***I am no longer updating the change log in this thread. However, the card list WILL be kept current, as will my deckstats list and cubetutor list.***
This Cube has been built for 2-man "Winston" drafting. Giving credit where credit is due, I relied heavily on wtwlf123's and Sexyindiancurry's cubes for a "good stuff" list to start my cube. Since then, I credit everyone in this forum for helping to make it better -- last but perhaps most is eidolon232. His statistics are immensely helpful.
Purpose: 2-man Winston Draft
Size: 300 cards.
Breakdown: 33 of each color, 27 Non-basic land (excluding guilded lands), 38 Artifacts, 40 guilded (4 for each guild)
9/5/2011 - Built the cube this weekend. Taught my 6-year old son how to draft a decent deck and he pretty well all, things considered. We probably drafted this cube 10 times during the weekend, playing a match after each draft. It seems like control is ridiculously easy (and temping) to draft because there are a ton of control cards in the cube. However, I wanted to see how a good aggro deck would fare so I forced a red/green build and it did fairly well. Looking at my cube, does it support aggro enough?
9/24/2011 Changes
The goal with these changes was to make White, Green, and Red more aggressive, and to update card quality in general
9/27/11 Update: I'm pleased to say that these changes have made aggressive decks much more powerful in the cube. Naya colors are doing quite well. Red is no longer a splash-only color and pairs nicely with White and/or Green in aggressive decks.
Hedge Troll, while useful, is too much control and not enough aggro. Plus Pridemage blows sh!t up.
10/15 Changes
Many of the guilded cards were very weak. I cut down the number by 1 for each guild and and each color gained 2 cards. Also, there were some upgrades to the cards in some guilds as well.
I just don't have enough planeswalkers in the cube to make the vamp worth it. She has barely seen play and never used her ability. BB is pretty bad for just a 2/1 First Striker, so in comes the aggro ghoul.
I've found that you almost never want to suffer the card disadvantage of using Contagion's alternate casting cost, at which point Consuming Vapors becomes better IMO.
We'll see how these changes work out. I'm a fan of both Consult and LDV, so I'm curious about their replacement (which everyone else seems to run in their cubes).
Skullclamp was definitely coming in once I got around to acquiring one; the decision of what to remove was between Basilisk Collar and Loxodon Warhammer. I decided to keep the Warhammer in because it served nearly the same purpose as the Collar (since +3/+0 would likely raise any damage dealt to lethal for most cube creatures anyway) but served Aggro strategies better than Collar with its power boost and Trample.
I waffled a bit over whether to remove the Swiftblade or the Skyknight Legionnaire. I thought that since the Legionnaire was flying and haste, that it was more consistently good than the Swiftblade -- which is only good when you have equipment (at which point it's insane).
Preordain is just better 99% of the time. Kidding! I needed the cash and was always paranoid about playing with the Beta Recall anyway, so I sold it on eBay and stuck Preordain in its place.
Not that Manalith was great to begin with, but Vessel is almost always a little better in that it can occasionally hose a reanimation strategy or recycle one of your own good cards (assuming you have tutor or shuffle effects in your deck). My son got it in a pack and was happy that we could put it into the cube
Gigapede always seemed too slow and weak in doing what it was originally put into the Cube for: be a recursive beater. Shroud is great, but not really a saving grace on a 5 cmc creature with a toughness of 1. Instead, Wall of Roots comes in to help mid-range and control decks with a blocker that provides double-duty as ramp.
Chronarch rarely saw play since he's really just an overcosted Call to Mind in the decks that want him. Gelectrode should provide more of the pop that UR is looking for.
I decided that having a card that would only realistically ETB via Tinker was too narrow. I like Manalith as color fixing for control decks (at least until I get a Coalition Relic and Darksteel Ingot/Coldsteel Heart), so back in it goes.
Necropotence was really just a placeholder and Grave Titan, of course, is an all-star. No doubt that Necropotence is a powerful card, it's just not a great cube card (at 270 in Winston draft, anyway).
I'm shifting green from a weenie aggro and mid-range strategy to a mid-range and ramp strategy. White, red, and black will keep flying the weenie aggro banner.
After considering cutting Ghitu Encampment, Goblin Patrol, or Fire Imp, I think that the two creatures are more in line with red's strategy than the manland. You don't want to play the Encampment turn one or two, since red wants to be playing a 1-drop on turn 1 followed by a 2-drop on turn 2. As the game goes on, a 2/1 gets worse and worse, so you don't really want it in the late game either.
I already have two red X spells in Devil's Play and Earthquake, so I think that Fireball is the cut here. It takes a lot of mana to get anything out of Fireball's ability to hit multiple targets.
The mox was never played. Nobody wanted to deal with the card disadvantage, and in Winston drafting decks usually end up 3-color -- so the mox rarely provided true fixing. Gemstone Mine will be much better, especially for three-color decks.
Again, better color fixing. Both ETBT, so there's no affect on tempo as a result of this change. It does make various cards that rely on land types, lands entering the battlefield, and shuffling effects worse, but I think I'm willing to accept that.
Flood is a pet card of mine, but the reality is that the ability costs too much blue mana. I feel that Crystal Shard will function similarly, while also enabling ETB shenanigans.
I'm continuing to push black-based aggro, and trying to weed out more narrow cards. Exhume is only situationally good unless you happen to be able to draft a dedicated reanimator deck. Otherwise, your opponent might be returning something good themselves.
As mentioned in my [controversial] "This or That?" posting, I'm making the change to Survival. I don't have enough Loam support in the cube as it stands, and it's not an archetype I'm willing to stretch to support at 270.
Sledge only made it into G/W decks when they had no other equipment. Good riddance! The Dryad should do good work while randomly hosing Snapcaster Mage.
Conclave just hasn't done enough. It's anti-tempo since it ETBT, and blue aggro isn't supported in this cube. Post-wrath you want something bigger than a 2/1. Man-o'-War, on the other hand, is a nice little tempo play that can stall in control decks.
Finkel's back! I decided that blue (especially) and black had enough finishers for my small cube. Jonny Magic will support control and mid-range strategies.
Order is actually really good in Winston because your opponent is usually in White if you're in Black, and they're usually control if you're aggro. Still, I think that Pack Rat will play out better. The card is really strong.
Control needs more wrath effects (truthfully), and the wall was not really that effective against a good aggro deck that puts multiple threats out at a time.
Green has shifted to ramp and mid-range in my cube, so while the Ledgewalker is gross with equipment, I think it doesn't stand up well enough on its own. The other option was Yeva, Nature's Herald. Thoughts?
Let's see if we can make blue aggro/tempo work. Fettergeist, which is anti-tempo, will be evaluated with the fact that it could be Serendib Efreet instead. I just need to convince myself that a 3/4 flyer for 2U is good in cube before I crack the case on my BGS-slabbed Serendib (it's only an 8.5).
I have found it a real challenge to make aggro viable.
Because the moxen are so easily obtained, it's very easy for a control deck to do something like land - mox - signet - go, which totally trumps an aggro deck's opening of pup - go.
I'd put Armageddon (and Ravages of War) if you have it as additional mana disruption.
And lots of fraggles (creatures that blow up an artifact when they ETB), as yet more mana disruption, and importantly, equipment.
And I would reccommend radical surgery, followed by purging, followed by bloodletting, followed by leeches for your guild section. But that's just me.
I have found it a real challenge to make aggro viable.
Because the moxen are so easily obtained, it's very easy for a control deck to do something like land - mox - signet - go, which totally trumps an aggro deck's opening of pup - go.
I'd put Armageddon (and Ravages of War) if you have it as additional mana disruption.
And lots of fraggles (creatures that blow up an artifact when they ETB), as yet more mana disruption, and importantly, equipment.
And I would recommend radical surgery, followed by purging, followed by bloodletting, followed by leeches for your guild section. But that's just me.
Since I only have the two moxen (Diamond and Chrome), I haven't had an issue with fast starts yet.
I'll stick an Armageddon in there when I can get another. I traded my only one a few months ago, and haven't gotten another.
Re: Fraggles, I know that I can add a Manic Vandal to Red. I have quite a few in Green already. I'll see if there are any others that seem to be missing.
I certainly agree re: the guild section. There's a lot of weird stuff in there -- mostly because I don't happen to own a lot of the staples normally used (Pernicious Deed, Vindicate, Raging Ravine et al, etc.). Orzhov is particularly bad in this regard. I'll definitely work on this part of the cube, although I have been pleasantly surprised by a few of the obscure cards.
I made a lot of card changes in an effort to improve the viability aggro decks -- see post #3. I took most of SexyIndianCurry's advice, above (thanks! :)).
Hopefully this will help the cube matchups from being control vs. control, which most of them have been so far.
I am not the great at these uber small cubes, but I can tell you right now, these would make it. I'm almost certain of it.
I'm seriously considering cutting down card count in the guilds since my card quality there is so low, and giving the straight colors some more slots. The card quality is getting to the point where I'm cutting good cards to fit in better ones. I don't want to increase the cube size at this point because 100% of the drafting I'm doing right now is Winston draft.
I'm seriously considering cutting down card count in the guilds since my card quality there is so low, and giving the straight colors some more slots. The card quality is getting to the point where I'm cutting good cards to fit in better ones. I don't want to increase the cube size at this point because 100% of the drafting I'm doing right now is Winston draft.
I do agree that your guild cards are very weak. I have only one card in each color that I'm actually excited to play. Furthermore, many of the guild cards sees even less play in winston draft than normal draft. I would try to drastically cut the number of guild cards to 2.
The Fanatic was often a do-little card... just a chump blocker that got in for a point of damage. Red likes its one-drops to have two power. I'm not 100% confident about this change, but we'll see if it hurts or helps red aggro.
Hedge Troll, while useful, is too much control and not enough aggro. Plus Pridemage blows sh!t up.
My 6 year-old continues to get lucky with pulls. I bought him (2) Innistrad packs today -- the only ones we've bought at all so far -- and he pulled a Snapcaster Mage in one. Since he and I enjoy cubing together, he has offered up the Mage for the Cube So... what to cut? My initial thought is Waterfront Bouncer but I really hate to further dilute the discard enablers. Too much more, and I'll probably have to drop the reanimator strategy. Plus, bouncer can be quite useful on his own. Thoughts?
Hey there here are some observations on your artifact section:
- How come you're playing Manalith? Darksteel Ingot is strictly better, and isn't really good enough either. Coalition Relic on the other hand should be on your wants list! (I checked your trades)
-Banshee's Blade is rubbish. There are a bunch of equipments that should come in way before it, but I see you're running most of the good ones. Maybe too many equipments for a 260 card cube?
-Jalum Tome. Seriously, this is so bad.
-You're missing what could likely be the most powerful artifact creature: Wurmcoil Engine. It's just such a beating. Try to get one if you can. Also Molten-tail Masticore!
Also, to give green a bit of a boost, I'd try to get hold of Plow Under. It may be the most douchey card ever, but it's a favourite here.
- How come you're playing Manalith? Darksteel Ingot is strictly better, and isn't really good enough either. Coalition Relic on the other hand should be on your wants list! (I checked your trades)
I don't have a Darksteel Ingot or Coalition Relic (traded them to those "silly EDH'ers" before I made the cube and started playing EDH :rolleyes:), so the Manalith went in for easy fixing. It's pretty slow, but until I get the Relic it'll do. I'll add the Relic to my wants list, though.
-Banshee's Blade is rubbish. There are a bunch of equipments that should come in way before it, but I see you're running most of the good ones. Maybe too many equipments for a 260 card cube?
I guess you're right, because it usually sits on the sideboard when it's drafted. I think I'll change it out for Batterskull, or perhaps just cut the slot entirely for non-equipment.
-You're missing what could likely be the most powerful artifact creature: Wurmcoil Engine. It's just such a beating. Try to get one if you can. Also Molten-tail Masticore!
Also, to give green a bit of a boost, I'd try to get hold of Plow Under. It may be the most douchey card ever, but it's a favourite here.
I have been close to trading for that card a couple of times, but it's hard for me to justify the price for such a crap card (IMO) when I can get so much other stuff at the same price point. Eventually.
Ok so Jalum tome costs 5 mana to cast and activate once, and you don't even get any card advantage from it. It's just really expensive card filtering. Compare it to any one of the blue looters (Merfolk Looter, Enclave Crypologist, Looter-il-kor, and you'll see how bad a deal you're getting.
The best comparison however is to Crystal Ball (which I see you're not running), as it has a similar cost and a comparable effect. Crystal Ball has the same CMC, but costs one less to activate. Which is better, scry 2 or a looter effect? I would go with the scry 2, as it improves your draws imensely. With the tome, when you're in topdeck mode, you have to draw your card for the turn and if you don't like it THEN pay 2 to activate the tome, whereas with the Crystal Ball you can activate it at the end of your opponent's turn.
Good changes overall. I feel Old Man of the Sea, Overrun and Darksteel Colossus are pretty loose for 260 though...
I'm trying out Overrun since it's such a bomb in core set Limited. You're probably right, though.GGG is pretty tough in my cube anyway, since decks are often 3 colors (a product of Winston drafting, I think). Darksteel Colossus is another Tinker target; Blightsteel is better but he's in a deck. Wurmcoil Engine is better yet but I don't have one yet.
As for Old Man of the Sea, well he's just a personal favorite. He's been cut before and may get cut again. I know that he's substandard.
Green has 2 other Overruns already, attached to Garruk 1 and Garruk 3. So you can still get the effect without running a card that's so narrow.
As for the Tinker target, there are better Tinker targets available for the cube that are good in multiple decks, not just Tinker ones. Wurmcoil Engine, Myr Battlesphere and Sundering Titan are all a lot more versatile. There's also Inkwell Leviathan too, who can be hardcast in ramping control decks and reanimated too, in addition to being a Tinker target. Just food for thought.
Hmm... Myr Battlesphere is in the cube, I just left it out of the list somehow. Good point re: Inkwell Leviathan... I'll see if I can fit that in as well (hopefully without cutting Old Man ;)).
I just don't have enough planeswalkers in the cube to make the vamp worth it. She has barely seen play and never used her ability. BB is pretty bad for just a 2/1 First Striker, so in comes the aggro ghoul.
This Cube has been built for 2-man "Winston" drafting. Giving credit where credit is due, I relied heavily on wtwlf123's and Sexyindiancurry's cubes for a "good stuff" list to start my cube. Since then, I credit everyone in this forum for helping to make it better -- last but perhaps most is eidolon232. His statistics are immensely helpful.
Purpose: 2-man Winston Draft
Size: 300 cards.
Breakdown: 33 of each color, 27 Non-basic land (excluding guilded lands), 38 Artifacts, 40 guilded (4 for each guild)
Powered?: No
Portal?: Yes (Fire Imp)
Un cards?: No
Banned cards: None
Functional reprints?: Yes (Savannah Lions and Elite Vanguard, for example)
Snow?: No
Proxies?: No
Creatures
1x Elite Vanguard
1x Savannah Lions
1x Steppe Lynx
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1x Student of Warfare
1x Soldier of the Pantheon
//2CC//
1x Soltari Priest
1x Wall of Omens
1x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1x Porcelain Legionnaire
1x Stoneforge Mystic
1x Exalted Angel
1x Blade Splicer
1x Silverblade Paladin
1x Mirran Crusader
1x Mirror Entity
//4CC//
1x Kor Sanctifiers
1x Hero of Bladehold
1x Restoration Angel
1x Cloudgoat Ranger
1x Reveillark
//6CC//
1x Sun Titan
Non-creatures
1x Path to Exile
1x Swords to Plowshares
1x Enlightened Tutor
//2CC//
1x Balance
1x Seal of Cleansing
1x Disenchant
1x Journey to Nowhere
1x Oblivion Ring
1x Banishing Light
1x Ajani, Caller of the Pride
//4CC//
1x Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1x Day of Judgment
1x Wrath of God
1x Faith’s Fetters
1x Armageddon
1x Gideon Jura
Creatures
1x Waterfront Bouncer
1x Snapcaster Mage
1x Phantasmal Image
//3CC//
1x Vendilion Clique
1x Man-o'-War
1x Aether Adept
1x Fettergeist
1x Venser, Shaper Savant
1x Sower of Temptation
1x Glen Elendra Archmage
//5CC//
1x Mulldrifter
1x Meloku the Clouded Mirror
1x Sphinx of Jwar Isle
Non-creatures
1x Force of Will
1x Shelldock Isle
//1CC//
1x Ponder
1x Preordain
1x Mystical Tutor
1x Force Spike
1x Brainstorm
//2CC//
1x Miscalculation
1x Mana Drain
1x Counterspell
1x Mana Leak
1x Daze
1x Remand
1x Memory Lapse
1x Frantic Search
1x Vedalken Shackles
1x Crystal Shard
1x Tinker
//4CC//
1x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1x Deep Analysis
1x Fact or Fiction
1x Control Magic
1x Cryptic Command
1x Treachery
//6CC//
1x Upheaval
//XCC//
1x Condescend
Creatures
1x Carnophage
1x Bloodsoaked Champion
1x Diregraf Ghoul
1x Gravecrawler
1x Tormented Hero
1x Gnarled Scarhide
1x Bloodghast
1x Pack Rat
1x Nezumi Graverobber
1x Dark Confidant
1x Oona's Prowler
1x Vampire Nighthawk
1x Bone Shredder
//4CC//
1x Nekrataal
1x Skinrender
//5CC//
1x Shriekmaw
1x Grave Titan
Non-creatures
1x Vampiric Tutor
1x Thoughtseize
1x Dismember
1x Inquisition of Kozilek
1x Reanimate
//2CC//
1x Go for the Throat
1x Hymn to Tourach
1x Animate Dead
1x Terror
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Bitterblossom
1x Necromancy
1x Toxic Deluge
1x Recurring Nightmare
1x Hero's Downfall
1x Liliana of the Veil
1x Phyrexian Arena
//4CC//
1x Damnation
1x Consuming Vapors
1x Snuff Out
1x Mind Twist
Creatures
1x Jackal Pup
1x Monastery Swiftspear
1x Grim Lavamancer
1x Goblin Guide
1x Spikeshot Elder
1x Firedrinker Satyr
//2CC//
1x Keldon Marauders
1x Hellspark Elemental
1x War-Name Aspirant
1x Plated Geopede
1x Stormblood Berserker
1x Lightning Mauler
1x Keldon Vandals
1x Manic Vandal
1x Fire Imp
1x Prophetic Flamespeaker
//4CC//
1x Flametongue Kavu
1x Avalanche Riders
1x Hero of Oxid Ridge
1x Siege-Gang Commander
1x Thundermaw Hellkite
Non-creatures
1x Lightning Bolt
1x Rift Bolt
1x Forked Bolt
1x Burst Lightning
1x Chain Lightning
1x Firebolt
1x Arc Trail
1x Incinerate
1x Magma Jet
//3CC//
1x Staggershock
1x Char
1x Flames of the Firebrand
1x Arc Lightning
1x Koth of the Hammer
1x Chandra, Pyromaster
//5CC//
1x Chandra Nalaar
//XCC//
1x Earthquake
Creatures
1x Treetop Village
//1CC//
1x Llanowar Elves
1x Fyndhorn Elves
1x Birds of Paradise
1x Joraga Treespeaker
1x Elvish Mystic
1x Arbor Elf
//2CC//
1x Wall of Roots
1x Sakura-Tribe Elder
1x Sylvan Ranger
1x Wild Mongrel
1x Scavenging Ooze
1x Sylvan Caryatid
1x Rofellos, Llanoware Emissary
1x Viridian Shaman
1x Eternal Witness
1x Uktabi Orangutan
1x Troll Ascetic
1x Call of the Herd
1x Yavimaya Elder
1x Reclamation Sage
//4CC//
1x Blastoderm
1x Polukranos, World Eater
1x Thrun, the Last Troll
1x Acidic Slime
1x Deranged Hermit
1x Vorapede
//8CC//
1x Woodfall Primus
Non-creatures
1x Rancor
//2CC//
1x Regrowth
1x Survival of the Fittest
1x Sylvan Library
1x Farseek
1x Cultivate
1x Kodama's Reach
//4CC//
1x Bramblecrush
1x Garruk Wildspeaker
1x Plow Under
1x Spellskite
1x Palladium Myr
1x Phyrexian Metamorph
1x Lodestone Golem
1x Solemn Simulacrum
1x Molten-tail Masticore
1x Precursor Golem
1x Sundering Titan
1x Myr Battlesphere
1x Wurmcoil Engine
Equipment
1x Skullclamp
1x Bonesplitter
1x Umezawa’s Jitte
1x Grafted Wargear
1x Sword of Fire and Ice
1x Sword of Light and Shadow
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Sword of War and Peace
1x Sword of Body and Mind
1x Batterskull
Mana
1x Mind Stone
1x Mox Diamond
1x Chrome Mox
1x Everflowing Chalice
1x Mana Vault
1x Sol Ring
1x Grim Monolith
1x Coldsteel Heart
1x Coalition Relic
1x Chromatic Lantern
1x Worn Powerstone
1x Black Vise
1x Pithing Needle
1x Sensei’s Divining Top
1x Winter Orb
1x Ankh of Mishra
1x Mimic Vat
1x Tangle Wire
1x Nevinyrral’s Disk
1x Icy Manipulator
1x Engineered Explosives
Land
1x Volcanic Island
1x Tropical Island
1x Tundra
1x Underground Sea
1x Savannah
1x Taiga
1x Bayou
1x Badlands
1x Plateau
1x Scrubland
1x Blood Crypt
1x Temple Garden
1x Watery Grave
1x Hallowed Fountain
1x Stomping Ground
1x Sacred Foundry
1x Breeding Pool
1x Steam Vents
1x Godless Shrine
1x Overgrown Tomb
1x Flooded Strand
1x Windswept Heath
1x Bloodstained Mire
1x Wooded Foothills
1x Misty Rainforest
1x Arid Mesa
1x Scalding Tarn
1x Verdant Catacombs
1x Marsh Flats
1x Ancient Tomb
1x Wasteland
1x Strip Mine
1x Mishra’s Factory
1x City of Brass
1x Mutavault
1x Gemstone Mine
1x Mana Confluence
1x Maze of Ith
1x Rakdos Cackler
1x Murderous Redcap
1x Falkenrath Aristocrat
Selesnya
1x Qasali Pridemage
1x Kitchen Finks
1x Dryad Militant
Dimir
1x Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
1x Psychatog
1x Shadowmage Infiltrator
Azorius
1x Celestial Colonnade
1x Detention Sphere
1x Supreme Verdict
1x Kird Ape
1x Bloodbraid Elf
1x Kessig Wolf Run
Boros
1x Figure of Destiny
1x Boros Charm
1x Ajani Vengeant
Simic
1x Edric, Spymaster of Trest
1x Trygon Predator
1x Mystic Snake
Izzet
1x Steam Augury
1x Electrolyze
1x Izzet Charm
1x Vindicate
1x Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
1x Lingering Souls
Golgari
1x Maelstrom Pulse
1x Pernicious Deed
1x Lotleth Troll
No love for the manduals?
9/5/2011 - Built the cube this weekend. Taught my 6-year old son how to draft a decent deck and he pretty well all, things considered. We probably drafted this cube 10 times during the weekend, playing a match after each draft. It seems like control is ridiculously easy (and temping) to draft because there are a ton of control cards in the cube. However, I wanted to see how a good aggro deck would fare so I forced a red/green build and it did fairly well. Looking at my cube, does it support aggro enough?
9/24/2011 Changes
The goal with these changes was to make White, Green, and Red more aggressive, and to update card quality in general
Green
-Wall of Roots
-Centaur Glade
+Sakura-Tribe Elder
+Blastoderm
Blue
-Time Elemental
+Venser, Shaper Savant
Black
-Gravebane Zombie
-Nantuko Shade
-Dark Ritual
+Dauthi Horror
+Oona's Prowler
+Shriekmaw
White
-Soltari Foot Soldier
-Soltari Trooper
-White Knight
-Soltari Visionary
-Aven Mindcensor
-Ghostly Prison
-Serra Angel
-Austere Command
+Steppe Lynx
+Savannah Lions
+Accorder Paladin
+Thermal Glider
+Calciderm
+Cloudgoat Ranger
+Reveillark
+Catastrophe
Red
-Goblin Fireslinger
-Gorilla Shaman
-Squee, Goblin Nabob
-Dragon Whelp
-Magma Phoenix (might return someday; I like him)
-Tephraderm (might return someday; I like him)
-Shivan Dragon
-Fanning the Flames
+Jackal Pup
+Keldon Marauders
+Hellspark Elemental
+Keldon Vandals
+Manic Vandal
+Fire Imp
+Flametongue Kavu
+Avalanche Riders
9/27/11 Update: I'm pleased to say that these changes have made aggressive decks much more powerful in the cube. Naya colors are doing quite well. Red is no longer a splash-only color and pairs nicely with White and/or Green in aggressive decks.
9/25/11 Change
-Cunning Sparkmage
+Stormblood Berserker
9/26/11 Change
-Vesuvan Doppelganger
+Morphling
9/27/11 Change
-Cudgel Troll
+Troll Ascetic
10/1/11 Changes
-Tezzeret the Seeker
+Treachery
-Thirst for Knowledge
+Meloku, the Clouded Mirror
-Old Man of the Sea
+Vedalken Shackles
-Kor Hookmaster
+Exalted Angel
-Mogg Fanatic
+Siege-Gang Commander
10/2/11 Changes
-Terramorphic Expanse
+Wooded Foothills
Yea! Fetch set complete.
-Selesnya Signet
+Kitchen Finks
G/W wants to spend the turn casting beaters, not mana fixing
-Hedge Troll
+Qasali Pridemage
Hedge Troll, while useful, is too much control and not enough aggro. Plus Pridemage blows sh!t up.
10/15 Changes
Many of the guilded cards were very weak. I cut down the number by 1 for each guild and and each color gained 2 cards. Also, there were some upgrades to the cards in some guilds as well.
1x Balduvian Dead1x Riot Spikes1x Ranger En-Vec1x Dimir Guildmage1x Plumes of Peace1x Gruul Signet1x Assault/Battery1x Duergar Mine-Captain1x Lorescale Coatl1x Minotaur Illusionist1x Beckon Apparition1x Mourning Thrull1x Castigate1x Orzhov Pontiff1x Odious Trow1x Rendclaw Trow1x Shambling Shell1x Hag Hedge Mage.
.
Here's what came in for each color:
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1x Student of Warfare
Blue
1x Snapcaster Mage
1x Old Man of the Sea
1x Damnation
1x Dismember
Green
1x Woodfall Primus
1x Overrun
1x Grim Lavamancer
1x Staggershock
Colorless
---Removed
1x Banshee's Blade
1x Darksteel Colossus
10/22/2011 Changes:
White
-Thermal Glider
+Stoneforge Mystic
Thermal Glider has been decent, but I think SFM is clearly better given the equipment typically available.
Black
+Diregraf Ghoul
-Vampire Hexmage
I just don't have enough planeswalkers in the cube to make the vamp worth it. She has barely seen play and never used her ability. BB is pretty bad for just a 2/1 First Striker, so in comes the aggro ghoul.
Red
-Barbarian Ring
+Goblin Guide
While I like Barbarian Ring in theory (and certainly in a dedicated red deck), the reality was that decks using it often did not hit Threshold.
Green
-Overrun
+Skinshifter
The 'shifter may be swapped out yet again when a nice G update comes.
Rakdos
-Kathari Bomber
+Lavaclaw Reaches
The Bomber has been pretty good, but I think that the manland is the better card. Plus, I need more targets for my non-basic hate.
Gruul
-Vithian Renegades
+Raging Ravine
Golgari
-Golgari Guildmage
+Maelstrom Pulse
Better card in BG, and worth splashing for.
10/23/2011 Changes:
Black
-Contagion
+Consuming Vapors
I've found that you almost never want to suffer the card disadvantage of using Contagion's alternate casting cost, at which point Consuming Vapors becomes better IMO.
Green
-Elves of Deep Shadow
+Plow UnderFoil (8th)
Rakdos
-Kathari Bomber
+Lavaclaw Reaches
Izzet
-Petrahydrox
+Prophetic Bolt
Izzet Chronarch supports the strategy/cardpool behind UR much more than Petrahydrox did, so he stays.
Dimir
-Consult the Necrosages
+Shadowmage Infiltrator
-Lim-Dul's Vault
+Psychatog
We'll see how these changes work out. I'm a fan of both Consult and LDV, so I'm curious about their replacement (which everyone else seems to run in their cubes).
Azorius
-Prahv, Spires of Order
+Wall of Denial
-Minister of Impediments
+Absorb
I'm *so* glad to finally get rid of these two cards.
Simic
-Assault Zeppelid
-Winged Coatl
+Mystic Snake
+Simic Sky Swallower
1/22/2012 Change:
-Zuran Orb
+Molten-Tail Masticore
All too often, Zuran Orb just sat in the sideboard. Masticore will see plenty of play.
1/29/2012 Change:
-Basilisk Collar
+Skullclamp
Skullclamp was definitely coming in once I got around to acquiring one; the decision of what to remove was between Basilisk Collar and Loxodon Warhammer. I decided to keep the Warhammer in because it served nearly the same purpose as the Collar (since +3/+0 would likely raise any damage dealt to lethal for most cube creatures anyway) but served Aggro strategies better than Collar with its power boost and Trample.
2/8/2012 Change:
-Shadowmage Infiltrator
+Lim-Dul's Vault
Turns out that attacking for 1 with a semi-fragile body is not what UB wants to do, even with the card draw. The Vault gets control what it needs NOW.
2/10/2012 Change:
-Boros Swiftblade
+Figure of Destiny
I waffled a bit over whether to remove the Swiftblade or the Skyknight Legionnaire. I thought that since the Legionnaire was flying and haste, that it was more consistently good than the Swiftblade -- which is only good when you have equipment (at which point it's insane).
4/28/2012 Change:
-Darksteel Colossus
+Blightsteel Colossus
5/25/2012 Change:
-Ancestral Recall
+Preordain
Preordain is just better 99% of the time. Kidding! I needed the cash and was always paranoid about playing with the Beta Recall anyway, so I sold it on eBay and stuck Preordain in its place.
5/29/2012 Change:
-Manalith
+Vessel of Endless Rest
Not that Manalith was great to begin with, but Vessel is almost always a little better in that it can occasionally hose a reanimation strategy or recycle one of your own good cards (assuming you have tutor or shuffle effects in your deck). My son got it in a pack and was happy that we could put it into the cube
(I still need an extra Coalition Relic and/or Darksteel Ingot!)
6/1/2012 Change:
-Gigapede
+Wall of Roots
Gigapede always seemed too slow and weak in doing what it was originally put into the Cube for: be a recursive beater. Shroud is great, but not really a saving grace on a 5 cmc creature with a toughness of 1. Instead, Wall of Roots comes in to help mid-range and control decks with a blocker that provides double-duty as ramp.
6/2/2012 Change:
-Izzet Chronarch
+Gelectrode
Chronarch rarely saw play since he's really just an overcosted Call to Mind in the decks that want him. Gelectrode should provide more of the pop that UR is looking for.
6/4/2012 Changes:
White
+Restoration Angel
Blue
+Shelldock Isle
Black
+Necropotence until I can trade for a Recurring Nightmare
Red
+Lightning Mauler
Green
+Bramblecrush
Land
+Evolving Wilds Not ideal, but not the worst. Need to snag a 5th Gemstone Mine or other rainbow land.
Mana Artifact
+Everflowing Chalice
Utility Artifact
+Phyrexian Metamorph
Creature Artifact
+Wurmcoil Engine - Why do I always miss the good Pre-releases?
Equipment
+Batterskull finally comes out of the Standard Tezz deck that I never played
Also, I upgraded Boros a bit:
-Skyknight Legionnaire
+Slayers' Stronghold
Cube size will soon be increasing from 260 to 270, so that up to 6 drafters can be supported. I just need two decent cards in each color.
6/8/2012 Changes:
Red
-Blaze
+Devil's Play
Strictly better card is better.
Colorless
-Blightsteel Colossus
+Manalith
I decided that having a card that would only realistically ETB via Tinker was too narrow. I like Manalith as color fixing for control decks (at least until I get a Coalition Relic and Darksteel Ingot/Coldsteel Heart), so back in it goes.
6/9/2012 Changes:
-Soltari Monk
+Silverblade Paladin
Of the two WW Soltari, I feel that the Monk brings less to the table since red removal is more common in the cube than black removal.
-Rite of Replication
+Upheaval
Most of the time, Rite of Replication was just a Clone that's harder to cast. Upheaval wins the game for 3 less than RoR.
-Creeping Mold
+Sylvan Library
Creeping Mold is often very good, but I just added Bramblecrush so it's probably not needed anymore.
6/10/2012 Changes:
+Skinrender
-Daggerclaw Imp
Imp is good, but I like it less than some of the other potential cuts (Liliana's Specter, Order of the Ebon Hand).
6/16/2012 Changes:
+Grave Titan
-Necropotence
Necropotence was really just a placeholder and Grave Titan, of course, is an all-star. No doubt that Necropotence is a powerful card, it's just not a great cube card (at 270 in Winston draft, anyway).
+Joraga Treespeaker
-Twinblade Slasher
+Call of the Herd
-Pouncing Jaguar
I'm shifting green from a weenie aggro and mid-range strategy to a mid-range and ramp strategy. White, red, and black will keep flying the weenie aggro banner.
+Spikeshot Elder
-Ghitu Encampment
After considering cutting Ghitu Encampment, Goblin Patrol, or Fire Imp, I think that the two creatures are more in line with red's strategy than the manland. You don't want to play the Encampment turn one or two, since red wants to be playing a 1-drop on turn 1 followed by a 2-drop on turn 2. As the game goes on, a 2/1 gets worse and worse, so you don't really want it in the late game either.
6/16/2012 Changes:
Black
+Recurring Nightmare
-Sheoldred, Whispering One
This is the counterpart to the +Grave Titan/-Necropotence swap.
Red
+Char
-Fireball
I already have two red X spells in Devil's Play and Earthquake, so I think that Fireball is the cut here. It takes a lot of mana to get anything out of Fireball's ability to hit multiple targets.
Selesnya
+Loam Lion
-Rune-Cervin Rider
This would have happened long ago hand I not traded all of my Loam Lions before I built the cube.
Colorless
+Gemstone Mine
-Chrome Mox
The mox was never played. Nobody wanted to deal with the card disadvantage, and in Winston drafting decks usually end up 3-color -- so the mox rarely provided true fixing. Gemstone Mine will be much better, especially for three-color decks.
+Grand Coliseum
-Evolving Wilds
Again, better color fixing. Both ETBT, so there's no affect on tempo as a result of this change. It does make various cards that rely on land types, lands entering the battlefield, and shuffling effects worse, but I think I'm willing to accept that.
+Mind Stone
-Loxodon Warhammer
The cube had too much equipment, and the warhammer was the worst of it. Mind Stone will be a welcome ramp card that's not entirely dead late-game.
+Prismatic Lens
-Manalith
Quicker ramp that still provides color fixing in a pinch.
6/24/2012 Changes
Blue
+Crystal Shard
-Flood
Flood is a pet card of mine, but the reality is that the ability costs too much blue mana. I feel that Crystal Shard will function similarly, while also enabling ETB shenanigans.
6/29/2012 Changes
Black
+Gravecrawler
-Exhume
I'm continuing to push black-based aggro, and trying to weed out more narrow cards. Exhume is only situationally good unless you happen to be able to draft a dedicated reanimator deck. Otherwise, your opponent might be returning something good themselves.
Colorless
+Grim Monolith
-Jalum Tome
Jalum Tome is really too mana-intensive for its looting effect. Grim Monolith is... well, Grim Monolith.
6/30/2012 Changes
Green
+Survival of the Fittest
-Life from the Loam
As mentioned in my [controversial] "This or That?" posting, I'm making the change to Survival. I don't have enough Loam support in the cube as it stands, and it's not an archetype I'm willing to stretch to support at 270.
Summer 2012 Changes
Green
-Squallmonger
+Yeva, Nature's Herald
10/22/2012 Changes
Green
-Erhnam Djinn
+Thrun, the Last Troll
A 4cc beater upgrade. However, for reasons of nostalgia I'm sad to lose the Djinn.
Red
-Manabarbs
+Koth of the Hammer
Another nostalgia card bites the dust in favor of a more aggressive/more fun card from the modern era.
Selesnya
-Behemoth Sledge
+Dryad Militant
Sledge only made it into G/W decks when they had no other equipment. Good riddance! The Dryad should do good work while randomly hosing Snapcaster Mage.
11/1/2012 Changes
White
-Eternal Dragon
+Gideon Jura
Simply put, EDragon's ability is too slow. Aggro will kill you before it becomes relevant. Gideon, on the other hand, is great against aggro.
Blue
-Faerie Conclave
+Man-o'-War
Conclave just hasn't done enough. It's anti-tempo since it ETBT, and blue aggro isn't supported in this cube. Post-wrath you want something bigger than a 2/1. Man-o'-War, on the other hand, is a nice little tempo play that can stall in control decks.
Dimir
-Oona, Queen of the Fae
+Shadowmage Infiltrator
Finkel's back! I decided that blue (especially) and black had enough finishers for my small cube. Jonny Magic will support control and mid-range strategies.
11/11/12
A couple of updates:
Black
-Order of the Ebon Hand
+Pack Rat
Order is actually really good in Winston because your opponent is usually in White if you're in Black, and they're usually control if you're aggro. Still, I think that Pack Rat will play out better. The card is really strong.
Rakdos
-Rakdos Signet
+Rakdos Cackler
I tried to keep the R splash signets in to help control decks splash removal, but the Cackler is much more aligned with Rakdos' gameplan.
12/8/12
A couple of updates:
Azorius
-Wall of Denial
+Supreme Verdict
Control needs more wrath effects (truthfully), and the wall was not really that effective against a good aggro deck that puts multiple threats out at a time.
Golgari
-Spiritmonger
+Lotleth Troll
I hate to cut the 'monger, but I like the troll better. It comes down faster and, as a fringe benefit, supports reanimation strategies.
12/29/12
White
-Calciderm
+Hero of Bladehold
Red
-Sudden Shock
+Hero of Oxid Ridge
Artifact
-Vessel of Endless Rest
+Coalition Relic
1/19/13 updates
Black
-Liliana's Specter
+Bitterblossom
It was between the Specter and Dauthi Horror. I'm trying to keep black aggro strong in my cube, so feel that the specter is the better cut.
Green
-Silhana Ledgewalker
+Fyndhorn Elves
Green has shifted to ramp and mid-range in my cube, so while the Ledgewalker is gross with equipment, I think it doesn't stand up well enough on its own. The other option was Yeva, Nature's Herald. Thoughts?
-Vines of Vastwod
+Kodama's Reach
Furthering of the shift toward green ramp over green aggro.
Colorless
-Prismatic Lens
+Chromatic Lantern
Better ramp, especially for the 3-color decks that are the norm in Winston drafting.
Orzhov
-Blind Hunter
+Lingering Souls
Upgrade.
Izzet
-Gelectrode
+Izzet Charm
Upgrade.
1/26/13
Blue, OUT
Blue, IN
Let's see if we can make blue aggro/tempo work. Fettergeist, which is anti-tempo, will be evaluated with the fact that it could be Serendib Efreet instead. I just need to convince myself that a 3/4 flyer for 2U is good in cube before I crack the case on my BGS-slabbed Serendib (it's only an 8.5).
Update:
Green
-Skinshifter
+Scavenging Ooze
Yay!
2/1/13 Changes
Simic
-Snakeform
+Edric, Spymaster of Trest
Begone, mediocre Simic card!
Because the moxen are so easily obtained, it's very easy for a control deck to do something like land - mox - signet - go, which totally trumps an aggro deck's opening of pup - go.
I'd put Armageddon (and Ravages of War) if you have it as additional mana disruption.
And lots of fraggles (creatures that blow up an artifact when they ETB), as yet more mana disruption, and importantly, equipment.
And I would reccommend radical surgery, followed by purging, followed by bloodletting, followed by leeches for your guild section. But that's just me.
Since I only have the two moxen (Diamond and Chrome), I haven't had an issue with fast starts yet.
I'll stick an Armageddon in there when I can get another. I traded my only one a few months ago, and haven't gotten another.
Re: Fraggles, I know that I can add a Manic Vandal to Red. I have quite a few in Green already. I'll see if there are any others that seem to be missing.
I certainly agree re: the guild section. There's a lot of weird stuff in there -- mostly because I don't happen to own a lot of the staples normally used (Pernicious Deed, Vindicate, Raging Ravine et al, etc.). Orzhov is particularly bad in this regard. I'll definitely work on this part of the cube, although I have been pleasantly surprised by a few of the obscure cards.
Thanks for the feedback!
Red
Green
Black
White
Now to decide which substitutions to make... suggestions are welcome!
Hopefully this will help the cube matchups from being control vs. control, which most of them have been so far.
A new crop of potential cube cards have arrived:
[CARD]Exalted Angel
Martial Coup
Decree of Justice
Treachery
Meloku, the Clouded Mirror
Siege-Gang Commander[/CARD]
I'll be mulling over which of these to include, but in the meantime suggestions are welcome!
I am not the great at these uber small cubes, but I can tell you right now, these would make it. I'm almost certain of it.
I'm seriously considering cutting down card count in the guilds since my card quality there is so low, and giving the straight colors some more slots. The card quality is getting to the point where I'm cutting good cards to fit in better ones. I don't want to increase the cube size at this point because 100% of the drafting I'm doing right now is Winston draft.
I do agree that your guild cards are very weak. I have only one card in each color that I'm actually excited to play. Furthermore, many of the guild cards sees even less play in winston draft than normal draft. I would try to drastically cut the number of guild cards to 2.
10/1/11 Changes
-Tezzeret the Seeker
+Treachery
Decks never seemed to have a critical mass of artifacts to make Tezzeret viable, especially at the 5 CMC slot.
-Thirst for Knowledge
+Meloku, the Clouded Mirror
Without a reanimator strategy or mass artifacts (see Tezzeret comments above), Thirst was usually junk.
-Old Man of the Sea
+Vedalken Shackles
Old Man is one of my favorite cards, but Shackles is just better. *sniff*
-Kor Hookmaster
+Exalted Angel
While I like the Hookmaster, she's no Exalted Angel.
-Mogg Fanatic
+Siege-Gang Commander
The Fanatic was often a do-little card... just a chump blocker that got in for a point of damage. Red likes its one-drops to have two power. I'm not 100% confident about this change, but we'll see if it hurts or helps red aggro.
-Terramorphic Expanse
+Wooded Foothills
Yea! Fetch set complete.
-Selesnya Signet
+Kitchen Finks
G/W wants to spend the turn casting beaters, not mana fixing
-Hedge Troll
+Qasali Pridemage
Hedge Troll, while useful, is too much control and not enough aggro. Plus Pridemage blows sh!t up.
My 6 year-old continues to get lucky with pulls. I bought him (2) Innistrad packs today -- the only ones we've bought at all so far -- and he pulled a Snapcaster Mage in one. Since he and I enjoy cubing together, he has offered up the Mage for the Cube So... what to cut? My initial thought is Waterfront Bouncer but I really hate to further dilute the discard enablers. Too much more, and I'll probably have to drop the reanimator strategy. Plus, bouncer can be quite useful on his own. Thoughts?
1x Rakdos Signet1x Riot Spikes1x Kathari Bomber1x Balduvian Dead1x Ranger En-Vec1x Rune-Cervin Rider1x Dimir Guildmage1x Consult the Necrosages1x Prahv, Spires of Order1x Plumes of Peace1x Gruul Signet1x Assault/Battery1x Vithian Renegades1x Duergar Mine-Captain1x Skyknight Legionnaire1x Assault Zeppelid1x Lorescale Coatl1x Minotaur Illusionist1x Izzet Chronarch1x Beckon Apparition1x Mourning Thrull1x Orzhov Pontiff1x Blind Hunter1x Odious Trow1x Golgari Guildmage1x Rendclaw Trow1x Shambling Shell1x Hag Hedge Mage.
.
Each color will gain 4 cards. Here's a sampling of what's going in:
1x Student of Warfare
1x Stoneforge Mystic
1x Cloistered Youth (possibly... not sure I want DFC's in my double-sleeved cube)
1x Snapcaster Mage
1x Serendib Efreet
1x Old Man of the Sea
1x Diregraf Ghoul (need to acquire)
1x Dismember
1x Skinshifter
1x Woodfall Primus
1x Overrun
1x Goblin Guide
1x Urabrask the Hidden (possibly)
1x Staggershock
It still needs some work, but for now this is where the cube stands... or will stand once my cards come in
+ 1x Vindicate, Apocalypse
+ 1x Stillmoon Cavalier, Eventide
+ 1x Murderous Redcap, Shadowmoor
+ 1x Putrid Leech, Alara Reborn
I edited the post above to reflect the new guild layout. Once I actually have all of the cards, I'll update the offical cube list.
Still not entirely sure on what's going in for each color after the two cards are cut from each guild, though.
- How come you're playing Manalith? Darksteel Ingot is strictly better, and isn't really good enough either. Coalition Relic on the other hand should be on your wants list! (I checked your trades)
-Banshee's Blade is rubbish. There are a bunch of equipments that should come in way before it, but I see you're running most of the good ones. Maybe too many equipments for a 260 card cube?
-Jalum Tome. Seriously, this is so bad.
-You're missing what could likely be the most powerful artifact creature: Wurmcoil Engine. It's just such a beating. Try to get one if you can. Also Molten-tail Masticore!
Also, to give green a bit of a boost, I'd try to get hold of Plow Under. It may be the most douchey card ever, but it's a favourite here.
Juju Alters - Altered MTG Cards
I don't have a Darksteel Ingot or Coalition Relic (traded them to those "silly EDH'ers" before I made the cube and started playing EDH :rolleyes:), so the Manalith went in for easy fixing. It's pretty slow, but until I get the Relic it'll do. I'll add the Relic to my wants list, though.
I guess you're right, because it usually sits on the sideboard when it's drafted. I think I'll change it out for Batterskull, or perhaps just cut the slot entirely for non-equipment.
I like it! "Back in the day" it used to be decent... plus, it supports the reanimator strategy. Is it really so bad?
I'm always on the lookout for a Wurmcoil Engine" target="blank">Wurmcoil Engine... I've just been focusing on other cards so far. I'm currently working on a trade involving a Molten-Tail Masticore" target="blank">Molten-Tail Masticore.
I have been close to trading for that card a couple of times, but it's hard for me to justify the price for such a crap card (IMO) when I can get so much other stuff at the same price point. Eventually.
Thanks for the input!
The best comparison however is to Crystal Ball (which I see you're not running), as it has a similar cost and a comparable effect. Crystal Ball has the same CMC, but costs one less to activate. Which is better, scry 2 or a looter effect? I would go with the scry 2, as it improves your draws imensely. With the tome, when you're in topdeck mode, you have to draw your card for the turn and if you don't like it THEN pay 2 to activate the tome, whereas with the Crystal Ball you can activate it at the end of your opponent's turn.
Juju Alters - Altered MTG Cards
Each guild lost 1 card and each color gained 2 cards. Also, there were some upgrades.
1x Balduvian Dead1x Riot Spikes1x Ranger En-Vec1x Dimir Guildmage1x Plumes of Peace1x Gruul Signet1x Assault/Battery1x Duergar Mine-Captain1x Lorescale Coatl1x Minotaur Illusionist1x Beckon Apparition1x Mourning Thrull1x Castigate1x Orzhov Pontiff1x Odious Trow1x Rendclaw Trow1x Shambling Shell1x Hag Hedge Mage.
.
Here's what came in for each color:
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1x Student of Warfare
Blue
1x Snapcaster Mage
1x Old Man of the Sea
1x Damnation
1x Dismember
Green
1x Woodfall Primus
1x Overrun
1x Grim Lavamancer
1x Staggershock
Colorless
---Removed
1x Banshee's Blade
1x Darksteel Colossus
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I'm trying out Overrun since it's such a bomb in core set Limited. You're probably right, though.GGG is pretty tough in my cube anyway, since decks are often 3 colors (a product of Winston drafting, I think). Darksteel Colossus is another Tinker target; Blightsteel is better but he's in a deck. Wurmcoil Engine is better yet but I don't have one yet.
As for Old Man of the Sea, well he's just a personal favorite. He's been cut before and may get cut again. I know that he's substandard.
As for the Tinker target, there are better Tinker targets available for the cube that are good in multiple decks, not just Tinker ones. Wurmcoil Engine, Myr Battlesphere and Sundering Titan are all a lot more versatile. There's also Inkwell Leviathan too, who can be hardcast in ramping control decks and reanimated too, in addition to being a Tinker target. Just food for thought.
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My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
Good points about Overrun, too. Maybe I can get my hands on Garruk Relentless.
White
-Thermal Glider
+Stoneforge Mystic
Thermal Glider has been decent, but I think SFM is clearly better given the equipment typically available.
Black
+Diregraf Ghoul
-Vampire Hexmage
I just don't have enough planeswalkers in the cube to make the vamp worth it. She has barely seen play and never used her ability. BB is pretty bad for just a 2/1 First Striker, so in comes the aggro ghoul.
Red
-Barbarian Ring
+Goblin Guide
While I like Barbarian Ring in theory (and certainly in a dedicated red deck), the reality was that decks using it often did not hit Threshold.
Green
-Overrun
+Skinshifter
The 'shifter may be swapped out yet again when a nice G update comes.
Rakdos
-Kathari Bomber
+Lavaclaw Reaches
The Bomber has been pretty good, but I think that the manland is the better card. Plus, I need more targets for my non-basic hate.
Gruul
-Vithian Renegades
+Raging Ravine
RG has enough artifact destruction. The beater/land will be a welcome addition.
Golgari
-Golgari Guildmage
+Maelstrom Pulse
Better card in BG, and worth splashing for.
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