What we do not know is the Menace + Evolve combo, let alone in a X/b or B/x Aggro/Tempo build. But I almost feel it is just beneath a necessity. Menace and out of Bolt range quickly, coupled with easy of play... I REALLY like it
My problem with it is that the other evolves are good after 1 trigger (shambleshark, crocanura). This, im not sure if im super excited until at least 2, maybe more. But black is my primary aggro color. Ill let you guys see how it plays.
i dont think, snow cards should get a lower rating cuz theyre snow. if anything they are better in cubes since you can just hand out sc basics and have all benefits
Borderline Stronghold Confessor The two modes makes it interesting. But still not a powerful card. vampire neonate - an interesting option for support. It’s really good in the grindy matchups, but it lacks the one power or toughness to be an instant include.
Cubeable Gluttonous Slug - Early curve, evasive, and can potentially hit 3+ power. This is dangerous in arguably all but the slower decks.
Borderline Caligo Skin-Witch - its nice if you need some defensive creatures, but the discard comes really late and the body stays weak Plague Wight a 2/1 that can’t be blocked by X/1s. But only works on attacking. Lazotep Reaver - two bodies for 2 mana is decent for sacrifice cubes. But neither is very exciting.
Cubeable Headless Specter - Pauper Hypnotic Specter. The ability is limited to being an aggressive candidate. But B/x aggro just got even more toys recently. Support for that, means this is an auto-include. Otherwise it is just a harder to cast Wind Drake Audacious Thief – Not far off from Phyrexian Rager, but if you can attack with it more than once it becomes very good.
Borderline Deathbloom Thallid – Not horrible stats for 3CMC and it does provide another chumper 1/1 on death. Sickle Dancer – With a warrior theme, this is passible, else it’s under classed. Hired Blade – With flash, it can become a sort of removal. But it trades with most creatures, and 3CMC is still outclassed with other removal Spark Reaper - the first repeatable card draw sac engine at Pauper, which is significant. But the cost to cast and activate the ability are just a bit too high for really competitive play, but it could be close. Gorging Vulture – Really good for graveyard based cubes. Else it’s basically a Wind Drake Savage Gorger – It has the potential to get really big, with it supporting the initial hit with flying. But it still takes a lot of set up to be great.
Borderline Slum Reaper – Effect is good and can get around hexproof. But only if they have no other creatures, and that can require set up. Plus you still need to lose a body. Even after this will trade most any 2 drop. Undercity Scavenger a reasonable card for sacrifice based cubes, but it’s still 2-for-1ing yourself. Azra Smokeshaper - Unlike other ninjas, this is a once and done ability. Great combat ability, but this has a few hoops to make it a 2-for-1, and even then it is just a 3/3 afterwards. Rank Officer - Good for aggro decks what need a late game outlet/finisher for their smaller bodies. The EtB is deceptive. But getting 5 power on the board for 3b is decent. Shame this things rear is so fragile it cannot block successfully.
Cubeable Blade Juggler – a 3/2 draw a card for five is just barely acceptable. But get it for the spectacle cost of 3CMC and it’s a fine card. Ninja of the New Moon - While it is a vanilla Lava Axe ninja, it is a Lava Axe Ninja with only a single black in the Ninjitsu. Whether a curve-topper, or another step in a midrange stompy plan, this will hit hard once, reuse a smaller body, and then likely kill a blocker next turn. Ignoring a 6/3 is not a winning strategy. And the "haste" option really gives this a nice punch above what we'd expect for 3B mid-combat. Silumgar Scavenger - Likely going to be the largest black flying body to exist. Eating an outclassed body to get haste and soar over is much less expected in non-Red decks. This fits in non-Sacrifice decks too as it rewards alpha strike attacks by giving a threat that must be dealt with. Only the fastest, or most creature-lite, black decks do not want this.
Borderline Epicure of Blood – If your cube supports enough lifegain, this can be powerful. Else it’s just a 4/4 for 5CMC.
Staple First-Sphere Gargantua - This is the true Pauper Phyrexian Gargantua. Having built-in value via Unearth means this fits decks that may have a self-discard theme, or just needing an extra push on a given post-death turn.
Cubeable Defile - 1cc Removal that gets better the longer the game goes on. Unless you play heavy nonbasics, this will be better than Disfigure.
Borderline Divest - Barely an upgrade to ostracize, except your running tons of artifacts. Fungal Infection – With so many X/1s, it is possible to make this a kill spell, or combat trick that leaves you with a 1/1. But hard to set up. Kaya's Ghostform is a very cheap way to protect your creatures. It even prevents exile, which is unique in Pauper. But it’s very reactive, and suffers the 2-for-1 potential against you while it’s on the stack.
Nothing here
Borderline Ob Nixilis's Cruelty - A straight up instant speed answer for most creatures in cubes, that also exiles. But at 3 mana, it’s outclassed by many 0-2 CMC removal spells. Unholy Indenture – Having the creature return to the battlefield (stronger) is powerful. But it’s an aura with can cause 2-for-1s, and doesn’t work well against the white/blue on board removal
Cubeable Moan of the Unhallowed – 4/4 stats on 4cmc is good, and this comes divided (synergy with sacrifice and pumps) and with flashback for late game.
I argue Cubeable as there are already no a lot of "good" black flying. Couple with manaless permanent growing as Well as a haste option.. It really come together at its cmc
So while it's not my favorite, I can compare it to Wretched Gryff. A flying body that gets a good upside when casting it by saccing a creature. and as Hydra said, it can be a surprise hasty attacker in the right deck. Not as much upside of drawing a card, but I can see it turning some games around.
Also I feel like Fountain of Ichor is Borderline. Guardian Idol is cubeable, and this while costs one more, is also a better threat and better blocker. I've seen a number of cubes run a 3CMC mana rock, this one at least is rainbow. A good control deck could make use I think.
Ok. I'm taking the night off from cataloging (because of Night Hydra's help - thanks). I'll work on Multicolored tomorrow/friday, and the short land update.
So while it's not my favorite, I can compare it to Wretched Gryff. A flying body that gets a good upside when casting it by saccing a creature. and as Hydra said, it can be a surprise hasty attacker in the right deck. Not as much upside of drawing a card, but I can see it turning some games around.
Also I feel like Fountain of Ichor is Borderline. Guardian Idol is cubeable, and this while costs one more, is also a better threat and better blocker. I've seen a number of cubes run a 3CMC mana rock, this one at least is rainbow. A good control deck could make use I think.
Ok. I'm taking the night off from cataloging (because of Night Hydra's help - thanks). I'll work on Multicolored tomorrow/friday, and the short land update.
The thing with Fountain of Ichor is that three mana is much harder to leave open for a control deck than two mana, to be honest I don't get why it needs to cost the power/toughness, I think Fountain of Ichor would be fine having an activated cost of 2. Also something I have come to appreciate from Commander is 2 CMC ramp, going from 2 mana on T2 to 4 mana on T3 is often more impactfull than going from 3 mana T3 to 5 mana on T4. That's also why everyone is running Arbor Elf and Llanowar Elves, but barely anyone is running any mana elves that cost 2 or 3 mana.
Going from 2 mana on T2 to 4 mana on T3 is often more impactfull than going from 3 mana T3 to 5 mana on T4. That's also why everyone is running Arbor Elf and Llanowar Elves, but barely anyone is running any mana elves that cost 2 or 3 mana.
Hey Hydra, I think you missed a few artifacts. I was just looking at the battlebond, and Pierce Strider, Peace Strider, and I guess Stone Golem, but that one isn't one I'm thinking of.
I think we might have rated them in the forums, but I didn't see them in the drop downs. Check my list above, that had all the sets that are past Rivals of Ixalan, which is what Al said was the last set he updated from.
Any case, here's the multi-colored. Please review everyone!!
Cubeable Court Hussar – Anticipate tacked onto a 1/3 vigilant body is perfectly acceptable for 3CMC. Lawmage’s Binding – An instant speed Arrest. Can really surprise your opponent and mess up their plans.
Borderline Azorius Knight-Arbiter - Good combo of keywords that allows for a clock, but very slow and costly Senate Griffin – 3 powered flier that scrys is decent, but that can be found mono-colored. And because of the 2 toughness it’s better in aggressive decks, which may not want this for their top end.
Cubeable Dimir Guildmage - is a bit fragile but has huge potential to draw cards or to shred opponents hands apart. Good at basically any stage of the game.
Borderline Artful Takedown – Two powerful effects on one card. But Dimir as powerful cards and Agony Warp does it better for 2CMC. Notion Rain – A worse Read the bones. But does support graveyard matters themes. Whisper Agent – A Hired Blade with an additional “scry” makes this interesting. But it still trades down most of the time.
Borderline Footlight Fiend – Devils are interesting, in that they are better than they look on the surface. But it’s easy to ignore a 1/1 attacker also.
Cubeable Frenzied Arynx – Already a 4/4 trample for 4CMC, or a 3/3 trample, haste as a baseline. But then being able to pump it for extra trample damage makes this a powerful card with a lot of versatility.
Borderline Centaur Peacemaker – a worse Centaur Healer, but can help stabilize you. Rosemane Centaur – If you can convoke it early, it can be a decent card. But most of the time it’s a bit overpriced for the stats Sumala Woodshaper – Many times it’s a 2/1 draw a card. But it’s fragile and over costed, and bad if you miss.
Borderline Grasping Thrull – A 3/3 flier for 5 is a little over costed, but the drain is solid. It’s a slightly bigger Blind hunter, but that’s not necessarily a good shift. Imperious Oligarch – An interesting card that can be good for aggressive or controlling decks. But a little body leaving behind a 1/1 spirit isn’t anything new.
Cubeable Canker Abomination – A high variance card, but on average still a good body. And with a lot of removal (or an opponent misstep) this could of great rate.
Borderline Rhizome Lurcher – In a graveyard/sacrifice themed cube it has to the potential to be large. But you may not want to cast on curve. It takes a lot of work and doesn’t have trample. Pitiless Gorgon – Flexible creature with good blocking potential. But it’s filler.
Cubeable Aeromunculus – A solid flier for 3CMC, with a threat of activation ability can be very powerful.
Borderline Applied Biomancy – It’s possible for this to win a combat and bounce one of their creatures. But it will be hard to set up both at the right time. If it was +2/+2, it’d be much easier to include. Growth Spiral – An instant speed Explore. Not enough to pull it into cubeable.
Cubeable Fire/Ice – Two decent effects on one card. The flexibility of this instant is really good. Hypothesizzle – Card filtering and damage spell in one. Better than Cunning strike it can take out larger creatures and be cast on an empty board in a pinch.
Bad Hammer Dropper – It’s a 4CMC that will trade with any 1 or 2 drop creature/burn/kill spell. Even if you get one trigger off this, it’s not worth it.
Borderline Cave of Temptation – A land that can tap for colorless right away, and can be cashed in later for another effect is on par with borderline lands (like Cradle of the Accursed) and filters (like Shimmering Grotto). This has both effects, but it’s just not enough to make it cubeable.
You missed lots of Multicolor. I am touching up where I can. Hoping to find my broken code. I will likely send to Al in a few hrs as he is in a diff timezone
My problem with it is that the other evolves are good after 1 trigger (shambleshark, crocanura). This, im not sure if im super excited until at least 2, maybe more. But black is my primary aggro color. Ill let you guys see how it plays.
That being said, if someone else wants to help itd be appriciated. Its not an insignificant amount of time
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Great, thanks for the help. Ill split mine out by spell too.
Did we already review Dominaria? It seems to be showing up already? Oh well.
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
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1)Masters 25
2)Dominaria
3)Core 19
4)Battlebond
5)Global series: Jang/Mu
6)Guilds of Rav
7)Ultimate masters
8)Ravnica allegiance
9)War of spark
10)Modern Horizons
11)Core 20.
Cubeable
Ruthless Ripper – Pharika's Chosen/Typhoid Rats with an upside of being a 2/2 when helpful.
Hired Poisoner – Pharika's Chosen/Typhoid Rats functional reprint.
Borderline
Stronghold Confessor The two modes makes it interesting. But still not a powerful card.
vampire neonate - an interesting option for support. It’s really good in the grindy matchups, but it lacks the one power or toughness to be an instant include.
Cubeable
Gluttonous Slug - Early curve, evasive, and can potentially hit 3+ power. This is dangerous in arguably all but the slower decks.
Borderline
Caligo Skin-Witch - its nice if you need some defensive creatures, but the discard comes really late and the body stays weak
Plague Wight a 2/1 that can’t be blocked by X/1s. But only works on attacking.
Lazotep Reaver - two bodies for 2 mana is decent for sacrifice cubes. But neither is very exciting.
Cubeable
Headless Specter - Pauper Hypnotic Specter. The ability is limited to being an aggressive candidate. But B/x aggro just got even more toys recently. Support for that, means this is an auto-include. Otherwise it is just a harder to cast Wind Drake
Audacious Thief – Not far off from Phyrexian Rager, but if you can attack with it more than once it becomes very good.
Borderline
Deathbloom Thallid – Not horrible stats for 3CMC and it does provide another chumper 1/1 on death.
Sickle Dancer – With a warrior theme, this is passible, else it’s under classed.
Hired Blade – With flash, it can become a sort of removal. But it trades with most creatures, and 3CMC is still outclassed with other removal
Spark Reaper - the first repeatable card draw sac engine at Pauper, which is significant. But the cost to cast and activate the ability are just a bit too high for really competitive play, but it could be close.
Gorging Vulture – Really good for graveyard based cubes. Else it’s basically a Wind Drake
Savage Gorger – It has the potential to get really big, with it supporting the initial hit with flying. But it still takes a lot of set up to be great.
Bad
Spinal Centipede – Many times it’ll just be a 3/2 vanilla.
Cubeable
Herald of the Dreadhorde – An interesting take on Driver of the Dead not requiring a creature in the yard.
Borderline
Slum Reaper – Effect is good and can get around hexproof. But only if they have no other creatures, and that can require set up. Plus you still need to lose a body. Even after this will trade most any 2 drop.
Undercity Scavenger a reasonable card for sacrifice based cubes, but it’s still 2-for-1ing yourself.
Azra Smokeshaper - Unlike other ninjas, this is a once and done ability. Great combat ability, but this has a few hoops to make it a 2-for-1, and even then it is just a 3/3 afterwards.
Rank Officer - Good for aggro decks what need a late game outlet/finisher for their smaller bodies. The EtB is deceptive. But getting 5 power on the board for 3b is decent. Shame this things rear is so fragile it cannot block successfully.
Cubeable
Blade Juggler – a 3/2 draw a card for five is just barely acceptable. But get it for the spectacle cost of 3CMC and it’s a fine card.
Ninja of the New Moon - While it is a vanilla Lava Axe ninja, it is a Lava Axe Ninja with only a single black in the Ninjitsu. Whether a curve-topper, or another step in a midrange stompy plan, this will hit hard once, reuse a smaller body, and then likely kill a blocker next turn. Ignoring a 6/3 is not a winning strategy. And the "haste" option really gives this a nice punch above what we'd expect for 3B mid-combat.
Silumgar Scavenger - Likely going to be the largest black flying body to exist. Eating an outclassed body to get haste and soar over is much less expected in non-Red decks. This fits in non-Sacrifice decks too as it rewards alpha strike attacks by giving a threat that must be dealt with. Only the fastest, or most creature-lite, black decks do not want this.
Borderline
Epicure of Blood – If your cube supports enough lifegain, this can be powerful. Else it’s just a 4/4 for 5CMC.
Staple
First-Sphere Gargantua - This is the true Pauper Phyrexian Gargantua. Having built-in value via Unearth means this fits decks that may have a self-discard theme, or just needing an extra push on a given post-death turn.
Borderline
Tithebearer Giant – Phyrexian Rager’s big brother. Great effect, but costs a lot.
Cubeable
Defile - 1cc Removal that gets better the longer the game goes on. Unless you play heavy nonbasics, this will be better than Disfigure.
Borderline
Divest - Barely an upgrade to ostracize, except your running tons of artifacts.
Fungal Infection – With so many X/1s, it is possible to make this a kill spell, or combat trick that leaves you with a 1/1. But hard to set up.
Kaya's Ghostform is a very cheap way to protect your creatures. It even prevents exile, which is unique in Pauper. But it’s very reactive, and suffers the 2-for-1 potential against you while it’s on the stack.
Nothing here
Borderline
Ob Nixilis's Cruelty - A straight up instant speed answer for most creatures in cubes, that also exiles. But at 3 mana, it’s outclassed by many 0-2 CMC removal spells.
Unholy Indenture – Having the creature return to the battlefield (stronger) is powerful. But it’s an aura with can cause 2-for-1s, and doesn’t work well against the white/blue on board removal
Cubeable
Moan of the Unhallowed – 4/4 stats on 4cmc is good, and this comes divided (synergy with sacrifice and pumps) and with flashback for late game.
Borderline
Dark Bargain - Ok, but we have better stuff. like Night's Whisper
Ill-Gotten Inheritance is an interesting draining card for the grind games, but doesn’t do enough.
Nothing here
Nothing here
Silumgar Scavenger borderline thouggh imo
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
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Personal Enjoyment Cube
So while it's not my favorite, I can compare it to Wretched Gryff. A flying body that gets a good upside when casting it by saccing a creature. and as Hydra said, it can be a surprise hasty attacker in the right deck. Not as much upside of drawing a card, but I can see it turning some games around.
Also I feel like Fountain of Ichor is Borderline. Guardian Idol is cubeable, and this while costs one more, is also a better threat and better blocker. I've seen a number of cubes run a 3CMC mana rock, this one at least is rainbow. A good control deck could make use I think.
Ok. I'm taking the night off from cataloging (because of Night Hydra's help - thanks). I'll work on Multicolored tomorrow/friday, and the short land update.
The thing with Fountain of Ichor is that three mana is much harder to leave open for a control deck than two mana, to be honest I don't get why it needs to cost the power/toughness, I think Fountain of Ichor would be fine having an activated cost of 2. Also something I have come to appreciate from Commander is 2 CMC ramp, going from 2 mana on T2 to 4 mana on T3 is often more impactfull than going from 3 mana T3 to 5 mana on T4. That's also why everyone is running Arbor Elf and Llanowar Elves, but barely anyone is running any mana elves that cost 2 or 3 mana.
Brainz Archetypes/Synergies Thread [WIP]
Excellent point. Thanks.
i still dont see an archetype that needs a black cc5 finisher. we just run angler or gary. its also weak to bolts
T2 powpercube Value https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
Any case, here's the multi-colored. Please review everyone!!
Cubeable
Court Hussar – Anticipate tacked onto a 1/3 vigilant body is perfectly acceptable for 3CMC.
Lawmage’s Binding – An instant speed Arrest. Can really surprise your opponent and mess up their plans.
Borderline
Azorius Knight-Arbiter - Good combo of keywords that allows for a clock, but very slow and costly
Senate Griffin – 3 powered flier that scrys is decent, but that can be found mono-colored. And because of the 2 toughness it’s better in aggressive decks, which may not want this for their top end.
Cubeable
Dimir Guildmage - is a bit fragile but has huge potential to draw cards or to shred opponents hands apart. Good at basically any stage of the game.
Borderline
Artful Takedown – Two powerful effects on one card. But Dimir as powerful cards and Agony Warp does it better for 2CMC.
Notion Rain – A worse Read the bones. But does support graveyard matters themes.
Whisper Agent – A Hired Blade with an additional “scry” makes this interesting. But it still trades down most of the time.
Borderline
Footlight Fiend – Devils are interesting, in that they are better than they look on the surface. But it’s easy to ignore a 1/1 attacker also.
Cubeable
Frenzied Arynx – Already a 4/4 trample for 4CMC, or a 3/3 trample, haste as a baseline. But then being able to pump it for extra trample damage makes this a powerful card with a lot of versatility.
Borderline
Centaur Peacemaker – a worse Centaur Healer, but can help stabilize you.
Rosemane Centaur – If you can convoke it early, it can be a decent card. But most of the time it’s a bit overpriced for the stats
Sumala Woodshaper – Many times it’s a 2/1 draw a card. But it’s fragile and over costed, and bad if you miss.
Borderline
Grasping Thrull – A 3/3 flier for 5 is a little over costed, but the drain is solid. It’s a slightly bigger Blind hunter, but that’s not necessarily a good shift.
Imperious Oligarch – An interesting card that can be good for aggressive or controlling decks. But a little body leaving behind a 1/1 spirit isn’t anything new.
Cubeable
Canker Abomination – A high variance card, but on average still a good body. And with a lot of removal (or an opponent misstep) this could of great rate.
Borderline
Rhizome Lurcher – In a graveyard/sacrifice themed cube it has to the potential to be large. But you may not want to cast on curve. It takes a lot of work and doesn’t have trample.
Pitiless Gorgon – Flexible creature with good blocking potential. But it’s filler.
Cubeable
Aeromunculus – A solid flier for 3CMC, with a threat of activation ability can be very powerful.
Borderline
Applied Biomancy – It’s possible for this to win a combat and bounce one of their creatures. But it will be hard to set up both at the right time. If it was +2/+2, it’d be much easier to include.
Growth Spiral – An instant speed Explore. Not enough to pull it into cubeable.
Cubeable
Fire/Ice – Two decent effects on one card. The flexibility of this instant is really good.
Hypothesizzle – Card filtering and damage spell in one. Better than Cunning strike it can take out larger creatures and be cast on an empty board in a pinch.
Borderline
Piston-Fist Cyclops – A different take on Nivix Cyclops. Only interesting with enough support for the archetype
Bad
Hammer Dropper – It’s a 4CMC that will trade with any 1 or 2 drop creature/burn/kill spell. Even if you get one trigger off this, it’s not worth it.
Cubeable
Gateway Plaza - Functional reprint of Rupture Spire/Transguild Promenade
Borderline
Cave of Temptation – A land that can tap for colorless right away, and can be cashed in later for another effect is on par with borderline lands (like Cradle of the Accursed) and filters (like Shimmering Grotto). This has both effects, but it’s just not enough to make it cubeable.
10:30am on 7/7, took 3hrs but Green, Red and Artifact are done. I will compile the lists and email to Al.
Al... you are our only hope...
MOVING COMPILATION TO FINAL UPDATE TO DISCUSS
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
You missed lots of Multicolor. I am touching up where I can. Hoping to find my broken code. I will likely send to Al in a few hrs as he is in a diff timezone
Loose Change Pauper Cube-cast
Pauper Cube Article #1
Pauper Cube Article #2
Personal Enjoyment Cube
I thought I just left out the bad stuff. But thank you regardless.
Pauper Cube & Artifact Pauper Cube & Multiplayer Cube
Interested in building your own Pauper Cube? Take a look at some of the lists and the following project: The "Evaluate Everything" Project (updated to M21/JMP)