There has been a recent expansion in the cube, as a bevy of playable must-includes have been released and I decided to let it enlarge the size of my cube. However, it has come time to regulate the size of my cube and I decided to settle on 65 cards per section. The changes in recent months are found below, with my reasoning.
- Urza's Blueprints
- Goblin Charbelcher
+ Mimic Vat
+ Molten-Tail Masticore
+ Sword of Body and Mind
+ Wurmcoil Engine
Two cards removed for underperforming, as there was no longer room when cards like Wurmcoil Engine and Mimic Vat have been released.
+ Skinrender
Great card; akin to a black FTK.
- Realms Uncharted
Never performed up to cube standards.
+ Thawing Glaciers
Got a judge foil, so trying to log some testing hours. Reaction so far has been entirely negative for being too slow. No personal experience so far.
+ Arc Trail
+ Koth of the Hammer
+ Spikeshot Elder
- Dragonmaster Outcast
- Fire Imp
- Resounding Thunder
Three auto-includes for three underperformers. Outcast wasn't as good as I thought, Resounding Thunder was just OK, and Fire Imp...constantly disappointed us. Multiple times it was completely ineffective, as I was the only player with creatures on the board and couldn't cast it. Once it hits the midgame vs. other non-aggro decks, the body size is completely ineffectual as well. I really wanted it to be good, but for now the recent evidence is putting it on the bench. The only times I ever wanted it was vs. other dedicated aggro decks, and the 3 new cards going in are all better. I considered removing Form, but it has too much history in my Cube as well as being a nice target for Academy Rector.
- Empyrial Armor
+ Elspeth Tirel
+ Ravages of War
A card that rarely sees play gets removed after a long stint for two very powerful cards, one of which is p1p1 worthy.
I still need to remove a card from several colors; red, white, and black are one card heavy while I am still one card light in blue.
-AA
12/23/10
- Iwamori of the Open Fist
+ Joraga Treespeaker
A 5/5 for 4 just isn't that impressive anymore, and although his drawback is fun he just doesn't feel that good anymore. I've decided to give Treespeaker some time, as I happened to mention it to a bunch of EDH players and they had a foil one on hand to trade me!
+ Precursor Golem
For testing purposes only; I got a foil one as a throw-in on a trade, and I want to experience all the blowouts for myself. Cube is supposed to be fun, and I'm hoping this will be some amount of it.
7/1/11
Some housekeeping that I missed on old lists:
+ Fauna Shaman
+ Woodfall Primus
- Death Grasp
+ Stillmoon Cavalier
- Spellbreaker Behemoth
+ Burning-Tree Shaman
- Probe
Testing change:
+ Fire Imp
- Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
In the search for red 3s, I'm switching back to Fire Imp for now.
Mirrodin Beseiged adds:
+ Bonehoard
+ Sword of Feast and Famine
+ Phyrexian Revoker
+ Black Sun's Zenith
+ Go for the Throat
+ Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
+ Thrun, the Last Troll
+ Hero of Oxid Ridge
+ Accorder Paladin
+ Hero of Bladehold
+ Mirran Crusader
All pretty obvious, except for Tezz2. He has been testing well so far, but time will tell. Cards cut to make room for those (some sections were uneven, so it wasn't an exact swap):
- Obelisk of Alara
- Death Cloud
- Skeletal Vampire
- Spite // Malice
- Ravenous Baloth
- World Queller
Obelisk was just too slow, Death Cloud was an easy swap for Zenith, Vampire became expendable once Grave Titan came around, Spite // Malice was the worst of the UB cards remaining, and Baloth is just out-dated. World Queller, while valuable at times (and being one of the few non-burn cards that can directly effect Planeswalkers) was just too blank too often.
New Phyrexia Changes:
+ Batterskull
+ Sword of War and Peace
- Basilisk Collar
- Sword of Vengeance
One drop for one drop; Mob was a lot less impressive than I thought it would be.
+ Moltensteel Dragon
- Tribal Flames
Awesome finisher for a spell that has seen less play recently, as people tend to draft either mono-red and not a lot of 4+c decks anymore.
+ Porcelain Legionnaire
- Martial Coup
Awesome creature for aggro, and minus a pretty good sweeper/staller/finisher for control. I'm OK with that.
Other random additions:
+ Time Spiral
+ Desertion
Got a chance to grab a Chinese Time Spiral, so I took it and added it. I also own a Korean Desertion, and since I needed another blue card I decided to give it a try...not sure how long it is gonna last.
+ Chaos Warp
- Seething Song
Seemingly fun and powerful 3 drop for a utility 3 drop. Another swap I'm willing to make.
+ Venser, the Sojourner
- Iridescent Angel
Finally got a foil Venser, so the least powerful card got the axe.
+ Kor Haven
- Windbrisk Heights
Also just obtained a foil Kor Haven, so that got swapped in for the slightly under-performing Windbrisk Heights.
I think that's all...hopefully the list is now up-to-date pre-M12!
7/13/11
Decided on a couple more changes, going back to some older cards that used to be in the Cube but were removed years ago for underperforming:
- Volcanic Fallout
+ Molten Rain
One 1RR for another, and continuing to push red as an aggressive color.
- Temportal Aperature
+ Tangle Wire
Tangle Wire was in the original build of the Cube 5-6 years ago, but was removed for under-performing VASTLY. With the added aggressive support in recent years and reading lots of talk of Wire being a first pick, I figured I'd try it again.
Another change I forgot...
+ Ancient Tomb
Gonna give a little bit of fast mana a try.
Fixed this:
- Cruel Ultimatum
+ Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
Has been this way for a LONG time, but the list was still out-of-date.
5/19/12
Been too long since I officially updated! Here are the non-Avacyn Restored changes, some of which are bookkeeping errors; just going to do it in one fell swoop...
+ Ankh of Mishra
+ Shrine of Burning Rage
+ Precursor Golem
- Karn, Silver Golem
- Bonehoard
- Bosh, Iron Golem
- Lotus Bloom
Ankh needs to get in, and it does now that I have a Beta copy instead of an ugly revised one. Shrine is in on recommendations from other aggro-lovers, and has performed well so far. Precursor is sweet. Bosh is out for becoming too expensive, Bonehoard is out for being too clunky in practice, Lotus Bloom is out because of lack of play, and Karn is out because of the one Karn quotient (and bring a little too defensive).
Happy to see you and your cube here, pictures and all. Been a few years since you answered my questions on the format back on the Starcity forums, but my area has been in love with this format ever since.
I was trying to look for cards to cut/add but I was so dazzled by all the bling! Nature's Spiral doesn't seem very exciting, I would recommend replacing it with Fastbond. They perform very different functions of course but Fastbond is one of the best green cards available. Primal Command, Krosan Grip & Harrow are also options. Awesome looking cube BTW.
That said, I think your 3 color cards are not necessarily the strongest in those colors. Broodmate is certainly great, but Ultimatum, Charm, and Sphinx don't thrill me (Realm Razer also seems weak, but RGW doesn't have many good options).
Those of you suggesting cards: read my article posted on the front page, because I talk about why some of the cards you suggest are NOT included.
Re Don: Nature's Spiral is actually fine as a 2nd Regrowth, especially since the majority of green cards in my Cube are permanents. Fastbond is a little too close to the 'fast mana' thing I talk about in my article for my liking, even though it is obviously powerful. Harrow is very bleh imo, and Primal Command is interesting but probably a bit slow. I'll think about it, though.
Re Rant: Ultimatum is awesome, but I have been looking for a Foil Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker for months now without luck to swap it out.
-Bant Charm is very good, better than Rafiq imo. It does a LOT of things, and all of the modes are very good and relevant. I can see the argument for Rafiq as double strike is fun, but the charm wins it due to flexibility.
-Sphinx a VERY fun card, and cascade has never been as fun as it is in the Cube. It replaced Dromar's charm when a friend gave me the foil Sphinx on the condition that it goes in the Cube. Steel Wind meets my Fattie requirement, but wow is Enigma fun. Tried the Enigma? Arti-Akroma is 3rd on my list.
-I actually don't like Realm Razer, but I have yet to find my next Naya card in foil: Uril, the Miststalker. He is up next for testing...Rith does not meet my standards for fatties in the Cube (read my article :))
-foils: -are expensive
-you need to have 1/4+ of your cube foiled out, so nobody gets an advantage of the fact that there is a foil on top of his/her library
-they bend and you need to acquire new ones after a while
My foils were in PERFECT shape until I moved to the land of Biblical rains, Oklahoma. I am fighting the good fight on the curling, because its all about the humidity inside the card box/room they are in. They never have to be replaced, just dried out!
-foreign/textless cards: -might not be recognized
-having someone ask the wording on a special card is time consuming / reveals hidden information
I don't play with people who don't know what the cards are. My rule? If you don't know what it does, don't draft it. Ask about it afterwards and remember. My Cube is not for new players, sorry!
-moving cards to sections that don't fit their imprinted characteristics: looks complicated, but simply means having Vedalken Shackles in the Blue and Desolation Giant in the Multicolor section
Vedalken Shackles isn't a blue card. You can cast it just fine in a 5-color deck and have some effect if your lands are in line. Scepter of Dominance is a White card, which is why it is there. Desolation Angel/Giant are mono-colored cards that become awesome with a different kicker; they still are creatures otherwise! Why would you kick the Giant if you don't have creatures? Also, Angel has been cast w/o kicker as well (especially if you have artifact mana). They don't belong there, so they don't go there. Would you count Obelisk of Alara as a multicolored spell?
-Read the article re: Door. It is really fun
-Blueprints is expensive, yes, but you get 2 activations out of it for 6 mana, and it is a card draw engine for ANY color. It compares favorably with any other colorless draw engine, like Jayemdaye Tome.
Booster Tutor: I don't like cards with hidden Errata + it requirers you to have a significantly bigger cube, since you don't want to draw the same 15 cards with every tutor Yawgmoth's Agenda: this card looks amazing on paper, but has never done something impressive in my cube until I finally cut it. Do you have an cool story, that could make me reinclude it again? Kagemaro, First to Suffer : the 3BBB Infest Phyrexian Plaguelord: M10 made this card unplayable imo Zombie Cutthroat: If you look at it as a colorless card, it competes with Cathodion (no more manaburn) and the +0/+1 somehow doesn't look like it is worth 1/4 of your starting life (wcs 1/2 of your current life)
Booster Tutor: Read the article. My cube is 485ish, so there are always at least 120+ cards to be tutored from.
Agenda: It will probably be cut in my Zendikar update It is one of the weakest cards in the color, imo.
Kagemaro: You are playing this card wrong if it is an expensive Infest.
Plaguelord: Another card that is at the bottom of the Black barrel, and will probably be going out with Zendikar.
Cutthroat: In for a couple reasons. 1- I need enough morphs in the Cube to stop people from always identifying them when face-down. 2- I REALLY like cacking people's removal spells by flipping it up.
R-B-G: Read the article read the article read the article.
R/W cards: Brion was in and was cut for being extremely mediocre compared to the other cards. Soltari guerillas, huh? A 3/2 for 4 that you have to blank an attack in order to kill a creature? No thanks. While legionnaire got worse with the M10 rules, it's still better than Guerrillas.
U/R cards: Gelectrode can be fun, but isn't necessarily good...I'm willing to give it a shot since I'm down 1 UR card. But no way is Invoke going out for Spellbound Dragon, sorry. Spellbound is interesting, but Invoke is another kill spell/draw spell which is awesome.
Jokulhaups is ok for 6 mana, if you have a powerful enchantment or a planeswalker out, but Obliterate's 8 mana makes it very unattractive.
I run none of these cards because if you don't have a PW on the board when you cast this, the game, you and your opponent are just playing a "subgame" with ~3 cards in hand (probably none of them are lands) and drastically reduced life totals. Resounding Thunder: do you really want this in your mono red cube deck?
Have you played Obliterate?!? Easily a build-around card that can turn a game around single-handedly; the situation you describe is when it is cast as a defensive spell...which frankly, it rarely is. You sandbag lands/mana for post-Oblit fun! Red usually does a pretty good job of killing opposing threats, thereby leaving Obliterate as a HUGE blow. Uncounterablilty is VERY big.
Thunder: 3 damage for 3 mana, with a chance at a huge payout in a multicolored deck. Might be cut for something like Burst Lightning, however.
since you are trying to reduce the size of your white section, here just a few ideas:
I'm down with a few of those being on the chopping block, like Emp. Armor, Renewed Faith, or Serra Avenger (with Emeria Angel possibly straight up replacing it). I definitely would not cut Kataki (getting people forgetting upkeeps is one of the most fun things!), or Pulse of the Fields (even better after removal of mana burn). Some of the cards you list are on my list as well, but I will need to evaluate the new addition in Zendikar as well to balance the Cube.
Whew! Thanks for the input, looking forward to hearing back from you!
- No Power Nine, and reduce the amount of fast mana available
It always seems wrong to me when people say this. The power nine aren't the most powerful cards in the cube. IMO should be rephrased to reflect this.
In my experience the only broken power nine cards are Time Walk and Ancestral Recall, but I understand not including the moxen/lotus too if you think cheap mana acceleration is not fun.
- No sideboard cards
I didn't understand if you do play with sideboards just without side-only cards, or without sideboards at all.
Some of these cards are more powerful than most power. Oh well, at least you need the minimal effort of building around Balance to break it.
Mind Twist is not included because that card isn't fun, even with the lack of fast mana cards.
Agreed
- Not many expensive fatties
Reading your paragraph below, you do seem to play many fatties, just fatties that have an ETB ability/a way to protect themselves/ an ability you can play the turn they come into play or some combination of them. A basic rule that doesn't apply only to cubing, I don't think it has a place in the article as most readers should understand this.
I don't play with people who don't know what the cards are. My rule? If you don't know what it does, don't draft it. Ask about it afterwards and remember. My Cube is not for new players, sorry!
Heh, I find it weird that some of us don't want to cube with as many people and as often as possible *shrug*
Vedalken Shackles isn't a blue card. You can cast it just fine in a 5-color deck and have some effect if your lands are in line. Scepter of Dominance is a White card, which is why it is there.
You won't play Shackles in a deck that doesn't play blue. Scepter of Dominance can also be played at 5cc decks and has some effect if you have two white-producing lands, and that doesn't mean he's not a white card. Actually he's easier to play as any white-producing land will do, not only those with the correct basic land types.
Would you count Obelisk of Alara as a multicolored spell?
I do. I've found Desolation Angel to be unplayable without her kicker.
-Blueprints is expensive, yes, but you get 2 activations out of it for 6 mana, and it is a card draw engine for ANY color. It compares favorably with any other colorless draw engine, like Jayemdaye Tome.
It compares favorably with Jayemdae Tome = one of the weakest arguments to play a card I've ever seen.
Kagemaro: You are playing this card wrong if it is an expensive Infest.
Bringeyser is often used to kill people. Also, Opportunity sucks since it isn't scalable like the 'geyser.
Did you miss the fact that it's an instant?
-Sphinx a VERY fun card, and cascade has never been as fun as it is in the Cube. It replaced Dromar's charm when a friend gave me the foil Sphinx on the condition that it goes in the Cube. Steel Wind meets my Fattie requirement, but wow is Enigma fun. Tried the Enigma? Arti-Akroma is 3rd on my list.
Most players here think Cascade as an un-fun mechanic which is too luck-based and doesn't have any interesting interactions and building options. Maybe a part of it becomes from their experience with it in constructed though.
Have you played Obliterate?!? Easily a build-around card that can turn a game around single-handedly; the situation you describe is when it is cast as a defensive spell...which frankly, it rarely is. You sandbag lands/mana for post-Oblit fun! Red usually does a pretty good job of killing opposing threats, thereby leaving Obliterate as a HUGE blow. Uncounterablilty is VERY big.
I agree that Kagemaro is an expensive Infest. That's all he ever was for me. I couldn't wait to take him out of my cube. I'm much happier now that he's gone.
Also, I agree that Opportunity > Braingeyser/Mind Spring. Same cost when I want 4 cards, but instant speed makes all the difference in the world... especially on draw spells. As a "scaling" draw spell, Mind Spring is pretty weak.
-Bant Charm is very good, better than Rafiq imo. It does a LOT of things, and all of the modes are very good and relevant. I can see the argument for Rafiq as double strike is fun, but the charm wins it due to flexibility.
-Sphinx a VERY fun card, and cascade has never been as fun as it is in the Cube. It replaced Dromar's charm when a friend gave me the foil Sphinx on the condition that it goes in the Cube. Steel Wind meets my Fattie requirement, but wow is Enigma fun. Tried the Enigma? Arti-Akroma is 3rd on my list.
Here's my thoughts on Rafiq vs. Charm. If I'm in two of the colors already, I'd be encouraged to splash just for Rafiq. I can't say the same about Charm. If I'm in all three colors already and can only have one, I'd pick Rafiq.
I just cut Enigma Sphinx from my Cube. I did so because unless you hard cast him, he doesn't cascade. I was recently drafting and I got an early Tinker and Tezzeret and was drafting around those. Later I got the Enigma Sphinx and I didn't pick him because he doesn't work with Tinker. I thought to myself, if this was Steel Wind, I would've snapped it up. Enigma doesn't play well with reanimation or other tricks making him worse than Steel Wind in my mind.
Couple quick things before I have to do stuff today (like watch football):
- Kagemaro as Infest: We'll just have to disagree, whenever I've played him has been WAY better than just a 6 mana spell. He attacks, blocks, and breaks in case of emergency...
- Enigma Sphinx: Like I said, I had Dromar's Charm in previously before being gifted the Sphinx. Sphinx is fun, though, so he stays. I don't care if he doesn't trigger by cheating him into play, really.
- Obliterate: Once again, I just flat-out disagree. This card is good, regardless of the 8-mana price tag. Rarely has it been cast and the player doing it loses, unless they are in a dire situation. If people don't like their lands being blown up, I could see cutting it I guess. Opponents rarely stop dropping lands if they don't know you have the Obliterate, especially if they have any X-spells in their deck.
- The following cards are not in my Cube, even though people are talking like they are: Desolation Giant, Time Spiral, Mind Spring.
- The reason I don't like Opportunity is that it cannot be cast for less than six, while Braingeyser can. The change in speed, in my mind, isn't enough to make up for flexibility.
- Difference between linear and build-around: Linear themes require a certain sub-set of cards to be opened/drafted. You can't have a Replenish/Opalescence/Enduring Ideal deck without getting the good enchantments opened. You CAN, however, draft R-B-G and build around it by taking uncommon/common cards a little higher than similarly powered rare ones. I wouldn't pass an awesome rare in order to make my deck entirely non-rare (although that would be impressive!), but if I were drafting a mono-black linear you can bet your butt I wouldn't pass Cabal Coffers/Mutilate regardless of what else was in the pack.
- Soltari Guerrillas: Yuck. I disagree and will never be convinced otherwise. Sorry! If it read the way you said it did it would be TONS better, but all the tappers in the format (icy, scepter etc.) make it not so.
I'll put more specific answer later, once I have some time to itemize your replies.
I wouldn't recommend playing Soltari Guerrillas because it is a 3/2 for 4, has to attack to have any effect on the game, can't block, and is just worse than both Firemane Angel and Goblin Legionnaire. I would also play Goblin Trenches over this card. You will never convince me otherwise.
Kagemaro doesn't go into a 'curve' deck. It is a control card; you will, most of the time, have more than 2 cards in hand when he hits the board.
Obliterate is well worth the 8 mana spent on it. Remember, there are mana artifacts that will accelerate you to it w/o exposing many of your lands, one of which even sticks around afterwards. With use of bouncelands, your land exposure is even lower. It just seems to me like you haven't seen this card put to good use, which would obviously shade your opinion of it.
I'd be willing to take a peek at Opportunity as a possible card (especially since I do have a foil one somewhere), but I think you are missing the value of scalable cards. Braingeyser is obviously better when you have a lot of mana, but it has also been cast many a time as a draw two when you are on the verge of missing your lands drops. Between that kind of utility and the ability to provide another way to kill people, it stays.
You are missing the boat completely on Rare-B-Gone.
We are just not going to agree on these points, obviously. I really want you to try some of the cards I named (which was the point of the article), and see if your thoughts are still the same after a reasonable sample size.
WHy on earth would you cast Obliterate on turn 4?!? Come on, use your head. My point was that you can play it earlier than turn 8-9 if you can set it up. Kagemaro is a giant creature that can be a giant removal spell, but that is bad somehow?
I'm done talking about these cards; obviously your card evaluations are way different than mine.
Like I said in the article, people should play the cards/my Cube and see for themselves.
I have to wonder how much peoples' play groups affect the value of cards in someone's mind, because I just can't imagine why some people don't think certain cards are good enough (like Rare-B-Gone).
I have to wonder how much peoples' play groups affect the value of cards in someone's mind, because I just can't imagine why some people don't think certain cards are good enough (like Rare-B-Gone).
-AA
I love Rare-b-Gone. It is a crazy card with great effects. It kills PW's and stuff u cant just rid of sometimes. it kills other people's bombs.
yeah there might be collateral damage but u wouldn't play it unless u had to or if u can get board adv through it.
I wouldn't recommend playing Soltari Guerrillas because it is a 3/2 for 4, has to attack to have any effect on the game, can't block, and is just worse than both Firemane Angel and Goblin Legionnaire. I would also play Goblin Trenches over this card. You will never convince me otherwise.
Not trying to convince you, but I rate the Guerillas over every other RW card you listed there.
Obliterate is well worth the 8 mana spent on it. Remember, there are mana artifacts that will accelerate you to it w/o exposing many of your lands, one of which even sticks around afterwards. With use of bouncelands, your land exposure is even lower. It just seems to me like you haven't seen this card put to good use, which would obviously shade your opinion of it.
Obliterate is probably a good card, but I don't think it creates enjoyable gameplay situations (says the man with Armageddon, Ravages of War and Wildfire in his cube).
I'd be willing to take a peek at Opportunity as a possible card (especially since I do have a foil one somewhere), but I think you are missing the value of scalable cards. Braingeyser is obviously better when you have a lot of mana, but it has also been cast many a time as a draw two when you are on the verge of missing your lands drops. Between that kind of utility and the ability to provide another way to kill people, it stays.
Opportunity is an awesome card. Much better than stroke or geyser unless you have lots of explosive artifact mana.
Quote from Eidolon »
Kagemaro neither comes with evasion or any for of protection: all I see is a big mass removal spell.
Big black creatures kind come with their own protection by being too big to burn and too black to Terror. And his sac ability stops white's RFG shenannigans from being a permanent answer as well.
I actually just cut kagemaro in the lately update of my cube, it was just seeing no play :S
I especially like your judge Survival and foil Cobra, but please tell me you are not putting emeria or the red land in your cube?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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.
Here are the Sharpie'd cards, not including the artist-signed cards (of which there are quite a few). Keep in mind that some of the cards below follow MY play rules, and if people really complain about it we just ignore them (pros especially tend to not like cards to do different things than printed, no matter how fun it may be).
All cards were scanned with the inner sleeves on, so a lot of the imperfections are on the sleeves and not the cards themselves. Inner sleeves rule!
First off, one has a cardinal Cube rule included:
This rule is based off of all the comedic times in which we were passed Jitte in CoK block drafts, as well as a good rule in general! It also provides some comedic blow-outs as well, like opening it third pack in a creatureless deck!
Next, some 'artistic' alterations:
One is a DARK Ritual, and the other fills in the classic Magic chatter line: "______ be nice!"
(Note: The Ancestral Vision used to have everything blacked out but "is", which is the proper reply to the above statement)
Next up are the quotes on cards:
In case you didn't realize, the text is there to remind you.
The first is a Tag Team reference ("Tin Street, back again...") and the second is what people say when you draft the Waaambulance-calling equipment in Mirrodin and base set draft!
This card answers the age-old question asked in its original name...
There are cards that took on more 'adult' nicknames:
And then there are cards that left us no choice but to change their gameplay function:
I didn't want to live in a world where an EXALTED Angel didn't have exalted, and Wizards left me no choice with the misprint but to alter the other!
Here is a combination quote/internet reference/gameplay alter:
And finally, my FAVORITE addition of text to a card!
Every time the card is responsible for a player dying, it gets a tick mark. As you can see, Slaughter Pact has 9 and Pact of Negation only has 1. This is because previous non-foil versions have their own tick marks, and are still located in Phoenix as I passed them on to my friend Adam's Cube. Tick marks get added if you forget in ANY FORMAT, including DC10, Type 4, any draft, sealed deck...whatever.
I highly suggest the tick marks for anyone brave enough to write on their cards, as they really provide a fun experience for almost everyone involved! They also provide a wonderful historical perspective
Exalted Angel makes a lot of sense, and it was a bit borderline cube-worthy anyway so the extra +1/+1 makes playable. Personally, I wouldn't have a problem playing these modified cards in someone else's cube: it's the foreign or textless cards that are unfamiliar that I find more offputting.
Juggernaut: do you have to do a Vinnie Jones impression as well?
Interesting to compare the number of kills for the two pacts. I guess blue mages just have better memories... This is the sharpie mod I have been planning to do on my cube, but so far nobody has forgotten the upkeep, or at least all players have forgotten the upkeep trigger. Perhaps we are not drinking enough when we play cube.
Thanks for sharing. It's good to have these personal insights into how other people cube.
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less." -Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass
LIST AND PICTURES UPDATED as of 7/25/11! List and pictures are Pre-M12.
My Current list is updated at http://cubetutor.com/home/9029 !
I'll try to update pics and list here when I get a chance, but feel free to go over there and see it!
-AA
Artifacts (Colorless)
List
1 Chrome Mox
1 Lotus Bloom
1 Mox Diamond
//2CC
1 Mind Stone
1 Azorius Signet
1 Boros Signet
1 Dimir Signet
1 Golgari Signet
1 Gruul Signet
1 Izzet Signet
1 Orzhov Signet
1 Rakdos Signet
1 Selesnya Signet
1 Simic Signet
1 Coalition Relic
1 Darksteel Ingot
//4+CC
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Bonesplitter
1 Skullclamp
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Loxodon Warhammer
1 Sword of Body and Mind
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Sword of War and Peace
1 AEther Vial
1 Cursed Scroll
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
1 Isochron Scepter
1 Scroll Rack
1 Winter Orb
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Crystal Ball
1 Crystal Shard
1 Mimic Vat
1 Tangle Wire
1 Vedalken Shackles
1 Icy Manipulator
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Phyrexian Processor
1 Smokestack
1 Door to Nothingness
1 Gauntlet of Power
1 Memory Jar
1 Karn Liberated
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Spellskite
1 Metalworker
1 Etched Oracle
1 Juggernaut
1 Lodestone Golem
1 Masticore
1 Molten-Tail Masticore
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Razormane Masticore
1 Duplicant
1 Triskelion
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Bosh, Iron Golem
1 Sundering Titan
Pics
Not Pictured: Karn Liberated
List
1 Carnophage
1 Vampire Lacerator
1 Bloodghast
1 Dark Confidant
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
1 Mesmeric Fiend
1 Nantuko Shade
1 Nezumi Graverobber
1 Nezumi Shortfang
1 Withered Wretch
1 Hypnotic Specter
1 Liliana's Specter
1 Phyrexian Rager
1 Vampire Nighthawk
1 Abyssal Persecutor
1 Bane of the Living
1 Braids, Cabal Minion
1 Graveborn Muse
1 Nekrataal
1 Skinrender
1 Kagemaro, First to Suffer
1 Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
1 Puppeteer Clique
1 Shriekmaw
1 Zombie Cutthroat
1 Grave Titan
1 Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
1 Laquatus's Champion
1 Booster Tutor
1 Dark Ritual
1 Duress
1 Reanimate
1 Sarcomancy
1 Thoughtseize
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Animate Dead
1 Bitterblossom
1 Chainer's Edict
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Doom Blade
1 Go for the Throat
1 Hymn to Tourach
1 Night's Whisper
1 Sign in Blood
1 Terror
1 Dismember
1 Necropotence
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Recurring Nightmare
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Sudden Death
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Consuming Vapors
1 Damnation
1 Makeshift Mannequin
1 Snuff Out
1 Living Death
1 Sorin Markov
1 Yawgmoth's Bargain
1 Black Sun's Zenith
1 Profane Command
Pics
Not Pictured: Dismember
Blue
List
1 Jushi Apprentice
1 Willbender
1 AEther Adept
1 Man-o'-War
1 Serendib Efreet
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Glen Elendra Archmage
1 Master Transmuter
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
1 Body Double
1 Meloku the Clouded Mirror
1 Morphling
1 Mulldrifter
1 Sphinx of Lost Truths
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Vesuvan Shapeshifter
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
1 Palinchron
1 Ancestral Vision
1 Brainstorm
1 Force Spike
1 Ponder
1 Preordain
1 Counterspell
1 Impulse
1 Mana Leak
1 Memory Lapse
1 Remand
1 Capsize
1 Compulsive Research
1 Forbid
1 Hinder
1 Intuition
1 Jace Beleren
1 Psionic Blast
1 Repulse
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Tinker
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Control Magic
1 Cryptic Command
1 Deep Analysis
1 Dismiss
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Mystical Teachings
1 Opposition
1 Bribery
1 Desertion
1 Force of Will
1 Future Sight
1 Misdirection
1 Pact of Negation
1 Treachery
1 Upheaval
1 Condescend
1 Repeal
1 Braingeyser
1 Stroke of Genius
Pics
Green
List
1 Arbor Elf
1 Basking Rootwalla
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Elves of Deep Shadow
1 Fyndhorn Elves
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Jungle Lion
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Pouncing Jaguar
1 Wild Nacatl
1 Albino Troll
1 Fauna Shaman
1 Kavu Titan
1 Lotus Cobra
1 Mire Boa
1 River Boa
1 Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Tarmogoyf
1 Wall of Blossoms
1 Wall of Roots
1 Werebear
1 Wild Mongrel
1 Great Sable Stag
1 Leatherback Baloth
1 Ohran Viper
1 Thornscape Battlemage
1 Troll Ascetic
1 Uktabi Orangutan
1 Yavimaya Elder
1 Blastoderm
1 Brooding Saurian
1 Chameleon Colossus
1 Iwamori of the Open Fist
1 Masked Admirers
1 Master of the Wild Hunt
1 Nantuko Vigilante
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Wickerbough Elder
1 Wolfbriar Elemental
1 Genesis
1 Hystrodon
1 Indrik Stomphowler
1 Molder Slug
1 Thornling
1 Terastodon
1 Woodfall Primus
1 Berserk
1 Giant Growth
1 Noxious Revival
1 Rancor
1 Farseek
1 Life from the Loam
1 Regrowth
1 Survival of the Fittest
1 Sylvan Library
1 Cultivate
1 Elephant Guide
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
1 Harmonize
1 Rude Awakening
1 Tooth and Nail
Pics
Lands
List
Pics
Multicolored
List
1 Lord of Extinction
1 Putrid Leech
1 Spiritmonger
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Putrefy
1 Lorescale Coatl
1 Mystic Snake
1 Simic Sky Swallower
1 Trygon Predator
1 Snakeform
1 Voidslime
1 Fulminator Mage
1 Murderous Redcap
1 Bituminous Blast
1 Rare-B-Gone
1 Terminate
1 Wrecking Ball
1 Bloodbraid Elf
1 Giant Solifuge
1 Burning-Tree Shaman
1 Tattermunge Maniac
1 Boggart Ram-Gang
1 Vithian Renegades
1 Electrolyze
1 Fire // Ice
1 Nucklavee
1 Prophetic Bolt
1 Oona, Queen of the Fae
1 Psychatog
1 Shadowmage Infiltrator
1 Soul Manipulation
1 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
1 Undermine
1 Tidehollow Sculler
1 Stillmoon Cavalier
1 Debtors' Knell
1 Gerrard's Verdict
1 Mortify
1 Vindicate
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Kitchen Finks
1 Knight of the Reliquary
1 Loxodon Hierarch
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Mirari's Wake
1 Figure of Destiny
1 Firemane Angel
1 Goblin Legionnaire
1 Ajani Vengeant
1 Lightning Helix
1 Azorius Guildmage
1 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
1 Swans of Bryn Argoll
1 Wall of Denial
1 Absorb
1 Venser, the Sojourner
1 Broodmate Dragon
1 Hit // Run
1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
1 Doran, the Siege Tower
1 Crime // Punishment
1 Bant Charm
1 Realm Razer
1 Lightning Angel
1 Dromar's Charm
1 Who/What/When/Where/Why
Pics
List
1 Goblin Guide
1 Goblin Welder
1 Greater Gargadon
1 Grim Lavamancer
1 Jackal Pup
1 Mogg Fanatic
1 Spikeshot Elder
1 Blood Knight
1 Dwarven Blastminer
1 Kargan Dragonlord
1 Plated Geopede
1 Slith Firewalker
1 Tin Street Hooligan
1 Countryside Crusher
1 Fire Imp
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Keldon Vandals
1 Magus of the Moon
1 Sulfur Elemental
1 Avalanche Riders
1 Blistering Firecat
1 Flametongue Kavu
1 Hero of Oxid Ridge
1 Skizzik
1 Kumano, Master Yamabushi
1 Siege-Gang Commander
1 Inferno Titan
1 Moltensteel Dragon
1 Rorix Bladewing
1 Akroma, Angel of Fury
1 Bogardan Hellkite
1 Brute Force
1 Burst Lightning
1 Chain Lightning
1 Firebolt
1 Lightning Bolt
1 Arc Trail
1 Incinerate
1 Magma Jet
1 Searing Blaze
1 Volcanic Hammer
1 Blast from the Past
1 Char
1 Chaos Warp
1 Flame Javelin
1 Hammer of Bogardan
1 Molten Rain
1 Staggershock
1 Sulfuric Vortex
1 Urza's Rage
1 Word of Seizing
1 Fireblast
1 Jokulhaups
1 Wildfire
1 Form of the Dragon
1 Obliterate
1 Banefire
1 Demonfire
1 Ghitu Fire
1 Rolling Earthquake
1 Starstorm
Pics
White
List
1 Elite Vanguard
1 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1 Mother of Runes
1 Savannah Lions
1 Student of Warfare
1 Weathered Wayfarer
1 Accorder Paladin
1 Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
1 Kataki, War's Wage
1 Knight of the White Orchid
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Serra Avenger
1 Soltari Monk
1 Soltari Priest
1 Spectral Lynx
1 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Wall of Omens
1 Whipcorder
1 Mirran Crusader
1 Mystic Crusader
1 Paladin en-Vec
1 Porcelain Legionnaire
1 Academy Rector
1 Calciderm
1 Emeria Angel
1 Hero of Bladehold
1 Hokori, Dust Drinker
1 Wall of Reverence
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Reveillark
1 Pristine Angel
1 Sun Titan
1 Yosei, the Morning Star
1 Eternal Dragon
1 Akroma, Angel of Wrath
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Land Tax
1 Mana Tithe
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Tithe
1 Balance
1 Momentary Blink
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Pulse of the Fields
1 Radiant's Judgment
1 Sacred Mesa
1 Scepter of Dominance
1 Spectral Procession
1 Armageddon
1 Cataclysm
1 Day of Judgment
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Faith's Fetters
1 Parallax Wave
1 Ravages of War
1 Wrath of God
1 Conqueror's Pledge
1 Elspeth Tirel
1 Gideon Jura
1 Rout
1 Catastrophe
1 Decree of Justice
Pics
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
12/17/10
- Urza's Blueprints
- Goblin Charbelcher
+ Mimic Vat
+ Molten-Tail Masticore
+ Sword of Body and Mind
+ Wurmcoil Engine
Two cards removed for underperforming, as there was no longer room when cards like Wurmcoil Engine and Mimic Vat have been released.
+ Skinrender
Great card; akin to a black FTK.
- Realms Uncharted
Never performed up to cube standards.
+ Thawing Glaciers
Got a judge foil, so trying to log some testing hours. Reaction so far has been entirely negative for being too slow. No personal experience so far.
+ Arc Trail
+ Koth of the Hammer
+ Spikeshot Elder
- Dragonmaster Outcast
- Fire Imp
- Resounding Thunder
Three auto-includes for three underperformers. Outcast wasn't as good as I thought, Resounding Thunder was just OK, and Fire Imp...constantly disappointed us. Multiple times it was completely ineffective, as I was the only player with creatures on the board and couldn't cast it. Once it hits the midgame vs. other non-aggro decks, the body size is completely ineffectual as well. I really wanted it to be good, but for now the recent evidence is putting it on the bench. The only times I ever wanted it was vs. other dedicated aggro decks, and the 3 new cards going in are all better. I considered removing Form, but it has too much history in my Cube as well as being a nice target for Academy Rector.
- Empyrial Armor
+ Elspeth Tirel
+ Ravages of War
A card that rarely sees play gets removed after a long stint for two very powerful cards, one of which is p1p1 worthy.
I still need to remove a card from several colors; red, white, and black are one card heavy while I am still one card light in blue.
-AA
12/23/10
+ Joraga Treespeaker
A 5/5 for 4 just isn't that impressive anymore, and although his drawback is fun he just doesn't feel that good anymore. I've decided to give Treespeaker some time, as I happened to mention it to a bunch of EDH players and they had a foil one on hand to trade me!
+ Precursor Golem
For testing purposes only; I got a foil one as a throw-in on a trade, and I want to experience all the blowouts for myself. Cube is supposed to be fun, and I'm hoping this will be some amount of it.
+ Fauna Shaman
+ Woodfall Primus
- Death Grasp
+ Stillmoon Cavalier
- Spellbreaker Behemoth
+ Burning-Tree Shaman
- Probe
Testing change:
+ Fire Imp
- Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
In the search for red 3s, I'm switching back to Fire Imp for now.
Mirrodin Beseiged adds:
+ Bonehoard
+ Sword of Feast and Famine
+ Phyrexian Revoker
+ Black Sun's Zenith
+ Go for the Throat
+ Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
+ Thrun, the Last Troll
+ Hero of Oxid Ridge
+ Accorder Paladin
+ Hero of Bladehold
+ Mirran Crusader
All pretty obvious, except for Tezz2. He has been testing well so far, but time will tell. Cards cut to make room for those (some sections were uneven, so it wasn't an exact swap):
- Obelisk of Alara
- Death Cloud
- Skeletal Vampire
- Spite // Malice
- Ravenous Baloth
- World Queller
Obelisk was just too slow, Death Cloud was an easy swap for Zenith, Vampire became expendable once Grave Titan came around, Spite // Malice was the worst of the UB cards remaining, and Baloth is just out-dated. World Queller, while valuable at times (and being one of the few non-burn cards that can directly effect Planeswalkers) was just too blank too often.
New Phyrexia Changes:
+ Batterskull
+ Sword of War and Peace
- Basilisk Collar
- Sword of Vengeance
Easy swap, two equips for two equips.
+ Dismember
+ Phyrexian Metamorph
+ Karn Liberated
+ Spellskite
Some adds.
+ Noxious Revival
- Scute Mob
One drop for one drop; Mob was a lot less impressive than I thought it would be.
+ Moltensteel Dragon
- Tribal Flames
Awesome finisher for a spell that has seen less play recently, as people tend to draft either mono-red and not a lot of 4+c decks anymore.
+ Porcelain Legionnaire
- Martial Coup
Awesome creature for aggro, and minus a pretty good sweeper/staller/finisher for control. I'm OK with that.
Other random additions:
+ Time Spiral
+ Desertion
Got a chance to grab a Chinese Time Spiral, so I took it and added it. I also own a Korean Desertion, and since I needed another blue card I decided to give it a try...not sure how long it is gonna last.
+ Chaos Warp
- Seething Song
Seemingly fun and powerful 3 drop for a utility 3 drop. Another swap I'm willing to make.
+ Venser, the Sojourner
- Iridescent Angel
Finally got a foil Venser, so the least powerful card got the axe.
+ Kor Haven
- Windbrisk Heights
Also just obtained a foil Kor Haven, so that got swapped in for the slightly under-performing Windbrisk Heights.
I think that's all...hopefully the list is now up-to-date pre-M12!
7/13/11
- Volcanic Fallout
+ Molten Rain
One 1RR for another, and continuing to push red as an aggressive color.
- Temportal Aperature
+ Tangle Wire
Tangle Wire was in the original build of the Cube 5-6 years ago, but was removed for under-performing VASTLY. With the added aggressive support in recent years and reading lots of talk of Wire being a first pick, I figured I'd try it again.
Another change I forgot...
+ Ancient Tomb
Gonna give a little bit of fast mana a try.
Fixed this:
- Cruel Ultimatum
+ Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
Has been this way for a LONG time, but the list was still out-of-date.
Been too long since I officially updated! Here are the non-Avacyn Restored changes, some of which are bookkeeping errors; just going to do it in one fell swoop...
+ Ankh of Mishra
+ Shrine of Burning Rage
+ Precursor Golem
- Karn, Silver Golem
- Bonehoard
- Bosh, Iron Golem
- Lotus Bloom
Ankh needs to get in, and it does now that I have a Beta copy instead of an ugly revised one. Shrine is in on recommendations from other aggro-lovers, and has performed well so far. Precursor is sweet. Bosh is out for becoming too expensive, Bonehoard is out for being too clunky in practice, Lotus Bloom is out because of lack of play, and Karn is out because of the one Karn quotient (and bring a little too defensive).
- Laqatas' Champion
- Lilianna's Specter
- Phyrexian Rager (maybe)
- Withered Wretch
- Sorin Markov
+ Bloodgift Demon
+ Bloodline Keeper
+ Diregraf Ghoul
+ Geralf's Messenger
+ Gravecrawler
+ Lilianna of the Veil
Blue
- Ludevic's Abomination
- Master Transmuter
- Mindshrieker
- Jace, Memory Adept
+ Phantasmal Image
+ Dungeon Geists
+ Snapcaster Mage
+ Miscalculation
Green
+ Avacyn's Pilgrim
+ Kessig Cagebreakers
+ Wolfbitten Captive
+ Garruk Relentless
- Masked Admirers
- Terastodon
- Great Sable Stag
- Kavu Titan
- Molder Slug
Lands
- Exotic Orchard
+ Kessig Wolf Run
Multi
- Snakeform
+ Edric, Spymaster of Trest
+ Olivia Voldaren
+ Falkenreath Aristocrats
- Wrecking Ball
- Fulminator Mage
- Vithian Renegades
+ Huntmaster of the Fells
- Swans of Bryn Argoll
+ Geist of Saint Traft
Red
+ Hellrider
+ Reckless Waif
+ Devil's Play
+ Faithless Looting
- Hammer of Bogardan?
- Kumano, Master Yamabushi
- Magus of the Moon
- Brute Force
- Demonfire
White
+ Blade Splicer
+ Cloudgoat Ranger
+ Fiend Hunter
+ Geist-Honored Monk
+ Mikaeus, the Lunarch
+ Steppe Lynx
+ Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
- Conqueror's Pledge
- Kataki, War's Wage
- Radiant's Judgment
- Wall of Reverence
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
(list not current)
My Cube Google Docs Spreadsheet: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AibgWfz0ukmOdDNhOHlucjcxUi1wVy00NDhLbDUtUlE&hl=en_US#gid=8
(list is always current)
nice article today too.
Opm's Cube on MTGS
Wife's Etsy Store (Hair Accessories for Girls)
That said, I think your 3 color cards are not necessarily the strongest in those colors. Broodmate is certainly great, but Ultimatum, Charm, and Sphinx don't thrill me (Realm Razer also seems weak, but RGW doesn't have many good options).
My suggestions:
and maybe Woolly Thoctar or Rith, the Awakener.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
Re Don: Nature's Spiral is actually fine as a 2nd Regrowth, especially since the majority of green cards in my Cube are permanents. Fastbond is a little too close to the 'fast mana' thing I talk about in my article for my liking, even though it is obviously powerful. Harrow is very bleh imo, and Primal Command is interesting but probably a bit slow. I'll think about it, though.
Re Rant: Ultimatum is awesome, but I have been looking for a Foil Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker for months now without luck to swap it out.
-Bant Charm is very good, better than Rafiq imo. It does a LOT of things, and all of the modes are very good and relevant. I can see the argument for Rafiq as double strike is fun, but the charm wins it due to flexibility.
-Sphinx a VERY fun card, and cascade has never been as fun as it is in the Cube. It replaced Dromar's charm when a friend gave me the foil Sphinx on the condition that it goes in the Cube. Steel Wind meets my Fattie requirement, but wow is Enigma fun. Tried the Enigma? Arti-Akroma is 3rd on my list.
-I actually don't like Realm Razer, but I have yet to find my next Naya card in foil: Uril, the Miststalker. He is up next for testing...Rith does not meet my standards for fatties in the Cube (read my article :))
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
My foils were in PERFECT shape until I moved to the land of Biblical rains, Oklahoma. I am fighting the good fight on the curling, because its all about the humidity inside the card box/room they are in. They never have to be replaced, just dried out!
I don't play with people who don't know what the cards are. My rule? If you don't know what it does, don't draft it. Ask about it afterwards and remember. My Cube is not for new players, sorry!
Vedalken Shackles isn't a blue card. You can cast it just fine in a 5-color deck and have some effect if your lands are in line. Scepter of Dominance is a White card, which is why it is there. Desolation Angel/Giant are mono-colored cards that become awesome with a different kicker; they still are creatures otherwise! Why would you kick the Giant if you don't have creatures? Also, Angel has been cast w/o kicker as well (especially if you have artifact mana). They don't belong there, so they don't go there. Would you count Obelisk of Alara as a multicolored spell?
Fixed, thanks a lot!
-Read the article re: Door. It is really fun
-Blueprints is expensive, yes, but you get 2 activations out of it for 6 mana, and it is a card draw engine for ANY color. It compares favorably with any other colorless draw engine, like Jayemdaye Tome.
Booster Tutor: Read the article. My cube is 485ish, so there are always at least 120+ cards to be tutored from.
Agenda: It will probably be cut in my Zendikar update
Kagemaro: You are playing this card wrong if it is an expensive Infest.
Plaguelord: Another card that is at the bottom of the Black barrel, and will probably be going out with Zendikar.
Cutthroat: In for a couple reasons. 1- I need enough morphs in the Cube to stop people from always identifying them when face-down. 2- I REALLY like cacking people's removal spells by flipping it up.
Bringeyser is often used to kill people. Also, Opportunity sucks since it isn't scalable like the 'geyser. And it says 'MUST'
'IS!'
Rootwalla: The madness is more important that it seems, but I could be down with Twinblade Slasher as well.
Spiral: See above post.
R-B-G: Read the article read the article read the article.
R/W cards: Brion was in and was cut for being extremely mediocre compared to the other cards. Soltari guerillas, huh? A 3/2 for 4 that you have to blank an attack in order to kill a creature? No thanks. While legionnaire got worse with the M10 rules, it's still better than Guerrillas.
U/R cards: Gelectrode can be fun, but isn't necessarily good...I'm willing to give it a shot since I'm down 1 UR card. But no way is Invoke going out for Spellbound Dragon, sorry. Spellbound is interesting, but Invoke is another kill spell/draw spell which is awesome.
Have you played Obliterate?!? Easily a build-around card that can turn a game around single-handedly; the situation you describe is when it is cast as a defensive spell...which frankly, it rarely is. You sandbag lands/mana for post-Oblit fun! Red usually does a pretty good job of killing opposing threats, thereby leaving Obliterate as a HUGE blow. Uncounterablilty is VERY big.
Thunder: 3 damage for 3 mana, with a chance at a huge payout in a multicolored deck. Might be cut for something like Burst Lightning, however.
I'm down with a few of those being on the chopping block, like Emp. Armor, Renewed Faith, or Serra Avenger (with Emeria Angel possibly straight up replacing it). I definitely would not cut Kataki (getting people forgetting upkeeps is one of the most fun things!), or Pulse of the Fields (even better after removal of mana burn). Some of the cards you list are on my list as well, but I will need to evaluate the new addition in Zendikar as well to balance the Cube.
Whew! Thanks for the input, looking forward to hearing back from you!
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
In my experience the only broken power nine cards are Time Walk and Ancestral Recall, but I understand not including the moxen/lotus too if you think cheap mana acceleration is not fun.
I didn't understand if you do play with sideboards just without side-only cards, or without sideboards at all.
Some of these cards are more powerful than most power. Oh well, at least you need the minimal effort of building around Balance to break it.
Agreed
Reading your paragraph below, you do seem to play many fatties, just fatties that have an ETB ability/a way to protect themselves/ an ability you can play the turn they come into play or some combination of them. A basic rule that doesn't apply only to cubing, I don't think it has a place in the article as most readers should understand this.
Heh, I find it weird that some of us don't want to cube with as many people and as often as possible *shrug*
You won't play Shackles in a deck that doesn't play blue. Scepter of Dominance can also be played at 5cc decks and has some effect if you have two white-producing lands, and that doesn't mean he's not a white card. Actually he's easier to play as any white-producing land will do, not only those with the correct basic land types.
I do. I've found Desolation Angel to be unplayable without her kicker.
It compares favorably with Jayemdae Tome = one of the weakest arguments to play a card I've ever seen.
It also performed as an Infest for six to me.
Did you miss the fact that it's an instant?
Most players here think Cascade as an un-fun mechanic which is too luck-based and doesn't have any interesting interactions and building options. Maybe a part of it becomes from their experience with it in constructed though.
I agree with eidolon here.
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
Also, I agree that Opportunity > Braingeyser/Mind Spring. Same cost when I want 4 cards, but instant speed makes all the difference in the world... especially on draw spells. As a "scaling" draw spell, Mind Spring is pretty weak.
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!
Here's my thoughts on Rafiq vs. Charm. If I'm in two of the colors already, I'd be encouraged to splash just for Rafiq. I can't say the same about Charm. If I'm in all three colors already and can only have one, I'd pick Rafiq.
I just cut Enigma Sphinx from my Cube. I did so because unless you hard cast him, he doesn't cascade. I was recently drafting and I got an early Tinker and Tezzeret and was drafting around those. Later I got the Enigma Sphinx and I didn't pick him because he doesn't work with Tinker. I thought to myself, if this was Steel Wind, I would've snapped it up. Enigma doesn't play well with reanimation or other tricks making him worse than Steel Wind in my mind.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
- Kagemaro as Infest: We'll just have to disagree, whenever I've played him has been WAY better than just a 6 mana spell. He attacks, blocks, and breaks in case of emergency...
- Enigma Sphinx: Like I said, I had Dromar's Charm in previously before being gifted the Sphinx. Sphinx is fun, though, so he stays. I don't care if he doesn't trigger by cheating him into play, really.
- Obliterate: Once again, I just flat-out disagree. This card is good, regardless of the 8-mana price tag. Rarely has it been cast and the player doing it loses, unless they are in a dire situation. If people don't like their lands being blown up, I could see cutting it I guess. Opponents rarely stop dropping lands if they don't know you have the Obliterate, especially if they have any X-spells in their deck.
- The following cards are not in my Cube, even though people are talking like they are: Desolation Giant, Time Spiral, Mind Spring.
- The reason I don't like Opportunity is that it cannot be cast for less than six, while Braingeyser can. The change in speed, in my mind, isn't enough to make up for flexibility.
- Difference between linear and build-around: Linear themes require a certain sub-set of cards to be opened/drafted. You can't have a Replenish/Opalescence/Enduring Ideal deck without getting the good enchantments opened. You CAN, however, draft R-B-G and build around it by taking uncommon/common cards a little higher than similarly powered rare ones. I wouldn't pass an awesome rare in order to make my deck entirely non-rare (although that would be impressive!), but if I were drafting a mono-black linear you can bet your butt I wouldn't pass Cabal Coffers/Mutilate regardless of what else was in the pack.
- Soltari Guerrillas: Yuck. I disagree and will never be convinced otherwise. Sorry! If it read the way you said it did it would be TONS better, but all the tappers in the format (icy, scepter etc.) make it not so.
I'll put more specific answer later, once I have some time to itemize your replies.
I'm always glad for the discussion!
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
Kagemaro doesn't go into a 'curve' deck. It is a control card; you will, most of the time, have more than 2 cards in hand when he hits the board.
Obliterate is well worth the 8 mana spent on it. Remember, there are mana artifacts that will accelerate you to it w/o exposing many of your lands, one of which even sticks around afterwards. With use of bouncelands, your land exposure is even lower. It just seems to me like you haven't seen this card put to good use, which would obviously shade your opinion of it.
I'd be willing to take a peek at Opportunity as a possible card (especially since I do have a foil one somewhere), but I think you are missing the value of scalable cards. Braingeyser is obviously better when you have a lot of mana, but it has also been cast many a time as a draw two when you are on the verge of missing your lands drops. Between that kind of utility and the ability to provide another way to kill people, it stays.
You are missing the boat completely on Rare-B-Gone.
We are just not going to agree on these points, obviously. I really want you to try some of the cards I named (which was the point of the article), and see if your thoughts are still the same after a reasonable sample size.
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
I'm done talking about these cards; obviously your card evaluations are way different than mine.
Like I said in the article, people should play the cards/my Cube and see for themselves.
I have to wonder how much peoples' play groups affect the value of cards in someone's mind, because I just can't imagine why some people don't think certain cards are good enough (like Rare-B-Gone).
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
I love Rare-b-Gone. It is a crazy card with great effects. It kills PW's and stuff u cant just rid of sometimes. it kills other people's bombs.
yeah there might be collateral damage but u wouldn't play it unless u had to or if u can get board adv through it.
Opm's Cube on MTGS
Wife's Etsy Store (Hair Accessories for Girls)
First, some upgrades...
...and some Zendikar pimp cards in case of inclusion...
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
Not trying to convince you, but I rate the Guerillas over every other RW card you listed there.
Absolutely. Kagemaro is the nuts, especially in reanimator.
Obliterate is probably a good card, but I don't think it creates enjoyable gameplay situations (says the man with Armageddon, Ravages of War and Wildfire in his cube).
Opportunity is an awesome card. Much better than stroke or geyser unless you have lots of explosive artifact mana.
Big black creatures kind come with their own protection by being too big to burn and too black to Terror. And his sac ability stops white's RFG shenannigans from being a permanent answer as well.
I especially like your judge Survival and foil Cobra, but please tell me you are not putting emeria or the red land in your cube?
Copy this sig to join the cause. Cuz, ya know, Wizards makes decisions based on sigs.
http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u159/antknee42/
Thanks!
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
Whats Pact of Negation's note about?
All cards were scanned with the inner sleeves on, so a lot of the imperfections are on the sleeves and not the cards themselves. Inner sleeves rule!
First off, one has a cardinal Cube rule included:
This rule is based off of all the comedic times in which we were passed Jitte in CoK block drafts, as well as a good rule in general! It also provides some comedic blow-outs as well, like opening it third pack in a creatureless deck!
Next, some 'artistic' alterations:
One is a DARK Ritual, and the other fills in the classic Magic chatter line: "______ be nice!"
(Note: The Ancestral Vision used to have everything blacked out but "is", which is the proper reply to the above statement)
Next up are the quotes on cards:
In case you didn't realize, the text is there to remind you.
The first is a Tag Team reference ("Tin Street, back again...") and the second is what people say when you draft the Waaambulance-calling equipment in Mirrodin and base set draft!
This card answers the age-old question asked in its original name...
There are cards that took on more 'adult' nicknames:
And then there are cards that left us no choice but to change their gameplay function:
I didn't want to live in a world where an EXALTED Angel didn't have exalted, and Wizards left me no choice with the misprint but to alter the other!
Here is a combination quote/internet reference/gameplay alter:
And finally, my FAVORITE addition of text to a card!
Every time the card is responsible for a player dying, it gets a tick mark. As you can see, Slaughter Pact has 9 and Pact of Negation only has 1. This is because previous non-foil versions have their own tick marks, and are still located in Phoenix as I passed them on to my friend Adam's Cube. Tick marks get added if you forget in ANY FORMAT, including DC10, Type 4, any draft, sealed deck...whatever.
I highly suggest the tick marks for anyone brave enough to write on their cards, as they really provide a fun experience for almost everyone involved! They also provide a wonderful historical perspective
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
Juggernaut: do you have to do a Vinnie Jones impression as well?
Interesting to compare the number of kills for the two pacts. I guess blue mages just have better memories... This is the sharpie mod I have been planning to do on my cube, but so far nobody has forgotten the upkeep, or at least all players have forgotten the upkeep trigger. Perhaps we are not drinking enough when we play cube.
Thanks for sharing. It's good to have these personal insights into how other people cube.
My 380 Beginners’ Cube on Cube Tutor
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less." -Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgAPFKDL6Sg
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029
I hadn't seen that in a few years. Still can't stop laughing when I see it. So awesome...
(list not current)
My Cube Google Docs Spreadsheet: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AibgWfz0ukmOdDNhOHlucjcxUi1wVy00NDhLbDUtUlE&hl=en_US#gid=8
(list is always current)
I should be wearing some sort of Philadelphia Eagles gear, since there is a big football game that weekend...
-AA
I use descriptive language. Assume that I'm being nice and respectful. (I'll tell you when I'm not.)
My Cube: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/9029