No argument here. If memory serves, I've only seen it used it on an opponent's creature one time, and that was when the person casting it had a bounce spell already in hand to take care of the opponent's sphinx token.
It's not awful, just hasn't ever really worked well. Blue has very few incidental bodies, so it's a real cost to "upgrade" your stuff to a Sphinx unless you get tokens from other colors.
Sometimes it will fizzle removal for 3, sometimes it takes out an opponent's Eldrazi and gives you a blocker for it, but more often it's a late pick that, when actually played, sits in players' hands without ever finding a good time to cast it.
It's kinda like Altar's Reap -- 2cmc draw-two is absurd, and you think you'll always be able to use it in response to removal, but in practice it works out drastically worse.
Fair enough, though I disagree with the bit about sitting in hand without a good time to cast. In my experience it's perfectly fine to cast it for 3 to blank a removal spell, or to block a big attack with a small creature and then before combat damage exile the blocker so you can untap with a 4/4 flyer. There are very, very few occasions where there isn't ever a good time to cast Hour of Need.
Let's be real here; did you really just try to say that Preordain is as good as Mulldrifter?
Yes? Preordain is one of the best cards ever printed, period.
The problem I'm having is that you still haven't told me why you think Hour of Need is bad. All you've done is list a handful of other blue cards which are also good.
In my cube, Hour of Need typically gets cast for either 5 or 7. I would say about 95% of the time you would use it on your own creatures. In my experience it goes best in a UGx tempo shell. UGr and UGb both work extremely well.
For what it's worth, I consider Mulldrifer to be the strongest blue card in c/ube.
Propaganda/Ghostly Prison effects are something I choose not to run due to making it impossible for aggro decks to win games.
Serendib Efreet is only uncommon in Arabian Nights, which I don't count as uncommon for my own cube.
Of the remaining cards you listed, I would say that only Treasure Cruise, Whirler Rogue, and Mulldrifter are good enough to truly compete with Hour of Need. The rest are all merely "good" cards. (Let's be real here; did you really just try to say that Preordain is as good as Mulldrifter?)
Coordinated Assault is a personal favorite that's definitely staying in, but Mark of Mutiny was actually my second choice for a cut, so that works. I only leaned towards Lust For War because I don't really have any other Threaten effects in my cube (that I can think of offhand) and I liked the idea of having at least one in there.
Edit: Belay that, I'm cutting Flame Rift instead. Mark of Mutiny stays for now.
I think I like Corpse Augur, but I'm not certain there's a clear cut for it. Maybe Marsh Flitter? It doesn't get picked very highly in my group these days. Mirror Match doesn't get me too excited. It's cool but I'm not super high on it. Probably going this route:
Marsh Flitter --> Corpse Augur
Lust For War --> Meteor Volley
Overrun --> Great Oak Guardian
Oh, wow. Okay yeah I feel dumb now, somehow I subtracted 3 from 5 and got 3. I still feel that Meteor Volley is better, but by a smaller margin considering my flawed math. It's also worth noting that the card doesn't have to be cast immediately upon dropping your 5th land, so the chance of not hitting RRR by that point isn't as bad as you're implying.
Shower of Coals is 3RR for 2 damage to up to 3 target creatures and/or players, with a chance at 4 damage to each if and only if Threshold is online. Meteor Volley is 4 guaranteed damage to the same number of targets for 2RRR, which in a red deck isn't really that different of a mana cost. I think we can all agree that 1RR is very different from 2R, but it sounds like people are arguing that 2RRR and 3RR are also wildly different, which is something I disagree with. By the time you get to 5 mana, I don't think we're looking at that much of a difference. On top of that, Meteor Volley can be cast for 4 mana to hit a single target, or (rarely) 7+ for even more targets, should the situation warrant it.
Perhaps I'm missing something, but can someone explain to be where my logic has failed here? Because I 100% do not understand how anyone could reasonably claim that Shower of Coals is better, or even close to on par. Slice and Dice certainly isn't - Slice and Dice is symmetrical and costs 6.
In my opinion Meteor Volley > Shower of Coals >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Slice and Dice.
Triple red is absolutely supportable. Meteor Volley and Great Oak Guardian are both auto-includes for me, and frankly I'm astonished that anyone could feel otherwise about either of them.
Thanks for the feedback! I'll have to take another look at Brood Monitor. Those are some cool interactions that I hadn't considered, and 6 power/toughness over 4 bodies is still very respectable, even in c/ube. Deathless Behemoth I've never been quite as high on as everyone else, so that one doesn't really surprise me too much.
Has anyone here been able to cube draft with BFZ cards yet? I've been having a hell of a time finding the last couple of cards I need, so I haven't had a chance to take my (post-BFZ) cube for a spin yet with the new cards. Just curious what thoughts everyone has about BFZ in action.
Arabian Nights - Uncommon (U2)
That said, I don't allowe vintage masters rarity shifts in my cube either, so it doesn't really matter either way.
The problem I'm having is that you still haven't told me why you think Hour of Need is bad. All you've done is list a handful of other blue cards which are also good.
In my cube, Hour of Need typically gets cast for either 5 or 7. I would say about 95% of the time you would use it on your own creatures. In my experience it goes best in a UGx tempo shell. UGr and UGb both work extremely well.
Are you using it wrong? In my cube, no one has ever lost a game after resolving Hour of Need.
Edit: Belay that, I'm cutting Flame Rift instead. Mark of Mutiny stays for now.
Marsh Flitter --> Corpse Augur
Lust For War --> Meteor Volley
Overrun --> Great Oak Guardian
Perhaps I'm missing something, but can someone explain to be where my logic has failed here? Because I 100% do not understand how anyone could reasonably claim that Shower of Coals is better, or even close to on par. Slice and Dice certainly isn't - Slice and Dice is symmetrical and costs 6.
In my opinion Meteor Volley > Shower of Coals >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Slice and Dice.