I've been a big limited enthusiast since I started playing four or so years ago, and naturally the idea of owning my own cube appealed to me. In my humble opinion, the biggest problem with Magic is its relatively high cost, an issue that is particularly evident if one drafts (or worse, plays sealed) with great frequency - having a set pool of cards to draft from nullifies, or at least mitigates the price barrier. Of course, most cubes aren't cheap, and I lack the card base necessary to make a functioning "normal" cube without investing a considerable amount of money.
I considered a pauper cube instead, but then it occurred to me that many of the cards I really enjoyed playing with in limited were uncommons. Uncommons have the complexity and power that many commons lack without hosting too many of the back-breaking, unstoppable bombs that populate the rare and mythic spots. I set out to make a cube that captured that varied middle-ground, a cube that was interesting and multi-faceted without being too swingy (and cheap besides; I only spent about $40 on cards for it, although that amount was supplemented by my preexisting collection and some generous donations from friends). The product of my labor is listed below.
A preliminary note: Every card on this list has been issued by Wizards as an uncommon at some point during its existence. I attempted to get uncommon copies of as many as I could, but that isn't feasible in all cases - for example, Lu Xun, Scholar General was only released as an Uncommon in Masters Edition III, an online only product.
The Cube
Basic Information
Classification: Uncommon Cube
Size: 360 Cards
Standard Player Number: 4-8
Format: Draft, Rotisserie Draft, Sealed
Drafts Conducted: 12+
Color, Creature/Non-Creature Balanced: No
Statistics:
White – 48 (32 Creatures, 16 Spells)
Blue – 48 (28 Creatures, 20 Spells)
Black – 46 (28 Creatures, 18 Spells)
Red – 47 (27 Creatures, 20 Spells)
Green – 48 (30 Creatures, 18 Spells)
Multicolor – 54 (34 Creatures, 20 Spells)
Artifact – 40 (9 Creatures, 31 Other)
Land – 28
Colorless – 1
Thopter Foundry / Sword of the Meek / Tinker: When I first put the cube together, this was one of the centerpieces, a combo to help add variety to the standard aggro/control limited dynamic (some other combo elements, like black's reanimator theme and Silver Knight / Pyrohemia remain). Unfortunately, several of the people in my old play group complained that the combo was a near-instant win, and that the pieces did next to nothing by themselves. The first issue isn't a big issue for me - the powerful effect was a reward for focused drafting, and I was sure to include plenty of answers elsewhere in the cube - but the second was problematic. Ultimately, I shelved the combo, but I am willing to bring it back if new players seem amendable to it.
Maze of Ith: This monstrosity was actually an uncommon back in the dark days of The Dark. I toyed with the idea of including it, but in the end I decided that it is painfully unfun in limited, and having to take up land spots with answers like Tectonic Edge didn't seem worth it. Power-level concerns, not to mention pricing, have also kept out Berserk.
Enslave: Obviously a powerful option for black, but given that the color already has a high volume of two-for-one removal spells, I suspect that this card is kind of unnecessary. Besides, its omission allows the "steal" theme to remain firmly in blue.
War Priest of Thune: There are a lot of powerful enchantments in the cube and I originally included this guy as a means of giving white aggro decks an edge on their top-heavy, mind control-chucking opposition. However, when I reduce them number of steal effects in blue somewhat (there used to be way too many), I couldn't justify keeping him in, especially since white two-drops are already over-represented.
Transmogrifying Licid: I absolutely love this little guy, and I felt that he had a lot of utility in the cube - undying blocker, combat trick, really awkward Liquimetal Coating - but people never bothered to read him closely enough to figure out what he did, and eventually I got sick of seeing him languishing in sideboards.
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Thanks for taking a look! Please feel free to write any comments or critiques. This list has changed quite a bit from its original conception, and I'll expect it'll keep on changing, so I'm open to any ideas for new additions as well.
"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt
Thank you for the reformatting advice; I was having some difficulty setting the lists up in the way I wanted.
As for the comparison, the particular limitation on the card pool of this cube does mean that its power level is lower than a cube that incorporates rares and mythics (and some older commons, too, for that matter). For example, I've found that cards like Land Tax, Sol Ring, and Mana Drain warp the format too much based on their potency relative to the average power level of other uncommons. Additionally, a few cards on that list lose some of their luster when taken out of a "normal" cube environment, or just aren't playable at all - compared to a lot of cubes, for example, my mana fixing is light, making tricolor cards far more difficult to draft around.
Still, there are a number of cards on the second list I hadn't considered (or didn't know were Uncommon - good lord, Ancient Tomb). I appreciate the input, and thanks again for your formatting help.
Private Mod Note
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"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt
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I considered a pauper cube instead, but then it occurred to me that many of the cards I really enjoyed playing with in limited were uncommons. Uncommons have the complexity and power that many commons lack without hosting too many of the back-breaking, unstoppable bombs that populate the rare and mythic spots. I set out to make a cube that captured that varied middle-ground, a cube that was interesting and multi-faceted without being too swingy (and cheap besides; I only spent about $40 on cards for it, although that amount was supplemented by my preexisting collection and some generous donations from friends). The product of my labor is listed below.
A preliminary note: Every card on this list has been issued by Wizards as an uncommon at some point during its existence. I attempted to get uncommon copies of as many as I could, but that isn't feasible in all cases - for example, Lu Xun, Scholar General was only released as an Uncommon in Masters Edition III, an online only product.
The Cube
Classification: Uncommon Cube
Size: 360 Cards
Standard Player Number: 4-8
Format: Draft, Rotisserie Draft, Sealed
Drafts Conducted: 12+
Color, Creature/Non-Creature Balanced: No
Statistics:
White – 48 (32 Creatures, 16 Spells)
Blue – 48 (28 Creatures, 20 Spells)
Black – 46 (28 Creatures, 18 Spells)
Red – 47 (27 Creatures, 20 Spells)
Green – 48 (30 Creatures, 18 Spells)
Multicolor – 54 (34 Creatures, 20 Spells)
Artifact – 40 (9 Creatures, 31 Other)
Land – 28
Colorless – 1
White
1 Mother of Runes
//CMC-2
1 Accorder Paladin
1 Beloved Chaplain
1 Hand of Honor
1 Knight of Meadowgrain
1 Kor Aeronaut
1 Mistmeadow Skulk
1 Sigiled Paladin
1 Silver Knight
1 Wall of Omens
1 War Priest of Thune
1 White Shield Crusader
1 Flickerwisp
1 Nomad Decoy
1 Skyhunter Skirmisher
1 Slith Ascendant
1 Spirit en-Dal
1 Stonecloaker
1 Sunscape Battlemage
//CMC-4
1 Ballista Squad
1 Calciderm
1 Celestial Crusader
1 Glimmerpoint Stag
1 Lightkeeper of Emeria
1 Master Splicer
1 Serra Advocate
1 Taj-Nar Swordsmith
1 Wall of Swords
1 Cloudgoat Ranger
1 Serra Angel
1 Shattered Angel
1 Shepherd of the Lost
//CMC-6
1 Duskrider Peregrine
1 Armored Ascension
1 Ghostly Prison
1 Lashknife Barrier
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Prison Term
1 Charge Across the Araba
1 Condemn
1 Devouring Light
1 Emerge Unscathed
1 Hail of Arrows
1 Harm's Way
1 Otherworldly Journey
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Spectral Procession
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Enclave Cryptologist
//CMC-2
1 Azure Mage
1 Hada Spy Patrol
1 Plaxmanta
1 Willbender
//CMC-3
1 Gomazoa
1 Guard Gomazoa
1 Man-o'-War
1 Riptide Survivor
1 Stormscape Battlemage
1 Vedalken Anatomist
1 Wall of Frost
1 Darkslick Drake
1 Living Tsunami
1 Lu Xun, Scholar General
1 Master Thief
1 Merfolk Seastalkers
1 Nevermaker
1 Soratami Savant
1 Voyager Drake
1 Wing Splicer
1 Wonder
1 Air Servant
1 Cache Raiders
1 Riftwing Cloudskate
1 Spiketail Drake
//CMC-6
1 Brine Elemental
1 Jetting Glasskite
1 Annex
1 Domestication
1 Honden of Seeing Winds
1 Mind Control
1 Propaganda
1 Volition Reins
1 Careful Consideration
1 Complicate
1 Counterspell
1 Dismiss
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Hinder
1 Opportunity
1 Remand
1 Spin into Myth
1 Wipe Away
1 Mindculling
1 Sleep
1 Tidings
1 Wash Out
1 Black Knight
1 Cabal Interrogator
1 Dauthi Slayer
1 Dunerider Outlaw
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
1 Hand of Cruelty
1 Nezumi Graverobber
1 Reassembling Skeleton
//CMC-3
1 Arrogant Bloodlord
1 Bloodhusk Ritualist
1 Necrogen Scudder
1 Nirkana Cutthroat
1 Ogre Marauder
1 Vampire Nighthawk
1 Wall of Bone
1 Crypt Champion
1 Entomber Exarch
1 Howling Banshee
1 Order of Yawgmoth
1 Razorjaw Oni
1 Skinrender
1 Vampire Outcasts
//CMC-5
1 Corpse Connoisseur
1 Nested Ghoul
1 Sengir Vampire
1 Shriekmaw
1 Grixis Slavedriver
1 Phyrexian Gargantua
1 Genju of the Fens
//Instants
1 Dismember
1 Go for the Throat
1 Makeshift Mannequin
1 Smother
1 Sudden Death
1 Barter in Blood
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Consume Spirit
1 Corrupt
1 Dance of Shadows
1 Incremental Blight
1 Mind Sludge
1 Night's Whisper
1 Phthisis
1 Rise from the Grave
1 Stupor
1 Victimize
1 Blood Knight
1 Ember Hauler
1 Hellspark Elemental
1 Slith Firewalker
//CMC-3
1 Cunning Sparkmage
1 Ghost-Lit Raider
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Orcish Artillery
1 Thunderscape Battlemage
1 Viashino Heretic
1 Anger
1 Avalanche Riders
1 Dragon Whelp
1 Flametongue Kavu
1 Furnace Whelp
1 Keldon Champion
1 Lava Hounds
1 Oxidda Scrapmelter
1 Tormentor Exarch
1 Anarchist
1 Fire Servant
1 Glarewielder
//CMC-6
1 Inferno Elemental
1 Oni of Wild Places
1 Rapacious One
1 Spitebellows
1 Volcanic Dragon
1 Genju of the Spires
1 Lust for War
1 Pyrohemia
//Instants
1 Act of Aggression
1 Carbonize
1 Flame Javelin
1 Flames of the Blood Hand
1 Grab the Reins
1 Lightning Blast
1 Magma Jet
1 Sudden Shock
1 Sulfurous Blast
1 Arc Trail
1 Cone of Flame
1 Fireball
1 Jaws of Stone
1 Shivan Meteor
1 Slice and Dice
1 Surreal Memoir
1 Traitorous Instinct
1 Joraga Treespeaker
//CMC-2
1 Beastbreaker of Bala Ged
1 Jade Mage
1 River Boa
1 Scryb Ranger
//CMC-3
1 Carven Caryatid
1 Eternal Witness
1 Gloomwidow
1 Greenweaver Druid
1 Imperious Perfect
1 Leatherback Baloth
1 Thornscape Battlemage
1 Trophy Hunter
1 Yavimaya Dryad
1 Viridian Shaman
1 Briarhorn
1 Centaur Chieftain
1 Cudgel Troll
1 Phantom Centaur
1 Pouncing Wurm
1 Vital Splicer
//CMC-5
1 Acidic Slime
1 Bellowing Tanglewurm
1 Garruk's Packleader
1 Indrik Stomphowler
1 Stingerfling Spider
1 Baloth Woodcrasher
//CMC-7
1 Pelakka Wurm
1 Trolls of Tel-Jilad
//CMC-8
1 Walker of the Grove
1 Elephant Guide
1 Living Terrain
//Instants
1 Beast Attack
1 Beast Within
1 Hunter's Insight
1 Krosan Grip
1 Primal Bellow
1 Slice in Twain
1 Bestial Menace
1 Deep Reconnaissance
1 Explosive Vegetation
1 Howl of the Night Pack
1 Hunting Triad
1 Hunting Wilds
1 Incremental Growth
1 One Dozen Eyes
1 Overrun
1 Tower Above
1 Azorius Guildmage
1 Mistmeadow Witch
1 Plumeveil
1 Sky Hussar
1 Wall of Denial
1 Repel Intruders
White/Green
1 Enlisted Wurm
1 Juniper Order Ranger
1 Kitchen Finks
1 Qasali Ambusher
1 Selesnya Guildmage
1 Watchwolf
1 Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
1 Behemoth Sledge
1 Pollenbright Wings
1 Wax // Wane
Blue/Black
1 Inkfathom Infiltrator
1 Kathari Remnant
1 Moroii
1 Psychatog
1 Mask of Riddles
1 Spite // Malice
1 Twisted Justice
Black/Red
1 Ashenmoor Gouger
1 Deepfire Elemental
1 Rakdos Guildmage
1 Shambling Remains
1 Bituminous Blast
1 Torrent of Souls
Red/Green
1 Boggart Ram-Gang
1 Bloodbraid Elf
1 Vithian Renegades
1 Voracious Cobra
1 Assault // Battery
1 Firespout
1 Vengeful Rebirth
White/Red
1 Boros Swiftblade
1 Bull Cerodon
1 Hearthfire Hobgoblin
1 Spitemare
1 Lightning Helix
1 Order // Chaos
White/Black
1 Mortify
Blue/Red
1 Nucklavee
1 Electrolyze
1 Fire // Ice
Blue/Green
1 Lorescale Coatl
1 Trygon Predator
Black/Green
1 Canker Abomination
1 Cankerous Thirst
Other Multi-Colored
1 Giant Ambush Beetle
1 Marisi's Twinclaws
1 Rise // Fall
1 Slave of Bolas
1 Plague Myr
//CMC-3
1 Alloy Myr
1 Gargoyle Sentinel
1 Palladium Myr
1 Juggernaut
1 Peace Strider
1 Pierce Strider
1 Golem Artisan
//CMC-6
1 Darksteel Sentinel
1 Crystal Ball
1 Crystal Shard
1 Darksteel Axe
1 Foriysian Totem
1 Gorgon Flail
1 Grafted Wargear
1 Icy Manipulator
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Manriki-Gusari
1 Mask of Memory
1 Mind Stone
1 Phyrexian Totem
1 Puppet Strings
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Shrine of Burning Rage
1 Shrine of Loyal Legions
1 Sphere of the Suns
1 Strandwalker
1 Talisman of Dominance
1 Talisman of Impulse
1 Talisman of Indulgence
1 Talisman of Progress
1 Talisman of Unity
1 Thunder Totem
1 Trigon of Corruption
1 Trigon of Rage
1 Trusty Machete
1 Viridian Claw
1 Weatherseed Totem
1 Whispersilk Cloak
1 Arcane Sanctum
1 Barbarian Ring
1 Crumbling Necropolis
1 Dread Statuary
1 Faerie Conclave
1 Forbidding Watchtower
1 Ghitu Encampment
1 Graypelt Refuge
1 Jungle Shrine
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
1 Kazandu Refuge
1 Mishra's Factory
1 Pendelhaven
1 Prahv, Spires of Order
1 Savage Lands
1 Seaside Citadel
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Spawning Pool
1 Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
1 Treetop Village
1 Urza's Factory
1 Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree
1 Vivid Crag
1 Vivid Creek
1 Vivid Grove
1 Vivid Marsh
1 Vivid Meadow
-----------------------------------------
Cards Under Consideration and Comments
Thopter Foundry / Sword of the Meek / Tinker: When I first put the cube together, this was one of the centerpieces, a combo to help add variety to the standard aggro/control limited dynamic (some other combo elements, like black's reanimator theme and Silver Knight / Pyrohemia remain). Unfortunately, several of the people in my old play group complained that the combo was a near-instant win, and that the pieces did next to nothing by themselves. The first issue isn't a big issue for me - the powerful effect was a reward for focused drafting, and I was sure to include plenty of answers elsewhere in the cube - but the second was problematic. Ultimately, I shelved the combo, but I am willing to bring it back if new players seem amendable to it.
Maze of Ith: This monstrosity was actually an uncommon back in the dark days of The Dark. I toyed with the idea of including it, but in the end I decided that it is painfully unfun in limited, and having to take up land spots with answers like Tectonic Edge didn't seem worth it. Power-level concerns, not to mention pricing, have also kept out Berserk.
Enslave: Obviously a powerful option for black, but given that the color already has a high volume of two-for-one removal spells, I suspect that this card is kind of unnecessary. Besides, its omission allows the "steal" theme to remain firmly in blue.
War Priest of Thune: There are a lot of powerful enchantments in the cube and I originally included this guy as a means of giving white aggro decks an edge on their top-heavy, mind control-chucking opposition. However, when I reduce them number of steal effects in blue somewhat (there used to be way too many), I couldn't justify keeping him in, especially since white two-drops are already over-represented.
Transmogrifying Licid: I absolutely love this little guy, and I felt that he had a lot of utility in the cube - undying blocker, combat trick, really awkward Liquimetal Coating - but people never bothered to read him closely enough to figure out what he did, and eventually I got sick of seeing him languishing in sideboards.
------------------------------------------
Thanks for taking a look! Please feel free to write any comments or critiques. This list has changed quite a bit from its original conception, and I'll expect it'll keep on changing, so I'm open to any ideas for new additions as well.
As for the comparison, the particular limitation on the card pool of this cube does mean that its power level is lower than a cube that incorporates rares and mythics (and some older commons, too, for that matter). For example, I've found that cards like Land Tax, Sol Ring, and Mana Drain warp the format too much based on their potency relative to the average power level of other uncommons. Additionally, a few cards on that list lose some of their luster when taken out of a "normal" cube environment, or just aren't playable at all - compared to a lot of cubes, for example, my mana fixing is light, making tricolor cards far more difficult to draft around.
Still, there are a number of cards on the second list I hadn't considered (or didn't know were Uncommon - good lord, Ancient Tomb). I appreciate the input, and thanks again for your formatting help.