I'm looking at palace jailer (might just be ridiculous in aggro)
In aggro you want to be attacking not blocking. Your opponent only has to have one guy coming through once (a Infiltrator il-Kor or a random spirit token) and they get their creature back and draw a card.
A far as cards I am going to purchase: Wings of the Guard: I think I want a fourth 2 mana 2 power evasion guy in white. No idea what to cut yet. Sinuous Vermin: Probably replaces Wight of Precinct Six. Borderland Explorer: A Civic Wayfinder for aggro seems kinda cool even if it could also help your opponent and doesn't give card advantage. Might cut Leafcrown Dryad for it. Manaplasm: Hungry Spriggan is probably better in green aggro but Manaplasm might also had a function in ramp decks (as it had in Alara block drafts). No idea what to cut yet.
I am not really excited by any of them, but maybe one or two might stick.
There will be board states where the white creature is like... 4 mana 2/2 that detains a guy, draws a card, and then after your opponent's next turn they draw a card and you have to figure out how the game goes from there. But removal + a blocker sounds like how becoming the Monarch could actually be great.
If the monarchy is going back and forth between two players, the more aggressive/lower curve deck is happier to have howling mine in play (and the howling mine lets you use the extra card before your opponent). If the opponent has one creature to get in, you can remove it. Or you can chump with the body you are getting in order to preserve your draw engine. In any case you are forcing the opponent to attack to take it, and forcing your opponent to attack is a plus in aggro.
Simply, I think it will be less trivial than it looks to steal the monarchy after you get a 2 for 1.
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I should consider borderland explorer. Magic could use more cards like this, because mana problems are why I will don't consider Magic the best game
Borderland Explorer is sweet in all kinds of decks. Aggro can use it, a 3/1 fixing blocker is alright for other decks as well, additional upside in graveyard decks... I like it.
I really like the Manaplasm, to be honest. I'm trying to push combat tricks a bit more, and this guy is an absolute beast with Delve spells and instants. Swing with the Ooze, cast Become Immense, 13 damage to the dome. I find he's best suited in the faster variants of Gruul Midrange, with cards like Bloodbraid Elf and Search for Tomorrow, paired with things that reduce or alter costs such as Duskwatch Recruiter or Pyrokinesis. The thing that really pushes it over the top when compared to Hungry Spriggan is the fact that it isn't just good on the offense; it can also act as a great big wall when needed. Just keep open some mana and try to bluff your opponent.
Meh. It's definitely behind the plain old Air Elemental in terms of what I want out of a 5-drop in blue, and similar in power level to other (rarely used in Cube) stuff like Gryff Vanguard, Spiketail Drake, Cyclone Sire...
I suspect in a lot of situations forcing an opponent to attack another is not actually a smart thing to do in multiplayer games. You're making two enemies in one go.
Mostly for my own benefit, here's what I'm considering: Hired Heist - Considering testing vs. Tandem Lookout which does't get drafted much, whether or not it's a strong card. Sovereign's Realm - I currently break peasant for Worldknit and this avoids the issue of drafters using up too many of my lands. Summoner's Bond - I've been looking for something to play over Muzzio's Preparations in one of my conspiracy slots and this is pretty much the only option from this set. Wings of the Guard - I will likely get one and then not find a cut for it among my white two-drops, but I'm interested in it. Sinuous Vermin - My first thought is over the bland Shambling Ghoul. Smuggler Captain - Vulturous Aven hasn't been super impressive? Might give this guy a try there. Animus of Predation - Green fives are getting hard, though. Maybe I don't need Embodiment of Insight. Borderland Explorer - Again a card I like but green twos are getting hard to cut from.
I really wish there was an aggressive card in white or red that had "become the Monarch" on it. I really want to have the Monarch token in my Cube. What's the best monarch-making card available to us, do you think?
If memory serves, the original Conspiracy set did not really have downgrades either? Plus, I think we only received one card which has stood the test of time in Custodi Squire. At least on the outset, this seems like a much better set than the original. (Of course, those playing with Draft matters cards always have a reason to rejoice with Conspiracy sets.)
Someone commented on Mark Rosewater's blog that Animus of Predation cannot receive all the possible keywords it lists within the Conspiracy 2 draft environment (No creatures with double strike or Indestructible, and only the mythic rare queen has haste). That means two things:
1-People should probably check how easy it is to make this more than an Air Elemental in their cube before including it.
2-This could mean that they consciously made this card to work outside of Conspiracy Draft. Since it is a draft matters card, that would probably mean that they threw it in specifically for cubes. That's cool if true.
Someone commented on Mark Rosewater's blog that Animus of Predation cannot receive all the possible keywords it lists within the Conspiracy 2 draft environment (No creatures with double strike or Indestructible, and only the mythic rare queen has haste). That means two things:
1-People should probably check how easy it is to make this more than an Air Elemental in their cube before including it.
2-This could mean that they consciously made this card to work outside of Conspiracy Draft. Since it is a draft matters card, that would probably mean that they threw it in specifically for cubes. That's cool if true.
Isn't it incredibly obvious that the set has Cube use in mind? The alternative is that people are opening up a Mythic Rare Sovereign's Realm, using it in one multiplayer game, then having it never do anything else ever.
I guess, but I think it is cool that they make cards that seem more geared to Cubes than to Conspiracy. Not just that they make Conspiracy to be Conspiracy, and that happens to have them putting cube-relevant cards in it. Dunno.
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Borderland Explorer is SO SWEET. Aggro body that says you don't lose to mana / color screw. I love this card.
A far as cards I am going to purchase:
Wings of the Guard: I think I want a fourth 2 mana 2 power evasion guy in white. No idea what to cut yet.
Sinuous Vermin: Probably replaces Wight of Precinct Six.
Borderland Explorer: A Civic Wayfinder for aggro seems kinda cool even if it could also help your opponent and doesn't give card advantage. Might cut Leafcrown Dryad for it.
Manaplasm: Hungry Spriggan is probably better in green aggro but Manaplasm might also had a function in ramp decks (as it had in Alara block drafts). No idea what to cut yet.
I am not really excited by any of them, but maybe one or two might stick.
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
If the monarchy is going back and forth between two players, the more aggressive/lower curve deck is happier to have howling mine in play (and the howling mine lets you use the extra card before your opponent). If the opponent has one creature to get in, you can remove it. Or you can chump with the body you are getting in order to preserve your draw engine. In any case you are forcing the opponent to attack to take it, and forcing your opponent to attack is a plus in aggro.
Simply, I think it will be less trivial than it looks to steal the monarchy after you get a 2 for 1.
///
I should consider borderland explorer. Magic could use more cards like this, because mana problems are why I will don't consider Magic the best game
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
@ArBoR4817: I would honestly never cut Wight of Precinct Six. I'm consistently impressed by it, it's basically a Tarmogoyf.
Draft it on Cubetutor here, and CubeCobra here.
Treasure Cruise did nothing wrong.
WiJ
Peasant 540 Cube
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
I mean best-case is picking off some sort of utility creature without a tap ability (Blood Artist), but overall I'm not enthused.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Hired Heist - Considering testing vs. Tandem Lookout which does't get drafted much, whether or not it's a strong card.
Sovereign's Realm - I currently break peasant for Worldknit and this avoids the issue of drafters using up too many of my lands.
Summoner's Bond - I've been looking for something to play over Muzzio's Preparations in one of my conspiracy slots and this is pretty much the only option from this set.
Wings of the Guard - I will likely get one and then not find a cut for it among my white two-drops, but I'm interested in it.
Sinuous Vermin - My first thought is over the bland Shambling Ghoul.
Smuggler Captain - Vulturous Aven hasn't been super impressive? Might give this guy a try there.
Animus of Predation - Green fives are getting hard, though. Maybe I don't need Embodiment of Insight.
Borderland Explorer - Again a card I like but green twos are getting hard to cut from.
I really wish there was an aggressive card in white or red that had "become the Monarch" on it. I really want to have the Monarch token in my Cube. What's the best monarch-making card available to us, do you think?
Draft my Peasant Cube.
Garbage fire seems good but not going face is a thing. Red has plenty of good nonface burn already though.
Wings of the guard replaces a 2/1 for me I think, just for variety.
I like manaplasm but might have to mull it over a bit. I do wanna support green aggro but idk if this is the card for it.
My C/Ube on Cube Cobra
1-People should probably check how easy it is to make this more than an Air Elemental in their cube before including it.
2-This could mean that they consciously made this card to work outside of Conspiracy Draft. Since it is a draft matters card, that would probably mean that they threw it in specifically for cubes. That's cool if true.
Cubetutor Peasant'ish-Funbox
Project: Khans of Tarkir Cube (cubetutor)
Isn't it incredibly obvious that the set has Cube use in mind? The alternative is that people are opening up a Mythic Rare Sovereign's Realm, using it in one multiplayer game, then having it never do anything else ever.
Cubetutor Peasant'ish-Funbox
Project: Khans of Tarkir Cube (cubetutor)
Card seems really good in general