I can't see a reason to play Force of Rage. The card isn't all that good, and the design feels unfinished.
Is it weird that I see Generous Gift as a Ponza support card?
Of the above listed, the only two that are serious contenders for my cube are the two changelings. I'm a big fan of random synergies, and changeling is great for that. Blade of the Sixth Pride and Tormented Soul are both cards that are close for my cube. I'd play Imposter of the Sixth Pride over something like Adanto Vanguard or Accorder Paladin any day. I'm happy to sacrifice a little bit of efficiency for a decent array of synergies.
Black one-drops are much tighter. I play Slither Blade, and I'm pretty satisfied with it, so I think Changeling Outcast would be good if I could find a slot for it, but that would probably mean cutting Plagued Rusalka, or another aristocrat. I am interested in pushing black this direction though.
My land section is based off the ones I open by chance, so there are pieces of a lot of cycles in there. I still run Dimir Aqueduct, and two other bounce lands. There are some worthwhile interactions, like Vizier of Tumbling Sands and Argothian Elder as well as landfall.
Since this is a whole cycle, I'll likely open one of the five, and I'll be very happy to add it. I would hope for a green one to work with Ramunap Excavator and friends. GB would be perfect for The Gitrog Monster and Muldrotha, the Gravetide. But I'm not picky: I'll play as many of these as I get.
I hadn't even considered this. The effect is relatively unique. Master Biomancer has been merely okay, but this has some advantages. Nevertheless this struggles to find a slot in even a large guild section.
Persist combos are to the point where they could actually be built into a sort of archetype in a relatively small cube, which is worth thinking about.
As always, feel free to add any card that doesn't have it's own SCD, but deserves to be mentioned. And feel free to create an SCD for any of these cards if you think it deserves one.
Generous Gift
Destroy target permanent at instant speed is always something. White has the ability to deal with most permanent types, but hitting lands is particularly enticing.
Imposter of the Sixth Pride
I could definitely see myself playing this. It does exactly enough to be worthwhile to me.
Sisay, Weatherlight Captain
I love Captain Sisay in my cube. This requires five color to get value out of it, but that's not really a problem for a cube like mine.
Undead Augur BB is rough. I'm not interested in this, but it replaces itself pretty well, and has a nice tribal upside for those who care about zombies.
Planebound Accomplice
This has to be worth pointing out if nothing else. There's no reason to play him in my cube but it definitely does something.
Ravenous Giant
Are we really so spoiled that a red Juzám Djinn at uncommon is utterly unworth mentioning?
Scrapyard Recombiner
I want to have enough constructs to make this worthwhile, but I don't think I do. Still, in an artifact themed cube, this is a solid sac outlet, and there are bound to be good targets.
If this ends up cheap, I'm interested. If not, I'm okay without it. It does a lot of stuff that I like, but the idea that it's an $80 card is just silly. Turning artifacts into mana dorks and being a great mana sink are pretty swell.
As someone with a giant cube, this is a contender, but not a shew in. I've been playing Ghoulcaller's Accomplice, but I'm not sure I need another one in green. I'm interested, but not convinced.
Only Ajani, Mentor of Heroes is really competition for this. Mentor of Heroes does draw cards, but being one mana cheaper is a big deal for a card that wants you to have creatures to support it.
I'm probably going to play this card, as GW is now my only guild without a planeswalker. I wanted to try the uncommon Huatli, but my sister described it as "godawful", and I didn't really have a rebuttal.
Subject16: Peresophia of Meletis
This definitely feels like an uncommon legend. The coolest thing is that it upgrades itself to a 3/3. It's kinda inefficient, but it's neat. Which describes the card pretty well.
Eventide Sojourner: Subvert
A Barter in Blood for lands is no joke. Three mana for it is probably oppressive. Being able to wipe the opponent's only two lands (on the play) and keeping one yourself is an extremely common line with this. You might even get some free damage out of it. I'm not against a Barter in Blood for lands, but putting it at RRR really risks making monored the deck to beat in standard. How much of this card does anybody really want to see? Also the name "Subvert" doesn't really capture the card. Cards like this are usually depicted as cataclysmic events.
Graffd02: Warleader's Blade
Hmmm. That's powerful, and it's splashy, but it's probably okay at uncommon. The power level leans heavily towards rare though, and RRR is not a cost found on many nonrare cards. We're definitely going to see this effect on an equipment one of these days.
TheRavenManIsSquee: Sunscorch
Welcome! This is pretty interesting, and is closest to things like Fire Covenant, Volcano Hellion, and Hex. I like it. It's a huge advantage at a huge cost. When the land doesn't matter, the life loss will, and vice-versa.
Forestsguy: Essemer of Wonders
I like the card, but there's no way a card costing RRRWWW could be uncommon. It's cute that it refers to the RRR or WWW thing, but 2RRWW would be much more acceptable. You don't want a bunch of these clogging up your draft pod.
Stille Nacht: Achilles // Menin
It took a bit of googling to really understand the reference. I've read the Odyssey, but never the Iliad. Apparently, "Menin" means "rage", and is the first word of the epic as well as being a major theme of the character. When a friend of Achilles dies (Patroclus), his god-like anger becomes manifest. That could be made more clear with the card-names, but I like the way it fits together to tell the story. BUT the design is not right for an uncommon. A 3/3 indestructible for 3 is already huge, but then it becomes a 5/1 (still indestructible) repeatable monster. This is not a card you want to be all over draft, and should be a rare. Even as a rare, I don't tend to like the way cards like this play out.
Sephon19: Meteor Launch
Hmm. It's a Firestorm variant. We don't get a lot of those. This doesn't do all that much unless you have a bunch of lands to sacrifice, and it doesn't look like something you're going to use much unless you're going for a kill. Saccing three lands to blow up three creatures is okay, but still kinda dubious. It can't be countered or damage prevented, so when it's lethal, there's not much to be done about it. It's powerful, and would probably be pretty useful in some EDH decks, and it has it's niche, but I don't see it as a very joyous card to win with or lose to. It's more the right tool for the right job in certain decks. EDIT BY REQUEST: Yes, funtime flavor text is a good description of this. Everybody loves goblins who die for nothing.
Winner: TheRavenManIsSquee
Next: Artifacts that can counter spells.
@TheRavenManIsSquee: Since you're a new player, it would be helpful to us if you could confirm that you saw that you won. Not that you would, but some people never show up again after one post.
Everyone: STOP TRYING TO WIN THE CULTURE WAR BY POSTING ON THE INTERNET!!!
No matter how smart and compelling your post/ article seems to you, it is not going to change hearts and minds. None of us had ever heard of either of these two people before this nonsense: it is just an excuse to rehash a bigger issue that will never be resolved by making posts and counter-posts on message boards. (Yes, I know saying that here is hypocritical.)
It's like people don't even know that Anointed Procession will be eight bucks in five years. How is it this kind of card always follows this pattern? It seems investors would have destroyed that easy plunder by over-exploiting it.
Not that I mind. I'm happy when cards are cheap, and easily available. Order now for your casual fun purposes, or you'll end up paying way more for the same card. In the mean time, almost every other card in the set will tank in value. Business as usual.
Is it weird that I see Generous Gift as a Ponza support card?
Of the above listed, the only two that are serious contenders for my cube are the two changelings. I'm a big fan of random synergies, and changeling is great for that. Blade of the Sixth Pride and Tormented Soul are both cards that are close for my cube. I'd play Imposter of the Sixth Pride over something like Adanto Vanguard or Accorder Paladin any day. I'm happy to sacrifice a little bit of efficiency for a decent array of synergies.
Black one-drops are much tighter. I play Slither Blade, and I'm pretty satisfied with it, so I think Changeling Outcast would be good if I could find a slot for it, but that would probably mean cutting Plagued Rusalka, or another aristocrat. I am interested in pushing black this direction though.
Since this is a whole cycle, I'll likely open one of the five, and I'll be very happy to add it. I would hope for a green one to work with Ramunap Excavator and friends. GB would be perfect for The Gitrog Monster and Muldrotha, the Gravetide. But I'm not picky: I'll play as many of these as I get.
Persist combos are to the point where they could actually be built into a sort of archetype in a relatively small cube, which is worth thinking about.
Instant
Choose a creature type, then target creature gets +1/+1 for each creature of the chosen type each player
Generous Gift
Destroy target permanent at instant speed is always something. White has the ability to deal with most permanent types, but hitting lands is particularly enticing.
Imposter of the Sixth Pride
I could definitely see myself playing this. It does exactly enough to be worthwhile to me.
Sisay, Weatherlight Captain
I love Captain Sisay in my cube. This requires five color to get value out of it, but that's not really a problem for a cube like mine.
Pondering Mage
Kavu Climber is better than it looks, and this is a LOT better than that.
Changeling Outcast
I believe in Tormented Soul, and making it a changeling is just enough to get me interested.
Undead Augur
BB is rough. I'm not interested in this, but it replaces itself pretty well, and has a nice tribal upside for those who care about zombies.
Planebound Accomplice
This has to be worth pointing out if nothing else. There's no reason to play him in my cube but it definitely does something.
Ravenous Giant
Are we really so spoiled that a red Juzám Djinn at uncommon is utterly unworth mentioning?
Scrapyard Recombiner
I want to have enough constructs to make this worthwhile, but I don't think I do. Still, in an artifact themed cube, this is a solid sac outlet, and there are bound to be good targets.
All comments are welcome!
Ajani Unyielding and Ajani, Valiant Protector are both lousy for six drops. Huatli, Radiant Champion does nothing without creature support, and doesn't do that much anyway. Huatli, the Sun's Heart is super niche.
Only Ajani, Mentor of Heroes is really competition for this. Mentor of Heroes does draw cards, but being one mana cheaper is a big deal for a card that wants you to have creatures to support it.
I'm probably going to play this card, as GW is now my only guild without a planeswalker. I wanted to try the uncommon Huatli, but my sister described it as "godawful", and I didn't really have a rebuttal.
Instant
Choose a creature type, then target creature gets +1/+1 for each creature
This definitely feels like an uncommon legend. The coolest thing is that it upgrades itself to a 3/3. It's kinda inefficient, but it's neat. Which describes the card pretty well.
Eventide Sojourner: Subvert
A Barter in Blood for lands is no joke. Three mana for it is probably oppressive. Being able to wipe the opponent's only two lands (on the play) and keeping one yourself is an extremely common line with this. You might even get some free damage out of it. I'm not against a Barter in Blood for lands, but putting it at RRR really risks making monored the deck to beat in standard. How much of this card does anybody really want to see? Also the name "Subvert" doesn't really capture the card. Cards like this are usually depicted as cataclysmic events.
Graffd02: Warleader's Blade
Hmmm. That's powerful, and it's splashy, but it's probably okay at uncommon. The power level leans heavily towards rare though, and RRR is not a cost found on many nonrare cards. We're definitely going to see this effect on an equipment one of these days.
TheRavenManIsSquee: Sunscorch
Welcome! This is pretty interesting, and is closest to things like Fire Covenant, Volcano Hellion, and Hex. I like it. It's a huge advantage at a huge cost. When the land doesn't matter, the life loss will, and vice-versa.
Forestsguy: Essemer of Wonders
I like the card, but there's no way a card costing RRRWWW could be uncommon. It's cute that it refers to the RRR or WWW thing, but 2RRWW would be much more acceptable. You don't want a bunch of these clogging up your draft pod.
Stille Nacht: Achilles // Menin
It took a bit of googling to really understand the reference. I've read the Odyssey, but never the Iliad. Apparently, "Menin" means "rage", and is the first word of the epic as well as being a major theme of the character. When a friend of Achilles dies (Patroclus), his god-like anger becomes manifest. That could be made more clear with the card-names, but I like the way it fits together to tell the story. BUT the design is not right for an uncommon. A 3/3 indestructible for 3 is already huge, but then it becomes a 5/1 (still indestructible) repeatable monster. This is not a card you want to be all over draft, and should be a rare. Even as a rare, I don't tend to like the way cards like this play out.
Sephon19: Meteor Launch
Hmm. It's a Firestorm variant. We don't get a lot of those. This doesn't do all that much unless you have a bunch of lands to sacrifice, and it doesn't look like something you're going to use much unless you're going for a kill. Saccing three lands to blow up three creatures is okay, but still kinda dubious. It can't be countered or damage prevented, so when it's lethal, there's not much to be done about it. It's powerful, and would probably be pretty useful in some EDH decks, and it has it's niche, but I don't see it as a very joyous card to win with or lose to. It's more the right tool for the right job in certain decks. EDIT BY REQUEST: Yes, funtime flavor text is a good description of this. Everybody loves goblins who die for nothing.
Winner: TheRavenManIsSquee
Next: Artifacts that can counter spells.
@TheRavenManIsSquee: Since you're a new player, it would be helpful to us if you could confirm that you saw that you won. Not that you would, but some people never show up again after one post.