It is only really great against midrange decks, but blue has plenty of expensive cards that own that matchup. Against control, Silumgar has less targets and does not pass the Vindicate test. Against aggro, the creatures you steal are generally near useless for you and it plays bad defense the turn you play it (what you steal is usually tapped). Being bad on an empty board or against tokens are other issues. Plus, monocolored options are very strong at the six drop slot.
I can see much of what you're saying here except for the last sentence. Blue has two strong creature finishers in Consecrated Sphinx and Aetherling, but black only has Grave Titan, and that's a hot card for lots of archetypes. Slide down a CMC to 5, and blue has Mulldrifter, which isn't a control finisher, and Meloku, which isn't very generically strong, while black has Shriekmaw, which isn't a control finisher, and Custodi Lich, which is better. The arrival of Liliana, Death's Majesty might help this.
This is all moot anyway. I'm just taking the plunge and cutting the thing.
I like Noxious Gearhulk and Torrential Gearhulk quite a bit. At a tier below there is Massacre Wurm, Tasigur and Sphinx of Jwar Isle that I also prefer to Silumgar.
I like both 'Tog and Silumgar significantly more than Ashiok.
I too like Silumgar more than Ashiok, who was better than we expected but not exactly stellar. Strix and Tezz AoB remain far and away my preferred top two. Silumgar is #3 at present but far from irreplaceable.
Dragonlord Silumgar was discussed Here in the Random Cube Card of the Day Thread. Silumgar never passes up an opportunity to add to his opulence, you shouldn't pass up this opportunity to add to the thread.
(Spoiler:A solid option for Dimir, really all down to personal taste.)
Dragonlord Silumgar is on borrowed time TBH - mostly because planeswalker removal has gotten so efficient effects like this aren't necessary.
I played him as a 1-off in gifts reanimation in modern a while back and there have been a lot of interesting stories over the years of stealing planeswalkers and ultimating.
I prob should cut him, but I think the exciting plays are worth it once in a while.
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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
I like Noxious Gearhulk and Torrential Gearhulk quite a bit. At a tier below there is Massacre Wurm, Tasigur and Sphinx of Jwar Isle that I also prefer to Silumgar.
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
I too like Silumgar more than Ashiok, who was better than we expected but not exactly stellar. Strix and Tezz AoB remain far and away my preferred top two. Silumgar is #3 at present but far from irreplaceable.
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
(Spoiler:A solid option for Dimir, really all down to personal taste.)
I played him as a 1-off in gifts reanimation in modern a while back and there have been a lot of interesting stories over the years of stealing planeswalkers and ultimating.
I prob should cut him, but I think the exciting plays are worth it once in a while.
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
3. Improving White Archetypes
4. Matchup Analysis
5. Cube Combos (Work in Progress)
Draft my Cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/d8i