(For more on the supported archetypes, scroll to the next post)
Road to this cube
My 'regular' peasant cube has seen different kinds of sizes, speeds, archetypes, good-stuff, etc. I've tried tribal synergies - with mixed results - but it has always been somewhat hard to do because of the amount of support you need to cube. Posters in the peasant cube area have come to know me as someone who likes to try weird archetypes. I reached a point where I wanted to cube so many different things at the same time and my cube became huge and diluted. And as a result, the fringe archetypes that we liked became almost impossible to draft. So, we decided to build multiple specific cubes instead. This cube is the one that we had the most fun with so far and the furthest in development.
Why peasant?
Basically, it's cheap and I like to work under restrictions. While a lot of iconic tribal support cards are rare, there are plenty of good ones at uncommon.
Aren't tribal formats too parasitic/linear/on-rails?
Only if you build it like that. In a way, this is the biggest challenge for every cube that supports archetypes. Especially ones that require a critical mass of support cards. Tribal has the added difficulty of being hard to overlap. An elf is not a human. So why would you build a format of something so specific? For me, those specific archetypes are what makes cubing exciting. The cubes I like best are the ones that feel like a puzzle, with loads of small interactions between cards, while on the other hand have very clear signals and pay-offs that can make you feel like you 'got there'.
I've tried to solve this by including a lot of changelings and making sure there's tribal overlap by focusing both on races (elf) and classes (warrior), as well as Allies as a super-tribe.
Why tribal, and not another set of archetypes?
I've always liked tribal decks. They're high on synergy and are creature based, both things I like in archetypes. In addition, it's a big part of Magic's history for me and I enjoy that the connection between cards is both mechanical and flavorful.
This might also be the point where I mention that there are other archetypes in this cube: +1/+1 counters and life gain matters (small), both synergies that I haven't been able to support well enough in other cubes but find very fun.
Basic Information
Cube Size: 400
Tribes supported: Spirit, Elf, Vampire, Soldier, Warrior, Wizard, Merfolk, Ally, Shaman (light), Human (light).
Other themes: +1/+1 counters/proliferate, arcane/spells matter, lifegain (light)
Standard or Theme: Peasant Tribal
Average Number of Players: mostly 2, sometimes 4
Cube Design
Standard or Multiplayer: Standard.
Sideboards: No cards specifically included for sideboards.
Color Balance: Kind of, see gold balance.
Gold Balance: No. Every gold card counts as half a card for each color, adding up to even numbers of each color.
Hybrid/Split/Kicker/Flashback as Gold: Gold.
Strategy
Elves is a base green deck that can be supported by different colors for removal (black/red), +1/+1 counters (white/blue), Warriors (non-blue) or Allies (white). Like elves in other formats, it's more of a go-wide deck than a go-tall deck,(Imperious Perfect, Timberwatch Elf)
Color(s): BRW
Overlap with: Allies, Soldiers, Warriors, +1/+1 counters, life gain matters
Strategy
You can draft three color Vampires (usually in a more midrange style), and Boros Vampires, but most commonly you'll draft:
Black/White life gain - Relies on small creatures and incremental value by gaining and draining life. (Oathsworn Vampire, Cliffhaven Vampire
Black/White +1/+1 counters - This midrange deck plays gums the board and takes advantage of proliferate. (Indulgent Aristocrat, Sanguine Glorifier)
Black/White aggro - Probably the most aggressive deck. Very low to the ground and fast. (Skymarcher Aspirant, Legion Lieutenant)
Black/Red - Rakdos Vampires usually comes in 1 flavor: snowball aggro. Red's vampires grow every time you connect, so you want to curve out and keep swinging. Proliferate works very nicely here. (Rakish Heir, Stensia Masquerade, Stromkirk Captain).
Color(s): W (br)
Overlap with: Allies, Vampires, Humans, +1/+1 counters
Strategy
Soldiers is more of a support tribe and is usually used in combination .
White/black - This is actually more of a Vampires deck, but with a couple of Soldier pay-off cards. (Catapult Squad)
White/red - Classic Boros aggro, but with a trio of Soldier, Human and Ally tribal synergies. (Weapons Trainer, Veteran's Armaments
White/x +1/+1 counters - Base white, supported by proliferate and +1/+1 counters stuff from other colors. (Cenn's Tactician, Daru Stinger)
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Warrior, Wizard, Merfolk, Ally, Shaman (light), Human (light).
Squirrely's Peasant Tribal Cube
Cubetutor link
Manaburn.org link
(For more on the supported archetypes, scroll to the next post)
Road to this cube
My 'regular' peasant cube has seen different kinds of sizes, speeds, archetypes, good-stuff, etc. I've tried tribal synergies - with mixed results - but it has always been somewhat hard to do because of the amount of support you need to cube. Posters in the peasant cube area have come to know me as someone who likes to try weird archetypes. I reached a point where I wanted to cube so many different things at the same time and my cube became huge and diluted. And as a result, the fringe archetypes that we liked became almost impossible to draft. So, we decided to build multiple specific cubes instead. This cube is the one that we had the most fun with so far and the furthest in development.
Why peasant?
Basically, it's cheap and I like to work under restrictions. While a lot of iconic tribal support cards are rare, there are plenty of good ones at uncommon.
Aren't tribal formats too parasitic/linear/on-rails?
Only if you build it like that. In a way, this is the biggest challenge for every cube that supports archetypes. Especially ones that require a critical mass of support cards. Tribal has the added difficulty of being hard to overlap. An elf is not a human. So why would you build a format of something so specific? For me, those specific archetypes are what makes cubing exciting. The cubes I like best are the ones that feel like a puzzle, with loads of small interactions between cards, while on the other hand have very clear signals and pay-offs that can make you feel like you 'got there'.
I've tried to solve this by including a lot of changelings and making sure there's tribal overlap by focusing both on races (elf) and classes (warrior), as well as Allies as a super-tribe.
Why tribal, and not another set of archetypes?
I've always liked tribal decks. They're high on synergy and are creature based, both things I like in archetypes. In addition, it's a big part of Magic's history for me and I enjoy that the connection between cards is both mechanical and flavorful.
This might also be the point where I mention that there are other archetypes in this cube: +1/+1 counters and life gain matters (small), both synergies that I haven't been able to support well enough in other cubes but find very fun.
Basic Information
Cube Size: 400
Tribes supported: Spirit, Elf, Vampire, Soldier, Warrior, Wizard, Merfolk, Ally, Shaman (light), Human (light).
Other themes: +1/+1 counters/proliferate, arcane/spells matter, lifegain (light)
Standard or Theme: Peasant Tribal
Average Number of Players: mostly 2, sometimes 4
Cube Design
Standard or Multiplayer: Standard.
Sideboards: No cards specifically included for sideboards.
Color Balance: Kind of, see gold balance.
Gold Balance: No. Every gold card counts as half a card for each color, adding up to even numbers of each color.
Hybrid/Split/Kicker/Flashback as Gold: Gold.
My Cubes:
Peasant Travel Cube on CubeCobra (180 cards, modern frames) (mtgsalvation thread can be found here)
I had a blog for a while @ peasant-cube.blogspot.com where I may or may not post again, lol
Color(s): UWRG(b)
Overlap with: Arcane, +1/+1 counters
Strategy
Every combination is playable, but these are the most common:
White/Blue - Your 'classic' UW skies. Draft flyers, protect them. (Drogskol Captain), Spectral Shepherd)
Blue/Red - A control deck that leans on triggering blue and red's spirit/arcane pay-offs. (Sire of the Storm, Earthshaker)
White/Green - Leans more towards midrange +1/+1 counters and proliferate. (Briarknit Kami, Otherwordly Journey, Phantom Flock)
Color(s): G(wub)
Overlap with: Warriors, Allies, +1/+1 counters
Strategy
Elves is a base green deck that can be supported by different colors for removal (black/red), +1/+1 counters (white/blue), Warriors (non-blue) or Allies (white). Like elves in other formats, it's more of a go-wide deck than a go-tall deck,(Imperious Perfect, Timberwatch Elf)
Color(s): BRW
Overlap with: Allies, Soldiers, Warriors, +1/+1 counters, life gain matters
Strategy
You can draft three color Vampires (usually in a more midrange style), and Boros Vampires, but most commonly you'll draft:
Black/White life gain - Relies on small creatures and incremental value by gaining and draining life. (Oathsworn Vampire, Cliffhaven Vampire
Black/White +1/+1 counters - This midrange deck plays gums the board and takes advantage of proliferate. (Indulgent Aristocrat, Sanguine Glorifier)
Black/White aggro - Probably the most aggressive deck. Very low to the ground and fast. (Skymarcher Aspirant, Legion Lieutenant)
Black/Red - Rakdos Vampires usually comes in 1 flavor: snowball aggro. Red's vampires grow every time you connect, so you want to curve out and keep swinging. Proliferate works very nicely here. (Rakish Heir, Stensia Masquerade, Stromkirk Captain).
Color(s): W (br)
Overlap with: Allies, Vampires, Humans, +1/+1 counters
Strategy
Soldiers is more of a support tribe and is usually used in combination .
White/black - This is actually more of a Vampires deck, but with a couple of Soldier pay-off cards. (Catapult Squad)
White/red - Classic Boros aggro, but with a trio of Soldier, Human and Ally tribal synergies. (Weapons Trainer, Veteran's Armaments
White/x +1/+1 counters - Base white, supported by proliferate and +1/+1 counters stuff from other colors. (Cenn's Tactician, Daru Stinger)
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Warrior, Wizard, Merfolk, Ally, Shaman (light), Human (light).
My Cubes:
Peasant Travel Cube on CubeCobra (180 cards, modern frames) (mtgsalvation thread can be found here)
I had a blog for a while @ peasant-cube.blogspot.com where I may or may not post again, lol
My Cubes:
Peasant Travel Cube on CubeCobra (180 cards, modern frames) (mtgsalvation thread can be found here)
I had a blog for a while @ peasant-cube.blogspot.com where I may or may not post again, lol