MTG Salvation

Welcome to the All Commons Cube Thread, standing pretty much at the core of the entire Pauper Cube Community. This is the place for talking about Pauper cubes in general: evaluating cards, talking about recent cube drafts, simulating P1P1 packs, everything. This is where you want to go if you're into Pauper Cube.

Since there's been a bit of these showing up on the forum lately (my own is in the works), I figured it would be appropriate to have a thread solely for the discussion of all commons cubes. Card choices, archetypes, strategies and what not.



I'll start by asking about some good artifacts. Right now I only have a handful:

• viridian longbow
  
• wanderer's twig
  
• bonesplitter
  
• adventuring gear
  
• explorer's scope
  
• leonin scimitar

10 signets

5 obelisks

• darksteel ingot
  
• scuttlemutt
  
• moonglove extract
  
• whispersilk cloak

I don't like the obelisks, and I'm unsure about some of the other cards, but mostly I just feel like there needs to be more artifacts than 25.

Did not realize they printed Serrated Arrows at common in a duel deck. I think that should definitely count.

Maybe these guys aren't really considered artifacts to you guys, but in my cube the golem cycle (spire golem, etc) have all been very good. The red one (oxidia golem) is the worst but still very playable. Dross golem is a 3 power evasive beater for 3 usually. Razor golem will generally get cast as a 3/4 vigilance for 4, which is also above curve. Spire golem is good, don't really need to explain this guy who was even a constructed role-player (admittedly in decks with a ton of islands).

I also like how each reward monocolored decks by being very good in them, in addition to being solid in the average deck.

• Dross Golem
  
• Oxidda Golem
  
• Razor Golem
  
• Spire Goem
  
• Tangle Golem

Again, going with the artifact but not really classified by a lot of people as such I have this cycle

• healer's headress
  
• pewter golem
  
• hematite golem
  
• neurok stealthsuit
  
• horned helm

These are mostly role players rather than the most powerful cards, healer's headdress was always underrated in mirrodin block draft, and I really like it in my cube, it's particularly good in white where the ability to move it around at instant speed just creates an impenetrable barrier.

Pewter golem is pricey, but I like complete cycles. I'll admite he isn't the best though.

Hematite golem isn't as good as pyrite spellbomb, but my red is good enough as is without giving in another burn spell. This is a pretty good guy on offense and defense.

neurok stealthsuit is there because my cube has a lot of removal, no matter how much I try to trim it. This is a good sb card against those strategies and can really make the RBU removal.dec spells have fits. Again not the best card, but it fills a need in my cube.

Horned Helm is just solid equipment, always happy to play it.

This cycle might not have huge power, which may make some people not like it, but it really is a way to add cards that I think are needed to make a diverse play envoirnment. I'm trying to make powerful decks, but there is also the attempt to make a fun format. This also lets me add 3 equipment, I want a fair amount of equipment in my cubes, since it can easily be underrepresented in a common cube.

One last card is

skyreach manta

This is just a solid flyer, it's at it's best in a pretty wacky archtype but it is also a decent curve filler if you can play for 3.

I agree with most of the cards in the previous posts. I actually don't run signets though, although I recognize they are very good. It's just that I don't want to add a cycle of 10 accelerants in the cube. I think if you add that many it kind of hurts aggro. Control is already really good in my deck and they were basically abusing signets way more than aggro could. It also makes the mana accel that remains in my cube more valuable because it's in smaller supply. It also gives green a distinct edge in fixing and acceleration by taking away non-green options.

If you want power in your cube, add signets by all means. It's just a tweak I made for gameplay's sake and I don't want to force anyone else to do it or insinuate that you are wrong to play signets.

These are the more unconventional things in my artifact's section. So i don't expect a lot of agreement, but they have really worked well for me.

Quote from makenfunny

Maybe these guys aren't really considered artifacts to you guys, but in my cube the golem cycle (spire golem, etc) have all been very good. The red one (oxidia golem) is the worst but still very playable. Dross golem is a 3 power evasive beater for 3 usually. Razor golem will generally get cast as a 3/4 vigilance for 4, which is also above curve. Spire golem is good, don't really need to explain this guy who was even a constructed role-player (admittedly in decks with a ton of islands).

I also like how each reward monocolored decks by being very good in them, in addition to being solid in the average deck.

• Dross Golem
  
• Oxidda Golem
  
• Razor Golem
  
• Spire Goem
  
• Tangle Golem

Again, going with the artifact but not really classified by a lot of people as such I have this cycle

• healer's headress
  
• pewter golem
  
• hematite golem
  
• neurok stealthsuit
  
• horned helm

These are mostly role players rather than the most powerful cards, healer's headdress was always underrated in mirrodin block draft, and I really like it in my cube, it's particularly good in white where the ability to move it around at instant speed just creates an impenetrable barrier.

Pewter golem is pricey, but I like complete cycles. I'll admite he isn't the best though.

Hematite golem isn't as good as pyrite spellbomb, but my red is good enough as is without giving in another burn spell. This is a pretty good guy on offense and defense.

neurok stealthsuit is there because my cube has a lot of removal, no matter how much I try to trim it. This is a good sb card against those strategies and can really make the RBU removal.dec spells have fits. Again not the best card, but it fills a need in my cube.

Horned Helm is just solid equipment, always happy to play it.

This cycle might not have huge power, which may make some people not like it, but it really is a way to add cards that I think are needed to make a diverse play envoirnment. I'm trying to make powerful decks, but there is also the attempt to make a fun format. This also lets me add 3 equipment, I want a fair amount of equipment in my cubes, since it can easily be underrepresented in a common cube.

One last card is

skyreach manta

This is just a solid flyer, it's at it's best in a pretty wacky archtype but it is also a decent curve filler if you can play for 3.

I agree with most of the cards in the previous posts. I actually don't run signets though, although I recognize they are very good. It's just that I don't want to add a cycle of 10 accelerants in the cube. I think if you add that many it kind of hurts aggro. Control is already really good in my deck and they were basically abusing signets way more than aggro could. It also makes the mana accel that remains in my cube more valuable because it's in smaller supply. It also gives green a distinct edge in fixing and acceleration by taking away non-green options.

If you want power in your cube, add signets by all means. It's just a tweak I made for gameplay's sake and I don't want to force anyone else to do it or insinuate that you are wrong to play signets.

These are the more unconventional things in my artifact's section. So i don't expect a lot of agreement, but they have really worked well for me.

I had actually been meaning to track down those golems, I only found 3 of them in my collection, The other 5 you listed seem pretty decent, and I might have to get a hold of them. I noticed how much removal goes into a common cube when I was building mine. So many of the best commons are just really good removal and counterspells. And yeah, I was trying to cut some of it the other day, but there all such important spells. anyway, Thanks for the artifact ideas! I want my commons cube to have about the same color ratios as my main cube, so it helps to learn what's good from someone who's already done extensive commons cubing.

One of the real problems is that green gets a ton of good acceleration at common, but no real big beaters, which is annoying

Quote from Neradox

Yeah, that´s right. When I built my first design of my cube, I was like "Wow, Llanowar, Fyndhorn, Arbor, Boreal Druid and Rampant Growth, Farseek, Explore, Harrow, and everyone and his mother can produce tons of mana. Well, let´s see... Havenwood Wurm, Krosan Tusker, Oakgnarl Warrior, Siege Wurm, Kavu Primarch... and there it stops. That sucks. "
So I did not include that much ramp in my cube, just the usual suspects. Llanowar Elves are good when they can power out 3-5cc cards one turn earlier, so they don´t have to focus on spitting out fatties.

Ya that is what I have resorted too. It's amazing that they don't make good common fatties though. Another thing I wonder about is how much burn to put in red. Obviously common burn is pretty ridiculous, but I don't want that to be my red's only identity.

I have also been trying to have a bit of a minor goblin theme, which strengthens sparksmith and what not.

the ten ravnica signets should find their way in there, somehow.

Quote from Neradox

Well, I didn´t mean other Goblins, but cards that SUPPORT goblins.

Goblin Grenade?

Do we maybe want to make a list of auto-includes in each color?

an autoinclude list would be nice.

Also, I've been noticing as I've been putting cards into my commons cube that I'm having trouble getting away from the ideas behind my regular cube. A lot of effects that are pretty meaningless in a 360 card cube with no restriction can be really good in a common cube, I'm just not sure what they are. So I guess, if anyone has any 'dark horse' commons they've found, let us know!

Quote from FoggManatic

an autoinclude list would be nice.

Also, I've been noticing as I've been putting cards into my commons cube that I'm having trouble getting away from the ideas behind my regular cube. A lot of effects that are pretty meaningless in a 360 card cube with no restriction can be really good in a common cube, I'm just not sure what they are. So I guess, if anyone has any 'dark horse' commons they've found, let us know!

Agreed.

So if we were to start with white creatures:

• Steppe Lynx
  
• Blinding Mage
  
• Kor Skyfisher
  
• Amrou Seekers
  
• Aven Riftwatcher
  
• Ballyknock Cohort
  
• Kor Hookmaster
  
• Knight of Sursi
  
• Shade of Trokair

Please feel free to add or subtract

Quote from Huskie322

Agreed.

So if we were to start with white creatures:

• Steppe Lynx
  
• Blinding Mage
  
• Kor Skyfisher
  
• Amrou Seekers
  
• Aven Riftwatcher
  
• Ballyknock Cohort
  
• Kor Hookmaster
  
• Knight of Sursi
  
• Shade of Trokair

Please feel free to add or subtract

I don't know, I feel like we should start with the absolute bare essentials, the first cards that you put into a commons cube. for example

White:
Faith's fetters
Oblivion ring
stormfront pegasus
kor skyfisher

Blue:
mulldrifter
counterspell
mana leak
brainstorm

black:
doom blade
diabolic edict
vampire lacerator
faceless butcher

red:
lightning bolt
incinerate
rolling thunder
keldon marauders

Green:
rancor
river boa
mire boa
llanowar elves

Multicolor:
agony warp
putrid leech
qasali pridemage
kird ape
pillory of the sleepless
terminate

artifacts:
bonesplitter
viridian longbow

lands:
ravnica bouncelands
terramorphic expanse

The only card I have problems with as being bare essentials in that list is lacerator, it isn't what I think of as one of blacks first auto-ins. Something like hymn instead.

Carnophage is better anyways. They're both great, and should both be auto-includes, but the Carnophage is slightly better.

Comparing the two is very hard, because there are so many situations that they have the slightest variance towards one or the other. Personally, I think any common cube plays both, so the argument is largely moot, unless you end up with both in a pack

Quote from Huskie322

The only card I have problems with as being bare essentials in that list is lacerator, it isn't what I think of as one of blacks first auto-ins. Something like hymn instead.

see, I didn't even realize hymn was a common. I have a huge card collection, including a good but of cards from the sets hymn is in, but I only have one, and it's in my regular cube. I also don't have any carnophages for some really irritating reason. but yes, both of those would be more auto-includey.

Other Auto-Includes to add to Foggmanatic:
Blue
Ophidian
Ninja of the Deep Hour
Errant Ephemeron
Capsize

Black
Crypt Rats
Pestilence
Tendrils of Corruption

Red
Mogg Fanatic
Fireblast
Fireball

Green
Sakura Tribe Elder
Wall of Roots
Rancor

Opinions Welcome

Quote from Huskie322

Other Auto-Includes to add to Foggmanatic:
Blue
Ophidian
Ninja of the Deep Hour
Errant Ephemeron
Capsize

Black
Crypt Rats
Pestilence
Tendrils of Corruption

Red
Mogg Fanatic
Fireblast
Fireball

Green
Sakura Tribe Elder
Wall of Roots
Rancor

Opinions Welcome

they all seem like good bets to me, I'll go ahead and add these and mine to the OP.

edit: except I'm not sure Tendrils or any of the other land specific cards like that would be auto-includes

Sounds like a good plan, it would be awesome if we could get a few more people's input. A core 20-25 cards per color would go a long way in starting to solidify common cubes throughout the forum

I agree with the signets, and believe everything on Fredmasters should go in besides fists of ironwood, grim harvest, and javelineers. I think those go slighlty beyond staples, though I could be wrong.

@neradox: I totally agree, I just figure 20 or so per color would be a good starting point for all common cubes.

Quote from Huskie322

I agree with the signets, and believe everything on Fredmasters should go in besides fists of ironwood, grim harvest, and javelineers. I think those go slighlty beyond staples, though I could be wrong.

@neradox: I totally agree, I just figure 20 or so per color would be a good starting point for all common cubes.

sounds good to me! I'm already learning, as I don't have all of these cards in mine, yet. I'll add them to the first post

@FoggManatic

This is a great idea. Could come in handy for the all common Winston stack I was thinking of throwing together.

I think the switch to Searing Blaze seems like a definite upgrade.

I'm not as sure on the second one. Gilt-Leaf Ambush seems like it can be a pretty sweet trick. I like the idea of Presence of Gond with repeatable token creation but as cool as it is, I worry about the usual aura concerns. But I still haven't played an all common cube yet so I don't know if getting two-for-oned is as much of a concern.

I'm still thinking about getting an all common Winston draft stack together so I'll be keeping an eye on this thread for ideas, but unfortunately that project is stuck behind doing some swaps on my normal cube and trying to create a couple EDH decks.