Lightning Helix is the wrong comparison, fair enough, but Alms of the Vein isn't right either. It costs one less and comes on a body and has a way higher ceiling.
No one wants to waste removal on this card, making it very effective at what it does because it often lives longer than it should netting a lot of value.
What I probably like most is that is softens overextending into board wipes so you can play really aggressive with it out. Without spot removal getting rid of it first, board wipes can be crippling (your opponent's dudes count too). Obviously savage in multiplayer.
ACS for this is probably a lightning helix (which is stellar for 1B). Decks with tokens and/or sac themes (even if minimal) can easily get more mileage, especially with any sort of way to recur Blood artist. Good card is good. And very flavorful for the color. I can't imagine ever cutting this even if I gutted sacrifice. Black wants cards like this.
I still think it's the cat's meow. And the thread you linked has my thoughts which remain unchanged. No new cards to add really, though there are some I've wanted to test but not bothered with testing because this archetype is already really strong with a ton of crossover.
Blood artist is pulling his weight in my cube. Conditionally good, but when it works it tends to be very effective. Functions as pseudo reach when the board stalls because anything dying is netting you life and your opponent loses life. As others have stated, this guy is definitely a removal lightning rod which is nice actually because you don't lose tempo when that happens and it can often save your bigger threat by drawing that removal early.
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/modular-cube-5-colors.800/
Retro combo cube thread
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/retro-combo-cube.1454/
What I probably like most is that is softens overextending into board wipes so you can play really aggressive with it out. Without spot removal getting rid of it first, board wipes can be crippling (your opponent's dudes count too). Obviously savage in multiplayer.
ACS for this is probably a lightning helix (which is stellar for 1B). Decks with tokens and/or sac themes (even if minimal) can easily get more mileage, especially with any sort of way to recur Blood artist. Good card is good. And very flavorful for the color. I can't imagine ever cutting this even if I gutted sacrifice. Black wants cards like this.
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/modular-cube-5-colors.800/
Retro combo cube thread
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/retro-combo-cube.1454/
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/modular-cube-5-colors.800/
Retro combo cube thread
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/retro-combo-cube.1454/
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/modular-cube-5-colors.800/
Retro combo cube thread
http://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/retro-combo-cube.1454/