MTG Salvation

All right, peasant friends. It's that time again. It's the Average Peasant Cube for 2022!

As a disclaimer I want to say that this list is not “THE” list. It's a fun project that I like to do that generates some discussion and some folks seem to find helpful. Your cube is your cube and you should build it in a way that you and your play group find fun. If you're the only one running a specific card, that doesn't make it wrong. I personally like to use this list throughout the year to help me make the tough cuts for new cards. It can also be a little eye opening and help you “kill your darlings” so to speak. I have no intentions, however, of cutting Knight of the Holy Nimbus, even though I am literally the only one of you savages that's running it.

If you're not here for my ramblings, let's just get right to the links:

The cube on CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/mtgs2022

The Google doc with ALL the data: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SUOOAnf4beTsnYp9-FHNqDak2kmjyg6y6FaogxAJLNw/edit#gid=0

We lost 10 cubes due to those cubers not having updated their list in a long while. I wanted to ensure that all cubes were updated at least through DMU, but ideally through BRO. Even with that loss, though, it seems the popularity of peasant is pretty high because I was able to get the lists used up to 51 total lists this year! The cubes that didn't make it in the average list are listed in the Google Doc in red text.

One note I want to make, however, is that our little MTGS community has only dwindled over the past few years. While this is labeled the MTGS Average Cube, in reality it's more like the CubeCobra average cube. I had to source most of the cubes used in the comparison from recently updated lists over there. If we stuck to only those of us that are active on MTGS, we'd have a paltry number of lists to compare.

Now, on to the data and some things I noticed.

We technically got 9 new sets this year that could potentially add new cards to our peasant lists. If you discount Jumpstart 2022 for being generally unimpressive and Unfinity for being fairly niche, that's still 7 sets with potential additions.

Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
Streets of New Capenna
Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate
Double Masters 2022
Dominaria United
Unfinity
The Brothers War
Jumpstart 2022
Universes Beyond: Warhammer 40K

The most prominent thing that really stood out is how it seems folks are moving away from dual lands in favor of the Thriving lands, the new Gates, and Vivids. I don't know if I'm on board with that just yet, but it was interesting to see.

There were 201 cards in last year's list that did not make the cut this year. A note on that is last year's list ended up at over 800 cards, but this year's came in at just over 750. When I upload the list, I filter down to 720 cards and then just take the rest of the cards from that section. This year that got us up to cards that were present in at least 9 cubes. Last year I had to go all the way down to cards present in at least 6 cubes.

Last year I noticed that several cubers were really supporting +1/+1 counters. This year, I noticed that cubers seem to be leaning into more archetype focused environments in general. There is a good amount of support for Blink and Graveyard Matters themes represented in the average list. It also looks as though more people are hopping on the Persist Combo support train, which I am here for.

I've already compared my own list to the 2022 list and am considering several swaps. I noticed a few higher ranking BRO cards that I may have overlooked and I like the idea of including more archetype focused cards to help flesh out some things I'm already supporting in one way or another.

Anyway, I look forward to the discussion on this year's average list. I hope you all find it somehow useful. I'm sure I'll be referring back to it quite often over the next year.

Cheers, friends, and happy cubing!

Thanks for the work calibretto!

Is Serra Angel holding up in everyones cubes? Do you play because it's good or it's just iconic?

What do you all think about Legion Vanguard? I have found that it's a really poor sack outlet because you need another card to make it into a wincon, if get's bigger or draws lands that just not enough. In my experience Lampad of Death's Vigil does a much better job.

Ransack the Lab is another one that I feel it's just outmatched by Warlock Class, which is a menace in any game that goes a little longer. The one initial mana is really easy to fit into the curve and goes into the graveyard and the aristocrats decks. Maybe being easily snatched by the aristocrats isn't something you want?

As always, thanks for putting this together. Was a bit surprised to see Fire Imp, Stonewright, Pestilence, and Ribbons of Night among the cards from my list that have "aged out."

How has Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator been for those of you who are running it? I liked it quite a bit in DMU.

@richard09: I've found Legion Vanguard to be alright. It isn't a premium sacrifice outlet, but on larger stalled out board states, my drafters have gotten good value out of Vanguard and made it large enough to break through before. It's not amazing, but it has been fine. I had not considered Lampad of Death's Vigil before. Might have to buy a copy of that one.

Top 360(ish) on Cubecobra for people wanting to use the comparison feature. I'll post winners and losers in the coming days as those are always fun to see as well.
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/63971d077d7d9776ad49f7c4

Thanks again for your contribution Calibretto, always appreciated.

Thanks, calibretto, for doing this.

After taking a couple days to look through everything, I've got eight cards I'm considering adding and only six cards I wouldn't mind cutting. And there were a few things that surprised me.

I don't even remember seeing Basri's Solidarity before. Might have to get that one.

Regarding Charging Monstrosaur(44 cubes) vs. Skizzik (6 cubes) - It's clear the dino is more popular, and I'm in the minority running the elemental. They fill a very similar card slot (5 power, haste, trample), and I was typing up some questions/arguments to see if the dino was really that much better, but my logic fell flat on my own ears, and now I think I just have to make the swap.

I found it interesting that Ghostly Prison is only in 6 cubes but Propaganda is in 12. For some reason that has always felt more like a white ability to me, even if the blue version came first.

I'm really surprised Vampire of the Dire Moon is only in 6 cubes - I'm a big fan of that card (as well as Gifted Aetherborn and Vampire Nighthawk).

It also amuses me that while a lot of us have swapped out Filigree Familiar for the slightly tougher Circuit Mender, there are four cubes that apparently run both. I didn't check to see how large the card pools are, but it's almost like having two copies of the same card.

Thanks a lot for doing this! As with last year I ran some comparisons between the 2021 and 2022 cubes if people are interested:



This data is a little misleading since the number of cubes analyzed increased by 11. Looks like the bounce lands made a resurgence. Animate Dead is a card I assumed everyone was running, so surprised to see it jump.


A lot of cards that show up here saw direct improvements printed (like Filigree Familiar > Circuit Mender or Compulsive Research > Thirst for Discovery).

I found it interesting that Ghostly Prison is only in 6 cubes but Propaganda is in 12. For some reason that has always felt more like a white ability to me, even if the blue version came first.

It does feel more like a white ability but probably blue decks need this effect more, since they have more reasons to be a controlling deck as oposed to white ones.

This data is a little misleading since the number of cubes analyzed increased by 11. Looks like the bounce lands made a resurgence. Animate Dead is a card I assumed everyone was running, so surprised to see it jump.

Really glad to see that Clarion Spirit is getting the love it deserves. You mentioned Animate Dead but I'm really surprised about the Thraben Inspector jump, it's a common and cheap, maybe because it got a old boarder treatment?

Aw I just came online to say I was going to update my cubecobra list tonight.
I took the "just before christmas" timeline a little too literally

Also, team thriving lands all the way. It's like having 5 extra terramorphic expanses (with no shuffling) and like having a dual in your colors twice as often with half as many slots.

As for thraben inspector, I think it's just that it took a while for people (including me) to come around on it being as good as it is.

Quote from richard09 »

Is Serra Angel holding up in everyones cubes? Do you play because it's good or it's just iconic?

What do you all think about Legion Vanguard?

Ransack the Lab is another one that I feel it's just so outmatched by Warlock Class

I don't play serra angel anymore, but I have tried to justify running serra sphinx a lot over the last 6 months. So the power level of that staline is probably still reasonable. Radiant, Archangel has taken its spot for a lot of people, including myself, but I can say that I don't like cards like radiant which track both sides of the field in this way. It's kinda like how old tribal lords buff both sides of the table, which was bad magic.

Legion vanguard has been good for me. There is a cool mix of costs and bonuses in my black sac effects (Thoughtpicker witch, carrion feeder, etc) and I really enjoy that they all occupy a unique niche. Legion vanguard is one that generates some compensation for the inherent card disadvantage (although thoughtpicker witch sorta does because card quality advantage is an underappreciated part of the game). The 1/3 you suggested seems reasonable, but it would really need to be part of a crazy loop that threatens to win the game. Cards like the vanguard are very good at pushing the gamestate incrementally in your favor instead of being a committal win-con.

I am surprised to see Ransack the lab get any attention at all. I do get the compulsion to help the self-mill strategies, but in a strategy that is defined by a lot of cards that are already just drawing air a lot of the time, this may the airiest of them all. I didn't even know warlock class existed, but I will say that the extra 1 mana taking up the oft-empty 1 drop slot is probably worth the life drain of like 4-6 in a game. I... think I'll order one.

Quote from vertigo451 »

Thanks a lot for doing this! As with last year I ran some comparisons between the 2021 and 2022 cubes if people are interested:

etc.

I think this is the single most useful post I've seen this year. Thanks a lot.

Stonewright, lust for war, and blastoderm being removed all really stick out to me. I don't think I've ever considered removing the last 2. But look what they've done to my boy stonewright. He doesn't seem so bad as to be the most removed card of the year that wasn't strictly upgraded. Speculation as to why?

Quote from richard09 »

Is Serra Angel holding up in everyones cubes? Do you play because it's good or it's just iconic?

What do you all think about Legion Vanguard? I have found that it's a really poor sack outlet because you need another card to make it into a wincon, if get's bigger or draws lands that just not enough. In my experience Lampad of Death's Vigil does a much better job.

Ransack the Lab is another one that I feel it's just outmatched by Warlock Class, which is a menace in any game that goes a little longer. The one initial mana is really easy to fit into the curve and goes into the graveyard and the aristocrats decks. Maybe being easily snatched by the aristocrats isn't something you want?

Serra Angel has aged quite a bit, but white is lacking in terms of top-end threats so I think it still has a place. Leelue makes an excellent point - Radiant, Archangel is a good replacement, although it has never been printed as an uncommon (which matters to some). I really should add her to my list.

In addition to being a sacrifice outlet, I value Legion Vanguard both as a card draw engine and a way to put cards in the graveyard for reanimator/graveyard matters. Lampad of Death's Vigil is perfectly reasonable, I just prefer the Vanguard's use in multiple archetypes.

I do not run Ransack the Lab or Warlock Class, but I agree with your assessment and would probably run Warlock Class first.

Quote from richard09 »

Really glad to see that Clarion Spirit is getting the love it deserves. You mentioned Animate Dead but I'm really surprised about the Thraben Inspector jump, it's a common and cheap, maybe because it got a old boarder treatment?

Thraben Inspector has long been a filler card in my eyes, but recently I have begun to recognize its utility. So, it was not especially surprising for me to see that others may have come to a similar conclusion. Similar to Thraben Inspector, Morbid Opportunist looks like a late bloomer for a lot of folks as well. I remember when it was spoiled people were down on the "once a turn" clause, but it has been very strong in my cube.

Quote from Leelue »

I think this is the single most useful post I've seen this year. Thanks a lot.

Stonewright, lust for war, and blastoderm being removed all really stick out to me. I don't think I've ever considered removing the last 2. But look what they've done to my boy stonewright. He doesn't seem so bad as to be the most removed card of the year that wasn't strictly upgraded. Speculation as to why?

Thanks!

If I were to guess, Stonewright was axed simply because of the influx of 1 drop red creatures this year. The new added list includes 3 in the top 15 (Rabbit Battery (#2), Reinforced Ronin (#12), Phoenix Chick (#14)). Stonewright is still a good card (I run it), but the fact it does not do anything on an empty board probably made it the odd man out for a lot of folks.

Thank you again for the comprehensive list of all the cards played by all the Peasant Cubes in 2022. Last year and this year, my first review is cards played in lots of cubes but not mine (and vice versa). For the most part, the differences are extremely logical based on my personal preferences. But for some, I have more questions.

Amethyst Dragon- How are people liking this multi-functional card? I dismissed it because both halves were so far away from normal cube standards and also very expensive as a combined, single card. I am considering this as a reasonable, but slow, answer to token decks.

Artisan of Kozilek and Ulamog's Crusher- I had stopped playing bigger creatures with no ETB, no self-protection, and no ease of reanimation a while ago, so I am surprised to see both of these in over half of cubes. Is that attack trigger good enough for 2022 Peasant Cube?

Reinforced Ronin- I know I did not test this too much for Cube, as the drawback seemed pretty burdensome for retail limited. But I may have jumped to conclusions. Is the drawback too burdensome?

The very first post I made in the Peasant cube mother thread was about a 4/4 flying haste dragon for 6. I think tacking on a probable 2 for 1 (making it a 3 for 1 altogether) as an optional upside that it will then curve into is a great rate. The worst case scenario is still probably going to kill the most threatening thing on the board on turn 5.

I have no idea how people are still running the eldrazi*. I'm actually only running 5 6+ mana creatures outside of green, but I find the card draw, mana sinks, and manlands, to be enough payoff for decks looking to win in the late game. Even in colorless we have a couple of options at 7 that either do something immediately or have hexproof. Getting to Pelakka wurm is hard enough, I couldn't imagine waiting an extra turn or three to play a creature that doesn't gain any life and only gets to block once.
*(The only reasonable justification I can come up with is that people are trying to support traditional-cube-style reanimator, which I tend to find pretty distasteful)

Thanks for all the kind words on the project and I'm glad folks are finding it useful. I've been traveling for work all week, so I haven't gotten my MTGS fix.

@Leelue - I technically got the list up a week or two earlier than I said I would, so sorry about not getting your list included. You gotta stay on top of that!

@vertigo451 - Very interesting and useful info. Remember that there were more cubes included this year and a few from last year that didn't get included. That alone might have some effect on popularity of specific cards.

I run Radiant over Serra Angel. Radiant is popular among my group and I don't want to run both. Serra Angel has stood the test of time, though. Five for a 4/4 flying vigilance is still pretty damn good.

I'm still running the big Eldrazi monsters for the exact reason Leelue mentions. I mostly like having them in as options for the reanimator deck, but they are still castable in big ramp when that deck comes together.

Even if I was running a big ramp deck, I wouldn't touch Crusher. I would rather play a land than a card than a card that is as good as one when I'm behind and casting an 8.

At least artisan can be a 3 for 1 with the right target. But 9 mana is almost infinite mana over here.

Quote from FunkyDragon »

I don't even remember seeing Basri's Solidarity before. Might have to get that one.

I think Unbounded potential completely outclasses solidarity, since solidarity is entirely relying on you having 3 or more creatures to be better. And it's probably still worse with 3 creatures on a preponderance of board states: 6 mana, tricky attacks, response to removal, etc.

There's so much info to dig through, it really takes several times through to see it all.

Looks like everyone has jumped on the Rabbit Battery train (42 cubes), and I'm still using Boots of Speed (4 cubes). I suppose an additional +0/+1 and the versatility to just be a hasty creature is probably worth the additional red requirement.

Quote from Leelue »

Quote from FunkyDragon »

I don't even remember seeing Basri's Solidarity before. Might have to get that one.

I think Unbounded potential completely outclasses solidarity, since solidarity is entirely relying on you having 3 or more creatures to be better. And it's probably still worse with 3 creatures on a preponderance of board states: 6 mana, tricky attacks, response to removal, etc.

I totally get that - even with the first base mode, Instant is so much better than Sorcery. But funnily enough, I hadn't considered that card either. I'll add it to my list of considerations.

FWIW, I think good ol' Travel Preparations outclasses both of those, if you're looking for the absolute best version of the effect.

I've been asked to include Travel Prep, but I only have 2 slots per guild*. Now they're Good-Fortune Unicorn and Behemoth Sledge (on a trial). Trostoni's Summoner was in that slot. So while i'd run Travel Preparations if was a monocolored, it's also hard to use both of my slots on +1/+1 counter synergy cards. Perfectly reasonable card though.

*(I handle hybrid cards differently, because they are mathematically and practically much closer to being colorless cards than gold.)

//

Oh, and one last note about Stonewright: We have had a massive influx of 1 drops over the last 2 years, that's true. But I took this opportunity to just add a lot of extra 1 drops to my cube. It's a little weird that we've all gotten used to turn 1 being the "free turn" (which makes a card like Warlock Class or Mild-Mannered Librarian get away with their initial investment for free), but I have grown to appreciate the gameplay that comes with every turn having action. Aggro decks get to be more consistent, as does the counterplay against it, and slow decks have to worry about falling behind even midrange decks that start early.

Thanks for all the work, calibretto! I'm sure I will look at this resource a lot when the next sets drop, I find it immensely helpful for figuring out what's hot and what's not.

Oh man I completely spaced out on how level up works and just assumed that Warlock Class worked after you pumped just 1B into it. Finding *four* mana to get a new card is much worse than what I thought I was bargaining for.

Also, I finally finalized my list. It took a lot longer than I expected, especially since I wrote long blog posts for each of them.

Quote from Leelue »

Oh man I completely spaced out on how level up works and just assumed that Warlock Class worked after you pumped just 1B into it. Finding *four* mana to get a new card is much worse than what I thought I was bargaining for.

Four? I only count three.

Also, thank you calibretto for doing this.

I was just reading about this, because Cleric class made no sense to me. How could they ask you to pay 8 additional mana to get an ability? I didnt know that the Classes have different rules than the other Levelers (and start on level 1).
I wish the cards actually stated as much

The mechanics are different like Renown and Adapt. (Renown doesn't care about the counter as such, a creature is renowned after it connects. Adapt can't be activated if there's a +1/+1 counter.)
Classes look at actually activated leveling abilities, and Level Up looks at the counters themselves.

Quote from Leelue »

Oh man I completely spaced out on how level up works and just assumed that Warlock Class worked after you pumped just 1B into it. Finding *four* mana to get a new card is much worse than what I thought I was bargaining for.

Also, I finally finalized my list. It took a lot longer than I expected, especially since I wrote long blog posts for each of them.

I don't understant how you thought it worked and how you think it works now. Could you elaborate? Where did the 4 mana for Warlock and 8 mana for Cleric come from?
For one mana you get the first static ability, easy to fit anywhere in the curve. for more 1B you get the level 2 once while still having the first static. level 3 is basically you win the game if you get to pump it.

I always thought the Class's work pretty straight-forwardly. All of the costs are directly above, so pay the casting cost, get the first. Pay the second, get the second. So on and so forth. I may be a little biased from playing them on Arena, though, where the game kind of forces you to play them correctly. I'm also confused where Leelue is getting those numbers from.

Cutting Toggo, Goblin Weaponsmith is super baffling to me, since that card has game-winning potential with a couple of triggers. I have never been disappointed with Toggo being cast.

Quote from Leelue »

Stonewright, lust for war, and blastoderm being removed all really stick out to me. I don't think I've ever considered removing the last 2. But look what they've done to my boy stonewright. He doesn't seem so bad as to be the most removed card of the year that wasn't strictly upgraded. Speculation as to why?

Lust for War got cut a while ago with all other detrimental auras. The combination of better blink effects with better sacrifice outlets just made those unreliable compared to standard removal or Oblivion Ring effects. The only one I have left is Fall from Favor, which can also run away with (a ga)me.

Quote from FunkyDragon »

Quote from Leelue »

Quote from FunkyDragon »

I don't even remember seeing Basri's Solidarity before. Might have to get that one.

I think Unbounded potential completely outclasses solidarity, since solidarity is entirely relying on you having 3 or more creatures to be better. And it's probably still worse with 3 creatures on a preponderance of board states: 6 mana, tricky attacks, response to removal, etc.

I totally get that - even with the first base mode, Instant is so much better than Sorcery. But funnily enough, I hadn't considered that card either. I'll add it to my list of considerations.

There are quite a few white cards which either immediately or eventually generate 2+ creatures, so I think Basri's Solidarity being better when there are 3 creatures is a relevant upside. I think White being light on Anthem effects is a real issue, and Basri's Solidarity is a decent answer to that.