[450/465][Unpowered] MTG in Suwon-si Duel Cube (partial Amonkhet update)

#1 Jan 25, 2014

Resident Planeswalker

Location: Suwon, South Korea
Join Date: 1/25/2014
Posts: 4,271
Member Details

Hi, I've been playing Magic on and off since Mirage Block, and drafting since Tempest, but I took a long break after Mercadian Masques when I moved to Korea and I got back into the game in Gatecrash, and there's no turning back. I'm building this cube to play with a group of expats in the Seoul area. We play a mix of booster draft, Standard, and EDH, and I'm trying to add cube to the mix. I started this cube with leftovers from my collection, mostly from the current Standard block, things I can find for cheap, and whatever I could get the rest of the group to donate from their collections.

For a long time I tried to keep this a budget cube, trying not to spend more than a few dollars per card. However, I've enjoyed building, managing, and playing this cube too much not to crack open my wallet to make it as good as possible. Plus, since I do retail draft on a weekly basis, it's never been that hard for me to add the best cards from the latest sets and trade off Standard playables I don't need for cube staples. I don't plan on powering up the cube, and there are some items that are so expensive I don't ever plan to get them unless cheap reprints happen, like ABU duals (which are now proxied), P3K cards, and some very rare older cards like Moat and The Abyss. I'm fine with that.

Basic Information
Cube Size: 465, enough for 10 players plus an extra pack for Lore Seeker. Most cube drafts happen in groups of 4-6, but occasionally we have 10 players
Breakdown:Approximately 60 of each single color, but varies slightly based on each color's access to playable hybrids. See below or my Cubetutor page for the exact current breakdown
Standard or Theme:Standard
Snow Lands:No
Average Number of Players:8-10
How Often Drafted:Once or twice a month as a full draft, Winstoned at least once a week.

Card Selection
Proxies: Yes, my Revised duals, Jace the Mind Sculptor, Show and Tell and Sneak Attack are proxied. I also run gold-bordered editions of some cards.
Powered:No, but mostly for budget reasons.
Portal:Not at the moment, but I'm not opposed on principle.
"Un" Cards: No. I tried adding some, but they were unpopular with the rest of the players.
Banned Cards for Power-Level: Sol Ring.
Banned Cards for Time Constraints:none
Banned Cards for "fun" factor: "Un" cards, Jace, Memory Adept.

Cube Design
Standard or Multiplayer:Standard
Sideboards?:OK
Color Balance:Mostly, but some colors have more access to playable hybrids than others, and their mono-colored cards have been reduced accordingly.
Gold Balance:Yes, but hybrids vary.
Hybrid/Split/Kicker as Gold:No. Each guild began with two hybrid or split cards, and I have added more hybrids where possible since, and cut mono-colored cards to make room for them in the most balanced way possible (ex. when I added 2 UW cards, I cut a blue and a white to make room. However, Simic has no hybrids worth playing, so my green and blue sections each gained one additional card to preserve color balance. This cube currently has no cards with off-color kickers, but if I did, I would consider them to be gold cards.
Color Triggers as Gold:Yes
Perfectly Balanced CMC:No.

The most up-to-date version of this cube is always listed on my Cubetutor page: http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/6673

MTG in Suwon-si Duel Cube from CubeTutor.comMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
White Creature 1x Dragon Hunter 1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda 1x Kytheon, Hero of Akros 1x Mardu Woe-Reaper 1x Mother of Runes 1x Savannah Lions 1x Soldier of the Pantheon 1x Student of Warfare 1x Accorder Paladin 1x Consul's Lieutenant 1x Hidden Dragonslayer 1x Imposing Sovereign 1x Kor Skyfisher 1x Precinct Captain 1x Relic Seeker 1x Soltari Trooper 1x Stoneforge Mystic 1x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben 1x Wall of Omens 1x Blade Splicer 1x Brimaz, King of Oreskos 1x Flickerwisp 1x Hallowed Spiritkeeper 1x Kor Sanctifiers 1x Mirror Entity 1x Monastery Mentor 1x Soltari Champion 1x Hero of Bladehold 1x Restoration Angel 1x Baneslayer Angel 1x Cloudgoat Ranger 1x Karmic Guide 1x Reveillark 1x Sun Titan 1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite White Planeswalker 1x Ajani Goldmane 1x Elspeth, Knight-Errant 1x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar 1x Gideon Jura 1x Elspeth, Sun's Champion White Artifact Creature 1x Porcelain Legionnaire White Instant 1x Enlightened Tutor 1x Mana Tithe 1x Path to Exile 1x Swords to Plowshares 1x Disenchant 1x Unexpectedly Absent White Sorcery 1x Balance 1x Council's Judgment 1x Spectral Procession 1x Armageddon 1x Day of Judgment 1x Wrath of God 1x Planar Outburst 1x Catastrophe White Enchantment 1x Land Tax 1x Journey to Nowhere 1x Banishing Light 1x Oblivion Ring White Enchantment Artifact 1x Spear of Heliod Blue Creature 1x Enclave Cryptologist 1x Looter il-Kor 1x Phantasmal Image 1x Snapcaster Mage 1x Stratus Dancer 1x Waterfront Bouncer 1x Aether Adept 1x Kira, Great Glass-Spinner 1x Man-o'-War 1x Pestermite 1x True-Name Nemesis 1x Vendilion Clique 1x Dungeon Geists 1x Glen Elendra Archmage 1x Sower of Temptation 1x Venser, Shaper Savant 1x Whirler Rogue 1x Meloku the Clouded Mirror 1x Mulldrifter 1x Aetherling Blue Planeswalker 1x Jace Beleren 1x Jace, Architect of Thought 1x Jace, the Mind Sculptor 1x Tamiyo, the Moon Sage Blue Artifact Creature 1x Spellskite 1x Phyrexian Metamorph 1x Inkwell Leviathan Blue Artifact 1x Crystal Shard 1x Vedalken Shackles Blue Instant 1x Force Spike 1x Mystical Tutor 1x Arcane Denial 1x Counterspell 1x Daze 1x Impulse 1x Into the Roil 1x Mana Leak 1x Memory Lapse 1x Miscalculation 1x Remand 1x Forbid 1x Scatter to the Winds 1x Cryptic Command 1x Fact or Fiction 1x Force of Will 1x Condescend 1x Dig Through Time Blue Sorcery 1x Ponder 1x Preordain 1x Serum Visions 1x Show and Tell 1x Tinker 1x Deep Analysis 1x Bribery 1x Upheaval 1x Treasure Cruise Blue Enchantment 1x Control Magic 1x Opposition 1x Treachery Blue Land 1x Faerie Conclave Black Creature 1x Bloodsoaked Champion 1x Carnophage 1x Carrion Feeder 1x Diregraf Ghoul 1x Gravecrawler 1x Sarcomancy 1x Bloodghast 1x Dark Confidant 1x Dauthi Horror 1x Inkfathom Infiltrator 1x Nezumi Graverobber 1x Oona's Prowler 1x Pack Rat 1x Silumgar Assassin 1x Drana, Liberator of Malakir 1x Flesh Carver 1x Liliana, Heretical Healer 1x Mardu Strike Leader 1x Ophiomancer 1x Vampire Nighthawk 1x Braids, Cabal Minion 1x Nekrataal 1x Skinrender 1x Priest of the Blood Rite 1x Shriekmaw 1x Grave Titan 1x Griselbrand 1x Tombstalker Black Planeswalker 1x Liliana of the Veil Black Instant 1x Dark Ritual 1x Vampiric Tutor 1x Diabolic Edict 1x Go for the Throat 1x Malicious Affliction 1x Ultimate Price 1x Dismember 1x Hero's Downfall 1x Snuff Out	Black Sorcery 1x Duress 1x Inquisition of Kozilek 1x Reanimate 1x Thoughtseize 1x Chainer's Edict 1x Demonic Tutor 1x Exhume 1x Hymn to Tourach 1x Ruinous Path 1x Toxic Deluge 1x Languish 1x Mind Twist 1x Profane Command Black Enchantment 1x Animate Dead 1x Bitterblossom 1x Dance of the Dead 1x Necromancy 1x Necropotence 1x Recurring Nightmare Black Enchantment Creature 1x Gnarled Scarhide 1x Master of the Feast Black Land 1x Volrath's Stronghold Red Creature 1x Firedrinker Satyr 1x Goblin Glory Chaser 1x Goblin Guide 1x Grim Lavamancer 1x Jackal Pup 1x Reckless Waif 1x Stromkirk Noble 1x Zurgo Bellstriker 1x Abbot of Keral Keep 1x Gore-House Chainwalker 1x Ire Shaman 1x Lightning Mauler 1x Plated Geopede 1x Stormblood Berserker 1x War-Name Aspirant 1x Young Pyromancer 1x Fire Imp 1x Goblin Rabblemaster 1x Manic Vandal 1x Squee, Goblin Nabob 1x Akoum Firebird 1x Flametongue Kavu 1x Goblin Heelcutter 1x Hellrider 1x Hero of Oxid Ridge 1x Pia and Kiran Nalaar 1x Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker 1x Siege-Gang Commander 1x Thundermaw Hellkite 1x Zealous Conscripts 1x Inferno Titan 1x Greater Gargadon Red Planeswalker 1x Koth of the Hammer 1x Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker Red Instant 1x Burst Lightning 1x Lightning Bolt 1x Incinerate 1x Lightning Strike 1x Magma Jet 1x Smash to Smithereens 1x Char 1x Fireblast Red Sorcery 1x Chain Lightning 1x Faithless Looting 1x Arc Trail 1x Arc Lightning 1x Exquisite Firecraft 1x Flames of the Firebrand 1x Pillage 1x Wheel of Fortune 1x Burning of Xinye 1x Earthquake 1x Rolling Earthquake 1x Wildfire Red Enchantment 1x Molten Vortex 1x Goblin Bombardment 1x Sulfuric Vortex 1x Sneak Attack 1x Splinter Twin Red Enchantment Creature 1x Purphoros, God of the Forge Green Creature 1x Arbor Elf 1x Birds of Paradise 1x Elvish Mystic 1x Experiment One 1x Fyndhorn Elves 1x Joraga Treespeaker 1x Llanowar Elves 1x Noble Hierarch 1x Warden of the First Tree 1x Wild Nacatl 1x Den Protector 1x Fauna Shaman 1x Lotus Cobra 1x Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary 1x Sakura-Tribe Elder 1x Scavenging Ooze 1x Sylvan Caryatid 1x Tarmogoyf 1x Wall of Blossoms 1x Wall of Roots 1x Wild Mongrel 1x Eternal Witness 1x Nissa, Vastwood Seer 1x Reclamation Sage 1x Troll Ascetic 1x Uktabi Orangutan 1x Yavimaya Elder 1x Master of the Wild Hunt 1x Oracle of Mul Daya 1x Polukranos, World Eater 1x Thrun, the Last Troll 1x Wickerbough Elder 1x Woodland Wanderer 1x Acidic Slime 1x Deranged Hermit 1x Kalonian Hydra 1x Thragtusk 1x Greenwarden of Murasa 1x Primeval Titan 1x Hornet Queen 1x Terastodon 1x Woodfall Primus Green Planeswalker 1x Garruk Relentless 1x Garruk Wildspeaker 1x Nissa, Worldwaker Green Instant 1x Worldly Tutor Green Sorcery 1x Life from the Loam 1x Regrowth 1x Call of the Herd 1x Cultivate 1x Kodama's Reach 1x Green Sun's Zenith Green Enchantment 1x Rancor 1x Evolutionary Leap 1x Survival of the Fittest 1x Sylvan Library 1x Curse of Predation 1x Song of the Dryads Green Enchantment Creature 1x Courser of Kruphix Green Land 1x Treetop Village Azorius 1x Geist of Saint Traft 1x Dragonlord Ojutai 1x Sphinx's Revelation 1x Supreme Verdict 1x Celestial Colonnade 1x Flooded Strand 1x Hallowed Fountain 1x Tundra Dimir 1x Psychatog 1x Dragonlord Silumgar 1x Tasigur, the Golden Fang 1x Baleful Strix 1x Creeping Tar Pit 1x Polluted Delta 1x Underground Sea 1x Watery Grave	Rakdos 1x Rakdos Cackler 1x Murderous Redcap 1x Grenzo, Dungeon Warden 1x Kolaghan's Command 1x Dreadbore 1x Badlands 1x Blood Crypt 1x Bloodstained Mire 1x Lavaclaw Reaches Gruul 1x Tattermunge Maniac 1x Yasova Dragonclaw 1x Bloodbraid Elf 1x Dragonlord Atarka 1x Xenagos, the Reveler 1x Raging Ravine 1x Stomping Ground 1x Taiga 1x Wooded Foothills Selesnya 1x Dryad Militant 1x Qasali Pridemage 1x Voice of Resurgence 1x Kitchen Finks 1x Wilt-Leaf Liege 1x Sundering Growth 1x Savannah 1x Stirring Wildwood 1x Temple Garden 1x Windswept Heath Orzhov 1x Brutal Hordechief 1x Sorin, Lord of Innistrad 1x Lingering Souls 1x Vindicate 1x Godless Shrine 1x Marsh Flats 1x Scrubland 1x Shambling Vent Golgari 1x Deathrite Shaman 1x Lotleth Troll 1x Creakwood Liege 1x Life // Death 1x Maelstrom Pulse 1x Pernicious Deed 1x Bayou 1x Llanowar Wastes 1x Overgrown Tomb 1x Verdant Catacombs Simic 1x Edric, Spymaster of Trest 1x Trygon Predator 1x Mystic Snake 1x Kiora, Master of the Depths 1x Breeding Pool 1x Lumbering Falls 1x Misty Rainforest 1x Tropical Island Izzet 1x Dack's Duplicate 1x Dack Fayden 1x Ral Zarek 1x Sarkhan Unbroken 1x Scalding Tarn 1x Shivan Reef 1x Steam Vents 1x Volcanic Island Boros 1x Figure of Destiny 1x Soulfire Grand Master 1x Alesha, Who Smiles at Death 1x Boros Reckoner 1x Ajani Vengeant 1x Boros Charm 1x Arid Mesa 1x Battlefield Forge 1x Plateau 1x Sacred Foundry Esper 1x Sphinx of the Steel Wind Colourless Creature 1x Endless One 1x Kozilek, Butcher of Truth Colourless Planeswalker 1x Ugin, the Spirit Dragon Colourless Artifact Creature 1x Lore Seeker 1x Phyrexian Revoker 1x Deal Broker 1x Cogwork Librarian 1x Masticore 1x Solemn Simulacrum 1x Precursor Golem 1x Scuttling Doom Engine 1x Wurmcoil Engine 1x Aether Searcher 1x Myr Battlesphere 1x Sundering Titan 1x Hangarback Walker Colourless Artifact 1x Chrome Mox 1x Mox Diamond 1x Bonesplitter 1x Cursed Scroll 1x Pithing Needle 1x Skullclamp 1x Ankh of Mishra 1x Azorius Signet 1x Boros Signet 1x Dimir Signet 1x Golgari Signet 1x Grim Monolith 1x Gruul Signet 1x Izzet Signet 1x Lightning Greaves 1x Mind Stone 1x Orzhov Signet 1x Rakdos Signet 1x Ratchet Bomb 1x Scroll Rack 1x Selesnya Signet 1x Simic Signet 1x Umezawa's Jitte 1x Winter Orb 1x Coalition Relic 1x Grafted Wargear 1x Mimic Vat 1x Sword of Body and Mind 1x Sword of Feast and Famine 1x Sword of Fire and Ice 1x Sword of Light and Shadow 1x Sword of War and Peace 1x Tangle Wire 1x Hedron Archive 1x Nevinyrral's Disk 1x Smokestack 1x Batterskull 1x Engineered Explosives 1x Gilded Lotus Colourless Land 1x Ancient Tomb 1x City of Brass 1x Evolving Wilds 1x Gemstone Mine 1x Grand Coliseum 1x Mana Confluence 1x Maze of Ith 1x Mishra's Factory 1x Mutavault 1x Paliano, the High City 1x Reflecting Pool 1x Rishadan Port 1x Strip Mine 1x Terramorphic Expanse 1x Undiscovered Paradise 1x Wasteland Colourless Conspiracy 1x Advantageous Proclamation 1x Backup Plan 1x Double Stroke 1x Muzzio's Preparations 1x Unexpected Potential

This cube has come a long way, here's the very first version that I cobbled together from draft leftovers and bulk rares:

I'm trying to support aggro, tempo, and control based strategies with life gain and token/populate sub-themes.

White CreaturesMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
One CMC 1 Boros Elite 1 Doomed Traveler 1 Hopeful Eidolon 1 Infantry Veteran 1 Soul's Attendant Two CMC 2 Ajani's Pridemate 2 Alabaster Mage 2 Azorius Arrester 2 Daring Skyjek 2 Expendable Troops 2 Kor Skyfisher 2 Longbow Archer 2 Master Decoy 2 Precinct Captain 2 Stormfront Pegasus 2 Syndic of Tithes 2 War Priest of Thune 2 White Knight	Three CMC 3 Banisher Priest 3 Basilica Guards 3 Blade Splicer 3 Kor Hookmaster 3 Niblis of the Mist 3 Observant Alseid 3 Roc Egg 3 Sunspire Griffin 3 Wingsteed Rider Four CMC 4 Assault Griffin 4 Azorius Justiciar 4 Glimmerpoint Stag 4 Griffin Protector 4 Heavy Ballista 4 Heliod's Emissary 4 Hundred-Handed One 4 Knight of Obligation 4 Wall of Swords	Five CMC 5 Geist-Honored Monk 5 Guardian of the Gateless 5 Scion of Vitu-Ghazi 5 Serra Angel Six Plus 6 Goldnight Redeemer 6 Urbis Protector 6 Archangel

White SpellsMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
Enchantment 2 Bonds of Faith 2 Pacifism 2 Soul Tithe 3 Oblivion Ring Instant 1 Brave the Elements 1 Condemn 1 Faith's Shield 1 Righteous Blow 1 Smite 1 Swift Justice 2 Celestial Flare 2 Disenchant 2 Moment of Heroism 2 Reprisal 2 Show of Valor 2 Test of Faith 3 Afterlife 3 Dauntless Onslaught 3 Fortify 3 Rootborn Defenses	Sorcery 3 Lingering Souls 4 Divine Reckoning 5 Angelic Edict 6 Feudkiller's Verdict

I'm trying to support tempo, skies and control based strategies with life gain and token/populate sub-themes. I seem to have a lot more creatures in my blue section than a lot of other cube lists I see. I'm not sure if I should be concerned about this or not.

BlueCreaturesMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
One CMC 1 Cloudfin Raptor 1 Faerie Impostor 1 Wingcrafter Two CMC 2 Omenspeaker 2 Vaporkin 2 Welkin Tern Three CMC 3 Deceiver Exarch 3 Fettergeist 3 Man-o'-War 3 Neurok Invisimancer 3 Niblis of the Breath 3 Nimbus Naiad 3 Pestermite 3 Phantom Warrior 3 Skywinder Drake 3 Stealer of Secrets 3 Stormbound Geist 3 Wall of Frost 3 Warden of Evos Isle	Four CMC 4 Clone 4 Dungeon Geists 4 Mist Raven 4 Phantasmal Dragon 4 Soulsworn Spirit 4 Thassa's Emissary 4 Thieving Magpie Five CMC 5 Air Servant 5 Gryff Vanguard 5 Mnemonic Wall 5 Mulldrifter 5 Prescient Chimera 5 Prognostic Sphinx 5 Sealock Monster	Six Plus 6 Shipbreaker Kraken 6 Sphinx of the Chimes 7 Diluvian Primordial

Blue SpellsMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
Artifact 4 Bident of Thassa Enchantment 1 Aqueous Form 1 Sensory Deprivation 2 Agoraphobia 3 Claustrophobia Instant 1 Force Spike 1 Rapid Hybridization 1 Triton Tactics 1 Unsummon 1 Whispers of the Muse 2 Arcane Denial 2 Boomerang 2 Counterspell 2 Essence Scatter 2 Miscalculation 2 Snap 2 Think Twice 3 Dissolve 3 Exclude 3 Repulse 4 Aetherize 4 Inspiration 4 Ray of Command 6 Opportunity 0 Gridlock	Sorcery 1 Preordain 2 Hands of Binding 2 Inaction Injunction 3 Time Ebb 4 Last Thoughts

Blue SpellsMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards

Artifact
4 Bident of Thassa

Enchantment
1 Aqueous Form
1 Sensory Deprivation
2 Agoraphobia
3 Claustrophobia

Instant
1 Force Spike
1 Rapid Hybridization
1 Triton Tactics
1 Unsummon
1 Whispers of the Muse
2 Arcane Denial
2 Boomerang
2 Counterspell
2 Essence Scatter
2 Miscalculation
2 Snap
2 Think Twice
3 Dissolve
3 Exclude
3 Repulse
4 Aetherize
4 Inspiration
4 Ray of Command
6 Opportunity
0 Gridlock

Sorcery
1 Preordain
2 Hands of Binding
2 Inaction Injunction
3 Time Ebb
4 Last Thoughts

I'm trying to support aggro, and control based strategies using discard for disruption. I'm trying to get my hands on more shadow creatures to improve the evasion. I've included a lot of the GTC extort creatures to help mitigate the effects of some of the self-damaging effects. I'm also trying to add to the re-animation theme as I get cards to support that strategy.

Black CreaturesMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
One CMC 1 Carnophage 1 Guul Draz Vampire 1 Thrull Parasite 1 Tormented Hero 1 Vampire Lacerator Two CMC 2 Basilica Screecher 2 Black Knight 2 Blood Scrivener 2 Child of Night 2 Duskhunter Bat 2 Fledgling Djinn 2 Grim Roustabout 2 Pack Rat 2 Ravenous Rats 2 Thrill-Kill Assassin 2 Wight of Precinct Six	Three CMC 3 Blood Bairn 3 Chittering Rats 3 Dauthi Jackal 3 Dead Reveler 3 Gateway Shade 3 Hidden Horror 3 Hypnotic Specter 3 Mogis's Marauder 3 Slate Street Ruffian 3 Soulcage Fiend 3 Vampire Nighthawk 3 Wakedancer Four CMC 4 Accursed Spirit 4 Entomber Exarch 4 Erebos's Emissary 4 Nekrataal 4 Skinrender 4 Slum Reaper 4 Vampire Outcasts	Five CMC 5 Bloodgift Demon 5 Gray Merchant of Asphodel 5 Morinfen 5 Sengir Vampire 5 Shriekmaw 5 Warren Pilferers Six Plus 6 Hythonia the Cruel 7 Abhorrent Overlord

Black SpellsMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
Enchantment 3 Quag Sickness 3 Stab Wound 4 Diabolic Servitude 4 Mark of the Vampire Instant 1 Boon of Erebos 1 Dark Ritual 1 Tragic Slip 2 Devour Flesh 2 Doom Blade 2 Ultimate Price 3 Dark Banishing 3 Dismember 3 Murder 4 Grisly Spectacle 4 Snuff Out 5 Rescue from the Underworld	Sorcery 1 Raven's Crime 2 Disturbed Burial 2 Sign in Blood 3 Read the Bones 3 Stupor 4 Mental Vapors 6 Corrupt

It's red, so there isn't much subtlety here. Efficient creatures plus burn and stun effects for reach. It feels a bit one note, I'd love to hear some ideas for how I could make this section a bit more interesting.

Red CreaturesMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
One CMC 1 Firedrinker Satyr 1 Foundry Street Denizen 1 Stonewright 1 Stromkirk Noble Two CMC 2 Ash Zealot 2 Bloodcrazed Neonate 2 Firefist Striker 2 Fireslinger 2 Goblin Shortcutter 2 Goblin Wardriver 2 Gore-House Chainwalker 2 Kruin Striker 2 Lightning Mauler 2 Mogg Flunkies 2 Mogg War Marshal 2 Skinbrand Goblin 2 Torch Fiend 2 Young Pyromancer	Three CMC 3 Blood Ogre 3 Countryside Crusher 3 Minotaur Skullcleaver 3 Orcish Artillery 3 Pyrewild Shaman 3 Splatter Thug 3 Viashino Sandstalker Four CMC 4 Avalanche Riders 4 Bloodfray Giant 4 Ember Swallower 4 Fanatic of Mogis 4 Hellrider 4 Ill-Tempered Cyclops 4 Marauding Maulhorn 4 Purphoros's Emissary 4 Rubblebelt Maaka	Five CMC 5 Stoneshock Giant 5 Wild Celebrants 5 Wrecking Ogre Six Plus 6 Ripscale Predator 6 Shivan Dragon 6 Volcanic Dragon

Red SpellsMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
Artifact 3 Hammer of Purphoros Enchantment 2 Fire Whip 2 Madcap Skills 4 Awaken the Ancient Instant 1 Dynacharge 1 Shock 1 Weapon Surge 2 Final Fortune 2 Incinerate 2 Lightning Strike 2 Magma Jet 2 Searing Spear 3 Brimstone Volley 3 Char 4 Chandra's Outrage 6 Fireblast	Sorcery 2 Breath of Darigaaz 2 Mizzium Mortars 2 Seismic Stomp 3 Act of Treason 3 Browbeat 3 Flames of the Firebrand 3 Slagstorm 0 Disintegrate 0 Earthquake 0 Fireball

I'm trying to support stompy-style aggro as well as ramp/midrange strategies. The fatties should work both as ramp and re-animation targets.

Green CreaturesMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
One CMC 1 Elvish Mystic 1 Experiment One 1 Llanowar Elves 1 Wasteland Viper 1 Young Wolf Two CMC 2 Brushstrider 2 Dawntreader Elk 2 Deadly Recluse 2 Drudge Beetle 2 Kalonian Tusker 2 Kraul Warrior 2 Leafcrown Dryad 2 Overgrown Battlement 2 River Boa 2 Strangleroot Geist 2 Voracious Wurm	Three CMC 3 Crocanura 3 Eternal Witness 3 Nantuko Shaman 3 Renegade Krasis 3 Rootwalla 3 Slaughterhorn 3 Ulvenwald Bear 3 Viridian Corrupter 3 Yavimaya Granger Four CMC 4 Briarhorn 4 Crowned Ceratok 4 Cudgel Troll 4 Deadbridge Goliath 4 Erhnam Djinn 4 Imperiosaur 4 Nylea's Emissary 4 Yeva, Nature's Herald	Five CMC 5 Acidic Slime 5 Arbor Colossus 5 Garruk's Packleader 5 Nessian Asp 5 Rust Scarab 5 Stingerfling Spider 5 Thragtusk 5 Vorapede 5 Wolfir Silverheart Six Plus 6 Durkwood Baloth 6 Nemesis of Mortals 6 Vulpine Goliath 7 Carnage Wurm 7 Kalonian Behemoth 8 Walker of the Grove

Green SpellsMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
Artifact 4 Birthing Pod Enchantment 1 Rancor 3 Curse of Predation 3 Feral Invocation Instant 1 Giant Growth 1 Mutagenic Growth 1 Primal Bellow 2 Druid's Deliverance 2 Naturalize 2 Plummet 2 Savage Surge 3 Wildwood Rebirth	Sorcery 2 Rampant Growth 3 Call of the Herd 3 Time to Feed 5 Overrun 0 Hurricane 0 Slime Molding

This entire section is probably too big, but I have a lot of multicolor cards coming out of RTR block. I'm open to suggestions about how much to cut, what to cut, and good replacements.

MulticolorMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
1 Judge's Familiar 2 Turn to Mist 3 Daxos of Meletis 3 Lyev Skyknight 3 Detention Sphere 3 Azorius Keyrune 5 Jelenn Sphinx 5 Lavinia of the Tenth Blue/Black 2 Inkfathom Infiltrator 2 Shipwreck Singer 2 Far // Away 2 Warped Physique 3 Dimir Keyrune 3 Recoil 4 Moroii 6 Oona, Queen of the Fae Black/Red 1 Rakdos Cackler 2 Terminate 2 Tymaret, the Murder King 3 Hellhole Flailer 3 Rakdos Keyrune 4 Carnage Gladiator 4 Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch 6 Sire of Insanity Red/Green 1 Assault // Battery 2 Zhur-Taa Druid 2 Pit Fight 2 Ground Assault 3 Boggart Ram-Gang 4 Ghor-Clan Rampager 4 Gruul War Chant 0 Clan Defiance	Green/White 1 Dryad Militant 2 Vitu-Ghazi Guildmage 2 Selesnya Charm 2 Call of the Conclave 3 Kitchen Finks 3 Wayfaring Temple 3 Unflinching Courage 7 Trostani's Summoner White/Black 2 Tithe Drinker 2 Profit // Loss 3 Unmake 3 Kingpin's Pet 3 Gift of Orzhova 6 Treasury Thrull 0 Death Grasp Blue/Red 2 Frostburn Weird 2 Fire // Ice 2 Izzet Charm 2 Turn // Burn 2 Teleportal 3 Izzet Keyrune 4 Steam Augury 6 Blast of Genius Black/Green 1 Life // Death 2 Lotleth Troll 2 Golgari Charm 3 Dreg Mangler 3 Putrefy 4 Reaper of the Wilds 5 Pharika's Mender 6 Gleancrawler	Red/White 1 Figure of Destiny 1 Wear // Tear 2 Lightning Helix 2 Truefire Paladin 2 Wojek Halberdiers 3 Anax and Cymede 3 Viashino Firstblade 3 Arrows of Justice Green/Blue 2 Shambleshark 2 Simic Charm 3 Temporal Spring 3 Beetleform Mage 3 Elusive Krasis 4 Krasis Incubation 4 Horizon Chimera 5 Prophet of Kruphix

ArtifactMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
Artifact Creatures 1 Chronomaton 3 Burnished Hart 4 Akroan Horse 4 Rusted Sentinel 4 Volatile Rig 6 Street Sweeper	Non-creature Artifacts 1 Civic Saber 2 Fleetfeather Sandals 2 Ratchet Bomb 2 Vulshok Morningstar 3 Darksteel Ingot 3 Fireshrieker 4 Haunted Plate Mail 4 Serrated Arrows 4 Thran Dynamo

Suggestions for budget replacements of the second set of Guildgates is highly welcome.

LandMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
2 Azorius Guildgate 2 Boros Guildgate 2 Dimir Guildgate 1 Evolving Wilds 2 Golgari Guildgate 2 Gruul Guildgate 1 Haunted Fengraf 2 Izzet Guildgate 2 Orzhov Guildgate 1 Quicksand 2 Rakdos Guildgate 1 Rogue's Passage 2 Selesnya Guildgate 2 Simic Guildgate 1 Transguild Promenade

I'm using Cubetutor.com to manage this cube, you can find it here

UPDATE: My friends and I love EDH, so I've created an EDH expansion to this cube to facilitate drafting for multiplayer games. Here's info on what's in it and how it works:

EDH drafts will involve drafting 50-card decks and starting life totals of 30 to allow for longer games, and each draft will start with a generals draft with one pack of 6, followed by a draft of 4 packs of 15 cards each. In order to support drafts for up to 8 players, the expansion will consist of 48 legendary creatures and 30 cards geared towards multiplayer/EDH games (extra sweepers, general hate, etc.). The generals draft will ensure that every player has a choice of legendary creatures to use as a general, but they can also use any legend they draft during the main draft as well.

Here are the generals:

EDH Generals to be draftedMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
White Creature 1x Jazal Goldmane Blue Enchantment Creature 1x Thassa, God of the Sea Black Creature 1x Kokusho, the Evening Star Red Creature 1x Ryusei, the Falling Star Green Creature 1x Omnath, Locus of Mana Azorius 1x Brago, King Eternal 1x Dragonlord Ojutai 1x Lavinia of the Tenth Dimir 1x Sygg, River Cutthroat 1x Oona, Queen of the Fae 1x Silumgar, the Drifting Death Rakdos 1x Lyzolda, the Blood Witch 1x Olivia Voldaren 1x Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury Gruul 1x Radha, Heir to Keld 1x Ruric Thar, the Unbowed 1x Xenagos, God of Revels	Selesnya 1x Selvala, Explorer Returned 1x Dromoka, the Eternal 1x Sigarda, Host of Herons Orzhov 1x Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim 1x Obzedat, Ghost Council 1x Athreos, God of Passage Golgari 1x Glissa, the Traitor 1x Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord 1x Meren of Clan Nel Toth Simic 1x Vorel of the Hull Clade 1x Ezuri, Claw of Progress 1x Prime Speaker Zegana Izzet 1x Jori En, Ruin Diver 1x Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius 1x Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind Boros 1x Tajic, Blade of the Legion 1x Anya, Merciless Angel 1x Iroas, God of Victory	Jund 1x Darigaaz, the Igniter Naya 1x Marath, Will of the Wild Bant 1x Derevi, Empyrial Tactician Esper 1x Dromar, the Banisher Grixis 1x Thraximundar Jeskai 1x Numot, the Devastator Mardu 1x Oros, the Avenger Abzan 1x Teneb, the Harvester Sultai 1x Sidisi, Brood Tyrant Temur 1x Surrak Dragonclaw Rainbow 1x Cromat 1x Scion of the Ur-Dragon 1x Progenitus

[/DECK]

In order to support a 4 pack draft for 8 players I'll also need to add two additional packs worth of cards (30) to the cube for multiplayer drafts. These cards will only be added before multiplayer games.

EDH/Multiplayer Expansion PacksMagic Online OCTGN2 Apprentice Buy These Cards
White 1x Prison Term 1x Ghostly Prison 1x Terminus 1x Akroma's Vengeance 1x Luminate Primordial Blue 1x Cyclonic Rift 1x Propaganda 1x Rite of Replication 1x Deadeye Navigator 1x Diluvian Primordial	Black 1x Exsanginate 1x Fleshbag Marauder 1x Necropotence 1x Syphon Mind 1x Gray Merchant of Asphodel Red 1x Blasphemous Act 1x Starstorm 1x Taurean Mauler 1x Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs 1x Insurrection	Green 1x Hurricane 1x Utopia Vow 1x Beastmaster Ascension 1x Managorger Hydra 1x Sylvan Primordial Colorless 1x Command Tower 1x Steel Hellkite 1x Blade of Selves 1x Hero's Blade 1x Staff of Nin

Last edited by Spike Rogue: Mar 12, 2016

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.

#3 Jan 25, 2014
taladel
taladel

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Ascended Mage
- Join Date: 4/9/2013
- Posts: 180
- Member Details
I'll take a closer look later, but the first thing that I notice is that for colors you want to support aggro in (traditionally white, black and red) you need more one drops, especially in red. Cards like goblin patrol and jackal pup are inexpensive monetarily and essential for an aggressive deck to win against fatties and late game spells.

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

Fezzin' the days away...
Here's my cube! Give it a draft!
#4 Jan 25, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
Thanks for the quick response. I fixed the mismatch, the list I posted here should be identical with the one on Cubetutor.

I haven't even bothered uploading the alwis data, since it is kind of useless for your list.

I don't know what this means. What is alwis data, and why is it useless for my list?

6+ mana cards: add 0.08, artifact hate: add 10.81, artifact mana: add 6.83, black spot removal: cut 4.01, bounce: add 0.4, counters: add 7.39, creatures: cut 48.38, etb creatures: cut 0.82, graveyard hate: add 5.12, green ramp: add 11.11, lifegain: cut 8.04, mass removal: add 7.24, pump: cut 19.21, token generators: add 7.22, colorless cards: add 27.19, gold cards: cut 22.52, lands: add 27.89, monocolored cards: cut 32.56, planeswalkers: add 18.82

I'm curious about what this is based on. Averages of other cubes posted here? A lot of these recommendations make sense, and I definitely want to understand more about the bigger picture here, so I have some questions about some of the recommendations that seem counter-intuitive to me.

Why is your software recommending that I cut 48 creatures? Having a high creature count is important to most decks in most Limited formats. Is this different in cube?

I have 5 green ramp spells in the cube already, adding 11 more would mean that about 1/4 of the green section of my cube would be dedicated to ramp spells. Doesn't that dilute the potential for other strategies like aggro in green?

Does "pump" refer to instant speed combat tricks? If so, by my count that's recommending I get rid of pretty much all of them. Are they really that bad in cube?

About duals, I notice from the cube list in your signature that you have about 3-4 duals per guild. Is that ideal? I should be able to get a hold of the bounce land cycle and probably the refuges (e.g. Sejiri Refuge), but that would mean I'd have a lot of lands that come into play tapped in my cube. Would adding the cycle of signets and other artifact fixers like Prophetic Prism be an OK substitute for a set of duals? I could probably replace some of the more color-intensive cards with splashable replacements too.

Thanks for the list of the top 100 budget cards for cube, I'll definitely be adding some of those ASAP.

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#6 Jan 26, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
Taladel, thanks for the tip on 1 drops. I've already gotten a Soldier of the Pantheon to add to white, and I'll add whatever 2 power and other strong 1 drops I can get my hands on from Eidolon's low budget list ASAP. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the rest of the cube when you get a chance.

It may be some time before I get the cards to implement a lot of your advice, Eidolon, but it is incredibly helpful, and you're already making me glad I posted here. The people who are drafting this cube with me are cube newbs like me, so none of us can see the forest for the trees just yet. In fact, the other players are so excited about the fact that they are drowning in playables compared to regular booster draft, that it probably would have never occurred to me that this could even be a problem.

The number of suggested creature cuts is so high for your list, because you are running not enough lands (including manlands), token producers, planeswalkers or creature theft cards, which are among the best noncreature win conditions.

These would be important for supporting control archetypes, wouldn't they? Planeswalkers probably won't be in the cube for quite some time if ever but I should be able to add some noncreature wincons from my current collection and the budget list you posted. I'll keep an eye out for these and replace some of the less impactful creatures with them. I'm particularly interested in adding some token generators, any suggestions for budget friendly ones?

On pump spells:

No, you are running 54 cards that fit that definition (+1 false positive).

If it's not too much trouble, could you post that complete list? Your point is definitely taken on instant speed pump effects, so there should be some easy cuts in that area.

I'll also make a high priority of improving the manabase. In today's draft I had a player who wanted to put together a 4-color deck, but the manabase just isn't there for that and I'd really like it to be. The vivid cycle of lands (e.g. Vivid Crag) goes for less than a dollar each, and I already have some of the M13/Innistrad cycles of check lands (e.g. Dragonskull Summit) and a few of the Scars of Mirrodin duals (e.g. Darkslick Shores). I could fill out one of those cycles along with a full set of bounce lands or the refuges.

The feedback I'm getting at my LGS after a few drafts is a quite a bit different from what I've gotten here so far. Some of them say that it's OVERpowered! They complained that soulbonded creatures, undying and flashback cards can be hard to deal with. Better removal, particularly sweepers and exile effects should help with the former, and I'll try to add some graveyard hate to help with the latter, which will be more important as I improve the re-animation.

Another player suggested that he didn't feel there wasn't enough reason to play a lot of the discard I've included in the black section. Rather than remove the discard effects, I'm going to try to encourage discard by putting in more powerful and versatile discard effects to make it more worthwhile.

The good news is that my janky budget cube is already proving to be a hit with expat and Korean players alike at my LGS, so more donations are coming in and people are excited about playing it. I'll post an update with some changes in the next few days. Thanks again, Eidolon and Taladel for your feedback.

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#7 Jan 26, 2014
KBH
KBH

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Archmage Overlord
- Join Date: 4/16/2010
- Posts: 1,384
- Member Details
You could also consider making an All Commons (Pauper) Cube or a No Rares/Mythics Cube (Peasant).

Those are both extremely fun and inexpensive options

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack
#9 Feb 6, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
I've made a lot of changes to the cube in the past few weeks, following Eidolon and Taladel's suggestions, as well as Eidolon's software's functional recommendations, and feedback from my play group. My play group has been very generous with donations, and I've picked up a lot of cards on the cheap to help improve the cube.

Probably the single biggest change I've made is to improve the mana base. I've replaced a cycle of guild gates with bounce lands, and I've added another dual for each guild as a mixed cycle of check lands, fast lands, and scry lands. I've ordered a set of pain lands to add later, and further down the road I'll be able to add a cycle of pain lands from my collection once they rotate out of standard. I've also added a complete cycle of signets and some other mana artifacts for both fixing and ramp, and in the green section I've increased the number of mana elves and land searching ramp spells and creatures.

To make room for the 10 new duals and 10 signets I've cut 2 gold cards from each guild. Seven guilds now have 4 gold cards and two hybrid and/or split/fuse cards. Rakdos only has 1 hybrid, so there's a 5th gold card. Izzet has 3 golds, 1 split, 1 fuse, and 1 hybrid. I have no playable Simic hybrids, splits, or fuses, so green and blue each have one card more than the other 3 colors. I'm waiting for a Snake Form to arrive, and I can't say I'm too impressed with any other Simic hybrid, split or fuse. Gold cards were tabling pretty frequently, so I'm happy to trim the fat there in order to improve the mana.

[spoiler=Multicolored card changes]

White/Blue OUT

3Daxos of Meletis Too fragile to be effective.
5Jelenn Sphinx Way too slow for what it does.

Blue/Black OUT

2Warped Physique black has better spot removal without this
3Recoil too slow as bounce, not reliable as removal

Black/Red OUT

2Tymaret, the Murder King Too slow for aggro, not enough impact
3Hellhole Flailer Shambling remains seems more efficient
3Rakdos Keyrune
4Carnage Gladiator Too fragile the turn it comes out.

Black/Red IN
Shambling Remains Unearth beats the sac effect on Flailer.
Blazing Specter This adds to the discard theme, but maybe Blightning is better?

Red/Green OUT
1Assault // Battery Neither mode is good enough at sorcery speed for the cost.
2Zhur-Taa Druid Faster green tappers available, ping effect doesn't hit creatures.
0Clan Defiance I love the versatility, but this turned out to be too slow.

Red/Green IN

Ruric Thar, the Unbowed High cost, but it just locks down a lot of games when it comes out.

Green/White OUT

2Call of the Conclave Fleecemane Lion does so much more for the same cost.
3Wayfaring Temple When you have a board presence already it's great, but it's too awful without one.
3Unflinching Courage One of my favorite auras, but it's still an aura.

Green/White IN

Fleecemane Lion Good on turn 2 or as a late game beater that's hard to deal with.

White/Black OUT
2Tithe Drinker Both colors have too many quality 2-drops to make this necessary.
3Gift of Orzhova Aura.

Blue/Red OUT

2Teleportal Nowhere near as good in cube as it was in RTR limited.
3Izzet Keyrune
6Blast of Genius Too unreliable for a 6 mana sorcery.

Blue/Red IN

Hypersonic Dragon This doesn't seem popular in most cubes, but it does so much for its cost both moneywise and manawise. I'm looking forward to seeing this in action.

Black/Green OUT

2Golgari Charm No mode is quite strong enough to make this main deckable.
5Pharika's Mender Group voted to cut this over Reaper of the Wilds.

Red/White

2Truefire Paladin
2Wojek Halberdiers
3Anax and Cymede
3Viashino Firstblade

All of these are decent enough weenies, but none are first pick worthy. Anax and Cymede was the most exciting of this bunch, but without pump instants the Heroic ability is all but meaningless.

Red/White IN

Boros Charm It slices it dices, it cuts tin cans!
Assemble the Legion Potent finisher for anthem packing weenie decks and control decks alike.

Green/Blue OUT

2Shambleshark Maybe good enough in Pauper, but not first pick worthy.
3Temporal Spring I might be wrong on this one, but this doesn't seem much better than Time Ebb, which I see as a necessary evil for blue tempo decks.
3Beetleform Mage
4Krasis Incubation Drafters who want Pacifism are playing white.
4Horizon Chimera I love the abilities, but it's a bit small and fragile for the cost.

Green/Blue IN

Progenitor Mimic A player donated this. I haven't played this card before, but it's intriguing enough that I'm looking forward to seeing it in action in spite of the high mana cost.
[/spoiler]

I've also increased the number of 1-drop creatures in every color but blue. Including hybrids, white has 10 1-drops, as opposed to 7 in red and 8 in black and green. This makes red aggro a bit slower than I'd like but I'm waiting on a Jackal Pup and a Mogg Fanatic to arrive. I hate to use subpar one drop as a placeholder, maybe Intimidator Initiate can fill in?

I've cut 3 cards from each colored section to make room for more lands and artifacts, mostly weaker or less efficient creatures as well as all of the pump instants and auras (except for some bestow creatures). I've also cut creatures to make room for noncreature win conditions, particularly manlands and token generators. Planeswalkers are still out of the question for the time being.

White is chock full of weenies, many new and improved. I've also added 3 anthem effects (Honor of the Pure, Spear of Heliod, and Marshal's Anthem) which should be great with the weenies and token generators available in white. My spot removal suite has also improved quite a bit in white, most of it at instant speed, and none of it costs more than 3. Divine Reckoning and Winds of Rath aren't the best white sweepers, but they'll have to do for now. I've ordered a Day of Judgment. I do have a Planar Cleansing on hand, but that seems a bit too mana and color intensive.

[spoiler=White Creatures OUT]
One CMC

1Hopeful Eidolon

Two CMC

2Expendable Troops
2Longbow Archer
2Master Decoy
2Syndic of Tithes
2War Priest of Thune
2White Knight

Three CMC
3Banisher Priest Too unreliable as removal, too weak as a critter.
3Basilica Guards
3Kor Hookmaster
3Niblis of the Mist
3Wingsteed Rider Not enough heroic enablers left to justify this Theros limited all-star.

Four CMC
4Assault Griffin
4Azorius Justiciar
4Griffin Protector
4Wall of Swords

Five CMC
5Guardian of the Gateless I want my fliers attacking.
5Scion of Vitu-Ghazi I love this card, but I'm trying Cloudgoat Ranger in its place. We'll see.
5Serra Angel Celestial Archon's first strike and bestow beat out vigilance

Six Plus
6Goldnight Redeemer Easy cut for Sunblast Angel
6Urbis Protector I love this with blink and bounce, but 6 mana is a bit much for a 4/4 flier and a chump blocker.
6Archangel
[/deck]
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=White Creatures IN]

1 CMC
Elite Vanguard
Gideon's Lawkeeper
Icatian Javelineers
Soldier of the Pantheon

I'd love to have Isamaru or Savannah Lions here, but the Javelineers and Lawkeeper bring something nice to the table in this slot.

2CMC

Accorder Paladin
Imposing Sovereign
Leonin Relic-Warder
Samurai of the Pale Curtain This might be unorthodox, but it's graveyard hate + bushido on a bear.
Veteran Armorer I don't see this in many lists, but that extra toughness can make a big difference in combat for a weenie swarm.
Wall of Omens

3 CMC
Fabled Hero One of the few Heroic creatures left in the list, but it's really a placeholder for Silverblade Paladin.
Frontline Medic I haven't seen this in many lists, but I've loved it as a budget replacement for Boros Reckoner in Standard WW, plus it has x-spell targets for its 2nd ability.
Mirran Crusader

4 CMC
Only cuts here

5 CMC
Cloudgoat Ranger I'm trying this out, but I may go back to Scion of Vitu-ghazi
Archon of Justice
Celestial Archon

Sure, Reveillark and Baneslayer Angel are better, but these guys still pack a wallop in the air for a measly $.50.

6 CMC

Sunblast Angel Not the most reliable board wipe, but it comes on a great flying body and I had one handy. Will probably be replaced with Day of Judgment.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler=White Spells OUT]

Instant

1Swift Justice
2Moment of Heroism
2Show of Valor
3Dauntless Onslaught
3Fortify

I'm following Eidolon's advice and cutting nearly all of the instant speed pump that doesn't serve any other useful purpose, which also means I'm getting rid of all Theros block Heroic creatures unless they're good enough without Heroic.

Sorcery
3Lingering Souls Moved to gold section
5Angelic Edict Replaced by Path to Exile
6Feudkiller's Verdict While this can turn games around, with the rest of the cube speeding up I think this will be too slow to be effective.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=White Spells IN]
Instant
1Path to Exile This is probably the single most generous donation the cube's gotten yet. Bye-bye Angelic Edict!

Sorcery
3 Spectral Procession
5 Winds of Rath It's no Wrath of God, but it does happen to combo well with the Bestow critters.

Enchantments

2 Honor of the Pure
3 Spear of Heliod
4 Marshal's Anthem Glorious Anthem plus late game card advantage. Seems worth a shot.

[/spoiler]

In blue, I've increased the number of counter spells and card drawing spells and added Control Magic and Mind Control for additional noncreature wincons. There are still enough bounce and cheap fliers to make tempo viable.

[spoiler=Blue Creatures OUT]
One CMC

1Faerie Impostor

Three CMC

3Neurok Invisimancer
3Phantom Warrior
3Warden of Evos Isle

These are basically just Wind Drakes that are above average in Limited, but aren't really efficient now that the rest of the cube is speeding up. I'm mostly cutting these to make room for instants.

Four CMC

4Phantasmal Dragon Too fragile
4Soulsworn Spirit To low impact for 4 CMC

Five CMC

5Gryff Vanguard Cantrip is nice, but the body is weak by turn 5+
5Mnemonic Wall Too clunky, it didn't make the cut in my draft decks in Limited, much less cube.
5Prescient Chimera Popular in Pauper and Limited, but I'd like a finisher that can protect itself
5Sealock Monster What was I thinking?

Six Plus
6Shipbreaker KrakenI'd replace this with a Frost Titan if I ever got one, instead big blue fliers will have to do.
6 Sphinx of the Chimes I was happy with this as a Mahamoti Djinn with a meaningless extra line of text, but now I have something better.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Blue Creatures IN]

5CMC

Meloku, the Clouded Mirror This has been sitting in my rare binder since a Modern Masters draft. I've never seen it in action, but I'm looking forward to giving it a try.
Riftwing Cloudskate

6CMC

Quicksilver Dragon This is my poor man's Aetherling. It's big, evasive, it protects itself, and it came in a bulk lot of rares that just arrived.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Blue Spells OUT]

[spoiler=Blue Spells IN]Enchantment
1Sensory Deprivation This cheap removal spell sometimes just doesn't do a damn thing.

Instant

1Triton Tactics This might actually be missed by my play group, but it's very situational.
2Boomerang Disperse is easier to cast.
4Aetherize As fun as this is, it often just delays the inevitable.
4Inspiration Too slow.
0Gridlock Too situational.

Sorcery
2Inaction Injunction I may be the only person who likes this card. Removed by popular demand.
4Last ThoughtsFewer flying weenies makes this less relevant.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Blue Spells IN]Instants

1Opt Since I'm not running fetches, this just might be better in this cube than Brainstorm.
1Arcane Denial
2Delay
2Disperse
2Mana Leak
3Dissipate This may be replaced by Forbid when I get one, but it is a form of graveyard hate.
3Thirst for Knowledge
XSyncopate

Sorcery
2See Beyond I may replace this with Lat-nam's Legacy because it's pretty similar but at instant speed.
4Deep Analysis

Enchantment
4Control Magic
5Mind Control

Artifact
3Crystal Shard
[/spoiler]
The dominant themes in black are still weenie aggro and discard, which I've tried to improve on and I've also included more efficient spot removal. A lot of the newer cards trade life loss for speed, but that's half the fun of black, right?

[spoiler=Black Creatures OUT]One CMC
1Thrull Parasite

Two CMC
2Basilica Screecher Extort isn't enough to keep this body relevant
2Duskhunter Bat Bloodthirst isn't as reliable in black as it is in red
2Grim RoustaboutOutclassed too easily
2Ravenous RatsThe body just isn't relevant enough.

Three CMC
3Blood Bairn
3Chittering RatsAs fun as it is to annoy opponents with this, I now have better!
3Hidden Horror This may come back if I get more reanimation spells
3Mogis's Marauder Sometimes, it's just a hasty Grey Ogre.
3Slate Street Ruffian

Four CMC

4Vampire OutcastsThis is just miserable when you can't get bloodthirst out of it.

Five CMC
5Gray Merchant of AsphodelWithout the right support, this just isn't worth 5 mana.
5Morinfen Cut to lower curve
5Sengir VampireA classic, but Sengir Nosferatu seems more resilient vs. control.

Six Plus

7Abhorrent OverlordReplaced by bigger and scarier for the same cost.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Black Creatures IN]1CMC
Carrion Feeder
Entrails Feaster Not sure about this one, but I'm hard pressed for decent 1 drops and it doubles as graveyard hate, so it's an experiment. Will probably be replaced when I find something better.
Pulse Tracker It's not quite a 2/1, but it'll have to do for now.

2CMC
Nezumi Cutthroat
Nezumi Graverobber A recent donation, I'm excited to see this in action.
Wretched Anurid

3CMC
Dauthi Marauder
Demonic Taskmaster
Fleshbag Marauder A staple in EDH for a reason.
Hollow Specter Hypnotic Specter #2, I'm surprised this doesn't see more play. There may be a good reason it's not a cube staple, but it can't possibly be worse than Slate Street Ruffian.
Priest of GixI like the idea of free creatures, but Burning-tree Emissary didn't work out so well either, so we'll see.

4CMC
Liliana's Reaver It discards! It makes zombie tokens! It has deathtouch! I had an extra one handy, and it seems to have just barely fallen short of the mark in more powerful cubes so it just might be good enough in my econo-cube.

5CMC
Sengir Nosferatu I'd never even heard of this before I found it in a lot of random rares, but it looks a more fun and resilient Sengir Vampire for more control oriented (Dimir?) decks.

7CMC
Lord of the Void Game ending ramp and reanimation target.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Black Spells OUT]
Enchantment
3Quag Sickness Less conditional instant speed removal available
4Mark of the Vampire

Instant
1Boon of Erebos
2Devour Flesh
4Grisly Spectacle

Sorcery

4Mental Vapors
6Corrupt
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Black Spells IN]
Enchantment

3Curse of Shallow Graves

Instant

3Reckless Spite Painful semi-mass removal

Sorcery

1Despise Budget replacement for Thoughtseize
3Syphon Life Flood insurance, reach, and life gain to help counteract some of the self-inflicted damage.
[/spoiler]

In red I've upped the one drops, and improved the creatures and burn. Red now has 4 sweepers, the most of any color. I have a Wildfire that I'm thinking of adding (I'd replace Volcanic Dragon), but only 3 creatures in the entire color have more than 5 toughness, and only one of them costs less than 6. Could Wildfire still be playable in this cube?

[spoiler=Red Creatures OUT]

Two CMC

2Kruin Striker
2Mogg Flunkies
2Skinbrand Goblin

Three CMC
3Blood Ogre
3Viashino Sandstalker

Four CMC

4Fanatic of Mogis
4Ill-Tempered Cyclops
4Purphoros's Emissary

[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Red Creatures IN]
1 CMC
Goblin Arsonist Placeholder for Mogg Fanatic
Spikeshot Elder

2CMC
Hellspark Elemental
Plated Geopede Not sure if this is good enough without fetches

4CMC
Hero of Oxid Ridge

[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Red Spells OUT]
Artifact
3Hammer of PurphorosI had high hopes for this, but it just isn't what you want to be doing on turn 3, and there are better things to do with extra lands than blow them up to make Hill Giants

Enchantment
2Fire Whip
2Madcap Skills
4Awaken the Ancient

Instant

4Chandra's Outrage

Sorcery

0Disintegrate Red Sun's Zenith is strictly better.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Red Spells IN]
Artifact
3Crystal Shard Not as good as Cursed Scroll but hopefully better than Rod of Ruin

Enchantment
3Undying Rage Am I crazy or is this Rancor in red? Testing.

Instant
2Searing Blaze
3Flame Javelin

Sorcery
1Flame Slash I don't see this in many lists but it can take down almost anything in the cube for just 1 mana
2Arc Trail
4Aftershock A bit slow, but this is one of the most versatile spells ever printed in red.
XRed Sun's ZenithStrictly better than Disintegrate.

[/spoiler]

The biggest changes in green are more ramp and nearly all the Giant Growth type instants are gone.

[spoiler=Green Creatures OUT]

Two CMC

2Kraul Warrior Just a bear most of the time.

Three CMC

3Yavimaya Granger The echo makes this worse than Rampant Growth.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Green Creatures IN]
1CMC
Arbor Elf
Avacyn's Pilgrim

2CMC
Viridian Emissary Placeholder for Sakura Tribe Elder

[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Green Spells OUT]
3Feral Invocation

Instant
1Giant Growth
1Primal Bellow
2Savage Surge

Sorcery
3Time to Feed Prey Upon is 1/3 the cost.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Green Spells IN]
Sorcery
1Prey Upon
2Edge of Autumn

[/spoiler]

I've added more artifacts than anything else, but the artifact section is still much smaller than that of the average 450-card cube. Unfortunately, the best artifacts like Cursed Scroll, Jitte, the Swords and Moxen are way out of my price range. I'm keeping an eye out for quality artifacts so that I can expand this section further.

[spoiler=Artifacts OUT]
Artifact Creatures
3Burnished Hart Even though I'm trying to improve the ramp it's just too slow and clunky.
4Rusted Sentinel
6Street Sweeper

Non-creature Artifacts
1Civic Saber
2Fleetfeather Sandals
3Fireshrieker
4Haunted Plate MailAs much as I love this card, the equip cost is just too high.

I've also removed all of the Keyrunes except for Azorius Keyrune and Dimir Keyrune. The evasion makes them playable as hard to remove wincons, and those color combinations can use the extra ramp.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Artifacts IN]
Artifact Creatures
2Epochrasite
2Perilous Myr
3Bottle Gnomes
4Juggernaut
5Precursor Golem
6Thopter Assembly
7Clockwork Dragon

Non-creature Artifacts
1Bonesplitter
1Wayfarer's Bauble
2Banshee's Blade I'm testing this as a poor man's Jitte.
2Azorius Signet plus the other 9 signets
2Lightning Greaves
2Prophetic Prism
3Barbed Battlegear It's no Sword, but it should hit hard.
3Loxodon Warhammer
3Puppet Strings
4Icy Manipulator
4Trading Post Pet card of mine, it's incredibly versatile and abusable.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler=New Lands]New Lands
Bouncelands
Azorius Chancery
Boros Garrison
Dimir Aqueduct
Golgari Rot Farm
Gruul Turf
Izzet Boilerworks
Orzhov Basilica
Rakdos Carnarium
Selesnya Sanctuary
Simic Growth Chamber

Mixed Cycle
This eclectic mix is almost certainly ideal, but these are the best duals I have access to for now. Pain lands are on the way, and I plan to add one more cycle of some kind when I can.
Dragonskull Summit
Drowned Catacomb
Glacial Fortress
Hinterland Harbor
Sulfur Falls
Sunpetal Grove
Tainted Field
Temple of Abandon
Temple of Triumph
Woodland Cemetery

Miscellaneous new lands

Dread Statuary
Gargoyle Castle
Stalking Stones
Poor man's manlands

Evolving Wilds
Haunted FengrafA little more recursion never hurt.

[/spoiler]

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#10 Feb 7, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
My set of pain lands has arrived, so I cut 2 cards from each color to make room for them. I'm also replacing the last set of guild gates with tri-color lands and vivid lands. This means there are now 30 duals and 10 lands that make 3+ colors of mana, plus a Terramorphic Expanse and an Evolving Wilds. I hope this plus the set of signets and other miscellaneous artifact mana isn't mana source/fixing overkill.

Out > In

Orcish Artillery > Karplusan Forest
Stoneshock Giant > Sulfurous Springs
Accursed Spirit > Battlefield Forge
Priest of Gix > Caves of Koilos
Voracious Wurm > Llanowar Wastes
Crocanura > Yavimaya Coast
Knight of Obligation > Adarkar Wastes
Ajani's Pridemate > Brushland
Aqueous Form > Shivan Reef
Stealer of Secrets > Underground River

Azorius Guildgate > Vivid Meadow
Boros Guildgate > Vivid Creek
Dimir Guildgate > Vivid Crag
Golgari Guildgate > Vivid Grove
Gruul Guildgate > Vivid Marsh
Izzet Guildgate > Jungle Shrine
Orzhov Guildgate > Crumbling Necropolis
Rakdos Guildgate > Arcane Sanctum
Selesnya Guildgate > Savage Lands
Simic Guildgate > Seaside Citadel

And one last land improvement:

Temple of Abandon > Copperline Gorge

Last edited by Spike Rogue: Feb 7, 2014

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#11 Feb 9, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
Out > In

Wingcrafter > Enclave Cryptologist Nearly all Blues creatures were already evasive, so it seemed unnecessary.
Foundry Street Denizen > Jackal Pup
Wear // Tear > Duergar Hedge-Mage Same effect, but on a creature.
Sunspire Griffin > Porcelain Legionnaire
Volatile Rig > Phyrexian Juggernaut The rig was just too unreliable, but fun while it lasted.
Wight of Precinct Six > Vampire Interloper
Mind Control > Corrupted ConscienceStrict upgrade, I'd say.
Roc Egg > Soltari Trooper Sometimes the egg just never hatched.
Soulcage Fiend > Liliana's Specter
Nantuko Shaman > Masked Admirers
Raven's Crime > Hymn to Tourach
Stab Wound > Go for the Throat
Barbed Battlegear > Darksteel Axe
Claustrophobia > Narcolepsy
Kor Hookmaster > Kor Sanctifiers
Rootwalla > Beastbreaker of Bala Ged
Goblin Shortcutter > Stormblood Berserker
Divine Reckoning > Day of Judgment
Marauding Maulhorn > Flametongue Kavu
Viridian Emissary > Sakura-Tribe Elder
Pacifism > Journey to Nowhere
Minotaur Skullcleaver > Ghitu Slinger
Stormbound Geist > Spiketail Drakeling
Cloudfin Raptor > Looter il-Kor
Infantry Veteran > Celestial Crusader
Nezumi Cutthroat > Dauthi Horror
Carrion Feeder > Fume Spitter
Heavy Ballista > Flickerwisp Ballista was just too slow and often irrelevant
Goblin Arsonist > Mogg Fanatic
Rescue from the Underworld > Animate Dead
Hands of Binding > Faerie Conclave
Quicksand > Mishra's Factory The decks that want Quicksand's effect usually can't sac a land.
Drudge Beetle > Treetop Village
Granite Shard > Ghitu Encampment
Profit // Loss > Zealous Persecution Pretty much a strict upgrade, though P/L could go in a deck using only one color.
Ripscale Predator > Legion Loyalist
Arrows of Justice > Chained to the Rocks
Wild Celebrants > Manic Vandal
Nylea's Emissary > Boon Satyr
Pulse Tracker > Diregraf Ghoul
Akroan Horse > Phyrexian Processor
Prophetic Prism > Phyrexian War Beast
Time Ebb > Capsize
Unsummon > Vapor Snag
Dissipate > Foil Poor man's Force of Will
Birthing Pod > Bow of Nylea Birthing Pod was too narrow for many decks, I'm betting on Bow's versatility.
Nemesis of Mortals > Leatherback Baloth
Rust Scarab > Creeping Mold
Fireball > Devil's Play
Shipwreck Singer > Evil Twin
Disturbed Burial > Whip of Erebos Black has so many self-damaging effects I think the whip will be useful in both modes.
Sire of Insanity > Underworld Cerberus
Kingpin's Pet > Mortify

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#12 Feb 9, 2014
rantipole
rantipole

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Over 9000
- Location: new jersey
- Join Date: 12/30/2005
- Posts: 10,681
- Member Details
I like almost all of that.

Have you tried Basking Rootwalla? I like it more than Beastbreaker. I think I like Sire of Insanity better than Cerberus, but I'd try to run something else entirely in this spot.

Cheer,
rant

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

"the snakes, they are my kin" ---Tori Amos

My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
#13 Feb 9, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
Thanks for the feedback! I haven't run across a Basking Rootwalla at my LGS but I actually have an almost strictly better Wolfbitten Captive I'd like to replace Young Wolf with. The only reason I haven't is that I'm currently using clear sleeves, so double-sided cards are out until I can get people to chip in for better sleeves.

What do you suggest in the Rakdos spot instead of Sire or Cerberus? The Timmy in me likes having a big nasty demon in Rakdos spot. I had Carnage Gladiator there before, but it proved a bit fragile. Other big nasties I have available for that spot are Rakdos, Lord of Riots and Demigod of Revenge. I could also go with some painful discard in the form of Blightning or Rakdos's Return. I see that you're running Falkenrath Aristocrat, but unfortunately I don't have that handy at the moment, or an Olivia Voldaren.

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#14 Feb 10, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
Elusive Krasis is out Trygon Predator is in.

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#15 Feb 10, 2014
rantipole
rantipole

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Over 9000
- Location: new jersey
- Join Date: 12/30/2005
- Posts: 10,681
- Member Details
I'd run Blightning. Rakdos mostly wants to be an aggro deck, so Blightning is pretty good there. Aristocrat is better, but if you don't have one Blightning is fine.

I suggested Basking Rootwalla because it's a better Rootwalla.

Like the Predator/Krasis switch!

Cheers,
rant

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

"the snakes, they are my kin" ---Tori Amos

My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
#16 Feb 12, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
I just had our first draft last night since some of the major updates. Everyone was happy about the new and improved mana base and was competing for lands. Underworld Cerberus was also a hit, so he's going to stay in for now. He's evasive, hard to kill, he's a brick wall the turn he comes out, he's practically a 3-turn clock, and he hoses graveyard strategies. If I get a hold of Olivia Voldaren or Falkenrath Aristocrat those could replace Cerberus but for now he stays. If I cut something for Blightning, it would be Blazing Specter.

BNG updates:

Out > In
Vulpine Goliath > Nessian Wilds Ravager In either mode Nessie seems better than the fox.
Wakedancer > Herald of Torment Wakedancer just wasn't reliable enough at being more than a Gray Ogre, and I can't wait to try the Herald.
Mogg War Marshal > Archetype of Aggression Red needs more quality 3-drops, I think the extra reach on Archetype will work.
Fabled Hero > Archetype of Courage Heroic enablers are all but gone, so I think that with all the weenies and tokens in white giving the team first strike will be better than double strike on a single body.

Other changes:
Niblis of the Mist > Mirror Entity
Darksteel Ingot > Worn Powerstone I'm betting that the ramp will be more important than fixing, now that there are 10 signets.
Banshee's Blade > Silver-Inlaid Dagger The Blade was too slow. This is a bit of a gift to white, though, since almost half the white creatures are human.
Act of Treason > Pyroclasm

Upcoming changes I'm considering:

Black could use a sweeper or two. Hythonia the Cruel is too slow as a creature or a sweeper, and I'm pretty sure Pestilence would be too. I'll probably add a Drown in Sorrow as soon as I get one, and I'm thinking about either Black Sun's Zenith or Mutilate.

One player said that my green section is a bit boring as it's mostly ramp and fatties. One idea I'm considering is adding a flash sub-theme in green, with flash creatures and token-making instants. I'm already running Boon Satyr, Briarhorn, and Yeva, Nature's Herald (She's amazing!) in green plus Selesnya Charm. Wolfir Avenger, Simian Grunts, Skylasher and Ambush Viper should be easy for me to get and slot into green, and Advent of the Wurm and Sundering Growth could add to this in Selesnya. I'm tempted to go a little deeper, and see if I can get a hold of a Baloth Cage Trap and a Caller of the Claw. Anyone try anything like this? Any other ideas for green archetypes/subthemes to spice things up?

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#17 Feb 14, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
Clearance sale at the LGS:

Syncopate > Condescend
See Beyond > Ponder If my card selection has to be at sorcery speed, I want it as cheap as possible.

Manic Vandal > Keldon Vandals Echo is annoying, but I think red could use the more aggressive 3-drop.

Child of Night > Sickle Ripper Both are fragile, but wither makes Sickle Ripper a better late game top deck.
Demonic Taskmaster > Ogre Marauder The Taskmaster's drawback was too awkward.
Dark Banishing > Rend Flesh This hits so many more targets, and there are only 3 regenerators in the cube anyway.
Dead Reveler > Ebon Drake Another painful, evasive beatstick.

Wildwood Rebirth > Explore More ramp.
Overgrown Battlement > Joraga Treespeaker Better ramp.
Brushstrider > Dryad Sophisticate There are enough non-basics in the cube being picked high enough now that I think this will nearly always be unblockable.

Smite > Oust It's no StP, but this is more reliable at what it does than Smite and definitely more interesting. Testing.
Soul Tithe > Prison Term
Soul's Attendant > Knight of Meadowgrain Including hybrids, white still has the most 1-drops after this change.

Chronomaton > Everflowing Chalice Chronomaton tied up mana in the early game instead of attacking, and was too slow in the later stages of the game. I hope I'm not overdoing it with the artifact ramp.
Trading Post > Mindstorm Crown There just aren't enough artifacts worth recurring to make TP worth abusing. This should give non-blue decks a way to pull ahead from top deck mode.

Vulshok Morningstar > Grafted Wargear
Serrated Arrows > Isochron Scepter

Last edited by Spike Rogue: Feb 14, 2014

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#18 Feb 14, 2014
rantipole
rantipole

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Over 9000
- Location: new jersey
- Join Date: 12/30/2005
- Posts: 10,681
- Member Details
I'd run both Vandals and I like Trading Post better than the Crown. Otherwise, this is a good update.

Cheers,
rant

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

"the snakes, they are my kin" ---Tori Amos

My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
#19 Feb 15, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
I really appreciate your continued feedback, Rantipole.

I think you're right about the crown. I drafted it in a fairly aggressive Boros deck and the only thing it accomplished was to do a couple of points of damage to me because I couldn't empty my hand fast enough. I'd like to include at least one decent artifact that draws cards. Jayemdae Tome and Staff of Nin are probably too slow. I'll put Trading Post back in for now. I've ordered a Grafted Skullcap. I like it because it's colorless card draw that control decks won't particularly want, and it can double as a discard outlet for reanimator decks. I don't want it to replace TP, but I'm having trouble finding something else to cut there.

Speaking of artifacts, I probably will put Manic Vandal back in, but I'd hate to replace any of my current 3 drops for it. Maybe a 2 drop or a 4 drop, or something else entirely?

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#20 Feb 19, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
OUT > IN

Green

Renegade Krasis > Wolfir Avenger
Ulvenwald Bear > Uktabi Orangutan The bear was a serious disappointment, he came out as an ogre too many times.
Cudgel Troll > Symbol Status Ridiculously powerful or just ridiculous? I'm looking forward to finding out!
Deadly Recluse > Ambush Viper
Durkwood Baloth > Green Sun's Zenith Baloth was only good if you could suspend him on turn 1, and not always even then.
Plummet > Cultivate

White

Celestial Archon > Hero of Bladehold
Righteous Blow > Mana Tithe

Red

Legion Loyalist > Grim Lavamancer I'm not sure about this change. I really want to try the Lavamancer, but Legion Loyalist is a great trick even if it's somewhat inconsistent. Maybe Weapon Surge should come out instead?
Volcanic Dragon > Siege-Gang Commander The dragon comes out a bit too late for a 4/4.
Bloodfray Giant > Manic Vandal The giant is the worst of the 4-drops, and not splashable.
Bloodcrazed Neonate > Frazzled Editor The Neonate just sat in hands or killed herself more often than she grew out of control. The Editor probably can't ever get any bigger than a bear, but he's got protection from more than half the cards in the cube.

Black

Sign in Blood > Booster Tutor This is a controversial choice in my draft group. I think it'll be really fun and powerful, so I really hope this works out.
Guul Draz Vampire > Gravecrawler

Blue

Disperse > Echoing Truth Still looking for an Into the Roil.
Dissolve > Power Sink
Welkin Tern > Waterfront Bouncer
Clone > Phyrexian Metamorph Not only is this pretty much a strict improvement, but now every color has a theta-costed card except red.

Colorless

Mindstorm Crown > Trading Post
Haunted Fengraf > Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx I don't see Nykthos in many cube lists but in the right decks it has the potential to be very abusable.

Gold

Death Grasp > Gerrard's Verdict
Treasury Thrull > Unburial Rites The thrull was very popular in the early days of the cube, but it seems a bit slow now.
Blazing Specter > Blightning As a 4-drop, the specter is unexciting, and Blightning seems like it will be more consistent 2-for-1 that also deals damage.
Gruul War Chant > Fanatic of Xenagos I think the 3-drop creatures in the green and red section were a bit lacking for Gruul aggro and midrange.

One breakout hit from an earlier change is Entrails Feaster, which I haven't seen on any lists before. Drafters in my cube tell me they've had very little trouble "feeding the cat", so he often gets as big as 5/5 or 6/6, and he doubles as graveyard hate. Not bad for a one drop!

Last edited by Spike Rogue: Feb 19, 2014

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#21 Feb 19, 2014
rantipole
rantipole

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Over 9000
- Location: new jersey
- Join Date: 12/30/2005
- Posts: 10,681
- Member Details
Looks good. I think Weapon Surge is definitely a better cut than Legion Loyalist.

Cheers,
rant

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

"the snakes, they are my kin" ---Tori Amos

My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
#22 Feb 19, 2014
PyreDream
PyreDream

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
The Smiler
- Location: Osaka, Japan
- Join Date: 5/20/2007
- Posts: 1,951
- Member Details
If you're still looking for budget card draw on your artifacts, there's Bottled Cloister which is almost strictly better than Grafted Skullcap; Mask of Memory for aggressive decks; and Mind Stone or Prophetic Prism for mana.

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

My Cube: 720 cards powered (MTGSalvation)
My Cube (DeckStats)
My Pauper Cube: 540 (CubeTutor link!)

Level 1 Judge
#23 Feb 19, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
Looks good. I think Weapon Surge is definitely a better cut than Legion Loyalist.

I was on the fence, you've convinced me!

Weapon Surge > Legion Loyalist

Thanks for the tips on artifact card draw, I'd never heard of Bottled Cloister before, but the price is definitely right and it would be better than the Skullcap in any deck that isn't trying to get stuff into the yard. I've already ordered a Skullcap, but I'll definitely get a Cloister next time I'm ordering singles online. I'm not so sure about Mask of Memory, it seems like the colors that could make the best use of it with evasive creatures (blue and black) are the colors that already have options for card draw.

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#24 Feb 19, 2014
rantipole
rantipole

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Over 9000
- Location: new jersey
- Join Date: 12/30/2005
- Posts: 10,681
- Member Details
White has a lot of evasive guys and could use the card draw. Mask of Memory may be good in a budget cube.

Cheers,
rant

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

"the snakes, they are my kin" ---Tori Amos

My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
#25 Feb 24, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
As much as I loved the idea of the Unhinged cards, I was very much in the minority. The rest of the group didn't like the idea of playing with cards that weren't tournament legal and thought they were just silly and confusing, so out they go. As cube manager, I found Booster Tutor particularly unwieldy because it meant I had to explain the card each time we drafted with new people that you could take 15 cards from the box or buy a booster from the shop to use. It definitely wasn't worth the headache for a single card. I had the chance to try out Frazzled Editor and Symbol Status personally, and I thought both were great. The Editor was a solid evasive 2-drop who could also play defense very well, and Symbol Status rocked as an army in a can, so I'd recommend trying these with a play group that's willing to embrace the sillier side of Magic history.

The good news is that I have good replacements for 2 out of 3 of the Unhinged cards thanks to some recent pulls from booster drafts and prize packs.

Out > In

Symbol Status > Polukranos, World Eater
Frazzled Editor > Bloodcrazed Neonate
Booster Tutor > Pain Seer

White

Reprisal > Swords to Plowshares
Hundred-Handed One > Silverblade Paladin HHO wasn't bad, it was a pretty solid defensive creature but as far as I know no one ever managed to go monstrous with it.
Celestial Crusader > Kongming, 'Sleeping Dragon' The Crusader's text box seems to read like a wish list of amazing abilities, but the actual Anthem effect was too conditional and wound up getting sided out or being useless in decks without enough white to profit from it. I'm going with the (literally) less flashy Kongming for consistency's sake. However, Kongming is really just a placeholder until I can get a hold of a Glorious Anthem.

Blue

Vaporkin > Shelldock Isle Yet another trade of aggro for card advantage.
Diluvian Primordial > Aetherling

Black

Hythonia the Cruel > Black Sun's Zenith The cube's first mythic rare is making way for a sweeper that costs less than 14 mana.

Red

Shivan Dragon > Stormbreath Dragon Comes down a turn sooner, and attacks right away.
Pyrewild Shaman > Chandra's Phoenix The Shaman turned out to be inconsistent with instant speed removal leading to virtual blowouts that the conditional recursion couldn't really make up for.

Green

Slime Molding > Mistcutter Hydra One less target for populate shenanigans, but otherwise a strict improvement.
Carnage Wurm > Sylvan Primordial The recent banning from EDH means I have a couple of these kicking around, and it seems like a much better ramp/reanimation target.

Silver-Inlaid Dagger > Mask of Memory It turns out a Mask was sitting in my commons box, so I get to try this before the Grafted Skullcap arrives.
Clockwork Dragon > Lodestone Golem Players are telling me the dragon is too slow, I'm giving this a try.

Transguild Promenade > Gemstone Mine Better fixing for aggro decks.

Gold/Hybrid

Duergar Hedge-Mage > Boros Reckoner I'm not sure if I'm giving up too much artifact/enchantment hate here, but this makes more sense than cutting Figure of Destiny.
Trostani's Summoner > Advent of the Wurm The Summoner seems to be very popular in the Peasant lists I was poaching for budget ideas, but now she's too slow for this cube. I doubt I'll ever get the more popular Voice of Resurgence, but this hits hard, it has trample, it's above curve, it complements the flash sub-theme I've been adding to green, and it has the potential for 2-for-1s.

Last edited by Spike Rogue: Feb 24, 2014

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#26 Feb 24, 2014
rantipole
rantipole

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Over 9000
- Location: new jersey
- Join Date: 12/30/2005
- Posts: 10,681
- Member Details
I like everything you are doing here, but I think Pyrewild Shaman is better than Bloodcrazed Neonate. Unless you really need a 2-drop instead of a 3-drop, and even then I'd try to find something better than the Neonate. I think I'd also keep the Dagger and look for another cut for Mask. Dagger isn't the worst equipment for a budget cube.

Cheers,
rant

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

"the snakes, they are my kin" ---Tori Amos

My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
#27 Feb 24, 2014
Spike Rogue
Spike Rogue

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Resident Planeswalker
- Location: Suwon, South Korea
- Join Date: 1/25/2014
- Posts: 4,271
- Member Details
Right on, I'm glad to hear you think I'm on the right track. You don't think I'd have too many 3 drops with the Pyrewild? I could also replace the neonate with Ember Hauler, which I'd removed for being too color intensive.

I'm having a tough time finding something to cut besides the dagger to make rokm for Mask of Memory. Any suggestions?

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

465 card Unpowered cube thread. Draft it here and I'll be happy to return the favor.
450 card Peasant cube thread. Draft it here.
#28 Feb 24, 2014
rantipole
rantipole

View User Profile

View Posts

Send Message
Over 9000
- Location: new jersey
- Join Date: 12/30/2005
- Posts: 10,681
- Member Details
I'd probably cut Puppet Strings or Phyrexian Processor first. I think I do like Ember Hauler more than Neonate, but I think you have an OK number of 3-drops even with the addition of Pyrewild. I'd eventually replace Pyrewild with Fire Imp.

Cheers,
rant

Private Mod Note ():

Rollback Post to Revision RollBack

"the snakes, they are my kin" ---Tori Amos

My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.

Previous Thread

Next Thread

MTG Salvation

[450/465][Unpowered] MTG in Suwon-si Duel Cube (partial Amonkhet update)

Social Media

Services

Resources

Our Communities