I run this card in my 360 unpowered. I think it's very strong. It's a much harder to kill Birds of Paradise that can also block sometimes for 1 more mana. It's worse than Birds, but still great. I'd need someone to make a strong case against this for me to consider taking it out.
I still run Caryatid at 450 but it wouldn't survive a cut below that.
I'd settle down in either Ithaca, NY or someplace tropical. The chances of either ever happening are slim to none, as my husband and I both are chained to NJ through work and family. I hope to buy a weekend getaway cabin in the Ithaca are in ~10 years.
I probably don't need Sylvan Caryatid anymore due to the aforementioned 2-drop rampers, but I can strongly recall all the times hexproof and 3 toughness has majorly come into play, so it's earned its slot. If they keep designing interesting rampers like Channeler Initiate and Beastcaller Savant, it could get pushed out eventually.
Olivia is narrow, but she's a good control creature. And nothing is quite as intimidating as her mysterious 3rd leg...
I really liked the original Tempest/Stronghold era Sliver tribe, before they bastardized it with all the new "slivers" that don't look anything like slivers.
While B/R decks in cube do tend to lean towards the aggressive side, I believe that B/R control decks can be successful also. There's so much removal in the colors that I would imagine that they would have a good match up against decks trying to win with creatures. Running cards in the cube to support this archetype is something I like to do, but Olivia seems too slow for most cubes. With enough time and mana, however, she can rule the board.
I never liked Domri. The {+1} ability was inconsistent even in decks loaded with creatures, and it never seemed to do anything unless I already had a board that was better than my opponent's board.
When he's hitting creatures he's good...which sometimes feels like the equivalent of being at the casino and saying 'when I'm hitting red, I'm doing good' except at best similar odds. As a guild card, that can't make the cut.
All the guilds are at a pretty decent spot now, but Simic feels the weakest. There's nothing in the guild that 'pops' in a way that makes me really want that card, and the quality drops off pretty quick. Their cards are more 'well, I'm already in simic, so this card will be good' whereas I'm actively looking to splash something like a Vinidicate or Dack Fayden or Kolaghan's Command.
Never tested Domri but it just looks inconsistent and unexciting.
I think the weakest guilds are Simic and Boros. Simic has a bunch of cards are decent but beyond Nissa, Steward of Elements nothing that really wows me. Boros has a good top 3 but nothing great after that. Since I only run 3 per guild, that's not a problem for me but if I ever expanded my cube, I wouldn't be in love with any of my Boros or Simic options.
Domri requires too many creature to be great. If you play ~19 creatures, chances are your deck isn't good enough in the games where you do not play Domri.
The guilds that I think still lack 4 great cards are Izzet, Gruul and Orzhov.
In an unrelated note that I don't want to create a thread for, the new Zahid, Djinn of the Lamp makes me wonder if we are going to see retooled versions of classic Alpha cards--perhaps even as a cycle. This is our upgraded Mahamoti Djinn, now I'm looking for the new Shivan Dragon, the new Force of Nature, etc.
Rampant Growth is fine filler, I could see cutting it in a tighter list than mine but I find it so hard to cut full arts so I haven't brought myself to cut it.
Its does it's job well enough, but in a format of broken power houses it just feels like a fair card. I would really like a version that brought a basic in untapped but I'm sure WotC would say that is "too strong for standard".
If we didn't have ramping it would probably just be "acceleration".
It'a decent, Farseek is better if you have at least 1 dual, Nature's Lore is better because the land is untapped. Sakura Tribe Elder is is better because it is a creature.
I never realized that Rampant Growth's first print was Mirage. I always thought it was an Alpha card.
http://www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/63569
Sylvan Caryatid
Where would you like to eventually move and settle down to? Are you already there?
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
I'd settle down in either Ithaca, NY or someplace tropical. The chances of either ever happening are slim to none, as my husband and I both are chained to NJ through work and family. I hope to buy a weekend getaway cabin in the Ithaca are in ~10 years.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
This is still the best place for high-power-level cube chat & debate.
Here's to many more years at MTGS *clink*
Olivia Voldaren
What's your favorite tribe in Magic
and why is it Vampires?I really liked the original Tempest/Stronghold era Sliver tribe, before they bastardized it with all the new "slivers" that don't look anything like slivers.
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
Domri Rade
Which guild do you think needs the most help in cube? Which guild needs the least?
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
All the guilds are at a pretty decent spot now, but Simic feels the weakest. There's nothing in the guild that 'pops' in a way that makes me really want that card, and the quality drops off pretty quick. Their cards are more 'well, I'm already in simic, so this card will be good' whereas I'm actively looking to splash something like a Vinidicate or Dack Fayden or Kolaghan's Command.
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
I think the weakest guilds are Simic and Boros. Simic has a bunch of cards are decent but beyond Nissa, Steward of Elements nothing that really wows me. Boros has a good top 3 but nothing great after that. Since I only run 3 per guild, that's not a problem for me but if I ever expanded my cube, I wouldn't be in love with any of my Boros or Simic options.
Cheers,
rant
My Cube
CubeCobra: https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/5f5d0310ed602310515d4c32
Cube Tutor: http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/1963
The guilds that I think still lack 4 great cards are Izzet, Gruul and Orzhov.
The list on cube cobra
Read my blog on cube - Latest post June 2nd 2022
In an unrelated note that I don't want to create a thread for, the new Zahid, Djinn of the Lamp makes me wonder if we are going to see retooled versions of classic Alpha cards--perhaps even as a cycle. This is our upgraded Mahamoti Djinn, now I'm looking for the new Shivan Dragon, the new Force of Nature, etc.
Rampant Growth
What do you think 'ramping' would be called today if it weren't for Rampant Growth?
Its does it's job well enough, but in a format of broken power houses it just feels like a fair card. I would really like a version that brought a basic in untapped but I'm sure WotC would say that is "too strong for standard".
If we didn't have ramping it would probably just be "acceleration".
My 630 Card Powered Cube
My Article - "Cube Design Philosophy"
My Article - "Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
My 49th Set (P)review - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
I've always felt "ramp" was a nod to "ramping up," not Rampant Growth, so I think the name would remain the same.
My Eternal Cube on CubeTutor| |My Reject Rare Cube on CubeTutor| |My Peasant Cube on CubeTutor
I used to write for MTGS, including Cranial Insertion and cube articles. Good on you if you can find those after the upgrade.
I never realized that Rampant Growth's first print was Mirage. I always thought it was an Alpha card.
Rampant Growth's great. Totally cubable. Just there are four or so versions of the effect that are more great and more cubable.
I'd add Edge of Autumn to list of versions of this effect I'd play first