Premise: Peasant cube, having more restrictive card selection than traditional cube, averages a lower level of card power. Therefore, most cards are more potent in a Peasant cube than those same cards would be in a traditional cube.
Exercise: In an effort to better understand the differences between Peasant and traditional cube, create a list of typical cube cards that are less potent in a Peasant cube than in a traditional cube.
Relatedly, tutors in general are just worse. Especially the Mirage ones. Nobody wants to lose a card by Enlightened Tutor-ing when you don't have something broken like Moat.
I appreciate a good skeleton. Does good work providing inevitability with equipment and stonewright. Thoughtpicker witch locking is awesome. Good with fleshbag marauder and demonic taskmaster. Also good at blocking lol.
Brainstorm is so much worse here. In fact, I'd say all three of the 1 mana sorters are worse here, just not to the drastic extent that Bstorm is. With the exception of lands and kill spells, the important cards are likely less different in utility in peasant than they are in traditional cubes. You aren't looking for a tinker. Or your reanimation spell. Or a particular bomb, not the other. The differences are less important. I've considered many times that Ponder just isn't as powerful in my deck as, say, the 66th blue card waiting for the chance to be in my cube.
Exhume....without as many over the top reanimation targets, reanimation spells are generally less good. At least most of the others, like Necromancy and Reanimate, have a home in a range of decks.
Exhume....without as many over the top reanimation targets, reanimation spells are generally less good. At least most of the others, like Necromancy and Reanimate, have a home in a range of decks.
Forgive my ignorance (fairly new to Peasant), but can you explain what makes certain reanimation spells viable in Peasant as opposed to others? Does it come straight down to a power cut-off, or are there particular attributes some reanimation spells that work better in Peasant?
Force of Will. There's hardly anything that you want to counter so badly you are willing to make card disadvantage. I do think Traumatic Visions is close in playability, and that's just a bad card.
Good thread btw, I like what it's trying to do and it helps new C/Ubers avoid a few pitfalls.
Specialities about the cube: U tempo, B aggro, R slow-ish are supported. G aggro is not.
Currently trying to support tokens in all colors but blue, in different ways: W pumps them, B sacrifices them, R suicides them, G has decent-sized ones.
cube list outdated
*literal C/U definition according to gatherer
**some cards are banned. Library of Alexandria, Land Tax, Sol Ring.
Why is duress on the list? I maindeck it constantly in aggro.
The rare whiffs are more than made up by the times when you hit a sweeper, sprout swarm, or spectral procession.
I imagine that you can hit more powerful stuff in a traditional cube for sure, but is the card specialization really all that different from there, if not generally moreso? I mean if I take for instance your Mind Control effect in either cube, which cube is going to have a deck in which that is more devastating? My initial guess is that the peasant deck has taken a larger blow.
duress is still a great card in peasant for sure. binning their removal, equipment, counters, mind controls, and whatever else is pretty strong for 1 mana.
Why is duress on the list? I maindeck it constantly in aggro.
My intent with this thread was to identify cards that are weaker in Peasant, not outright unplayable. A list of unplayables would depend mostly on the size and restriction of the cube.
I imagine that you can hit more powerful stuff in a traditional cube for sure, but is the card specialization really all that different from there, if not generally moreso? I mean if I take for instance your Mind Control effect in either cube, which cube is going to have a deck in which that is more devastating? My initial guess is that the peasant deck has taken a larger blow.
That may be true (although, I would lean the other way), but the whiff potential is much higher in Peasant, as the non-creature spells take a bigger hit when going down in rarity level.
The ratio of creature to noncreature is that different? I dont actually know.
If you're looking for a list of cards that are worse at all you'd have to add in ramping cards (since our targets are worse), demonic tutor (same), artifact removal (same), noxious revival (can't blow out reanimator), and maybe token spells (no anthems). Maybe more.
There should be a cutoff at how much utility loss is significant enough to influence cube construction.
The ratio of creature to noncreature is that different? I dont actually know.
Sorry, I was unclear with my wording. By "take a bigger hit" I meant that the average drop in the power level of non-creature spells is much higher than that of creature spells. Thus, even when Duress connects, you're giving up tempo without gaining as much back.
If you're looking for a list of cards that are worse at all you'd have to add in ramping cards (since our targets are worse), demonic tutor (same), artifact removal (same), noxious revival (can't blow out reanimator), and maybe token spells (no anthems). Maybe more.
Agreed on all but token spells. With the decrease in board sweepers, I've found that token spells are more powerful in this format than in a regular cube.
There should be a cutoff at how much utility loss is significant enough to influence cube construction.
In theory, I agree with you, but I'm at a loss as to how to determine the cut-off. Any ideas?
Sorry, I was unclear with my wording. By "take a bigger hit" I meant that the average drop in the power level of non-creature spells is much higher than that of creature spells. Thus, even when Duress connects, you're giving up tempo without gaining as much back.
I wholeheartedly disagree. If you take a mind control, sprout swarm (well, any token generator like Talrand's invocation), Oblivion ring, or basically anything that costs 3 or more mana, you've gained a lot. 1 black mana is hardly a big tempo hit. Not to mention that you get to look for flash creatures or anything else information-wise.
Agreed on all but token spells. With the decrease in board sweepers, I've found that token spells are more powerful in this format than in a regular cube.
How many board sweepers are in traditional cubes?
In theory, I agree with you, but I'm at a loss as to how to determine the cut-off. Any ideas?
If it gets to the point where people should consider not having it in their cube, like brainstorm, top, and others.
Exercise: In an effort to better understand the differences between Peasant and traditional cube, create a list of typical cube cards that are less potent in a Peasant cube than in a traditional cube.
Artifact Destruction
Disenchant
Keldon Vandals
Manic Vandal
Shattering Spree
Uktabi Orangutan
Viridian Shaman
Card Selection
Brainstorm
Ponder
Sensei's Divining Top
Planeswalker Destruction
Beast Within
Bramblecrush
Vampire Hexmage
Ramp Spells
Reanimation Spells (non-late game)
Exhume
Tutors
Demonic Tutor
Enlightened Tutor, etc.
Tinker
Trinket Mage
Other
Duress
Force of Will
Noxious Revival
Zuran Orb
Which other cards are less potent in a Peasant cube than in a traditional cube?
I'll update the OP with responses, for reference.
Relatedly, tutors in general are just worse. Especially the Mirage ones. Nobody wants to lose a card by Enlightened Tutor-ing when you don't have something broken like Moat.
Steppe Lynx and Plated Geopede are less impressive without fetchlands.
I think Reassembling Skeleton is still a fine card in this format.
My Type 4 stack (Cube Tutor link)
Do you mostly just use it as a recurring blocker or something else?
Brainstorm is so much worse here. In fact, I'd say all three of the 1 mana sorters are worse here, just not to the drastic extent that Bstorm is. With the exception of lands and kill spells, the important cards are likely less different in utility in peasant than they are in traditional cubes. You aren't looking for a tinker. Or your reanimation spell. Or a particular bomb, not the other. The differences are less important. I've considered many times that Ponder just isn't as powerful in my deck as, say, the 66th blue card waiting for the chance to be in my cube.
Also, any card that cares about nonbasic lands.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Golgari Germination is a pet card of mine. Germination, Skeleton and a sac outlet can win games.
It interacts well with Merfolk Looter/Careful Consideration style cards, too.
@ the actual topic, Sensei's Divining Top is pretty terrible in Peasant, but I don't think it's stellar in real cubes, either.
My Type 4 stack (Cube Tutor link)
Forgive my ignorance (fairly new to Peasant), but can you explain what makes certain reanimation spells viable in Peasant as opposed to others? Does it come straight down to a power cut-off, or are there particular attributes some reanimation spells that work better in Peasant?
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Good thread btw, I like what it's trying to do and it helps new C/Ubers avoid a few pitfalls.
450, Peasant*, unpowered**
Specialities about the cube:
U tempo, B aggro, R slow-ish are supported. G aggro is not.
Currently trying to support tokens in all colors but blue, in different ways: W pumps them, B sacrifices them, R suicides them, G has decent-sized ones.
cube list outdated
*literal C/U definition according to gatherer
**some cards are banned. Library of Alexandria, Land Tax, Sol Ring.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
The rare whiffs are more than made up by the times when you hit a sweeper, sprout swarm, or spectral procession.
I imagine that you can hit more powerful stuff in a traditional cube for sure, but is the card specialization really all that different from there, if not generally moreso? I mean if I take for instance your Mind Control effect in either cube, which cube is going to have a deck in which that is more devastating? My initial guess is that the peasant deck has taken a larger blow.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
My intent with this thread was to identify cards that are weaker in Peasant, not outright unplayable. A list of unplayables would depend mostly on the size and restriction of the cube.
That may be true (although, I would lean the other way), but the whiff potential is much higher in Peasant, as the non-creature spells take a bigger hit when going down in rarity level.
If you're looking for a list of cards that are worse at all you'd have to add in ramping cards (since our targets are worse), demonic tutor (same), artifact removal (same), noxious revival (can't blow out reanimator), and maybe token spells (no anthems). Maybe more.
There should be a cutoff at how much utility loss is significant enough to influence cube construction.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Sorry, I was unclear with my wording. By "take a bigger hit" I meant that the average drop in the power level of non-creature spells is much higher than that of creature spells. Thus, even when Duress connects, you're giving up tempo without gaining as much back.
Agreed on all but token spells. With the decrease in board sweepers, I've found that token spells are more powerful in this format than in a regular cube.
In theory, I agree with you, but I'm at a loss as to how to determine the cut-off. Any ideas?
BTW I play 9 or so sweepers @450
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
I wholeheartedly disagree. If you take a mind control, sprout swarm (well, any token generator like Talrand's invocation), Oblivion ring, or basically anything that costs 3 or more mana, you've gained a lot. 1 black mana is hardly a big tempo hit. Not to mention that you get to look for flash creatures or anything else information-wise.
How many board sweepers are in traditional cubes?
If it gets to the point where people should consider not having it in their cube, like brainstorm, top, and others.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article