I just cut smokestack because it's always just a little too slow to matter, but Braids is still a great black aggro and midrange card. The fact that you get an immediate trigger and it's a super high priority kill is just great.
Only fair to bump this thread after Time vault has been so dominant recently for our playgroup. We play 3 activators (Tezzeret the Seeker, Ral Zarek, Kiora's Follower), all of which are playable in their own right, and the deck is super fast and consistent. We play at 360 powered and the card is nuts, I see some hate earlier in the thread but just wanted to put my opinion out there that the combo is insane with just 3 enablers at 360, none of which are Key (which I refuse to play, that card is too useless in every other scenario). Saying that 6(????) enablers are necessary is simply wrong as 3 is easily enough, but I wouldn't recommend playing any fewer than that just for consistency's sake.
The problem with Kitesail Freebooter (not saying it's a bad card), but trying to beat down with kitesail would take 20 turns unless you get equipment etc.
Yes, but it carries equipment, deals a few extra points of damage, and actually offers disruption for cheap. Freebooter can even be tutored vs combo off of certain creature tutors if necessary which is sweet.
This card is only playable in aggro and doesn't even seem to shine there. I doubt that this could even fit into half of all black midrange decks because many of them are in colors pairs that don't grant the early aggression necessary to get this guy down. This guy is just a pile of stats for an aggro deck that cares less about stats and more about hand and mana disruption than any other color. I'm having serious trouble imagining this being worth it.
Aggressive black threes still kinda suck beyond [[Flesh Carver]] (which is still doing absolutely amazing for us and is leagues better than this card), but I'm still not inclined to play this card at 360, and if I moved up to 450 I doubt this would make the cut. It offers no disruption, just flying stats for not much above the curve. If you're looking for aggressive flyers to try to beat control, play [[Kitesail Freebooter]], because that card is actually great.
This card will probably be castable for 3 like two-thirds of the time, which just isn't enough, and a 4/4 with evasion in aggro for 4 is absolutely not good enough. This card is just too slow and inconsistent imo. I guess we'll only find out with time though.
The way you beat aggro is by preventing them from dealing you combat damage, so the fact that if your opponent does their job of not losing the game, the card is a 4 mana 4/4 with evasion for 4 (which is a terrible cube card) like a third of the time.
Card might be good, but I doubt it. Hope I'm wrong though and it ends up letting me switch some cards up.
I don't think this card looks good, it seems to easy for your opponents to make it a 4/4 for 4, which is not what I want to be casting in aggro. The card is just too slow imo.
Yea Atarka is hands down, 100% #1, but bloodbraid is great in cube the same way it has been for standard, legacy, and modern: as the ultimate midrange beater. It’s both great value, fast pressure, and the best PW killer for its colors (probably third overall, just behind Fractured Identity and Teferi unless I’m forgetting something). Haste is an incredible ability, and even in powered, that cascade is usually brutal. It’s great vs aggro for the many bodies it produces, its great vs control and midrange for generating value and surprise-killing walkers, and great vs combo for digging deeper for any kind of disruption you might be packing and applying quick pressure. It’s a card I like so much I have mine in foil, and find myself trying to splash for it more than I probably should.
Atarka is a great ramp, Reanimator, Natural Order and Show and Tell/eureka/Sneak Attack target. Card is good in both fair and unfair decks, and it’s versatility solidifies it’s place at #1 for me, but bloodbraid is still sweet imo and gives green midrange that aggression that it often needs to kill combo and control decks in time. Love em both to death.
Agree to disagree I guess. Either way, this card is definitely sweet for standard, but I can’t imagine this making it into any cubes below like 700 cards as there isn’t a constant need to play around Settle the Wreckage.
Card is fine, but hard to make space for at small sizes. I don’t play it, but I think I’d play it at sixes 450+ As aggro needs more support the larger you get.
Yes, but it carries equipment, deals a few extra points of damage, and actually offers disruption for cheap. Freebooter can even be tutored vs combo off of certain creature tutors if necessary which is sweet.
This card is only playable in aggro and doesn't even seem to shine there. I doubt that this could even fit into half of all black midrange decks because many of them are in colors pairs that don't grant the early aggression necessary to get this guy down. This guy is just a pile of stats for an aggro deck that cares less about stats and more about hand and mana disruption than any other color. I'm having serious trouble imagining this being worth it.
Nikya of the Old Ways
Legendary Creature - Centaur Druid
You can't cast noncreature spells.
Whenever you tap a land for mana, add one mana of any type that land produced.
5/5
Survives wildfire and supports ramp I guess, but can't be used alongside the former. Cool card but seems too slow for small cubes imo.
This card will probably be castable for 3 like two-thirds of the time, which just isn't enough, and a 4/4 with evasion in aggro for 4 is absolutely not good enough. This card is just too slow and inconsistent imo. I guess we'll only find out with time though.
Card might be good, but I doubt it. Hope I'm wrong though and it ends up letting me switch some cards up.
Atarka is a great ramp, Reanimator, Natural Order and Show and Tell/eureka/Sneak Attack target. Card is good in both fair and unfair decks, and it’s versatility solidifies it’s place at #1 for me, but bloodbraid is still sweet imo and gives green midrange that aggression that it often needs to kill combo and control decks in time. Love em both to death.
Bloodbraid
Atarka
Orcish Limberjack
Huntmaster
Rampager
Xenagos
Ancient Grudge if in powered
I can’t iamgine any scenario or size where Gruul isn’t exceptional.
Dack is great, but after him there’s a pretty steep drop-off in power level if you need to hit 3 or 4 playables in your Izzet section.