Cionsidering that you dont play any shuffle effect (no fetches mainly) i think that its better for you to play ponder, serum visions and sleight of hand, than brainstorm. In my fully powered cube, with no less than around 20 fetchlands, and alot more tutor effects, brainstorm is still ranked lower than serum visions and sleight of hand. considering you included brainstorm, that's why i asked. In my friend's Commun/Unco cube, brainstorm is a blast because we play with only one common library, and can choose to draw a spell or a land, but in your cube, with the normal draft rules, i think it's one of the worst library manipulation you can get.
No - never remove Brainstorm.
It's by far the best of all the blue 1cc cantrips.
Instant > Sorcery - and by far when it's on a spell like this.
I'm still not convinced that a card (Standstill) should be added based solely on it's interaction with manlands/artifact men - which amounts to something like 2% of the entire cube.
And yeah, honestly probably never running Imperial Recruiter as I'd prefer the $150. Especially when it's for an effect that's worse than Demonic Tutor @ $5-10. That's what I like about pimping the common/uncommon cube. It may be worth a decent amount all together but none of the individual cards are worth much so I'm not tempted into selling pieces off.
No - never remove Brainstorm.
It's by far the best of all the blue 1cc cantrips.
Instant > Sorcery - and by far when it's on a spell like this.
This. Never take Brainstorm out. Even without fetch-lands, it's still 10x better than all the other U cantrip spells. Not only is it an instant, but you can use it to protect your hand from discard spells (something that none of the other spells can do). It is also much, much better card selection because you can change a higher percentage of your hand when it resolves.
I also don't think the Imperial Recruiter belongs. It's only really abusive in cubes that have a high percentage of really powerful low power creatures; something that a common/uncommon cube won't have. You can't grab the 'goyf, the Welder, the Squee, the Lavamancer... it's just not worth it without 'em (and definitely not worth the $150, IMO).
I'm still not convinced that a card (Standstill) should be added based solely on it's interaction with manlands/artifact men - which amounts to something like 2% of the entire cube.
And yeah, honestly probably never running Imperial Recruiter as I'd prefer the $150. Especially when it's for an effect that's worse than Demonic Tutor @ $5-10. That's what I like about pimping the common/uncommon cube. It may be worth a decent amount all together but none of the individual cards are worth much so I'm not tempted into selling pieces off.
Love the new pics. Makes me want to eventually get/borrow a digital camera to do something like this with my cube (and it's 100% non-foil count ).
EDIT: Ever think about Weatherseed Totem? I personally love this card (and will be adding it to my card with the next update), and it seems very strong in common/uncommon cube. I remember 1st picking that card occasionally in TPF draft and being very happy with it (card almost won me a constructed PTQ back in block even....such a bomb card against Teachings before they were packing Grudge and Return to Dust...).
Well, i forgot it's 1 vs 1 cube. With our Common cube, we choose land and spell to draw, so there is allways an island, so i didn't even notice you need an island to attack.
No worries Neonico, I'm always open to suggestions as making the cube better is my primary motivation for coming here.
Kenny - I was running the Totem for a while and ended up cutting it. Though I think that just may be a product of weaker green cards at the time and there not being a deck to support it. I think I'll push the green deck and put it back it - also green is the only one without a color specific artifact at this point.
So I've made a replica of your cube and I've noticed that while there is an aggro deck in most colors it seems very difficult to beat a control deck. The spell ratio to creature ratio in the deck is almost 50/50. I was wondering if you had encountered this problem.
Also I've changed a few things about the cube:
-I've cut the Allied Strategies for Tidings
-I've Put in Serendib Efreet over Propaganda (Propaganda and Ghostly Prison aren't very fun cards to play against)
-I play a Viridian Shaman over Ape because I own one, however I think its better because of Perfect.
-I think Rift Bolt is better than shock
-I cut the Consume Strength for Cankerous Thirst since its playable if you're black or green and it's insane if you're in both. Also how has the 3/2 HHH Swampwalk guy been?
-I've kept in threaten because it's good with both Carrion Feeder and Husk among other things
-I'd add Nucklavee over the razorfin hunter
-Also I hate temporal spring so maybe the HHH 2/2 that draws a card
-I put in Mistmeadow Witch over Silver Drake
-I added a Sol Ring...might be too good but we'll see
-I also cut Skullclamp as it seems like too good of a card. It's a high pick in normal cubes so it seems way too good in this kind of cube.
-I think this cube NEEDS an Indrik Stomphowler
Also, how have the charge lands been? I've been playing the come into play tapped lands from invasion.
I think you've done a great job with the cube however I feel like I want to change some spells out for creatures and make aggro more viable.
-I added a Sol Ring...might be too good but we'll see
-I also cut Skullclamp as it seems like too good of a card. It's a high pick in normal cubes so it seems way too good in this kind of cube.
You add a Sol Ring, but remove Skullclamp because it's too good.
So I've made a replica of your cube...I want to change some spells out for creatures and make aggro more viable.
This is AWESOME! Looks like you put in a lot of work. As to your changes:
Allied Strategies with be replaced soon, probably with Opportunity instead of Tidings. I don't consider Serendib Efreet an uncommon despite there not being rares in Arabian Nights. If we reclassify that set by it's print runs Efreet is in a rare slot. Propaganda and Ghostly Prison may get the cut as they single handedly deter multiple creature strategies.
Obviously Viridian Shaman is better than Orangutan I just like the 6th edition foil...:rolleyes: Riftbolt over Shock seems like a no brainer, I'm not sure what pushed Shock ahead when I cut Bolt. I looked at Cankerous Thirst last week. I think I tend to agree with your argument. Stalker Hag has been pretty good. I've run it in both mono decks. It has evasion around 75% of the time. I'm not sure about Threaten. It was brought up that the card tends to be only okay in regular draft. It's a card that doesn't tend to do anything if your behind. I think that 90% of the time you'd rather have a burn spell in any red deck.
As for Nucklavee, I haven't tested the card a lot so I'm not sure. I'll give it another shot. Temporal Spring is fine, I don't think the HHH guy is very good. UG just suffers from being a week color combo, period. I really like Silver Drake. Witch is a great card too but very mana intensive. Also it's really fragile unless your casting it with blink mana up.
I think I'm going to have to give in and cut Skullclamp. I've already been considering it, comments have been made and I've defended it for long enough as being "beatable." That being said I think Sol Ring is overpowered as well. I swear I had a Stomphowler in but I have no idea where it went. Which is weird because green isn't missing cards. I'm a little on the fence about the charge lands as there isn't much to ramp up to. But adding the Invasion tap lands seems wrong too as they are now just obsolete versions of the Shard lands.
Wow, that's a lot to think about. Thank you! It's a huge help to have someone test your cube from an outside perspective. I hope you'll post more if you think about anything else. Also, I think I'll start actively drafting aggro to test the archetype's weak spots. I think WW is really strong right now as it's probably the fastest. I haven't drafted mono red in a while and I've also wanted to try out mono green.
Propaganda and Ghostly Prison may get the cut as they single handedly deter multiple creature strategies.
I don't even think they are that good. They are a good answer to swarms of tokens but I've won many a game vs them by just paying two and bashing.
I think aggro v control in this cube is fine. That said green really needs to hit some of its bombs to be playable. However most updates seem to have helped black and blue over other colors.
I feel like there should be more discard spells since there are so many good spells in general.
Cards I've added:
-Thunderscape Battlemage
-Cone of Flame
-I have ancient tomb in still cause I don't like gemstome mine
-I don't have an oubliette so I've put a duress in
-I put a Brine Elemental in
-I think Condemn is better than Wing Shards
-I also cut Story Circle...it seems too good especially against mono decks. It isn't that fun of a card.
-I think adding some of the Ghost Lit Guys is probably good, all of them are good except the white one.
-Hoverguard Observer might be good as Stratozeppelid
JETTING GLASSKITE SHOULD GO IN FOR SURE
I think some other ninjitsu cards like Okiba-Gang Shinobi are probably good additions.
Maybe Soratami Savant...that card was really good in limited.
Stormgald Crusader?
SKULL COLLECTOR seems like its unreal. Maybe add like ravenous rats/chittering rats for additional sauce.
I feel like there is potential for a good black aggro deck in your cube but like....there are only like 5 low cast creatures for aggro.
I also feel that in doing this the other aggro decks will be more viable as there is a TON of removal in black and they will be cut for solid creatures.
I'm just trying to brainstorm a lot, I can't stop focusing on the cube.
-Crump
Cards I've added:
-Thunderscape Battlemage
-Cone of Flame
-I have ancient tomb in still cause I don't like gemstome mine
-I don't have an oubliette so I've put a duress in
-I put a Brine Elemental in
-I think Condemn is better than Wing Shards
-I also cut Story Circle...it seems too good especially against mono decks. It isn't that fun of a card.
-I think adding some of the Ghost Lit Guys is probably good, all of them are good except the white one.
-Hoverguard Observer might be good as Stratozeppelid
JETTING GLASSKITE SHOULD GO IN FOR SURE
I think some other ninjitsu cards like Okiba-Gang Shinobi are probably good additions.
Maybe Soratami Savant...that card was really good in limited.
Stormgald Crusader?
SKULL COLLECTOR seems like its unreal. Maybe add like ravenous rats/chittering rats for additional sauce.
I've tried a lot of the remaining cards. Just a few things: Ancient tomb is terrible. I know someone who really hates Gemstone Mine too but I like it enough to keep it in. Sometimes you just two for one with Wing Shards. If I end up pushing discard I like both Thundescape and Okiba-Gang. I'd probably try out Skull Collector and Ravenous Rats as well. I added Chittering Rats last night. Story Circle has been only marginal so I'll hang on to it. The Ghost Lit guys seem underpowered as well as fragile compared to cards in their respective colors.
I think black still needs some work. I combed Gatherer yesterday for all uncommon/common creatures and took a few notes. I'll see how it goes in the next few weeks.
I think Ancient Tomb are more powerful in a normal cube than in a common/uncommon cube, because the extra mana is worth the little damage you take. In com/unc the decks are a little lower in powerlevel, and therefor it's often not worth the damage.
The more powerful spells you can accelerate into, the more powerful the Tomb is.
Even if Ancient Tomb just gets out things like Signets, it's very good. It also isn't absolutely useless in other times in the game like Temple of the False God and the like.
How do you take glare-less pictures of them? When I have tried taking pictures of my cube, they've been glaretastic.
No - never remove Brainstorm.
It's by far the best of all the blue 1cc cantrips.
Instant > Sorcery - and by far when it's on a spell like this.
My Tribal cube
My 93/94 old school cube
My Artifact cube
My Hearthstone Quiz App for iOS
My secondary "cube".
Really out of date cube thread with pictures.
I'm still not convinced that a card (Standstill) should be added based solely on it's interaction with manlands/artifact men - which amounts to something like 2% of the entire cube.
And yeah, honestly probably never running Imperial Recruiter as I'd prefer the $150. Especially when it's for an effect that's worse than Demonic Tutor @ $5-10. That's what I like about pimping the common/uncommon cube. It may be worth a decent amount all together but none of the individual cards are worth much so I'm not tempted into selling pieces off.
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This. Never take Brainstorm out. Even without fetch-lands, it's still 10x better than all the other U cantrip spells. Not only is it an instant, but you can use it to protect your hand from discard spells (something that none of the other spells can do). It is also much, much better card selection because you can change a higher percentage of your hand when it resolves.
I also don't think the Imperial Recruiter belongs. It's only really abusive in cubes that have a high percentage of really powerful low power creatures; something that a common/uncommon cube won't have. You can't grab the 'goyf, the Welder, the Squee, the Lavamancer... it's just not worth it without 'em (and definitely not worth the $150, IMO).
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!
Its Veiled Serpent sorry,
Wow, seems bad.
My secondary "cube".
Really out of date cube thread with pictures.
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 was hoping that wasn't what the card was.
On another note: New pics up! I think it's a little easier to see everything with these.
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EDIT: Ever think about Weatherseed Totem? I personally love this card (and will be adding it to my card with the next update), and it seems very strong in common/uncommon cube. I remember 1st picking that card occasionally in TPF draft and being very happy with it (card almost won me a constructed PTQ back in block even....such a bomb card against Teachings before they were packing Grudge and Return to Dust...).
(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)
Kenny - I was running the Totem for a while and ended up cutting it. Though I think that just may be a product of weaker green cards at the time and there not being a deck to support it. I think I'll push the green deck and put it back it - also green is the only one without a color specific artifact at this point.
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Also I've changed a few things about the cube:
-I've cut the Allied Strategies for Tidings
-I've Put in Serendib Efreet over Propaganda (Propaganda and Ghostly Prison aren't very fun cards to play against)
-I play a Viridian Shaman over Ape because I own one, however I think its better because of Perfect.
-I think Rift Bolt is better than shock
-I cut the Consume Strength for Cankerous Thirst since its playable if you're black or green and it's insane if you're in both. Also how has the 3/2 HHH Swampwalk guy been?
-I've kept in threaten because it's good with both Carrion Feeder and Husk among other things
-I'd add Nucklavee over the razorfin hunter
-Also I hate temporal spring so maybe the HHH 2/2 that draws a card
-I put in Mistmeadow Witch over Silver Drake
-I added a Sol Ring...might be too good but we'll see
-I also cut Skullclamp as it seems like too good of a card. It's a high pick in normal cubes so it seems way too good in this kind of cube.
-I think this cube NEEDS an Indrik Stomphowler
Also, how have the charge lands been? I've been playing the come into play tapped lands from invasion.
I think you've done a great job with the cube however I feel like I want to change some spells out for creatures and make aggro more viable.
You add a Sol Ring, but remove Skullclamp because it's too good.
My Tribal cube
My 93/94 old school cube
My Artifact cube
My Hearthstone Quiz App for iOS
This is AWESOME! Looks like you put in a lot of work. As to your changes:
Allied Strategies with be replaced soon, probably with Opportunity instead of Tidings. I don't consider Serendib Efreet an uncommon despite there not being rares in Arabian Nights. If we reclassify that set by it's print runs Efreet is in a rare slot. Propaganda and Ghostly Prison may get the cut as they single handedly deter multiple creature strategies.
Obviously Viridian Shaman is better than Orangutan I just like the 6th edition foil...:rolleyes: Riftbolt over Shock seems like a no brainer, I'm not sure what pushed Shock ahead when I cut Bolt. I looked at Cankerous Thirst last week. I think I tend to agree with your argument. Stalker Hag has been pretty good. I've run it in both mono decks. It has evasion around 75% of the time. I'm not sure about Threaten. It was brought up that the card tends to be only okay in regular draft. It's a card that doesn't tend to do anything if your behind. I think that 90% of the time you'd rather have a burn spell in any red deck.
As for Nucklavee, I haven't tested the card a lot so I'm not sure. I'll give it another shot. Temporal Spring is fine, I don't think the HHH guy is very good. UG just suffers from being a week color combo, period. I really like Silver Drake. Witch is a great card too but very mana intensive. Also it's really fragile unless your casting it with blink mana up.
I think I'm going to have to give in and cut Skullclamp. I've already been considering it, comments have been made and I've defended it for long enough as being "beatable." That being said I think Sol Ring is overpowered as well. I swear I had a Stomphowler in but I have no idea where it went. Which is weird because green isn't missing cards. I'm a little on the fence about the charge lands as there isn't much to ramp up to. But adding the Invasion tap lands seems wrong too as they are now just obsolete versions of the Shard lands.
Wow, that's a lot to think about. Thank you! It's a huge help to have someone test your cube from an outside perspective. I hope you'll post more if you think about anything else. Also, I think I'll start actively drafting aggro to test the archetype's weak spots. I think WW is really strong right now as it's probably the fastest. I haven't drafted mono red in a while and I've also wanted to try out mono green.
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I don't even think they are that good. They are a good answer to swarms of tokens but I've won many a game vs them by just paying two and bashing.
I think aggro v control in this cube is fine. That said green really needs to hit some of its bombs to be playable. However most updates seem to have helped black and blue over other colors.
My secondary "cube".
Really out of date cube thread with pictures.
Cards I've added:
-Thunderscape Battlemage
-Cone of Flame
-I have ancient tomb in still cause I don't like gemstome mine
-I don't have an oubliette so I've put a duress in
-I put a Brine Elemental in
-I think Condemn is better than Wing Shards
-I also cut Story Circle...it seems too good especially against mono decks. It isn't that fun of a card.
-I think adding some of the Ghost Lit Guys is probably good, all of them are good except the white one.
-Hoverguard Observer might be good as Stratozeppelid
JETTING GLASSKITE SHOULD GO IN FOR SURE
I think some other ninjitsu cards like Okiba-Gang Shinobi are probably good additions.
Maybe Soratami Savant...that card was really good in limited.
Stormgald Crusader?
SKULL COLLECTOR seems like its unreal. Maybe add like ravenous rats/chittering rats for additional sauce.
I feel like there is potential for a good black aggro deck in your cube but like....there are only like 5 low cast creatures for aggro.
I also feel that in doing this the other aggro decks will be more viable as there is a TON of removal in black and they will be cut for solid creatures.
I'm just trying to brainstorm a lot, I can't stop focusing on the cube.
-Crump
Okay I'm in on Jetting Glasskite. If that card goes in, I think Stratozeppelid could replace Air Elemental to limit the UU cards. Hoverguard Observer is just a worse Phantom Monster and I want to try and limit redundancy.
I've tried a lot of the remaining cards. Just a few things: Ancient tomb is terrible. I know someone who really hates Gemstone Mine too but I like it enough to keep it in. Sometimes you just two for one with Wing Shards. If I end up pushing discard I like both Thundescape and Okiba-Gang. I'd probably try out Skull Collector and Ravenous Rats as well. I added Chittering Rats last night. Story Circle has been only marginal so I'll hang on to it. The Ghost Lit guys seem underpowered as well as fragile compared to cards in their respective colors.
I think black still needs some work. I combed Gatherer yesterday for all uncommon/common creatures and took a few notes. I'll see how it goes in the next few weeks.
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The more powerful spells you can accelerate into, the more powerful the Tomb is.
My Tribal cube
My 93/94 old school cube
My Artifact cube
My Hearthstone Quiz App for iOS
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!
How do you take glare-less pictures of them? When I have tried taking pictures of my cube, they've been glaretastic.
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
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Seems interesting. Savant makes for a decent late game lock on the board. Especially when topdecking mode comes around.
- Benjammn
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!