I'm curious what your persist combo package looks like and number of slots for each effect. I like the idea of giving white another interesting deck to contribute to (since reanimator/cheat/ramp are supported almost entirely across the other colors), but it's hard to imagine fitting anything substantial in at 360. I technically support it now via Kitchen Finks, Luminous Broodmoth, and Goblin Bombardment, all included for other reasons, but it's unlikely to ever occur.
I have a question about the token/anthem deck support. I'm reworking my 360 cube after a long hiatus, but worried I'll have too few payoff cards for the archetype, given that most of the anthem effects don't seem to be 360 power level anymore.
I'd like to try Den Protector, but haven't so far because I have no other morph creatures. I'd like more aggressive 2/3 drops in green (especially at 3), but I'm afraid it doesn't really act as an aggressive 3-drop due to the extra morph cost which you likely don't want to activate on turn 4.
Overall I've drafted a few decks recently that were hurting for more proactive, aggressive green 3-drops. Out of my current suite, Reclamation Sage and Eternal Witness are fantastic but not necessarily at their best played on turn 3, and Yavimaya Elder and Courser of Kruphix are solid but not aggressive. Only Tireless Tracker does what I'm looking for. I'm not entirely enthused about him, but may try Rishkar, Peema Renegade to help out, and am strongly considering the blasphemy of cutting Yavimaya Elder for something more proactive when it comes along.
Vendilion Clique is one of my favorite cards (who would have guessed based on my profile picture) - blue, aggressive, great in tempo decks, and skill testing. I like the original art most.
Yeah, black cuts (and cuts in general) just continue to get harder. Cutting Sinkhole is a definite possibility, especially with the manlands leaving, but it would probably go to make room for Mind Twist if it tests well. Worst case for Mind Twist probably involves a Mox and Grim Monolith to make the opponent discard ~5 on turn 2-3, but that still requires investing several cards to make the play. We'll see how it fares in the group.
I've felt for a while that the 4 swords I've been running was a bit much at 360, and SoWaP is the most inconsistent. Occasionally, it completely seals the deal, with the trigger dealing 5-6 damage, but most of the time I see it, the triggers are largely irrelevant, unlike with the other swords.
Huge update, including Kaladesh. OP is updated, cube tutor is still out of date.
I got my hands on the original duals, so I'm cutting mostly manlands or a few other cards for them and moving to dual/fetch/shock for the guilds.
Dropping the lands matter theme in green to bring green aggro back in. I'd still like another good 1-drop and better aggressive options up the curve, but aggro has been underperforming, so hopefully this helps. The theme didn't work very consistently (again) and will have less support without the manlands.
I like it more than Hallowed Spiritkeeper for sure, and probably Mirror Entity as well. Eldrazi Displacer looks like it wants to come in too.
I could see cutting Hallowed Spiritkeeper. Maybe I'll give that a try, since I have very little experience with the recruiters so it's hard to judge them. I'm not sure I want to cut Mirror Entity, because I'm very short on effects that give a power boost to token strategies and it has a very high ceiling in those decks. I am interested in Eldrazi Displacer for more playable blink support, but not sure my mana base can support it - I only have 9 nonbasics plus some mana rocks that could power the effect.
Anyone playing Eldrazi Displacer or other colorless matters cards in a small cube? How successful is it and how much support do you have?
I'd like to try Recruiter of the Guard, but don't think I have room at 360. There's already so many 3-drops that have a specific purpose or advance the board state, whereas Recruiter is more of a utility creature. I'm already concerned that I've got too many 3-drops across some colors, since that slot seems pretty clogged in deck construction...
Mind Twist: I consider this degenerate with fast mana, but actually it was fine in unpowered/semi-powered. A big Hymn to Tourach is fine and dandy on T3-4; on T1, not so much.
This is interesting - I've largely stayed away from Mind Twist in my unpowered cube at the suggestion of others, but have never tried it. I may test it to see how it feels.
I'm a tad disappointed in the set since there's only one slam dunk for my 360 cube, but as you said, there's some fringe playable stuff and some nice archetype support cards. Thanks for the review.
It seems to me like these cards are more or less auto-includes that give some payoff, ignoring non-combat effects like Opposition:
Accorder Paladin
Hero of Bladehold
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
Angel of Invention
Elspeth, Sun's Champion (ult only)
Hellrider
Garruk Wildspeaker (ult only)
Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
Many are creatures or somewhat conditional effects, so I'm wondering if more support is merited and what you think the next clear inclusions are. I'm not sure any of these are strong enough, which is why I'm agonizing over this a bit. My feelings on the next tier of candidates:
Drana, Liberator of Malakir
Purphoros, God of the Forge
Goblin Bombardment and potentially other aristocrats support, but I don't think there's room at 360
and the best actual anthems:
Goblin Oriflamme
Spear of Heliod
Curse of Predation
Force of Virtue
That said, no one has had much success with Stax in my cube. Mind posting a few 3-0 decklists?
Overall I've drafted a few decks recently that were hurting for more proactive, aggressive green 3-drops. Out of my current suite, Reclamation Sage and Eternal Witness are fantastic but not necessarily at their best played on turn 3, and Yavimaya Elder and Courser of Kruphix are solid but not aggressive. Only Tireless Tracker does what I'm looking for. I'm not entirely enthused about him, but may try Rishkar, Peema Renegade to help out, and am strongly considering the blasphemy of cutting Yavimaya Elder for something more proactive when it comes along.
I've felt for a while that the 4 swords I've been running was a bit much at 360, and SoWaP is the most inconsistent. Occasionally, it completely seals the deal, with the trigger dealing 5-6 damage, but most of the time I see it, the triggers are largely irrelevant, unlike with the other swords.
W
+Angel of Invention, -Cloudgoat Ranger
+Elspeth, Sun's Champion, -Archangel Avacyn
U
+Faerie Conclave, -Wharf Infiltrator
+Waterfront Bouncer, -Thassa, God of the Sea
-Master of Waves (test)
+Crystal Shard, -Imprisoned in the Moon
+Show and Tell
+Thirst for Knowledge, -Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
B
+Tormented Hero, -Liliana, Heretical Healer
+Scrapheap Scrounger, -Nezumi Graverobber
+Custodi Lich, -Phyrexian Arena
+Griselbrand, -Nekrataal
+Sinkhole
+Exhume, -Dance of the Dead
+Mind Twist (test)
R
+Abbot of Keral Keep, -War-Name Aspirant
-Flames of the Firebrand
+Chandra, Torch of Defiance, -Koth of the Hammer
+Fireblast, -Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
G
+Jungle Lion, -Edge of Autumn
+Kessig Prowler, -Wild Mongrel
+Wolfbitten Captive, -Life from the Loam
+Kalonian Hydra, -Titania, Protector of Argoth
+Oath of Druids, -Evolutionary Leap
WUBRG
-Lotleth Troll
-Kiora, the Crashing Wave
+Wild Nacatl
+Tattermunge Maniac, -Sarkhan Vol
+Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast, -Grenzo, Dungeon Warden
+Saheeli Rai (test)
+Badlands, -Lavaclaw Reaches
+Bayou, -Hissing Quagmire
+Plateau, -Needle Spires
+Savannah, -Knight of the Reliquary
+Scrubland, -Shambling Vent
+Taiga, -Raging Ravine
+Tropical Island, -Lumbering Falls
+Tundra, -Detention Sphere
+Underground Sea, -Duskmantle Seer
+Volcanic Island, -Wandering Fumarole
X
+Smuggler's Copter, -Guardian Idol
+Fleetwheel Cruiser, -Sword of War and Peace
+Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger, -Evolving Wilds
I could see cutting Hallowed Spiritkeeper. Maybe I'll give that a try, since I have very little experience with the recruiters so it's hard to judge them. I'm not sure I want to cut Mirror Entity, because I'm very short on effects that give a power boost to token strategies and it has a very high ceiling in those decks. I am interested in Eldrazi Displacer for more playable blink support, but not sure my mana base can support it - I only have 9 nonbasics plus some mana rocks that could power the effect.
Anyone playing Eldrazi Displacer or other colorless matters cards in a small cube? How successful is it and how much support do you have?
1 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
1 Flickerwisp
1 Hallowed Spiritkeeper
1 Mirror Entity
1 Monastery Mentor
1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
This is interesting - I've largely stayed away from Mind Twist in my unpowered cube at the suggestion of others, but have never tried it. I may test it to see how it feels.
UR Counterburn 4-0
UG Ramp 4-2
Uwbr Artifact Control 4-2
BG Midrange Reanimator 3-3
W Token Midrange 2-2
RGw Aggro 1-4
WBR Aggro 1-6
Winning deck:
1 Grim Lavamancer
1 Looter Il-Kor
1 Young Pyromancer
1 Man-o'-War
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Dungeon Geists
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Thundermaw Hellkite
Instants
1 Condescend
1 Force of Will
1 Burst Lightning
1 Force Spike
1 Lightning Bolt
1 Daze
1 Memory Lapse
1 Remand
1 Cryptic Command
1 Firebolt
1 Preordain
1 Arc Trail
1 Flames of the Firebrand
Artifacts
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
Planeswalkers
1 Ral Zarek
1 Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
Lands
1 Mana Confluence
1 Rishadan Port
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Steam Vents
7 Island
5 Mountain
URGb Sneak Attack/Recurring Nightmare 5-2
Wu Aggressive Tokens 4-2
WUbr Artifact Control 4-3
UGw Upheaval 4-4
BR Aggro 3-5
BG NO/Reanimator 1-5
Winning deck:
1 Baleful Strix
1 Looter Il-Kor
1 Waterfront Bouncer
1 Eternal Witness
1 Fire Imp
1 Manic Vandal
1 Flametongue Kavu
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Acidic Slime
1 Mulldrifter
1 Myr Battlesphere
1 Sundering Titan
1 Woodfall Primus
1 Brainstorm
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Impulse
1 Kolaghan's Command
Sorceries
1 Regrowth
Artifacts
1 Skullclamp
Enchantments
1 Survival of the Fittest
1 Recurring Nightmare
1 Sneak Attack
Planeswalkers
1 Dack Fayden
Lands
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Grand Coliseum
1 Raging Ravine
1 Stomping Ground
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Wooded Foothills
4 Island
1 Swamp
2 Mountain
3 Forest
UB Tempo 6-1
BGr Reanimator 4-2
WU Control 4-3
WB Aggro 4-4
BR Midrange 4-4
GWr Titania & Armageddon 3-4
WRG Wildfire 2-4
WRb Tokens 1-6
Winning deck:
1 Baleful Strix
1 Dimensional Infiltrator
1 Looter Il-Kor
1 Phantasmal Image
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Serendib Efreet
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Duskmantle Seer
1 Glen Elendra Archmage
1 Shriekmaw
1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
1 Condescend
1 Force of Will
1 Snuff Out
1 Arcane Denial
1 Daze
1 Mana Leak
1 Memory Lapse
1 Miscalculation
1 Demonic Tutor
Artifacts
1 Vedalken Shackles
Enchantments
1 Bitterblossom
1 Treachery
Lands
1 Creeping Tar Pit
10 Island
6 Swamp
WB Aggro Tokens 6-1
UGr Blue Devotion 4-2
WUbr Artifact Control 4-3
WB Aggro 3-4
RG Midrange 2-4
BGr Wildfire 1-6
Winning deck:
1 Carnophage
1 Diregraf Ghoul
1 Gravecrawler
1 Rakdos Cackler
1 Savannah Lions
1 Student of Warfare
1 Accorder Paladin
1 Asylum Visitor
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Drana, Liberator of Malakir
1 Liliana, Heretical Healer
1 Mardu Strike Leader
1 Braids, Cabal Minion
1 Cloudgoat Ranger
1 Sun Titan
1 Snuff Out
Sorceries
1 Profane Command
1 Vindicate
1 Armageddon
1 Ravages of War
Artifacts
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Smokestack
Planeswalkers
1 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
Lands
1 Arid Mesa
1 Blood Crypt
1 Godless Shrine
1 Mana Confluence
1 Rishadan Port
5 Plains
7 Swamp
WUr Control 4-0
WBur Control 3-2
RG Midrange 2-3
WR Aggro 0-4
Winning deck:
1 Wall of Omens
1 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
1 Reflector Mage
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Hero of Bladehold
1 Cloudgoat Ranger
1 Mulldrifter
1 Sun Titan
1 Aetherling
Instants
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Incinerate
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Mystic Confluence
1 Dig Through Time
1 Ponder
1 Council's Judgment
1 Day of Judgment
Artifacts
1 Coalition Relic
Enchantments
1 Banishing Light
1 Treachery
Planeswalkers
1 Dack Fayden
1 Jace Beleren
1 Ral Zarek
Lands
1 Flooded Strand
1 Grand Coliseum
1 Maze of Ith
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Wandering Fumarole
5 Plains
4 Island
1 Mountain
Gr Ramp 6-1
UB Control 5-3
URb Wildfire Control 4-2
BGw Stax 2-4
WR Aggro 2-5
WBr Midrange 2-6
Winning deck:
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Elvish Mystic
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Courser of Kruphix
1 Tireless Tracker
1 Master of the Wild Hunt
1 Polukranos, World Eater
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Primeval Titan
1 Dragonlord Atarka
1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
1 Lightning Bolt
Sorceries
1 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Natural Order
Artifacts
1 Skullclamp
Enchantments
1 Oath of Nissa
1 Sylvan Library
1 Song of the Dryads
Planeswalkers
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
Lands
1 Mutavault
1 Rishadan Port
1 Stomping Ground
1 Tendo Ice Bridge
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Wooded Foothills
11 Forest
1 Mountain
BG Ramp 6-2
Rw Aggro 5-3
WRub Control 4-4
BRg Aggro 0-6
Winning deck:
1 Arbor Elf
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Warden of the First Tree
1 Duskwatch Recruiter
1 Pack Rat
1 Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
1 Mardu Strike Leader
1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
1 Skinrender
1 Wickerbough Elder
1 Shriekmaw
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Hornet Queen
1 Myr Battlesphere
1 Woodfall Primus
1 Dark Ritual
Artifacts
1 Coalition Relic
1 Worn Powerstone
Enchantments
1 Rancor
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Song of the Dryads
Planeswalkers
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
Lands
8 Swamp
9 Forest
BG Midrange 6-2
BRg Aggro 5-3
Uwbrg Planeswalkers 4-4
UBw Blue Devotion 4-5
WG Midrange 4-6
WR Aggro 1-4
Winning deck:
1 Diregraf Ghoul
1 Dryad Militant
1 Bloodghast
1 Lotleth Troll
1 Nezumi Graverobber
1 Pack Rat
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Courser of Kruphix
1 Drana, Liberator of Malakir
1 Flesh Carver
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Master of the Wild Hunt
1 Polukranos, World Eater
1 Skinrender
1 Wickerbough Elder
1 Myr Battlesphere
1 Dark Ritual
1 Dismember
Sorceries
1 Profane Command
1 Maelstrom Pulse
Artifacts
1 Batterskull
Enchantments
1 Bitterblossom
Planeswalkers
1 Garruk Relentless
Lands
8 Swamp
9 Forest
WR Aggro Burn 6-1
Bwg Midrange Reanimator 3-3
WRb Armageddon Control 3-4
WR Aggro 0-4
Winning deck:
1 Dragon Hunter
1 Firedrinker Satyr
1 Grim Lavamancer
1 Kytheon, Hero of Akros
1 Soldier of the Pantheon
1 Zurgo Bellstriker
1 Lightning Mauler
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
1 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
1 Mirror Entity
1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
1 Thundermaw Hellkite
1 Lightning Bolt
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Magma Jet
1 Smash to Smithereens
1 Char
Sorceries
1 Chain Lightning
1 Arc Lightning
1 Flames of the Firebrand
Planeswalkers
1 Ajani Vengeant
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Arid Mesa
1 Flooded Strand
1 Grand Coliseum
1 Mutavault