I don't think a glut of removal spells at 2 mana is really an issue honestly. For my black Doom Blades I'm simply looking for the most effecient and effective kill spells available in the color. You don't curve out with removal. Every single black deck (aggro/midrange/control/combo) will want a couple of these so having enough in the draft is important. What kind of removal are you thinking of when you talk about more expensive/versatile spells?
Mana cost is relevant with spells too. By having a variety of costs, I can better utilize my mana to the fullest every turn. I can also cover more weaknesses, by having some expensive but versatile removals, and some cheaper removals for greater tempo opportunities. Never // Return, Vraska's Contempt and Profane Command are examples of versatile answers in black that are more expensive.
If there were enough </= 4 mana sweepers I wouldn't play any that cost 5, but alas, we don't have enough yet for my cube size. I go so far as to play [/card]Solar Blaze[/card] in my boros section. Lol.
I'll go with an analogy. Let's say you want to get drinking drinking water. You know wells are a good solution, so you want to dig a hole in the ground. All you have is a hammer. You don't use a hammer to dig a hole in the ground just because you have no shovel. At some point you've got to think, maybe there is a way to solve my problem without digging a hole in the ground. Collect rainwater maybe, or move close to a river.
Five mana mass removals are fundamentally different. They are not just slightly worse, they are a league or two behind, the hammer to the shovel. Having a quota for mass removals, doesn't mean you have to fill it at all costs. Mass removals are not a goal unto themselves, they are there to solve metagame problems. Don't be fixated on digging a well when you only have a hammer. Don't be a slave to your system.
While 1 CMC cantrips and mana dorks are way more desirable then 2cmc versions of similar effects, the two CMC versions are far from unplayable. It's a question of effect density in the draft environment IMO. Anticipate/Telling Time/Shimmer of Possibility see play in all the same decks that want to run Impulse. They aren't quite as good as Impulse but they are perfectly acceptable IMO. Portent seems ok, but I think I'd run Omen first honestly.
Few decks want to run Impulse over a one mana cantrip though. 90%+ of those that do, care about the instant speed. Even less of those decks will want to run a second two mana version over an additional one mana version. A plethora of one mana cantrips is a basis for the prowess/spells matters archetype (as can also be seen in constructed). The two mana versions do not chain nearly as well for your juicy triggers or greater dig power, you are far less likely to be able to afford to cast them in multiples in a tight game and they cannot be played on turn one (which is often a barren spot in blue based decks).
I manage a 720 cube for a long time, and I have play tested some of what you theorycraft here. I think you will find my input valuable.
I agree that too many archetype cards bloats the cube and lower the overall enjoyment. I also agree that planeswalkers generate fun game play and there is no reason to fear them. I think some of the best games are the one where there is a back and forth between creatures and planeswalkers at each side of the table. Planeswalkers directly increase the significance of creatures.
I also generally agree that removals create interactive games. However, I'd advise specifically against too many black 2 mana spot removals. There are plenty that are good enough, so I've tried to play 5 of them at some point at 720. That was too many. As a drafter playing black, you nearly always want the first, sometimes want the second and in my experience never want the third. A mix of cheap conditional removals, expensive versatile removal and card advanatge removals higher up the curve is a much better mix for deckbuilding and dynamic play in my experience.
This advice does not hold for Oblivion Ring effects in my experience. They are much less often dead cards, so they are more tolerable in higher numbers. They are also more likely to be splashed or brought in from the sideboard. There is still a limit on how many does a deck want, and they all share the same weaknesses, but the threshold is higher.
Expensive board wipes are not really worth the effort in my experience. They read okay, but you nearly always just prefer them to be cheaper without the extra fluff. Again, there is a limit real estate I will dedicate in my deck for mass removals. 2-3 is a good number. I'd never play more than three mass removals main deck, that's just asking to have dead cards.
One mana blue cantrips are excellent and represent a core effect of the color, like mana elves do for green. The two mana versions are significantly weaker and less desirable, just like the two mana mana dorks. May I suggest Portent? It is a weaker Ponder on yourself but can fateseal late game.
I like how Pack Rat creates its own sort of minigame and adds a new mode of operation for deck for a minimal cost of just including a single card.
Few decks want to run Impulse over a one mana cantrip though. 90%+ of those that do, care about the instant speed. Even less of those decks will want to run a second two mana version over an additional one mana version. A plethora of one mana cantrips is a basis for the prowess/spells matters archetype (as can also be seen in constructed). The two mana versions do not chain nearly as well for your juicy triggers or greater dig power, you are far less likely to be able to afford to cast them in multiples in a tight game and they cannot be played on turn one (which is often a barren spot in blue based decks).
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
I agree that too many archetype cards bloats the cube and lower the overall enjoyment. I also agree that planeswalkers generate fun game play and there is no reason to fear them. I think some of the best games are the one where there is a back and forth between creatures and planeswalkers at each side of the table. Planeswalkers directly increase the significance of creatures.
I also generally agree that removals create interactive games. However, I'd advise specifically against too many black 2 mana spot removals. There are plenty that are good enough, so I've tried to play 5 of them at some point at 720. That was too many. As a drafter playing black, you nearly always want the first, sometimes want the second and in my experience never want the third. A mix of cheap conditional removals, expensive versatile removal and card advanatge removals higher up the curve is a much better mix for deckbuilding and dynamic play in my experience.
This advice does not hold for Oblivion Ring effects in my experience. They are much less often dead cards, so they are more tolerable in higher numbers. They are also more likely to be splashed or brought in from the sideboard. There is still a limit on how many does a deck want, and they all share the same weaknesses, but the threshold is higher.
Expensive board wipes are not really worth the effort in my experience. They read okay, but you nearly always just prefer them to be cheaper without the extra fluff. Again, there is a limit real estate I will dedicate in my deck for mass removals. 2-3 is a good number. I'd never play more than three mass removals main deck, that's just asking to have dead cards.
One mana blue cantrips are excellent and represent a core effect of the color, like mana elves do for green. The two mana versions are significantly weaker and less desirable, just like the two mana mana dorks. May I suggest Portent? It is a weaker Ponder on yourself but can fateseal late game.
I like how Pack Rat creates its own sort of minigame and adds a new mode of operation for deck for a minimal cost of just including a single card.
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022