I like Chimeric Idol, honestly ~ it can play a role in both aggro and control (the latter especially if you run Pestilence & the red shift version whose name I forget).
Also, anything to support more Standstill decks!
On the note of artifact creatures, what do others run? I like both Conspiracy draft-dudes, Porcelain Legionairre, Warbeast, the two Idols and Triskellion. Thinking about including the recent 7 mana sphinx wotsit for more Tinker targets. Also thinking of sliding in Phyrexian Revoker - how do people like it in a planeswalkerless environment?
I've found the discussion over 'creating environments' rather interesting, as I'm in the process of making a second Peasant cube from the ground up: one which is focusing on treating everything as resources and decision points to be made: more free spells, thresh hold, alternate casting costs and the like ~ and one of these is running more conditional removal: esp Vendetta, Snuff Out and the like.
What archetypes do folks support in blue?
EtB Recursion (generally), UB Aggro & Reanimator, UR Storm/Spellsmatter & Counterburn, Nothing in UW really - skies a little, and they're good control colours, UG Value/Midrange (Dorks into tempo fatties and hard to deal with 4-5 mana threats).
Is r/u spells working out for people?
Very well - it's such a varied archetype in terms of construction and drafting. Storm in itself comes together less often, as I don't do signets, but Haze of Rage has been a house. It alls leans on Young Peez & Cuttersnipe. Would love a downprint of Quiron Dryad though o3o
Is b/u reanimator worth the card slots to support?
Yes, imo. The question is really how many reanimator cards you want to run, as they can take away from interesting black spell slots. A lot of the value fatties, looting and tutoring goes in other decks, and access to recursion gives all b/x decks a lil' more reach. Also supports BG Dredge/UG Value/UG thresh. I prefer to run the cheap ones which target either graveyard.
Has u/w skies gotten to good?
This depends on your functional reprint policy. If you run enough reverse stormcrows @ 2, it can definitely work It ties in with W Tokens very well, however. My answer is to cut intangible virtue for favourable winds, as it's a clear drafting signal, and forces 'em a little more *into* blue. I run a wee bit of divisible burn along with Trophy Hunter & Firespout, so it hasn't been too oppressive.
Is g/u doing... whatever it's supposed to be doing?
It's really the basis for a lot of control decks here: filtering, draw, a little mana & fixing = drop bombs all day. So in that regard, yes. Just wish we had something like Opposition to cement it! I've also seen people go an interesting turbofog route with it, which could be cool. would need to balance it careful-like though.
If you want something more definite in the colour pair, you could support Thresh/Madness: pretty cool to have Phantasms & Nimble Mongeese running around.
Are there cards that blue should just have regardless of archetype (like counterspells or card draw)?
Absolutely. The question is how many in each category ~ in terms of cube design, a few top end cantrips smooth out a lot of decks, and 1U counters are the backbone of u/x & aggro/control. Then, in supporting midrange and control, there's just the value cards which make it into powered cube as well ~ Enclave Cryptologist, Preordain, Mulldrifter, Control Magic, Compulsive Research, Riftwing Cloudskate. What and how many counters you run will determine the feel of blue in your cube, imo.
For Land Destruction - Goblin Settlers
For 'Lands Matter' - Sunstone
For Pingers - Mask of Memory, Curiosity
For Sacrifice/Tokens - Life//Death, Cauldron Haze
Given how much I've enjoyed drafting your cube, I'd be happy to help.
I notice a lack of certain top tier cards (Timely Reinforcements springs out to me) but that's more a design perspective than anything.
Anchor to the Aether ~ being sorcery speed kinda kills it for decks that aren't primarily blue: if it were 'target permanent', I'd like it a lot more. Much, much rather run any blue Bounce creature or Snap/Rushing River in tempo. Control decks will generally have access to be removal, being multiple colours. Aggro would rather run another creature in place of it.
Jungle Lion ~ I'm not going to get into the 'supporting Green aggro' debate, but *any* of the other green one drops I would run over it. If I'm running a non-ramp green one drop, I plan to have a lot of green in the early game, and then I'd rather have Arbor Elf to curve up.
Blazing Spectre ~ any red or black four drop creature. Control decks which would appreciate the *slightly* lighter mana requirements in 3 colours wouldn't run it anyway. All the red and black 4 drops play nice with EtB (Value in Peasant!? Who'd a thunk it), whilst Sureshot/Falkenrath either force damage through/allow you to trade up, or play nice with removal to let you grind out.
How did I not see that? Feels like an uncommon, and have always assumed it was D:
The power of the unconscious mind and inattention, I guess.
Also, anything to support more Standstill decks!
On the note of artifact creatures, what do others run? I like both Conspiracy draft-dudes, Porcelain Legionairre, Warbeast, the two Idols and Triskellion. Thinking about including the recent 7 mana sphinx wotsit for more Tinker targets. Also thinking of sliding in Phyrexian Revoker - how do people like it in a planeswalkerless environment?
What archetypes do folks support in blue?
EtB Recursion (generally), UB Aggro & Reanimator, UR Storm/Spellsmatter & Counterburn, Nothing in UW really - skies a little, and they're good control colours, UG Value/Midrange (Dorks into tempo fatties and hard to deal with 4-5 mana threats).
Is r/u spells working out for people?
Very well - it's such a varied archetype in terms of construction and drafting. Storm in itself comes together less often, as I don't do signets, but Haze of Rage has been a house. It alls leans on Young Peez & Cuttersnipe. Would love a downprint of Quiron Dryad though o3o
Is b/u reanimator worth the card slots to support?
Yes, imo. The question is really how many reanimator cards you want to run, as they can take away from interesting black spell slots. A lot of the value fatties, looting and tutoring goes in other decks, and access to recursion gives all b/x decks a lil' more reach. Also supports BG Dredge/UG Value/UG thresh. I prefer to run the cheap ones which target either graveyard.
Has u/w skies gotten to good?
This depends on your functional reprint policy. If you run enough reverse stormcrows @ 2, it can definitely work It ties in with W Tokens very well, however. My answer is to cut intangible virtue for favourable winds, as it's a clear drafting signal, and forces 'em a little more *into* blue. I run a wee bit of divisible burn along with Trophy Hunter & Firespout, so it hasn't been too oppressive.
Is g/u doing... whatever it's supposed to be doing?
It's really the basis for a lot of control decks here: filtering, draw, a little mana & fixing = drop bombs all day. So in that regard, yes. Just wish we had something like Opposition to cement it! I've also seen people go an interesting turbofog route with it, which could be cool. would need to balance it careful-like though.
If you want something more definite in the colour pair, you could support Thresh/Madness: pretty cool to have Phantasms & Nimble Mongeese running around.
Are there cards that blue should just have regardless of archetype (like counterspells or card draw)?
Absolutely. The question is how many in each category ~ in terms of cube design, a few top end cantrips smooth out a lot of decks, and 1U counters are the backbone of u/x & aggro/control. Then, in supporting midrange and control, there's just the value cards which make it into powered cube as well ~ Enclave Cryptologist, Preordain, Mulldrifter, Control Magic, Compulsive Research, Riftwing Cloudskate. What and how many counters you run will determine the feel of blue in your cube, imo.
Leonion Relic-Warder + Animate Dead/Dance of the Dead - Infinite EtB/Death triggers.
Ashnod's Altar + Cytoplast Rootkin + Undying Creature of your choice - one big Rootkin.
Eternal Witness + Ghostly Flicker + Peregrine Drake - Infinite mana.
Victimize + Archaeomancer + Eternal Witness + Composite Golem - Infinite mana. (A long shot!)
Edit:
For Land Destruction - Goblin Settlers
For 'Lands Matter' - Sunstone
For Pingers - Mask of Memory, Curiosity
For Sacrifice/Tokens - Life//Death, Cauldron Haze
I notice a lack of certain top tier cards (Timely Reinforcements springs out to me) but that's more a design perspective than anything.
Anchor to the Aether ~ being sorcery speed kinda kills it for decks that aren't primarily blue: if it were 'target permanent', I'd like it a lot more. Much, much rather run any blue Bounce creature or Snap/Rushing River in tempo. Control decks will generally have access to be removal, being multiple colours. Aggro would rather run another creature in place of it.
Jungle Lion ~ I'm not going to get into the 'supporting Green aggro' debate, but *any* of the other green one drops I would run over it. If I'm running a non-ramp green one drop, I plan to have a lot of green in the early game, and then I'd rather have Arbor Elf to curve up.
Blazing Spectre ~ any red or black four drop creature. Control decks which would appreciate the *slightly* lighter mana requirements in 3 colours wouldn't run it anyway. All the red and black 4 drops play nice with EtB (Value in Peasant!? Who'd a thunk it), whilst Sureshot/Falkenrath either force damage through/allow you to trade up, or play nice with removal to let you grind out.
Hope that helps!