If it turns out GTC has less spoils than RTR, I'm ok with that. RTR was a huge and expensive update.
I'm going to try Domri Rade and Gideon. Experiment One obviously. I like Nightveil Specter, but maybe that's only for limited. Zameck Guildmage requires a lot of mana to make it worthwhile; I know UG can ramp a good bit, but at that point do you need another +1/+1 on your fatty? Maybe with tokens; UG opposition is a good deck, but if you're winning with opposition, I don't think you need your creatures to be a little bigger.
It's not even strictly better than Branching Bolt. To kill two creatures you need to spend two more mana, and it's Sorcery speed iirc.
Judging x spells on "strictly better" isn't going to get you very far. Ajani Vengeant is not strictly better than Lightning Helix either but I would argue its the better card. I think Clan Defiance is at least worth testing. X spells can be hard to judge on sight alone, a lot of people dismissed Sphinxs Revelation at first too.
I'll be acquiring Gideon and Experiment One so far. That's a poor return out of ~51 early spoilers, but the emphasis has largely been on bomb mythics, the prerelease cards and limited filler. We haven't seen the hit rares and uncommons from the set yet, lands notwithstanding, and they often provide the backbone of our cube adds.
Judging x spells on "strictly better" isn't going to get you very far. Ajani Vengeant is not strictly better than Lightning Helix either but I would argue its the better card. I think Clan Defiance is at least worth testing. X spells can be hard to judge on sight alone, a lot of people dismissed Sphinxs Revelation at first too.
I don't think sphinx's revelation is good for the cube either.
The Dimir Keyrune is excellent, easily one of the best, if not the best of the cycle. Beyond that I haven't been too impressed yet. The new Ghost Council is solid and as of now will sneak into the fourth spot of my WB section of my cube. Gideon doesn't impress me. His ultimate isn't going off unless you hit a major board stall, which is unusual in cube. Otherwise he is a better Calciderm, a card I cut ages ago and haven't missed. Bloodrush, on an otherwise solid creature could be fun to cube with. The green Experiment doesn't light me on fire, as I don't support green aggro, and another good creature isn't what green aggro would need to make me support it anyway.
The Dimir Keyrune is excellent, easily one of the best, if not the best of the cycle. Beyond that I haven't been too impressed yet. The new Ghost Council is solid and as of now will sneak into the fourth spot of my WB section of my cube. Gideon doesn't impress me. His ultimate isn't going off unless you hit a major board stall, which is unusual in cube. Otherwise he is a better Calciderm, a card I cut ages ago and haven't missed. Bloodrush, on an otherwise solid creature could be fun to cube with. The green Experiment doesn't light me on fire, as I don't support green aggro, and another good creature isn't what green aggro would need to make me support it anyway.
glad im not the only one who thinks dimir keyrune is really good, i also want to test the new BW angel seems like it could be a decent control finisher
I don't think sphinx's revelation is good for the cube either.
I agree, but mostly because u/w is loaded with good options, and I try to limit cards that make games go long. Neither of those are points against Clan Defiance. If people run cards such as Devils Play, that cube should at least test Clan Defiance.
It seems pretty obvious that they're holding back on constructed power level cards in previews this time around. It makes sense since previewing all the good stuff early makes any limited-only cards shown later seem like letdowns. I do wish we'd get a few more common/uncommon workhorse cards so we can get a better sense of how the set will play in limited.
I agree, but mostly because u/w is loaded with good options, and I try to limit cards that make games go long. Neither of those are points against Clan Defiance. If people run cards such as Devils Play, that cube should at least test Clan Defiance.
The difference between a X1 card and an X2 card is enormous. Look at Mind Twist vs Mind Shatter to see. And this one is multicolored.
Just to Shock a creature and its controller will cost 2RG. That's kinda rough.
Now if a cube is big enough to play Comet Storm, perhaps that same playgroup will like this card.
I'm trying to decide if Dimir Keyrune is even worth testing. Tar Pit is awesome but this takes up a different slot in deckbuilding. It will help with the manabase (which U/B is the greediest in my Cube). That being said I'm sure we'll see better Cube options. I'm hoping for another 30%+ overhaul of the guild sections like we got with RTR & I know we're just getting started. I know it's early, but let's speculate & rank the following cards for Cube:
Of those, I could see maybe testing the Keyrune, but I think the Signet/Talisman is better anyways. The other two aren't better than the other Dimir cards already available.
I'm not too happy about cube cards in gatecrash but there is good news for people who are still assembling
remaining shocklands will be super cheap
The only amazing card for cube that has been spoiled is an uncommon Experiment One
Other then that Ghost Council 6.0 and gideon are maybes for me. the 0/1 flying evolve may also be included by me because its so easy to be a 2/3 for one with flying which is amazing.
I agree, but mostly because u/w is loaded with good options, and I try to limit cards that make games go long. Neither of those are points against Clan Defiance. If people run cards such as Devils Play, that cube should at least test Clan Defiance.
You guys might be correct that U/W is full of good options but the revelations has actually been flat out BONKERS. That is especially true for powered cubes that run the full suite of artifact mana (like mine). It leads to so many games where you play out your hand of artifact mana and draw like 7+ cards on turn 4-5.
Dang that card is going in, about 99% positive lol. Daydreams of pump effects and dividable damage (arc lightning/arc trail etc) won't leave me alone...
When I see Healing Salve, I'm often like "Oh girl, I wish I could turn every card into this." Thanks they removed the gain life part, otherwise this would have been broken.
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It's so much better than br bolt that I dont even think a comparison is worthy. It's much closer to Comet Storm that you don't have to multikick.
I think it's a fine spell, but it won't crack into my top 6 RG cards, and it's definitely no Rolling Earthquake.
5 mana for 3 to a creature and 3 to a player is pretty fair.
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I'm going to try Domri Rade and Gideon. Experiment One obviously. I like Nightveil Specter, but maybe that's only for limited. Zameck Guildmage requires a lot of mana to make it worthwhile; I know UG can ramp a good bit, but at that point do you need another +1/+1 on your fatty? Maybe with tokens; UG opposition is a good deck, but if you're winning with opposition, I don't think you need your creatures to be a little bigger.
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Judging x spells on "strictly better" isn't going to get you very far. Ajani Vengeant is not strictly better than Lightning Helix either but I would argue its the better card. I think Clan Defiance is at least worth testing. X spells can be hard to judge on sight alone, a lot of people dismissed Sphinxs Revelation at first too.
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
I don't think sphinx's revelation is good for the cube either.
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glad im not the only one who thinks dimir keyrune is really good, i also want to test the new BW angel seems like it could be a decent control finisher
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I agree, but mostly because u/w is loaded with good options, and I try to limit cards that make games go long. Neither of those are points against Clan Defiance. If people run cards such as Devils Play, that cube should at least test Clan Defiance.
But, they havent spoiled a single charm yet... So thinking they might be intentionally holding out on a few goodies.
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The difference between a X1 card and an X2 card is enormous. Look at Mind Twist vs Mind Shatter to see. And this one is multicolored.
Just to Shock a creature and its controller will cost 2RG. That's kinda rough.
Now if a cube is big enough to play Comet Storm, perhaps that same playgroup will like this card.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
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Dimir Keyrune
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remaining shocklands will be super cheap
The only amazing card for cube that has been spoiled is an uncommon Experiment One
Other then that Ghost Council 6.0 and gideon are maybes for me. the 0/1 flying evolve may also be included by me because its so easy to be a 2/3 for one with flying which is amazing.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=484979
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I read it as creature or player at first and got really pumped about just dominating a kitchen finks or two, alas, it is crap.
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You guys might be correct that U/W is full of good options but the revelations has actually been flat out BONKERS. That is especially true for powered cubes that run the full suite of artifact mana (like mine). It leads to so many games where you play out your hand of artifact mana and draw like 7+ cards on turn 4-5.
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Uril, the Miststalker RGW -- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre C -- Vhati il-Dal BG -- Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer RW -- Animar, Soul of Elements URG
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker R -- Maga, Traitor to Mortals B -- Ghave, Guru of Spores BGW -- Sliver Hivelord WUBRG