MTG Salvation

Hybrid Split Cards
As you probably know, hybrid cards are not exactly gold cards, Kitchen Finks is a great card even if you don't run one of the two colors. I believe cubes should separate out sections with alternate mana costs to maintain gold balance. In addition, alternative mana sections are important if you are not drafting 45 cards (such as when you have a smaller cube and you are going above your limit), as it insures that there are less 'dead cards' for a color.

I personally run a 10 card hybrid and Split section. The reason why I include split is because of the lack of a good splashable R/U and G/B hybrid cards. Although one side of the split is clearly better than the other, the other side can still be run if you are short on playables (such as when you draft less than the full 45)

This is the section. I believe this section should not change, unless your cube is slower than normal
Stillmoon Cavalier - Best B/W Hybrid. Debtor's Kneel is far to slow, even in multiplayer.
Giant Solifuge - Firespout doesn't seem good without red, and Solifuge as a Shrouded Lightning elemental is always relevant.
Curse of Chains - Removal is removal, although there are better options, blue/white still needs its point removal
Murderous Redcap - Best Card
Kitchen Finks - Best Card
Fire / Ice - Best Card, in addition cycling isn't that bad
Spitting Image - Very powerful finisher as it turns all of your remaining lands into clone effects (typically lands drawn after 6 are blank in the first place). A bit slow, but it is good if U/G is missing a removal resilient finisher
Oona Queen of Fae - Blue and Black needs it's finishers
Life / Death - This helps reaminator and ramp
Figure of Destiny - Best Card


Phyrexian Mana
Likewise, Phyrexian cards are basically colorless. They are essentially artifacts, and thus shouldn't be treated as a straight colored card. I suggest this section

Birthing Pod or Mutagenic Growth or Corrosive Gale. Mutagenic Growth is a fine combat trick that is almost impossible to play around, while Birthing Pod is fun (however it requires a green commitment).
Porcelain Legionnaire - If you want to run a 10 card Phyrexian Section, Apostle's Blessing
Dismember- Hex Parasite can also work
Phyrexian Metamorph - Spellskite is not that good, but it can work, same with Tezzeret's Gambit
Slash Panther or Moltensteel Dragon or Act of Aggression - I am still unsure on the red section. The Dragon has been underwhelming, while the other two are very conditional, and very red.

With my most recent round of changes, I moved my Hybrid and Phyrexian mana cards into my 'universal' section.

Also, Spined Thopter is really good.

With Hybrid cards, I also run off-colour abilities. Currently, we're running Jilt and Deadly Allure. In regards to Jilt, we're running it in addition to Fire / Ice and it's been pretty good so far. Deadly Allure is a new addition which I haven't been too thrilled about; maybe we'll give Life / Death a try.

Side note: Curse of Chains has actually been quite fantastic in our cube for what looks like an underwhelming card. It always seems to pull its weight.

I run Phyrexian in colorless and hybrid in hybrid. No problems so far. Also, Spellskite is quite, certainly much better than the green or red phyrexian mana cards. I don't think these sections quite need to be balanced, for what it's worth.

The only problem I have with those sections, is when you try and balance them, you're forced to include some subpar cards that I wouldn't have in my list otherwise. A lot of those hybrids I wouldn't want to run at 450+ even, and it's just not a possibility for 360.

Noxious Revival is the best green Phybrid card by far, IMO. Especially if you're looking for an effect that doesn't truly color-commit you.

And Moltensteel Dragon is easily the best red Phybrid card, but once again, it's really more of a red card.

..........

Quote from LSB »

As you probably know, hybrid cards are not exactly gold cards

True, but they're at their best when both colors are available. That's good enough for me to classify them with the other cards that perform "best" in their respective combinations. It's the same reason I run Crystal Shard in blue instead of in the artifact section. That's a more extreme example, of course, but any level of intrinsic improvement I'm happy classifying in that respective section.

Quote from LSB »

Likewise, Phyrexian cards are basically colorless. They are essentially artifacts, and thus shouldn't be treated as a straight colored card.

Cards that are intrinsically better when they're used in a specific color of deck are not truly artifacts. All of them, without exception, become better when their respective color is available.

Putting everything where it's "best" really simplifies the classification for me. Slight imbalance or no, I get to use the cards I want without including sub par cards, while still providing balanced numbers of support (at least by the "where best" standard).

I think that Curse of Chains doesn't get nearly enough love in cube. It's splashable removal that goes in 70% of decks.

I will also note that the Phybrid and Hybrid cards I do include are by no means balanced across colors. They are simply the best ones.

Quote from TakeABow

I will also note that the Phybrid and Hybrid cards I do include are by no means balanced across colors. They are simply the best ones.

Yeah, this for me too.

Because Phybrid and hybrid cards are closer to colourless cards than other cards,I don't think they need to be balanced.