I'd play all 5 of those cards pretty much no matter what. Even if they're all creature theft effects, they're all worth playing.
I like Dance of the Dead more than Beacon. 2cc reanimation is great, and targeting both 'yards can find some nice value (through ETB effects, etc) all for 1B.
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Chrome Mox goes into more decks. There is card disadvantage there, but your Cube has to support the artifact deck hardcore to avoid having Opal be a card that goes late -- I think this is the case even in a powered cube where there are naturally more artifacts.
I think that Opal is really only Cubeable if players are regularly making decks that are going to turn it on in the first couple of turns. If you're using it to jump from 4 mana to 5 mana it looks a lot less exciting.
Now, that obviously makes it a niche card, but is it really that limited? All the other artifacts work towards it too, like cursed scroll, sensei's divining top, etc.
Anyway, that's what my internal argument for it was. My argument against it was "is this kind of dedicated support for a narrow archetype worth it?"
Chrome mox I know is powerful, but I'm just so hesitant about the card disadvantage from it. How severe is it in draft?
Just got to say, you've definitely earned distinction as an MTGS hero
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Because he's the hero MTGS deserves, and the one it needs right now. So we'll global him. Because he can take it. Because he's not just our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. An expired rascal.
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ExpiredRascals you sir are a god-like hero.
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ER is a masterful god who cannot be beaten in any endeavour.
Chrome mox I know is powerful, but I'm just so hesitant about the card disadvantage from it. How severe is it in draft?
Starting ahead of your opponent is usually worth the loss of a card. Keep in mind it takes up a land slot during deck construction which should make it more appealing.
Chrome Mox is really good. It's not as good as Mox Diamond, but it's still 0-mana ramp. I'm playing it at 450 again, and it's not on the block; it's been playing quite well.
I support the artifact.dec archetype and I'm not really interested in Mox Opal. It's not bad, but it's slower and unreliable.
Immediate reaction is that because Sheoldred isn't good until you untap with her, but she's like Consecrated Sphinx in that she just wins games if gone unchecked, whereas Griselbrand at worst is a draw 7, and at best he just wins as well.
AND
Chandra, the Firebrand or Tybalt, the Fiend-blooded?
Immediate reaction is that because Sheoldred isn't good until you untap with her, but she's like Consecrated Sphinx in that she just wins games if gone unchecked, whereas Griselbrand at worst is a draw 7, and at best he just wins as well.
AND
Chandra, the Firebrand or Tybalt, the Fiend-blooded?
I think griselbrand is likely the best black fatty/reanimation target, so I'd go with him. He passes the terminate test and swings for 14, he's just insane.
I'm still not impressed with tybalt, so I'd role with chandra. Besides, fork effects are getting rather uncommon, and she can do some cool stuff like copying wildfire to turn it into a full wrath and geddon.
Just got to say, you've definitely earned distinction as an MTGS hero
Quote from Stardust »
Because he's the hero MTGS deserves, and the one it needs right now. So we'll global him. Because he can take it. Because he's not just our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. An expired rascal.
Quote from LuckNorris »
ExpiredRascals you sir are a god-like hero.
Quote from Lanxal »
ER is a masterful god who cannot be beaten in any endeavour.
Griselbrand is really good, really fun and guarantees you value. I like it more.
I prefer Chandra 3.0 to Tybalt.
Well, it only guarantees you value if you have more than 7 life, and it's pretty risky to draw seven if you're in burn range, which means I'd be pretty nervous drawing with it at 12 life or less. But overall I agree--I run Sheoldred due to budget reasons and I love the li'l crab dude as a reanimation target, but he is sloooow to take over games in comparison.
Griselbrand is good against the burn deck because as soon as you can get him into combat he starts making it very difficult for your opponent to burn you out. +7 life a turn is a lot. More dedicated burn decks are likely to have difficulty getting rid of him because of the 7 toughness.
Having said that, i wouldn't run Griselbrand unless I had ways of cheating him into play.
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You absolutely have to be running a lot of reanimation/fatty cheat in order to play him. If you're not, you can stick to the 6cc finisher suite in black (Grave Titan, Kokusho, the Evening Star & Massacre Wurm) and easily pass on the other stuff.
Just got to say, you've definitely earned distinction as an MTGS hero
Quote from Stardust »
Because he's the hero MTGS deserves, and the one it needs right now. So we'll global him. Because he can take it. Because he's not just our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. An expired rascal.
Quote from LuckNorris »
ExpiredRascals you sir are a god-like hero.
Quote from Lanxal »
ER is a masterful god who cannot be beaten in any endeavour.
I'd say either Shard Phoenix or Hunted Dragon. I love the Phoenix, but it's a fairly slow engine by today's standards. The Dragon is a nasty clock to race, but in a world of swords and anthems, a trio of knights can easily come back and bite you in the ass.
I'm considering trimming my curve in red. Which 5+CMC dude(s) is weakest?
I'd cut at least 4 of those. At 450, I only have four creatures with CMC >4 in red. You're running twelve. Even if my cube was doubled in size to a 900 card cube, I'd probably only play eight.
Petradon is just awful. So is Hunted Dragon. And you can easily cut Thundermare and Shard Phoenix. And even with stacked damage, you don't need Tahngarth. I'd cut all 5 and not think twice.
Primal Command vs Garruk Relentless
I have slots for 1 of these as a sort of "utility + asskicking" green spell. Running with Garruk atm. I have the other 2 garruks as well. Your thoughts?
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I mean, hell, we're all on a forum for something that most people would describe as a "children's card game"...do what makes you happy. You are never too old to enjoy yourself.
Agreed. Primal is a great utility card, but Garruk is actually green removal. Sure it's not amazing removal, but it does kill things. There's not enough of that effect.
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.
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**some cards are banned. Library of Alexandria, Land Tax, Sol Ring.
Garruk by a mile. It's a shoe-in at any size. Primal Command is good too, but my experience with it mirrors DerBK. Didn't do enough compared to other options at 5 mana.
I like Dance of the Dead more than Beacon. 2cc reanimation is great, and targeting both 'yards can find some nice value (through ETB effects, etc) all for 1B.
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Mox Opal vs Chrome Mox
Which is stronger?
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Chrome Mox goes into more decks. There is card disadvantage there, but your Cube has to support the artifact deck hardcore to avoid having Opal be a card that goes late -- I think this is the case even in a powered cube where there are naturally more artifacts.
I think that Opal is really only Cubeable if players are regularly making decks that are going to turn it on in the first couple of turns. If you're using it to jump from 4 mana to 5 mana it looks a lot less exciting.
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My thought is that this could reasonably come down active on t3 consistently when artifacts.dec is drafted.
Now, that obviously makes it a niche card, but is it really that limited? All the other artifacts work towards it too, like cursed scroll, sensei's divining top, etc.
Anyway, that's what my internal argument for it was. My argument against it was "is this kind of dedicated support for a narrow archetype worth it?"
Chrome mox I know is powerful, but I'm just so hesitant about the card disadvantage from it. How severe is it in draft?
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Starting ahead of your opponent is usually worth the loss of a card. Keep in mind it takes up a land slot during deck construction which should make it more appealing.
I support the artifact.dec archetype and I'm not really interested in Mox Opal. It's not bad, but it's slower and unreliable.
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Immediate reaction is that because Sheoldred isn't good until you untap with her, but she's like Consecrated Sphinx in that she just wins games if gone unchecked, whereas Griselbrand at worst is a draw 7, and at best he just wins as well.
AND
Chandra, the Firebrand or Tybalt, the Fiend-blooded?
I think griselbrand is likely the best black fatty/reanimation target, so I'd go with him. He passes the terminate test and swings for 14, he's just insane.
I'm still not impressed with tybalt, so I'd role with chandra. Besides, fork effects are getting rather uncommon, and she can do some cool stuff like copying wildfire to turn it into a full wrath and geddon.
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I prefer Chandra 3.0 to Tybalt.
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Well, it only guarantees you value if you have more than 7 life, and it's pretty risky to draw seven if you're in burn range, which means I'd be pretty nervous drawing with it at 12 life or less. But overall I agree--I run Sheoldred due to budget reasons and I love the li'l crab dude as a reanimation target, but he is sloooow to take over games in comparison.
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Having said that, i wouldn't run Griselbrand unless I had ways of cheating him into play.
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Reckless Wurm (yes, madness is supported)
Siege-Gang Commander
Tahngarth, Talruum Hero (relevant: we play under 6th ed rules, so combat damage stacks)
Shard Phoenix
Hunted Dragon
Kiki-Jiki Mirror Breaker
Thundermare
Crater Hellion
Rorix Bladewing
Akroma, Angel of Fury
Petradon
Bogardan Hellkite
Greater Gargadon (see note on tahngarth)
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I'd cut at least 4 of those. At 450, I only have four creatures with CMC >4 in red. You're running twelve. Even if my cube was doubled in size to a 900 card cube, I'd probably only play eight.
Petradon is just awful. So is Hunted Dragon. And you can easily cut Thundermare and Shard Phoenix. And even with stacked damage, you don't need Tahngarth. I'd cut all 5 and not think twice.
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I have slots for 1 of these as a sort of "utility + asskicking" green spell. Running with Garruk atm. I have the other 2 garruks as well. Your thoughts?
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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.
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
I don't know, i can at least put the Dragon in my Moat/Clasm/Quake deck, I don't think I'd actually put that 8cc thing in any deck.
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