A smorgasboard of abilities on a pushed dude, I like it more and more the longer I think about it. It would be a nice follow-up to something like Adorned Pouncer, as a Mentor counter dump.
I think I like this slightly more than Aurelia and will try Tajic out over Charm. The Boltproofing clause would feel less like flavour text were the card non-red, since you're still going to be mopping up several burn spells in draft, but I do expect it to be impactful. It does hit the odd colourless card in addition to a huge number of red burn spells. And a fair few R/x planeswalkers will struggle to protect against him too.
I think this needs a good test. Really pushed stats and a 'free' ability is a combination that does have precedent for being good in the format. 6/6 flying trample for 5 is something I would expect to have a drawback, not a genuinely decent ability tacked on. I love Custodi Lich, AMK Liliana is decent enough, but there's not too many options. I often consider (and build for) Shriekmaw as not really being a 5 drop, even though it's often played as one.
What a great card. Rec Sage, big 4/3 beater, or a Lone Missionary. The only strike against it is that it's not 'flashy', but really this a very powerful suite of effects. Between this and the rocket Goblin, I'm liking these modular creature effects.
Wow, that's a really strong printing. The body is decent for red and the effect does hit a huge amount of targets. I would probably maindeck this nearly everywhere. Definitely going to test him out.
I'm onboard with that. DRS must have a 100% main deck record here. It does so much for one hybrid mana, and I'm looking to increase graveyard hate rather than reduce it. That leaves Deed or Meren. I don't like using my multicolour slots for removal unless it's unique or really exceptional but this does definitely fit the bill.
I cut it a fair while back and honestly haven't missed it. It's good in very slow matchups, but takes three turns to be better than a Divination or Sign in Blood.
Fwiw, if you like Arena - I still like Graveborn Muse since it provides a body too, so it has at least some immediate board impact, and can often draw >1 card, but I don't play that either st the moment.
Cheers for the write-up. Yes, Varina may end up getting a run. Stone Idol is going in over Ulamog for us. That guy has been too hard to cast most times. Being an artifact will open up a lot more options.
Daretti is one of my favourite planeswalkers and one of my highest red picks in the cube. He gets better with age as there has been plenty more red artifact support since his original printing. As a public service announcement, he now has a foil version from the commander reprint (as I only discovered last week)!
Blood-Forged Battleaxe (can get out of control quite quickly)
Shuko (yes really, the free equip is so annoying to play against as you can get extra mileage out of it on attack and defense)
Lighting Greaves (cheap haste for subsequent creatures and free shroud for your most important one. Good part of Fires deck. I play it)
Captain's claws (makes tokens)
Basilisk Collar (meh)
Silumgar, but Psychatog does work
Confluence
Night Incarnate, probably
I have been inspired to give Courier a try out after reading the discussion in the random cube card forum. The innocuous little guy turned out to be a star in constructed, which of course may not translate to cube - worth a look though.
I think Zealous Conscripts is a great card. There's so few Threaten effects that are worth a card in cube. Sarkhan Vol and arguably Kari Zev's Expertise would be a couple more. Plus the combo potential, being a perfectly good standalone piece of the puzzle in its own right.
That said I don't even play it. Red 5's have gotten really deep over the last few years and there's options for many archetypes. I currently run SGC, Thundermaw and Goblin Dark-dwellers who is a really solid value guy and also supports spells matter and some reanimate builds. That leaves out so much cool stuff like Glorybringer and Neheb the Eternal, sadly. Neheb would probably come in ahead of Conscripts if I reintroduce Wildfire.
I think I like this slightly more than Aurelia and will try Tajic out over Charm. The Boltproofing clause would feel less like flavour text were the card non-red, since you're still going to be mopping up several burn spells in draft, but I do expect it to be impactful. It does hit the odd colourless card in addition to a huge number of red burn spells. And a fair few R/x planeswalkers will struggle to protect against him too.
Fwiw, if you like Arena - I still like Graveborn Muse since it provides a body too, so it has at least some immediate board impact, and can often draw >1 card, but I don't play that either st the moment.
Btw gonna leave this here
Saheeli
Ancient Stone Idol
Gyrus, since i want to add Shard cards and he looks like an awesome scaling value beater.
Keeping an eye on Retrofitter Foundry and Emissary of Grudges too.
I still need an Esper option for my cube but there's no standout candidates and I'm bored of SotSW. The new creatures are ok I guess.
Blood-Forged Battleaxe (can get out of control quite quickly)
Shuko (yes really, the free equip is so annoying to play against as you can get extra mileage out of it on attack and defense)
Lighting Greaves (cheap haste for subsequent creatures and free shroud for your most important one. Good part of Fires deck. I play it)
Captain's claws (makes tokens)
Basilisk Collar (meh)
Silumgar, but Psychatog does work
Confluence
Night Incarnate, probably
That said I don't even play it. Red 5's have gotten really deep over the last few years and there's options for many archetypes. I currently run SGC, Thundermaw and Goblin Dark-dwellers who is a really solid value guy and also supports spells matter and some reanimate builds. That leaves out so much cool stuff like Glorybringer and Neheb the Eternal, sadly. Neheb would probably come in ahead of Conscripts if I reintroduce Wildfire.