Bramblecrush is an echo of an already cubable card that also hits walkers, that alone earns it a spot in my cube, and I echo the Plow Under sentiments. There are better cuts.
Plow under usage has been down, (despite the card being very good), so we thought it would be time to try something else in the slot.
As for potentially cutting a boa: No. I can't cut a CMC=2 creature for a CMC=4 Planeswalker. I have mana curves and creatures balances to preserve. If I didn't, I have way too many CMC=4 cards and not much else.
I agree with Rantipole on most everything there, except for the 'half of the green cards' comment. Well, actually, I dunno.
I really like Plow Under. It's good in aggro and mid-range and it's good against mid-range and control. That's pretty awesome. I think the power level of Plow Under isn't amazing, but I really like the archetypes it's good against and the archetypes it fits in.
I really like Plow Under too. I'm worried about mucking up the creature/spell balance and/or the curves. I need to do some deep data analysis and really see how everything breaks down again before I make too many more decisions. For now, it is out, but it is staying in the box until I get a chance to dig in a bit more. I think that the swap out for Garruk Relentless is a step forward for the cube, even if Plow Under doesn't end up being the final cut for that slot. I plan to revisit this soon.
As for making room for acidic slime? I don't know where that would go to find room.
I plan on eventually ranking all the cards in the cube A, B, C, or D so that I know where my next cuts should be coming from, and what my top-flight cards are at a glance. That is a big-ish project and I only have so much time I can devote to cube management. Lately the bulk of that time has been tracking down lands with different art from every new-frame black-bordered set for Symbol Status. I do think that having the cube be highlander for lands as well as other spells is awesome. I debated about enabling this and eventually decided that the upside of not sharing information (happens in rare situations, but most of the time is controlled by playing right, not because of the cards themselves) vs. the cool factor and enabling the use of a really powerful card and we have chosen door #2.
Berserk is fun and iconic, so I can see keeping it in. I think Claim is complete garbage; I'd never play it. Stag is cool, but there's better stuff for 360. Like Plow Under.
Berserk is fun and iconic, so I can see keeping it in. I think Claim is complete garbage; I'd never play it. Stag is cool, but there's better stuff for 360. Like Plow Under.
Agree with this 100%. Especially about Nature's Claim and Plow Under.
Berserk is fun and iconic, so I can see keeping it in. I think Claim is complete garbage; I'd never play it. Stag is cool, but there's better stuff for 360. Like Plow Under.
Green is a tough nut to crack. It tends to perform best when it is splashed for support, and it goes in well with every archetype, so theory says that I should want to give it cards which align to that vision. But I also want to encourage reasoning for people to draft green as a primary color. Which means I have limited space for cards like Acidic Slime and Plow Under which are more support-type cards than stuff like Vorapede.
I have some 'vision' issues to address here and I'm really not sure what the right answer is. But if things end up the way I am thinking they will go, I'd have space to shuffle around 4-5 cards and make room for stuff like Plow Under again.
~~~
Stag isn't great, but it isn't bad either; It is on the edge power-level wise for this size cube.
Nature's Claim is one of our best performing cards. I don't quite understand how everyone sees it as garbage. It consistently performs for us in situations where Naturalize wouldn't have, and 4 life doesn't cripple aggro. I'd rather be 4 life behind but in a more advanced board position (and in position to win) vs. a less advanced board position. We see all the time the need to decide between SoFI and Disenchant, or Armageddon and Smash to Smithereens. Landing the bomb AND removing your opponents bomb in the same turn is usually key to winning.
I can sympathize with the plight of role identification, as discussions like these are showing me how difficult it really is to best design a cube with strict limitations. The green examples you gave strike me as more of a debate on the balance between bombs and utility. I wonder if other cubers use the BREAD mnemonic (consciously or unconsciously) in their planning.
I think one possible perspective to take is the view that Wizards themselves take when assigning abilities by color. Primary abilities that define a color take center stage, followed by the lesser secondary and tertiary abilities. Green's primary abilities could probably be defined as manafixing/ramp and big, resilient ground threats. Or by whatever theme you want to push as their primary characteristic.
This is a pretty difficult subject to articulate thoughts on, so it's quite possible that I just confused readers and/or restated something stupidly obvious to other players. My point was mainly that the ability to identify a color's strengths/weaknesses and act on that information requires a bit of paradigm shifting. Your 'vision' or where you want your cube to go may be at odds with the reality of how your cube plays out.
Yeah, that's not even close to how I draft in any format. If this is how everyone drafted, aggro would be the best archetype every time as people are loading up on random stuff while you're getting insane one and two drops.
Bombs
Removal
Efficient Cards that fit your curve needs and provide a reasonable effect for the cost.
Aggresive Creatures with solid P/T ratios.
Defensive Stalling cards.
Yeah, that's not even close to how I draft in any format. If this is how everyone drafted, aggro would be the best archetype every time as people are loading up on random stuff while you're getting insane one and two drops.
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360 Unpowered Cube | Cubetutor
Cutting a Boa over Plow Under seems like a good plan.
"What am I looking at? Ashes, dead man."
I'm actually going to find room for it now that we're talking about it.
Blimpy's Aggro-Focused Cube (powered 360)
I'm always open to suggestions on how to improve my cube. Take a look and ask a question, or give a constructive critique whenever you can.
As for potentially cutting a boa: No. I can't cut a CMC=2 creature for a CMC=4 Planeswalker. I have mana curves and creatures balances to preserve. If I didn't, I have way too many CMC=4 cards and not much else.
[Remixes] - [The Brutal Cube - 360 Powered] - [My Cube Article] - ['Print-This' Wishlist]
Also, you should try to fit Acidic Slime in your cube. That thing is probably the best fraggle in green.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
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I really like Plow Under. It's good in aggro and mid-range and it's good against mid-range and control. That's pretty awesome. I think the power level of Plow Under isn't amazing, but I really like the archetypes it's good against and the archetypes it fits in.
Blimpy's Aggro-Focused Cube (powered 360)
I'm always open to suggestions on how to improve my cube. Take a look and ask a question, or give a constructive critique whenever you can.
As for making room for acidic slime? I don't know where that would go to find room.
I plan on eventually ranking all the cards in the cube A, B, C, or D so that I know where my next cuts should be coming from, and what my top-flight cards are at a glance. That is a big-ish project and I only have so much time I can devote to cube management. Lately the bulk of that time has been tracking down lands with different art from every new-frame black-bordered set for Symbol Status. I do think that having the cube be highlander for lands as well as other spells is awesome. I debated about enabling this and eventually decided that the upside of not sharing information (happens in rare situations, but most of the time is controlled by playing right, not because of the cards themselves) vs. the cool factor and enabling the use of a really powerful card and we have chosen door #2.
[Remixes] - [The Brutal Cube - 360 Powered] - [My Cube Article] - ['Print-This' Wishlist]
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!
I would argue that only the stag is cuttabe of those. Berserk and Claim both do incredible things for a single mana.
[Remixes] - [The Brutal Cube - 360 Powered] - [My Cube Article] - ['Print-This' Wishlist]
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!
Agree with this 100%. Especially about Nature's Claim and Plow Under.
Blimpy's Aggro-Focused Cube (powered 360)
I'm always open to suggestions on how to improve my cube. Take a look and ask a question, or give a constructive critique whenever you can.
Acidic Slime > Plow Under >= Deranged Hermit > Indrik Stomphowler > Genesis = Vorapede > Pelakka Wurm
QFT.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
I'm not sure what you mean by this exactly.
~~~
Green is a tough nut to crack. It tends to perform best when it is splashed for support, and it goes in well with every archetype, so theory says that I should want to give it cards which align to that vision. But I also want to encourage reasoning for people to draft green as a primary color. Which means I have limited space for cards like Acidic Slime and Plow Under which are more support-type cards than stuff like Vorapede.
I have some 'vision' issues to address here and I'm really not sure what the right answer is. But if things end up the way I am thinking they will go, I'd have space to shuffle around 4-5 cards and make room for stuff like Plow Under again.
~~~
Stag isn't great, but it isn't bad either; It is on the edge power-level wise for this size cube.
Nature's Claim is one of our best performing cards. I don't quite understand how everyone sees it as garbage. It consistently performs for us in situations where Naturalize wouldn't have, and 4 life doesn't cripple aggro. I'd rather be 4 life behind but in a more advanced board position (and in position to win) vs. a less advanced board position. We see all the time the need to decide between SoFI and Disenchant, or Armageddon and Smash to Smithereens. Landing the bomb AND removing your opponents bomb in the same turn is usually key to winning.
[Remixes] - [The Brutal Cube - 360 Powered] - [My Cube Article] - ['Print-This' Wishlist]
I think one possible perspective to take is the view that Wizards themselves take when assigning abilities by color. Primary abilities that define a color take center stage, followed by the lesser secondary and tertiary abilities. Green's primary abilities could probably be defined as manafixing/ramp and big, resilient ground threats. Or by whatever theme you want to push as their primary characteristic.
This is a pretty difficult subject to articulate thoughts on, so it's quite possible that I just confused readers and/or restated something stupidly obvious to other players. My point was mainly that the ability to identify a color's strengths/weaknesses and act on that information requires a bit of paradigm shifting. Your 'vision' or where you want your cube to go may be at odds with the reality of how your cube plays out.
My Cube (DeckStats)
My Pauper Cube: 540 (CubeTutor link!)
Level 1 Judge
Bombs
Removal
E?
A?
D?
Blimpy's Aggro-Focused Cube (powered 360)
I'm always open to suggestions on how to improve my cube. Take a look and ask a question, or give a constructive critique whenever you can.
Bombs
Removal
Evasion
Advancement (for your strategy)
Dregs
360 Unpowered Cube | Cubetutor
Bombs
Removal
Evasion
Aggro
Defensive - Things that just stall and don't actively help you win the game.
Draft my cube!
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What does Evasion or Efficiency even mean?
Blimpy's Aggro-Focused Cube (powered 360)
I'm always open to suggestions on how to improve my cube. Take a look and ask a question, or give a constructive critique whenever you can.
Removal
Efficient Cards that fit your curve needs and provide a reasonable effect for the cost.
Aggresive Creatures with solid P/T ratios.
Defensive Stalling cards.
Evasion refers to creatures with evasion.
360 Unpowered Cube | Cubetutor