MTG Salvation

Black had some disagreements but you had no cards that were Questionable.

I will list one drops separately since you've commented on the issue many times and I will simply be listing them all. Note that this applies to both creatures AND spells.

One drops

MISSED STAPLES
Dauthi Slayer
Wretched Anurid
Blind Zealot
Dead Reveler
Gravedigger
Pith Driller

Sign in Blood
Crippling Fatigue
Stab Wound
Snuff Out

And for viewers just joining us, let me reiterate that I am just going by the numbers and not expressing any personal opinions.

I agree with you, I think it is very interesting which cards are (near) universally played and which are not. Sometimes the disparity in power level is striking (like Dead Reveler).

It seems like this is one of the biggest services of a Rank Everything Project -- helping to discern how cards that are nearly ubiquitous stack up vs each other.

Quote from Al_Z_Heimer

I've finished my Theros update. If any card isn't at a place, where you would rank it, tell me, please.

Edit: Btw. I counted all the Bestow cards as noncreature cards with their Bestow cost.

Would you be willing to have a summarized entry in the thread with the ratings?

Now that MagicCards.info has the cards it makes it easier to go through. My only disagreement is with Spark Jolt; I think it should be up with Spark Spray or Spark Spray should be dropped with Spark Jolt. Great work in this massive undertaking.

These are the changes I suggest:

Black
Dread Warlock raised to Borderline - It's slightly more unblockable than the cards its grouped with.
Tortured Existence dropped to Borderline - This card was never picked or played when I had it in my cube because it is too restrictive.
Morgue Theft raised to Borderline - You basically get two uses of Disturbed Burial with a reversal in mana cost.

Blue
Wind Zendikon raised to Borderline - It's a 2/2 Flyer with Haste for 2cc.
Fathom Seer dropped to Borderline - You put yourself two turns behind in land drops which hurts your ability to play the two extra cards you've drawn.
Shaper Parasite dropped to Borderline - Most Morph creatures never go off, and 6cc is expensive for the effect.
Wizard Replica dropped to Bad - Just not worth the cost.
Elgaud Shieldmate dropped to Borderline - It has a way of not being able to do anything else once cast, as a 2/3 ground creature on turn four is weak.
Confound raised to Cubable - It can target spells that target your opponent's creatures too like Shielding Plax.
Rushing River dropped to Borderline - It basically requires a land sacrifice to be Cubable, which isn't flexable.
Frantic Search dropped to Bad - It doesn't do enough unless you have the Green mana ramp auras.
Frost Breath raised to Cubable - This card is on par with Feeling of Dread but for less mana.
Encrust raised to Borderline - I know many don't like this card, but when you've Encrusted a Pristine Talisman or Vulshok Morningstar, you will appreciate it more.
Dream Cache raised to Borderline - It is close to Compulsive Research in value; you either put away the junk or stack your next two turns.
Into the Roil dropped to Borderline - It's no Repulse, which most of what you will bounce will be creatures, though there is a corner case for noncreature, nonland permanents.

Green
Thallid Shell-Dweller raised to Cubable - A great wall for control decks with Green in them.
Deadly Recluse raised to Borderline - Hard to consider Typhoid Rats and not include the Green Doom Blade, particularly with the rise of Hexproof.
Elephant Ambush dropped to Borderline - Green has gotten an influx of big ramp spells lately; this one isn't big enough.
Wildwood Rebirth dropped to Bad - If you want this effect, just play Evolution Charm.
Fertile Ground raised up with Rampant Growth - They do similar things, but Fertile Ground can be used now.
Ferocious Charge raised to Borderline - A huge boost at Instant speed that has Scry 2.
Overgrowth raised to Borderline/Cubable - The only Green ramp spell that puts you two turns ahead in mana for a reasonable cost.
Spore Cloud raised to Borderline - If played correctly you've locked down your opponents attackers for a turn.

Red
Goblin Shortcutter dropped to Borderline - He's kind of an anti-tempo 2-drop; if you want value you have to make sure you have a value creature to attack and a creature to keep from blocking.
Immolating Souleater dropped to Borderline - A Red shade is still a shade; they need to be able to survive to be good.
Dwarven Vigilantes/Skirk Commando dropped to Borderline - They work like Farrel's Zealot and need just as much help.
Skirk Marauder dropped to Borderline - He's not on par with Ghitu Slinger because you can't choose to just use the two damage for 3cc.
Manic Vandal dropped to Borderline - I'd rather play Smash to Smithereens; we've already got Hearth Kami and Torch Fiend.
Stingscourger dropped to Borderline - Unique yes, but 3cc is too much for a Sorcery speed bounce.

White
Akrasan Squire dropped to Borderline - Too limited in handing out it's bonus.
Doomed Traveler dropped to Borderline - There are an abundance of ways to deal with a 1/1.
Azorious Arrester dropped to Borderline - Same as Goblin Shortcutter.
Benalish Trapper/Blinding Mage/Master Decoy dropped to Borderline - These are not on the same level as Squall Drifter (flying) or Kor Line-Slinger (no mana to activate.)
Order of Leitbur dropped to Borderline or raise Order of the Ebon Hand raised to Cubable - Very similar power level and restrictions for each color.
Apex Hawks dropped to Borderline - Each iteration is under the curve.
Farrel's Zealot dropped to Borderline - Needs help to be effective.
Ethereal Armor raised to Cubable - With the number of White removal Auras, the overall rise of Auras in Pauper Cube, not too mention the rise of Hexproof Auras archtypes, this card should be in just about every cube.
Kirtir's Desire raised to Borderline - This is a great 1cc removal spell of control decks and certainly on par with Smite.
Zealous Strike raised to Borderline - It does a lot for 2cc, which should raise it above what it's grouped with.
Puncturing Light raised to Borderline - For those looking for Instant speed removal in White, this handles a lot.
Misfortune's Gain/Path of Peace dropped to Bad - I don't see these making it in as Sorceries.
Spirit Flare dropped to Bad - Too many restrictions and variables at play to make it good.

Colorless
Opaline Unicorn dropped to Bad - Not even better than Manalith.
Borderposts dropped to Cubable - With the Guildgates, these just don't have a place. They accelerate poorly and are vulnerable to a cheeky Artifact removal spell from your opponent.

Multicolor
Probe dropped to Cubable - Just not potent enough to be a Staple.
Temporal Spring dropped to Borderline - Sorcery speed makes it very limiting.
Winged Coatl raised to Cubable - A decent removal spell for the colors that lack a lot of hard removal.
Orim's Thunder dropped to Cubable - It's very good, but still more of a Sideboard Staple.

Elephant Ambush isn't a ramp spell, it's a removal spell that gives you a token.

It really depends on how you want to go with the Evaluate Everything. If you want to give an overview of the general perception of each card or if you want to provide a personal perspective that includes disagreeing with the conventional thinking.

Quote from Volcanon

Elephant Ambush isn't a ramp spell, it's a removal spell that gives you a token.

Thats an interesting perspective though I still think its Borderline. If said token had Deathtouch or Reach...

I think Shield of the Oversoul should be Borderline, especially for cubes with Hexproof / Aura themes. It's best as a mono-green card - making things permanently indestructible is both incredibly unique at common and very powerful, given that if it resolves pretty much all black and red removal and other creatures just can't ever deal with it - but it's also okay (if underwhelming) as a mono-white card.

Love the Shield. Problem is, if you count it as GW it will never make the cut, there are atleast 5 cards ahead of it.

If you count it as G, then you are competing with Snake Umbra, Trollhide, etc. It just cannot be more than it is. AND... and... it does nothing to make a clock better. The bad vs bounce argument stands here. Admittedly vs kil, it is ok, but would Broken Fall not be better in Mono G?

Fathom seer is awesome. It's very similar to citanul woodreaders, but better. Its early blocker mode comes down turn 2 instead of 3, and its card draw mode can be used sooner than Woodreaders. After that point, bouncing your 2 lands isn't that big of a deal. The lands can also feed looters, spellshapers, compulsive research, wild mongrel, retrace spells, probably more stuff. Seer also has the 3 mana 2/2 mode if you find yourself needing that on turn 3 for some reason.

Elgaud shieldmate is crazy good and anything less than staple for it baffles me. 2/3 hexproof and gives another creature hexproof. AAAHHH. even if the other creature is just some random 2/2, that's still awesome!

Order of leitbur is a lot better than order of the ebon hand because it has a more relevant protection.

edit: Poked around red a little, got suggestions.

Move yamabushi's flame to cubable. I used it for a while because the exile actually does matter. The main reason was black runs a bunch of card advantage spells that are creature recursion, gravedigger variants and recover variants. Think about staring down a hardcast mulldrifter from an opponent running blue/black. Flame also handles creatures with abilities that trigger when they die, and it handles persist and undying. I think pillar of flame and magma spray are also pretty good.

You wrote that magma burst can deal 6 to a single player; it can't.

Also, where you list 3 examples of a "bad" spell, you list cancel as an exemplary bad spell. It's... not?

Into the Roil dropped to Borderline - It's no Repulse, which most of what you will bounce will be creatures, though there is a corner case for noncreature, nonland permanents.

Into the Roil is probably borderline in most Cubes but I think its pretty good in aura heavy cubes. Can really swing a game by surprise bouncing an aura off a hexproofer midcombat

I go back and forth on whether Into the Roil or Repeal is better, but they are Cubable(Cubable Plus in my grading, for more often than not).

Yes it does not play very easily b/c it needs 2UU, but depending on your needs, a later game bounce is sometimes more valuable; it is the 'Ponder Argument'.

Immolating Souleater is underrated by so many people, till you die to it. Play it turn 2 in ANY deck, if they are tapped out/open you could in theory cripple them, yes you suicided, but they could be in a huge hole if you are aggro. If you are in red, it might as well be a landslide victory. Of the cycle, it is the best, I like Trespasser more myself, but Immolating is the best.

From the Project the things I disagree with most are the Artifact Shocks: Aeolipile Moonglove Extract and Blazing Torch. They are relevant. And give all colors the ability to answer utility guys like Tappers/Pingers/Spellshapers.

According to the Number Crunch I've done, Into the Roil is a staple..not 100% inclusion, but just behind, so I would say that any fair classification has to be 'Cubeable' or better

Quote from Al_Z_Heimer

@KBH:
It just means, that it's one of the few playable bounce spells, that doesn't cause card disadvantage. Just because everyone plays it, doesn't mean, that the card is good, it just fills a gasp, for everyone who looks for every playable bounce spell.

Its played in more Cubes than

Silent Departure
Withdraw
Repulse
Rushing River
Repeal

it only trails Capsize -- which isn't really the same

Quote from Al_Z_Heimer

Ehm, Repulse is maybe the best bounce spell except for Capsize. Into the Roil is mainly played as a worse version of Repulse. It seems like the amount, how often a card is played, doesn't have say much, in some cases.

Right. I don't pretend to understand the whys and wherefores.

FYI, you still list Mnemonic Wall as having Flying

Aren't either of the 3/3 First Strikers in Red worthy of being a Staple?

I feel Splatter Thug more so, as being available turn 3 and attacking into all but the 4cc's of Green is fine. And if need be, it has First Strike w/o needing to be Unleashed, so if you are equip heavy, it still does a good job.

After working on the 180 Core Project it occurs that Red seems to not many efficient creatures, and I don't know if that is in comparison to its very efficient burn, or to other colors.. either way they need to be compared against red's inherent modifiers to their creatures (usually no blocking, or size restrictions).

I'm a big fan of Splatter Thug. A 3/3 first strike on offense is very hard to deal with in pauper and even a 2/2 first strike can hold off a decent assault when the time calls for it. I think both Splatter Thug and Dead Reveler don't get enough love in pauper cube. They've both been very solid in my cube.

I agree; Splatter Thug should be a staple. It is a fearsome beating.

In my opinion Splatter Thug, Blood Ogre and Dead Reveler are staples, while those cc2 evasion guys are only borderline. (see Wind Zendikon)

Btw Fathom Seer is awesome and Tortured Existence is basically a Survival of the Fittest in the right deck. (With some dredge guys its nuts)

Quote from Al_Z_Heimer

I'm not sure if Splatter Thug is even better than Blood Ogre. Beeing able to block is a huge deal. I think it's on the same powerlevel as Fervent Cathar and Minotaur Skullcleaver, which are fine cards, but they're still worse than all the actual staples, so I won't move it up. It's not my fault, that red has too less good creatures, but I won't overrate cards, just because of too bad competition. I mean no one would consider Dead Reveler to be a staple neither.

I disagree strongly, I think dead reveler and splatter thug are EASILY the best 3 drops in their respective color for an aggro deck. They are both just so enormous, only a few creatures in the cube can stand up to them.

I will take splatter thug over blood ogre every time; the only time the ogre is better is in aggro mirrors.

The only black aggro 3 drop that can compete with dead reveler at all is dauthi marauder, and I think dead reveler is better because he dodges almost all red removal.

These two guys should be in every pauper cube, and if that doesn't make them "staples" then something is wrong here

The last time I crunched the numbers, they heavily supported the side that sees Thug and Reveler as staples and arguably the best in their color+cc

It is your project. I am on the side of Splatter and company being staple, only because they have been so proven from the time I played RTR Block limited.

There is not always the auto-include on 3cc 3/3's. But these cases are akin to perfect on-curve aggressive creatures that only control does not want.

Basically if Ballynook Cohort is Staple, its cousin Splatter Thug should be.

Yeah im often browsing your lists, so Ill give some inputs for the section im currently in

Seal of Fire drop to borderline. 2 dmg is pretty unimpressive when you have access to real bolts
Shard Volley drop to bad. this card sucks
Flame Jab up to cubable, its much better than Lavadart and (borderline) Deathspark
Skred Staple in Snowcubes
Burst Lightning drop to cubable. Kicker is pretty expensive and not as flexible as X-spells