I'm really interested in making goblins work. Red feels a bit lacking in my cube right now.
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Currently playing in EDH:
W Jazal Goldmane WR Daretti, Scrap Savant R B Ghoulcaller Gisa BUG Prime Speaker ZeganaUG UG Edric, Spymaster of Trest UGBG Nath, of the Gilt-Leaf BG RG Ruric Thar, the Unbowed RGUB Dragonlord Silumgar UB UBG Damia, Sage of Stone UBGWUG Roon of the Hidden Realm WUG WRG Marath, Will of the Wild WRGBRG Prossh, Skyrider of Kher BRG WUB Sydri, Galvanic Genius WUBUBR Thraximundar UBR URG Yasova Dragonclaw URGWUR Zedruu, the Greathearted WUR WBG Daghatar the Adamant WBGWUBRG Horde of Notions WUBRG
When you say sub theme I'm assuming you don't want it to be a full tribal cube, if that's wrong then this entire post is on the wrong track.
1) To make the tribes viable to draft I'd guess that close 1/2 of the creatures in each color would have to be tribal. Elves goblins and zombies just need so many creatures.
2) Honestly I think that any number of tribal creatures lowers the power level, as they need a critical mass to be worthwhile. As for how much is acceptable I personally would think that if I wanted the tribal themes, that if they are a competitive but not dominate archetype it's properly balanced, and when they become the dominant archetype then there is too much support.
3) I don't have much expertise there, so I'll just say that I'm sure that bondafong's tribal cube has most of the worthwhile tribal cards in it.
1. How many cards per tribe would be necessary to make a tribal draft viable? The more the better. Tribal decks are linear, so they get weaker for each card less available to them.
2. How many tribal cards would dilute the power too much? This q can't be answered because 'too much' is a matter of opinion. The answer could be 1 and correct or 20 and correct for another person.
2. Which creatures/cards would be best for each tribe? Lords, and cards that gets better the more creatures of the teibe you control. And for zombies 'gy matters cards'.
1. How many cards per tribe would be necessary to make a tribal draft viable?
Half the creatures. And any of the good tribal spells.
2. How many tribal cards would dilute the power too much?
It would dilute the raw power no matter what, though it would be powerful if you pulled it off. But it makes for a more interesting draft as you have to draft
2. Which creatures/cards would be best for each tribe?
Anything that ensures weenies don't die. Anything that allows a lot of triggers for the "when you play an X spell" type cards. Note that the only good Amplify Creature (Daru Stinger) is now ALSO a human and so get pumped by humans AND soldiers.
Goblins top out at like 3-4 mana. So "sack lands" type spells are good in red.
Elves can make tons of mana and tokens, so overrun, fireball and eldrazi.
Soliders make tons of tokens and have good defensive spells (daru stinger), and there's some bombs like that guy in morningtide who throws attacking soliders from hand into play. But a lot of their removal is a lot less amazing than STP or PTE.
Merfolk, I dunno. Counterspells, perhaps? Faeries are probably better as a controlly type tribe.
Zombies: Now with innistrad, lots of graveyard stuff and reanimator. Cards that mess with land types, perhaps? One of the zombie lords grants swampwalk. You could play wraths that allow regeneration because lots of zombies can regenerate.
You'll want to play all good changelings and maybe some sub-tribes like spirits, rebels, illusions, and whatnot, which are all pretty good combined with the changelings.
Wilz
Play any lord that isn't utter garbage. Play any tribal dork who isn't utter garbage. Reduce the number of sweepers because tribal requires a good number of creatures.
Edit: Clerics go well with zombies. Take a look at Rotlung Reanimator and the other good clerics in Onslaught.
I tend to go for Knights over Soldiers these days, simply due to the existence of Knight Exemplar. Clone him in some way, and it's Knight Deck Wins.
You've also got Kinsbaile Cavalier, Stillmoon Cavalier, the assorted pump-Knights, Marauding Knight, Crusading Knight, and even Haakon if you want to move into black as well.
I just find them a little more powerful and resilient than Soldiers these days (which, if you're not careful, end up as a whole pile of sub-optimal semi-lords like Veteran Swordsmith).
I would like a tribal sub-theme in every color. The tribes being:
White: Knights/Soldiers?
Blue: Merfolk
Black: Zombies
Red: Goblins
Green: Elves
1. How many cards per tribe would be necessary to make a tribal draft viable?
2. How many tribal cards would dilute the power too much?
2. Which creatures/cards would be best for each tribe?
Author of "Flogging the Data"' econometric article series.
W Jazal Goldmane W R Daretti, Scrap Savant R
B Ghoulcaller Gisa B UG Prime Speaker ZeganaUG
UG Edric, Spymaster of Trest UG BG Nath, of the Gilt-Leaf BG
RG Ruric Thar, the Unbowed RG UB Dragonlord Silumgar UB
UBG Damia, Sage of Stone UBG WUG Roon of the Hidden Realm WUG
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild WRG BRG Prossh, Skyrider of Kher BRG
WUB Sydri, Galvanic Genius WUB UBR Thraximundar UBR
URG Yasova Dragonclaw URG WUR Zedruu, the Greathearted WUR
WBG Daghatar the Adamant WBG WUBRG Horde of Notions WUBRG
My Tribal cube
My 93/94 old school cube
My Artifact cube
My Hearthstone Quiz App for iOS
Author of "Flogging the Data"' econometric article series.
1) To make the tribes viable to draft I'd guess that close 1/2 of the creatures in each color would have to be tribal. Elves goblins and zombies just need so many creatures.
2) Honestly I think that any number of tribal creatures lowers the power level, as they need a critical mass to be worthwhile. As for how much is acceptable I personally would think that if I wanted the tribal themes, that if they are a competitive but not dominate archetype it's properly balanced, and when they become the dominant archetype then there is too much support.
3) I don't have much expertise there, so I'll just say that I'm sure that bondafong's tribal cube has most of the worthwhile tribal cards in it.
There you go.
My Tribal cube
My 93/94 old school cube
My Artifact cube
My Hearthstone Quiz App for iOS
Half the creatures. And any of the good tribal spells.
2. How many tribal cards would dilute the power too much?
It would dilute the raw power no matter what, though it would be powerful if you pulled it off. But it makes for a more interesting draft as you have to draft
2. Which creatures/cards would be best for each tribe?
Anything that ensures weenies don't die. Anything that allows a lot of triggers for the "when you play an X spell" type cards. Note that the only good Amplify Creature (Daru Stinger) is now ALSO a human and so get pumped by humans AND soldiers.
Goblins top out at like 3-4 mana. So "sack lands" type spells are good in red.
Elves can make tons of mana and tokens, so overrun, fireball and eldrazi.
Soliders make tons of tokens and have good defensive spells (daru stinger), and there's some bombs like that guy in morningtide who throws attacking soliders from hand into play. But a lot of their removal is a lot less amazing than STP or PTE.
Merfolk, I dunno. Counterspells, perhaps? Faeries are probably better as a controlly type tribe.
Zombies: Now with innistrad, lots of graveyard stuff and reanimator. Cards that mess with land types, perhaps? One of the zombie lords grants swampwalk. You could play wraths that allow regeneration because lots of zombies can regenerate.
You'll want to play all good changelings and maybe some sub-tribes like spirits, rebels, illusions, and whatnot, which are all pretty good combined with the changelings.
Wilz
Play any lord that isn't utter garbage. Play any tribal dork who isn't utter garbage. Reduce the number of sweepers because tribal requires a good number of creatures.
Edit: Clerics go well with zombies. Take a look at Rotlung Reanimator and the other good clerics in Onslaught.
You've also got Kinsbaile Cavalier, Stillmoon Cavalier, the assorted pump-Knights, Marauding Knight, Crusading Knight, and even Haakon if you want to move into black as well.
I just find them a little more powerful and resilient than Soldiers these days (which, if you're not careful, end up as a whole pile of sub-optimal semi-lords like Veteran Swordsmith).
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