Originally a side project, this has become my main Cube. It’s the one I draft and tinker with most often. It’s somewhat thematic, but overall is mostly built as a classic good-stuff Cube.
As always, comments and feedback are welcome.
Outdated list - Working on Update
Grump's Modern+ Cube - Basic Information:
Why Modern? Well, when it comes to Constructed, Modern is my format of choice. It’s the one I enjoy, the one I tailor my collection to. And since my first Cube only uses old cards, I figured that being able to draft with newer ones would be a welcome change of pace. I also wanted to limit overlap between the two Cubes, and this is an easy way of ensuring that.
The "Plus" is a nod to the nature of Cube. What it means is that, beyond having access to the cards normally available in the Modern format, I’ll also allow myself access to any other cards printed with the modern card frame, within limits. Every black-bordered, non-foil card printed with that frame will be available: so "Modern" cards, cards from Duel Decks, from Planechase or from the Commander products for example, will be available. Not using black borders is a matter of preferences. I just don’t like white borders. Builder’s prerogative. When it comes to foil cards however, there are actually two reasons. The first one is that I’m a perfectionist: if I start foiling the Cube, I’m not going to stop until the whole thing is shiny. Now that would be fine if I only played Cube, but it’s not the case: I play multiple constructed formats and I already have a Cube. Going on a pimp-binge would not sit well with my wallet… or my wife. The other reason is that modern foils include Judge Promo cards and From the Vault cards. Many of those are interesting cards, but many are also old cards: cards which I do not want to include in a Modern-themed Cube.
Beside, having restrictions is not a bad thing and it keeps things fresh and unique.
Basic Info
Cube Size: 485 cards
Breakdown: 65 per Color, 45 Multicolor, 65 Colorless, 50 Lands
Number of Players: 2-6
How Often Drafted?: Once in a while
Card Selection
Powered?: No
Portal?: No
Proxies/Customs?: No
"Un-" Cards?: No
Any "Banned" Cards?: Sol Ring (for power level)
Cube Design
Standard or Multiplayer?: Standard
Standard or Theme Cube?: Modern-themed
Limited Card Pool?: Yes
Perfect Creature/Non-Creature Balance?: No
Perfect Gold Balance?: Yes
Split as Gold?: Yes
Off-Color Kicker/Triggers as Gold?: No, as printed
Perfectly Balanced CMC?: No
True, but then again I'm already running three of those in my old Cube. And I'd like to limit overlap if I can.
I don't like white borders. If I need to run a white-bordered card in a Constructed deck, I'll bite the bullet and do so, but in Cube... I'll find something else to run instead.
Savannah Lions is a loss, but maybe we'll see a reprint of it soon. M13 perhaps?
As for the actual breakdown of the Cube, I'll probably go with the following:
Color: 55/color (275 totals)
Multi: 20
Artifacts: 50
Lands: 50
The gold count is a little low, but at the same time there are several cards which people would normally put under that category, and which I'll put under Lands instead. Beside, I also want to streamline things a little with this one and have it feel a little more powerful than the old Cube. So I want to put a little more emphasis on single-color and dual-color strategies, and not so much on multi-color.
At this point I don't want to include any particular themes to the Cube. It being a Modern Cube is thematic enough and gives me some design space. I'll probably end up trying to support certain strategies, but I'll play that tune as I go.
So I have 55 cards: 33 creatures and 22 spells. I wanted to make sure that White was one of the creature colors in the Cube, with a focus on smaller beaters and a strong planeswalkers suite. Sub-themes includes anthem-effects, blink/bounce-effects, tokens and artifacts/enchantments removal.
Notable Inclusions:
- Without having access to the Soltaris, I wanted to make sure that White still had access to a few strong 2-drops. The knights (Meadowgrain, Holy Nimbus and White Orchid) should hopefully be able to fill that role.
- Faith's Shield is a card I really want to test as it offers interesting options against opposing removal. I'm also going to try to add a few combat trick cards to the Cube, which are usually missing from most Cubes. Faith's Shield is the first on the list.
- Mikaeus, the Lunarch's role should be to support Ajani Goldmane. I may want to switch him out for an agressive 1-drop if he proves to be ineffectual in that role.
- Sensei Golden-Tail just makes me laugh. A pet card, and not a bad one to boot.
- Steelshaper's Gift takes the role of Enlightened Tutor. I'll probably have to adjust the Equipment suite accordingly.
Notable Exclusions:
- Mana Tithe's spot is currently filled by Faith's Shield. If the Shield proves to be inefficient, Mana Tithe will go back in instead.
- I decided to go with Geist-Honored Monk instead of Cloudgoat Ranger. On an empty board, the Ranger provides more power for its cost, but I prefer flying Spirit tokens to Kithkins. Further testing will be needed for this one.
I would certainly play something like Mistral Charger/Stormfront Pegasus over Knight of the Holy Nimbus. Evasion is just so key, and you have very little of it in your aggro section.
You could also consider Eight-and-a-Half-Tails, I think it's better than Sensei Golden-Tail/
I would certainly play something like Mistral Charger/Stormfront Pegasus over Knight of the Holy Nimbus. Evasion is just so key, and you have very little of it in your aggro section.
You could also consider Eight-and-a-Half-Tails, I think it's better than Sensei Golden-Tail/
But… but…! It’s a rat fox who train turtles durdles into becoming ninjas samurais! That has to count for something!?
But you’re probably right. Eight-and-a-Half-Tails provides a stronger effect, and one which is characteristic of White. The thing is, I don’t think I could do a straight switch with the Sensei because of the difference in casting cost. Instead I could probably remove Leonin Relic-Warder for Eight-and-a-Half-Tails. The Warder was there mostly because I wanted 4 cards providing answers to Artifacts and Enchantments, but that was without counting Oblivion Ring and Austere Command. So it’s probably fine building the Cube without him.
As for Mistral Charger and Stormfront Pegasus, I agree. White aggro benefits greatly from having early flyers. I could see removing the Cloistered Youth for one of them. If it had 4 Power once flipped, or Flying, I would keep it for sure. As it is though, I feel that the knights provide greater value.
Two other cards I’m not sold on are Porcelain Legionnaire and Restoration Angel. The Legionnaire is a fine beater who comes down early and can be used by other colors. It’s also fragile and a mediocre mid or late game drop. I’m wondering if the new Silverblade Paladin wouldn’t be better in his stead. It’s weaker by itself and harder to cast, but its Soulbound ability is relevant in both the early and late game, especially with flyers or Equipment cards. As for Restoration Angel, she just feels less interesting than Galepowder Mage. The Flash and 4 Toughness are relevant, but the Mage providing a recurring blink/bounce effect turn after turn seems more powerful than the one-shot we get from the Angel.
So how would you feel about going with…?
-1 Cloistered Youth
-1 Leonin Relic-Warder
-1 Porcelain Legionnaire
-1 Restoration Angel
-1 Sensei Golden-Tail
After giving it some thoughts, I decided to go with a different breakdown. Going with only 20 gold cards seems incorrect. And after looking at the options available, I wouldn't know what to cut anyway. On the other hand, 50 Artifacts/Colorless and 50 Lands seems a little high. So I'll try this instead:
As far as White goes, I'm pretty set on the list posted in the OP although I'm still open to comments and suggestions. The only thing I'm considering is the possibility of removing Calciderm and adding Restoration Angel instead. Calciderm is a beast (pun intended), but the Angel provides sooo many options. Tough choice.
Blue on the other hand is giving me some headaches. Many of the classic Blue cards are older cards and are not available for a Modern-ish Cube. Building a list for it basically means looking for new options. Here's what I have right now:
I'm not sure I'm satisfied with the list. Something seems... off. Of maybe I'm just being too much of a perfectionist.
Notable Inclusions:
- Cackling Counterpart was a fun, weird option that somehow made it through all the cuts. And the more I think about it, the more I see it being solid. An instant-speed clone effect with Flashback is pretty sweet, especially in Cube when there are plenty of creatures with EtB effects.
- Couterlash seems to be a card for Commander, and likely too slow for Cube. Then again, countering a big finisher and putting one of your own in play is nice.
- Sphinx of Jwar Isle and Sphinx of Uthuun. I don't know about these guys. With Tamyio, I don't feel the need to run Frost Titan and these two feel like they could make good finishers. One is hard to deal with, and the other provides value as soon as it hit play.
- Visions of Beyond is a big 'maybe', even though it seems that a Limited environment is a good place for it. At worst it cantrip. At best, those 3 cards may very well win you the game.
Notable Exclusions:
- Delver of Secret is one I'm not sure if I should include or not. I go back and forth between him and Azure Mage. I just don't feel like he would be good in a Cube with less than 400 cards.
- Draining Whelk. Don't know if I want this instead of Counterlash or in addition to it.
- Silent Departure is not exactly notable, but it is damn good. It's pretty much this or Visions of Beyond. My gut feeling tells me that this kind of bounce should be left for things like Aether Adept/Man-o'-War.
I ended up changing a few things in Blue. The Sphinx of Uthuun just didn’t feel right and I wanted another good finisher to support Sphinx of Jwar Isles. Keiga seemed like one of the better options available for that role. I also decided to drop Counterlash and Volitions Reins. Both seemed slow and clunky, and I figured that topping the spell curve with Mind Control and Planeswalkers wasn’t a bad alternative.
The updated list can be found in the OP.
Black has been providing its own challenges when it comes to design. Like Blue, many of its classic cards are from older sets, so I had to find alternatives or new options. There's also a few aspect of the color which I wanted to highlight, which required some interesting cuts:
Notable Inclusions:
- Dark Tutelage is not a card we see often in Cube. Black has few ways of getting rid of enchantments, and this one may very well end up killing its controler in the end. Then again, it's a solid spash in agressive Red and White decks. Risky, but it can definitely be worth it.
- With the Cube being heavy on Planeswalkers, I wanted to make sure that Black had a few tools to deal with them. Despise is one of those cards.
- Reanimation is not a strategy which can easily be supported in a Modern Cube. Nevertheless Maqueshift Mannequin and Puppeteer Clique provides effective and reliable effects when it comes to putting creatures back into play.
- We all know by now how powerful something like Lingering Souls can be. A creature like Skeletal Vampire who's able to produce it's own army of 1/1 flyers is definitely a contender.
Notable Exclusions:
- Inquisition of Kozilek is a classic shoe in, but Despise felt like a better option in this particular setting.
- As good as Shriekmaw is, there are already other creatures in Black who can produce a similar effect. If the Cube ever goes over 395 cards, this guy will likely go back in.
- Sheoldred, Whispering One. Yes she's expensive and she dies to removal. But if she doesn't, that's pretty much game for its controller. One of those risk vs reward card I like to see in Cube.
- Tomb Stalker is definitely a beast. Then again, so is Abyssal Persecutor. Something to test, and if the Persecutor does not perform as expected, the Stalker will be added back.
Bench Warmers - Other Options:
- Cruel Edict
- Doomed Necromancer
- Magus of the Abyss
- Stitch Together
- Stromgald Crusader
I´ll try to give some thoughts, but due to my lack of experience with cube draft, they may seem a little nonsense:
2 cards i think i´ll want in my black list are Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief (i think she is best than ob nixilis for 5 mana) and Slaughter Pact, maybe instead of dark tutelage, not sure. Maybe they dont fit in a cube of this size, or a cube at all, but i played with drana in limited and she was a powerhouse.
The spot Dark Tutelage is in is somewhat soft right now. There are a few other cards which I'm considering, but I like how the enchantment can support aggressive strategies in other colors. If it doesn't work, I may very well add Slaughter Pact myself. But I want Black to be more than just about spot removal, which is why I'm trying other options. It's a matter of personal preferences.
And Drana is indeed a fine card. But old Ob brings something different to the table, by basically allowing you to defeat your opponent without ever having to hit the battlefield. If I wanted to add Drana, I would probably remove Bloodgift Demon or Puppeteer Clique instead.
Speaking of 5-drop, Shriekmaw is a card that should be on your radar even if it isn't on my list. I will not be running it because I really wanted to have Puppeteer Clique and Maqueshift Mannequin in the Cube, but if you don't care about these kinds of shenanigans, you should probably run it. If I ever expand beyond 395 cards, it's going in for sure.
But then again, i think this choices are based in personal preference.
They all seem solid to me.
I ended up choosing Sphinx of Jwar Isles over Consecrated Sphinx because I wanted Blue to have at least two big finishers, and Jwar Jwar Sphinx and Keiga seemed harder to deal with than Consecrated Sphinx: one because of Shroud and the other one because the opposing player usually end up two-for-oneing himself while trying to take care of it.
Geist-Honored Monk is mostly a matter of preferring flying spirit tokens to Kithkin. And I felt that - once on the field - the Geist posed a bigger threat by itself than the Ranger.
And Gifts Ungiven... ugh! I really wanted four copy effect in Blue, so Rite of Replication took a spot at 4cmc. It basically came down to Fact or Fiction vs Gifts Ungiven. Tough choice!
But as you said, in the end it's often a matter of personnal preferences and of what you want each color to do and represent in your Cube.
Red is a weird one. One one hand it feel like it's the easiest color to build: just add burn and and a bunch of aggressive creatures. On the other hand, quite a bit of its classic identity is lost in the Modern translation, mainly when it comes to Artifact and Land destruction, which means that there are several holes that needs to be filled. Right now, I'm tinkering with Threaten and Loot-type effects. Not a ton of great options available right now but Red is slowly getting there. And in the meantime, there's always burn.
Notable Inclusions:
- Unorthodox, but Dangerous Wager seems like an interesting option to me. Agressive decks will empty their hands pretty quickly and are always hungry for some card draw.
- Molten Rain and Stone Rain cannot solely support LD on their shoulders. But despite the fact that the strategy is no longer viable, both cards do provide solid disruption.
- Seismic Assault provides a very strong effect. Red decks will have no problem casting it, and decks running other colors are unlikely to want to cast it before turn 5 which makes the casting cost less prohibitive. Still a bit rough.
- A lot has been said or is being said about Vexing Devil. Not the most powerful 1-drop available to Red, but still a strong one. Since I wanted to have at least 4 very aggressive 1cmc creatures in Red, Vexing Devil seemed good enough not to pass.
Notable Exclusions:
- Hearth Kami is an auto-include in many lists. But with Red losing several of its best options in regard to artifact destruction in Modern, it seemed pointless to try to salvage this particular aspect. Red still has a few cards to deal with artifacts, but the Kami is just not one of them.
Bench Warmers - Other Options:
- Boom/Bust
- Dead/Gone
- Hound of Griselbrand
- Mogg War Marshal
- Rough/Tumble
- Urabrask the Hidden
Ugh...! Almost done with the colors. Just need to go through Green.
Have you consider goblin ruinlaster as another land destr effect?
The problem with the Ruinblaster is that he targets only non-basic lands. In a Constructed environment, that's not a big problem since decks will usually run several non-basics. In Limited, the number of targets your Ruinblaster may have is likely going to be significantly less. So he's definitely not as reliable.
He's one of those cards which works well if you already have a critical mass of cards providing a similar effect. If you already have access to 4 dedicated LD spells in Red, for example, then the Ruinblaster make a solid #5. In that spot, he's supporting a strategy which is already existent in the Cube. But he's not #1-4 material. Without a solid foundation of Molten Rain, Pillage and Aftershock, he's just not going to perform as well. And unfortunately, many of these classic LD spells are not available in Modern.
Now obviously, Avalanche Riders and Wildfire are technically Modern legal. And these two are awesome land destruction spells. If you don't mind the white borders, or the old 'timeshifted' frame, I would recommend using them.
what do you think about miracles in the cube? the uncommon and mytic ones, in red, seem like a possibility....but i dont know if they work in cube =\ entreat the angels is also strong in white
Yeah... some of them look pretty awesome. Personally, I'm going to hold back on those for now, as I find them hard to evaluate. I'm likely going to take a look at them again in a few months though. Devastation Tide seems pretty nice.
That's the great thing about Cubes: they are dynamic constructs. They grow and change and evolve over time. They're never really done.
I´ll leave here some of my changes in red, you probably tried them already, but maybe it can help in someway:
I think i´ll play magus of the moon instead of mogg fanatic (i guess it lost a lot of his value since they removed damage from the stack)
I´ll give a try to the new archwing dragon, maybe in the place of hellrider.
I´ll play boom//bust (saw it in your post) instead of dangerous wager.
And flame of bloodhand or brimstone volley instead of arc lightning
And my problem is to find space for wildfire(russian blackborder) and destructive force..to give red another type of strategy, i guess (i saw conley woods cube draft on modo, and really liked his deck with this cards..so this is kind of a personal matter)
I'm not sure about the Magus of the Moon, for reasons similar to Goblin Ruinblaster: it only affects non-basic lands. But you have me thinking... I like Mogg Fanatic, and it does kill a fair amount of utility creatures with that 1 damage, but I have to wonder if that's good enough... And I would really like to add another 5-drop in Red.
I'm not sold on Archwing Dragon, especially not to replace Hellrider. But I'm curious to see what it does for you. I ran Viashino's in my Weatherlight Cube for a while, and even without Flying they were pretty good.
And I like the idea of running Wildfire and Destructive Force. I would probably do to, but with the people I usually play with, it's better if I stick to good old english cards.
I decided to drop support for Life from the Loam. I love the card; probably one of my favourite in Modern. But without access to Braids, Smokestack and multiple Wildfire-type effects, it just doesn’t work as well. I was finding myself making dubious choices trying to make it good in the Cube, and I find that it’s just not worth it. If we ever get more effects in Modern that allows us to put lands in the graveyard, LftL will likely go back in, but in the meantime…
Without Life from the Loam, several cards currently in the Cube will have to come out:
Seismic Assault --> Brimstone Volley
I like Staggershock, but I find the 5 damages from Brimstone Volley to be more relevant. Even without Morbid, it’s still a decent burn spell.
Knight of the Reliquary --> Loxodon Hierarch
Sigarda is awesome, but it’s only a big dumb beater. I prefer what the Hierarch has to offer.
Cycling Lands --> Vivid Lands
No need to run the cyclers without Life from the Loam. The Vivids seems like a more than adequate replacement. It’s hard to find better when it comes to mana fixing.
Ghost Quarter --> Reflecting Pool
Again, no real need to run Ghost Quarter without LftL, And Reflecting Pool works great with the Vivids.
Horizon Canopy --> Stirring Wildwood
Kessig Wolf Run --> Raging Ravine
Rix Maadi, Dungeon Palace --> Lavaclaw Reaches
Horizon Canopy is great, but it was mostly in the Cube for LftL. The Dungeon Palace was originally added for a similar reason. The Worldwake manlands are better in most circumstances and I like the idea of having the whole cycle in the Cube, both on matters of mana fixing and threats.
Life from the Loam --> Bramblecrush
Between Beast Within and Bramblecrush, Green is able to deal with some troublesome permanents. Something of a soft spot however, and I expect it to eventually change when (if) we get another good 2cmc spell in Green.
Other unrelated change:
Hag Hedge-Mage --> Putrefy
I like the Hedge-Mage’s second ability, but the first one is too underwhelming for my taste. Putrefy is a versatile spell and – combined with Mortify – plugs a few holes in the Cube.
It took me a while, but I finally updated my Modern Cube. Actually, "update" is probably incorrect as I basically rebuilt the whole thing. I wasn't completely happy with the basic design and I wanted to bring the Cube up to 485 cards, the same as my Weatherlight Cube.
Going through a change log would be impractical, as too many things changed. Worth mentioning though:
1) Cubes are often all about efficiency: the most powerful cards providing the greatest value at the most effective cost. Sometime though, a player will want to go off the beaten path, and try something different. As such I added a few quirky build-around-me cards to the Cube. None of them are bad cards, but they require a certain dedication to work correctly. Most have a pretty high risk/reward aspect to them.
2) I spent an inordinate amount of time tinkering with Black. Without going into the exact thought process, I basically decided to build Black upon a few specific concepts: doesn't play well with others, doesn't play fair, and swamp matters. Card choices in Black is strongly influenced by these themes.
Anyway, here you have it. Comments and suggestions are welcome as always.
Interesting that, considering whatever excess amount of time you spent on Black, it came out looking like most other black sections from cubes here. There's only a handful of choices I would consider unusual (Necroskitter, Praetor's Grasp, Death Cloud and Mind Shatter) and I would attribute most of these to the desire to fill a certain niche in the cube while staying within Modern constraints. Maybe that last ten percent that differs from other cubes is the part that gave you the most trouble. Some description of what ended up on your cutting room floor might better illustrate the design process. Like for example: If I was really pushing for a theme like swamps matter, I'd be wondering why these cards aren't here:
It also feels a bit weird that you've got Lashwrithe and Cabal Coffers sectioned off in their own type categories. It's harder to get an idea of what black is capable of when some of its cards are hiding outside the black section.
To be fair, there’s actually a lot of good material when it comes to Black. Thus my goal was not to do sweeping changes, but to try to improve on an already working model.
When it comes to the swamp matters theme, my goal was for it to be seamless and unobtrusive, not overbearing. This is the reason why I stayed away from most swamp loving cards. There’s also the fact that many of these – cards like Corrupt or Mind Sludge, for example – are generally not great or Cube worthy to begin with in my opinion. Instead I went with cards that thrive in Black heavy decks; cards like Stromgald Crusader or Death Cloud. There’s a few exceptions to this of course, like Mutilate or Liliana of the Dark Realms, but these cards are powerful enough on their own and do not require a ton of support.
The unexpected side effect is that I stopped worrying about making Black splashable. Black doesn’t play well with others, that’s the nature of the color. Some of the other colors are friendlier, Black no so much… and I’m fine with it. If players want to splash Black for removal, fine. But if they want to go Black, they will need to commit to make the most of it. That change of mentality has been working great in testing so far.
As for Lashwrithe and Cabal Coffers being found in other sections of the Cube, that refers to the last theme: black doesn’t play fair. Black cheats, hence why it runs 67 cards instead of 65 like the other colors. It also refers to some of the ‘unfair’ effects and trump-type cards found in Black. Eventually Lashwrithe and Cabal Coffers will likely find their way to their proper section, but for now I’m fine having these two extra cards, especially since Black has some issues in competing with the other colors.
Concerning some of the cards you mentioned: Praetor’s Grasp: I’ve been meaning to remove this one for some time now. But every time I decide to finally cut it, it does something wicked and earn itself some more time. I swear, the card is taunting me. Corrup, Mind Sludge, Tendrils of Corruption: Not exactly Cube worthy in my opinion unless the Cube builder really (really) wants to push the swamp matter theme. That’s not my case. Nightmare Lash: I’d rather run Lashwrithe, and I only want one card of this type in the Cube. Korlash, Heir to Blackblade: Was in for a while but got booted for Disciple of Bolas. Bad Moon: Solid card, but I want to keep Anthem effects to White. Same reason why I don’t run Gaea’s Anthem in Green.
Thank you for the feedback.
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Outdated list - Working on Update
Grump's Modern+ Cube - Basic Information:
Why Modern? Well, when it comes to Constructed, Modern is my format of choice. It’s the one I enjoy, the one I tailor my collection to. And since my first Cube only uses old cards, I figured that being able to draft with newer ones would be a welcome change of pace. I also wanted to limit overlap between the two Cubes, and this is an easy way of ensuring that.
The "Plus" is a nod to the nature of Cube. What it means is that, beyond having access to the cards normally available in the Modern format, I’ll also allow myself access to any other cards printed with the modern card frame, within limits. Every black-bordered, non-foil card printed with that frame will be available: so "Modern" cards, cards from Duel Decks, from Planechase or from the Commander products for example, will be available. Not using black borders is a matter of preferences. I just don’t like white borders. Builder’s prerogative. When it comes to foil cards however, there are actually two reasons. The first one is that I’m a perfectionist: if I start foiling the Cube, I’m not going to stop until the whole thing is shiny. Now that would be fine if I only played Cube, but it’s not the case: I play multiple constructed formats and I already have a Cube. Going on a pimp-binge would not sit well with my wallet… or my wife. The other reason is that modern foils include Judge Promo cards and From the Vault cards. Many of those are interesting cards, but many are also old cards: cards which I do not want to include in a Modern-themed Cube.
Beside, having restrictions is not a bad thing and it keeps things fresh and unique.
Basic Info
Cube Size: 485 cards
Breakdown: 65 per Color, 45 Multicolor, 65 Colorless, 50 Lands
Number of Players: 2-6
How Often Drafted?: Once in a while
Card Selection
Powered?: No
Portal?: No
Proxies/Customs?: No
"Un-" Cards?: No
Any "Banned" Cards?: Sol Ring (for power level)
Cube Design
Standard or Multiplayer?: Standard
Standard or Theme Cube?: Modern-themed
Limited Card Pool?: Yes
Perfect Creature/Non-Creature Balance?: No
Perfect Gold Balance?: Yes
Split as Gold?: Yes
Off-Color Kicker/Triggers as Gold?: No, as printed
Perfectly Balanced CMC?: No
Grump's Modern+ Cube - Card Choices:
:symw::symw: White :symw::symw:
1 Elite Vanguard
1 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1 Mikaeus, the Lunarch
1 Mother of Runes
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Student of Warfare
//2cmc:
1 Accorder Paladin
1 Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
1 Knight of Meadowgrain
1 Knight of Glory
1 Knight of the White Orchid
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Leonin Relic-Warder
1 Lone Missionary
1 Mistral Charger
1 Nearheath Pilgrim
1 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Stormfront Pegasus
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Wall of Omens
1 Blade Splicer
1 Flickerwisp
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Mirran Crusader
1 Mirror Entity
1 Porcelain Legionnaire
1 Silverblade Paladin
1 Stonecloaker
//4cmc:
1 Galepowder Mage
1 Hero of Bladehold
1 Ranger of Eos
1 Restoration Angel
1 Sublime Archangel
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Cloudgoat Ranger
1 Geist-Honored Monk
1 Reveillark
//6cmc:
1 Sun Titan
1 Yosei, the Morning Star
//7cmc:
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Faith's Shield
1 Mana Tithe
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
//2cmc:
1 Disenchant
1 Honor of the Pure
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Martial Coup
1 Revoke Existence
1 Ajani, Caller of the Pride
1 Entreat the Angels
1 Glorious Anthem
1 Lingering Souls
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Spectral Procession
//4cmc:
1 Ajani Goldmane
1 Day of Judgment
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Faith's Fetters
1 Marshal's Anthem
1 Wrath of God
1 Elspeth Tirel
1 Gideon Jura
//6cmc:
1 Austere Command
//Lands:
1 Windbrisk Heights
:symu::symu: Blue :symu::symu:
1 Enclave Cryptologist
1 Nephalia Smuggler
//2cmc:
1 Looter il-Kor
1 Mindshrieker
1 Phantasmal Image
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Spellskite
//3cmc:
1 Aether Adept
1 Fettergeist
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
1 Man-o'-War
1 Sea Gate Oracle
1 Tandem Lookout
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Dungeon Geists
1 Glen Elandra Archmage
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
//5cmc:
1 Meloku the Clouded Mirror
1 Mulldrifter
1 Sphinx of Lost Truths
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Frost Titan
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isles
1 Pact of Negation
//1cmc:
1 Ancestral Vision
1 Brainstorm
1 Condescend
1 Ponder
1 Preordain
1 Repeal
1 Silent Departure
1 Visions of Beyond
//2cmc:
1 Boomerang
1 Counterspell
1 Daze
1 Into the Roil
1 Logic Knot
1 Mana Leak
1 Mind Spring
1 Peel from Reality
1 Remand
1 Think Twice
1 Cackling Counterpart
1 Compulsive Research
1 Crystal Shard
1 Dissipate
1 Hinder
1 Jace Beleren
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Vedalken Shackles
//4cmc:
1 Cryptic Command
1 Deep Analysis
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Rite of Replication
1 Mind Control
1 Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
//6cmc:
1 Spelltwine
//7cmc:
1 Temporal Mastery
//Lands:
1 Academy Ruins
1 Shelldock Isle
:symb::symb: Black :symb::symb:
1 Diregraf Ghoul
1 Fume Spitter
1 Gravecrawler
1 Guul Draz Assassin
//2cmc:
1 Bloodghast
1 Dark Confidant
1 Knight of Infamy
1 Nantuko Shade
1 Nezumi Graverobber
1 Nezumi Shortfang
1 Oona's Prowler
1 Stromgald Crusader
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Bone Shredder
1 Geralf's Messenger
1 Hypnotic Specter
1 Liliana's Specter
1 Necroskitter
1 Vampire Nighthawk
//4cmc:
1 Bloodline Keeper
1 Disciple of Bolas
1 Graveborn Muse
1 Nekrataal
1 Skinrender
1 Bloodgift Demon
1 Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
1 Puppeteer Clique
1 Shriekmaw
//6cmc:
1 Grave Titan
1 Massacre Wurm
//7cmc:
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
//8cmc:
1 Tombstalker
1 Slaughter Pact
//1cmc:
1 Dark Ritual
1 Despise
1 Disfigure
1 Duress
1 Innocent Blood
1 Reanimate
1 Thoughtseize
//2cmc:
1 Bitterblossom
1 Black Sun's Zenith
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Distress
1 Doom Blade
1 Go for the Throat
1 Mind Shatter
1 Night's Whisper
1 Profane Command
1 Sign in Blood
1 Death Cloud
1 Dismember
1 Liliana of the Veil
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Praetor's Grasp
1 Tribute to Hunger
//4cmc:
1 Consuming Vapors
1 Damnation
1 Liliana of the Dark Realms
1 Makeshift Mannequin
1 Mutilate
1 Snuff Out
1 Living Death
1 Unburial Rites
//6cmc:
1 Sorin Markov
:symr::symr: Red :symr::symr:
1 Goblin Guide
1 Grim Lavamancer
1 Mogg Fanatic
1 Reckless Waif
1 Spikeshot Elder
1 Stonewright
1 Stromkirk Noble
1 Vexing Devil
//2cmc:
1 Ember Hauler
1 Fireslinger
1 Goblin Wardriver
1 Hellspark Elemental
1 Kargan Dragonlord
1 Keldon Marauders
1 Lightning Mauler
1 Plated Geopede
1 Stormblood Berserker
1 Torch Fiend
1 Chandra's Phoenix
1 Countryside Crusher
1 Hell's Thunder
1 Kruin Outlaw
1 Manic Vandal
1 Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 Zo-Zu the Punisher
//4cmc:
1 Flametongue Kavu
1 Hellrider
1 Hero of Oxid Ridge
1 Hound of Griselbrand
1 Instigator Gang
1 Siege-Gang Commander
1 Thundermaw Hellkite
1 Zealous Conscripts
//6cmc:
1 Inferno Titan
//10cmc:
1 Greater Gargadon
1 Bonfire of the Damned
1 Burst Lightning
1 Devil's Play
1 Earthquake
1 Faithless Looting
1 Firebolt
1 Lightning Bolt
1 Reckless Charge
//2cmc:
1 Arc Trail
1 Dangerous Wager
1 Incinerate
1 Magma Jet
1 Magmaquake
1 Pyroclasm
1 Searing Blaze
1 Searing Spear
1 Arc Lightning
1 Char
1 Flames of the Firebrand
1 Molten Rain
1 Seismic Assault
1 Staggershock
1 Stone Rain
//4cmc:
1 Chandra, the Firebrand
1 Koth of the Hammer
1 Wild Ricochet
1 Chandra Nalaar
1 Word of Seizing
//6cmc:
1 Fireblast
//7cmc:
1 Rite of Ruin
:symg::symg: Green :symg::symg:
1 Basking Rootwalla
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Twinblade Slasher
1 Ulvenwald Tracker
1 Wolfbitten Captive
//2cmc:
1 Fauna Shaman
1 Lotus Cobra
1 Mayor of Avabruck
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Skinshifter
1 Strangleroot Geist
1 Tarmogoyf
1 Viridian Zealot
1 Wall of Blossoms
1 Wall of Roots
1 Wild Mongrel
1 Daybreak Ranger
1 Eternal Witness
1 Ohran Viper
1 Somberwald Sage
1 Troll Ascetic
1 Viridian Shaman
1 Wolfir Avenger
1 Yavimaya Elder
//4cmc:
1 Master of the Wild Hunt
1 Obstinate Baloth
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Vengevine
1 Wickerbough Elder
1 Yeva, Nature's Herald
1 Acidic Slime
1 Thragtusk
1 Vorapede
1 Wolfir Silverheart
//6cmc:
1 Primeval Titan
1 Rampaging Baloth
//7cmc:
1 Hornet Queen
1 Moldgraf Monstrosity
//8cmc:
1 Woodfall Primus
1 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Vines of Vastwood
//2cmc:
1 Cream of the Crop
1 Farseek
1 Life from the Loam
1 Rampant Growth
//3cmc:
1 Beast Within
1 Chord of Calling
1 Cultivate
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Krosan Grip
1 Birthing Pod
1 Bramblecrush
1 Garruk Relentless
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
1 Harmonize
//5cmc:
1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
1 Overwhelming Stampede
1 Wild Pair
//7cmc:
1 Tooth and Nail
//Lands:
1 Treetop Village
:symwg::symrb: Multicolor :symrb::symwg:
1 Azorius Guildmage
1 Geist of Saint Traft
1 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
1 Venser, the Sojourner
1 Wall of Denial
U/B:
1 Baleful Strix
1 Dimir Guildmage
1 Oona, Queen of the Fae
1 Sygg, River Cutthroat
1 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
B/R:
1 Bituminous Blast
1 Murderous Redcap
1 Olivia Voldaren
1 Sarkhan the Mad
1 Terminate
1 Bloodbraid Elf
1 Boggart Ram-Gang
1 Huntmaster of the Fells
1 Kird Ape
1 Sarkhan Vol
G/W:
1 Kitchen Finks
1 Knight of the Reliquary
1 Loam Lion
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Wilt-Leaf Liege
W/B:
1 Mortify
1 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
1 Stillmoon Cavalier
U/R:
1 Electrolyze
1 Fire // Ice
1 Prophetic Bolt
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Nath of the Gilt-Leaf
1 Putrefy
R/W:
1 Ajani Vengeant
1 Duergar Hedge-Mage
1 Figure of Destiny
G/U:
1 Edric, Spymaster of Trest
1 Simic Sky Swallower
1 Trygon Predator
W/U/B:
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
U/B/R:
1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
B/R/G:
1 Broodmate Dragon
R/G/W:
1 Wild Nacatl
G/W/U:
1 Rafiq of the Many
:xmana::ymana: Colorless :ymana::xmana:
1 Hex Parasite
//2cmc:
1 Epochrasite
1 Phyrexian Revoker
//4cmc:
1 Etched Oracle
1 Lodestone Golem
1 Molten-Tail Masticore
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Etched Monstrosity
1 Precursor Golem
1 Razormane Masticore
//6cmc:
1 Triskelion
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Myr Battlesphere
1 Pentavus
//8cmc:
1 Sundering Titan
1 Chimeric Mass
1 Chrome Mox
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Everflowing Chalice
//1cmc:
1 Basilisk Collar
1 Bonesplitter
1 Brittle Effigy
1 Pithing Needle
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Skullclamp
//2cmc:
1 Azorius Signet
1 Boros Signet
1 Contagion Clasp
1 Dimir Signet
1 Golgari Signet
1 Gruul Signet
1 Isochron Scepter
1 Izzet Signet
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Mind Stone
1 Mortarpod
1 Orzhov Signet
1 Rakdos Signet
1 Ratchet Bomb
1 Selesnya Signet
1 Simic Signet
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Coalition Relic
1 Crystal Ball
1 Grafted Wargear
1 Loxodon Warhammer
1 Mimic Vat
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Puppet Strings
1 Sword of Body and Mind
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Sword of War and Peace
//4cmc:
1 Bonehoard
1 Icy Manipulator
1 Lashwrithe
1 Serrated Arrows
1 Trading Post
1 Batterskull
1 Gilded Lotus
//6cmc:
1 Contagion Engine
1 Mindslaver
1 Karn Liberated
:symtap::symq: Lands :symq::symtap:
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Drowned Catacombs
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Hinterland Harbor
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Woodland Cemetary
//Fetchlands:
1 Arid Mesa
1 Marsh Flats
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Verdant Catacombs
//Filterlands:
1 Cascade Bluffs
1 Fetid Heath
1 Fire-Lit Thicket
1 Flooded Grove
1 Graven Cairns
1 Mystic Gate
1 Rugged Prairie
1 Sunken Ruins
1 Twilight Mire
1 Wooded Bastion
1 Celestial Colonnade
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
1 Raging Ravine
1 Stirring Wildwood
//Shocklands:
1 Blood Crypt
1 Breeding Pool
1 Godless Shrine
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Steam Vents
1 Stomping Ground
1 Temple Garden
1 Watery Grave
//Others and Utility:
1 Ancient Ziggurat
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Cathedral of War
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Miren, the Moaning Well
1 Mutavault
1 Mystifying Maze
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Terramorphic Expanse
Cheers!
If you really wanted black bordered non-foils of some of these cards you could go for Russian 9th edition which was printed in black border.
Juju Alters - Altered MTG Cards
True, but then again I'm already running three of those in my old Cube. And I'd like to limit overlap if I can.
I don't like white borders. If I need to run a white-bordered card in a Constructed deck, I'll bite the bullet and do so, but in Cube...
Savannah Lions is a loss, but maybe we'll see a reprint of it soon. M13 perhaps?
As for the actual breakdown of the Cube, I'll probably go with the following:
Color: 55/color (275 totals)
Multi: 20
Artifacts: 50
Lands: 50
The gold count is a little low, but at the same time there are several cards which people would normally put under that category, and which I'll put under Lands instead. Beside, I also want to streamline things a little with this one and have it feel a little more powerful than the old Cube. So I want to put a little more emphasis on single-color and dual-color strategies, and not so much on multi-color.
At this point I don't want to include any particular themes to the Cube. It being a Modern Cube is thematic enough and gives me some design space. I'll probably end up trying to support certain strategies, but I'll play that tune as I go.
Next up: White.
1 Elite Vanguard
1 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1 Loam Lion
1 Mikaeus, the Lunarch
1 Mother of Runes
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Student of Warfare
//2cmc:
1 Accorder Paladin
1 Cloistered Youth
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Knight of Meadowgrain
1 Knight of the Holy Nimbus
1 Knight of the White Orchid
1 Leonin Relic-Warder
1 Lone Missionary
1 Sensei Golden-Tail
1 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Wall of Omens
1 Blade Splicer
1 Flickerwisp
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Mirran Crusader
1 Mirror Entity
1 Porcelain Legionnaire
1 Stonecloaker
//4cmc:
1 Calciderm
1 Hero of Bladehold
1 Restoration Angel
//5cmc:
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Geist-Honored Monk
1 Reveillark
1 Sun Titan
//7cmc:
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Faith's Shield
1 Path to Exile
1 Steelshaper's Gift
1 Swords to Plowshares
//2cmc:
1 Disenchant
1 Honor of the Pure
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Martial Coup
1 Abolish
1 Glorious Anthem
1 Lingering Souls
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Spectral Procession
//4cmc:
1 Ajani Goldmane
1 Day of Judgment
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Faith's Fetters
1 Marshal's Anthem
1 Wrath of God
1 Elspeth Tirel
1 Gideon Jura
//6cmc:
1 Austere Command
So I have 55 cards: 33 creatures and 22 spells. I wanted to make sure that White was one of the creature colors in the Cube, with a focus on smaller beaters and a strong planeswalkers suite. Sub-themes includes anthem-effects, blink/bounce-effects, tokens and artifacts/enchantments removal.
Notable Inclusions:
- Without having access to the Soltaris, I wanted to make sure that White still had access to a few strong 2-drops. The knights (Meadowgrain, Holy Nimbus and White Orchid) should hopefully be able to fill that role.
- Faith's Shield is a card I really want to test as it offers interesting options against opposing removal. I'm also going to try to add a few combat trick cards to the Cube, which are usually missing from most Cubes. Faith's Shield is the first on the list.
- Mikaeus, the Lunarch's role should be to support Ajani Goldmane. I may want to switch him out for an agressive 1-drop if he proves to be ineffectual in that role.
- Sensei Golden-Tail just makes me laugh. A pet card, and not a bad one to boot.
- Steelshaper's Gift takes the role of Enlightened Tutor. I'll probably have to adjust the Equipment suite accordingly.
Notable Exclusions:
- Mana Tithe's spot is currently filled by Faith's Shield. If the Shield proves to be inefficient, Mana Tithe will go back in instead.
- I decided to go with Geist-Honored Monk instead of Cloudgoat Ranger. On an empty board, the Ranger provides more power for its cost, but I prefer flying Spirit tokens to Kithkins. Further testing will be needed for this one.
Bench Warmers - Other Options:
- Akrasan Squire
- Angelic Destiny
- Brave the Elements/Emerge Unscathed
- Gideon's Lawkeeper/Goldmeadow Harrier
- Fiend Hunter
- Galepowder Mage
- Mistral Charger/Stormfront Pegasus
- Paladin en-Vec
Thoughts, comments and suggestions are welcome. Cheers!
You could also consider Eight-and-a-Half-Tails, I think it's better than Sensei Golden-Tail/
Juju Alters - Altered MTG Cards
But… but…! It’s a
ratfox who trainturtlesdurdles into becomingninjassamurais! That has to count for something!?But you’re probably right. Eight-and-a-Half-Tails provides a stronger effect, and one which is characteristic of White. The thing is, I don’t think I could do a straight switch with the Sensei because of the difference in casting cost. Instead I could probably remove Leonin Relic-Warder for Eight-and-a-Half-Tails. The Warder was there mostly because I wanted 4 cards providing answers to Artifacts and Enchantments, but that was without counting Oblivion Ring and Austere Command. So it’s probably fine building the Cube without him.
As for Mistral Charger and Stormfront Pegasus, I agree. White aggro benefits greatly from having early flyers. I could see removing the Cloistered Youth for one of them. If it had 4 Power once flipped, or Flying, I would keep it for sure. As it is though, I feel that the knights provide greater value.
Two other cards I’m not sold on are Porcelain Legionnaire and Restoration Angel. The Legionnaire is a fine beater who comes down early and can be used by other colors. It’s also fragile and a mediocre mid or late game drop. I’m wondering if the new Silverblade Paladin wouldn’t be better in his stead. It’s weaker by itself and harder to cast, but its Soulbound ability is relevant in both the early and late game, especially with flyers or Equipment cards. As for Restoration Angel, she just feels less interesting than Galepowder Mage. The Flash and 4 Toughness are relevant, but the Mage providing a recurring blink/bounce effect turn after turn seems more powerful than the one-shot we get from the Angel.
So how would you feel about going with…?
-1 Cloistered Youth
-1 Leonin Relic-Warder
-1 Porcelain Legionnaire
-1 Restoration Angel
-1 Sensei Golden-Tail
+1 Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
+1 Galepowder Mage
+1 Mistral Charger
+1 Stormfront Pegasus
+1 Silverblade Paladin
Color: 55/color (275 totals)
Multi: 30
Artifacts: 45
Lands: 45
As far as White goes, I'm pretty set on the list posted in the OP although I'm still open to comments and suggestions. The only thing I'm considering is the possibility of removing Calciderm and adding Restoration Angel instead. Calciderm is a beast (pun intended), but the Angel provides sooo many options. Tough choice.
Blue on the other hand is giving me some headaches. Many of the classic Blue cards are older cards and are not available for a Modern-ish Cube. Building a list for it basically means looking for new options. Here's what I have right now:
1 Enclave Cryptologist
//2cmc:
1 Azure Mage
1 Looter il-Kor
1 Phantasmal Image
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Spellskite
1 Willbender
1 Aether Adept
1 Fettergeist
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
1 Man-o'-War
1 Vendilion Clique
//4cmc:
1 Dungeon Geists
1 Glen Elendra Archmage
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
1 Meloku the Clouded Mirror
1 Mulldrifter
1 Vesuvan Shapeshifter
//6cmc:
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isles
//7cmc:
1 Sphinx of Uthuun
1 Pact of Negation
//1cmc:
1 Ancestral Vision
1 Brainstorm
1 Condescend
1 Repeal
1 Ponder
1 Preordain
1 Visions of Beyond
//2cmc:
1 Counterspell
1 Daze
1 Into the Roil
1 Mana Leak
1 Peel from Reality
1 Remand
1 Think Twice
1 Cackling Counterpart
1 Compulsive Research
1 Crystal Shard
1 Dissipate
1 Hinder
1 Jace Beleren
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Vedalken Shackles
1 Wipe Away
//4cmc:
1 Cryptic Command
1 Deep Analysis
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Jace, Memory Adept
1 Jace's Ingenuity
1 Mind Control
1 Tamyio, the Moon Sage
//6cmc:
1 Counterlash
1 Volition Reins
I'm not sure I'm satisfied with the list. Something seems... off. Of maybe I'm just being too much of a perfectionist.
Notable Inclusions:
- Cackling Counterpart was a fun, weird option that somehow made it through all the cuts. And the more I think about it, the more I see it being solid. An instant-speed clone effect with Flashback is pretty sweet, especially in Cube when there are plenty of creatures with EtB effects.
- Couterlash seems to be a card for Commander, and likely too slow for Cube. Then again, countering a big finisher and putting one of your own in play is nice.
- Sphinx of Jwar Isle and Sphinx of Uthuun. I don't know about these guys. With Tamyio, I don't feel the need to run Frost Titan and these two feel like they could make good finishers. One is hard to deal with, and the other provides value as soon as it hit play.
- Visions of Beyond is a big 'maybe', even though it seems that a Limited environment is a good place for it. At worst it cantrip. At best, those 3 cards may very well win you the game.
Notable Exclusions:
- Delver of Secret is one I'm not sure if I should include or not. I go back and forth between him and Azure Mage. I just don't feel like he would be good in a Cube with less than 400 cards.
- Draining Whelk. Don't know if I want this instead of Counterlash or in addition to it.
- Silent Departure is not exactly notable, but it is damn good. It's pretty much this or Visions of Beyond. My gut feeling tells me that this kind of bounce should be left for things like Aether Adept/Man-o'-War.
Bench Warmers - Other Options:
- Domestication
- Evacuation
- Ixidron
- Phantasmal Bear
Thoughts?
The updated list can be found in the OP.
Black has been providing its own challenges when it comes to design. Like Blue, many of its classic cards are from older sets, so I had to find alternatives or new options. There's also a few aspect of the color which I wanted to highlight, which required some interesting cuts:
1 Diregraf Ghoul
1 Fume Spitter
1 Gravecrawler
1 Vampire Lacerator
//2cmc:
1 Bloodghast
1 Dark Confidant
1 Nantuko Shade
1 Nezumi Graverobber
1 Nezumi Shortfang
1 Oona's Prowler
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Bone Shredder
1 Geralf's Messenger
1 Hypnotic Specter
1 Liliana's Specter
1 Vampire Nighthawk
//4cmc:
1 Abyssal Persecutor
1 Bloodline Keeper
1 Graveborn Muse
1 Nekrataal
1 Skinrender
1 Bloodgift Demon
1 Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
1 Puppeteer Clique
//6cmc:
1 Grave Titan
1 Skeletal Vampire
//7cmc:
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
1 Dark Ritual
1 Despise
1 Disfigure
1 Duress
1 Innocent Blood
1 Reanimate
1 Thoughtseize
//2cmc:
1 Bitterblossom
1 Black Sun's Zenith
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Distress
1 Doom Blade
1 Go For the Throat
1 Mind Shatter
1 Night's Whisper
1 Profane Command
1 Dark Tutelage
1 Dismember
1 Liliana of the Veil
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Praetor's Grasp
1 Tribute to Hunger
//4cmc:
1 Consuming Vapors
1 Damnation
1 Makeshift Mannequin
1 Snuff Out
1 Liliana Vess
//6cmc:
1 Sorin Markov
Notable Inclusions:
- Dark Tutelage is not a card we see often in Cube. Black has few ways of getting rid of enchantments, and this one may very well end up killing its controler in the end. Then again, it's a solid spash in agressive Red and White decks. Risky, but it can definitely be worth it.
- With the Cube being heavy on Planeswalkers, I wanted to make sure that Black had a few tools to deal with them. Despise is one of those cards.
- Reanimation is not a strategy which can easily be supported in a Modern Cube. Nevertheless Maqueshift Mannequin and Puppeteer Clique provides effective and reliable effects when it comes to putting creatures back into play.
- We all know by now how powerful something like Lingering Souls can be. A creature like Skeletal Vampire who's able to produce it's own army of 1/1 flyers is definitely a contender.
Notable Exclusions:
- Inquisition of Kozilek is a classic shoe in, but Despise felt like a better option in this particular setting.
- As good as Shriekmaw is, there are already other creatures in Black who can produce a similar effect. If the Cube ever goes over 395 cards, this guy will likely go back in.
- Sheoldred, Whispering One. Yes she's expensive and she dies to removal. But if she doesn't, that's pretty much game for its controller. One of those risk vs reward card I like to see in Cube.
- Tomb Stalker is definitely a beast. Then again, so is Abyssal Persecutor. Something to test, and if the Persecutor does not perform as expected, the Stalker will be added back.
Bench Warmers - Other Options:
- Cruel Edict
- Doomed Necromancer
- Magus of the Abyss
- Stitch Together
- Stromgald Crusader
Not at all.
The spot Dark Tutelage is in is somewhat soft right now. There are a few other cards which I'm considering, but I like how the enchantment can support aggressive strategies in other colors. If it doesn't work, I may very well add Slaughter Pact myself. But I want Black to be more than just about spot removal, which is why I'm trying other options. It's a matter of personal preferences.
And Drana is indeed a fine card. But old Ob brings something different to the table, by basically allowing you to defeat your opponent without ever having to hit the battlefield. If I wanted to add Drana, I would probably remove Bloodgift Demon or Puppeteer Clique instead.
Speaking of 5-drop, Shriekmaw is a card that should be on your radar even if it isn't on my list. I will not be running it because I really wanted to have Puppeteer Clique and Maqueshift Mannequin in the Cube, but if you don't care about these kinds of shenanigans, you should probably run it. If I ever expand beyond 395 cards, it's going in for sure.
They all seem solid to me.
I ended up choosing Sphinx of Jwar Isles over Consecrated Sphinx because I wanted Blue to have at least two big finishers, and Jwar Jwar Sphinx and Keiga seemed harder to deal with than Consecrated Sphinx: one because of Shroud and the other one because the opposing player usually end up two-for-oneing himself while trying to take care of it.
Geist-Honored Monk is mostly a matter of preferring flying spirit tokens to Kithkin. And I felt that - once on the field - the Geist posed a bigger threat by itself than the Ranger.
And Gifts Ungiven... ugh! I really wanted four copy effect in Blue, so Rite of Replication took a spot at 4cmc. It basically came down to Fact or Fiction vs Gifts Ungiven. Tough choice!
But as you said, in the end it's often a matter of personnal preferences and of what you want each color to do and represent in your Cube.
1 Goblin Guide
1 Grim Lavamancer
1 Kird Ape
1 Mogg Fanatic
1 Reckless Waif
1 Spikeshot Elder
1 Stromkirk Noble
1 Vexing Devil
//2cmc:
1 Ember Hauler
1 Fireslinger
1 Goblin Wardriver
1 Hellspark Elemental
1 Kargan Dragonlord
1 Keldon Marauders
1 Lightning Mauler
1 Plated Geopede
1 Stormblood Berserker
1 Torch Fiend
1 Chandra's Phoenix
1 Kruin Outlaw
1 Manic Vandal
1 Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 Zo-Zu the Punisher
//4cmc:
1 Flametongue Kavu
1 Hellrider
1 Hero of Oxid Ridge
1 Keldon Champion
//5cmc:
1 Siege-Gang Commander
1 Zealous Conscripts
1 Inferno Titan
//10cmc:
1 Greater Gargadon
1 Burst Lightning
1 Devil's Play
1 Earthquake
1 Faithless Looting
1 Firebolt
1 Forked Bolt
1 Lightning Bolt
//2cmc:
1 Arc Trail
1 Dangerous Wager
1 Incinerate
1 Magma Jet
1 Pyroclasm
1 Searing Blaze
1 Whipflare
1 Arc Lightning
1 Char
1 Molten Rain
1 Seismic Assault
1 Stone Rain
//4cmc:
1 Chandra, the Firebrand
1 Koth of the Hammer
//5cmc:
1 Chandra Nalaar
1 Word of Seizing
1 Fireblast
Notable Inclusions:
- Unorthodox, but Dangerous Wager seems like an interesting option to me. Agressive decks will empty their hands pretty quickly and are always hungry for some card draw.
- Molten Rain and Stone Rain cannot solely support LD on their shoulders. But despite the fact that the strategy is no longer viable, both cards do provide solid disruption.
- Seismic Assault provides a very strong effect. Red decks will have no problem casting it, and decks running other colors are unlikely to want to cast it before turn 5 which makes the casting cost less prohibitive. Still a bit rough.
- A lot has been said or is being said about Vexing Devil. Not the most powerful 1-drop available to Red, but still a strong one. Since I wanted to have at least 4 very aggressive 1cmc creatures in Red, Vexing Devil seemed good enough not to pass.
Notable Exclusions:
- Hearth Kami is an auto-include in many lists. But with Red losing several of its best options in regard to artifact destruction in Modern, it seemed pointless to try to salvage this particular aspect. Red still has a few cards to deal with artifacts, but the Kami is just not one of them.
Bench Warmers - Other Options:
- Boom/Bust
- Dead/Gone
- Hound of Griselbrand
- Mogg War Marshal
- Rough/Tumble
- Urabrask the Hidden
Ugh...!
The problem with the Ruinblaster is that he targets only non-basic lands. In a Constructed environment, that's not a big problem since decks will usually run several non-basics. In Limited, the number of targets your Ruinblaster may have is likely going to be significantly less. So he's definitely not as reliable.
He's one of those cards which works well if you already have a critical mass of cards providing a similar effect. If you already have access to 4 dedicated LD spells in Red, for example, then the Ruinblaster make a solid #5. In that spot, he's supporting a strategy which is already existent in the Cube. But he's not #1-4 material. Without a solid foundation of Molten Rain, Pillage and Aftershock, he's just not going to perform as well. And unfortunately, many of these classic LD spells are not available in Modern.
Now obviously, Avalanche Riders and Wildfire are technically Modern legal. And these two are awesome land destruction spells. If you don't mind the white borders, or the old 'timeshifted' frame, I would recommend using them.
Yeah... some of them look pretty awesome. Personally, I'm going to hold back on those for now, as I find them hard to evaluate. I'm likely going to take a look at them again in a few months though. Devastation Tide seems pretty nice.
That's the great thing about Cubes: they are dynamic constructs. They grow and change and evolve over time. They're never really done.
I'm not sure about the Magus of the Moon, for reasons similar to Goblin Ruinblaster: it only affects non-basic lands. But you have me thinking... I like Mogg Fanatic, and it does kill a fair amount of utility creatures with that 1 damage, but I have to wonder if that's good enough... And I would really like to add another 5-drop in Red.
I'm not sold on Archwing Dragon, especially not to replace Hellrider. But I'm curious to see what it does for you. I ran Viashino's in my Weatherlight Cube for a while, and even without Flying they were pretty good.
And I like the idea of running Wildfire and Destructive Force. I would probably do to, but with the people I usually play with, it's better if I stick to good old english cards.
Without Life from the Loam, several cards currently in the Cube will have to come out:
Seismic Assault --> Brimstone Volley
I like Staggershock, but I find the 5 damages from Brimstone Volley to be more relevant. Even without Morbid, it’s still a decent burn spell.
Knight of the Reliquary --> Loxodon Hierarch
Sigarda is awesome, but it’s only a big dumb beater. I prefer what the Hierarch has to offer.
Cycling Lands --> Vivid Lands
No need to run the cyclers without Life from the Loam. The Vivids seems like a more than adequate replacement. It’s hard to find better when it comes to mana fixing.
Ghost Quarter --> Reflecting Pool
Again, no real need to run Ghost Quarter without LftL, And Reflecting Pool works great with the Vivids.
Horizon Canopy --> Stirring Wildwood
Kessig Wolf Run --> Raging Ravine
Rix Maadi, Dungeon Palace --> Lavaclaw Reaches
Horizon Canopy is great, but it was mostly in the Cube for LftL. The Dungeon Palace was originally added for a similar reason. The Worldwake manlands are better in most circumstances and I like the idea of having the whole cycle in the Cube, both on matters of mana fixing and threats.
Life from the Loam --> Bramblecrush
Between Beast Within and Bramblecrush, Green is able to deal with some troublesome permanents. Something of a soft spot however, and I expect it to eventually change when (if) we get another good 2cmc spell in Green.
Other unrelated change:
Hag Hedge-Mage --> Putrefy
I like the Hedge-Mage’s second ability, but the first one is too underwhelming for my taste. Putrefy is a versatile spell and – combined with Mortify – plugs a few holes in the Cube.
Going through a change log would be impractical, as too many things changed. Worth mentioning though:
1) Cubes are often all about efficiency: the most powerful cards providing the greatest value at the most effective cost. Sometime though, a player will want to go off the beaten path, and try something different. As such I added a few quirky build-around-me cards to the Cube. None of them are bad cards, but they require a certain dedication to work correctly. Most have a pretty high risk/reward aspect to them.
2) I spent an inordinate amount of time tinkering with Black. Without going into the exact thought process, I basically decided to build Black upon a few specific concepts: doesn't play well with others, doesn't play fair, and swamp matters. Card choices in Black is strongly influenced by these themes.
Anyway, here you have it. Comments and suggestions are welcome as always.
Swamps matter: Mind Sludge, Nightmare Lash, Corrupt, Tendrils of Corruption, Korlash, Heir to Blackblade, and Bad Moon.
It also feels a bit weird that you've got Lashwrithe and Cabal Coffers sectioned off in their own type categories. It's harder to get an idea of what black is capable of when some of its cards are hiding outside the black section.
My Cube (DeckStats)
My Pauper Cube: 540 (CubeTutor link!)
Level 1 Judge
When it comes to the swamp matters theme, my goal was for it to be seamless and unobtrusive, not overbearing. This is the reason why I stayed away from most swamp loving cards. There’s also the fact that many of these – cards like Corrupt or Mind Sludge, for example – are generally not great or Cube worthy to begin with in my opinion. Instead I went with cards that thrive in Black heavy decks; cards like Stromgald Crusader or Death Cloud. There’s a few exceptions to this of course, like Mutilate or Liliana of the Dark Realms, but these cards are powerful enough on their own and do not require a ton of support.
The unexpected side effect is that I stopped worrying about making Black splashable. Black doesn’t play well with others, that’s the nature of the color. Some of the other colors are friendlier, Black no so much… and I’m fine with it. If players want to splash Black for removal, fine. But if they want to go Black, they will need to commit to make the most of it. That change of mentality has been working great in testing so far.
As for Lashwrithe and Cabal Coffers being found in other sections of the Cube, that refers to the last theme: black doesn’t play fair. Black cheats, hence why it runs 67 cards instead of 65 like the other colors. It also refers to some of the ‘unfair’ effects and trump-type cards found in Black. Eventually Lashwrithe and Cabal Coffers will likely find their way to their proper section, but for now I’m fine having these two extra cards, especially since Black has some issues in competing with the other colors.
Concerning some of the cards you mentioned:
Praetor’s Grasp: I’ve been meaning to remove this one for some time now. But every time I decide to finally cut it, it does something wicked and earn itself some more time. I swear, the card is taunting me.
Corrup, Mind Sludge, Tendrils of Corruption: Not exactly Cube worthy in my opinion unless the Cube builder really (really) wants to push the swamp matter theme. That’s not my case.
Nightmare Lash: I’d rather run Lashwrithe, and I only want one card of this type in the Cube.
Korlash, Heir to Blackblade: Was in for a while but got booted for Disciple of Bolas.
Bad Moon: Solid card, but I want to keep Anthem effects to White. Same reason why I don’t run Gaea’s Anthem in Green.
Thank you for the feedback.