Sunblade Elf is another two power one drop for the selesnya guild that goes great in the token decks too. I was running it for a while and thought it was really solid. I like it more than Fleecemane Lion, Ajani, both Dromokas, all the Wurm cards, and Township.
I had Advent of the Wurm in for a little bit, but it never seemed to get played. The best effect it had was effectively a combat trick blocker because there are so many ways to eliminate one big token.
Sunblade Elf is another two power one drop for the selesnya guild that goes great in the token decks too. I was running it for a while and thought it was really solid. I like it more than Fleecemane Lion, Ajani, both Dromokas, all the Wurm cards, and Township.
I've been more impressed by Elf than Township. Using your dude for damage is pretty useful, and you usually only need one or two pumps for your army anyways. Township is alright, but it's kinda limited in application, whereas Elf works both in the GW aggro/midrange builds and also stricter token builds.
I've been more impressed by Elf than Township. Using your dude for damage is pretty useful, and you usually only need one or two pumps for your army anyways. Township is alright, but it's kinda limited in application, whereas Elf works both in the GW aggro/midrange builds and also stricter token builds.
I like the Elf more than the Township in aggressive token shells.
Fair enough, if you support both Selesnya aggro and tokens, Sunblade Elf is more desirable. Fitting multiple purposes is more important for a gold card than a monoclored one since it is so much narrower to begin with.
A lot of people are saying dragonlord dromoka is better than 5 drop dromoka, but is that really true? The only relevant protection dragonlord has is cant be countered, and in a modern only cube counterspells are a lot worse. I think I'd prefer wasting 5 mana then 6, and bolster 2 is better than lifelink.
I think the lifelink is way better than Bolster, and the disruption it has on your opponent's ability to cast spells is valuable. It prevents your opponent from casting anything on your turn, not just countermagic. Plus, there's already two other 5cc Selesnya cards in there, so it's probably better for the curve.
Appreciate all the feedback, guys. It's a little frustrating when I ask for cuts and get suggested additions, but I know it's all well intended.
Cut: Dromoka. I've retooled my whole 5+ CMC creature category. Everything in that slot now either passes the Maelstrom Pulse check--Vindicate being illegal and all--or makes up for it by taking over the game.
No idea how what else to cut for either, though. I'll keep looking.
I don't consider any of the Zoo Crew to be guild cards proper, and I already run them all. I'm not impressed with most ability lands, so I probably won't be including them. (I know. "Sacrilege!")
However, the first card I'd cut from your GW section is Dromoka's Command. All of the modes are pretty weak. The damage prevention mode is narrow, your cube doesn't really have many must eliminate enchantments aside from Bitterblossom or maybe Phyrexian Arena (this is actually true in most cubes, artifact removal is way more important including in your cube since you're running the swords), fight based removal opens the user up to a 2-for-1, and the +1/+1 counter is a very weak effect for a 2CMC gold card. I know the card's been fairly popular in Standard and Modern recently, but it doesn't really cut it for a gold card in most cubes. In fact....
Arguably the best of its cycle. (Is that even a controversial opinion, really?) Certainly the most likely of the DTK Commands to create a 2-for-1 scenario.
I'd say this honor goes to Kolaghan's Command. Artifact destruction is a lot more relevant, and with the option of Shock, Raise Dead, or instant speed discard 1 the 2-for-1 is all but guaranteed. The card's sweet, I really recommend it.
Fight has continually proven itself both as a green-specific mechanic and a viable removal keyword. The cards Wizards prints with it are often hit or miss, but the effect is solid. So, that's one half of the 2-for-1. Additionally, you have the option of either killing an Enchantment or eating a burn spell. Swords notwithstanding, I assure you that "destroy target enchantment" is about as relevant as killing an artifact in my particular format, particularly since many of my W/x and U/x removal effects are enchantment-based. And eating a burn spell usually amounts to "counter target red removal" or "save you from lethal". It's easy to disregard these modes (I did at release), but I assure you they're very good.
By contrast, you're arguing in favor of a card that compares unfavorably to both Electrolyze (a middle tier gold card) and Blightning (something I just took out, actually). Yes, I recognize that's reductive, but that's the modal combo you spoke of for the "guaranteed" 2-for-1. I could go on, but I'd rather not digress too far into "my charm;s better than your charm" territory. Suffice to say, all modes being equal, 2 mana beats 3.
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I'm officially proposing we retire the word "insane" from the MtG vocabulary.
"The best way to be different is to be better" - Gene Muir
Kolaghan's Command is a complete monster of a cube card. It's the best dragon command by miles, and it's not even remotely close. And it's insanely better than either Electrolyze or Blightning.
That being said, Dromoka's Command is actually one of the better of your Selesnya cards right now; it's certainly not the one that should get cut first.
I find Knight of the Reliquary is alot weaker in cube as there are fewer fetchlands. I Dryad Militant is great as it can be aggressive for green and white and Quasli and Kitchen finks help to interview against aggro and enchantment/ artifacts. Knight I feel is underpowered.
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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
1) Kitchen Finks - Playable in all white and green decks basically. Good against aggro, good against mass removals, highly abusable with everything from Evolutionary Leap to Restoration Angel in his colors, and Recurring Nightmare, Crystal Shard and much more in other colors.
2) Dryad Militant - I don't play green aggro so I count it as a white card. A few sets ago would probably be number one on this list, but I can see smaller cubes now having more than enough white one drops, making it less important. Academic difference though, play both all the time.
3) Mirari's Wake - irrelevant to your pool
4) Qasali Pridemage - Beats for 3, deals with many problems. I've had more 2-for-1s with it than you would think.
5) Voice of Resurgence - Do not count on making any tokens with this, it will not unless your opponent will decide the spell is still worth it for him. Most decks are not greatly affected by it besides permission based control. Still, that matchup is really bad for W/G ramp that it adds a lot to the card. It is still good against the rest of the field enough that it is not sitting in your sideboard, from making your opponents adjust their game play, to discouraging trades against aggro. Also good as weak Wrath protection.
6) Gavony Township - This is the sort of card you will splash white for in your green deck and vice versa. Also doesn't take up a spell slot, so as far as gold cards go, it sees a lot of maindecks.
7) Fleecemane Lion - for the reasons you have mentioned, but he is very interchangeable
The rest I do not run anymore, but if I would enlarge my gold section:
8) Sigarda, Host of Herons - By the time you are here, you have so many low drops, a bone for midrange is probably more important. However, I do not like her non interactivity and would try to avoid including her in my cube.
9) Knight of the Reliquary - Ramp, fat, fixing and deck thinning. The higher your fetch density, the better he is by a significant amount.
10) I think from this slot on, it heavily depends on what you want to support. Blink/reanimation - Armada Wurm. Tokens - Wilt-Leaf Liege. For general utility though, Sundering Growth.
Dromoka doesn't only die to removal, but she is exceptionally bad by cube standards at bringing you back into the game from losing positions. She is only a blocker on defense, and easy to race on the offense.
My G/W section is exactly the same except with Gaddock Teeg in the place of Fleecemane Lion. I find his ability more relevant as it can protect your tokens and mana elves from wraths while randomly hosing some control and combo decks. (In my powered cube midrange needs the love.)
My G/W section is exactly the same except with Gaddock Teeg in the place of Fleecemane Lion. I find his ability more relevant as it can protect your tokens and mana elves from wraths while randomly hosing some control and combo decks. (In my powered cube midrange needs the love.)
An interesting idea. Do you have your list online somewhere?
Wow, this a is cool as I was just looking at my Selesnya section recently. I was running Fleecemane Lion, Voice of Resurgence and Mirari's Wake. I recently picked up a Kitchen Finks and cut Fleecemane Lion. I also had a discussion with my group about Voice of Resurgence as it wasn't seeing too much play. I showed them Qasali Pridemage and they all jumped it. I have been lacking in artifact/enchantment removal and this guy does double duty, attacks big and kills stuff. Based on that, I am cutting Voice of Resurgence.
I dont support green aggro, so i just put Dryad Militants in white. If you are willing to do this it would open another slot.
I did this a while ago for the exact same reasona and never looked back. As good as Dryad Militants is it all ways felt like a waste of a multi colour cardbecause its just not exciting enough, I have also done the same for Rakdos Cackler. Occasionally they will be drafted into the colour it wasn't intended for, but it not that common.
I have been eyeing up Mirari's Wake for a while as its fun and affordable but I can't decide on the cut, leaning towards pridemage though as he sees less play from my drafters.
I've been reading this topic and the Opposition topuc as well. I think it's odd I have Glare of Subdual in but not Opposition. Can someone clarify why a lot of people have the opposite since it feels so wrong to have Opposition in blue, a color that doesn't always have a lot of board presence. And to cut the glare in a color that DOES usually has a lot of stuff on the board.
I'm thinking of doing it, adding Opposition again, and cutting Glare (for Finks) but something still doesn't feel right
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"Everybody dies, Tracey. Someone's carrying a bullet for you right now, doesn't even know it. The trick is to die of old age before it finds you."
The reason why Opposition is good is because if can bind up your opponent's resources. Period. Glare of Subdual can't. We run one and not the other because one is good and the other one isn't.
The reason why Opposition is good is because if can bind up your opponent's resources. Period. Glare of Subdual can't. We run one and not the other because one is good and the other one isn't.
Damn Wtwlf123, no need to be so harsh. I don't think Omir realized Opposition is mainly used to tap lands. Tapping creatures is okay too but locking your opponent out of the game is where it's at.
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I currently run Dryad Militant which is usually no more than an elite vanguard you could also cast with green, Qasali Pridemage which is just a flat out awesome utility card, Fleecemane Lion because it's good early and late game, Wilt-Leaf Liege because the lord effect supports that G/W wants to mash face with creatures, Mirari's Wake because lord + mana = fun, and Gavony Township.
I doubt that Sunblade Elf is better than Gavony Township for any kind of token deck
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Fair enough, if you support both Selesnya aggro and tokens, Sunblade Elf is more desirable. Fitting multiple purposes is more important for a gold card than a monoclored one since it is so much narrower to begin with.
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thats my cube
But I'd much rather play neither of them.
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Cut: Dromoka. I've retooled my whole 5+ CMC creature category. Everything in that slot now either passes the Maelstrom Pulse check--Vindicate being illegal and all--or makes up for it by taking over the game.
Cards I'll be reconsider:
Dryad Military (strongly)
Qasali Pridemate (weakly)
No idea how what else to cut for either, though. I'll keep looking.
I don't consider any of the Zoo Crew to be guild cards proper, and I already run them all. I'm not impressed with most ability lands, so I probably won't be including them. (I know. "Sacrilege!")
Fight has continually proven itself both as a green-specific mechanic and a viable removal keyword. The cards Wizards prints with it are often hit or miss, but the effect is solid. So, that's one half of the 2-for-1. Additionally, you have the option of either killing an Enchantment or eating a burn spell. Swords notwithstanding, I assure you that "destroy target enchantment" is about as relevant as killing an artifact in my particular format, particularly since many of my W/x and U/x removal effects are enchantment-based. And eating a burn spell usually amounts to "counter target red removal" or "save you from lethal". It's easy to disregard these modes (I did at release), but I assure you they're very good.
By contrast, you're arguing in favor of a card that compares unfavorably to both Electrolyze (a middle tier gold card) and Blightning (something I just took out, actually). Yes, I recognize that's reductive, but that's the modal combo you spoke of for the "guaranteed" 2-for-1. I could go on, but I'd rather not digress too far into "my charm;s better than your charm" territory. Suffice to say, all modes being equal, 2 mana beats 3.
I'm officially proposing we retire the word "insane" from the MtG vocabulary.
"The best way to be different is to be better" - Gene Muir
Cubes:
Modern Banlist Cube
Monocolor Budget Cube
That being said, Dromoka's Command is actually one of the better of your Selesnya cards right now; it's certainly not the one that should get cut first.
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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
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My G/W section is exactly the same except with Gaddock Teeg in the place of Fleecemane Lion. I find his ability more relevant as it can protect your tokens and mana elves from wraths while randomly hosing some control and combo decks. (In my powered cube midrange needs the love.)
An interesting idea. Do you have your list online somewhere?
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
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http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/7604
It's now a bit more than 630 since I added power. There are conspiracies and a few pet cards but mostly it's a powered good stuff cube.
Modern: Jund
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My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
I did this a while ago for the exact same reasona and never looked back. As good as Dryad Militants is it all ways felt like a waste of a multi colour cardbecause its just not exciting enough, I have also done the same for Rakdos Cackler. Occasionally they will be drafted into the colour it wasn't intended for, but it not that common.
My W/G section is:
I have been eyeing up Mirari's Wake for a while as its fun and affordable but I can't decide on the cut, leaning towards pridemage though as he sees less play from my drafters.
I'm thinking of doing it, adding Opposition again, and cutting Glare (for Finks) but something still doesn't feel right
"Everybody dies, Tracey. Someone's carrying a bullet for you right now, doesn't even know it. The trick is to die of old age before it finds you."
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Damn Wtwlf123, no need to be so harsh. I don't think Omir realized Opposition is mainly used to tap lands. Tapping creatures is okay too but locking your opponent out of the game is where it's at.