We have at least another auto-include black aggressive creature in this set, which is awesome. In addition, we were given the set art and confirmation that Faithless Looting is in Dark Ascension. The green 2/1 haste and the white token-maker have potential for my large cube, but I'm not sure they will end up making the cut.
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.
Man, and I just cut Carrion Feeder. Well, time to head back to Zombie aggro.
Strangleroot Geist will go in as my green needs some better critters. I am interested in Increasing Confusion. I know mill is hard to build around, but does the fact flashback 2*X make it a nice late game finisher?
Gravecrawler FTW! I wish my Cube had more zombies...
I'm not sure about Strangleroot Geist. It seems pretty close to Cubeable for me (at 500). Drop a 2-power dude on T-1 & swing for 4 on T-2. Also survives wraths & so forth pretty well. The GG may make it not happen but it's definitely worth discussing.
I know it's been around (in spoiler form) for a while but what is the consensus on Faithless Looting?
That's a lot, and he wants most of these cards in his deck (most black one drops are Zombies). Gravecrawler is good without the animate dead ability anyways.
What does everyone think about Increasing Confusion? Jace 3 showed us that mill strategies are win conditions in cube, but how about a weaker card that is still able to mill for lethal? I think 600+ cubes should consider it.
Definitely putting Gravecrawler and Strangleroot Geist into my cube ASAP, both cards look to be great - the 2 power on the geist make it cubeworthy as the opponent will have a much harder time ignoring it. The undying is, for the most part, in the opponent's control (by not attacking into it/not blocking it,) but that's just gravy onto 2 power of haste for GG which is already very good.
Also, the morbid Battlegrowth may be good for common cubes - putting +3/+3 onto a guy after creatures trade may be good enough. Same with the 4R 4/1 undying guy, since it can't really be ignored easily.
The Undying mechanic certainly holds great potential, especially since it looks like Wizards is willing to print it on lower converted mana costed creatures. I also like how morbid synergies well with it. You kill my Strangleroot Geist? I'll just Hunger of the Howlpack it and get a 6/5
That blue creature that flips into Control Magic is really interesting. A rules-friendly (?) Dominating Licid could easily find a spot in my Peasant Cube.
What does everyone think about Increasing Confusion? Jace 3 showed us that mill strategies are win conditions in cube, but how about a weaker card that is still able to mill for lethal? I think 600+ cubes should consider it.
Looks like hoarde decks just got an awesome card.
Jace 3 is one of those cards that really shouldn't be in cube anyway, because it basically reads 3UU, "You Win." And cards like that don't belong in even a high power limited format.
Definitly some includes already. That black 1 drop should be played in any cube that supports black agro. And being a zombie opens it up for shinanigans with Sarcomancy and Graveborn Muse.
I like the green two drop. Not sure if I have room for it, but it seems really good. I'll have to look in my cube when I get home.
Increasing Confusion is good if you want to support a mill strategy in your cube. Does anyone do this yet? Jace 3.0, Confusion, Hedron Crab, Scalpilexus (ok a bit expensive) All work in mono blue. Add in Glimpse and Nemesis of Reason in UB. And sword of body and mind and you are starting to get there. I'm sure there is a few cards I'm not thinking of.
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Jace 3 is one of those cards that really shouldn't be in cube anyway, because it basically reads 3UU, "You Win." And cards like that don't belong in even a high power limited format.
At best it reads Suspend 2 - 3UU, you win. And if they interact with it at all it doesn't do much at all. Yes it ends games quickly but it's perfectly fine to have cards that end games quickly. Many of the 5+ drops in cube also end games quickly and have a much bigger impact if they are answered, so it really isn't a problem.
Jace 3 is one of those cards that really shouldn't be in cube anyway, because it basically reads 3UU, "You Win." And cards like that don't belong in even a high power limited format.
Increasing Confusion where x=8 is a win assuming you cast it next turn for maximum and your opponent hasn't drawn/milled extra cards. Nowhere near the power of Jace 3 but pretty damn powerful.
Starting library: 40
Opening hand: -7
Cards drawn per turn: -8 (or -9)
Milled from the first time: -8
Milled from the second time: -18
Total: -1 (or -2)
Increasing Confusion where x=9 is pretty much a win assuming you cast it next turn for maximum too and your opponent hasn't drawn/milled extra cards. Nowhere near the power of Jace 3 but pretty damn powerful.
I really don't think that a card where you have to wait till you have 10 mana to cast is that good in cube. It's almost useless from X=1-4, and I'd expect casting a 6 mana spell to do a lot more than just mill
That blue creature that flips into Control Magic is really interesting. A rules-friendly (?) Dominating Licid could easily find a spot in my Peasant Cube.
It's got lovely art and flavor, but it's also just another in a line of subpar blue attack-and-steal creatures that dates back to Stronghold (Thalakos Deceiver). I find it very unusual that it's an uncommon too, since I recall Wizards commenting along the lines that Mind Control was unbalanced at uncommon in the core sets and that future printings of steal effects would be at rare. A Mind Control variant that can fly over blockers, pick up equipment and double as a win condition even if your opponent has no creatures seems a tad too strong in regular Limited. Should be amazing in Peasant though.
It's got lovely art and flavor, but it's also just another in a line of subpar blue attack-and-steal creatures that dates back to Stronghold (Thalakos Deceiver). I find it very unusual that it's an uncommon too, since I recall Wizards commenting along the lines that Mind Control was unbalanced at uncommon in the core sets and that future printings of steal effects would be at rare. A Mind Control variant that can fly over blockers, pick up equipment and double as a win condition even if your opponent has no creatures seems a tad too strong in regular Limited. Should be amazing in Peasant though.
If I had a choice between drafting that and mind control I'd pick mind control every time. It basically can't steal opposing fliers, does nothing to stop bombs the turn it hits play and opens itself up to a whole new line of removal while still being open to enchantment removal. It will be good in limited, but definitely not too strong.
Gravecrawler is so much more than just a Jungle Lion.
It can be abused so many ways, with Carrion Feeder the most obvious (that card aren't in most cubes unfortunatly).
My Tribal cube is gonna love this set... Off my head I can think of about 5 comboes with the Gravecrawler, and Zombie Apocalyse is just what that archetype needs.
I already love this Gravecrawler and can't wait to play it in both of my cubes.
These seems decent:
Undying seems like it will be awesome.
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It blows my mind how many 2/X black one drops we got in the past two years. And none of them are really strictly better than the others. I love it.
But black aggro is really happy. (AND SO IS MY ZOMBIE SUBTHEME!)
Seriously. Dark Ascension is already insane.
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the black jungle lion is clearly an autoinclude.
nice stuff from DKA already!
Strangleroot Geist will go in as my green needs some better critters. I am interested in Increasing Confusion. I know mill is hard to build around, but does the fact flashback 2*X make it a nice late game finisher?
I'm not sure about Strangleroot Geist. It seems pretty close to Cubeable for me (at 500). Drop a 2-power dude on T-1 & swing for 4 on T-2. Also survives wraths & so forth pretty well. The GG may make it not happen but it's definitely worth discussing.
I know it's been around (in spoiler form) for a while but what is the consensus on Faithless Looting?
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That's a lot, and he wants most of these cards in his deck (most black one drops are Zombies). Gravecrawler is good without the animate dead ability anyways.
Looks like hoarde decks just got an awesome card.
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It also seems just insane with any kind of sacrifice fodder/global destruction cards like Wrath of God/Oblivion Stone/Braids/Smokestack, etc.
Also, the morbid Battlegrowth may be good for common cubes - putting +3/+3 onto a guy after creatures trade may be good enough. Same with the 4R 4/1 undying guy, since it can't really be ignored easily.
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Jace 3 is one of those cards that really shouldn't be in cube anyway, because it basically reads 3UU, "You Win." And cards like that don't belong in even a high power limited format.
I like the green two drop. Not sure if I have room for it, but it seems really good. I'll have to look in my cube when I get home.
Increasing Confusion is good if you want to support a mill strategy in your cube. Does anyone do this yet? Jace 3.0, Confusion, Hedron Crab, Scalpilexus (ok a bit expensive) All work in mono blue. Add in Glimpse and Nemesis of Reason in UB. And sword of body and mind and you are starting to get there. I'm sure there is a few cards I'm not thinking of.
Calvin and Hobbes
Cube Tutor
At best it reads Suspend 2 - 3UU, you win. And if they interact with it at all it doesn't do much at all. Yes it ends games quickly but it's perfectly fine to have cards that end games quickly. Many of the 5+ drops in cube also end games quickly and have a much bigger impact if they are answered, so it really isn't a problem.
Increasing Confusion where x=8 is a win assuming you cast it next turn for maximum and your opponent hasn't drawn/milled extra cards. Nowhere near the power of Jace 3 but pretty damn powerful.
Starting library: 40
Opening hand: -7
Cards drawn per turn: -8 (or -9)
Milled from the first time: -8
Milled from the second time: -18
Total: -1 (or -2)
It's a viable win condition in larger cubes.
I really don't think that a card where you have to wait till you have 10 mana to cast is that good in cube. It's almost useless from X=1-4, and I'd expect casting a 6 mana spell to do a lot more than just mill
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It's got lovely art and flavor, but it's also just another in a line of subpar blue attack-and-steal creatures that dates back to Stronghold (Thalakos Deceiver). I find it very unusual that it's an uncommon too, since I recall Wizards commenting along the lines that Mind Control was unbalanced at uncommon in the core sets and that future printings of steal effects would be at rare. A Mind Control variant that can fly over blockers, pick up equipment and double as a win condition even if your opponent has no creatures seems a tad too strong in regular Limited. Should be amazing in Peasant though.
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If I had a choice between drafting that and mind control I'd pick mind control every time. It basically can't steal opposing fliers, does nothing to stop bombs the turn it hits play and opens itself up to a whole new line of removal while still being open to enchantment removal. It will be good in limited, but definitely not too strong.
Strangleroot Geist looks like a really good card. I want to add it for the interactions with Natural Order and Birthing Pod alone
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It can be abused so many ways, with Carrion Feeder the most obvious (that card aren't in most cubes unfortunatly).
My Tribal cube is gonna love this set... Off my head I can think of about 5 comboes with the Gravecrawler, and Zombie Apocalyse is just what that archetype needs.
I already love this Gravecrawler and can't wait to play it in both of my cubes.
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