Mirage block was the first block where I played Magic "Competitively" back in 1996 like many others. It was the first series of expansion sets that was built for the then new 3-set "Block" format and tested to work together independently. It has some old mechanics from the Alpha release and a few new ones like flanking and phasing.
The cube contains cards from Mirage, Visions and Weatherlight. I have added the legendary personalities from later expansions since I was thrilled to finally see who all these cards were referencing when they came out. Teferi, Mangara, Jolrael, and Kaervek.
When looking to build a new cube after the first two, I wanted something that was powerful, nostalgic and reasonably balanced. I also considered Tempest Block, Urza's Block and Ice Age "block". Mirage ended up being the most balanced with the least amount of gaps between card power, color power and overall fun.
360 Cards.
Each color contains: 35 Creatures and 25 Spells
There are also: 28 Artifacts, 20 Multi-Colored Cards, and 12 non-basic lands
EDIT: Been drafting this on cubetutor, and it is very, very fun. Really interesting to observe the difference in relative power between spells and creatures back in the day; 3/3 fliers for CMC 5, or 4/4s with drawbacks, seemed to really have been the top tier beaters of the time!
I removed a couple Phasing specific cards that I think would be very low picks. I'm not sure Spatial Binding even works under the new Phasing rules.
Maro was a card that I wanted in from the beginning and I think Fungus Elemental was mostly just another big beater with probably the harshest drawback for the least gain among the large green beaters in the cube.
Soul Rend was too color specific. Wave of Terror gives a nice option for control and some conditional mass removal.
I played the cube with an old friend very familiar with the block last year and he had some suggestions that I never got around to implementing but I am doing so now.
There are probably too many enchantments in the cube so I am replacing some of those with non-enchantment spells and I'm also trying to increase the count of removal spells at the same time. Furthermore, defensive or slow-play spells are getting cut for more aggressive spells.
Pendrell Mists out
Pendrell Mists is too hard to play around. It's a powerful effect but the cards needed to make it effective don't exist in the cube. Pendrell Mists > Sapphire Charm
Ward of lights is another annoying enchantment (and color-hate) and Ivory Charm is more versatile with a lower cost. Ward of Lights > Ivory Charm
Superior Numbers is too conditional and Feral Instinct is a nice trick/pump effect with draw. Surprised I didn't have it in the first place. Superior Numbers > Feral Instinct
Growing Green
The green creature list was pretty weak considering how many big fatties that green has in the block. I should have made these changes a long time ago. The cards being removed were unimpressive and hard to use. Again, conditional abilities are not very useful.
Wave Elemental out
Wave elemental is just not good enough for it's high cost. It's power and toughness do not matter much and it's ability is replicated/surpassed by other cards in the cube. Avizoa is a more playable cost at 3U and has an interesting evasive/pump power.
Black changes
Some changes for black. Kaervek's Spite is just too awful a drawback for 5 life, even as a finisher. Phyrexian Tribute is a 3 for one in cards for an artifact, and there aren't that many in the cube. Necratog is iconic, but hard to power up. Tar Pit Warrior is easier to splash and make use of. Kaervek's Spite > Ebony Charm Phyrexian Tribute > Ashen Powder Necratog > Tar Pit Warrior
Suleiman's Legacy out
The card is too hard to use and Zebra Unicorn has some needed lifelink in the cube. Suleiman's Legacy > Zebra Unicorn
Mirage block was the first block where I played Magic "Competitively" back in 1996 like many others. It was the first series of expansion sets that was built for the then new 3-set "Block" format and tested to work together independently. It has some old mechanics from the Alpha release and a few new ones like flanking and phasing.
The cube contains cards from Mirage, Visions and Weatherlight. I have added the legendary personalities from later expansions since I was thrilled to finally see who all these cards were referencing when they came out. Teferi, Mangara, Jolrael, and Kaervek.
When looking to build a new cube after the first two, I wanted something that was powerful, nostalgic and reasonably balanced. I also considered Tempest Block, Urza's Block and Ice Age "block". Mirage ended up being the most balanced with the least amount of gaps between card power, color power and overall fun.
360 Cards.
Each color contains: 35 Creatures and 25 Spells
There are also: 28 Artifacts, 20 Multi-Colored Cards, and 12 non-basic lands
40 of each basic land.
Visual spoiler on cubetutor: http://www.cubetutor.com/visualspoiler/58931
Draft this cube on cubetutor: http://www.cubetutor.com/draft/58931
White
Blue
Black
Red
Green
Artifact/Land/Multicolor
My Kamigawa cube.
My Mirage Cube
EDIT: Been drafting this on cubetutor, and it is very, very fun. Really interesting to observe the difference in relative power between spells and creatures back in the day; 3/3 fliers for CMC 5, or 4/4s with drawbacks, seemed to really have been the top tier beaters of the time!
"Personally I love high-riak, low-reqars gambles. Life's best with a decent amount of riak. And f*** reqars."
Some summer changes.
I removed a couple Phasing specific cards that I think would be very low picks. I'm not sure Spatial Binding even works under the new Phasing rules.
Maro was a card that I wanted in from the beginning and I think Fungus Elemental was mostly just another big beater with probably the harshest drawback for the least gain among the large green beaters in the cube.
Soul Rend was too color specific. Wave of Terror gives a nice option for control and some conditional mass removal.
Spatial Binding out and Tempest Drake in
Soul Rend out and Wave of Terror in
Time and Tide out and Mystic Veil in
Fungus Elemental out and Maro in
My Kamigawa cube.
My Mirage Cube
There are probably too many enchantments in the cube so I am replacing some of those with non-enchantment spells and I'm also trying to increase the count of removal spells at the same time. Furthermore, defensive or slow-play spells are getting cut for more aggressive spells.
Elephant Grass out and Superior Numbers in
Serra's Blessing out and Divine Offering in
Helm of Awakening out and Touchstone in
Zombie Mob out and Shauku, Endbringer in
Tombstone Stairwell out and Phyrexian Tribute in
Infernal Tribute out and Infernal Harvest in
Prosperity out and Thirst in
Ancestral Knowledge out and Reality Ripple in
Lightning Cloud out and Builder's Bane in
Elkin Lair out and Heart of Bogardan in
Cadaverous Bloom out and Energy Bolt in
Circle of Despair out and Simoon in
More updates soon.
My Kamigawa cube.
My Mirage Cube
Null rod is not very good when there are so few activated artifacts that it hits.
Mana Prism is unexciting compared to the kaleidoscope which also makes mana and dudes.
The green cards were all either expensive enchantments that were defensive or too conditional to play.
Null Rod > Thran Forge
Mana Prism > Diamond Kaleidoscope
Dense Foliage > Serene Heart
Katabatic Winds > Tranquil Domain
Lure of Prey > Elven Cache
Brushwagg > Wild Elephant
My Kamigawa cube.
My Mirage Cube
Urborg Justice is too conditional and Peacekeeper is too defensive and difficult to actually use with control in this format.
Urborg Justice > Fatal Blow
Peacekeeper > Iron Tusk Elephant
My Kamigawa cube.
My Mirage Cube
Pendrell Mists out
Pendrell Mists is too hard to play around. It's a powerful effect but the cards needed to make it effective don't exist in the cube.
Pendrell Mists > Sapphire Charm
Ward of lights is another annoying enchantment (and color-hate) and Ivory Charm is more versatile with a lower cost.
Ward of Lights > Ivory Charm
Superior Numbers is too conditional and Feral Instinct is a nice trick/pump effect with draw. Surprised I didn't have it in the first place.
Superior Numbers > Feral Instinct
Growing Green
The green creature list was pretty weak considering how many big fatties that green has in the block. I should have made these changes a long time ago. The cards being removed were unimpressive and hard to use. Again, conditional abilities are not very useful.
Mwonvuli Ooze > Llanowar Behemoth
Llanowar Druid > Redwood Treefolk
Quirion Druid > Panther Warriors
Sylvan Hierophant > Fungus Elemental
Helping white creatures
Just bumping up some white creature choices.
Benalish Missionary > Mtenda Herder
Femeref Healer > Femeref Knight
Spectral Guardian > Southern Paladin
Wave Elemental out
Wave elemental is just not good enough for it's high cost. It's power and toughness do not matter much and it's ability is replicated/surpassed by other cards in the cube. Avizoa is a more playable cost at 3U and has an interesting evasive/pump power.
Wave Elemental > Avizoa
Black changes
Some changes for black. Kaervek's Spite is just too awful a drawback for 5 life, even as a finisher. Phyrexian Tribute is a 3 for one in cards for an artifact, and there aren't that many in the cube. Necratog is iconic, but hard to power up. Tar Pit Warrior is easier to splash and make use of.
Kaervek's Spite > Ebony Charm
Phyrexian Tribute > Ashen Powder
Necratog > Tar Pit Warrior
Suleiman's Legacy out
The card is too hard to use and Zebra Unicorn has some needed lifelink in the cube.
Suleiman's Legacy > Zebra Unicorn
My Kamigawa cube.
My Mirage Cube
Argivian Restoration was too situational as was Mind Harness. Both replacements make more sense.
Wave of Terror has potential to be good, but every time I drafted it I never played it.
Argivian Restoration > Inspiration
Mind Harness > Betrayal
Wave of Terror > Agonizing Memories
My Kamigawa cube.
My Mirage Cube