I am looking to support the blink archetype in my cube a little bit more and I am wondering about eldrazi displacer vs flickerwisp
I had previously included displacer but cut him with the rest of my colourless matters cards.
having both of them competing in the 3cmc slot in the same archetype i think I only have room for one of them. I am more drawn to displacer because of the easier casting cost and repeatable instant speed effect. but flying is nice on a 3/1 body.
Flickerwisp. But primarily because I really dislike the colorless matters cards. Last thing cube needs is more mana problems which is exactly what that mechanic brings with it.
Never tried Displacer, but I'd also say Flickerwisp. In addition to evasion, and not requiring colorless mana, you also have the benefit of immediately getting the blink at 3 mana, where if you play Displacer at 3, the opponent can Vindicate it before you have the opportunity to blink something. Returning the permanent creature tapped, also feels like it could matter.
e: re-read and realized Displacer can only hit creatures, as well. Not the biggest deal, but does prevent the resetting of Oblivion Rings and such.
Flickerwisp. But primarily because I really dislike the colorless matters cards. Last thing cube needs is more mana problems which is exactly what that mechanic brings with it.
Just to show the other side of things, I like how colorless cards add a different challenge to the mana base than just a color splash and makes you re-evaluate previous lands in a new light. I think the main problem with the mechanic is that there are too few cube worthy cards to truly support it (and it does need some support).
Thinking about swapping out Polukranos, World Eater for Vengevine (green aggro supported), but I'm hesitant to pull the trigger. What do you guys think?
Vengevine's trigger doesn't happen reliably in my experience. Polukranos hits harder and gives green the ability to shoot small would be blockers and hit for big damage.
I'd make that swap. I love Vengevine (admittedly more than most here). Polukranos, World Eater is maybe more powerful in a vacuum, but vengevine oozes synergy, has a higher ceiling (IMO) and rewards deck building in a very satisfying way. It's an ideal cube card honestly - powerful enough on it's own but just gets much better the more you build around it. This is exactly the sort of card that makes the format so deep. World Eater is big, offers some expensive slow creature removal - I mean, it's fine it's just a bit boring.
The double-green was an issue for our green aggro decks, which usually weren't seated in green. I don't love Polukranos as much as most, but I still like it more than Vengevine. Hell, even in an aggro deck, a 5/5 for 4 that can remove blockers is probably still better.
The haste on Vengevine is really valuable for aggressive decks though. Especially great when you can hold it or keep two creatures back and post wrath be pressuring right away. Polukranos is a lot slower and more midrange/ramp. It blocks much better - sure - but if you are playing an aggressive deck and blocking, you probably aren't in a great position. I don't want Polukranos in aggro, personally.
I get that GG is not really ideal since green as the base for aggro is a tad awkward given how shallow the support for it is. That said, a lot of good aggressive cards have been printed in green and I think it's much easier to support these days. Again, this card synergizes with so much. GB in particular gets a lot more resilient with Vengevine. Between black removal to clear the path and things like gravecrawler to help make the recursion on Vengevine easier to trigger (I get that the trigger doesn't work with all recursion - bloodghast for example).
And it doesn't have to be pure aggro either. This is technically a value card. Discard to survival effects, get a dude. Play two dudes and get Vengevine back. Natural Order it away (get it back later by playing some mana critters), etc. Vengevine is plenty good enough in midrange/ramp decks. 4 power is 4 power. People can't ignore it and outside exile style removal it's a pain to get rid of. Bolting this feels real bad when it's back a turn later. Maybe Polukranos is better in slower builds but I'm not even sure that's always going to be true depending on how much value you get out of the recursion and how hard it is in your cube to neutralize a 4 power creature.
I think Emeria Angel is pretty good. If it lives, it can generate a lot of ongoing value. And once it's done that, the value sticks around after Emeria dies (barring mass removal).
Angel of Condemnation is sort of a hot mess. 50 words of text crammed onto it. The abilities are slow and costly. More importantly, they are dependent on having other cards in play (either your own for blink or your opponents for exile). There are much better removal options in white. There are much better blink options (and I'm not even sure most cube should be over supporting that archetype anyway). I don't see the appeal of Angel of Condemnation personally.
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Skyfisher. I like lone missionary, but skyfisher goes in all the same decks and is probably the overall better card. Even more so, they both fit into a white aggressive deck since 2s are still important there, but I'm much happier having a 2/3 flier than a 2/1 piker with an ability that's really only relevant in mirrors.
Also Skyfisher for Salmo's reasons. Missionary has value in blink, Nightmare decks, and slower decks that need to stave off aggro, but Skyfisher can go in all those decks and is great in aggro.
Right now I'm thinking that I want to cut a draw spell for Time Spiral and a counterspell for Force. That being said, I'm open to suggestions and I would love to get input from all of the great minds on this forum! My list can be found here: http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/25081
While I'm here, I also wanted to ask about support for the artifact/wildfire deck. Right now I have 14 mana rocks in my 436 card cube. Based on your experiences is that enough? A lot of my drafters don't seem to value the rocks very highly, but I want to make sure that there are enough available to make the archetypes work.
I'd cut Repeal and Compulsive Research other than the others.
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I had previously included displacer but cut him with the rest of my colourless matters cards.
having both of them competing in the 3cmc slot in the same archetype i think I only have room for one of them. I am more drawn to displacer because of the easier casting cost and repeatable instant speed effect. but flying is nice on a 3/1 body.
which one would you include?
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/modular-cube-5-colors.800/
Retro combo cube thread
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/retro-combo-cube.1454/
permanentcreature tapped, also feels like it could matter.e: re-read and realized Displacer can only hit creatures, as well. Not the biggest deal, but does prevent the resetting of Oblivion Rings and such.
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Just to show the other side of things, I like how colorless cards add a different challenge to the mana base than just a color splash and makes you re-evaluate previous lands in a new light. I think the main problem with the mechanic is that there are too few cube worthy cards to truly support it (and it does need some support).
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http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/modular-cube-5-colors.800/
Retro combo cube thread
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/retro-combo-cube.1454/
My 630 Card Powered Cube
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My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
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I get that GG is not really ideal since green as the base for aggro is a tad awkward given how shallow the support for it is. That said, a lot of good aggressive cards have been printed in green and I think it's much easier to support these days. Again, this card synergizes with so much. GB in particular gets a lot more resilient with Vengevine. Between black removal to clear the path and things like gravecrawler to help make the recursion on Vengevine easier to trigger (I get that the trigger doesn't work with all recursion - bloodghast for example).
And it doesn't have to be pure aggro either. This is technically a value card. Discard to survival effects, get a dude. Play two dudes and get Vengevine back. Natural Order it away (get it back later by playing some mana critters), etc. Vengevine is plenty good enough in midrange/ramp decks. 4 power is 4 power. People can't ignore it and outside exile style removal it's a pain to get rid of. Bolting this feels real bad when it's back a turn later. Maybe Polukranos is better in slower builds but I'm not even sure that's always going to be true depending on how much value you get out of the recursion and how hard it is in your cube to neutralize a 4 power creature.
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/modular-cube-5-colors.800/
Retro combo cube thread
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/retro-combo-cube.1454/
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Angel of Condemnation is sort of a hot mess. 50 words of text crammed onto it. The abilities are slow and costly. More importantly, they are dependent on having other cards in play (either your own for blink or your opponents for exile). There are much better removal options in white. There are much better blink options (and I'm not even sure most cube should be over supporting that archetype anyway). I don't see the appeal of Angel of Condemnation personally.
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/modular-cube-5-colors.800/
Retro combo cube thread
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/retro-combo-cube.1454/
Pick one at 450 unpowered: Harsh Mentor or Abbot of Keral Keep
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My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
Want to add: Time Spiral
Cuts Considered: Treasure Cruise and Deep Analysis
Want to add: Force of Will
Cuts Considered: Miscalculation and Arcane Denial
Right now I'm thinking that I want to cut a draw spell for Time Spiral and a counterspell for Force. That being said, I'm open to suggestions and I would love to get input from all of the great minds on this forum! My list can be found here: http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/25081
While I'm here, I also wanted to ask about support for the artifact/wildfire deck. Right now I have 14 mana rocks in my 436 card cube. Based on your experiences is that enough? A lot of my drafters don't seem to value the rocks very highly, but I want to make sure that there are enough available to make the archetypes work.
Thanks!
14 should be fine at 435, especially if the group isn't overvaluing them.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
EDH: UGEdric
Pauper: UR Delver
Modern: UGR Delver
Draft my cube: Eric's 390 Unpowered