I'd just play them all. How often do you get to go to Magic Christmas Land where you 1 - draft all the combo pieces 2 - draw all 3 of them and 3 - play them all at the same time while your opponent can't stop it?
I wouldn't really consider it an issue with the format if 1 game per draft (on average) was won by a combo. Combos are cool in moderation and an important part of Magic.
I think if I were to allow it, I definitely wouldn't include finks due to the potential to make for miserable situations. Going infinite with finks doesn't actually make you win, it just makes you not lose to running out of life, so if your opponent has more cards in deck than you when you go off, they have an out by playing to win through decking, and nobody wants to sit through that.
I don't have any idea of how often the persist combo might actually come together, though, so let's do some math! Assume I keep my cube the way it currently is, but drop 3 unrelated cards for Anafenza, Renata, and Unicorn. In order to go infinite, you need:
1) Murderous Redcap - 1/450
2) free +1/+1 counters - 3/450
3) a free sac outlet - 5/450
So now we need to calculate the probability that the deck is draftable. We do this through the magic of hypergeometric distributions, where: N = total pool size, n = total picked, K = total cards in the pool with a desired quality, and k = how many you need. We need at least 1 of each type of card available, so we are looking at the cumulative probability for k >= 1. I'm a little rusty at stats, so the following is probably not exactly right, but is probably close enough.
1) P(redcap) = HypGeo(N = 460, n = 360, K = 1, k = 1) = 0.783
2) P(1 counter | redcap) = HypGeo(N = 459, n = 359, K = 3, k = 1) = 0.111,
P(2 counters | redcap) = HypGeo(N = 459, n = 359, K = 3, k = 2) = 0.401,
P(3 counters | redcap) = HypGeo(N = 459, n = 359, K = 3, k = 3) = 0.478
3) P(at least 1 infinite sac | any of the above) = 1
So the probability that the deck will be available to draft is 0.783 * (0.111 + 0.401 + 0.478) = 0.775, i.e. 77.5% of the time all the cards needed to combo will be present in the packs. Let's assume that all players know this combo is possible, and if they open redcap in one of their first 2 packs will aggressively draft to make it happen. This means the combo deck will exist in 0.775 * 0.667 = 51.7% of all drafts.
As for how many games this actually influences the outcome of, I think that's hard to calculate. Not just because of the math of trying to figure out how often the combo will be drawn vs how often people will have some sort of removal at the right time, but because the presence of the combo changes play patterns.
If you think about how modern pod worked, it was basically a midrange value deck that also had the ability to hit an "I win" button, and I imagine that is how persist combo decks would play out in cube. You don't need to go for the combo all the time; you just play your value-oriented game that can win by itself, while also having a backup plan that you can pull out: if there is a board stall, if your opponent has a lead on board, but is out of removal, or at any time if you know your opponent is playing a deck that is low on removal. You also have the option of jamming early on to put strain on your opponent's resources, then falling back to your main gameplan which is now set up better because your opponent has had to use some amount of resources to stop the combo. Plus, green and black (and to a lesser extent white) have recursion, so its possible that you can just go off again later.
This deck seems very powerful to me, and I think having it show up in slightly more than half of all drafts is undesirable. Even if it only showed up when someone was able to first pick redcap (i.e. 1/3 of the time), that's 25.8% of all drafts, which I still think is too much. You can curb how often it shows up by cutting free counters / sac outlets, but that makes a bunch of other decks worse in the process, so I think it's better to just drop persist creatures if I am adding free counter generation.
Whilst the Finks by itself is not technically a win, most of the sac outlets can be. A huge [Carriom Feeder[/card] or an arbitrary amount of pings from Goblin Bombardment is more than likely to close out the game.
I like persist combo, and I think, like n00b1n8r said, that combo is an important part of magic. It is relatively hard to assemble the combo in the draft, because most of the persist creatures are very pickable even outside the 'dedicated combo deck', the exception being Lesser Masticore.
I'm not sure that I agree that combo is an important part of magic. Let me rephrase. Infinite combo is not an important part of magic. In fact, it is the least interactive part of the game and I can assure you no one enjoys playing "against" it. Even if there is a remote chance of it happening, why include it if it just leads to a "feel bad" moment? Don't get me wrong, cards working together in synergy is my cup of tea and the best way to play magic, but Johnny comboing in our format is not something I personally would like to include. If I want to infinite combo, I'll go play EDH.
I've also become more of a hardass on power level as I've cubed over the years, so don't mind the jaded mindset over here. I cut Kitchen Finks and Murderous Redcap, and Goblin Bombardment for power reasons over here in Peasantville. I run a tight ship as mayor over here. Whoever runs infinite combo over here in Peasantville is sentenced to the Oubliette.
3) Lands that enter tapped limits the amount of viable fixing. Even in retail limited, the amount of tapped lands a deck can reasonably play sits around 4-5. Offering 6 per drafter with two-thirds of those fitting the deck is right where I want to be.
I think that this is the most important sentiment about the whole land% business. We can't hit the supposed "best number" even with a cycle of untapped lands like painlands because people just plain shouldn't be running 5 tapped lands in their decks on average.
To follow up from before, the landscapes have been a dream come true for me. fixing that isn't for 2 colors at a time (so more players can use each piece) and enters untapped. I even have used vivids to cycle them. Feels like a new cube, almost.
//
Unrelated, after my hypothesis that O-naginata is a card that actually benefitted from power creep has been confirmed through testing, my eyes have been wandering over to piston sledge as the next possible candidate for a card worth revisiting. I remember it being scary, but inconsistent, in retail. There are plenty of cards that aggro decks can use that happen to make artifact tokens you don't need (riveteer's requisitioner, some golgari cards) and getting free +3/+1 on something like... shrike force, Danitha Capashen, paragon, or aerial responder sounds worth a shot.
By my count, there's now 8 2 mana 2/1 flyers in blue with upside. How do you all rank them? Here's mine:
The Best - I run these and probably will for a while Zephyr Sentinel - Flash and pseudo-protection + pseudo-blink Plumecreed Escort - Flash and full protection
Pretty Strong - I don't run these but have come close to running them recently Zephyr Winder - Pseudo-vigilance to itself or another creature seems pretty good, or can untap a mana-dork Stormchaser Drake - Very good if it triggers, but I worry that most decks probably won't trigger it Skyclave Aerialist - Generically good but doesn't really support my cube's themes
Merely Good Skyship Plunderer - The OG in this category and I used to run it. I ended up cutting it as more of these were printed. If I supported +1/+1 counters in blue I would still run this. If we continue to get more good stun counter cards then this may make a return someday. Hypnotic Sprite - Lots of value if you can utilize both sides, but the UU casting cost scared me off Battlewing Mystic - I would probably need to count this as an izzet card, and it just isn't interesting enough to take a guild spot
We also have Emrakul's Messenger, which I am guaranteed that you missed because is it not technically blue due to devoid. Another one I would put back up into The Best territory.
We also have Emrakul's Messenger, which I am guaranteed that you missed because is it not technically blue due to devoid. Another one I would put back up into The Best territory.
Ah yup, devoid got me. I haven't tried any of the "draw 2 cards" themes so I don't know for sure how well it works, but I imagine you could probably get it to trigger once in a typical game. And even once seems strong.
We also have Emrakul's Messenger, which I am guaranteed that you missed because is it not technically blue due to devoid. Another one I would put back up into The Best territory.
Ah yup, devoid got me. I haven't tried any of the "draw 2 cards" themes so I don't know for sure how well it works, but I imagine you could probably get it to trigger once in a typical game. And even once seems strong.
Any looter or rummager on your turn will consistently trigger it. Much more reliable than casting two spells or having to draw three cards in a turn.
I guess I should mention that the two "draw three" cards we have access to (mindless conscription and sneaky snacker) have been really good for me. Like, "having these two in a deck together gives you a viable win to draft around all by themselves" good. Black has a lot of cards that draw two and sac something to do so which I happen to already be running and they automatically work with snacker. I also have been experimenting with perilous research (which works with snacker if you sac it in your upkeep)
Also the "cast two spells" cards I have been running have also been really good. I drafted twice with Browndog online and in the first draft he saw monk of the open hand do a tarmogoyf impression, and in our second draft he did the same to me. I have a lot of 1 drops, I think, which lets you double spell but I think everyone has a lot of 1 drops (besides bdog) so it should work for many of us.
My biggest problem with the Armored Scrapgorger is the fact that my green decks are the ones usually focusing on graveyard shenanigans, and its ability is not a may. It has more often affected my own graveyard than my opponents'.
I did not play a ton of ONE limited (was not a huge fan), but here is the context I remember. ONE was an extremely fast format, there was a lot of proliferate, and the best deck was the Gruul oil counter archetype.
Those all work directly in favor of Armored Scrapgorger and while I think the card is fine, I would keep all of that in mind for card evaluation.
I'll have to endorse rancoredmalone here, although I accept that the Scrapgorger is powerful, the environments are very different from each other.
I have been very careful with 17lands win rates when evaluating cards for my Cube. For example, Writhing Crysalis has a 64%ish GIH win rate in MH3, but that is because of all the Eldrazi synergies in that set. The card is good, don't get me wrong, but I'd be very reluctant to add it to my Cube just because it performed well in that set.
A similar example is Crawling Chorus, a house in its own format. Pretty mediocre outside of it.
ALL THAT SAID, I do think Scrapgorger passes the bar and can be easily included to any Cube. Especially taking into account that there are few graveyard hate cards that are actually worth playing outside just the hate.
Ahhh... Finally managed to get my list on CubeCobra up to date with all the releases starting with Outlaws of Thunder Junction. That is one way to use my first day off this summer. And to drive anyone subscribed to my Cube mad with blog posts since I did this in a bunch of adjustments and wanted to keep those in case I was going to pull something back (which I did).
I delayed making good on my word in the above post so I could get the BLB stuff done.
Part 1) More trinket synergy
Cards that make artifact tokens (and cards that use them) continue to be the most compelling thing magic has done for me in ages. It does annoy me that whether or not a random creature is an artifact is totally arbitrary but I can't deny the fact that the extra layer in card eval is engaging. So now my cube is sorta-tribal?
The effect that this has is so dramatic that I daresay cube owners with vs without it might not be able to properly communicate with one another.
Part 2) Defense
Rather than try and beat back aggro/tokens with bans or with suppressive removal, I went and added almost every viable card that has lifelink/gains life/made food. Conveniently, magic has tacked on "you gain 2 life" onto lots of random cards as of late, and every 2 helps. The other defensive keywords (reach and vigilance) are also being given special treatment. Lastly, there's more ramp now too.
I overdid it on purpose. If this doesn't fix things then unfortunately I will have to resort to banning.
Beforehand, it was just the cumulative effect of a lot of efficient cards that pushed slow decks aside. It's not like they make a behold the unspeakable/pelakka wurm/Kitchen finks for every pushed low drop they print. But now there's also growing volatility in the synergies we have access to. For example: Double strikers. Used to be that they were a single high pressure point on a board. Now they're numerous enough that they can be a dangerous sub-archetype that vomits damage to face. Or Woodland Champion: a totally normal Magic card until someone plays Hop to It on three.
Essence Reliquary is probably my favorite noncreature card printed in a very long time. It opens up new lines of play that I've not seen since the ancient days of vedalken mastermind. Pairs with Invasion of Dominaria or any saga, for example.
O-Naginata has successfully received all the benefits of power creep and taken up the mantle of scariest equipment in the cube. It's very cool how you can precombat a trick onto a small creature to allow it to be equipped permanently. In a similar vein, Piston Sledge has been very happy to see all these treasures and does an accurate Grafted Wargear impression. Maybe even too good an impression.
Monk of the Open Hand and Bloodsky Berserker have been explosive. It's easy to draft a pile of 1s and 2s to trigger these every turn. First I clobbered Browndog with the Monk as a 6/6, then he played a decent version of my deck next draft with it as a 4/4. Nice to have a few zero drops around them too.
Oh and everyone should be playing Tax Collector. It doesn't even look too Universes Beyondy.
//
Major Cards:
Curse of Predation and Curse of Shallow Graves
After retesting both to see if power creep has caught up, I decided to keep only the black one. The kind of gross snowballing that Graves can do *sorta* requires your opponent to not be building their board blow for blow with you, and nowadays even slower decks have plays with p/t through the early turns. Predation, on the other hand, compounds inabilities to block the first time with a super duper inability to not block later. Magic is only providing us with explosive board states earlier and easier. "Woops, didn't expect Rally at the Hornburg as part of my turn 4? Hope you can block them as 3/3s next turn while everything else goes nuts."
Mind control, binding grasp, domestication:
As the average investment of any creature in play continues to drop, these are having a harder time. Mind control in particular just costs too much, especially if it has to take a tapped creature. The strange 4drops still work but aren't high picks. Since Blue is the color that least benefitted from modern speed and power creep, I decided to just go for Control magic straight up.
Lands:
With the new tri-fetches, my dream of having 30+ nondual fixing lands has been achieved (since I am cheating in Triomes). This means that not only do I not need to cheat in rare duals anymore, but I also don't need to value the fixing on the new MDFCs that highly. So I'm treating them as gold cards (even though Revitalizing Repast makes a fine hybrid) and only including the better ones.
Sink into stupor also scratches my itch to play Otawara, which got the dominoes to fall on much of my interest to play most rare utility lands. Now I'm down to just a couple 5c or colorless reps.
It's a little funny to see the praise for Armix there when I have included it ever since it released, and I got told that it would likely just be bad at the time. I will accept the argument that we live in a different world now than we did at the time but even using it to throw around repeated free -2/-2:s (I forget the name of the card that does that) only ever required one other binned or fielded artifact for minimal build-around requirements.
Counterspells, protection spells, ways to bounce creatures, and more thanks to adventure.
That said, Recruiter *rarely* sees play in my group. Obviously our cubes are not all the same, but this has me wondering whether Recruiter is too slow for an average peasant cube environment or whether this is just an issue with my drafters not recognizing Recruiter's applications.
I wouldn't really consider it an issue with the format if 1 game per draft (on average) was won by a combo. Combos are cool in moderation and an important part of Magic.
Draft it on Cubetutor here, and CubeCobra here.
Treasure Cruise did nothing wrong.
I don't have any idea of how often the persist combo might actually come together, though, so let's do some math! Assume I keep my cube the way it currently is, but drop 3 unrelated cards for Anafenza, Renata, and Unicorn. In order to go infinite, you need:
1) Murderous Redcap - 1/450
2) free +1/+1 counters - 3/450
3) a free sac outlet - 5/450
So now we need to calculate the probability that the deck is draftable. We do this through the magic of hypergeometric distributions, where: N = total pool size, n = total picked, K = total cards in the pool with a desired quality, and k = how many you need. We need at least 1 of each type of card available, so we are looking at the cumulative probability for k >= 1. I'm a little rusty at stats, so the following is probably not exactly right, but is probably close enough.
1) P(redcap) = HypGeo(N = 460, n = 360, K = 1, k = 1) = 0.783
2) P(1 counter | redcap) = HypGeo(N = 459, n = 359, K = 3, k = 1) = 0.111,
P(2 counters | redcap) = HypGeo(N = 459, n = 359, K = 3, k = 2) = 0.401,
P(3 counters | redcap) = HypGeo(N = 459, n = 359, K = 3, k = 3) = 0.478
3) P(at least 1 infinite sac | any of the above) = 1
So the probability that the deck will be available to draft is 0.783 * (0.111 + 0.401 + 0.478) = 0.775, i.e. 77.5% of the time all the cards needed to combo will be present in the packs. Let's assume that all players know this combo is possible, and if they open redcap in one of their first 2 packs will aggressively draft to make it happen. This means the combo deck will exist in 0.775 * 0.667 = 51.7% of all drafts.
As for how many games this actually influences the outcome of, I think that's hard to calculate. Not just because of the math of trying to figure out how often the combo will be drawn vs how often people will have some sort of removal at the right time, but because the presence of the combo changes play patterns.
If you think about how modern pod worked, it was basically a midrange value deck that also had the ability to hit an "I win" button, and I imagine that is how persist combo decks would play out in cube. You don't need to go for the combo all the time; you just play your value-oriented game that can win by itself, while also having a backup plan that you can pull out: if there is a board stall, if your opponent has a lead on board, but is out of removal, or at any time if you know your opponent is playing a deck that is low on removal. You also have the option of jamming early on to put strain on your opponent's resources, then falling back to your main gameplan which is now set up better because your opponent has had to use some amount of resources to stop the combo. Plus, green and black (and to a lesser extent white) have recursion, so its possible that you can just go off again later.
This deck seems very powerful to me, and I think having it show up in slightly more than half of all drafts is undesirable. Even if it only showed up when someone was able to first pick redcap (i.e. 1/3 of the time), that's 25.8% of all drafts, which I still think is too much. You can curb how often it shows up by cutting free counters / sac outlets, but that makes a bunch of other decks worse in the process, so I think it's better to just drop persist creatures if I am adding free counter generation.
I like persist combo, and I think, like n00b1n8r said, that combo is an important part of magic. It is relatively hard to assemble the combo in the draft, because most of the persist creatures are very pickable even outside the 'dedicated combo deck', the exception being Lesser Masticore.
WiJ
Peasant 540 Cube
I've also become more of a hardass on power level as I've cubed over the years, so don't mind the jaded mindset over here. I cut Kitchen Finks and Murderous Redcap, and Goblin Bombardment for power reasons over here in Peasantville. I run a tight ship as mayor over here. Whoever runs infinite combo over here in Peasantville is sentenced to the Oubliette.
My Peasant Cube thread !!! (380 cards)
Draft my Peasant Cube on Cube Cobra !!!
I think that this is the most important sentiment about the whole land% business. We can't hit the supposed "best number" even with a cycle of untapped lands like painlands because people just plain shouldn't be running 5 tapped lands in their decks on average.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
540+, Peasant
Take your hybrids out of your gold section
Mana-math Article
//
Unrelated, after my hypothesis that O-naginata is a card that actually benefitted from power creep has been confirmed through testing, my eyes have been wandering over to piston sledge as the next possible candidate for a card worth revisiting. I remember it being scary, but inconsistent, in retail. There are plenty of cards that aggro decks can use that happen to make artifact tokens you don't need (riveteer's requisitioner, some golgari cards) and getting free +3/+1 on something like... shrike force, Danitha Capashen, paragon, or aerial responder sounds worth a shot.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
540+, Peasant
Take your hybrids out of your gold section
Mana-math Article
The Best - I run these and probably will for a while
Zephyr Sentinel - Flash and pseudo-protection + pseudo-blink
Plumecreed Escort - Flash and full protection
Pretty Strong - I don't run these but have come close to running them recently
Zephyr Winder - Pseudo-vigilance to itself or another creature seems pretty good, or can untap a mana-dork
Stormchaser Drake - Very good if it triggers, but I worry that most decks probably won't trigger it
Skyclave Aerialist - Generically good but doesn't really support my cube's themes
Merely Good
Skyship Plunderer - The OG in this category and I used to run it. I ended up cutting it as more of these were printed. If I supported +1/+1 counters in blue I would still run this. If we continue to get more good stun counter cards then this may make a return someday.
Hypnotic Sprite - Lots of value if you can utilize both sides, but the UU casting cost scared me off
Battlewing Mystic - I would probably need to count this as an izzet card, and it just isn't interesting enough to take a guild spot
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/peasantsnowcube
-- Updated with Bloomburrow
The PioneWer Peasant CUbe
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/pionewer
-- Updated with Murders at Karlov Manor
Ah yup, devoid got me. I haven't tried any of the "draw 2 cards" themes so I don't know for sure how well it works, but I imagine you could probably get it to trigger once in a typical game. And even once seems strong.
Any looter or rummager on your turn will consistently trigger it. Much more reliable than casting two spells or having to draw three cards in a turn.
Also the "cast two spells" cards I have been running have also been really good. I drafted twice with Browndog online and in the first draft he saw monk of the open hand do a tarmogoyf impression, and in our second draft he did the same to me. I have a lot of 1 drops, I think, which lets you double spell but I think everyone has a lot of 1 drops (besides bdog) so it should work for many of us.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
540+, Peasant
Take your hybrids out of your gold section
Mana-math Article
My biggest problem with the Armored Scrapgorger is the fact that my green decks are the ones usually focusing on graveyard shenanigans, and its ability is not a may. It has more often affected my own graveyard than my opponents'.
My Peasant Cube - CubeCobra
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
540+, Peasant
Take your hybrids out of your gold section
Mana-math Article
Those all work directly in favor of Armored Scrapgorger and while I think the card is fine, I would keep all of that in mind for card evaluation.
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/peasantsnowcube
-- Updated with Bloomburrow
The PioneWer Peasant CUbe
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/pionewer
-- Updated with Murders at Karlov Manor
I have been very careful with 17lands win rates when evaluating cards for my Cube. For example, Writhing Crysalis has a 64%ish GIH win rate in MH3, but that is because of all the Eldrazi synergies in that set. The card is good, don't get me wrong, but I'd be very reluctant to add it to my Cube just because it performed well in that set.
A similar example is Crawling Chorus, a house in its own format. Pretty mediocre outside of it.
ALL THAT SAID, I do think Scrapgorger passes the bar and can be easily included to any Cube. Especially taking into account that there are few graveyard hate cards that are actually worth playing outside just the hate.
My Peasant Cube - CubeCobra
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
540+, Peasant
Take your hybrids out of your gold section
Mana-math Article
Part 1) More trinket synergy
Cards that make artifact tokens (and cards that use them) continue to be the most compelling thing magic has done for me in ages. It does annoy me that whether or not a random creature is an artifact is totally arbitrary but I can't deny the fact that the extra layer in card eval is engaging. So now my cube is sorta-tribal?
The effect that this has is so dramatic that I daresay cube owners with vs without it might not be able to properly communicate with one another.
Part 2) Defense
Rather than try and beat back aggro/tokens with bans or with suppressive removal, I went and added almost every viable card that has lifelink/gains life/made food. Conveniently, magic has tacked on "you gain 2 life" onto lots of random cards as of late, and every 2 helps. The other defensive keywords (reach and vigilance) are also being given special treatment. Lastly, there's more ramp now too.
I overdid it on purpose. If this doesn't fix things then unfortunately I will have to resort to banning.
Beforehand, it was just the cumulative effect of a lot of efficient cards that pushed slow decks aside. It's not like they make a behold the unspeakable/pelakka wurm/Kitchen finks for every pushed low drop they print. But now there's also growing volatility in the synergies we have access to. For example: Double strikers. Used to be that they were a single high pressure point on a board. Now they're numerous enough that they can be a dangerous sub-archetype that vomits damage to face. Or Woodland Champion: a totally normal Magic card until someone plays Hop to It on three.
Part 3) Individual standout performances
Essence Reliquary is probably my favorite noncreature card printed in a very long time. It opens up new lines of play that I've not seen since the ancient days of vedalken mastermind. Pairs with Invasion of Dominaria or any saga, for example.
O-Naginata has successfully received all the benefits of power creep and taken up the mantle of scariest equipment in the cube. It's very cool how you can precombat a trick onto a small creature to allow it to be equipped permanently. In a similar vein, Piston Sledge has been very happy to see all these treasures and does an accurate Grafted Wargear impression. Maybe even too good an impression.
Monk of the Open Hand and Bloodsky Berserker have been explosive. It's easy to draft a pile of 1s and 2s to trigger these every turn. First I clobbered Browndog with the Monk as a 6/6, then he played a decent version of my deck next draft with it as a 4/4. Nice to have a few zero drops around them too.
Abiding Grace doesn't need much to be great. The biggest standout to pair it is Benevolent Bodyguard, but there is no shortage of spyglass sirens, gingerbrutes, reckless lackeys, Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafters, Thraben Inspectors, and scorn-blade berserkers.
Oh and everyone should be playing Tax Collector. It doesn't even look too Universes Beyondy.
//
Major Cards:
Curse of Predation and Curse of Shallow Graves
After retesting both to see if power creep has caught up, I decided to keep only the black one. The kind of gross snowballing that Graves can do *sorta* requires your opponent to not be building their board blow for blow with you, and nowadays even slower decks have plays with p/t through the early turns. Predation, on the other hand, compounds inabilities to block the first time with a super duper inability to not block later. Magic is only providing us with explosive board states earlier and easier. "Woops, didn't expect Rally at the Hornburg as part of my turn 4? Hope you can block them as 3/3s next turn while everything else goes nuts."
Mind control, binding grasp, domestication:
As the average investment of any creature in play continues to drop, these are having a harder time. Mind control in particular just costs too much, especially if it has to take a tapped creature. The strange 4drops still work but aren't high picks. Since Blue is the color that least benefitted from modern speed and power creep, I decided to just go for Control magic straight up.
Lands:
With the new tri-fetches, my dream of having 30+ nondual fixing lands has been achieved (since I am cheating in Triomes). This means that not only do I not need to cheat in rare duals anymore, but I also don't need to value the fixing on the new MDFCs that highly. So I'm treating them as gold cards (even though Revitalizing Repast makes a fine hybrid) and only including the better ones.
Sink into stupor also scratches my itch to play Otawara, which got the dominoes to fall on much of my interest to play most rare utility lands. Now I'm down to just a couple 5c or colorless reps.
//
Lastly, cards that just barely missed:
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
540+, Peasant
Take your hybrids out of your gold section
Mana-math Article
Gossip's Talent and Triarch Praetorian
The talent goes around unearth, giving you a black mulldrifter every time the creature is in your yard.
Essence Reliquary and old-template Oblivion Rings
hahahahahahahahaha...
no
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
540+, Peasant
Take your hybrids out of your gold section
Mana-math Article
In my cube, Recruiter can find 163/450 cards. Of note, it can tutor up:
That said, Recruiter *rarely* sees play in my group. Obviously our cubes are not all the same, but this has me wondering whether Recruiter is too slow for an average peasant cube environment or whether this is just an issue with my drafters not recognizing Recruiter's applications.