well. I believe it to be better than most if not all of the savannah lions/Jaguar variants.
Kavu Titan is a great Evasive threat in the late game and an early beater as well. I really like how it fills two part of the curve.
Masked Admirers is so so much card advantage. I've beat decks with it almost by itself. It is not only one of my favorite cards in cube but one I have won many games with.
I've had all of those in the cube at some point minus the last too. I'm strongly considering Primus. At this point there are no 1 drop green creatures I would include more than the ones I have. All others have drawbacks of some kind.
I'm a big Fan of Stomphowler as well, I just couldn't find space and didn't think it was needed with the amount of hate for artifacts and enchantments I already had .
I think if the new card "explore" is 1cc it will trump Farseek by a long shot.
Apprentice still sees some play. Its a fine 2 drops and one of the only good ones blue has at the moment.
Spellbomb is there for a very specific reason. One is it is surprisingly good at creating tempo, great with academy ruins, and is always a cantrip. But most importantly it supports a theme I'm pushing for with Blue.
There was lots of discussion about how blue is only a support color and has no inner themes that reward players for going deep into the color. Blue's relationship to artifacts is what I feel sets it apart from the others. You will notice many of the choices may be strange, but are there to enhance this theme.
Complicate was my Dismiss replacement. It has done well so far. Partially because it is much easier to splash but also because it was relevant more often. Being 2UU vs. 2U came up enough to warrant the change. If I cut Complicate I will probably not add another counterspell but something that follows the artifact theme.
Equilibrium was my answer to the distaste for Opposition, the card was simply printed in the wrong colors. I never liked it, and surprisingly the players I thought would embrace it normally preferred other cards in draft. It combo's with many many Come into play triggers and provides fantastic tempo. It can be game breaking more often then you might think.
Body Double was a nice addition because it fulfilled a unique role in blue and was an all around solid creature for cost and size. At this point it is mostly an enabler which places it on the edge. The first good blue creature to be printed in the new set will probably replace him.
Teferi has seen less and less play as the power level of the cube has increased. This has surprised me a little. I'm going to keep him in a little longer, but I have my eye on him.
Gilded Drake got cut the moment I realized it didn't work with crystal shard and Erratic portal. The 3/3 evasive body did me in too often after we determined the ruling on it.
Inkwell: ok, this is a card I'm strongly against for one reason. I do not want to promote an unfun game state for my group. Lets be honest, Inkwell is not that good without Tinker and is broken with it. I don't think tinker is a problem if its two most overpowered targets (inkwell and Sphinx) are not in the cube. That being said there are still a few powerful targets for tinker and now another one with the printing of the new golem.
Control Magic was in recently but came out for some reason I cant remember, I think I was testing Rite of Replication. I'll probably put it back in for complicate or something.
Deep Analysis got a big upgrade in Gifts Given I simply didn't have room.
Desertion: something I haven't tested yet, I like it a lot though. I'll give it a shot in a few weeks.
Compulsive Research: Has never been on my radar, the card is simply too far down on the draw spell latter.
Dismiss: see above
Upheaval: is the most likely of all those cards to make a push back into the cube. Simply put things are becoming more and more friendly for it. My group rarely drafted it, but I think once I use it once they will see it is much better than they think.
Sulfur Elemental is the only really cutable card in that pack from my experience. I know Death Spark brings a WTF!???!?!?!? but it is better than you think. It lets every single creature in your deck trade up. Every countered creature deal them one damage, and gives you fantastic virtual advantage. I'm a big fan and so are many in my group.
I probably have to keep the Kami because I'm worried about both reducing the red 2 drop count too low and also not having enough artifact removal. Pyrokinesis is one of the weakest cards but still a 2 for 2 most of the time. Kumano, has done almost nothing over the last few months...BOO!
Flame Javelin just came out which might surprise you. It was never ever a 3 mana burn spell. and 4 mana for 4 damage is simply too weak. It was replaced with Arc Lightning and has preformed very very well.
I wouldn't mind replacing Kumano with either Thunderblust or Baboons. Thoughts?
Every one of those has been in and out at some point. Jaya has never lived up to what I wanted her to do and it makes me sad. I guess guaranteeing a removal spell might mean she is better than we think though.
Wildfire was never that popular with our group. There are way too few creatures over toughness 4 currently in the cube to make it more than a symmetrical wrath that punishes both players.
I've never heard anyone suggest I cut arrest, that card is a long term staple I think.
Strands is a test card and could come out at any time, the surprise factor and the card advantage it normally causes is quite impressive for a cheep little common.
Shaman en-kor: I'm a big supporter of this guy. He makes attacks possible you wouldn't even imagine. Good early, mid, and late this guy is better than you would expect.
Stonecloaker: This guy fulfills 3 purposes, a solid evasive beater, a counter to removal, and especially and answer to **graveyard recursion**. He is easy to splash and a great combat trick.
Aven Riftwatcher: I feel there needs to be enough life gain to compete with the aggressive strategies and this guy fits the bill. His role is somewhat specific.
Pristine Angel: Honestly this might be one of the most annoying creatures in the cube. Just a pain in the ass to kill. Control still needs good finishers, and this guy passes the test.
Flickerwisp has always been on my radar but he could only replace certain cards, cards I still feel are better at the moment.
Isolation and Anthem are not very good. Isolation didn't do what I wanted which was to stop certain abilities on creatures. Also, giving a creature shadow came up a few times, resulting in soltari creatures getting blocked.
Catastrophe is a great card I've wanted to add for a while, I might replace ravages of war with it.
I've tried all but Rout, Scepter will come back in if strands turns out to be meh. Stormfront was vying for Shaman en-kor's slot, but I think Shaman is better.
Court Hussar -> Swans of Bryn Argoll: Swan would be amazing if it were UR (can you say Chain Lightning your own Swan?), but it is still good enough to cut a mediocre defensive card for it.
And if they are playing red? Swans was in the cube for a long time, I played it a few times. I lost every single game because my opponent could draw cards off of it.
Plaxmanta -> Spitting Image / Lorescale Coatl: the snake is a giant monster for only 3 mana and Image ensures that you always have the best creature on the table (or multiple copies of it)
Image is a serious consideration cause I have seen nothing happen with Plaxmanta. Lorescale was tried and was not very good.
Your right, it is an excellent removal spell, but I feel that both White and Black have tons of removal already. Verdit, and grasp have unique effects that I think are worth supporting. Both have seen lots of play.
People in my group love Mikokoro, Center of the Sea. But in regards to fixing, you will notice that I have filters in addition to the normal lands that are run. Any more and I think Signets will have fallen off the Cube map so to speak. As it is they are not drafted enough.
My 2cents:
- Caller of the Claw is potentially broken (yes), but in reality the GX-aggro deck almost always played a 3- or 4-drop to keep the speed up, so the Caller usually came too late.
- Oracle of Mul Daya was a weaker Magus of the Future in our cube, so it go cut.
(Those 2 statements are just experience-based. Both cards can perform fairly well, but they just seemed a tad too situational in a environment this fast/strong)
@eidolon's cuts:
Never played the Monument, but I too like cards that need a certain deck built around. For my taste it's a bit too narrow. Mind stone is great because you can cycle it away (Captain Obvious).
Isn't the reason to move nonbasics to their colour that you can play more or less nonbasics of a card. Urborg doesn't compete with other black nonbasics anymore, so you should (imo) cut it for a strong black card.
I'm surprised to see Bx-aggro not being a popular and strong choice in a cubeplaygroup. My playgroup would definetly protest if black aggro wasn't a strongly supported archetype.
The green section seems to be a matter of preference. I cube Basking Rootwalla and still like him, the inclusions he suggests all do really well in my cube. But if that wasn't the case in yours, it's possible to avoid them. I can certainly vouch for all the suggested green cards.
- AEther Spellbomb: But without Academy Ruins its just an expensive unsummon or a cantrip. Memory Lapse and Repeal are imho better tempocards, which you don't run.
- Apprentice: imho Blue doesn't need 2drops, Blue needs counterspells for 2. But Jushi can be ok. I wouldn't fault anyone for cubing/cutting him.
- Blue as supportcolour: Sounds crazy to me!
- Body Double: meh.
- Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir: meh.
- Gilded Drake: Blue pseudoremoval and it works with shard if opp's tapped out and other bounce.
- Inkwell: I disagree. Inkwell and Sphinx are better, easier to hardcast and funnier than DSC (which you probably don't run either). This niche adds great flavour to the cube and hasn't been too dominant.
- Control Magic: a must.
- Deep Analysis: I cut Gifts Given for it, because GG proved to be GG far too often.
- Upheaval: Can't vouch for it anymore, sorry guys.
- Memory Lapse, Condescend: Both get maindecked often, because they're easy to splash, gain tempo/cardselection advantage and can reliably be cast second turn. Memory Lapse is great with Iso Scepter and in Aggro.
I can't imagine Teetering Peaks, Death Spark, Pyrite Spellbomb, Sulfur Elemental
being better than:
Ravenous Baboons, Thunderblust, Pyroclasm, Flame Javelin, Earthquake, Taurean Mauler, Wildfire, Fireball
Glorious Anthem, Catastrophe and Stormfront Pegasus I think you should consider testing.
Artifacts:
You have almost all good cards in this section I can think of + the 2 suggested signets aren't that important in a powered cube. Eldrazi Monument: tbh I haven't had it in my list for long, but the sac a dude drawback was severe.
It might be too much, as I said its on the watch list. Your list below has given me a few Ideas, I'm thinking that I might run Obelisk of Alara as both a Tinker Target and a synergetic card with key.
Voltaic Key: after going through your list again I see more powerful targets than for Tinker, which works very well in my cube.
gives your artifact creatures vigilance: decent but not worth a card
great in multiplayer
counters the "only works when tapped" drawback from some artifacts if your opponent has a way to tap them down: doesn't happen too often
I consider the 2 other cards as fillers that can easily be removed when another broken artifact gets spoiled.
100% agree
Black
I have always treated colored lands/ artifacts as spells in that color(s). This allows you to switch mediocre ones like Teetering Peaks / Urborg and gets even more relevant now with the Celestial Colonnade cycle.
Teetering peaks has been better than you might think. I also have seriously considered the Red Hideaway land as well.
Smother vs Last Gasp: My experience was just the other way around, especially when there is a toughness boosting effect on the board.
Think is, you can use Gasp in conjuction with other cards to kill much bigger threats. That can't be said for Smother, this comes up often enough to be justified.
Yawgmoth's Bargain can win a game on its own. Since you still have a good number of anti aggro cards it should be even better in your cube.
Ok, I honestly wasn't sure but I'll take your word for it. I'll look over my list and see what I can take out for it. I guess I'll also need to make a new proxy for it too
Being a creatures gives him inherient synergies that would be lost with barter (one of my favorite cards to use with Corpse Dance ) . From experience he normally comes into play as a 4/4, then a 5/5 next turn is nothing to sneeze at.
Green Kavu Titan: both modes of this card give you an underpowered creature for cube standards.
I can go with that. However, I want a 2 drop of some kind. Suggestions?
Masked Admirers: I remember when I had that crazy ramp deck with a 4 copies of Admirers and Primal Command that was able to win a game through card advantage where my opponent resolved 4(!) Cruel Ultimates against me :-). Unfortunately this is also a rather slow card and it isn't even able to trade with a good number of the 2 drops.
The only thing that I know about this card is that it appears in the Orb...
there is additional info about it in the precon discussion. It describes it as being a green sorcery that allows you to play an additional land durring the turn and draws a card. If it costs 1 it will be incredible.
Vigor isn't the best creature ever printed, but it is a lot of fun to play. I have had a lot of insane pays with him in my cube.
Blue AEther Spellbomb + Academy Ruins: so it is 3UU skip drawing a card for an Unsummon? - Not the best combo ever... If B gets to have some reanimator support, than U should have at least one giant critter for Tinker. It is still a great finisher for control and also can be brought back with Ruins.
Being uses with ruins is ok, but I have it there for utility. It is also tinker fuel allong with being something an opponent has to deal with in order to get damage in. Sometimes its presence alone can force bad plays. It is really just an "Ok" card overall, but I think it works for what I'm pushing blue to do. I woudl be ok replacing it, as long as it works with the artifact role. I've considered Transumute Artifact as an additional tinker and woud also want Cathodian in place of Gathan Raiders.
Gilded Drake still works with Crystal Shard: now they have to keep 2 mana open all the time or you steal another creature from them. Even without bounce shenanigans , thee are enough creatures that are better than a simple 3/3 flier: Just kill them with their own Akroma and don't care about the random 3/3.
If I find room for drake I would put in Control magic first most likely. Also, Drake with equilibrium is actually a combo.
If U looks like a support color it is only because everybody wants these crazy good blue spells. If you get enough cards together to draft MUC you will get a very fine deck. The themes in blue is having an answer against everything your opponent plays, creating tons of card advantage and killing them with their own creatures.
Equilibrium: Powerful card if you have a good number of creatures in your deck, which usually isn't the case most of the U decks I like to draft.
There are a tramendous amount of CIPT on creatures found in the cube, Even if your only chaining your own it does some prity sick things.
Body Double is ok and combos with Reveillark, but if I get the option to copy a creature for 4U or just steal one for 1 less mana, my choice is pretty obvious.
Its one of the first creatures to come out if something new in blue is printed, that being sait, it keeps doing broken things. I watched it become a second copy of Broodmate Dragon today after a wrath.
Compulsive Research is a excellent card draw spell: it is splashable, it gives you a discard outlet, it digs 3 cards deep, protects you from flood and mid/ late game you have always a land to discard.
Ok, I can get behind that, but I really don't want to add any more draw at this point. Blue already is loaded with it.
True. If you drop an early creature in blue it only acts as a lightning rod for their removal. Even if you are able to protect your Apprentice, it costs you 9UUUUU to get more value out of him than a Concentrate.
I guess I'm still trying to hold onto the idea that blue shoudl have a few 2 drops. Waterfront Bouncer I know will never go as it has infinite synergies in the cube.
Red Death Spark: I think you have already posted it before that it worked out well for you, but I am still hesitating to try out this unconventional card.
I think it would be worth it too you. Its both fun and good. Your opponent will hate losing to it, and it does happen. The reason? It gives you card superiority. Because your trading up you almost always make out on the trade.
The key to a successful Wildfire is not drafting big creatures, but having a bunch of artifact mana, so you could kill their half of the board while you still have enough mana available.
Ok, makes sense. I'll see what slots I have and consider re-adding it back in.
If you think you have enough land destruction, I would play Thunderblust > Ravenous Baboons. If people void triple colored cards (like Flame Javelin), I would go with the monkeys.
Sure, you usually have to pay 2RR for your Flame Javelin until ~turn 4, but later on RRR isn't a problem for a 2colored deck anymore and you still can play this card without having any Mountains in your deck.
Arc lightning is in to stay, thats for sure, but I hear what your saying about Javelin. Maybe I'm asking too much from the card. Pyrokinesis is an easy cut at the moment. I'm still not sure there is enough artifact removal yet so I want to makes sure to keep Smash to Smithereens around.
White
The tempo loss from Stonecloaker was kind of annoying,especially now that you are no longer able to stack damage. Flickerwisp does a better job if you just want to blink your own creature, but also can be used to remove a blocker/ Moat/ Ensnaring Bridge/ Propaganda/ Maze of Ith for a turn, reset any permanent with counters on it (planeswalkers!) or blows up an Aura.
Flash is what makes the Cloaker good. If it saves a creature there is no lose of tempo. I've also used it by itself to completely nullify Volraths Stronghold and Recurring nightmare. Flickerwisp may be better than I thought, I sort of forgot it could blink opposing creatures. I'll probably look for another slot to cut though for it. Celestial Crusader is something I could see cutting. What do you think?
For me Temporal Isolation is an Pacifism that can also hit creatures with haste and can be played eot, which is especially beneficial in control.
I don't dissagree with any of that. My worry is mainly at having too much removal in white. There is quite a bit already. Then there is the room issue. Strands is the most likely cut but I don't want to do that just yet. I think it needs a little more testing.
Gold Swans of Bryn Argoll: it is always risk vs reward, but it has always drawn me significantly more cards than my opponents.
"Any more (fixing) and I think Signets will have fallen off the Cube map so to speak. As it is they are not drafted enough.": then Upheaval and Wildfire would be 2 cards that show the other players how good these common mana artifacts can be.
As you said, Wildfire does that as well.
I'm going to update this post in a min with some changes I am willing to make based on these suggestions and reasoning. I certainly appriciate the help.
Gilded Drake is better than Body Double so you should swap the 2. For every sick thing Body Double has done Guilded Drake would probably have done something even more degenerate. It also combos with any bounce spell and even without a single bounce spell in your deck you can often still exchange him for something much better. Flickerwisp is also a card I'd definitely find room for. At worst he is a 3/1 flier for 3 that untaps one of your lands at EOT. Resetting Tangle Wire, Parallax Wave, Planeswalkers, opposing Karoos, ETB creatures, Pithing Needle, opposing Aether Vials/Engineered Explosives/Powder Keg, etc., etc., etc. is just awesome gravy.
Gilded Drake is better than Body Double so you should swap the 2. For every sick thing Body Double has done Guilded Drake would probably have done something even more degenerate. It also combos with any bounce spell and even without a single bounce spell in your deck you can often still exchange him for something much better. Flickerwisp is also a card I'd definitely find room for. At worst he is a 3/1 flier for 3 that untaps one of your lands at EOT. Resetting Tangle Wire, Parallax Wave, Planeswalkers, opposing Karoos, ETB creatures, Pithing Needle, opposing Aether Vials/Engineered Explosives/Powder Keg, etc., etc., etc. is just awesome gravy.
I agree with Flickerwisp but not on Drake. Believe me, I love drake, but he was not very good. Body Double has been quite good so far and everyone in our group loves him. That being said, I have 2-3 Creature slots at the moment that I would be fine with changing the moment better creatures are printed. I'm hoping there will be at least 1 in this new set.
Its really sad to say, but black has some of the biggest finishers in the cube now. Oh, and Abyssal Prosecuter is busted in this format, simply busted.
I think there are enough aggressive red threats to allow for some utility in the color. I've always like this guy but I need a reason to bring him back in.
I hadn't considered its applications with plainswalkers, thank you for showing me the error of my ways.
I'm also taking out the filter lands. Something I noticed both yesterday and today when we had a draft over 8 people....there was simply too much manafixing with the new man lands and also the increase in fixers. This is the plan:
I'd cut Aven Riftwatcher or World Queller before I cut Celestial Crusader. He's been really good for me. Flashing him into play in response to blocking is so much fun. Also, really helps token strategies.
I'd cut Aven Riftwatcher or World Queller before I cut Celestial Crusader. He's been really good for me. Flashing him into play in response to blocking is so much fun. Also, really helps token strategies.
Cheers,
rant
I'd consider Riftwatcher but it kind of sucks to cut a card that Flickerwisp pairs well with. I'm def not cutting World Queller, its a fantastic answer to so many annoying permanents. Are there any other cards on the list you think might be cuttable?
eidolon232: now the other question is this, is All Suns Dawn a multicolored card or a green card? If I can consider it multi then it would be perfect.
I didn't like Celestial Crusader before I cubed with it. But a Crusade and a 2/2 with flying, and flash, and split second... is well worth the 2WW.
I originally said this about Shriekmaw, but I think it applies equally here. Every time I look at this guy it seems like he has another awesome ability.
Numot is alright as the ability its decent, oros just doesn't do anything most of the time. :S
Private Mod Note
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I am petitioning for the end of: the Mythic rarity, the Planeswalker card type, the post-8th edition card faces, the 2010 rule changes, colorless cards that aren't artifacts or lands, the Legendary supertype, the stack, auras, multicolor cards, artifact creatures, tokens, goblins, merfolk, elves, sorceries, instants, and permanents. Basically, I just want to play with purple contraptions.
Copy this sig to join the cause. Cuz, ya know, Wizards makes decisions based on sigs.
Ok, so I finally got around to the long due overhall of my current list. The one in the OP reflects its current state. Some of the cards are in early stages of testing but for the most part the list has gone through quite a bit of play. School is out now, but while in session we played at least one draft ever single day Monday-Friday.
I'm using all power with the exception of Ancestral Recall and Mind Twist for power and fun reasons. There are now un-cards and the themes of each color have been focused some.
My goal now is to improve the colors as much as possible. You might notice that my blue section is a little strange. I'm pushing for an artifact theme and I think it could be quite good. And in conjunction with this I have 60 artifacts, and a good number of solid artifact creatures. Suggestions are always appreciated.
Cheers.
http://hgcube.blogspot.com/ (help me Make my Custom CUBE!)
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=382498
The "Make a Proxy Thread
Redit Proxy Article "current gallery"
MY LEGACY ALTERS
I 'm going to reply to your suggestions in the quote using a different color text to make it a bit easier.
Once again, your attention is very flattering and I'll correct those mistakes ASAP
http://hgcube.blogspot.com/ (help me Make my Custom CUBE!)
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=382498
The "Make a Proxy Thread
Redit Proxy Article "current gallery"
MY LEGACY ALTERS
- Caller of the Claw is potentially broken (yes), but in reality the GX-aggro deck almost always played a 3- or 4-drop to keep the speed up, so the Caller usually came too late.
- Oracle of Mul Daya was a weaker Magus of the Future in our cube, so it go cut.
(Those 2 statements are just experience-based. Both cards can perform fairly well, but they just seemed a tad too situational in a environment this fast/strong)
@eidolon's cuts:
Never played the Monument, but I too like cards that need a certain deck built around. For my taste it's a bit too narrow. Mind stone is great because you can cycle it away (Captain Obvious).
Isn't the reason to move nonbasics to their colour that you can play more or less nonbasics of a card. Urborg doesn't compete with other black nonbasics anymore, so you should (imo) cut it for a strong black card.
I'm surprised to see Bx-aggro not being a popular and strong choice in a cubeplaygroup. My playgroup would definetly protest if black aggro wasn't a strongly supported archetype.
The green section seems to be a matter of preference. I cube Basking Rootwalla and still like him, the inclusions he suggests all do really well in my cube. But if that wasn't the case in yours, it's possible to avoid them. I can certainly vouch for all the suggested green cards.
- AEther Spellbomb: But without Academy Ruins its just an expensive unsummon or a cantrip. Memory Lapse and Repeal are imho better tempocards, which you don't run.
- Apprentice: imho Blue doesn't need 2drops, Blue needs counterspells for 2. But Jushi can be ok. I wouldn't fault anyone for cubing/cutting him.
- Blue as supportcolour: Sounds crazy to me!
- Body Double: meh.
- Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir: meh.
- Gilded Drake: Blue pseudoremoval and it works with shard if opp's tapped out and other bounce.
- Inkwell: I disagree. Inkwell and Sphinx are better, easier to hardcast and funnier than DSC (which you probably don't run either). This niche adds great flavour to the cube and hasn't been too dominant.
- Control Magic: a must.
- Deep Analysis: I cut Gifts Given for it, because GG proved to be GG far too often.
- Upheaval: Can't vouch for it anymore, sorry guys.
- Memory Lapse, Condescend: Both get maindecked often, because they're easy to splash, gain tempo/cardselection advantage and can reliably be cast second turn. Memory Lapse is great with Iso Scepter and in Aggro.
I can't imagine Teetering Peaks, Death Spark, Pyrite Spellbomb, Sulfur Elemental
being better than:
Ravenous Baboons, Thunderblust, Pyroclasm, Flame Javelin, Earthquake, Taurean Mauler, Wildfire, Fireball
Glorious Anthem, Catastrophe and Stormfront Pegasus I think you should consider testing.
Chinqui
I'm going to update this post in a min with some changes I am willing to make based on these suggestions and reasoning. I certainly appriciate the help.
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I agree with Flickerwisp but not on Drake. Believe me, I love drake, but he was not very good. Body Double has been quite good so far and everyone in our group loves him. That being said, I have 2-3 Creature slots at the moment that I would be fine with changing the moment better creatures are printed. I'm hoping there will be at least 1 in this new set.
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Obelisk of Alara for Eldrazi Monument
Cathodian For Gathan Raiders
Plague Sliver for Dauthi Mauraders
I can't figure out the discrepency ATM but Plague Sliver is not in the cube, even though the numbers work out fine.
Abyssal Prosecuter for Phyrexian Scuta
Its really sad to say, but black has some of the biggest finishers in the cube now. Oh, and Abyssal Prosecuter is busted in this format, simply busted.
Barter in Blood for Kagemaro, First to suffer.
Because of the above change to the demon, this pushs the debate into Barter's favor.
Woodfall Primus for Hurricane
Sadly Explore was 1G. Now that I think about it though, at Git would simply have been a superior mox... yikes.
Jushi Apprentice for ???
I'm thinking Condescend. Thoughts?
Flame Javalin for Pyrokinesis
Good call Eidolon
Imperial Recruiter for Sulfur Elemental
I think there are enough aggressive red threats to allow for some utility in the color. I've always like this guy but I need a reason to bring him back in.
Wildfire for Kumano, Master Yamabushi
Not sure it is the best cut, but Kumano has been fairly weak lately. I would also consider Rolling Thunder.
Flickerwisp for Celestial Crusader
I hadn't considered its applications with plainswalkers, thank you for showing me the error of my ways.
I'm also taking out the filter lands. Something I noticed both yesterday and today when we had a draft over 8 people....there was simply too much manafixing with the new man lands and also the increase in fixers. This is the plan:
-10 filters
+City of Ass
+Grand Coliseaum
+Gemstone Mine
+Terramorphic Expanse
+1 Slot for colorless manland or other option ( I know something good thats colorless is coming out of this new set)
+ Doran the Seige Tower (he needs some love)
+ Who/What/Where/When/Why
+3? not sure about this slot, any suggestions?
Cheers.
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I think you could live without Crystal Vein. We played it for a while and it was pretty bad.
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Woops, I meant Gemstone Mine.
Lets just say that Explore would be too good in Standard and Extended and leave it at that ;).
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And Gemstone Mine is the right call.
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Thoughts?
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Cheers,
rant
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I'd consider Riftwatcher but it kind of sucks to cut a card that Flickerwisp pairs well with. I'm def not cutting World Queller, its a fantastic answer to so many annoying permanents. Are there any other cards on the list you think might be cuttable?
eidolon232: now the other question is this, is All Suns Dawn a multicolored card or a green card? If I can consider it multi then it would be perfect.
How about Lightning Angel ?
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I originally said this about Shriekmaw, but I think it applies equally here. Every time I look at this guy it seems like he has another awesome ability.
Cool I like that
So
All suns dawn
Doran, The Seige Tower
?/?/?/?/?
all good...
then...
?
thoughts?
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Copy this sig to join the cause. Cuz, ya know, Wizards makes decisions based on sigs.
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Let me know what you guys think. Cheers.
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