I think it's actually a good thing, that the power creep seems slightly lower than in the previous sets. I'm not mad if I don't get a new card for the cube.
While there aren't any auto-includes or must plays, I think there are some honorable mentions/cardsto keep in eye out for how well they perform in BLB limited): Agate-Blade Assassin: A 2 mana 3 toughness creature, that can attack for a life value of 3, seems quite decent. Banishing Light: A functional reprint of Oblivion Ring. Certainly playable. Diresight: Read the Bones is a decent card and now it can surveil, which can certainly be an upside. Treetop Sentries: I think a straight up 2/4 reach for 4 with etb draw a card, would be really good. The question is if "delve 3" brings this close enough to that card. Frilled Sparkshooter: Bloodthirst is not very hard to trigger in red on turn 4. The question is how good is a straight up 4/4 menace (and reach) for 4? Skyskipper Duo: There are a lot of blue creatures with etb effects in blue, at least in my cube. If this basically reads 5 mana 3/3 flying with either draw a card, bounce a creature or return target instant or sorcery to you hand, this seems quite decent to me.
I'm so glad that Wizards made some efforts to solve pauper lands problem, new Landscapes look pretty solid. And I really like how readable these cards are because of cycling cost mana symbols, I was struggling so much with Capenna fetches.
Yeah the Carpenna Fetches are really annoying to read and I simply can't remember the Clans, as the 3-color pairs are already covered by shards and khans.
Apparently the set is fully spoilered by this point, so here are the cards, which are worth mentioning in the set:
Really solid playables: Colossal Dreadmask: A really decent body, which can turn any manaelf, which isn't needed for mana anymore into a serious threat. Eldrazi Repurposer: I think I really like this one. A 3/3 for 3 that temporarily ramps you on etb as well as when it's killed.
Cards I find interesting, but I'm not quite sure if they make the cut: Galvanic Discharge: Instant speed Strangle. It doesn't hit face, but it's also really efficient. Skoa, Embermage: I don't really want 6 drops in red. This one is certainly very strong, but I'm unsure. Nyxborn Hydra: Very very flexible with booth when you cast it as well as how, but you still pay the price in being below curve at any rate you cast this.
Yeah, i saw Galvanic discharge as well. I was on the fence, but the vast majority of burn does go against creatures anyways.
There's also Colossal Dreadmask which is a living weapon of 6 mana 6/6 with trample, and then equip of only 5 mana.
And then Gravedig which is like a flexible gravedigger in that is a 2 mana sorcery that can make a 2/2 zombie token or return a creature from yard to your hand, and then has Entwine for 2
Not sure that I add the discharge yet, I just thought it's worth mentioning.
The equipment seems decent, basically a better version of Sylvok Battle-Chair. I think this is a serious contender for a spot in the cube as it seems really well suited against removal by elevating all the mana elves to serious threats in the late game.
I've cut Gravedigger so so long ago, idk if the added flexiblity is really what the card needs to be good again.
No flying, but I dont think I'd cut the card from a blue deck.
Ez auto include.
I'm still looking for a 4th Golgari card. I'm not super excited about this, since I don't have a +1/+1 counter theme, especially not in BG, but since it can pump itself this seems at least like a decent playable. Not as good as Dreg Mangler, but still fine.
I think green is actually one of the weaker colors, if not the weakest and it doesn't really offer much, which other colors can't, so cheap ramp is basically the best and most unique thing green can do, which is why I actually run all 7 legal 1 mana elves and also the 2 1 mana ramp enchantments. Ramp is kind of a big deal for green, but since there aren't a lot of actually expensive high impact cards to ramp into in pauper, skipping from 1 to 3 mana on turn 2 is basically the best thing you can do. Yeah it's boring to have this many redundant copies, but I also feel, that it's necessary for green to have. In that regard I don't think there is such a thing as too many elves.
The witness can only return permanents and feels really bad if it gets killed with the Adapt activation on the stack.
I wanna jump back at Witness talk because I feel like its still better than what you pose. At minimum, it sort becomes a mini flagbearer, in that if they don't kill it, it can get good value especially with other counter effects. (If I trade it 1 for 1 with a removal, im not horribly upset, even if I attempted to use the effect and lost 2 mana). And I see permanents being a major upside over just creatures, because now any lands, artifects, & enchantments also become possible targets.
The problem is, that you are playing 3 mana for a standard bearer, which can be killed easily for a single mana or even just an activation of a Fireslinger, so a tempo loss, without actually doing anything is extremely likely. Also your opponent can always wait for you to attempt to activate it, so in the case of a 1 mana removal you are down 4 mana in tempo.
My cube personally doesn't have any +1/+1 counter synergies, nor do I play a lot of lands, enchantments or artifacts, which are likely to go to the graveyard. My criticism mostly lies in regard to not being able to return instants or sorceries like an Eternal Witness can.
I'm not saying it's unplayable in general, but at least for my cube I don't think it's very likely to make the cut.
Flexibility is nice, but when would you ever want an 0/12 defender. The other options are ok, but I think there are way better 4 drops already.
The Crysalis certainly looks playable. It's hard to tell wether or not it's good enough, without testing it first, but it's certainly worth keeping an eye on it.
Dog Umbra seems really good, basically a less complicated Temporal Isolation with the added flexibility to safe one of your creatures in some cases. The rest doesn't excite me much.
The dragon is quite squishy with only 2 toughness and can't really block anything the turn you play it.
The Charm is somewhat interesting, but it feels more like a pauper sideboard card, rather than a great card for cube, as mostly the first mode matters and it requires multiple creatures actually on board beforehand and can also be interacted with in response.
The witness can only return permanents and feels really bad if it gets killed with the Adapt activation on the stack.
The Rooftop Assassin is bascially as I anticipated. The effect if still very weak, while the body is quite solid. This is certainly the best creature with this effect we have gotten so far, it depends on how much you like a situative high risk/high reward card. Phantom Interference is certainly playable, but most of the time you will cast it for 2 and rarely ever make the drake. it's also quite hard to get value out of booth effects at the same time, because at the point where you have 5 mana to invest into this during your opponents turn paying 2 will rarely be enough. If you are looking for more counterspells, this is certainly playable, but nothing amazing. I'm not enitrely sure that it's better than Make Disappear, which I already don't run.
After playing a bunch of the new set over the weekend, I am now better at evaluating the new cards. First of all, this set is without a doubt for me the strongest non-masters set ever released in terms of limited, which makes it a little bit easier to compare to cube, compared to a relatively weak set, like e.g. Dominaria United. Here are my takes some of the cards:
-Holy Cow: Yeah it's a staple, no real surprises here.
-Loan Shark/Spinewoods Paladin/Freestrider Commando: These aren't bad, but it feels too slow to tap out during your main phase without impacting the boardstate at all, so they are a pass for me.
-Outlaw Medic: A really nice 2-drop for less aggressive white decks, which are looking for a nice early game blocker. It can of course be playable in more proactive decks, if you have some ways to pump it's power.
-Mystical Tether: I'm still a little bit torn on this one. Exile removal does obviously have a lot of over Pacifism effects, but I prefer the 2 life on Makeshift Binding. The possibility to play it at instant speed can be huge a of course, but 5 mana is also a painful amount of mana. Definitely playable, but certainly not an auto-include.
-Reckless Lackey: This is really strong in the context of OTJ limited, with all the Mercenary Tokens, which are able to pump its power, but the 1/2 body on it's own feels too lackluster on it's own. This is a pass for me.
-Vault Plunderer: Well it's solid. I do prefer the 2nd toughness on Phyrexian Rager over the 1 point of additional power, but it's obviously still completely fine.
-Vengeful Townsfolk: Very powerful, this can be especially problematic for red with it's toughness based removal, because it basically forces you deal with it before anything else and really hope, the opponent doesn't protect it in some way, because if you leave this be it will quickly outgrow everything you throw at it, simply from doing combat and trading here and there.
-Tumbleweed Rising: I completely overlooked this at first, but it can be incredibly powerful. Plotting Freestrider Commando and on turn 5 add 2 5/5s to the board and still having 3 mana left over to cast another spell, feels really rewarding in the context of OTJ limited. The dream of pairing this with Hungry Spriggan for a super explosive turn 4 is certainly quite entertaining and it's not hard to have a 2 mana 3/3 on turn 3 with this, but my caveat with this is, the risk of hawing your biggest creature removed in response, which is of course a lot more likely in cube, with it's way more efficient removal.
There is a surprisingly large number of playables in the set. The power creep certainly keeps crawling higher.
Staples?
-Holy Cow: As discussed before this card was a lot of versatility and could be on a similar level as Inspiring Overseer.
-Vault Plunderer: Though it's nothing special nowadays, but 3 mana creatures with a somewhat decent body, which simply replace themself are still solid.
Above average?
-Reckless Lackey: Certainly a lot of text for a onedrop. It has to be seen how much that text matters on a 1 power creature. If you can pump it's power it's of course a lot more scary.
-Vengeful Townsfolk: Rock solid and a little bit of a flagbearer. It's not hard to answer, but certainly has to be dealt with at some point.
Playables???
-Rodeo Pyromancers: I remember really liking Coal Stoker back then, because it can lead to some really explosive turns. This one has a slightly better body and doesn't grant you the mana immeditaly, but makes it really ez to double spell on every following turn.
-Rooftop Assassin: They keep writing more and more keywords on creatures with this effect, from flying to flash and now lifelink. The effect has shown too be way more situational for it to be worth considering, but at some point the keywords alone could carry this card, the question is, is this now the point?
-Seize the Secrets: Commiting crimes isn't very hard to do in cube. The question is if it's worth it.
-Spinewoods Paladin: 4 mana for a 5/4 trample that gains 4 life is a really good rate and even for 5 this isn't horrible, the question is how good the card really can be if you can't block or a turn without turn delay.
-Geyser Drake: A decent body with a decent ability. Certain decks would definitly be very interested in the card.
-Irascible Wolverine: Probably not good enough, but certianly playable.
-Loan Shark: This is certanily very easy to trigger, when you plot it, the question whether of not it's good is similar to Spinewoods Paladin.
-Mystical Tether: Do kind of like to shift away from Pacifcism-effects and move towards exile effect, the question is if the upside is good enough.
-Outlaw Medic: A really annoying wall to get by. If you can pump it's power it's of course a lot more scary.
-Phantom Interference: So this is basically Quench, but for 4Uyou get a flying Mystic Snake with an added Quench. It's a bit situational, but certainly very flexible and you are very often able to counter something early on, where the opponent simply isn't able to pay 2.
While there aren't any auto-includes or must plays, I think there are some honorable mentions/cardsto keep in eye out for how well they perform in BLB limited):
Agate-Blade Assassin: A 2 mana 3 toughness creature, that can attack for a life value of 3, seems quite decent.
Banishing Light: A functional reprint of Oblivion Ring. Certainly playable.
Diresight: Read the Bones is a decent card and now it can surveil, which can certainly be an upside.
Treetop Sentries: I think a straight up 2/4 reach for 4 with etb draw a card, would be really good. The question is if "delve 3" brings this close enough to that card.
Frilled Sparkshooter: Bloodthirst is not very hard to trigger in red on turn 4. The question is how good is a straight up 4/4 menace (and reach) for 4?
Skyskipper Duo: There are a lot of blue creatures with etb effects in blue, at least in my cube. If this basically reads 5 mana 3/3 flying with either draw a card, bounce a creature or return target instant or sorcery to you hand, this seems quite decent to me.
Apparently the set is fully spoilered by this point, so here are the cards, which are worth mentioning in the set:
Auto includes:
Serum Visionary
Dog Umbra
I definitely have a card I would like to cut for these (I have 4 multicolor slots):
Writhing Chrysalis
Conduit Goblin
Expanding Ooze
Faithful Watchdog
Really solid playables:
Colossal Dreadmask: A really decent body, which can turn any manaelf, which isn't needed for mana anymore into a serious threat.
Eldrazi Repurposer: I think I really like this one. A 3/3 for 3 that temporarily ramps you on etb as well as when it's killed.
Cards I find interesting, but I'm not quite sure if they make the cut:
Galvanic Discharge: Instant speed Strangle. It doesn't hit face, but it's also really efficient.
Skoa, Embermage: I don't really want 6 drops in red. This one is certainly very strong, but I'm unsure.
Nyxborn Hydra: Very very flexible with booth when you cast it as well as how, but you still pay the price in being below curve at any rate you cast this.
The equipment seems decent, basically a better version of Sylvok Battle-Chair. I think this is a serious contender for a spot in the cube as it seems really well suited against removal by elevating all the mana elves to serious threats in the late game.
I've cut Gravedigger so so long ago, idk if the added flexiblity is really what the card needs to be good again.
I simply upload the images to https://imgbb.com/ and then copy the img link from there.
I'm not a huge fan of burn, that doesn't have the option to go face, but this is the first instant speed Strangle without any conditions.
I think this could actually make the cut for me. It certainly feels better than Skyknight Legionnaire.
This could also be playable. Any target is definitely an important phrasing.
We didn't get Watchwolf so far, but now we have the better version, which is also amazing with a +1/+1 counter theme.
Seems playable.
Probably not good enough.
Seems worse than Storm God's Oracle.
I'm still looking for a 4th Golgari card. I'm not super excited about this, since I don't have a +1/+1 counter theme, especially not in BG, but since it can pump itself this seems at least like a decent playable. Not as good as Dreg Mangler, but still fine.
My cube personally doesn't have any +1/+1 counter synergies, nor do I play a lot of lands, enchantments or artifacts, which are likely to go to the graveyard. My criticism mostly lies in regard to not being able to return instants or sorceries like an Eternal Witness can.
I'm not saying it's unplayable in general, but at least for my cube I don't think it's very likely to make the cut.
The Crysalis certainly looks playable. It's hard to tell wether or not it's good enough, without testing it first, but it's certainly worth keeping an eye on it.
The dragon is quite squishy with only 2 toughness and can't really block anything the turn you play it.
The Charm is somewhat interesting, but it feels more like a pauper sideboard card, rather than a great card for cube, as mostly the first mode matters and it requires multiple creatures actually on board beforehand and can also be interacted with in response.
The witness can only return permanents and feels really bad if it gets killed with the Adapt activation on the stack.
Phantom Interference is certainly playable, but most of the time you will cast it for 2 and rarely ever make the drake. it's also quite hard to get value out of booth effects at the same time, because at the point where you have 5 mana to invest into this during your opponents turn paying 2 will rarely be enough. If you are looking for more counterspells, this is certainly playable, but nothing amazing. I'm not enitrely sure that it's better than Make Disappear, which I already don't run.
-Holy Cow: Yeah it's a staple, no real surprises here.
-Loan Shark/Spinewoods Paladin/Freestrider Commando: These aren't bad, but it feels too slow to tap out during your main phase without impacting the boardstate at all, so they are a pass for me.
-Outlaw Medic: A really nice 2-drop for less aggressive white decks, which are looking for a nice early game blocker. It can of course be playable in more proactive decks, if you have some ways to pump it's power.
-Mystical Tether: I'm still a little bit torn on this one. Exile removal does obviously have a lot of over Pacifism effects, but I prefer the 2 life on Makeshift Binding. The possibility to play it at instant speed can be huge a of course, but 5 mana is also a painful amount of mana. Definitely playable, but certainly not an auto-include.
-Reckless Lackey: This is really strong in the context of OTJ limited, with all the Mercenary Tokens, which are able to pump its power, but the 1/2 body on it's own feels too lackluster on it's own. This is a pass for me.
-Vault Plunderer: Well it's solid. I do prefer the 2nd toughness on Phyrexian Rager over the 1 point of additional power, but it's obviously still completely fine.
-Vengeful Townsfolk: Very powerful, this can be especially problematic for red with it's toughness based removal, because it basically forces you deal with it before anything else and really hope, the opponent doesn't protect it in some way, because if you leave this be it will quickly outgrow everything you throw at it, simply from doing combat and trading here and there.
-Tumbleweed Rising: I completely overlooked this at first, but it can be incredibly powerful. Plotting Freestrider Commando and on turn 5 add 2 5/5s to the board and still having 3 mana left over to cast another spell, feels really rewarding in the context of OTJ limited. The dream of pairing this with Hungry Spriggan for a super explosive turn 4 is certainly quite entertaining and it's not hard to have a 2 mana 3/3 on turn 3 with this, but my caveat with this is, the risk of hawing your biggest creature removed in response, which is of course a lot more likely in cube, with it's way more efficient removal.
For now I'll only add Holy Cow, Outlaw Medic, Vault Plunderer and Vengeful Townsfolk, but I keep Mystical Tether and Tumbleweed Rising in the maybeboard for now.
Staples?
-Holy Cow: As discussed before this card was a lot of versatility and could be on a similar level as Inspiring Overseer.
-Vault Plunderer: Though it's nothing special nowadays, but 3 mana creatures with a somewhat decent body, which simply replace themself are still solid.
Above average?
-Reckless Lackey: Certainly a lot of text for a onedrop. It has to be seen how much that text matters on a 1 power creature. If you can pump it's power it's of course a lot more scary.
-Vengeful Townsfolk: Rock solid and a little bit of a flagbearer. It's not hard to answer, but certainly has to be dealt with at some point.
Playables???
-Rodeo Pyromancers: I remember really liking Coal Stoker back then, because it can lead to some really explosive turns. This one has a slightly better body and doesn't grant you the mana immeditaly, but makes it really ez to double spell on every following turn.
-Rooftop Assassin: They keep writing more and more keywords on creatures with this effect, from flying to flash and now lifelink. The effect has shown too be way more situational for it to be worth considering, but at some point the keywords alone could carry this card, the question is, is this now the point?
-Seize the Secrets: Commiting crimes isn't very hard to do in cube. The question is if it's worth it.
-Spinewoods Paladin: 4 mana for a 5/4 trample that gains 4 life is a really good rate and even for 5 this isn't horrible, the question is how good the card really can be if you can't block or a turn without turn delay.
-Geyser Drake: A decent body with a decent ability. Certain decks would definitly be very interested in the card.
-Irascible Wolverine: Probably not good enough, but certianly playable.
-Loan Shark: This is certanily very easy to trigger, when you plot it, the question whether of not it's good is similar to Spinewoods Paladin.
-Mystical Tether: Do kind of like to shift away from Pacifcism-effects and move towards exile effect, the question is if the upside is good enough.
-Outlaw Medic: A really annoying wall to get by. If you can pump it's power it's of course a lot more scary.
-Phantom Interference: So this is basically Quench, but for 4Uyou get a flying Mystic Snake with an added Quench. It's a bit situational, but certainly very flexible and you are very often able to counter something early on, where the opponent simply isn't able to pay 2.