After reading about all your cubes for so long, I decided to post mine. There are definitely some pet cards that are not optimal. Also, I need to finish proxying the rest of the power for inclusion.
The cube is primarily played with groups between 2 and 5. I know it's big for our playgroup, but I like the variety of seeing a bunch of different cards.
Feel free to provide feedback. Also, let me know if there is a better way for me to organize the listing. I'm hoping your feedback and ideas can help get me in the direction to making the cube a bit more respectable and balanced. As far as budget goes, I have some money to spend on cards each month but it's not enough to run out and buy everything the cube needs right away. Having said that, I'm certainly willing to proxy something to try it out (Or proxy some of the more expensive cards that might be out of reach).
I have a bunch of the 10th style painlands, but I don't think I have a full cycle of allied and enemy colors. I also have 2 or so Ravinca shocklands and 2 original duals. I guess I should try and fill out some of those cycles somehow.
Depending upon the duals you have it may be easiest to start with filling out the allied color cycles first. Allied colors are a natural choice for two-color draft decks and have the most multicolor overlap and you can perhaps cut some of the less-effective enemy multicolor (Brightflame is a tough mana cost to run).
While proxies are a good quick fix if you know you won't have the cards for awhile it may be best to settle for a fair substitute (like the fetch lands above) than lean on a fake.
Yes. A thousand times yes. They lured me in with Ivory Tower and Zuran Orb, and I kept telling myself "I can quit whenever I want...just look at that untapped disk". That was ten years ago man.....
If you wait for 10th to rotate out of standard, the painlands will become really cheap additions for the cube. They're really good lands, too... especially for the $cost$.
Are there any example cubes made up of solid limited cards but without a ton of bombs and big name cards? It seems like there might be a niche for a cube that drafts like a very precise limited environment and encourages tight play. The card selection might be a good variety of removal as well as a ton of solid creatures.
Edit: In other words, maybe not the flashiest guys, but solid limited picks from all over. Maybe common/uncommon cubs are the best places to look for ideas in this vein?
What? No love for my true Pauper cube? Klug and Usman have given a lot of constructive input and helped improve the cube overall; my cube isn't the worst place to look, especially if you want to keep it dirt cheap by relying heavily on commons.
Klug's cube would be better classified as Peasant but really has a lot more uncommons than the Peasant format would "allow." That said I can attest that his cube has been worked, balanced, and fully tested and is probably one of the best places to start in terms of power level for total cost involved (assuming you're not focusing on pimping it out right away).
Yes. A thousand times yes. They lured me in with Ivory Tower and Zuran Orb, and I kept telling myself "I can quit whenever I want...just look at that untapped disk". That was ten years ago man.....
Update: I snagged a pair of Temple Garden last weekend. I am hoping with a little more cash and some trading (I also have an extra Watery Grave) I can get a full cycle of the allied Ravinca lands. Once I complete that they will be added to the cube. I should be able to do the same with my extra painlands.
I'm also kicking around the idea, as I mentioned before, of a very limited focused cube (inspired by many common/uncommon style cubes). The cube originally listed in this thread will continue to be built, particularly as we have bumped into one or two other players that may join us for a draft.
This second cube will start out smaller and is intended for the Winston drafting (and possibly sealed deck) that my wife and I often play. If built to Winston draft, it would only need to be 90 cards. I feel like that might actually be a good core to start from, though I'm open to feedback.
The breakdown might look something like this:
15 of each color
5 multicolor/hybrid
5 artifact
5 land/artifact mana fixers
Okay, a few minor updates (at least in content). First, I've cleaned up my cube listing and seperated by mana cost as well as breaking out the multicolor section into color pairs. That should make it easier to read.
Second, a couple cube changes. I'm still working on getting the land together to refit the mana base, but in the meantime I've made a couple changes.
I think Akroma is a better fit for a high cost white creature than Reya.
I'm looking to potentially cut the cube down to size a little bit and start to balance out the colors and mana costs. Any suggestions for cuts (or inexpensive upgrades) are welcome.
As for the lands, hopefully this weekend I'll be able to acquire the rest of the painlands & shardlands that I need and add them in. Thanks.
Good swap, Akroma is the most house-like creature ever printed.
Thanks. In the beginning when I put the cube together, I started by reading a bunch of articles and lists but after a certain amount of time, I just put a bunch of cards together.
Only now (after several drafts and continuing to read the forums) have I begun to organize my list and balance things out. As noted, my lands need some work. Also, when I went over the list I noticed that I'd somehow left out two signets, so that will need to be fixed.
I also know my black section is somewhat weaker (not to mention much smaller) than the other colors. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Looking for some feedback on my black creatures. I'll post the list below. Which of these are suboptimal and should be replaced? Anything stand out as missing? Thanks!
Toshiro looks unimpressive; ditto Slith Bloodletter. I just pulled the Negator out of my Cube. He's too dangerous for most decks, so he ends up as a late pick or sitting in the sideboard. I don't know that Royal Assassin is that good in Cube. Black has much better removal.
I suggest these replacements (I haven't looked at your main Cube list, just the list in your most recent post):
Those are good suggestions for adds, but I find Carrion Feeder terrible, especially post M10. DerBK had a similar experience with him.
On the other hand, Royal Assassin is unfashionable and disliked by many players on here, but I've always found him useful. He deters a lot of attacks, and is especially brutal in multiplayer formats. He is easily removed, but that goes for a lot of useful small creatures at three mana or less.
I've usually thought of the feeder as just a sac engine, a role he serves in nicely. However, I don't think he's hit the table since the M10 changes. Those make him less good, I'm sure. Hmm. My local store has a Sarcomancy for sale. Looks like it's time for an upgrade.
It's one of the reasons that Greater Gargadon is so good. He's a great outlet to sacrifice permanents too. It's also nice to sacrifice your targets in response to your opponent's spells. It prevents the discard from Recoil, and their draw from Repulse, etc...
Replaced:
Invasion Taplands --> Mirage Fetchlands
(Shards Trilands will also be added soon but since I got the Mirage fetches, I made this switch in the meantime)
Tendo Ice Bridge --> Exotic Orchard
(My Ice Bridge is Chinese so I'm switching to something easier for players unfamiliar with the cards to use)
Removed:
Urzatron
(Too hard to assemble in draft, especially when few people are involved)
Brightflame
(I want the multicolor cards in the cube to be easier to cast)
Added: Boros Signet Dimir Signet
(For some reason I didn't have these in. Look at how much it helps to list out and organize your cube)
Future Plans/Etc:
Still working on smoothing out the mana base from feedback received earlier and I've made some progress.
Some trading and a little cash got me to the point of having 8/10 painlands, 5/10 Rav shocklands and 4/5 Shards Trilands. I also dug around and found that I have 8/10 Rav bouncelands. I hope to fill out these cycles soon and add them in (Going to require an online order since my local store didn't have the remaining ones). I have 2/10 original duals but I have a feeling that cycle is going to take a bit longer to fill out.
I'm also planning a multicolor overhaul. I'd like to try and balance out the colors and make sure that the multicolor cards in the cube are reasonable to cast. I'm not sure if I'll break hybrid out into a seperate category yet. I think hybrid is better for the cube since it tends to be easier to cast but there are so many great gold cards as well that I don't want to cut it back too much.
Just snagged by copy of From the Vault: Exiled. It should be a nice way to pimp out my cube a bit (as well as providing access to a couple cards I didn't have yet and freeing up some non-foils in the cube to be replaced and traded for other cards that I need).
I'll figure out what I'm adding from the box and make the adjustments to the list shortly.
Future Plans/Etc:
- Need to finish out a couple land cycles for addition
- Further document cube contents and prepare wanted lists for shopping and trading
- Keep replacing cards with foils, black bordered or new frames where possible
Major Update - 10/21/09
A major update. Evened out the colors (some cards still needed for a couple multicolored pairs and lands). Decided on final cube size and breakdown:
Goal of 585 Cards Total
77 of each color, 65 multi (6 gold/hybrid of each pair plus 5 misc), 70 colorless, 65 lands.
Almost completed a couple land cycles that will be in soon. Will update the main listing in the first post shortly.
Looking for some advice for my blue creatures section. I've just picked up Venser and Morphling and I'm trying to figure out what to swap out. Here is my current lineup:
Looking for some advice for my blue creatures section. I've just picked up Venser and Morphling and I'm trying to figure out what to swap out. Here is my current lineup:
The cube is primarily played with groups between 2 and 5. I know it's big for our playgroup, but I like the variety of seeing a bunch of different cards.
Feel free to provide feedback. Also, let me know if there is a better way for me to organize the listing. I'm hoping your feedback and ideas can help get me in the direction to making the cube a bit more respectable and balanced. As far as budget goes, I have some money to spend on cards each month but it's not enough to run out and buy everything the cube needs right away. Having said that, I'm certainly willing to proxy something to try it out (Or proxy some of the more expensive cards that might be out of reach).
Thanks for your ideas and help.
The Cube (540)
White
1 Elite Vanguard
1 Goldmeadow Harrier
1 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1 Mother of Runes
1 Savannah Lions
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Student of Warfare
1 Weathered Wayfarer
//2cc
1 Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
1 Knight of Meadowgrain
1 Knight of the White Orchid
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Lone Missionary
1 Mistral Charger
1 Ronom Unicorn
1 Silver Knight
1 Soltari Monk
1 Soltari Priest
1 Soltari Trooper
1 Spectral Lynx
1 Wall of Omens
1 War Priest of Thune
1 White Knight
1 Exalted Angel
1 Flickerwisp
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Mirror Entity
1 Paladin en-Vec
1 Soltari Visionary
1 Spectral Procession
1 Stonecloaker
//4cc
1 Calciderm
1 Celestial Crusader
1 Emeria Angel
1 Galepowder Mage
1 Hokori, Dust Drinker
//5cc
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Cloudgoat Ranger
1 Karmic Guide
1 Reveillark
1 Sun Titan
1 Yosei, the Morning Star
//9cc
1 Akroma, Angel of Wrath
1 Condemn
1 Harm's Way
1 Mana Tithe
1 Orim's Chant
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
//2cc
1 Balance
1 Disenchant
1 Honor of the Pure
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Pacifism
1 Revoke Existence
1 Temporal Isolation
1 Arrest
1 Ghostly Prison
1 Glorious Anthem
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Prison Term
1 Sacred Mesa
1 Scepter of Dominance
//4cc
1 Ajani Goldmane
1 Armageddon
1 Day of Judgment
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Faith's Fetters
1 Wrath of God
1 Gideon Jura
1 Miraculous Recovery
1 Rout
/6cc
1 Akroma's Vengeance
1 Austere Command
1 Catastrophe
//Land
1 Kjeldoran Outpost
1 Enclave Cryptologist
//2cc
1 Gilded Drake
1 Looter il-Kor
1 Merfolk Looter
1 Ninja of the Deep Hours
1 Waterfront Bouncer
//3cc
1 Aether Adept
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
1 Man-o'-War
1 Pestermite
1 Serendib Efreet
1 Trinket Mage
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Vesuvan Shapeshifter
1 Wake Thrasher
1 Willbender
1 Glen Elendra Archmage
1 Thieving Magpie
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
//5cc
1 Meloku the Clouded Mirror
1 Morphling
1 Mulldrifter
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
//6cc
1 Keiga, the Tide Star
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
1 Palinchron
//9cc
1 Inkwell Leviathan
1 Ancestral Vision
1 Force of Will
1 Misdirection
//1cc
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Force Spike
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Ponder
//2cc
1 Arcane Denial
1 Counterspell
1 Impulse
1 Into the Roil
1 Mana Drain
1 Mana Leak
1 Memory Lapse
1 Miscalculation
1 Remand
1 Time Walk
1 Crystal Shard
1 Forbid
1 Frantic Search
1 Jace Beleren
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Timetwister
1 Tinker
1 Vedalken Shackles
//4cc
1 Control Magic
1 Cryptic Command
1 Deep Analysis
1 Dismiss
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Rite of Replication
1 Bribery
1 Desertion
1 Future Sight
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
1 Treachery
//6cc
1 Capsize
1 Time Spiral
1 Upheaval
//Xcc
1 Condescend
1 Repeal
//Land
1 Shelldock Isle
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Faerie Conclave
1 Carnophage
1 Fume Spitter
1 Sarcomancy
1 Vampire Lacerator
//2cc
1 Black Knight
1 Bloodghast
1 Dark Confidant
1 Dauthi Horror
1 Dauthi Slayer
1 Nantuko Shade
1 Nezumi Graverobber
1 Nezumi Shortfang
1 Oona's Prowler
1 Skittering Skirge
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Bane of the Living
1 Bone Shredder
1 Dauthi Marauder
1 Hypnotic Specter
1 Liliana's Specter
1 Royal Assassin
1 Vampire Nighthawk
//4cc
1 Abyssal Persecutor
1 Braids, Cabal Minion
1 Graveborn Muse
1 Nekrataal
1 Phyrexian Scuta
1 Plague Sliver
1 Skinrender
1 Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
1 Malakir Bloodwitch
1 Puppeteer Clique
1 Shriekmaw
1 Thrashing Wumpus
//6cc
1 Grave Titan
1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
1 Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
//Xcc
1 Tombstalker
1 Booster Tutor
1 Dark Ritual
1 Disfigure
1 Duress
1 Entomb
1 Innocent Blood
1 Reanimate
1 Thoughtseize
//2cc
1 Animate Dead
1 Bitterblossom
1 Chainer's Edict
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Doom Blade
1 Hymn to Tourach
1 Night's Whisper
1 Terror
1 Eyeblight's Ending
1 Necropotence
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Recurring Nightmare
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Stupor
1 Sudden Death
1 Yawgmoth's Will
//4cc
1 Barter in Blood
1 Consuming Vapors
1 Damnation
1 Diabolic Servitude
1 Makeshift Mannequin
1 Mutilate
1 Snuff Out
1 Decree of Pain
1 Liliana Vess
1 Living Death
//6cc
1 Sorin Markov
//Xcc
1 Mind Twist
1 Profane Command
1 Goblin Guide
1 Goblin Patrol
1 Greater Gargadon
1 Grim Lavamancer
1 Jackal Pup
1 Magus of the Scroll
1 Mogg Fanatic
1 Spikeshot Elder
//2cc
1 Blood Knight
1 Dwarven Blastminer
1 Ember Hauler
1 Fireslinger
1 Hearth Kami
1 Hellspark Elemental
1 Kargan Dragonlord
1 Keldon Marauders
1 Plated Geopede
1 Cunning Sparkmage
1 Fire Imp
1 Hell's Thunder
1 Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
1 Keldon Vandals
1 Manic Vandal
1 Squee, Goblin Nabob
//4cc
1 Avalanche Riders
1 Flametongue Kavu
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Keldon Champion
1 Rakka Mar
1 Ravenous Baboons
1 Skizzik
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
1 Siege-Gang Commander
//6cc
1 Crater Hellion
1 Hellkite Charger
1 Inferno Titan
//8cc
1 Bogardan Hellkite
1 Fireblast
//1cc
1 Burst Lightning
1 Chain Lightning
1 Firebolt
1 Firestorm
1 Flame Slash
1 Forked Bolt
1 Lightning Bolt
//2cc
1 Arc Trail
1 Incinerate
1 Lash Out
1 Magma Jet
1 Pyroclasm
1 Searing Blaze
1 Smash to Smithereens
1 Sudden Shock
1 Volcanic Hammer
1 Arc Lightning
1 Blast from the Past
1 Char
1 Flame Javelin
1 Hammer of Bogardan
1 Molten Rain
1 Pillage
1 Staggershock
1 Urza's Rage
1 Wheel of Fortune
//4cc
1 Aftershock
//5cc
1 Chandra Nalaar
1 Incendiary Command
1 Chandra Ablaze
1 Wildfire
//Xcc
1 Banefire
1 Comet Storm
1 Earthquake
1 Fireball
1 Starstorm
//Land
1 Barbarian Ring
1 Ghitu Encampment
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Fyndhorn Elves
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Jungle Lion
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Pouncing Jaguar
1 Scute Mob
1 Twinblade Slasher
1 Wild Dogs
//2cc
1 Albino Troll
1 Lotus Cobra
1 Mire Boa
1 River Boa
1 Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Tarmogoyf
1 Viridian Zealot
1 Wall of Blossoms
1 Wall of Roots
1 Wild Mongrel
1 Call of the Herd
1 Caller of the Claw
1 Eternal Witness
1 Great Sable Stag
1 Imperious Perfect
1 Ohran Viper
1 Troll Ascetic
1 Uktabi Orangutan
1 Viridian Shaman
1 Yavimaya Elder
//4cc
1 Blastoderm
1 Briarhorn
1 Chameleon Colossus
1 Nantuko Vigilante
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
1 Obstinate Baloth
1 Phantom Centaur
1 Ravenous Baloth
1 Wickerbough Elder
1 Acidic Slime
1 Deranged Hermit
1 Genesis
1 Indrik Stomphowler
1 Kodama of the North Tree
1 Thornling
//6cc
1 Mold Shambler
1 Rampaging Baloths
//8cc
1 Terastodon
1 Woodfall Primus
1 Berserk
1 Rancor
1 Search for Tomorrow
//2cc
1 Channel
1 Life from the Loam
1 Naturalize
1 Regrowth
1 Survival of the Fittest
1 Sylvan Library
1 Vines of Vastwood
1 Cultivate
1 Harrow
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Krosan Grip
1 Krosan Tusker
//4cc
1 Creeping Mold
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
1 Harmonize
1 Stonewood Invocation
1 Overrun
1 Plow Under
1 Primal Command
//8cc
1 Rude Awakening
//Xcc
1 Hurricane
//Land
1 Treetop Village
1 Azorius Signet
//Gold
1 Absorb
1 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
1 Wall of Denial
1 Plumeveil
//Land
1 Celestial Colonnade
1 Flooded Strand
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Tundra
1 Ajani Vengeant
1 Brion Stoutarm
1 Lightning Helix
1 Figure of Destiny
1 Duergar Hedge-Mage
//Land
1 Arid Mesa
1 Battlefield Forge
1 Plateau
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Dimir Signet
//Gold
1 Psychatog
1 Recoil
1 Shadowmage Infiltrator
1 Oona, Queen of the Fae
//Land
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Polluted Delta
1 Underground Sea
1 Watery Grave
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Putrefy
1 Putrid Leech
1 Spiritmonger
1 Bayou
1 Llanowar Wastes
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Kird Ape
//Gold
1 Bloodbraid Elf
1 Sarkhan Vol
1 Stormbind
1 Boggart Ram-Gang
//Land
1 Raging Ravine
1 Stomping Ground
1 Taiga
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Izzet Signet
//Gold
1 Electrolyze
1 Gelectrode
1 Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
1 Prophetic Bolt
1 Fire // Ice
//Land
1 Cascade Bluffs
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Steam Vents
1 Volcanic Island
1 Desolation Angel
//Gold
1 Mortify
1 Tidehollow Sculler
1 Vindicate
1 Stillmoon Cavalier
//Land
1 Caves of Koilos
1 Godless Shrine
1 Marsh Flats
1 Scrubland
1 Bituminous Blast
1 Blightning
1 Sarkhan the Mad
1 Terminate
1 Murderous Redcap
//Land
1 Badlands
1 Blood Crypt
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
1 Loam Lion
//Gold
1 Behemoth Sledge
1 Mirari's Wake
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Kitchen Finks
//Land
1 Horizon Canopy
1 Savannah
1 Temple Garden
1 Windswept Heath
1 Simic Signet
//Gold
1 Mystic Snake
1 Simic Sky Swallower
1 Trygon Predator
1 Voidslime
1 Breeding Pool
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Simic Growth Chamber
1 Tropical Island
1 Wild Nacatl
1 Broodmate Dragon
1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
1 Progenitus
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1 Chimeric Mass
//2cc
1 Epochrasite
//3cc
1 Bottle Gnomes
1 Chimeric Idol
1 Pilgrim's Eye
1 Juggernaut
1 Lodestone Golem
1 Masticore
1 Solemn Simulacrum
//5cc
1 Razormane Masticore
1 Duplicant
1 Triskelion
//7cc
1 Myr Battlesphere
//8cc
1 Sundering Titan
//Land
1 Mishra's Factory
1 Mutavault
1 Basilisk Collar
1 Bonesplitter
1 Skullclamp
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Nim Deathmantle
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Loxodon Warhammer
1 Sword of Body and Mind
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Black Lotus
1 Chrome Mox
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mox Diamond
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
//2cc
1 Grim Monolith
1 Mind Stone
//3cc
1 Coalition Relic
//Land
1 Ancient Tomb
1 City of Brass
1 Gemstone Mine
1 Grand Coliseum
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Thawing Glaciers
1 Zuran Orb
//1cc
1 Black Vise
1 Cursed Scroll
1 Pithing Needle
1 Sensei's Divining Top
//2cc
1 Isochron Scepter
1 Powder Keg
//3cc
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Crystal Ball
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Ring of Gix
1 Erratic Portal
1 Icy Manipulator
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Phyrexian Processor
//5cc
1 Memory Jar
//6cc
1 Mindslaver
//Xcc
1 Chalice of the Void
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Dust Bowl
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Maze of Ith
1 Strip Mine
1 Wasteland
I also include discussions about cards we took out, cards we banned, and cards we might add.
For a cheap fix, grab the [i]Mirage[/i] fetchlands: Bad River, Flood Plain, Grasslands, Mountain Valley, Rocky Tar Pit. They are slower than the [i]Onslaught[/card] fetch lands but do the same trick.
While proxies are a good quick fix if you know you won't have the cards for awhile it may be best to settle for a fair substitute (like the fetch lands above) than lean on a fake.
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!
Edit: In other words, maybe not the flashiest guys, but solid limited picks from all over. Maybe common/uncommon cubs are the best places to look for ideas in this vein?
What? No love for my true Pauper cube? Klug and Usman have given a lot of constructive input and helped improve the cube overall; my cube isn't the worst place to look, especially if you want to keep it dirt cheap by relying heavily on commons.
Klug's cube would be better classified as Peasant but really has a lot more uncommons than the Peasant format would "allow." That said I can attest that his cube has been worked, balanced, and fully tested and is probably one of the best places to start in terms of power level for total cost involved (assuming you're not focusing on pimping it out right away).
He has an article about creating his common/uncommon cube at cubedrafting.com.
I'm also kicking around the idea, as I mentioned before, of a very limited focused cube (inspired by many common/uncommon style cubes). The cube originally listed in this thread will continue to be built, particularly as we have bumped into one or two other players that may join us for a draft.
This second cube will start out smaller and is intended for the Winston drafting (and possibly sealed deck) that my wife and I often play. If built to Winston draft, it would only need to be 90 cards. I feel like that might actually be a good core to start from, though I'm open to feedback.
The breakdown might look something like this:
15 of each color
5 multicolor/hybrid
5 artifact
5 land/artifact mana fixers
Thoughts?
Second, a couple cube changes. I'm still working on getting the land together to refit the mana base, but in the meantime I've made a couple changes.
OUT:Black Lotus,Ancenstral Recall,Time Walk
I'm pulling these power proxies out for now (at least until I make a full set of power proxies).
SWAP:Reya Dawnbringer-->Akroma, Angel of Wrath
I think Akroma is a better fit for a high cost white creature than Reya.
I'm looking to potentially cut the cube down to size a little bit and start to balance out the colors and mana costs. Any suggestions for cuts (or inexpensive upgrades) are welcome.
As for the lands, hopefully this weekend I'll be able to acquire the rest of the painlands & shardlands that I need and add them in. Thanks.
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
Thanks. In the beginning when I put the cube together, I started by reading a bunch of articles and lists but after a certain amount of time, I just put a bunch of cards together.
Only now (after several drafts and continuing to read the forums) have I begun to organize my list and balance things out. As noted, my lands need some work. Also, when I went over the list I noticed that I'd somehow left out two signets, so that will need to be fixed.
I also know my black section is somewhat weaker (not to mention much smaller) than the other colors. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
1CMC:
Carnophage
2CMC:
Skinthinner
Black Knight
Nezumi Shortfang
Nether Shadow
Ravenous Rats
Mesmeric Fiend
Knight of Stromgald
Dauthi Horror
Dauthi Slayer
Slith Bloodletter
3CMC:
Stinkweed Imp
Toshiro Umezawa
Faerie Macabre
Phyrexian Negator
Royal Assassin
Bone Shredder
Phyrexian Rager
4CMC:
Bane of the Living
Ichorid
Phyrexian Scuta
Nekrataal
Gravedigger
Faceless Butcher
5CMC:
Kagemaro, First to Suffer
Phyrexian Plaguelord
Puppeteer Clique
Sengir Vampire
Shriekmaw
6+CMC:
Skeletal Vampire
Laquatus's Champion
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
I suggest these replacements (I haven't looked at your main Cube list, just the list in your most recent post):
Obviously, Kokusho, the Evening Star should come in for the Sengir Vampire or Laquatus' Champion when you get one.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
On the other hand, Royal Assassin is unfashionable and disliked by many players on here, but I've always found him useful. He deters a lot of attacks, and is especially brutal in multiplayer formats. He is easily removed, but that goes for a lot of useful small creatures at three mana or less.
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
Balance.
It's one of the reasons that Greater Gargadon is so good. He's a great outlet to sacrifice permanents too. It's also nice to sacrifice your targets in response to your opponent's spells. It prevents the discard from Recoil, and their draw from Repulse, etc...
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!
Balance is a great answer. Also, I once sac'ced a bunch of creatures that were going to die to Wildfire so the feeder would live.
But, mostly you are right, Feeder isn't necessary. It will become Sarcomancy.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
Replaced:
Invasion Taplands --> Mirage Fetchlands
(Shards Trilands will also be added soon but since I got the Mirage fetches, I made this switch in the meantime)
Tendo Ice Bridge --> Exotic Orchard
(My Ice Bridge is Chinese so I'm switching to something easier for players unfamiliar with the cards to use)
Darksteel Citadel --> Rupture Spire
(Fixing is better than a colorless land that can't be destroyed)
Removed:
Urzatron
(Too hard to assemble in draft, especially when few people are involved)
Brightflame
(I want the multicolor cards in the cube to be easier to cast)
Added:
Boros Signet
Dimir Signet
(For some reason I didn't have these in. Look at how much it helps to list out and organize your cube)
Future Plans/Etc:
Still working on smoothing out the mana base from feedback received earlier and I've made some progress.
Some trading and a little cash got me to the point of having 8/10 painlands, 5/10 Rav shocklands and 4/5 Shards Trilands. I also dug around and found that I have 8/10 Rav bouncelands. I hope to fill out these cycles soon and add them in (Going to require an online order since my local store didn't have the remaining ones). I have 2/10 original duals but I have a feeling that cycle is going to take a bit longer to fill out.
I'm also planning a multicolor overhaul. I'd like to try and balance out the colors and make sure that the multicolor cards in the cube are reasonable to cast. I'm not sure if I'll break hybrid out into a seperate category yet. I think hybrid is better for the cube since it tends to be easier to cast but there are so many great gold cards as well that I don't want to cut it back too much.
I'll figure out what I'm adding from the box and make the adjustments to the list shortly.
Replaced:
Air Elemental --> Djinn of Wishes
(An upgrade)
Akrasan Squire --> Elite Vanguard
(Not sure about this one, should I have replaced one of the 2cmc white creatures instead?)
Elves of Deep Shadow --> Noble Hierarch
(Hierarch seems much more likely to see play)
Scaled Wurm --> Thornling
(I have a soft spot for the Wurm, particularly the Ice Age art but Thornling is better by far)
Plasma Elemental --> Inkwell Leviathan
(Unblockable guys are cool but I needed to add another target for the Tinker I added in this update)
Weatherseed Faeries --> Serendib Efreet
(Seems like a better beater)
Added:
Tinker
Sensei's Divining Top
Beserk
(Thanks to FTV:Exiled)
Tezzeret the Seeker
Obelisk of Alara
Nyxathid
Garruk Wildspeaker
Honor of the Pure
(A couple random additions)
Future Plans/Etc:
- Need to finish out a couple land cycles for addition
- Further document cube contents and prepare wanted lists for shopping and trading
- Keep replacing cards with foils, black bordered or new frames where possible
A major update. Evened out the colors (some cards still needed for a couple multicolored pairs and lands). Decided on final cube size and breakdown:
Goal of 585 Cards Total
77 of each color, 65 multi (6 gold/hybrid of each pair plus 5 misc), 70 colorless, 65 lands.
Almost completed a couple land cycles that will be in soon. Will update the main listing in the first post shortly.
Replaced:
White:
Knight of the White Orchid replaces Order of Leitbur
Akroma's Vengeance replaces Final Judgment
Harm's Way replaces Condemn
Journey to Nowhere replaces Humble
Path to Exile replaces Sunlance
Day of Judgment replaces Waylay
Blue:
Isleback Spawn replaces Zephid
Black:
Vampire Hexmage replaces Nether Shadow
Vampire Nighthawk replaces Slith Bloodletter
Red:
Goblin Guide replaces Gorilla Shaman
Goblin Ruinblaster replaces Guma
Burst Lightning replaces Flame Jet
Hellkite Charger replaces Arc Slogger
Incindiary Command replaces Obliterate
Char replaces Pyroblast
Green:
Lotus Cobra replaces Tarmogoyf (Goyf was the only remaining proxy in the cube, so I shifted it out. Hopefully a real one will be obtained someday)
Cudgel Troll replaces Karstoderm
Rampaging Baloths replaces Rhox
Scute Mog replaces Fyndhorn Elves
Ant Queen replaces Thorn Elemental
Multi:
Behemoth Slege replaces Armadillo Cloak
Quasali Pridemage replaces Eldamri's Call
Branching Bolt replaces Morselhoarder
Artifacts:
Loxodon Warhammer replaces Voltaic Key
Added:
White:
Wall of Reverence
Scepter of Dominance
Kor Sanctifiers
Glorious Anthem
Blue:
Sleep
Kira, Great Glass Spinner
Black:
Guul Draaz Specter
Sign in Blood
Infest
Profane Command
Ascendant Envicar
Plague Sliver
Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet
Helldozer
Innocent Blood
Nefashu
Cadaverous Knight
Hideous End
Vampire Lacerator
Bloodghast
Red:
Torchling
Volcanic Fallout
Hellspark Elemental
Green:
Arashi, the Sky Asunder
Multi:
Bituminous Blast
Ajani Vengeant
Lightning Helix
Maelstrom Pulse
Vexing Shusher
Void
Blightning
Wall of Denial
Countersquall
Bull Ceradon
Deft Duelist
Wee Dragonauts
Mortify
Broodmate Dragon
Progenitus
Wooly Thoctar
Sharuum the Hegemon
Oros the Avenger
Vedalkan Heretic
Necromancer's Covenant
Worm Harvest
Goblin Outlander
Nath of the Gilt Leaf
Ghost Council of Orzhova
Agony Warp
Lorescale Coatl
Boros Swiftblade
Assault//Battery
Hindering Light
Artifacts:
Pentavus
Quietus Spike
Deathrender
Journeyer's Kite
Adventuring Gear
Mirari
Soul Foundry
Well of Knowledge
Trusty Machete
Lands:
Ancient Ziggurat
Terramorphic Expanse
Shelldock Isle
Ravnica Bouncelands
Looking for some advice for my blue creatures section. I've just picked up Venser and Morphling and I'm trying to figure out what to swap out. Here is my current lineup:
Blue Creatures (35)
CMC (2):
1 Jushi Apprentice
1 Merfolk Looter
1 Looter il-Kor
1 Cloud of Faeries
1 Dreamscape Artist
CMC (3):
1 Man-o'-War
1 Ophidian
1 Cephalid Constable
1 Pestermite
1 Serendib Efreet
1 Thornwind Faeries
1 Slith Strider
1 Trinket Mage
1 Kira, Great Glass Spinner
CMC (4):
1 Chronozoa
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Clone
1 Ninja of the Deep Hours
CMC (5):
1 Riftwing Cloudskate
1 Aeon Chronicler
1 Body Double
1 Vesuvan Shapeshifter
1 Meloku the Clouded Mirror
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Djinn of Wishes
1 Mulldrifter
CMC (6+):
1 Aethersnipe
1 Quicksilver Dragon
1 Draining Whelk
1 Brine Elemental
1 Isleback Spawn
1 Arcanis the Omnipotent
1 Inkwell Leviathan
1 Errant Ephemeron
1 Palinchron
Riftwing Cloudskate and Brine Elemental, you already have a TON of costly creatures.
Don't cut the Cloudskate. It's a great tempo creature that fits in almost any blue deck. You are top heavy though. Aethersnipe, Quicksilver Dragon, Isleback Spawn, and Arcanis the Omnipotent are all cuttable.