What deck are you playing Imperious Perfect in? I like him, but we had no luck with him in ramp (if I have living elves, wouldn't I rather be ramping into awesome 4-6 drops?) or in tokens (lack of elf tokens to pump, and he usually just dies thanks to the lack of other good targets). He found a home in midrange, but ended up being too slow.
My cube frequently has people drafting decks with a lot of elves in them, most commonly GU tempo decks or ramp decks. I've seen the elflords (I also have the mana-making elf lord whose name escapes me right now) affect combat or increase a clock in a meaningful way many times. The elf-making ability is also quite meaningful in a lot of aggro or midrange matchups, although it is often too slow against big-spell and control decks. Perfect also works really well in BG Braids type decks and with Opposition. I'm not saying the card is incredible or anything, but I have a really hard time finding green cards I want to add to my cube as it is. That, by the way, is probably the biggest issue for me regarding Perfect vs Reaper. I have at least a dozen black cards I really enjoy that I can't find a spot for in my cube as opposed to green where I don't have a single card sitting on the sidelines that I'm really dying to fit in. Green cards (and white cards) are boring.
It depends more on the composition of the cube and the way the players prioritize their 1cc spells. If you play a similar concentration of 1cc cards and players try to run a lot of them in their decks regardless of the archetype (like we do) the card can be just as valuable in larger cubes than in smaller ones.
The 1 drops in a 360 card powered cube are just disgusting though. All the premiums (ancestral, sol ring, thoughtseize, goblin guide, skullclamp, mana vault...) showing up so much more often, and I would guess the first few turns are also much more important in a cube like this.
I think there is a reason that Strix sees play in Legacy. The card is the real deal. Worst case cheap cantrip, can carry a sword, trades with huge fatties, you can Tinker it away, recur it with Welder or Recur to draw cards. Also fits a spot on the curve where UB decks often don't have great options.
It generates more card advantage for me on average, survives more removal and is a better blocker. I'm really surprised that some people don't cube it.
It is weird to call it a better blocker. You can block Sundering Titan and Exalted Angels (or just random 3/3s) with Baleful Strix.
This is not a cost effective card outside of token decks in my experience. You need 3 creatures out before it's worthwhile, and if that was the norm I'd be cubing a lot more battalion cards.
I do not think that this is really the correct way to analyze this card. Magic games are interactive, and this card changes how your creatures interact with your opponent's creatures and spells.
I've been really happy with Goblin Chieftan in my cube. Worst case he is a 2/2 haste guy, but he can do crazy things with Empty the Warrens and Siege Gang Commander, and a lot of the random red creatures are goblins anyway. Also good with Krenko now, if you run him. Definitely makes things interesting. I don't think you need to go crazy and add a million Goblin cards to make this work.
I think this statement "If you want to support a very linear mono red strategy (yes there is a very limited number outside of red), you are probably better of just throwing in another 10 burn spells" is completely off-base. I don't think that adding Goblin support is a linear strategy at all. I think it just creates another facet to your creature base in a mostly red deck and potentially makes combat more interesting.
The thing that makes the goblins playable is that red has terrible creatures for the most part, so making some of them goblins costs you almost nothing.
I think on top of straight card strength, the card is also interesting and flavorful, although I have to admit that I also like Dragons a lot.
When it comes down to it, which expensive creatures you play is mostly a matter of personal preference. Every color has enough powerful 4,5,6, and 7 drops now that you can't fit them all in most cubes. I personally think that SGC is a more powerful card than the Thundermaw, but having more powerful cards isn't really what makes a cube better.
I'm honestly shocked that people would consider cutting this card. It is a huge threat that still leaves behind a reasonable threat if it gets 1 for 1ed, if you have more than 7 mana to start it could have even faster impact, has synergies with a huge number of cards, etc... etc...
This card is really nuts with Goblin Chieftain, and I think the Chieftain is actually a great cube card. A 2/2 haste guy for RR1 is weak but playable for aggro red already, but he pumps up a bunch of random red beaters and he is insane with Krenko, Siege Gang, and Empty the Warrens. I think the goblin subtheme adds a cool dimension and a lot of fun to red. Hope this wasn't too far off-topic.
Yeah I recently had the Eldrazi/Survival thing for the first time and it was really unique and powerful effect. For people who really value unique and interesting effects, I think running at least one of these guys is very worth.
My cube frequently has people drafting decks with a lot of elves in them, most commonly GU tempo decks or ramp decks. I've seen the elflords (I also have the mana-making elf lord whose name escapes me right now) affect combat or increase a clock in a meaningful way many times. The elf-making ability is also quite meaningful in a lot of aggro or midrange matchups, although it is often too slow against big-spell and control decks. Perfect also works really well in BG Braids type decks and with Opposition. I'm not saying the card is incredible or anything, but I have a really hard time finding green cards I want to add to my cube as it is. That, by the way, is probably the biggest issue for me regarding Perfect vs Reaper. I have at least a dozen black cards I really enjoy that I can't find a spot for in my cube as opposed to green where I don't have a single card sitting on the sidelines that I'm really dying to fit in. Green cards (and white cards) are boring.
1) I have been very happy with Imperious Perfect in my cube
2) I am totally in love with Zombies in cube
3) have been hesitant to add this guy
3 mana to activate just seems like a ton.
The 1 drops in a 360 card powered cube are just disgusting though. All the premiums (ancestral, sol ring, thoughtseize, goblin guide, skullclamp, mana vault...) showing up so much more often, and I would guess the first few turns are also much more important in a cube like this.
Isn't this the best sort of cube for this card? I'm not sure that it being good in powered 360 says much about how it would be in a 720 card cube.
Agree with this. Comparing these two cards is a huge stretch and sorta misses the point of the Rampager entirely.
It is weird to call it a better blocker. You can block Sundering Titan and Exalted Angels (or just random 3/3s) with Baleful Strix.
I do not think that this is really the correct way to analyze this card. Magic games are interactive, and this card changes how your creatures interact with your opponent's creatures and spells.
I think this statement "If you want to support a very linear mono red strategy (yes there is a very limited number outside of red), you are probably better of just throwing in another 10 burn spells" is completely off-base. I don't think that adding Goblin support is a linear strategy at all. I think it just creates another facet to your creature base in a mostly red deck and potentially makes combat more interesting.
The thing that makes the goblins playable is that red has terrible creatures for the most part, so making some of them goblins costs you almost nothing.
When it comes down to it, which expensive creatures you play is mostly a matter of personal preference. Every color has enough powerful 4,5,6, and 7 drops now that you can't fit them all in most cubes. I personally think that SGC is a more powerful card than the Thundermaw, but having more powerful cards isn't really what makes a cube better.