One of the problems I've had with cubes is the parasitic white - black one drop aggro archetypes. My problem with this archetype is it takes up too many slots and the cards always wheel as 14- 15 picks and frequently under performs. This archetype frequently only balances with the other archetype as its literally the least drafted archetype (at least in theory) and its main purpose is to keep control decks in check.
I've been thinking about an alternative where the black one drops (and some white one drops) and replaced with with black based discard spells instead.
From my limited testing (and also in theory):
- I liked played discard in aggressive builds with important 2-3 drops, such as Dark Confidant, Goblin Rabblemaster that can really take advantage of removing the opponent's blocker/ answer to push the card's tempo advantage.
- I liked the card in more midrange strategies where I can take away lower drop creatures / counter magic where I can later drop important planeswalkers such as Chandra, Torch of Defiance into a less contested board.
- I've splashed it in Black - Green archetypes that struggled with counter magic where I could pro-actively remove the counter magic/ answer to clear the way.
- I've liked it in Spell based aggro decks with Young Pyromancer, Thing in the Ice and Kilin Fiend
- I liked it in combo decks that have nothing to do on the earlier turns/ remove potential answers to the combo.
- I liked it in non-combo decks to disrupt the combo decks.
I was slightly reluctant to make this switch as I wasn't sure about how strong two mana targeted discard coming from a modern/ legacy perspective or 1 mana creature, but so far in my testing, they have performed fairly well.
I don't think I want to go for a full discard archetype, but this is just a thought.
EDIT - Please let me know if there are any other good 1-2 black discard spells outside of creature based discard.
I'm actively maintaining a comprehensive article to help explain to new cube players how some complex vintage level cards work in a cube environment. Vintage Cube Cards Explained
I love black aggro, but I also love 8rack as a deck and concept. I have a discard heavy Kroxa 1v1 commander deck here: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/2791912#paper which might provide some inspiration. The problem with discard is the redundancy once the opponent's hand is empty, especially if they have managed to get a board presence, so I would recommend payoff cards like Shrieking Affliction, The Rack, Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage if you really want to go for it. It's quite a parasitic card type though, which is why I don't really support discard as an archetype in cube despite my fondness for it. Would love to hear results though.
i'm not really arguing for a full on black discard archetype. I'm arguing that traditional decks like Black- White Aggro, Black- Red Aggro, Jund - Midrange etc should move off black one drops and replace them with discard. I'm proposing to move black off mono-black archetypes and more into splash based support colors.
I done a bit of testing with discard and they been tremendous in aggro and midrange decks. They could be "played" in combo/ control but less good. I've found that combo and ramp decks were lacking ways to interact with counter magic and aggro decks didn't have ways to interact with combo.
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I'm actively maintaining a comprehensive article to help explain to new cube players how some complex vintage level cards work in a cube environment. Vintage Cube Cards Explained
I've been thinking about an alternative where the black one drops (and some white one drops) and replaced with with black based discard spells instead.
(Already Played):
Duress
Inquisition of Kozilek
Thoughtseize
Collective Brutality
Hymn to Tourach
Purposed Adds (Prob not all, but I'll make a relatively extensive list):
Despise
Divest
Blackmail
Appetite for Brains
Agonizing Remorse
Transgress the Mind
Lay Bare the Heart
Chain of Smog
Gerrard's Verdict
Rise // Fall
Thought Erasure
(Not that interested in, but may be applicable):
Drill Bit
Harsh Scrutiny
Unmask
Ostracize
Encroach
Mire's Toll
From my limited testing (and also in theory):
- I liked played discard in aggressive builds with important 2-3 drops, such as Dark Confidant, Goblin Rabblemaster that can really take advantage of removing the opponent's blocker/ answer to push the card's tempo advantage.
- I liked the card in more midrange strategies where I can take away lower drop creatures / counter magic where I can later drop important planeswalkers such as Chandra, Torch of Defiance into a less contested board.
- I've splashed it in Black - Green archetypes that struggled with counter magic where I could pro-actively remove the counter magic/ answer to clear the way.
- I've liked it in Spell based aggro decks with Young Pyromancer, Thing in the Ice and Kilin Fiend
- I liked it in combo decks that have nothing to do on the earlier turns/ remove potential answers to the combo.
- I liked it in non-combo decks to disrupt the combo decks.
I was slightly reluctant to make this switch as I wasn't sure about how strong two mana targeted discard coming from a modern/ legacy perspective or 1 mana creature, but so far in my testing, they have performed fairly well.
I don't think I want to go for a full discard archetype, but this is just a thought.
EDIT - Please let me know if there are any other good 1-2 black discard spells outside of creature based discard.
Vintage Cube Cards Explained
Here are some other articles I've written about fine tuning your cube:
1. Minimum Archetype Support
2. Improving Green Archetypes
3. Improving White Archetypes
4. Matchup Analysis
5. Cube Combos (Work in Progress)
Draft my Cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/d8i
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
I done a bit of testing with discard and they been tremendous in aggro and midrange decks. They could be "played" in combo/ control but less good. I've found that combo and ramp decks were lacking ways to interact with counter magic and aggro decks didn't have ways to interact with combo.
Vintage Cube Cards Explained
Here are some other articles I've written about fine tuning your cube:
1. Minimum Archetype Support
2. Improving Green Archetypes
3. Improving White Archetypes
4. Matchup Analysis
5. Cube Combos (Work in Progress)
Draft my Cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/d8i