The last time I played haunted crossroads, it was in a deck with mogg war marshall, marsh flitter, blood artist, imperial recruiter, and one or two other creatures. It made it so I never ran out of stuff, and I won every game I had it out, so I wouldn't say it's only good with etbs. Giving me a guaranteed blood artist was great.
Skipping your draw to get a Blood Artist back does not seem like it would let you get back in the game often.
Small update: Gravetiller Wurm out for Penumbra Wurm
Being a 4/4 trample for 6 mana in ~20% of the cases makes Gravetiller Wurm too unreliable for me. I know the difference between 6 and 7 mana is a lot but I want my ramp targets to be reliable and resilient.
Got to test the new Wurm last night in this deck. Luckily, I didn't face an aggro deck and went 3-0.
Skipping your draw to get a Blood Artist back does not seem like it would let you get back in the game often.
Isn't pulling out of reach part of the allure of Blood artist? The lifegain is less relevant than the lifeloss, but it is relevant. Blood artist is often the most annoying creature on the board, and having infinite access to one once I've gotten to it does sound like an advantageous position to me (Especially since you are guaranteed to not run out of creatures with the crossroads in play).
I'm surprised your opinion is so different in this case
I mean, if your board position is similar to your opponent's, getting Blood Artist back is good, but in those situations getting creatures in general is good. Having a Haunted Crossroads when you're behind is usually not very useful unless you can get some extreme value of it next turn (like Shriekmaw).
Yes, I agree.
Ahead, snowball to victory
On parity, can keep you from falling out of it
Behind, need stabilizer in yard to be even useful (minority of time), but if you have stabilzer you will likely stabilize (bone shredder, shriekmaw)
I was probably more at odds with you saying it was only good with shriekmaw, but that was perhaps a throwaway comment not worth fixating on
Relatively large update: Emancipation Angel out for Fiend Hunter
Angel is ok I guess, but I want to try and add Fiend Hunter again. Selesnya Guildmage out for Timely Hordemate
Guildmage wasn't all that good. Hordemate gets one more try. Frostburn Weird out for Memory Lapse
Weird hasn't performed for quite some time. I either wanted to add Memory Lapse or Exclude. Lapse is Remand v2. Slaughter out for Murderous Cut
Slaughter hasn't performed for quite some time at well. Cut has no restrictions on the color of creatures it can destroy. Duergar Hedge-Mage out for Skarrgan Firebird
Had to cut the Hedge-Mage to keep the hybrid section balanced. I am skeptical about the Firebird but a 6/6 recurring flying dude might be ok. I am also really desperate for a red finisher. Qal Sisma Behemoth out for Stoke the Flames
I am glad I tried Behemoth, he might get another good later. Stoke the Flames gets another try for now. Might have too much burn now, but we'll see. Penumbra Wurm out for Howlgeist
The difference between 6 and 7 mana is huge... Snakeform out for Nemesis of Mortals
Snakeform is also cut to keep the hybrid section balanced. Nemesis gets another go. Horizon Chimera out for Fleetfeather Cockatrice
Not a real fan of the Chimera. Cockatrice seems better.
Other than slaughter, I'm not tied to anything you're cutting. It's like.. forbid, where sometimes you are just set up and you are impermeable.
With both Slaughter and Forbid you're only using the buyback around 50% of the time (no data, just off the top of my head). The difference is that Forbid costs only 1 more mana than its none buyback version (Counterspell) whereas Slaughter cost 2 more mana. This also makes it much easier to cast Forbid and buyback to cast it again in the same turn. It just feels so bad to cast Slaughter only once. Moreover, I feel that trading card advantage for board advantage is much easier than trading life for board advantage in control decks.
These changes look quite good. If it wasn't for hybrid reasons, would you have cut Snakeform? I actually just included it because I needed a GU hybrid, but I'm on the fence.
I don't think so. It's a solid card and a great combat trick and it cantrips. As long as you have a creature with at least 1 power it's: "Destroy target attacking/blocking creature. Draw a card." in colors which usually don't have access to those effects.
Cuts seem good. Only one I disagree with is Miscalculation.
I cut Hour of Need. Never saw play and when it did it was difficult to really set up a good value.
EDIT: i think cutting Cathar iz a mistake too. Cant block is very strong and combined with haste really nets a lot of dmg. Even though Heelcutter does a better job at it, its an effect that i will never mind having multiples of.
Some changes after some discussion in this topic, the C/Ube forum and my playgroup. Also went to 360: Master of Diversion > Lone Missionary
Master of Diversion is mediocre at best. Aggro has been very solid lately so I am experimenting with adding some cards again which I removed to buff aggro. Wingcrafter > Phantasmal Bear
Wingcrafter just never works out. Blue aggro really misses one drops. Curiosity > Marang River Prowler
Curiosity never went into decks. I counting Prowler as a blue card for now (just as Nacatl is green). Repulse > Into the Roil
Trying this swap again. Hour of Need > Miscalculation
As discussed above. Victimize > Fallen Angel
And Fallen Angel is in again, mostly because I wanted to cut Victimize and the angel seems like such an archetype defining card. Genju of the Spires > Weapon Surge
Genju is great to give aggro reach against decks with few creatures, but otherwise lackluster. I really like combat tricks. Sulfurous Blast > Pyroclasm
As said before, I am experimenting with adding some cards which I removed previously to buff aggro.
Cuts:
-Coalition Honor Guard
Cute and sometimes good.
-Sea Drake
The drawback is just too hefty I feel.
-Phyrexian Rager
Unexciting and ok. (It is now in the "sideboard" for the off chance I ever play with 8 persons and I need to swap out Booster Tutor)
-Magmatic Insight
Not tested, but after some discussion probably not even worth it. I might end up cutting a burn spell instead as I feel I might have one too many, but I like some more drafts before I make that decision.
-Gruul Guildmage
Just never really saw play.
Those changes all seem awesome. I like Hour of Need a lot more than Miscalculation but the change is still good given the amount of counterspells you already have.
As someone who runs 10 card guild sections, why are you scraping the bottom of the barrel with stuff like Ascended Lawmage, Pharika's Mender, Bounding Krasis, and Goblin Trenches? Maw of Obzedat makes sense if you are pushing that archetype, but there are so many other great choices in Azorius, Golgari, Simic, and Boros.
Yeah I agree that those three are all really good. Ethercaste Knight is really good, I would almost always pick it over Ascended Lawmage if I saw both in a pack in my cube. Bounding Krasis is probably spicier than Shambleshark, I was just listing some options.
Pharika's Mender is very good card and I don't want two aggro cards in my golgari section so the choice was Putrid Leech or Dreg Mangler. Pure based on powerlevel I should probably play the Leech, but both in green and in black aggro two drops are plenty and three drops are not.
Wyvern might be cut but I am testing it. Wall of Denial I really don't like as a card, but with my cube being faster I might try it again at some point. The other two Azorius cards I find playable (Arctic Aven and Lyev Skyknight) just feel too similar to cards like Cloud Spirit and Latch Seeker. Lawmage feels way more unique. Although I must admit it hasn't done much work for quite some time.
The only two cards I would consider in Simic section apart from the ones I am already running are Shardless Agent and Fleetwing Cockatrice. Lorescale proved too slow.
Goblin Trenches is a bomb and can win games on it's own regardless of you being ahead or behind on the board. I don't play Lightning Helix for the same reason I don't play Putrify, Mortify or Terminate. You'll never dive into a color because of it; it's just an extra if you're already playing R/W(/x) or am I wrong? Boros Charm is solid but boring. Sunhome Guildmage proved too slow and Stun Sniper seems like a bad version of Goldmeadow Harrier combined with a bad version of Fireslinger. Both of which I don't even play.
EDIT: Thinking about it, it might be time to change my Azorius to something like Arctic Aven and Wall of Denial if the Wyvern doesn't work out.
Pharika's Mender is very good card and I don't want two aggro cards in my golgari section so the choice was Putrid Leech or Dreg Mangler. Pure based on powerlevel I should probably play the Leech, but both in green and in black aggro two drops are plenty and three drops are not.
Wyvern might be cut but I am testing it. Wall of Denial I really don't like as a card, but with my cube being faster I might try it again at some point. The other two Azorius cards I find playable (Arctic Aven and Lyev Skyknight) just feel too similar to cards like Cloud Spirit and Latch Seeker. Lawmage feels way more unique. Although I must admit it hasn't done much work for quite some time.
I think Lawmage just has terrible stats. 3/3 flier for 4 is kind of the vanilla test in my opinion. Arctic Aven and Lyev Skyknight are both AMAZING. Particularly Lyev Skyknight. Like a Kor Hookmaster / Frost Lynx that happens to be a 3/1 flier for 3. Also, Ethercaste Knight is actually good. People seem to underestimate it a ton but it's insane if you have a one drop, it can attack well on its own, and it's an exalted blocker. I would still play Lyev Skyknight over basically every Azorius card though.
The only two cards I would consider in Simic section apart from the ones I am already running are Shardless Agent and Fleetwing Cockatrice. Lorescale proved too slow.
Goblin Trenches is a bomb and can win games on it's own regardless of you being ahead or behind on the board. I don't play Lightning Helix for the same reason I don't play Putrify, Mortify or Terminate. You'll never dive into a color because of it; it's just an extra if you're already playing R/W(/x) or am I wrong? Boros Charm is solid but boring. Sunhome Guildmage proved too slow and Stun Sniper seems like a bad version of Goldmeadow Harrier combined with a bad version of Fireslinger. Both of which I don't even play.
After years of frustration where I only thought wall of denial was "great" in azorius I finally tried ascended lawmage. That card has housed for me in azorius aggro builds or even in 3 color control decks. Hexproof is borderline the dumbest ability to put on an evasive creature, so it produces an inexorable tide of damage. It also trades against a lot of good aggro creatures in case you're behind and it can't be removed (obviously) otherwise. I really like it, except hexproof is dumb dumb dumb.
It has only been 3 showings so it could be variance. Lyev skyknight is perfectly fine.
I'm doing mender+mangler in golgari for the same reason.
You know, I think coiling oracle is whack but cascading into coiling Oracle on shardless agent is insane.
I didn't even remember ethercaste knight was a card, and I had to look drakewing krasis up. (Krasis is still an ok magic card I just don't think it gets into simic. If you want an aggressive Simic guy, jhessian infiltrator is welkin tern on like, super crack)
Instant speed was sometimes relevant and being able to choose between 2 and 3 damage was important sometimes as well. Dealing damage to players is almost always a disadvantage. It's definitely a good card and easily in the top 3 of best sweepers we have together with Pyroclasm and Firespout.
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
Ghostly Flicker out for Frantic Search
Flicker hasn't been doing much for quite some time.
Chittering Rats out for Fallen Angel
Some more support for the token decks.
Haunted Crossroads out for Victimize
Croosroads it only good with cards like Shriekmaw.
Masked Admirers out for Restock
As discussed above, I think this might be better.
Trusted Forcemage out for Abzan Beastmaster
As discussed above, Beastmaster has some more time to prove itself.
Also, I now actually have a Berserk so it's now longer proxied.
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Small update:
Gravetiller Wurm out for Penumbra Wurm
Being a 4/4 trample for 6 mana in ~20% of the cases makes Gravetiller Wurm too unreliable for me. I know the difference between 6 and 7 mana is a lot but I want my ramp targets to be reliable and resilient.
Got to test the new Wurm last night in this deck. Luckily, I didn't face an aggro deck and went 3-0.
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Wall of Blossoms
1 Epochrasite
1 Crocanura
1 Civic Wayfinder
1 Bone Shredder
1 Phantom Centaur
1 Briarhorn
1 Skinrender
1 Deadwood Treefolk
1 Trostani's Summoner
1 Penumbra Wurm
1 Pelakka Wurm
1 Path to Exile
1 Dismember
Enchantment
1 Utopia Sprawl
1 Banishing Light
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Necromancy
1 Faith's Fetters
Artifact
1 Coldsteel Heart
1 Sphere of the Suns
1 Serrated Arrows
1 Seaside Citadel
1 Nomad Outpost
2 Plains
4 Swamp
9 Forest
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
Isn't pulling out of reach part of the allure of Blood artist? The lifegain is less relevant than the lifeloss, but it is relevant. Blood artist is often the most annoying creature on the board, and having infinite access to one once I've gotten to it does sound like an advantageous position to me (Especially since you are guaranteed to not run out of creatures with the crossroads in play).
I'm surprised your opinion is so different in this case
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
Ahead, snowball to victory
On parity, can keep you from falling out of it
Behind, need stabilizer in yard to be even useful (minority of time), but if you have stabilzer you will likely stabilize (bone shredder, shriekmaw)
I was probably more at odds with you saying it was only good with shriekmaw, but that was perhaps a throwaway comment not worth fixating on
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Emancipation Angel out for Fiend Hunter
Angel is ok I guess, but I want to try and add Fiend Hunter again.
Selesnya Guildmage out for Timely Hordemate
Guildmage wasn't all that good. Hordemate gets one more try.
Frostburn Weird out for Memory Lapse
Weird hasn't performed for quite some time. I either wanted to add Memory Lapse or Exclude. Lapse is Remand v2.
Slaughter out for Murderous Cut
Slaughter hasn't performed for quite some time at well. Cut has no restrictions on the color of creatures it can destroy.
Duergar Hedge-Mage out for Skarrgan Firebird
Had to cut the Hedge-Mage to keep the hybrid section balanced. I am skeptical about the Firebird but a 6/6 recurring flying dude might be ok. I am also really desperate for a red finisher.
Qal Sisma Behemoth out for Stoke the Flames
I am glad I tried Behemoth, he might get another good later. Stoke the Flames gets another try for now. Might have too much burn now, but we'll see.
Penumbra Wurm out for Howlgeist
The difference between 6 and 7 mana is huge...
Snakeform out for Nemesis of Mortals
Snakeform is also cut to keep the hybrid section balanced. Nemesis gets another go.
Horizon Chimera out for Fleetfeather Cockatrice
Not a real fan of the Chimera. Cockatrice seems better.
As always comments/suggestions are welcome.
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
I don't think so. It's a solid card and a great combat trick and it cantrips. As long as you have a creature with at least 1 power it's: "Destroy target attacking/blocking creature. Draw a card." in colors which usually don't have access to those effects.
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Daring Skyjek > Topan Freeblade
Skyjek is not very good. Freeblade seems like a decent replacement.
Master Splicer > Sentinel of the Eternal Watch
Didn't want ot cut a 5 or 6 drop for the Sentinel but I think I have to the next time a good 5 or 6 drop come along for white.
Youthful Knight > Consul's Lieutenant
Lieutenant is too good not to try despite its cost.
Stealer of Secrets > Jhessian Thief
Thief seems better and is more interesting.
Miscalculation > Whirler Rogue
Finding a cut for the Rogue was hard. I t was either Miscalculation, Hour of Need or Peregrine Drake. Maybe I should have cut Hour of Need.
Skarrgan Firebird > Boggart Brute
Firebird is bad. Evasive 3 drop seems good.
Aetherflame Wall > Magmatic Insight
Insight seems good. Wall was just never played.
Fervent Cathar > Acolyte of the Inferno
Cathar is just a bad Goblin Heelcutter. Acolyte seems very good.
Fallen Angel > Shambling Ghoul
Nobody ever played the Angel and I am somewhat light on black aggro 2 drops.
Abzan Beastmaster > Skysnare Spider
Spider is a nice fat body. Beastmaster was mediocre.
Druid's Familiar > Undercity Troll
The familiar can be very good by adding 6 power and toughness to the board for 4 mana but I am starting to think it is too vulnerable for instant removal...
Mistmeadow Witch > Thunderclap Wyvern
Witch is valued highly by players of my cube but I think this might be a mistake. Wyvern seems interesting.
Grafted Wargear > War Horn
I am banning Wargear. War Horn seems alright and gets a try.
Fleetfeather Cockatrice > Bounding Krasis
Krasis seems better and more interesting than Cockatrice. Might try Aether Mutation some day here.
Other Changes:
Benthic Giant > Riverwheel Aerialists
I think I value evasion higher than hexproof on a 5 toughness guy.
Daze > Force of Will
Had quite a few games in which I would have loved a FoW instead of a Daze.
Memory Lapse > Mana Drain
As I now use proxies Mana Drain get a go.
Phyrexian Gargantua > Gurmag Angler
Not a fan of the Gargantua. Angler is solid.
As always feedback is appreciated.
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
I cut Hour of Need. Never saw play and when it did it was difficult to really set up a good value.
EDIT: i think cutting Cathar iz a mistake too. Cant block is very strong and combined with haste really nets a lot of dmg. Even though Heelcutter does a better job at it, its an effect that i will never mind having multiples of.
My Peasant Cube thread !!! (380 cards)
Draft my Peasant Cube on Cube Cobra !!!
As for the Cathar is was either cutting it or cutting Vaultbreaker, Pyreheart Wolf, Guttersnipe or Fault Riders. I think the Cathar is the weakest of the bunch, but I might be wrong.
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
Guttersnipe is probably the weakest but it's more interesting to draft with. It's probably going to go once I add the new 3s.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
I guess I'll just cut Hour in Need for Miscalculation.
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
Master of Diversion > Lone Missionary
Master of Diversion is mediocre at best. Aggro has been very solid lately so I am experimenting with adding some cards again which I removed to buff aggro.
Wingcrafter > Phantasmal Bear
Wingcrafter just never works out. Blue aggro really misses one drops.
Curiosity > Marang River Prowler
Curiosity never went into decks. I counting Prowler as a blue card for now (just as Nacatl is green).
Repulse > Into the Roil
Trying this swap again.
Hour of Need > Miscalculation
As discussed above.
Victimize > Fallen Angel
And Fallen Angel is in again, mostly because I wanted to cut Victimize and the angel seems like such an archetype defining card.
Genju of the Spires > Weapon Surge
Genju is great to give aggro reach against decks with few creatures, but otherwise lackluster. I really like combat tricks.
Sulfurous Blast > Pyroclasm
As said before, I am experimenting with adding some cards which I removed previously to buff aggro.
Cuts:
-Coalition Honor Guard
Cute and sometimes good.
-Sea Drake
The drawback is just too hefty I feel.
-Phyrexian Rager
Unexciting and ok. (It is now in the "sideboard" for the off chance I ever play with 8 persons and I need to swap out Booster Tutor)
-Magmatic Insight
Not tested, but after some discussion probably not even worth it. I might end up cutting a burn spell instead as I feel I might have one too many, but I like some more drafts before I make that decision.
-Gruul Guildmage
Just never really saw play.
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
As someone who runs 10 card guild sections, why are you scraping the bottom of the barrel with stuff like Ascended Lawmage, Pharika's Mender, Bounding Krasis, and Goblin Trenches? Maw of Obzedat makes sense if you are pushing that archetype, but there are so many other great choices in Azorius, Golgari, Simic, and Boros.
Ethercaste Knight, Arctic Aven, Lyev Skyknight, Wall of Denial, Sky Hussar all seem better than the lawmage, and maybe even better than the Thunderclap Wyvern (although I haven't played with wyvern yet so that's just speculation)
Pharika's Mender is an awesome card but not playing Putrid Leech is just criminal, especially with all the black aggro support you have.
Bounding Krasis is fine in terms of card quality but what about spicy stuff like Lorescale Coatl, Drakewing Krasis and Shambleshark?
Stun Sniper, Sunhome Guildmage, Boros Charm, and Lightning Helix are all really really strong.
Ethercaste Knight is really good, I would almost always pick it over Ascended Lawmage if I saw both in a pack in my cube. Bounding Krasis is probably spicier than Shambleshark, I was just listing some options.
Stun Sniper never gets enough love T__T
Wyvern might be cut but I am testing it. Wall of Denial I really don't like as a card, but with my cube being faster I might try it again at some point. The other two Azorius cards I find playable (Arctic Aven and Lyev Skyknight) just feel too similar to cards like Cloud Spirit and Latch Seeker. Lawmage feels way more unique. Although I must admit it hasn't done much work for quite some time.
The only two cards I would consider in Simic section apart from the ones I am already running are Shardless Agent and Fleetwing Cockatrice. Lorescale proved too slow.
Goblin Trenches is a bomb and can win games on it's own regardless of you being ahead or behind on the board. I don't play Lightning Helix for the same reason I don't play Putrify, Mortify or Terminate. You'll never dive into a color because of it; it's just an extra if you're already playing R/W(/x) or am I wrong? Boros Charm is solid but boring. Sunhome Guildmage proved too slow and Stun Sniper seems like a bad version of Goldmeadow Harrier combined with a bad version of Fireslinger. Both of which I don't even play.
EDIT: Thinking about it, it might be time to change my Azorius to something like Arctic Aven and Wall of Denial if the Wyvern doesn't work out.
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
Yeah that makes sense.
I think Lawmage just has terrible stats. 3/3 flier for 4 is kind of the vanilla test in my opinion. Arctic Aven and Lyev Skyknight are both AMAZING. Particularly Lyev Skyknight. Like a Kor Hookmaster / Frost Lynx that happens to be a 3/1 flier for 3. Also, Ethercaste Knight is actually good. People seem to underestimate it a ton but it's insane if you have a one drop, it can attack well on its own, and it's an exalted blocker. I would still play Lyev Skyknight over basically every Azorius card though.
Fair enough. Shardless Agent is a bomb for me but in my cube it flips into Coiling Oracle, not a counterspell.
Yeah that makes sense. I run Blinding Mage which makes Stun Sniper look insanely good.
Draft it on Cubetutor here, and CubeCobra here.
Treasure Cruise did nothing wrong.
It has only been 3 showings so it could be variance. Lyev skyknight is perfectly fine.
I'm doing mender+mangler in golgari for the same reason.
You know, I think coiling oracle is whack but cascading into coiling Oracle on shardless agent is insane.
I didn't even remember ethercaste knight was a card, and I had to look drakewing krasis up. (Krasis is still an ok magic card I just don't think it gets into simic. If you want an aggressive Simic guy, jhessian infiltrator is welkin tern on like, super crack)
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
Azorius Guildmage > Land Tax
Guildmage wasn't doing much lately. Land Tax gets one final try.
Serra Angel > Elite Scaleguard
Lots of people seems to like the Scaleguard.
Omenspeaker > Sea Gate Oracle
Let's switch these again.
Marang River Prowler > Impulse
No idea why I didn't play Impulse yet.
Pyreheart Wolf > Reckless Charge
I wanted to cut a red 3 drop. Decided to cut the wolf instead of Guttersnipe. Reckless Charge wasn't great last time but lots of people here seem to think it is.
Flame Slash > Arc Trail
Experimenting with more dividable burn again.
Nemesis of Mortals > Rogue Elephant
Still don't like Nemesis. Green agrro gets a little boost.
Vines of Vastwood > Sylvan Library
Vines hasn't been performing for some time. Library gets a try.
Ghor-Clan Rampager > Kird Ape
Gruul decks don't need more 4 drops, they need 1 drops.
Rix Maadi Guildmage > Blazing Specter
After some discussion at the peasant cube forum.
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra