One of the biggest complaints about my last cube was that people weren't familiar with a lot of the older cards and how they interacted. The skill level necessary to draft it well was quite high; most newer players didn't "get it" until after like 4 or 5 drafts, not to mention my fiance's general bewilderment and frustration. How could I design a cube that's friendly to newer players while also achieving the following goals:
All major theaters of Magic are represented (aggro, tempo, midrange, ramp, combo, control)
No overly confusing or frustrating interactions
No cards people likely won't be familiar with
What solves this? Limiting the card pool to Pioneer. Newer players will know most of the cards, and there won't be any combos that both frustrate and confuse those less experienced with the rules.
The Problems
By only using cards from Return to Ravnica forward and following the Pioneer ban list, one theater of Magic (combo) is heavily nerfed. To work against this, I made sure to include ample aristocrats support, as that deck plays similarly to a combo deck.
The amount of variance reduction also pales in comparison to traditional cubes, as most Ponder effects are not in Pioneer.
Design Philosophy
With these issues in mind, I designed the Pioneer Cube. Curve optimization was a concern at the forefront of design, hence the abundance of 2-drops. The lack of variance reduction also made me cut down on the number of midrange curve-toppers. This is because I didn't want midrange drafters stuck with openers of 3 lands, a 4-drop, and three 5-drops, and designed the curve to try to prevent gluts.
Modal cards are also prevalent in the cube. Without many tutoring effects, being able to increase the number of potential lines of play or forms of interaction is key. There's a fair amount of redundancy whenever possible, especially for the aristocrats archetype.
Since many of the best and most iconic cards in Pioneer are multicolored, I upped it to 7 slots per guild instead of 5. Most decks in this cube are 2 colors.
The Guilds & The Theaters
Each guild is generally focused around one of the aforementioned theaters of Magic.
Azorius: Control. Reflector Mage is only included because they wrongly banned T3feri and I wanted another 3-drop. Dimir: Tempo. This guild is focused on playing cheap creatures that double as card advantage engines (Wharf Infiltrator, Thief of Sanity) and backing them up with cheap hand disruption and removal spells. Recursive black 2-drops are extremely good in this guild. Rakdos: Aggro/combo. There's definitely some aristocrat support in Rakdos, which loves to make tokens and use effects like Priest of Forgotten Gods to generate massive advantage. Gruul: Ramp/midrange. It's possible to draft this guild as aggro, but the guild slots are aimed toward midrange and ramp decks. Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner and other power-matters cards are good in this guild as well as Simic. Selesnya: Aggro. Venerated Loxodon and other anthem effects are best in this guild. Orzhov: Combo. Generally Orzhov decks will play aristocrats, though midrange is also doable. Trying to do control with this guild is likely a fruitless endeavor. And yes, you can Whip of Erebos + Obzedat, Ghost Council, because combo can exist and be fun without being an instant game over. Golgari: Midrange/control. This guild likes to grind and gradually take over the game. Simic: Ramp. Very straightforward. Izzet: Tempo. Creatures that cost 2 or less, counters, burn spells. Boros: Aggro/midrange. Boros is capable of going either tall or wide, depending on which curve-toppers you choose to go with.
One of the biggest complaints about my last cube was that people weren't familiar with a lot of the older cards and how they interacted. The skill level necessary to draft it well was quite high; most newer players didn't "get it" until after like 4 or 5 drafts, not to mention my fiance's general bewilderment and frustration. How could I design a cube that's friendly to newer players while also achieving the following goals:
What solves this? Limiting the card pool to Pioneer. Newer players will know most of the cards, and there won't be any combos that both frustrate and confuse those less experienced with the rules.
The Problems
By only using cards from Return to Ravnica forward and following the Pioneer ban list, one theater of Magic (combo) is heavily nerfed. To work against this, I made sure to include ample aristocrats support, as that deck plays similarly to a combo deck.
The amount of variance reduction also pales in comparison to traditional cubes, as most Ponder effects are not in Pioneer.
Design Philosophy
With these issues in mind, I designed the Pioneer Cube. Curve optimization was a concern at the forefront of design, hence the abundance of 2-drops. The lack of variance reduction also made me cut down on the number of midrange curve-toppers. This is because I didn't want midrange drafters stuck with openers of 3 lands, a 4-drop, and three 5-drops, and designed the curve to try to prevent gluts.
Modal cards are also prevalent in the cube. Without many tutoring effects, being able to increase the number of potential lines of play or forms of interaction is key. There's a fair amount of redundancy whenever possible, especially for the aristocrats archetype.
Since many of the best and most iconic cards in Pioneer are multicolored, I upped it to 7 slots per guild instead of 5. Most decks in this cube are 2 colors.
The Guilds & The Theaters
Each guild is generally focused around one of the aforementioned theaters of Magic.
Azorius: Control. Reflector Mage is only included because they wrongly banned T3feri and I wanted another 3-drop.
Dimir: Tempo. This guild is focused on playing cheap creatures that double as card advantage engines (Wharf Infiltrator, Thief of Sanity) and backing them up with cheap hand disruption and removal spells. Recursive black 2-drops are extremely good in this guild.
Rakdos: Aggro/combo. There's definitely some aristocrat support in Rakdos, which loves to make tokens and use effects like Priest of Forgotten Gods to generate massive advantage.
Gruul: Ramp/midrange. It's possible to draft this guild as aggro, but the guild slots are aimed toward midrange and ramp decks. Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner and other power-matters cards are good in this guild as well as Simic.
Selesnya: Aggro. Venerated Loxodon and other anthem effects are best in this guild.
Orzhov: Combo. Generally Orzhov decks will play aristocrats, though midrange is also doable. Trying to do control with this guild is likely a fruitless endeavor. And yes, you can Whip of Erebos + Obzedat, Ghost Council, because combo can exist and be fun without being an instant game over.
Golgari: Midrange/control. This guild likes to grind and gradually take over the game.
Simic: Ramp. Very straightforward.
Izzet: Tempo. Creatures that cost 2 or less, counters, burn spells.
Boros: Aggro/midrange. Boros is capable of going either tall or wide, depending on which curve-toppers you choose to go with.
The List
W
U
B
R
G
WU
UB
BR
RG
GW
WB
Cartel Aristocrat
Cruel Celebrant
Despark
Dire Tactics
Anguished Unmaking
Lurrus of the Dream-Den
Obzedat, Ghost Council
BG
GU
UR
RW
WUBRG
X
LandS
Check out my competitive Ezuri, Claw of Progress primer!