Sunday, December 12, 2010
Blue's little baby is all growed up!
I'm told this "Jace the Mind Sculptor" card is pretty good, so baby Jace is becoming papa Jace, officially.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Cruel Control
Due to popular demand, poor Thraxy is getting the axe in favor of ye olde Cruel Ultimatum. Right before a draft we decided to make this change, mostly at the insistence of Le, and of course Le proceeds to open it pick one pack one and draft a Cruel control deck that walked all over my B/W creature control deck. In summary:
Cruel Ultimatum IN
Thraximundar OUT
Cruel Ultimatum IN
Thraximundar OUT
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Scars and M11 Update
It's been a long time coming, but the cube has gone through a few iterations since our last post and the list has finally been updated. Lots of additions from M11 and Scars, as well as some from ROE and a few miscellaneous. For the full updated list, see the "Current List" tab on the right. Let us know if you agree or disagree with these changes, or if you feel there are any cards we don't run that you think deserve a spot.
The changes made were:
These changes increase the curve in white a bit, and a couple of creatures leave to make room for spells, but Honor of the Pure goes in to strengthen the white weenie deck, and Land Tax finally gets the spot it deserves.
As a note, where there are more cards under "Out" it means some cards went in and out again between this update and the last. Blue's changes involve taking a bunch of unloved creatures and putting in some much better ones.
Visara sadly seemed the worst of the high end in Black, so she finally bows out of the cube to make room for new finishers in the form of Geth and Grave Titan. The other Black creatures coming out were not pulling their weight, and we were happy to bring in limited allstars like Drana, Skinrender, and Liliana's Specter (which I have an unnatural love of).
Tons of changes for Red. Ember Hauler was a gift, Koth replaces Chandra, trying Hoarding Dragon and Kuldotha Phoenix, Sneak Attack comes in as a cool combo card, and Fireblast and Sulfuric Vortex were highly requested inclusions to strengthen the monored deck. Sulfuric Vortex has been great and we've been very happy with where Red is at lately, with the monored deck being one of the strongest decks around.
Survival finally makes it in (about time). Trying Bellowing Tanglewurm as it will often make your whole team unblockable. We've felt that while Green had a lot of ramp it was lacking things to ramp into, so Pelakka Wurm, Gelatinous Genesis, and Genesis Wave come in to give green some things to accelerate into. Joraga Treespeaker is great as a green Sol Ring, given that Sol Ring is (I think) the best card in the cube. The Rootwalla was intended to combo with Fauna Shaman and Survival, but it hasn't made the final cut even in decks that contain those two cards. Wolfbriar seemed like it would be good, but just doesn't do enough. Green is still underpowered, and is always a work in progress.
We've decided multicolor can handle more planeswalkers, so in goes these two!
Lots of strong additions, and a few cards that seemed worth a try. Mimic Vat and Trigon of Rage might not end up being good enough, but we thought they deserve a try. We took out all of the graveyard hate artifacts as they were rarely relevant and never exciting. Graveyard based decks haven't been too out of hand and we thought it would be better to put in exciting cards that make decks better rather than narrow answer cards that go 15th pick.
The changes made were:
| White | |
| In | Out |
| Student of Warfare | Blade of the Sixth Pride |
| Sunblast Angel | Hand of Honor |
| Sun Titan | Hokori, Dust Drinker |
| Transcendent Master | Leonin Skyhunter |
| Honor of the Pure | Loam Lion |
| Land Tax | Sunscape Battlemage |
| Revoke Existence | Dismantling Blow |
These changes increase the curve in white a bit, and a couple of creatures leave to make room for spells, but Honor of the Pure goes in to strengthen the white weenie deck, and Land Tax finally gets the spot it deserves.
| Blue | |
| In | Out |
| Aether Adept | Bonded Fetch |
| Conundrum Sphinx | Echo Tracer |
| Coralhelm Commander | Shimmering Glasskite |
| Frost Titan | Stormscape Battlemage |
| Domestication | Tideforce Elemental |
| Wall of Frost |
As a note, where there are more cards under "Out" it means some cards went in and out again between this update and the last. Blue's changes involve taking a bunch of unloved creatures and putting in some much better ones.
| Black | |
| In | Out |
| Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief | Crypt Champion |
| Geth, Lord of the Vault | Dauthi Horror |
| Grave Titan | Dauthi Slayer |
| Liliana's Specter | Grinning Demon |
| Skinrender | Guul Draz Assassin |
| Consuming Vapors | Visara the Dreadful |
| Grasp of Darkness | Eyeblight's Ending |
| Macabre Waltz |
Visara sadly seemed the worst of the high end in Black, so she finally bows out of the cube to make room for new finishers in the form of Geth and Grave Titan. The other Black creatures coming out were not pulling their weight, and we were happy to bring in limited allstars like Drana, Skinrender, and Liliana's Specter (which I have an unnatural love of).
| Red | |
| In | Out |
| Ember Hauler | Caldera Hellion |
| Hoarding Dragon | Desolation Giant |
| Inferno Titan | Dragonmaster Outcast |
| Kargan Dragonlord | Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs |
| Kuldotha Phoenix | Sedge Sliver |
| Manic Vandal | Tahngarth, Talruum Hero |
| Oxidda Scrapmelter | Thunderscape Battlemage |
| Arc Trail | Chandra Nalaar |
| Fireblast | Fork |
| Koth of the Hammer | Ghostfire |
| Sneak Attack | Shattering Pulse |
| Sulfuric Vortex | Word of Seizing |
Tons of changes for Red. Ember Hauler was a gift, Koth replaces Chandra, trying Hoarding Dragon and Kuldotha Phoenix, Sneak Attack comes in as a cool combo card, and Fireblast and Sulfuric Vortex were highly requested inclusions to strengthen the monored deck. Sulfuric Vortex has been great and we've been very happy with where Red is at lately, with the monored deck being one of the strongest decks around.
| Green | |
| In | Out |
| Bellowing Tanglewurm | Basking Rootwalla |
| Fauna Shaman | Dosan the Falling Leaf |
| Garruk's Packleader | Molder Slug |
| Joraga Treespeaker | Mold Shambler |
| Mitotic Slime | Werebear |
| Pelakka Wurm | Wolfbriar Elemental |
| Vengevine | Exploration |
| Gelatinous Genesis | Greater Good |
| Genesis Wave | Momentous Fall |
| Overwhelming Stampede | Nature's Claim |
| Survival of the Fittest | Roar of the Wurm |
Survival finally makes it in (about time). Trying Bellowing Tanglewurm as it will often make your whole team unblockable. We've felt that while Green had a lot of ramp it was lacking things to ramp into, so Pelakka Wurm, Gelatinous Genesis, and Genesis Wave come in to give green some things to accelerate into. Joraga Treespeaker is great as a green Sol Ring, given that Sol Ring is (I think) the best card in the cube. The Rootwalla was intended to combo with Fauna Shaman and Survival, but it hasn't made the final cut even in decks that contain those two cards. Wolfbriar seemed like it would be good, but just doesn't do enough. Green is still underpowered, and is always a work in progress.
| Gold | |
| In | Out |
| Sarkhan the Mad | Hellhole Rats |
| Venser the Sojourner | Sky Hussar |
We've decided multicolor can handle more planeswalkers, so in goes these two!
| Artifact | |
| In | Out |
| Molten-Tail Masticore | Grim Poppet |
| Precursor Golem | Sigil of Distinction |
| Steel Hellkite | Vulshok Morningstar |
| Wurmcoil Engine | Armillary Sphere |
| Darksteel Axe | Chromatic Star |
| Livewire Lash | Darksteel Pendant |
| Sword of Body and Mind | Ensnaring Bridge |
| Sword of Vengeance | Phyrexian Furnace |
| Brittle Effigy | Phyrexian Processor |
| Chimeric Mass | Relic of Progenitus |
| Crystal Ball | Scrabbling Claws |
| Mimic Vat | Serrated Arrows |
| Trigon of Rage | Tormod's Crypt |
Lots of strong additions, and a few cards that seemed worth a try. Mimic Vat and Trigon of Rage might not end up being good enough, but we thought they deserve a try. We took out all of the graveyard hate artifacts as they were rarely relevant and never exciting. Graveyard based decks haven't been too out of hand and we thought it would be better to put in exciting cards that make decks better rather than narrow answer cards that go 15th pick.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Big Changes
First off, I know its been awhile since I have posted. The reason being is that I was waiting for Max to come home for spring break. He has come and gone, and we were able to get some cube in while he was here. The two of us took the comments that people had been making and sat down and made a ton of changes. This latest group of changes greatly increases that power of each color as well as the cube over all. For each of these new cards, both Max and I agreed on putting them in.
In
White
Armageddon
Crovax, Ascendant Hero
Harm's Way
Mistmeadow Skulk
Stoneforge Mystic
Hokori, Dust Drinker
Breath of Life
Blue
Trinket Mage
Future Sight
Ancestral Visions
Court Hussar
Gilded Drake
Upheaval
Bonded Fetch
Exclude
Kederekt Leviathan
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Black
Entomb
Living Death
Necromancy
Buried Alive
Twisted Abomination
Korlash, Heir to Blackblade
Cemetery Reaper
Crypt Champion
Mutilate
Grinning Demon
Red
Urza's Rage
Word of Seizing
Dragonmaster Outcast
Gathan Raiders
Sulfur Elemental
Arc-Slogger
Ghost Fire
Green
Stunted Growth
Exploration
Molder Slug
Defense of the Heart
Elvish Visionary
Dosan, The Falling Leaf
Thornweald Archer
Mire Boa
Strength of the Tajuru
Seedborn Muse
Other
Firemane Angel
Flamekin Zealot
Mirari's Wake
Fires of Yavimaya
Woolly Thoctar
Golgari Guildmage
Wand of the Elements
Volrath's Stronghold
Ensnaring Bridge
Everflowing Chalice
Tangle Wire
Out
White
Otherworldly Journey
Pulse of the Fields
Soltari Visionary
Guardian Seraph
Adarkar Valkyrie
Return to Dust
Commander Eesha
Blue
Welkin Tern
Stormscape Apprentice
Impulse
Drift of Phantasms
Govern the Guildless
Horizon Drake
Boomerang
Sejiri Merfolk
Treasure Hunt
Black
Wrench Mind
Nightscape Familiar
Mesmeric Fiend
Nightscape Battlemage
Strangling Soot
Necravolver
Rise from the Grave
Phyrexian Plaguelord
Ashling, the Extinguisher
Diabolic Servitude
Red
Ghost-lit Raider
Yuki-Onna
Lightning Axe
Slavering Nulls
Stalking Yeti
Skirk Marauder
Rakavolver
Green
Caller of the Claw
Bestial Menace
Centaur Chieftain
Evolution Charm
Spike Weaver
Sylvan Scrying
Anavolver
Centaur Glade
Yavimaya Dryad
Ravenous Baloth
Other
Bull Cerodon
Razia, Boros Archangel
Mycoid Shepherd
Apocalypse Hydra
Uril, the Miststalker
Rendclaw Trow
Mindwrack Liege
Cabal Coffers
Pithing Needle
Platinum Angel
Triskelavus
Monday, March 1, 2010
Thoughts
Alright, so after playing with the new cards, it is becoming clear that some things are just not being played. In an effort to take out some cards that have been going 15th as well as making some improvements, here are some changes to consider.
False Orders out (it was short lived, just wanted to give it a try) - Ball Lightning in
Skulking Ghost out - Bloodghast in
Sengir Nosferatu out - Braids in
Aura of Silence out - Land Tax in
Swerve out - Double Negative in
Just something to try
Wasp Lancer out- Sygg in
Monday, February 22, 2010
Proxies
I have been asked for a proxy for time walk, and I also found a boatload more art for Library that I think are all better than the previous ones. Again, let me know which ones you guys are into, and they might become reality!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Proxies
The reaction to the mox proxies Justin made was good, so I thought I would take a crack at making proxies for the other expensive cards we don't have: Ancestral Recall, Engineered Explosives, Forcefield, Library of Alexandria, Mana Drain, and Tarmogoyf. I tried a bunch of different art for each, and used either normal or extended art layouts, and what follows are the ones I liked the best. Let me know what your thoughts are!
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