After talking to Pringlesman about my cube, I've decided to post a list of mine. I will probably put an explanation list of the cards (obviously, something like Brainstorm is a no-brainer.)
However, as explained in another thread, I have some cards in multicolor that aren't typically. Cards like Kird Ape and the like are considered RG because they are almost always played in the deck of that color combo (I'm not going to play Kird Ape or Court Hussar in straight red or blue decks and I'm certainly not alone on that.) Counting them as of the color effectively "subsidizes" the color combo at the expense of the others (6 RG and 49 red cards.)
With that soap box being stepped off, here's my list. Fully powered, 450 cards. Average costs as of 8/9/2010.
[COLOR=royalblue]5[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Bribery[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Treachery[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Future Sight Tom Lapille said it was the most powerful card in his cube (unpowered.) I can totally agree, it provides so much card advantage that if it wasn't triple-U, I'd try to splash it in every aggro deck ever.[/COLOR]
8 Tombstalker To be honest, I don't know how many cards it typically "delves" when cast, so I'm saying it just costs 8, despite that it almost never is played for retail. I'm considering it being a 5-drop since that's around the time when it's a "good deal" as a 6 mana 5/5 is hardly a reason to play the guy.
[COLOR=red]1[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Firebolt[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Lightning Bolt[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Chain Lightning[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Forked Bolt[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Rift Bolt[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Burst Lightning While I can see it being played w/o kicker for a good amount of the time, its ability to be flexible should be good, as flexible cards tend to be quite good in cube.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]2[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Ankh of Mishra[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Grim Monolith[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Lightning Greaves: An all-star in aggro and control for different reasons (haste for aggro, shroud for control,) great all-around.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mind Stone[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Scroll Rack[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Umezawa's Jitte[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Winter Orb[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]4[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Icy Manipulator[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Nevinyrral's Disk[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Phyrexian Processor[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Smokestack Another card that I've not seen in many cubes and is similarly unfair, great with token generators, and putting a lock onto an opponent who is starting slowly.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Juggernaut (Even though Lodestone Golem is better, a 5/3 for 4 is still good.)[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Lodestone Golem[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Masticore[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Solemn Simulacrum[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Erratic Portal[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Molten-Tail Masticore[/COLOR]
Selesnya Conclave (GW): Savannah Temple Garden Windswept Heath Horizon Canopy* (GW decks tend to be more aggro-ish, so they don't really care about the life loss and turning a land into a card is awesome. Think of it like a GWBarbarian Ring that doesn't need threshold to be cashed in.) Qasali Pridemage. I certainly wouldn't mind a 2/2 for 2 that sacs to kill a guy (Viridian Zealot) but Exalted is just awesome, awesome enough to see Vintage play. Loam Lion Mirari's Wake Kitchen Finks*
Gruul Clans (RG): Taiga Stomping Ground Wooded Foothills Raging Ravine Kird Ape: See above, blah blah blah. Aside from that, a R for a 2/3 in RG is insane. Stormbind: Soften your opponent up with creatures and drop this to win. Bloodbraid Elf: Best RG card by far. An echo-less Keldon Champion that will likely find something better than a Lava Spike. Sarkhan Vol: I think that while it's the weakest of the planeswalkers in my cube (I don't have Tezzeret as it is way too linear) it is still solid. Mainly for its fires ability, though the Threatening is nice.
(The Cult of) Rakdos (BR) Badlands Blood Crypt Bloodstained Mire Lavaclaw Reaches Blazing Specter Terminate: 2 mana to kill anything unless it's got protection, rock solid removal. Bituminous Blast: Not quite FTK due to the fact that it'll sometimes just get a random 2/1 dork, but it's still good. I don't mind splashing for this at all. Murderous Redcap* FTK's little brother that could. Not as much damage and power, but can go to the dome, persists and can be played easier.
UBW (Esper): Sphinx of the Steel Wind. I so wish that she had haste. Still not bad and pretty much swings a game when it comes out due to first strike and lifelink.
BUR (Grixis): Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker. Speaking of reusable effects... Costs a ton of mana but in my limited testing, most of the time means game over once he drops.
GUW (Bant): Rafiq of the Many. The only exception to the "I only will use exalted guys if they're a good deal on their own" as a Hill Giant is rather meh, but with Rafiq, you really really want to attack with just one guy, as even without anything else, Rafiq is essentially an 8/4 attacker.
GRW (Naya): Wild Nacatl. Close to Kird Ape.
GRB (Jund): Broodmate Dragon. One of the best finishers. (8 power of flying for 6 mana)
Note about the pictures: (the lists, however, will always be more accurate to the actual content of the cube than the pictures since I update the cube list quite often and the pictures not so much. I haven't made any of the non-digital alters (like Thornling) since I suck at art skills, credit is to be given to the awesome art forum here for the proxies including CardKitty, Klug, Laura Lou, Masamune and the like. You all rule. )
Changes:
2008:
12/19/2008
Soltari Guerrillas -> Goblin Legionnaire: I think that the goblin will be better for Boros aggro and maybe even control. Chittering Rats -> Undead Gladiator (Gladiator has the potential to be long-term advantage, a decent creature, and cycles when in the late game. Chittering Rats was substandard.) Okiba-Gang Shinobi -> Kagemaro (Okiba-Gang was an experiment and it failed, to add more discard. Almost never ninjitsued, cards like Silent Specter and Hypnotic Specter are tons better.) Opportunity -> Stroke of Genius. A worse deal at 3 and 4 for stroke, but more versatile overall. Pringlesman recommended it, so I'm giving it a shot. Gwyllion Hedge-Mage -> Unmake. Trying it based on recommendations, if it gets played in decks like UW and WG, it's not going anywhere. Negate -> Cloud of Faeries. I put in Negate to add more counterspells, namely 2CC ones, but as is, I think that Negate is the weakest of the 2CC ones. I already have a bunch (Counterspell, Mana Drain, Miscalculation and arguably Condescend.) I have 9 non-creature counterspells (Glen Elendra Archmage and Willbender being creature "counterspells." Draining Whelk may go in to give blue a finisher, but I honestly like Desertion more.) 9 is the absolute minimum of counterspells in my cube that I want. Elves of Deep Shadow -> Nath of the Gilt-Leaf. They seriously need to make an awesome BG non-hybrid card that doesn't cost 5, as I already have Spiritmonger and Grave-Shell Scarab along with the newly added Nath, who I took out, put back in and performed well.
12/22/2008
Sulfuric Vortex -> Hell's Thunder. Vortex was added to give red more reach, but Hell's Thunder pretty much does that better. That and it doesn't kill you if your opponent turns the game around. Aether Mutation -> Jhessian Infiltrator. Mutation isn't bad, but it's hard to beat 2/2 unblockables. Blue would rather just steal big threats. Stalking Stones, Blasted Landscape, Reflecting Pool, Grand Coliseum, Mouth of Ronom -> 5 Vivid Lands. Vivids > Grand Coliseum as I don't remember, at least from my experience, seeing someone go "I really wish I had another counter on this land" on vivids, saving you some life and tapping for the main color instead of colorless. The other lands weren't bad but definitely the weak links of the lands so they are out. I did definitely like some of the lands like the Mouth but the others are too good. Vigor -> Silvos, Rogue Elemental. Big guy vs big guy with a way to protect itself. Hits harder too and can be reanimated. Violent Eruption -> Skizzik. Eruption is interesting as a mega Arc Lightning but its casting cost was so unwieldy. Skizzik is a 4 drop burn/5 drop creature that could fit in more decks. Panoptic Mirror -> Bonesplitter:
Bonesplitter is pretty solid in an aggro deck. It's effectively a colorless Rancor. I would (and do) run both Bonesplitter and Grafted Wargear. I'd suggest removing either Lightning Greaves or Panoptic Mirror.
Giving aggro a 1-drop as while there are creatures at the 1 drop slot, the equipment starts at 2. Colorless Rancor is good, played in aggro decks a lot during Mirrodin, IIRC.
Conflux: (I'm hazy on the card-for-cards) - 1/30/2009
Jeska, Warrior Adept -> Raaka Mar. I think it's a big upgrade, Jeska didn't have many ping targets and as versatile as Jeska was, I think Raaka provides more. It can do a decent impression of Kiki-Jiki in that it can come out for 2RRR and give you 5 power of guys for 5 mana. Or would Cloudgoat Ranger be a better comparison? Lava Hounds -> Sulfuric Vortex. As I said, this was a friend's recommendation to give red more reach. I'm not entirely sold, but I'm going to try it. Rumbling Slum -> Apocalypse Hydra. While Slum was pretty much a better Juzam Djinn, Apocalypse Hydra looks to be a monster as a 7 mana 10/10 that, if needed, can make its heads kill chump blockers/creatures/players. Promise of Bunrei -> Martial Coup. Coup is an insane wrath and a game turner, Promise, while good, I think is outclassed by Coup. Shining Shoal -> Path to Exile. A definite upgrade for creature kill, Path is nutty, Shining Shoal, was a great mindtrick, was barely played and keeping mana open in aggro was always weird too. Watchwolf -> Knight of the Reliquary. The knight can help accelerate in the short term (on turn 4, tap your lands, sac a forest/plains amongst it, put another land into play and tap it for mana for a 5 drop) as well as finding lands like manlands, LoA, Thawing Glaciers and the like. Grizzly Fate -> Thornling. I loved that Grizzly Fate could sit in the grave and be cast with threshold when in topdeck mode (which is a reason Fate may come back later.) Thornling is a beefy beater in green and can be Wrath-proof. Overrun -> Noble Hierarch. Overrun wasn't used much aside from a mono green deck that I saw. Magus of the Disk -> Scepter of Dominance. Magus was usually killed, although I'm debating on whether I should have Commander Eesha or Magus of the Disk. Scepter is quite mana intensive but, a great version of an already great card. Wild Nacatl -> Naya Charm. Done to make it truly a RGW card, although I'm not entirely sure on this one. Grafted Wargear -> Obelisk of Alara. Although Wargear was great for aggro, I think that there are cards like Bonesplitter, Sigil of Distinction and other equipment which do the job much better and are much more versatile. Obelisk of Alara looks to be a good addition, my only worry being that its effect isn't immediate for so much mana and doesn't do an absolute insane effect like Mindslaver when used, but Obelisk is repeatable with mostly good effects. Fireball -> Banefire. To be honest, I don't know how much an upgrade this is since the prevention almost never happens, but it does help aggro decks against counter-heavy decks. Sulfuric Vortex -> Goblin Razerunners. Performs a similar role. Easier to kill, but I think it performs the role better. Vortex didn't do much, though.
2/10/2009: Wrecking Ball -> Torrent of Souls: I wasn't too much on Wrecking Ball and I want to give torrent a shot, not so much because of wanting to make reanimation a shot but it seems quite solid a card, a bit like Miraculous Recovery but not an instant.
Most of these changes are to give aggro more of a boost. Hinder -> Remand. Not quite a counter and not as good in the late game, but still a great card, and it cantrips. Kumano, Master Yamabushi -> Ravenous Baboons. The weakest of the 5 drops in red gets jettisoned to help LD become more viable. Blood Knight -> Dwarven Blastminer. See above. Grizzly Fate -> Deranged Hermit. Fate may come back, I want to make more room for it as, while not that great w/o threshold at first, sits in the graveyard and upon second casting with threshold, hurts a lot. Wall of Roots -> Albino Troll Cloud of Faeries -> Jushi Apprentice. One of the better blue creatures, a definite upgrade. Hateflayer -> Jackal Pup. Sadly, one of my favorite red creatures gets cut as red aggro gets more of a boost with this, however, it's not as good as Flameblast Dragon, Bogardan Hellkite and Rorix. However, I will probably have it come back eventually if the pendulum needs swinging the other way, and Jackal Pup is an extremely good card for red aggro decks. Protean Hulk -> Woodfall Primus. Although the update is to give aggro more of a boost, I feel that this is an overall upgrade, as not only does Primus have trample and persist, but its ability is arguably better, for another G. Puppeteer Clique -> Order of the Ebon Hand. To give black aggro more tools. Commander Eesha -> Celestial Crusader. With Pianna, Soltari Champion, Wilt-Leaf Liege and this white aggro has more tools as well. Kongming also may come in. Shaman En-Kor -> Blade of the Sixth Pride. While Shaman was primarily for white aggro decks, 6th pride looks to be a more natural fit with the 3 power. Tainted Pact -> Carnophage. Pact was surprisingly not that great in a highlander format. Twilight Shepherd -> Promise of Bunrei. Again, to give white aggro more tools, Shepherd didn't see much play, possibly because of its restrictive mana cost.
Jhessian Infiltrator -> Plaxmanta - as much as I liked the 2/2 unblockable, I think that Plaxmanta may be better in that I could see Plaxmanta being splashworthy, but not so much the infiltrator. Plaxmanta gives another "counterspell" against removal for UG decks, which is nice.
Out of these, I'm only going to really miss the guildmages (not that cards like Plumeveil and the like are bad.) Call and Image weren't bad, but I'm looking to cut the higher end casting cost cards and these stuck out, since they don't have too much of an immediate effect. (6 mana for a clone effect, 7 to make a 5/5.) Firespout was typically just cast as a red card, so I'm cutting it, despite the card being quite good.
Austere Command -> Seal of Cleansing (I'd arguably say that this is the weakest of the wrath variants that I have, not a huge fan of cutting a wrath effect, but something on the high end's gotta go.) Stonecloaker -> Shining Shoal
Nice cube. Last night my opponent played Tainted Pact and the first two cards off of the top of his deck were Mountain and Mountain! Usually the card is pretty good, though.
Lava Hounds has been a new addition to the cube, but I can see that it could be a weak link in red. I haven't seen it played (granted, there's been just one cubing since then) but while I'm not 100% on cutting it... yet, I think that I should probably put in Hell's Thunder (possibly in place of Hammer of Bogardan?) and/or Skizzik.
Multicolor
Stormbind looks bad, maybe Hull Breach in its slot? Cards with built in 2 for 1 are good I hear.
How is Azorious Herald, seems kinda weak, I'm supprised by the lack of Irridescent Angel
Sedge Sliver has been fairly bad in my cube, unless your just looking for a 3/3 regenerater, don't expect it to sinergise with changling often (if anything it will probably just help your opponent who is playing chemeleon collosus)
How is blazing specter, it doesn't look bad acctualy. I might use it.
With the quality of multicolor in UB its a shame that you have Dimir Cutpurse in it, Maybe Lim'Dul's Vault (so fricken good) or Morrii, a huge beater.
Brion Stoutarm, I've seen this listed a few places. It doesn't look too bad, it acctualylooks like it makes predicting combat hard. Order/Chaos is a pretty good card if your looking for something else.
No complaints with B/W, or G/B.
Lots of complaints with G/U, though it isn't your fault that they refuse to print good g/u cards. But seriously you are doing just about as good as everyone else here.
Prophetic Bolt FTW!
Unmake>Gwylion Hedge-Mage
All your artifacts look pretty good, just a couple cards that I'm sad to not see. Heven help you the next time they print something you want to play here.
Lands look solid, don't know about Grand Collosium (I rather play gemstone mine), blasted landscape looks meh, and as we talked about Reflecting Pool, I dont like it. I have always wanted to put a vesuva in ladns just for the chance ofcopying a library of alxeandria and going to town.
Shaman en-Kor is fricken orgasmic, I need to make room for one.
Devout Witness looks kinda meh, I don't think White needs a grey ogre, I rather just play the spirit Ronum Unicorn from Kamigawa, whats its name.
Magus of the Disk vs Moat vs Tabernacle? Which is best?
Shinning Shoal is the only white spell I don't like. I rather see Wing Shard or Pulse of the Field in that slot.
Negate looks meh, there seems like theres better 2cc counters in that slot, maybe remand?
How often does forbid get bought back?
I would rather Opportunity be Stroke of Genius.
I'd probably play Nantuko Husk of Carion Feeder.
Chittering Rat? I like how you compare lots of cards to Memory Lapse which you don't play.
Chainer's Edict=Smother>Diabolic Edict
No Bitterblossom?
I think I've seen Hamemr regrown once before, defently worth chopping, your red looks good to me.
Same with your green, hows Vigor?
Also I suggest you go up to 450 cards, that would allow you to be able to support a 10 player draft (or do a 5 player sealed)
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That's the remarkable thing about life. It's never so bad that it can't get worse
Calvin and Hobbes Cube Tutor
Azorius Herald has been like a mini-Hierarch, Angel costs way too much. I'd rather run Grand Arbiter.
Running Sedge Sliver for the 3/3 for 3 ability, it won't help their changelings unless they have swamps.
Moroii may be worth a shot. Cutpurse, like I said, is much better than it looks as a "block me or die" but unlike Finkel, has no evasion of its own.
Brion Stoutarm has been amazing. Even as just a 4/4 for 4, it is very good, its lifelink and creature throwing are gravy.
Coliseum >>>>>>> Gemstone Mine, nothing is more awkward than a hand with a mine and a basic and trying to not have the mine die. I'd rather run vivids, Tendo Ice Bridge or Mirrodin's Core even.
Remand really isn't a counter.
Chittering Rats will be replaced by Undead Gladiator. Black's creatures are quite bad, it looks like. Puppeteer Clique will likely replace Okiba-Gang as it did a whole lot of nothing, and maybe Mirri the Cursed coming in somewhere along the lines.
I haven't seen Vigor played, I'm probably going to replace it with Weatherseed Treefolk. Its casting cost is unwieldy but it looks to be a beating.
I haven't done more than a 8 person draft yet, so I'm not up to making the leap to 450 yet.
Agreed, Forbid is an amazing card, I almost got Forbid-locked last night. Combine with blue's awesome card advantage, shake, serve on ice.
I made some changes today based on what was said in this thread, thanks to all! I'm going to keep a change log on here according to the days so that people can talk about the changes and see the evolution of my cube over time... in case they're bored.
Bonesplitter - worth adding? I have a good amount of equipment in my cube, but I think that aggro decks would like Bonesplitter as a one drop. Worth dropping something like Grafted Wargear?
Bonesplitter is pretty solid in an aggro deck. It's effectively a colorless Rancor. I would (and do) run both Bonesplitter and Grafted Wargear. I'd suggest removing either Lightning Greaves or Panoptic Mirror.
I'll probably go with Mirror, I've been thinking of cutting it lately because while more versatile than stick, still rides the bench. Greaves is extremely flexible and helps to race and protect threats ("Got instant speed removal for my Orcish Settlers?")
As it turns out, my computer's software got pretty messed up and I had to reformat, and this allowed me to have a version of my cube's contents online, score!
As there are a ton of draw effects with Ancestral Vision coming in, I'm trying something else in place of Deep Analysis: Clone. A friend said it was good in another friend's cube, so I'm giving it a shot. Blue's pretty flexible and there are a ton of cards to go in the slot that I would want to try (Pestermite being another one I'd want to try.)
I am also putting in a cycle for the "shard" cards, like Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker, Ethersworn Adjucator, Broodmate Dragon, Wild Nacatl and originally I was going to have Noble Hierarch but the idea behind the "not really tricolor but they're shard" cards is that they're not really worth playing in the decks otherwise (a 4U 4/4 that untaps isn't cubeworthy, especially for blue, Wild Nacatl isn't cubeworthy as a 1/1) but considering Noble Hierarch > Llanowar Elves and arguably others, Hierarch is probably going to be in green and UWG will be either Bant Charm or Rafiq of the Many. I'm also considering putting in Cliffrunner Behemoth as a green card as Juggernaut is good for aggro (although funny of me to say, because it's not in my cube, but I'd play it if I had the room) - especially without its catch (although I dunno how often the wall/changeling thing would come into play with Juggernaut.)
The vivid lands definitely are nice for the "tri color" cards and have been performing well in various decks overall as "better than a basic land" which they end up definitely being and are amazing with bouncelands.
I am also putting in a cycle for the "shard" cards, like Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker, Ethersworn Adjucator, Broodmate Dragon, Wild Nacatl and originally I was going to have Noble Hierarch but the idea behind the "not really tricolor but they're shard" cards is that they're not really worth playing in the decks otherwise (a 4U 4/4 that untaps isn't cubeworthy, especially for blue, Wild Nacatl isn't cubeworthy as a 1/1) but considering Noble Hierarch > Llanowar Elves and arguably others, Hierarch is probably going to be in green and UWG will be either Bant Charm or Rafiq of the Many. I'm also considering putting in Cliffrunner Behemoth as a green card as Juggernaut is good for aggro (although funny of me to say, because it's not in my cube, but I'd play it if I had the room) - especially without its catch (although I dunno how often the wall/changeling thing would come into play with Juggernaut.)
I agree with your reasoning about Noble Hierarch and Cliffrunner Behemoth. It's the reason why Spectral Lynx is white and Kird Ape is RG. Wild Nacatl is easily playable in WG and GR aggro decks, so I won't include it in a shard spot (though if you balance your nulticolored completely it's a problem. Since I don't I will just declare it an unaligned multicolored card).
UWG spot: Rafiq is a very fun card. It's not over the top strong, but it's worthy to splash to in some midrange decks and has seen play a few times already. In the last cube draft (2 days ago) a player made a comeback from a 9:30 life and in two turns: Phantom Nishoba (9/9 because the opponent had Crusade and Divine Sacrament), then Rafiq for 40 life swing.
I was thinking of Naya Charm for RGW, although part of that could be seeing opponents going "oops, I win" with it too many times in AAA draft and the instant regrowth ability also seems useful (the bolt one is bad for its cost.) Rith seems to be a good finisher with nice reach as its triggers feed off of each other once it connects twice... but that seems like overkill anyway. I'm not sure on the new 6/6 guy with vigilance and trample that makes the opponent take pain from blocks. I just thought of Thornscape Battlemage.... but it's like the Nacatl. Hmmm. For now, I'm going to try Naya Charm in the GWR slot.
Naya Charm seems really powerful if you are a fan of 3-color cards. I personally do not have any 3-color gold cards in my cube as they end up not getting played most of the time.
Also, In my cube GWR is an archetype that doesn't really get drafted. Does it get drafted in yours?
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I also include discussions about cards we took out, cards we banned, and cards we might add.
To be honest, I haven't noticed it on its own being played but usually it seems control decks are the splash happy archetypes as well as the "grab every nonbasic that I can and go 4/5 color" type.
After having cubed for the first time in what has seemed like ages, I've found this:
Shelldock Isle performed pretty well. We did a 2HG game and unfortunately screwed up on a trigger (put red Akroma out to block a Flameblast Dragon before its trigger *headdesk*) but aside from that, it's been very solid, definitely better to me than the other options.
I've not been as impressed by Goblin Razerunners as I thought that I would be. The time when I did get it, I ended up cutting it because there were better things in the pool. I may add another X spell, but is 5 X spells for a 50 card section too many? I'm thinking so but I'm unsure. I've also been thinking of Ogre Arsonist in that slot.
I still feel that aggro has an inherently harder time than control in cube. I have made steps to make aggro more viable, but it seems that control still has an edge inherently. I may try to help aggro out more in the next update.
Yawgmoth's Bargain has a permanent home in my cube. It combines really well with Words of War (which is the most underrated card in the cube draft world IMO). Bargain is one of my favorite targets with Academy Rector and it's great with Seismic Assault. I regularly Show and Tell the Bargain into play, and then go on to win. If your cube contains cards like Necropotence, Dark Confidant, Phyrexian Arena and Graveborn Muse then it may seem underwhelming, but IMO... it's not. It has been anything but underwhelming in our cube.
It's cool to see how different cards interract with different people's cubes (and the playstyles of the players withing the groups). Bargain would't ever get cut out of my group's cube, so it's cool to see how different certain cubes and styles are from one another.
Usman, if you look at my cube list, you can see a lot of cards that make aggro very viable. My blue/white control deck lost to suicide black (yes, really) the other day. Also, in Berlin, we did a 9-man cube draft and the guy who drafted mono white weenie went 8-0. I personally prefer to play control, but aggro is definitely very viable in my cube.
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I also include discussions about cards we took out, cards we banned, and cards we might add.
My cube is one of the few cube where players complain that aggro is too powerful and control is too weak (in the beginning it was, and now it became a kind of a regular joke, but still aggro wins most of the drafts). You may want to look at my list. I can help you more if narrow the problems down. Which cards/situations give aggro hard time? Do you have curve problem? If you feel like aggro is really lacking you may want to fundamentally change some colors in your cube, I'm not sure your players will like that.
Sometimes, the problem is that the players don't want to draft aggro. We have a wide enough pool of drafters that every archetype is being drafted (I mean literally, I can't think of a single archetype that hasn't been drafted), but it was a major problem in the beginning. What to do? Talk with them about it, I'm sure someone will volunteer to try. One successful deck is really all what's needed to change the draft habits.
Bargain was solid for us, in the control vs. midrange or control vs. control.
Quote from Ammo187 »
Usman, if you look at my cube list, you can see a lot of cards that make aggro very viable. My blue/white control deck lost to suicide black (yes, really) the other day. Also, in Berlin, we did a 9-man cube draft and the guy who drafted mono white weenie went 8-0. I personally prefer to play control, but aggro is definitely very viable in my cube.
Yea, for some reason WW was exceptionally good in my cube. It is constantly the underdog in testing, but it had three drafts unmatched, and now some players even consider it the best archetype in my cube There are some curves which just cannot be beaten (and somehow they just manage to draft ALL the relatively few white removals together)
However, as explained in another thread, I have some cards in multicolor that aren't typically. Cards like Kird Ape and the like are considered RG because they are almost always played in the deck of that color combo (I'm not going to play Kird Ape or Court Hussar in straight red or blue decks and I'm certainly not alone on that.) Counting them as of the color effectively "subsidizes" the color combo at the expense of the others (6 RG and 49 red cards.)
With that soap box being stepped off, here's my list. Fully powered, 450 cards. Average costs as of 8/9/2010.
White W: (61)
Creatures:
1
Elite Vanguard
Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Mother of Runes
Savannah Lions
Steppe Lynx
Student of Warfare
Weathered Wayfarer
2
Eight-and-a-Half Tails
Knight of Meadowgrain
Knight of the White Orchid
Kor Skyfisher
Silver Knight
Soltari Trooper
Soltari Priest
Soltari Monk
Wall of Omens
White Knight
Blade of the Sixth Pride
Stoneforge Mystic
3
Mirror Entity
Paladin En-Vec
Pianna, Nomad Captain
Soltari Champion Another "anthem on a guy" - this on a 2/2 shadow guy.
Spectral Procession
Mirran Crusader
4
Calciderm
Exalted Angel
Kor Sanctifiers
5
Baneslayer Angel
Cloudgoat Ranger: Although it seems suboptimal at first glance, it's quite good. 6 power for 3WW and can be a mini dragon if need be. There are a few kithkin as well (Knight of Meadowgrain, Changelings.)
Reveillark
Karmic Guide
Cloudgoat Ranger
6
Sun Titan
Yosei, the Morning Star
7
Eternal Dragon
8
Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Non-creatures:
1
Enlightened Tutor
Land Tax
Mana Tithe
Path to Exile
Swords to Plowshares
2
Balance
Disenchant
Journey to Nowhere
Temporal Isolation
3
Glorious Anthem
Oblivion Ring
4
Ajani Goldmane
Armageddon
Day of Judgment
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Faith's Fetters
Moat
Ravages of War Thanks mainly to Elite Vanguard, I'm putting in the "duplicate" cards.
Wrath of God
5
Gideon Jura
Elspeth Tirel
6
Akroma's Vengeance
Catastrophe
X
Decree of Justice
Land:
Kjeldoran Outpost
[COLOR=royalblue]BlueU: (61)[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Creatures:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]1[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Enclave Cryptologist[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]2[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Looter Il-Kor[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]3[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Kira, Great Glass Spinner[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Vendilion Clique[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Man-o'-War[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Serendib Efreet[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Willbender[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Aether Adept[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Pestermite[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]4[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Glen Elendra Archmage[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Venser, Shaper Savant[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Lu Xun, Scholar General[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Sower of Temptation[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Thieving Magpie[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]5[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Mulldrifter[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Meloku, the Clouded Mirror[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Morphling[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]6[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Keiga, the Tide Star[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Sphinx of Jwar Isle[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Frost Titan[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Non-Creatures:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]0[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Misdirection[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Force of Will[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]1[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Ancestral Recall[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Preordain[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Brainstorm[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Mystical Tutor[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Force Spike[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Ponder[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]2[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Mana Drain[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Counterspell[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Impulse[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Time Walk[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Miscalculation[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Mana Leak[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Remand[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Memory Lapse[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]3[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Crystal Shard[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Vedalken Shackles[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Forbid[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Jace Beleren[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Timetwister[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Psionic Blast[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Tinker[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Frantic Search[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]4[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Dismiss[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Cryptic Command[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Gifts Ungiven[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Fact or Fiction[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Control Magic[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Deep Analysis[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Jace, the Mindsculptor[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Opposition[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]5[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Bribery[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Treachery[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Future Sight Tom Lapille said it was the most powerful card in his cube (unpowered.) I can totally agree, it provides so much card advantage that if it wasn't triple-U, I'd try to splash it in every aggro deck ever.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]6[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Upheaval[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Capsize[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Time Spiral[/COLOR]
X
[COLOR=royalblue]Condescend[/COLOR]
[COLOR=royalblue]Repeal[/COLOR]
Land:
Faerie Conclave
Black B (61):
Creatures:
1
Carnophage
Sarcomancy
Vampire Lacerator
Fume Spitter
2
Dark Confidant
Nezumi Shortfang
Nezumi Graverobber
Nantuko Shade
Dauthi Horror
Vampire Hexmage
Black Knight
Bloodghast
Oona's Prowler
3
Hypnotic Specter
Bane of the Living
Bone Shredder
Vampire Nighthawk
4
Juzam Djinn
Plague Sliver
Graveborn Muse
Braids, Cabal Minion
Nekrataal Not as good as Shriekmaw, but still really good.
Skinrender
5
Shriekmaw
Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
6
Kokosho, the Evening Star
Grave Titan
8
Tombstalker To be honest, I don't know how many cards it typically "delves" when cast, so I'm saying it just costs 8, despite that it almost never is played for retail. I'm considering it being a 5-drop since that's around the time when it's a "good deal" as a 6 mana 5/5 is hardly a reason to play the guy.
Non-creatures:
0
Snuff Out
Contagion
1
Dark Ritual
Vampiric Tutor
Imperial Seal
Thoughtseize
Duress
Reanimate
Disfigure
2
Hymn to Tourach
Demonic Tutor
Animate Dead
Diabolic Edict
Chainer's Edict: I think this actually may be better than Diabolic due to the flashback, even though it's a sorcery.
Night's Whisper
Sinkhole
Doom Blade
Terror
Bitterblossom
3
Phyrexian Arena
Yawgmoth's Will
Recurring Nightmare
Necromancy
4
Nether Void: Get out a threat, drop this, win. It's like a black Armageddon and can punish Signet-heavy opponents.
Damnation
Consuming Vapors
Makeshift Mannequin
5
Liliana Vess
6
Yawgmoth's Bargain
Sorin Markov
X
Mind Twist
Profane Command
Land:
Volrath's Stronghold
[COLOR=red]Red R: (61) [/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Creatures:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]1[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Grim Lavamancer[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Magus of the Scroll[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Mogg Fanatic [/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Greater Gargadon [/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Jackal Pup[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Goblin Guide[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Goblin Patrol[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Gorilla Shaman[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Spikeshot Elder[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Goblin Welder[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]2[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Hearth Kami[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Keldon Marauders[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Dwarven Blastminer[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Blood Knight[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Hellspark Elemental[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Plated Geopede[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Kargan Dragonlord[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Ember Hauler[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Fireslinger[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]3[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Blistering Firecat[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Keldon Vandals[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Manic Vandal[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]4[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Flametongue Kavu[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Avalanche Riders[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Goblin Ruinblaster[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Ravenous Baboons[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Keldon Champion[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]5[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Siege-Gang Commander[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]6[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Inferno Titan[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Crater Hellion[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]8[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Bogardan Hellkite[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Non-Creatures:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]0[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Fireblast[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]1[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Firebolt[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Lightning Bolt[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Chain Lightning[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Forked Bolt[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Rift Bolt[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Burst Lightning While I can see it being played w/o kicker for a good amount of the time, its ability to be flexible should be good, as flexible cards tend to be quite good in cube.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]2[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Magma Jet[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Incinerate[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Fire Ambush[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Volcanic Hammer[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Arc Trail[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]3[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Wheel of Fortune[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Char[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Flame Javelin[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Pillage[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Arc Lightning [/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Molten Rain LD and burn to the face? Score![/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Sulfuric Vortex[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Staggershock[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]4[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Koth of the Hammer[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]5[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Chandra Nalaar[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]6[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Wildfire[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Burning of Xinye[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]X[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Banefire[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Rolling Earthquake[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Demonfire[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Starstorm[/COLOR]
Land:
Barbarian Ring
Ghitu Encampment
[COLOR=seagreen]Green G: (61)[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Creatures:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]1[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Pouncing Jaguar[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Twinblade Slasher[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Jungle Lion[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Llanowar Elves[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Birds of Paradise[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Noble Hierarch[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Fyndhorn Elves[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Wild Dogs[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Joraga Treespeaker[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]2[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Albino Troll[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]River Boa[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Mire Boa[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Tarmogoyf[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Wild Mongrel[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Wall of Blossoms[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Sakura-Tribe Elder[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Lotus Cobra[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Fauna Shaman[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Garruk's Companion[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]3[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Troll Ascetic[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Viridian Shaman[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Uktabi Orangutan[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Eternal Witness[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Yavimaya Elder[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Call of the Herd[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Great Sable Stag[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Caller of the Claw[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Ohran Viper[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]4[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Phantom Centaur[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Blastoderm[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Chameleon Colossus[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Wickerbough Elder[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Vengevine[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Obstinate Baloth[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]5[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Deranged Hermit[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Kodama of the North Tree[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Indrik Stomphowler[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Genesis[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Thornling[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Acidic Slime[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]6[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Mold Shambler[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]8[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Woodfall Primus[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Terastodon[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Non-Creatures:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]1[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Berserk[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Rancor[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]2[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Vines of Vastwood[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Sylvan Library[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Survival of the Fittest[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Regrowth[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Life from the Loam[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]3[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Harrow[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Krosan Tusker[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Kodama's Reach[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Cultivate[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Gaea's Anthem[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]4[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Garruk Wildspeaker[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Harmonize[/COLOR]
Creeping Mold
[COLOR=seagreen]5[/COLOR]
[COLOR=seagreen]Plow Under[/COLOR]
Land:
Treetop Village
[COLOR=olive]Colorless: (60)[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]0[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Black Lotus[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mana Crypt[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mox Diamond[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mox Emerald[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mox Jet[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mox Pearl[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mox Ruby[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mox Sapphire[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]1[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Bonesplitter[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Cursed Scroll[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mana Vault[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Pithing Needle[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Sensei's Divining Top[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Skullclamp[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Sol Ring[/COLOR]
Basilisk Collar
[COLOR=olive]2[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Ankh of Mishra[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Grim Monolith[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Lightning Greaves: An all-star in aggro and control for different reasons (haste for aggro, shroud for control,) great all-around.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mind Stone[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Scroll Rack[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Umezawa's Jitte[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Winter Orb[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]3[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Crystal Ball[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Coalition Relic[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Grafted Wargear[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Loxodon Warhammer[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Oblivion Stone[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Ring of Gix[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Sword of Fire and Ice[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Sword of Mind and Body[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Sword of Light and Shadow[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Sword of Vengeance[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Tangle Wire: I haven't seen this in that many cubes, but it's so unfair for your opponent (they tap 4, you tap 2 other permanents.) Amazing in aggro.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mimic Vat[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]4[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Icy Manipulator[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Nevinyrral's Disk[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Phyrexian Processor[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Smokestack Another card that I've not seen in many cubes and is similarly unfair, great with token generators, and putting a lock onto an opponent who is starting slowly.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Juggernaut (Even though Lodestone Golem is better, a 5/3 for 4 is still good.)[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Lodestone Golem[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Masticore[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Solemn Simulacrum[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Erratic Portal[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Molten-Tail Masticore[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]5[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Razormane Masticore[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]6[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Triskelion[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Wurmcoil Engine[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]7[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Myr Battlesphere
[COLOR=olive]8[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Sundering Titan: This card demolishes 5 color decks hard.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]X[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Chimeric Mass[/color]
Land:
[COLOR=olive]Ancient Tomb[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]City of Brass[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Grand Coliseum[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Library of Alexandria[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Maze of Ith[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mishra's Factory[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Mutavault[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Rishadan Port[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Strip Mine[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Wasteland[/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive]Multicolor/Guild-based cards: (85) [/COLOR]
Selesnya Conclave (GW):
Savannah
Temple Garden
Windswept Heath
Horizon Canopy* (GW decks tend to be more aggro-ish, so they don't really care about the life loss and turning a land into a card is awesome. Think of it like a GW Barbarian Ring that doesn't need threshold to be cashed in.)
Qasali Pridemage. I certainly wouldn't mind a 2/2 for 2 that sacs to kill a guy (Viridian Zealot) but Exalted is just awesome, awesome enough to see Vintage play.
Loam Lion
Mirari's Wake
Kitchen Finks*
Gruul Clans (RG):
Taiga
Stomping Ground
Wooded Foothills
Raging Ravine
Kird Ape: See above, blah blah blah. Aside from that, a R for a 2/3 in RG is insane.
Stormbind: Soften your opponent up with creatures and drop this to win.
Bloodbraid Elf: Best RG card by far. An echo-less Keldon Champion that will likely find something better than a Lava Spike.
Sarkhan Vol: I think that while it's the weakest of the planeswalkers in my cube (I don't have Tezzeret as it is way too linear) it is still solid. Mainly for its fires ability, though the Threatening is nice.
(The Cult of) Rakdos (BR)
Badlands
Blood Crypt
Bloodstained Mire
Lavaclaw Reaches
Blazing Specter
Terminate: 2 mana to kill anything unless it's got protection, rock solid removal.
Bituminous Blast: Not quite FTK due to the fact that it'll sometimes just get a random 2/1 dork, but it's still good. I don't mind splashing for this at all.
Murderous Redcap* FTK's little brother that could. Not as much damage and power, but can go to the dome, persists and can be played easier.
(House) Dimir (BU)
Underground Sea
Watery Grave
Polluted Delta
Creeping Tar Pit
Dimir Signet
Shadowmage Infiltrator:
Psychatog: Duuuuh.
Oona, Queen of the Fae*
Azorius Senate (UW)
Tundra
Hallowed Fountain
Flooded Strand
Celestial Colonnade
Azorius Signet
Venser, the Sojourner
Wall of Denial. It's like a Maze of Ith that dies to Wraths and costs 3 mana, but doesn't cost a land drop. Likely not a good as Maze, but still extremely good.
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
Orzhov Syndicate (BW)
Scrubland
Godless Shrine
Marsh Flats
Caves of Koilos
Mortify
Vindicate
Desolation Angel One of the best creatures in the cube, I think.
Stillmoon Cavalier*
Golgari Swarm (BG)
Bayou
Overgrown Tomb
Verdant Catacombs
Putrefy
Putrid Leech: Flesh Reaver's much better cousin.
Pernicious Deed
Maelstrom Pulse
Spiritmonger. So incredibly annoying to face, hard to remove, incredible body.
Simic Combine (UG)
Tropical Island
Breeding Pool
Misty Rainforest
Simic Signet
Simic Growth Chamber
Mystic Snake Counter + dude.
Trygon Predator
Simic Sky Swallower: Yet another good finisher, the shroud + evasion puts it over the top.
Izzet League (UR)
Volcanic Island
Steam Vents
Scalding Tarn
Izzet Signet
Electrolyze
Prophetic Bolt
Gelectrode: Ping, Brainstorm, ping. Ping, bolt, ping.
Fire/Ice*
Boros Legion (RW)
Plateau
Sacred Foundry
Arid Mesa
Battlefield Forge
Goblin Trenches
Lightning Helix: Omggggggggggggggggggggggggggg Lightning Helix
Ajani Vengeant
Figure of Destiny*
*denotes hybrid.
3-color:
UBW (Esper): Sphinx of the Steel Wind. I so wish that she had haste. Still not bad and pretty much swings a game when it comes out due to first strike and lifelink.
BUR (Grixis): Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker. Speaking of reusable effects... Costs a ton of mana but in my limited testing, most of the time means game over once he drops.
GUW (Bant): Rafiq of the Many. The only exception to the "I only will use exalted guys if they're a good deal on their own" as a Hill Giant is rather meh, but with Rafiq, you really really want to attack with just one guy, as even without anything else, Rafiq is essentially an 8/4 attacker.
GRW (Naya): Wild Nacatl. Close to Kird Ape.
GRB (Jund): Broodmate Dragon. One of the best finishers. (8 power of flying for 6 mana)
http://deckstats.net/deck-124731-f22f2017c5d969131299d96a0619a5e5-en.html (stats on the cube list - 5/1/2010)
Note about the pictures: (the lists, however, will always be more accurate to the actual content of the cube than the pictures since I update the cube list quite often and the pictures not so much. I haven't made any of the non-digital alters (like Thornling) since I suck at art skills, credit is to be given to the awesome art forum here for the proxies including CardKitty, Klug, Laura Lou, Masamune and the like. You all rule. )
Changes:
2008:
12/19/2008
Soltari Guerrillas -> Goblin Legionnaire: I think that the goblin will be better for Boros aggro and maybe even control.
Chittering Rats -> Undead Gladiator (Gladiator has the potential to be long-term advantage, a decent creature, and cycles when in the late game. Chittering Rats was substandard.)
Okiba-Gang Shinobi -> Kagemaro (Okiba-Gang was an experiment and it failed, to add more discard. Almost never ninjitsued, cards like Silent Specter and Hypnotic Specter are tons better.)
Opportunity -> Stroke of Genius. A worse deal at 3 and 4 for stroke, but more versatile overall. Pringlesman recommended it, so I'm giving it a shot.
Gwyllion Hedge-Mage -> Unmake. Trying it based on recommendations, if it gets played in decks like UW and WG, it's not going anywhere.
Negate -> Cloud of Faeries. I put in Negate to add more counterspells, namely 2CC ones, but as is, I think that Negate is the weakest of the 2CC ones. I already have a bunch (Counterspell, Mana Drain, Miscalculation and arguably Condescend.) I have 9 non-creature counterspells (Glen Elendra Archmage and Willbender being creature "counterspells." Draining Whelk may go in to give blue a finisher, but I honestly like Desertion more.) 9 is the absolute minimum of counterspells in my cube that I want.
Elves of Deep Shadow -> Nath of the Gilt-Leaf. They seriously need to make an awesome BG non-hybrid card that doesn't cost 5, as I already have Spiritmonger and Grave-Shell Scarab along with the newly added Nath, who I took out, put back in and performed well.
12/22/2008
Sulfuric Vortex -> Hell's Thunder. Vortex was added to give red more reach, but Hell's Thunder pretty much does that better. That and it doesn't kill you if your opponent turns the game around.
Aether Mutation -> Jhessian Infiltrator. Mutation isn't bad, but it's hard to beat 2/2 unblockables. Blue would rather just steal big threats.
Stalking Stones, Blasted Landscape, Reflecting Pool, Grand Coliseum, Mouth of Ronom -> 5 Vivid Lands. Vivids > Grand Coliseum as I don't remember, at least from my experience, seeing someone go "I really wish I had another counter on this land" on vivids, saving you some life and tapping for the main color instead of colorless. The other lands weren't bad but definitely the weak links of the lands so they are out. I did definitely like some of the lands like the Mouth but the others are too good.
Vigor -> Silvos, Rogue Elemental. Big guy vs big guy with a way to protect itself. Hits harder too and can be reanimated.
Violent Eruption -> Skizzik. Eruption is interesting as a mega Arc Lightning but its casting cost was so unwieldy. Skizzik is a 4 drop burn/5 drop creature that could fit in more decks.
Panoptic Mirror -> Bonesplitter:
Giving aggro a 1-drop as while there are creatures at the 1 drop slot, the equipment starts at 2. Colorless Rancor is good, played in aggro decks a lot during Mirrodin, IIRC.
Conflux: (I'm hazy on the card-for-cards) - 1/30/2009
Addition of 3-color cycle (Wild Nacatl, Rafiq of the Many, Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker, Ethersworn Adjucator, Broodmate Dragon)
Jeska, Warrior Adept -> Raaka Mar. I think it's a big upgrade, Jeska didn't have many ping targets and as versatile as Jeska was, I think Raaka provides more. It can do a decent impression of Kiki-Jiki in that it can come out for 2RRR and give you 5 power of guys for 5 mana. Or would Cloudgoat Ranger be a better comparison?
Lava Hounds -> Sulfuric Vortex. As I said, this was a friend's recommendation to give red more reach. I'm not entirely sold, but I'm going to try it.
Rumbling Slum -> Apocalypse Hydra. While Slum was pretty much a better Juzam Djinn, Apocalypse Hydra looks to be a monster as a 7 mana 10/10 that, if needed, can make its heads kill chump blockers/creatures/players.
Promise of Bunrei -> Martial Coup. Coup is an insane wrath and a game turner, Promise, while good, I think is outclassed by Coup.
Shining Shoal -> Path to Exile. A definite upgrade for creature kill, Path is nutty, Shining Shoal, was a great mindtrick, was barely played and keeping mana open in aggro was always weird too.
Watchwolf -> Knight of the Reliquary. The knight can help accelerate in the short term (on turn 4, tap your lands, sac a forest/plains amongst it, put another land into play and tap it for mana for a 5 drop) as well as finding lands like manlands, LoA, Thawing Glaciers and the like.
Grizzly Fate -> Thornling. I loved that Grizzly Fate could sit in the grave and be cast with threshold when in topdeck mode (which is a reason Fate may come back later.) Thornling is a beefy beater in green and can be Wrath-proof.
Overrun -> Noble Hierarch. Overrun wasn't used much aside from a mono green deck that I saw.
Magus of the Disk -> Scepter of Dominance. Magus was usually killed, although I'm debating on whether I should have Commander Eesha or Magus of the Disk. Scepter is quite mana intensive but, a great version of an already great card.
Wild Nacatl -> Naya Charm. Done to make it truly a RGW card, although I'm not entirely sure on this one.
Grafted Wargear -> Obelisk of Alara. Although Wargear was great for aggro, I think that there are cards like Bonesplitter, Sigil of Distinction and other equipment which do the job much better and are much more versatile. Obelisk of Alara looks to be a good addition, my only worry being that its effect isn't immediate for so much mana and doesn't do an absolute insane effect like Mindslaver when used, but Obelisk is repeatable with mostly good effects.
Fireball -> Banefire. To be honest, I don't know how much an upgrade this is since the prevention almost never happens, but it does help aggro decks against counter-heavy decks.
Sulfuric Vortex -> Goblin Razerunners. Performs a similar role. Easier to kill, but I think it performs the role better. Vortex didn't do much, though.
2/10/2009:
Wrecking Ball -> Torrent of Souls: I wasn't too much on Wrecking Ball and I want to give torrent a shot, not so much because of wanting to make reanimation a shot but it seems quite solid a card, a bit like Miraculous Recovery but not an instant.
2/12/2009:
5 Vivid Lands -> Shelldock Isle, Barbarian Ring, Treetop Village, Volrath's Stronghold and Kjeldoran Outpost.
ADDED: Ethersworn Adjudicator, Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker, Wild Nacatl, Bant Charm and Broodmate Dragon
2/18/2009:
Goblin Razerunners -> Hissing Iguanar. Well, Razerunners wasn't as good as I thought, so I'm trying the Iguanar, which, while it seems
Triskelion -> Empyrial Plate. Giving aggro a bit more of a boost with this and I think Grim Poppet does the job of what it does than Triskelion. Oddly enough, I used to use Triskelion a lot in my Shandalar deck because it was one of the few sources of card advantage in it.
Word of Seizing -> Molten Rain. While a Stone Rain isn't that impressive, the damage could make it worthwhile like with the discard + burn effect of Blightning (Mind Rot isn't cubeworthy, but Blightning is with the damage.)
Genju of the Spires -> Keldon Marauders
Spitebellows -> Blood Knight
Carrion Feeder -> Sengir Nosferatu -> Puppeteer Clique
Ponder -> Ancestral Vision
Gigapede -> Grizzly Fate. Gigapede usually just ran into some random dork and Fate's probably got better long-term potential.
Devout Witness -> Kami of Ancient Law -> Akrasan Squire
Stroke of Genius -> Psionic Blast
Soltari Guerillas -> Goblin Legionnaire
Akrasan Squire -> Soltari Champion
Skeletal Vampire -> Cabal Interrogator (vamp will go back in, maybe over the same trade but maybe something else.)
Viridian Zealot -> Nantuko Vigilante
3/4/09:
Most of these changes are to give aggro more of a boost.
Hinder -> Remand. Not quite a counter and not as good in the late game, but still a great card, and it cantrips.
Kumano, Master Yamabushi -> Ravenous Baboons. The weakest of the 5 drops in red gets jettisoned to help LD become more viable.
Blood Knight -> Dwarven Blastminer. See above.
Grizzly Fate -> Deranged Hermit. Fate may come back, I want to make more room for it as, while not that great w/o threshold at first, sits in the graveyard and upon second casting with threshold, hurts a lot.
Wall of Roots -> Albino Troll
Cloud of Faeries -> Jushi Apprentice. One of the better blue creatures, a definite upgrade.
Hateflayer -> Jackal Pup. Sadly, one of my favorite red creatures gets cut as red aggro gets more of a boost with this, however, it's not as good as Flameblast Dragon, Bogardan Hellkite and Rorix. However, I will probably have it come back eventually if the pendulum needs swinging the other way, and Jackal Pup is an extremely good card for red aggro decks.
Protean Hulk -> Woodfall Primus. Although the update is to give aggro more of a boost, I feel that this is an overall upgrade, as not only does Primus have trample and persist, but its ability is arguably better, for another G.
Puppeteer Clique -> Order of the Ebon Hand. To give black aggro more tools.
Commander Eesha -> Celestial Crusader. With Pianna, Soltari Champion, Wilt-Leaf Liege and this white aggro has more tools as well. Kongming also may come in.
Shaman En-Kor -> Blade of the Sixth Pride. While Shaman was primarily for white aggro decks, 6th pride looks to be a more natural fit with the 3 power.
Tainted Pact -> Carnophage. Pact was surprisingly not that great in a highlander format.
Twilight Shepherd -> Promise of Bunrei. Again, to give white aggro more tools, Shepherd didn't see much play, possibly because of its restrictive mana cost.
3/5/09:
Taurean Mauler -> Kumano, Master Yamabushi
Ravenous Baboons -> Avalanche Riders
Plaxmanta -> Aether Mutation. Good against stuff like 4 drops, but not as much against smaller things. I actually had this change a while ago, although I forgot to put it here. But since it seems like Temporal Spring does the job better, is more versatile and is cheaper, I'm going to go with Aether Mutation -> Temporal Spring
Cabal Interrogator -> Braids, Cabal Minion
Triskelion -> Smokestack
5/8/2009
Magus of the Future -> Stroke of Genius
Fires of Yavimaya -> Bloodbraid Elf
Grave-Shell Scarab -> Maelstrom Pulse
Nath of the Gilt-Leaf -> Putrid Leech
Promise of Bunrei -> Griffin Guide
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed -> Mirri the Cursed
Booster Tutor -> Mesmeric Fiend
Togglodyte -> Triskelion
Blast from the Past -> Arc Lightning
Jokulhaups -> Tectonic Break
Dimir Cutpurse -> Wydwen, the Biting Gale
Ashling the Pilgrim -> Keldon Champion
Knight of the Reliquary -> Qasali Pridemage
Bant Charm -> Rafiq of the Many
Torrent of Souls -> Bituminous Blast
Temporal Spring -> Plaxcaster Frogling
Woodfall Primus -> Caller of the Claw
Terror -> Snuff Out
Nantuko Vigilante -> Hystrodon (not as sure on this one, I think that Stomphowler and Wickerbough do the job better, but I'm still on the fence since disenchant effects are always nice.)
Soltari Champion -> Serra Avenger (seems a lot more versatile, although I'm not sure if taking that out instead of Celestial Crusader, or taking it out at all is the right call.)
5/15/2009
Jhessian Infiltrator -> Plaxmanta - as much as I liked the 2/2 unblockable, I think that Plaxmanta may be better in that I could see Plaxmanta being splashworthy, but not so much the infiltrator. Plaxmanta gives another "counterspell" against removal for UG decks, which is nice.
5/19/2009
Mesmeric Fiend -> Tainted Pact - the idea for Mesmeric Fiend was that it'd be a card that should fit in every black deck, since Booster Tutor, the card it replaced, did. I think that Tainted Pact fits that role better as it is a pseudo-tutor. Mesmeric Fiend may come back in, I am going to look over the black section soon.
Kagemaro -> Skeletal Vampire. Are there too many 6 mana black finishers for black at this point?
Yavimaya Dryad -> Gaea's Anthem
Hystrodon -> Stonewood Invocation
Izzet Chronarch -> Suffocating Blast
Griffin Guide -> Glorious Anthem
Putrid Leech -> Lord of Extinction
Blightning -> Army Ants
Celestial Crusader -> Soltari Champion
Hissing Iguanar -> Blood Knight
5/21/09
Condemn -> Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Order of the Ebon Hand -> Black Knight
Court Hussar -> Wall of Denial
Zombie Cutthroat -> Duress
Tainted Pact -> Sudden Death
Death Denied -> Sinkhole
Hokori, Dust Drinker -> Knight of Meadowgrain
Rolling Thunder -> Ghitu Fire
ADDED:
(Hybrid):
GW: Selesnya Guildmage
BR: Rakdos Guildmage
BG: Hag Hedge-Mage
UR: Wand of the Elements
BW: Stillmoon Cavalier
RW: Balefire Liege
UW: Plumeveil
RG: Boggart Ram-Gang
UB: Sygg, River Cutthroat
UG: Cold-Eyed Selkie
5/24/09
Molten Disaster -> Caldera Hellion
Condescend -> Draining Whelk
Concentrate -> Gifts Ungiven
Lord of Extinction -> Putrid Leech
Plaxmanta -> Temporal Spring
CUT:
Masked Admirers, Kodama's Reach, All Suns' Dawn -> Wild Dogs, Twinblade Slasher, Skyshroud Elite
Confiscate -> Tinker
Mirri the Cursed -> Chittering Rats
Skeletal Vampire -> Reanimate
Balefire Liege -> Hearthfire Hobgoblin
Archon of Justice -> Weathered Wayfarer
Arc Lightning, Crater Hellion -> Sulfuric Vortex, Goblin Assault
Austere Command -> Seal of Cleansing (I'd arguably say that this is the weakest of the wrath variants that I have, not a huge fan of cutting a wrath effect, but something on the high end's gotta go.)
Stonecloaker -> Shining Shoal
6/1/2009:
Chittering Rats -> Carrion Feeder
Cataclysm -> Condemn (4 drops were way too many.)
Tectonic Break -> Goblin Bombardment
Skizzik -> Seal of Fire (4 drops for red creatures were also too many.)
Visara the Dreadful -> Contagion (the change that I'm not as huge on, to be honest, but with Oona, Ink-Eyes and Kokusho as well as Tombstalker, I think that black's finishers are still solid.)
Twinblade Slasher -> Basking Rootwalla Although the elf tribal type is useful with Imperious Perfect and wither can be occasionally useful, I think that overall, Rootwalla is better as it has a lot more interactions (Jaya/Stormbind/Wheel of Fortune/Memory Jar/Looter and the like)
Ethersworn Adjudicator -> Enigma Sphinx
Goblin Assault -> Genju of the Spires
Contagion -> Sarcomancy
6/5/2009
Triskelion -> Mox Diamond
Gaddock Teeg and Army Ants -> Selesnya Guildmage and Rakdos Guildmage
Cold Eyed Selkie and Stillmoon Cavalier -> Angel of Despair and Plaxmanta These were changed around as I think the hybrid cards added help their color combos and Cold-Eyed Selkie was awful. Since there's an additional red card represented in the hybrids, I added Gathan Raiders, which can be used by other colors, to make up for it.
Seal of Fire -> Gathan Raiders
Briarhorn, Gaea's Anthem, Imperious Perfect -> Life from the Loam, Worldly Tutor, Genju of the Cedars
Goblin Bombardment -> Fireslinger
6/11/09
Merged Multicolor and Hybrid into a single 50 card section.
Goblin Trenches -> Duergar Hedge-Mage
Gathan Raiders -> Zo-Zu the Punisher
Carrion Feeder -> Grim Harvest
Sudden Death -> Bone Shredder
Grim Poppet -> Ankh of Mishra
Genju of the Spires -> Seal of Fire
Pulse of the Forge -> Pillage
Zo-Zu The Punisher -> Goblin Patrol
Grim Harvest -> Skittering Skirge
Serra Avenger -> Austere Command
Genju of the Cedars -> Gaea's Anthem
Riftwing Cloudskate -> Draining Whelk
Epochrasite -> Mana Crypt
Austere Command -> Ravages of War
Thornling -> Fyndhorn Elves
Flickerwisp -> Elite Vanguard
Undead Gladiator -> Sign in Blood
Silvos, Rogue Elemental -> Briarhorn
Orcish Settlers -> Burning of Xinye
Prison Term -> Baneslayer Angel
Blazing Specter -> Shambling Remains (it seems I made this change some time ago and I forgot. Huh.)
Worldly Tutor -> Thornling
Caller of the Claw -> Imperious Perfect
Life from the Loam -> Kodama's Reach (Unfortunately, Loam didn't do much, if anything, when it was in.)
Treetop Village -> Gaea's Cradle
Briarhorn -> Wild Dogs
Flameblast Dragon -> Keldon Vandals/Ghitu Slinger/Goblin Assault/Imperial Recruiter (still undecided)
Flickerwisp -> Stormfront Pegasus
Skittering Skirge -> Doom Blade
Kodama's Reach -> Briarhorn
Goblin Patrol -> Reckless Charge
Albino Troll -> Great Sable Stag
Great Sable Stag -> Overrun
Keldon Vandals -> Starstorm
Bone Shredder -> Imperial Seal
Chittering Rats -> Bone Shredder
Enigma Sphinx -> Sphinx of the Steel Wind
Aeon Chronicler -> Inkwell Leviathan
Academy Rector -> Karmic Guide
Stormfront Pegasus -> Blade of the Sixth Pride
Pianna, Nomad Captain -> Day of Judgment
Stroke of Genius -> Mana Leak
Primal Command -> Silvos, Rogue Elemental
Death Grasp -> Angel of Despair
Undead Gladiator -> Sorin Markov
Chittering Rats -> Imperial Seal
Blade of the Sixth Pride -> Stormfront Pegasus
Doom Blade, Silent Specter, Sorin Markov -> Bloodghast, Vampire Lacerator, Vampire Nighthawk
Reckless Charge -> Goblin Guide
Kiki-Jiki -> Goblin Ruinblaster
Kjeldoran Outpost, Shelldock Isle, Gaea's Cradle, Barbarian Ring, Volrath's Stronghold -> Arid Mesa, Misty Rainforest, Obsidian Flats, Unstable Geyser, Verdant Marsh
Gaea's Anthem -> Uktabi Orangutan
Shining Shoal -> Pianna, Nomad Captain
Angel of Despair -> Spectral Lynx
Ravenous Baloth -> Kodama's Reach
Silvos, Rogue Elemental -> Rampaging Baloths
Oona's Prowler -> Sorin Markov
Kodama's Reach -> Vines of Vastwood
Seal of Fire -> Burst Lightning
Temporal Isolation -> Journey to Nowhere
Basking Rootwalla -> Twinblade Slasher
Glorious Anthem -> Flickerwisp
Flickerwisp + Seal of Cleansing + Whipcorder -> Kor Sanctifiers + White Knight + Silver Knight
Fireslinger -> Keldon Vandals
Sorin Markov -> Mind Shatter
Smash to Smithereens -> Blast from the Past
Momentary Blink -> Court Hussar
[COLOR=olive]10 "Karoo" Ravnica lands (Izzet Boilerworks)[/COLOR] -> Kjeldoran Outpost, Kor Haven, Shelldock Isle, Faerie Conclave, Volrath's Stronghold, Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, Treetop Village, Oran-Rief, the Vastwood, Barbarian Ring, Ghitu Encampment (I decided to remove the 'bouncelands' to make forcing 4/5CC harder and to make fixing have more of a premium. So far, I've been happy with the change.)
Inkwell Leviathan -> Rite of Replication (Unfortunately, Inkwell has become a card that gets play when Tinker in in the pool, since the Tinker player will eventually wheel it, but if Tinker's in the pool, Inkwell rides the bench and I don't want a card like that in my pool.)
Plaxcaster Frogling -> Lorescale Coatl
Goblin Legionnaire -> Soltari Guerrillas
Dismantling Blow -> Momentary Blink (Blink, I'm giving you one more chance.)
Decree of Pain -> Sorin Markov
Gaea's Cradle -> Mouth of Ronom (I felt that having the cradle as a non-colored land may not be fair to the other colors, because I never really saw it in non-green aggro decks.)
Hell's Thunder -> Fire Imp
Makeshift Mannequin -> Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
Lorescale Coatl -> Temporal Spring
Rite of Replication -> Jace, the Mindsculptor
Countryside Crusher + Hell's Thunder -> Ravenous Baboons + Plated Geopede
Overrun -> Acidic Slime
Triskelion -> Juggernaut
1/3/2009
Draining Whelk -> Sphinx of Jwar Isle
Jaya Ballard, Task Mage -> Crater Hellion
Slaughter Pact -> Nekrataal
Mind Shatter -> Decree of Pain
Mouth of Ronom -> Grand Coliseum
Slith Firewalker -> Goblin Patrol
Plague Sliver -> Phyrexian Scuta
Woodfall Primus -> Overrun
Skred -> Rift Bolt
Decree of Pain -> Oona's Prowler
Juggernaut -> Lodestone Golem
Imperious Perfect -> Lotus Cobra
Flickerwisp + Kor Sanctifiers -> White Knight + Silver Knight
Harm's Way -> Temporal Isolation
Overrun -> Kodama's Reach
Crater Hellion -> Fire Imp
Keldon Champion -> Comet Storm
Skyshroud Elite -> Arbor Elf
Kodama's Reach -> Omnath, Locus of Mana
Agony Warp -> Creeping Tar Pit
Glare of Subdual -> Loam Lion
Removal of:
Fires of Yavimaya, Shambling Remains, Creakwood Liege, Plaxmanta, Spectral Lynx, Goblin Legionnaire, Jilt, Undermine, Court Hussar and Loxodon Hierarch
Comet Storm -> Smash to Smithereens
Arbor Elf -> Albino Troll
Omnath, Locus of Mana -> Caller of the Claw
Sigil of Distinction -> Juggernaut
Opposition -> Bribery
Kumano, Master Yamabushi -> Crater Hellion
Imperious Perfect -> Kodama's Reach
Memory Jar -> Triskelion
Windbrisk Heights -> Kor Haven
Marshal's Anthem -> Gideon Jura
Temporal Isolation -> Student of Warfare
7/14/2010:
Duplicant -> Sword of Vengeance
Chimeric Idol -> Crystal Ball
Behemoth Sledge -> Loxodon Hierarch
Tidehollow Sculler -> Stillmoon Cavalier
Temporal Isolation -> Mana Tithe
Blade of the Sixth Pride -> Sun Titan
Vesuvan Shapeshifter -> Aether Adept
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni -> Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
Makeshift Mannequin -> Necromancy
Decree of Pain -> Grave Titan
Skittering Skirge -> Terror
Thunderblust -> Hell's Thunder
Smash to Smithereens -> Fireslinger
Rorix Bladewing -> Inferno Titan
Zo-Zu the Punisher -> Ember Hauler
Spur Grappler -> Sulfur Elemental -> Manic Vandal
Rampaging Baloths -> Fauna Shaman
Life from the Loam -> Cultivate
Necromancy -> Barter in Blood
[COLOR=olive]Erratic Portal[/COLOR] -> Sword of Body and Mind
Rude Awakening -> Mold Shambler
Ohran Viper -> Obstinate Baloth
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir -> Memory Lapse
Ancestral Vision -> Preordain
Hell's Thunder -> Burning of Xinye
Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief -> Plague Sliver
Stirring Wildwood -> Horizon Canopy
Triskelion -> Erratic Portal
Memory Lapse -> Desertion
Weathered Wayfarer -> Elspeth Tirel
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
(list not current)
My Cube Google Docs Spreadsheet: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AibgWfz0ukmOdDNhOHlucjcxUi1wVy00NDhLbDUtUlE&hl=en_US#gid=8
(list is always current)
Only suggestion I'd have is cut the Lava Hounds and add Skizzik.
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
Lava Hounds has been a new addition to the cube, but I can see that it could be a weak link in red. I haven't seen it played (granted, there's been just one cubing since then) but while I'm not 100% on cutting it... yet, I think that I should probably put in Hell's Thunder (possibly in place of Hammer of Bogardan?) and/or Skizzik.
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
Stormbind looks bad, maybe Hull Breach in its slot? Cards with built in 2 for 1 are good I hear.
How is Azorious Herald, seems kinda weak, I'm supprised by the lack of Irridescent Angel
Sedge Sliver has been fairly bad in my cube, unless your just looking for a 3/3 regenerater, don't expect it to sinergise with changling often (if anything it will probably just help your opponent who is playing chemeleon collosus)
How is blazing specter, it doesn't look bad acctualy. I might use it.
With the quality of multicolor in UB its a shame that you have Dimir Cutpurse in it, Maybe Lim'Dul's Vault (so fricken good) or Morrii, a huge beater.
Brion Stoutarm, I've seen this listed a few places. It doesn't look too bad, it acctualylooks like it makes predicting combat hard. Order/Chaos is a pretty good card if your looking for something else.
No complaints with B/W, or G/B.
Lots of complaints with G/U, though it isn't your fault that they refuse to print good g/u cards. But seriously you are doing just about as good as everyone else here.
Prophetic Bolt FTW!
Unmake>Gwylion Hedge-Mage
All your artifacts look pretty good, just a couple cards that I'm sad to not see. Heven help you the next time they print something you want to play here.
Lands look solid, don't know about Grand Collosium (I rather play gemstone mine), blasted landscape looks meh, and as we talked about Reflecting Pool, I dont like it. I have always wanted to put a vesuva in ladns just for the chance ofcopying a library of alxeandria and going to town.
Shaman en-Kor is fricken orgasmic, I need to make room for one.
Devout Witness looks kinda meh, I don't think White needs a grey ogre, I rather just play the spirit Ronum Unicorn from Kamigawa, whats its name.
Magus of the Disk vs Moat vs Tabernacle? Which is best?
Shinning Shoal is the only white spell I don't like. I rather see Wing Shard or Pulse of the Field in that slot.
Negate looks meh, there seems like theres better 2cc counters in that slot, maybe remand?
How often does forbid get bought back?
I would rather Opportunity be Stroke of Genius.
I'd probably play Nantuko Husk of Carion Feeder.
Chittering Rat? I like how you compare lots of cards to Memory Lapse which you don't play.
Chainer's Edict=Smother>Diabolic Edict
No Bitterblossom?
I think I've seen Hamemr regrown once before, defently worth chopping, your red looks good to me.
Same with your green, hows Vigor?
Also I suggest you go up to 450 cards, that would allow you to be able to support a 10 player draft (or do a 5 player sealed)
Calvin and Hobbes
Cube Tutor
Azorius Herald has been like a mini-Hierarch, Angel costs way too much. I'd rather run Grand Arbiter.
Running Sedge Sliver for the 3/3 for 3 ability, it won't help their changelings unless they have swamps.
Moroii may be worth a shot. Cutpurse, like I said, is much better than it looks as a "block me or die" but unlike Finkel, has no evasion of its own.
Brion Stoutarm has been amazing. Even as just a 4/4 for 4, it is very good, its lifelink and creature throwing are gravy.
Coliseum >>>>>>> Gemstone Mine, nothing is more awkward than a hand with a mine and a basic and trying to not have the mine die. I'd rather run vivids, Tendo Ice Bridge or Mirrodin's Core even.
Remand really isn't a counter.
Chittering Rats will be replaced by Undead Gladiator. Black's creatures are quite bad, it looks like. Puppeteer Clique will likely replace Okiba-Gang as it did a whole lot of nothing, and maybe Mirri the Cursed coming in somewhere along the lines.
I haven't seen Vigor played, I'm probably going to replace it with Weatherseed Treefolk. Its casting cost is unwieldy but it looks to be a beating.
I haven't done more than a 8 person draft yet, so I'm not up to making the leap to 450 yet.
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
Trading
I made some changes today based on what was said in this thread, thanks to all! I'm going to keep a change log on here according to the days so that people can talk about the changes and see the evolution of my cube over time... in case they're bored.
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
Teneb, the Harvester: Let there be life!
Drafting Aggro in the Cube: A Primer for Beginners
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
As there are a ton of draw effects with Ancestral Vision coming in, I'm trying something else in place of Deep Analysis: Clone. A friend said it was good in another friend's cube, so I'm giving it a shot. Blue's pretty flexible and there are a ton of cards to go in the slot that I would want to try (Pestermite being another one I'd want to try.)
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
I am also putting in a cycle for the "shard" cards, like Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker, Ethersworn Adjucator, Broodmate Dragon, Wild Nacatl and originally I was going to have Noble Hierarch but the idea behind the "not really tricolor but they're shard" cards is that they're not really worth playing in the decks otherwise (a 4U 4/4 that untaps isn't cubeworthy, especially for blue, Wild Nacatl isn't cubeworthy as a 1/1) but considering Noble Hierarch > Llanowar Elves and arguably others, Hierarch is probably going to be in green and UWG will be either Bant Charm or Rafiq of the Many. I'm also considering putting in Cliffrunner Behemoth as a green card as Juggernaut is good for aggro (although funny of me to say, because it's not in my cube, but I'd play it if I had the room) - especially without its catch (although I dunno how often the wall/changeling thing would come into play with Juggernaut.)
The vivid lands definitely are nice for the "tri color" cards and have been performing well in various decks overall as "better than a basic land" which they end up definitely being and are amazing with bouncelands.
I've added Shards cards to mine and I actually miscounted when I put artifacts up (it's about 47 when I saw in the thread) so when I get back from class tonight, I'm going to fix all of that up. I know that the "3 color" cycle is in, Raaka Mar, Noble Hierarch, Thornling, Path to Exile, Scepter of Dominance, Knight of the Reliquary, Shambling Remains, Martial Coup, Apocalypse Hydra, maybe Cliffrunner Behemoth too.)
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
UWG spot: Rafiq is a very fun card. It's not over the top strong, but it's worthy to splash to in some midrange decks and has seen play a few times already. In the last cube draft (2 days ago) a player made a comeback from a 9:30 life and in two turns: Phantom Nishoba (9/9 because the opponent had Crusade and Divine Sacrament), then Rafiq for 40 life swing.
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
Obelisk of Alara also should go in, although I'm not sure on what to take out. The only ones that I can think of are Grafted Wargear (although it definitely helps aggro, Sigil of Distinction arguably does the job much better) or Phyrexian Processor, the cutting of which just seems... wrong. [edit - so for now, I'm going to replace Grafted Wargear with Obelisk of Alara.)
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
Also, In my cube GWR is an archetype that doesn't really get drafted. Does it get drafted in yours?
I also include discussions about cards we took out, cards we banned, and cards we might add.
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
Shelldock Isle performed pretty well. We did a 2HG game and unfortunately screwed up on a trigger (put red Akroma out to block a Flameblast Dragon before its trigger *headdesk*) but aside from that, it's been very solid, definitely better to me than the other options.
The 5-color cycle has been working well. Ethersworn Adjudicator has been very good.
I've not been as impressed by Goblin Razerunners as I thought that I would be. The time when I did get it, I ended up cutting it because there were better things in the pool. I may add another X spell, but is 5 X spells for a 50 card section too many? I'm thinking so but I'm unsure. I've also been thinking of Ogre Arsonist in that slot.
I haven't been impressed by Yawgmoth's Bargain. Orim's Thunder will likely replace Soltari Guerillas.
I still feel that aggro has an inherently harder time than control in cube. I have made steps to make aggro more viable, but it seems that control still has an edge inherently. I may try to help aggro out more in the next update.
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
Yawgmoth's Bargain has a permanent home in my cube. It combines really well with Words of War (which is the most underrated card in the cube draft world IMO). Bargain is one of my favorite targets with Academy Rector and it's great with Seismic Assault. I regularly Show and Tell the Bargain into play, and then go on to win. If your cube contains cards like Necropotence, Dark Confidant, Phyrexian Arena and Graveborn Muse then it may seem underwhelming, but IMO... it's not. It has been anything but underwhelming in our cube.
It's cool to see how different cards interract with different people's cubes (and the playstyles of the players withing the groups). Bargain would't ever get cut out of my group's cube, so it's cool to see how different certain cubes and styles are from one another.
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My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
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My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
I also include discussions about cards we took out, cards we banned, and cards we might add.
Sometimes, the problem is that the players don't want to draft aggro. We have a wide enough pool of drafters that every archetype is being drafted (I mean literally, I can't think of a single archetype that hasn't been drafted), but it was a major problem in the beginning. What to do? Talk with them about it, I'm sure someone will volunteer to try. One successful deck is really all what's needed to change the draft habits.
Good to hear. I've just included it, but it does seem good on paper.
Bargain was solid for us, in the control vs. midrange or control vs. control.
Yea, for some reason WW was exceptionally good in my cube. It is constantly the underdog in testing, but it had three drafts unmatched, and now some players even consider it the best archetype in my cube There are some curves which just cannot be beaten (and somehow they just manage to draft ALL the relatively few white removals together)
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