Is a 2WW 4/5 flying lifelinker really better than a 2WW 3/4 creature that deals 18 damage in two swings if unblocked?
Not that I'm saying Angel is bad, by the way, I'm just intrigued by the comparison and I think even at 2WW straight up I might pick Hero of Bladehold over it, and I'd definitely pick Elspeth over it, two spells with identical mana costs that are good in aggro decks and control decks, which I think is kinda the comparison point.
It depends on the deck. Hero of Bladehold is pretty bonkers though. But evasion + lifelink could be HUGE in the right deck and in the right matchup.
Completely agree, evasion + lifelink is huge and is in fact the reason that EA is playable even though it costs 4WW or 3 + 2WW and not just 2WW. At 2WW it would be a staple imho and being in the same league as Hero and Elspeth is not a bad place to be, there should be room for three four drops after all.
The real question is how good EA would be at 3WW and how the cost of 3WW compares to the actual pricing options available for EA. I think at 3WW EA is borderline, because that is Baneslayer mana and Baneslayer is just better but still not unquestionable (Vindicate test that it fails, but the body is relevant enough to make up for that - for now). The actual cost of EA is quite comparable to 3WW, and that is why I come to the conclusion that it is a fringe card.
I don't think coming to the conclusion that a creature is slightly worse than Baneslayer Angel is grounds for saying it's "fringe".
Yea, I am not actively wanting to cut it. But if they print some creature that is Baneslayer good, EA is one of the first cards I am looking at for a cut.
Yea, I am not actively wanting to cut it. But if they print some creature that is Baneslayer good, EA is one of the first cards I am looking at for a cut.
Not me. I think they're two of white's best creatures.
I still play a good many. Vigilante, angel, firecat, bane, and willbender
But I've been wanting to try a new one.
Zombie cutthroat
Any aggro deck seems like they want him, while he can even feign as some of the other stuff in a pinch. His cost makes him colorless and his body is pretty well sized.
Thoughts?
Zombie Cutthroat is a risky investment, 5 life is a lot. 3/4 for 3 is not bad, but my current evaluation is that it is not worth the 5 life. Don't remember how it played, though (not even sure if it was in my Cube at some point).
What do I cut when they print another ridiculous five drop? Not Hero, Restoration Angel, Cloudgoat, Reveillark or Sun Titan. Kor Sanctifiers does something important, and Ranger of Eos is at least a true four drop so it should not be cut for something more expensive. I can easily see cutting Exalted Angel soon.
It depends on what the 5-drop is. I'll probably be looking at one of the 4+cc spells for a cut. As much as I love Ranger of Eos, I'd cut it before cutting Exalted Angel. Probably Cloudgoat Ranger too. I could add another 2cc Disenchant and cut Sanctifiers too, before removing EA.
I like Exalted Angel a lot more than Ranger of Eos and Reveillark, personally, and Sanctifiers' presence depends entirely on what other utility you have, so there's always that guy.
My suggestion is not to cut Sanctifiers, just to be clear. But it would be a preferable option to cutting Exalted Angel, so long as an additional Disenchant effect could be added to white to make up for the loss. And that would only be assuming that we get a 4/5 flying lifelink creature for 4 mana, which of course, we won't get.
Specialities about the cube: U tempo, B aggro, R slow-ish are supported. G aggro is not.
Currently trying to support tokens in all colors but blue, in different ways: W pumps them, B sacrifices them, R suicides them, G has decent-sized ones.
cube list outdated
*literal C/U definition according to gatherer
**some cards are banned. Library of Alexandria, Land Tax, Sol Ring.
I added a few morphs since we'll be getting a few more. So exciting! Wonder how many we'll get and if cube will ever reach enough to confuse even the cube owners quite consistently.
Now, this is really funny. In my whole life as a Magic player, I only ever played non-morph cards as face-down creatures twice. The one time was when I was playing too hastily and accidentally slammed not the Exalted Angel, but rather the basic land that was next to it in my hand on the table. The other time was at the Legions prerelease, where I misread Gempalm Incinerator as having morph (and a morph trigger) and played it face-down. That someone else makes this mistake with the very same card somehow makes me very happy.
I also ran Zoetic Cavern for a while, as another colorless morph and to use the land slot to increase a deck's threat density.
This list is pretty spot-on. I would consider only the top two in each color to be cubeable, unless you have a morph cube I guess. Except white's second morph is atrocious - you're paying 3+W for Goldmeadow Harrier, a one-drop.
Some random notes from experience: Silent Specter hits like a truck, Grinning Demon was fine until we got a bunch of improved four-drops, Gathan Raiders is actually really good in both reanimator and as an aggro beater/combat trick, Nantuko Vigilante got badly obsoleted by Reclaimer, Hystrodon is a nice way of giving green card advantage on a stick, and Thelonite Hermit should probably see play in token-heavy cubes. From these fringe morphs, I feel like green has the most interesting of the bunch.
Now that we officially have a playable cycle of megamorphs, I thought it was time to resurrect this thread. I am going to be testing out a 2 card per color morph theme in my 450(ish) cube.
I feel like these represent the best two morph cards in each color, but there is definitely room for debate here. Grim Haruspex, Hystrodon, Hooded Hydra, Vesuvan Shapeshifter ect... are all options. So, for those thinking about adding a morph theme, what cards are you going to run and why?
I'm playing Grim Haruspex at 360 anyway regardless of morph stuff. I also like Voidmage Prodigy a lot due to the huge number of wizards around in cube. He's currently in my cube for a test run regardless of other morphs. I will probably add the new morph cycle and Sagu Mauler, Exalted Angel, Silent Specter and maybe Zoetic Cavern.
1) He can be hard cast for great value
2) Willbender and Stratus Dancer interact with a lot of the same cards and will be unmorphed in similar situations a lot of the time. I feel like this hurts the bluff value. Shapeshifter, on the other hand, unmorphs for the same cost as Willbender and can be a much more proactive card. Neither Stratus Dancer nor Willbender will cause people to think twice before attaching into your field, but if they know Shapeshifter is around it could shake up combat in a big way.
Not that I'm saying Angel is bad, by the way, I'm just intrigued by the comparison and I think even at 2WW straight up I might pick Hero of Bladehold over it, and I'd definitely pick Elspeth over it, two spells with identical mana costs that are good in aggro decks and control decks, which I think is kinda the comparison point.
My MTGSalvation Cube Page (not always up to date, but sweet pics of my alters)
It depends on the deck. Hero of Bladehold is pretty bonkers though. But evasion + lifelink could be HUGE in the right deck and in the right matchup.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
The real question is how good EA would be at 3WW and how the cost of 3WW compares to the actual pricing options available for EA. I think at 3WW EA is borderline, because that is Baneslayer mana and Baneslayer is just better but still not unquestionable (Vindicate test that it fails, but the body is relevant enough to make up for that - for now). The actual cost of EA is quite comparable to 3WW, and that is why I come to the conclusion that it is a fringe card.
"What am I looking at? Ashes, dead man."
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
"What am I looking at? Ashes, dead man."
Not me. I think they're two of white's best creatures.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
But I've been wanting to try a new one.
Zombie cutthroat
Any aggro deck seems like they want him, while he can even feign as some of the other stuff in a pinch. His cost makes him colorless and his body is pretty well sized.
Thoughts?
My current list of 4+ mana white creatures:
What do I cut when they print another ridiculous five drop? Not Hero, Restoration Angel, Cloudgoat, Reveillark or Sun Titan. Kor Sanctifiers does something important, and Ranger of Eos is at least a true four drop so it should not be cut for something more expensive. I can easily see cutting Exalted Angel soon.
"What am I looking at? Ashes, dead man."
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
100% behind both of these statements.
Wink. Wink.
My MTGSalvation Cube Page (not always up to date, but sweet pics of my alters)
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 50th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OTJ!
Just being silly.
My MTGSalvation Cube Page (not always up to date, but sweet pics of my alters)
Ranger of Eos
Kor Sanctifiers
Exalted Angel
Cloudgoat Ranger
Baneslayer Angel
Restoration Angel
Reveillark
Sun Titan
Hero of Bladehold
Not happy with the list after all, it does seem a little awkward now that I look at it. Whatever.
450, Peasant*, unpowered**
Specialities about the cube:
U tempo, B aggro, R slow-ish are supported. G aggro is not.
Currently trying to support tokens in all colors but blue, in different ways: W pumps them, B sacrifices them, R suicides them, G has decent-sized ones.
cube list outdated
*literal C/U definition according to gatherer
**some cards are banned. Library of Alexandria, Land Tax, Sol Ring.
- Akroma, Angel of Fury
- Aphetto Exterminator
- Bane of the Living
- Blistering Firecat
- Brine Elemental
- Dwarven Blastminer
- Exalted Angel
- Fathom Seer
- Gathan Raiders
- Grinning Demon
- Headhunter
- Hystrodon
- Nantuko Vigilante
- Riptide Pilferer
- Shaper Parasite
- Silent Specter
- Skinthinner
- Skirk Marauder
- Thelonite Hermit
- Vesuvan Shapeshifter
- Voidmage Prodigy
- Whipcorder
- Willbender
- Zombie Cutthroat
EDIT: Alphabetized. Thanks NathanZimmerer!CUBE TOP 10 - Help us vote for the best cards in cube
I added a few morphs since we'll be getting a few more. So exciting! Wonder how many we'll get and if cube will ever reach enough to confuse even the cube owners quite consistently.
Gempalm incinerator isn't a morph, he's a cycler.
W
Exalted Angel #
Whipcorder *
U
Vesuvan Shapeshifter * Being both a surprise clone and a reusable clone is nice.
Willbender *
Voidmage Prodigy *
Fathom Seer *
Shaper Parasite
Riptide Pilferer
Brine Elemental This really only works with a single other card and is otherwise just too weak.
B
Bane of the Living *
Silent Specter *
Grinning Demon *
Headhunter *
Zombie Cutthroat Would be cool as a "colorless" morph if the life cost was lower. 5 is just too much.
Skinthinner
Aphetto Exterminator
R
Blistering Firecat #
Gathan Raiders * I really like these for both reanimator and aggro. "Colorless" morph can surprise people.
Skirk Marauder * Similar to Ghitu Fireslinger.
Akroma, Angel of Fury
Dwarven Blastminer *
G
Nantuko Vigilante * We got so many good "naturalizers" recently that I like better.
Hystrodon *
Thelonite Hermit
I also ran Zoetic Cavern for a while, as another colorless morph and to use the land slot to increase a deck's threat density.
Now, this is really funny. In my whole life as a Magic player, I only ever played non-morph cards as face-down creatures twice. The one time was when I was playing too hastily and accidentally slammed not the Exalted Angel, but rather the basic land that was next to it in my hand on the table. The other time was at the Legions prerelease, where I misread Gempalm Incinerator as having morph (and a morph trigger) and played it face-down. That someone else makes this mistake with the very same card somehow makes me very happy.
Uril, the Miststalker RGW -- Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre C -- Vhati il-Dal BG -- Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer RW -- Animar, Soul of Elements URG
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker R -- Maga, Traitor to Mortals B -- Ghave, Guru of Spores BGW -- Sliver Hivelord WUBRG
CUBE TOP 10 - Help us vote for the best cards in cube
I used to write cube articles on StarCityGames, now for GatheringMagic and podcast about cube (w/Antknee42.)
This list is pretty spot-on. I would consider only the top two in each color to be cubeable, unless you have a morph cube I guess. Except white's second morph is atrocious - you're paying 3+W for Goldmeadow Harrier, a one-drop.
Some random notes from experience: Silent Specter hits like a truck, Grinning Demon was fine until we got a bunch of improved four-drops, Gathan Raiders is actually really good in both reanimator and as an aggro beater/combat trick, Nantuko Vigilante got badly obsoleted by Reclaimer, Hystrodon is a nice way of giving green card advantage on a stick, and Thelonite Hermit should probably see play in token-heavy cubes. From these fringe morphs, I feel like green has the most interesting of the bunch.
My Cube (DeckStats)
My Pauper Cube: 540 (CubeTutor link!)
Level 1 Judge
White
Blue
Black
Red:
Green:
I feel like these represent the best two morph cards in each color, but there is definitely room for debate here. Grim Haruspex, Hystrodon, Hooded Hydra, Vesuvan Shapeshifter ect... are all options. So, for those thinking about adding a morph theme, what cards are you going to run and why?
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
I've been thinking about running Vesuvan Shapeshifter instead of Will Bender for a couple reasons:
1) He can be hard cast for great value
2) Willbender and Stratus Dancer interact with a lot of the same cards and will be unmorphed in similar situations a lot of the time. I feel like this hurts the bluff value. Shapeshifter, on the other hand, unmorphs for the same cost as Willbender and can be a much more proactive card. Neither Stratus Dancer nor Willbender will cause people to think twice before attaching into your field, but if they know Shapeshifter is around it could shake up combat in a big way.