whether or not a 5/4 is better as a 4/4 trample depends on you cube, like how many x/5s youre running.
In a vacuum 5/4 kills a turn faster.
I dont like the red hound. the body is too fragile in both modes and Red has usually no problem to burn out the opponent. Usually you dont wanna trade on board too much.
I dont like the red hound. the body is too fragile in both modes and Red has usually no problem to burn out the opponent. Usually you dont wanna trade on board too much.
Well red simply hasn't much use for the GY and it's free card advantage, when you run out of gas.
whether or not a 5/4 is better as a 4/4 trample depends on you cube, like how many x/5s youre running.
In a vacuum 5/4 kills a turn faster.
I dont like the red hound. the body is too fragile in both modes and Red has usually no problem to burn out the opponent. Usually you dont wanna trade on board too much.
I think x/5s have virtually nothing to do with it. If there are a bunch of tokens in your Cube or otherwise expendable small creatures, the value of trample goes up substantially.
EDIT: maybe I'm missing something but the only tou=5 I can think of that really apply are other green 4 drops and maybe a few walls like Roots, Glare or Dreamstalker. Even at 5+ cmc it's not like there's a ton in Pauper.
but yeah sure. chumping is also relevant. but at least you will damage eventually then.
I was thinking of x/5s as a dynamic variable that could affect the decision and my conclusion is that it is not since basically every Cube will play almost exactly the same x/5s (Roots, Hartebeest, Angler, Benthic, etc)
I currently have a break from work and found the time to go through the old ratings and update a lot of them. Feel free to take your time and look through the ratings and tell me if you find anything else you disagree with and give an argument for why.
I might even find the time to update this project to Theors over the coming week.
There were a lot of changes and I had this much motivation, but not enough to list every single change. I also do think that the changes I made are fine. I'm actually more interested in the cards I didn't change, are there any greatly misjudged cards left in somone's opinion?
i dont go through the pages that often and i started to browse the "bad" category when i do. I think i suggested some changes quite a while ago. on the most noticeable offenders.
either way its also interesting to see what powercreep did to us. back then a multicolor 4/4 for 4 was considered very good.
Garrison Griffin: There are tons of similar cards, which do exactly the same without the tribal restriction.
Lonesome Unicorn: Having 2 cards in one is nice, but 8 mana is definitely too much, when booth bodies are underwhelming. For half the amount of mana you can get 2 2/2s with Vigilance.
Silverflame Ritual: There are way better effects to mass pump your team.
Silverflame Squire: A 2/1 for 2 is pretty bad. If you want to get the full value out of this card you can't play it before turn 4 where 2/X creatures can start to become useless and then you are forced to use the combat trick on turn 3, which can also fizzle and leave you with nothing but having spend mana on an overcosted combat trick.
Run Away Together: It always sounds nice to use selfbounce to retrigger etb effects or save a creature from removal while doing something else, but self bounce also means that you have to cast the creature again, which costs you a lot of tempo.
Unexplained Vision: Drawing 3 cards for cmc 5 is ok, but sorcery speed is a huge problem and you need UUU to get the additional upside.
Bad:
Mantle of Tides: It sounds nice in theory, but onboard tricks aren't that effective and the normal equip cost is too high.
Mistford River Turtle: The stats are bad and you don't really want to attack with your blocker.
So Tiny: Threshold is hard to archive yourself and even worse when you have to hope for your opponent to get there.
Steelgaze Griffin: For this creature to be good you would need to trigger it every turn. That is just too unreliable and there are a lot of 3/4s with actual upsides which have more power on average.
Vantress Paladin: There already are 3/3 fliers for cmc 4 without a downside.
Wishful Merfolk: This creature is bad at blocking as well as attacking.
Forever Young: A somewhat interesting design as you have the option put 0 on top and simply cycle it or improve your next X draw spells by a lot.
Locthwhain Paladin: If you heavily support monocolored decks this can be a decent threat.
Lost Legion: A fine blocker, that can help you to improve your next draws.
Malevolent Noble: An instant speed sacrifice outlet, that gets pumped permanently is kind of nice, but 2 is too much of an activation cost.
Reaper of Night: Even though booth parts are overcosted by 1 the combination is still nice.
Wicked Guardian: This is cubeable if you have a critical amount of 3 toughness creatures for cmc 2 or 3, which is usually not the case, so it's rated as borderline.
Barrow Witches: There aren't enough Knights, especially not in black.
Eye Collector: A 1/1 Flying isn't good enough and the additional ability doesn't do anything.
Festive Funeral: This wouldn't even be good with a ton of selfmill.
Foreboding Fruit: Divination is OK, but losing to 2 for no reason makes no sense and you would need to pay BBB to effectively gain 1 life with a Kicker cost of 2.
Tempting Witch: There aren't enough good cards, which make food.
Borderline:
Barge In: A 1 mana combat trick that gives at least +2/+2 and trample sounds too good, so it obviously has 2 downsides in the form of only working on attacking creatures and only giving trample to non-humans. It gets a plus point for possibly granting the trample effect to the whole team.
Brimstone Trebuchet: Having reach and constantly applying damage is nice, but there simply aren't enough Knights.
Crystal Slippers: This definitely outclasses Strider Harness by a lot, but it still costs you too much tempo on curve to be cubeable.
Merchant of the Vale: The main body and the loot ability are only Ok. The main reasony why you would want to include this is, if you heavily want to support some kind of UR Spells deck and desperately want the Adventure Half.
Redcap Raiders: Even though human is the biggest tribal, "all the rest" is also a lot of creatures. The problem is, that the 3/2 on it's own isn't good enough. For this to be good you need to have a very creature heavy aggro deck, that constantly has a summoning sick creature each turn to tap until this is killed. You really don't want to tap a potential attacker to pump this.
Rimrock Knight: 3/1s for 2 are ok, but not having the option to block is a downside and the combat trick can fizzle and counter the Knight. Also you usually want to play your 2 drop on turn 2, which means that you often never had the chance to get the full value out of this.
Scorching Dragonfire: A nice creature removal, but there is a ton of alternatives, which can hit players if needed.
Embereth Paladin: There are alternatives which provide a similar body with haste without a downside.
Ogre Errant: There simply aren't enough Knights, especially not in red.
Raging Redcap: There are better and cheaper double striker creatures nowadays.
Searing Barrage: Not being able to hit players right away, disqualifies this card.
Seven Dwarfs: Unless you disable to singleton rule, this is not a card.
Waselback Redcap: It's simply not worth it if you have to constantly pump mana into this to deal significant damage.
Cubeable
Fierce Witchstalker: A 4/4 trample for cmc 4 is already solid on it's own, but also getting the food token for free is definitely a nice little extra.
Garrenbrig Paladin: Adamant makes this effectively cost 2GGG to get the full value which is doable in green, and the 4/4 version isn't too horrible if necessary. The evasion of dodgeing all 2/Xs is pretty strong and can outclass Trample in several cases.
Wildwood Tracker: There are few humans in green. If you can guarantee to follow this up with another creature you are essentially getting a 2/2 for G, that dies to 1 damage removal, but still a decent one drop in an aggro deck.
Borderline
Fell the Phesant: If you want to play anti-air only sideboard cards this is fine, I guess.
Garrenbrig Carver: The comat trick is overcosted by 1, but a "free" 3/2 later on could make up for it, if it weren't for the fact the the trick can fizzle and effectively counter the 3/2.
Maraleaf Rider: This is basically a 3/1 Vanilla with some additional flavour text.
Rosethorn Halberd: Non-human is a lot of possible targets and so the first cast is usually pretty decent, but the reequip cost is pretty overcosted.
Tuinvale Treefolk: A decent body for 6 mana with some additional effect earlier on curve would be real nice, if it weren't for the fact, that the pump effect can fizzle and effectively counter the creature along with it.
Rosethorn Acolyte: You don't want your mana dogs to cost more than 2.
Tall as a Beanstalk: There are a lot of better auras, which grant the same boost for less mana. Also reach isn't an upside, because you definitely don't want to slam this on a creature just to start playing the defensive role.
Cubeable
Crashing Drawbridge: A 0/4 for 2 is a decnt blocker and being able to be also used aggressively is definitely nice.
Gingerbrute: Not amazing in any way, but simply a fine early aggressive, hasty, evasive creature, that can theoretically be put into any deck and also be used to gain some life in case of emergency.
Borderline
Golden Egg: If this wouldn't sacrifice itself after the first use, it could actually be decent fixing.
Jousting Dummy: 3 is way too expensive for the ability and doesn't make a 2/1 good.
Loctwhain Gargoyle: The initial body as well as the ability are bad and - and - doesn't make + in this case, but rather --.
Prophet of the Peak: A 6 mana creature with unimpressive stats, that can be disenchanted doesn't become good, just because it can Scry 2.
Roving Keep: This creature is sooo incredibly bad, you would think it is from Legends.
Singalpost Scarecrow: If the ability would have costed 1, this might have been somewhat interesting
Weapon Rack: Even though this might read somewhat similar to Serrated Arrows it's a million times worse, since it can't kill creatures and can't even be used to mess with combat, due to the sorcery speed restriction.
Cubeable
Mystic Sacntuary: Even though the effect is highly color restricted, the effect is still strong enough, that you might want to consider this.
man, thats a lot of typos in that lists.
looks fine so far,
although i think gingerbrute is just amazing, being a hasty evasive onedrop without color restriction, that dies for life.
Daybreak Chimera: This is already Phantom Monster with only 1 Devotion, which is totally playable. From then on it only becomes better.
Borderline
Dreadful Apathy: For very big cubes, that feel like the 2 mana Pacifism aren't enough, this could be considerable. This also has a kind of neat side effect, where you can flicker it in response to the activated ability.
Flicker of Fate: It's kind of neat, that it can hit opposing creatures as well as enchantments. Since it can flicker enchantments you can do some neat things in combination with Journey to Nowhere and Oblivion Ring.
Hero of the Pride: If you play a lot of combat tricks or enchantments, the mass pump can be neat.
Naiad of Hidden Coves: This reads way better than it actually is. Mana instants are UU or so cheap that a cost reduction doesn't really help you at all and getting a lousy 2/3 Vanilla apart from that doesn't make this good.
Riptide Turtle: Depending on how high you value flash and if you are willing to play pure defenders without any way to pressure the opponent this might be considerable.
Starlit Mantle: If you heavily want to support an aura theme, this can theoretically be used to save a creature once and also provide a small buff.
Vexing Gull: If you are highly into flash, this isn't too bad, but not too exciting either.
Witness of Tomorrows: 3/4 fliers for 5 are decent and having an additional mana sink attached to it is nice, but there are better alternatives and keep in mind, that this can be disenchanted.
Bad
Brine Giant: Your cube basically needs to be mono enchantments for this to be good.
Chain to Memory: A mediocre trick, that doesn't replace itself.
Deny the Divine: A cmc 3 counter needs to be at least not restricted to specific card types or have a more significant upside, rather than exile.
Eidolon of Philosophy: The body is horrible and the ability is too expensive, especially because if there is a threat, that you would actually be able to pay for it, your opponent can simply remove it, but between turn 1-6 it's useless.
Elite Instructor: The effect is way too weak to be worth a lousy 2/2 for 3.
Ichthyomorphosis: This is a way for blue to deal with activated abilities, but 3 mana is simply too much for a card that also leaves a blocker behind.
Memory Drain: 4 mana is too much for a counter that doesn't have a more significant upside.
[card]Nyxborn Seaguard/card]: 2/5s for 4 aren't horrible, but they need some additional upside.
Sleep of the Dead: Card disadvantage. There are spots in the very late stages of the game, where this can have a significant impact, but that's a corner case.
Thirst for Meaning: There usually aren't enough enchantments and even if there are you don't really want to discard them most of the time.
Towering-Wave Mystic: You either want to mill or deal damage. Cards that combine booth are usually bad.
Triton Waverider: Your cube basically needs to be mono enchantments for this to be good.
Cubeable
Lampad of Death's Vigil: A cheap acitvation cost allows you to easily recycle all creatures, that would otherwise die to removal and threaten your opponents life total without attacking, while restorting your own life.
Underworld Charger: A hyper aggressive card, but with decent stats in booth modes and very annoying to deal with.
Borderline
Blight-Breath Catoblepas: Black has more devotion that most other colors and the fact that this is a creature, that can trade and later be recurred is nice, but 6 mana is definitely a lot and 3/2 aren't the best stats.
Final Death: 5 mana is simply too much and the exile clause matters too rarely.
Fruit of Tizerus: This might read like a possible finisher, but there are a lot better ways to win the game and black has better uses for the graveyard.
Funeral Rites: Divination is an okay baseline, but paying 2 life in addition doesn't make this better and the upside of self mill is barely relevant.
Mindwrack Harpy: You either want to mill or deal damage. Cards that combine booth are usually bad.
Mogis's Favor: The effect is too restrictive and black has better uses for the graveyard.
Nyxborn Marauder: 4/3 isn't a bad baseline, but it needs an upside.
Scavenging Harpy: A 2/1 flying for 3 needs a more sginificant upside.
Temple Thief: Your cube basically needs to be mono enchantments for this to be good.
Cubeable
Flummoxed Cyclops: A 4/4 for 4 is rock solid and if your opponent is forced to attack with at least 2 creatures if he wants to trigger the ability, which might leave them open in the back swing. The opponent also can't just attack with 1 flier.
Underworld Rage-Hound: Having to attack each turn is a significant downside, but allowing you to use your graveyard for "free" value later, when you run out of gas in a color, that doesn't have much use for the graveyard is nice and a 4/2 can rarely be ignored.
Borderline
Incendiary Oracle: A firebreathing 2 drop with an exile clause. It's okay, but not too exciting.
Satyr's Cunning: The first cast is bad and it never gets better, no matter how often you cast it.
Cubeable
Voracious Typhon: 4/4 for 4 are decent stats and giving you an option to get value out of your graveyard in a color, that usually doesn't have much use for it is nice. It really misses trample though.
Borderline
Hyrax Tower Scout: Decent base stats, but the ability is not enough of an upside.
Ilysian Caryatid: Good for fixing and the 4 power clause can come in handy if you have mana sinks for the late game.
Loathsome Chimera: Being able to recur this is nice, but 4/1 are a bit too fragile stats to begin with.
Omen of the Hunt: Being instant speed and having an additional upside is kind of interesting, but only getting 1 land for 3 mana is not a great ratio.
Relentless Pursuit: A solid dig spell, that can generate card advantage in green and also fills the graveyard.
Setessan Training: Replacing itself in addition to granting a more or less relevant buff is what can make an aura good, but the danger of fizzleing and not drawing the card is still there.
Warbriar Blessing: A fight spell that leaves a buff behind. If you want some green removal in aura form this is considerable.
Bad
Inspiring Awe: Fog effects are mostly bad, especially for 4 mana.
Nexus Wardens: There aren't enough enchantmens ususally to make this good.
Nylea's Forerunner: Granting trample to everything is nice, but 5/3 are way too bad stats.
Nylea's Huntmaster: If it could also grant trample it would be a lot more considerable.
Nyxborn Colossus: An additional point of toughness doesn't outweigh not having trample and GGG and the fact, that it can be disenchanted makes this pretty bad.
Setessan Skirmisher: Your cube basically needs to be mono enchantments for this to be good.
Skola Grovedancer: Even in a graveyard centric deck, this would only be mediocre.
Wings of Hubris: A slightly better Cobbled Wings. You rarely need it, but it doesn't hurt to have unblockable clause once if the air happens to be stalled.
ratings are good for me,except maybe Ilysian Caryatid is not a functional reprint and might be cubable. getting 2 mana of any color is pretty good. i dont like that its a 1/1 though.
also being an enchantment creature is as much of an upside as a downside, since most cubes are not very stacked on disenchant effects and you can use them with auramancers. wont change the ratings, but the comment.
just as a sidenote. Im suprised nobody mentioned it yet, Flicker of Fate can be used to permanentely exile another card with oblivion ring and journey to nowhere.
also being an enchantment creature is as much of an upside as a downside, since most cubes are not very stacked on disenchant effects and you can use them with auramancers. wont change the ratings, but the comment.
Garrison Cat: There is a bunch of similar, but better alternatives for this.
cmc 2
Borderline:
Drannith Healer: Cycling for 1 is good, but you will rarely want to cast it, because triggering it multiple times in a singleton cube is unlikely, unless you are very dedicated.
Maned Serval: If you are looking for a decent defensive 2 drop without defender, this isn't that bad.
Checkpoint Officer: There is a bunch of alternatives, that do the same, but strictly better.
cmc 3
Borderline:
Perimeter Sergeant: Humans is the biggest tribe and especially in white highly represented. Even though 3/2s aren't great depending on your human count, this can actually be interesting.
Bad
Helica Glider: Flexibility is nice, but neither mode is really good.
Snare Tactician: This is strong with enough cycle effects, but you would need a lot of cyclers to make this viable.
cmc 4
Borderline
Vulpikeet: In theory you can turn a 1/1 token into a 3/4 flying on turn 3, but only non humans, which is definitely a restriction in white and the plain 2/3 flying for 4 isn't too impressive.
Bad
Daysquad Marshal: You either want big creatures are lots of small creatures. Having 1 medium sized and 1 small creature is not really something any deck is really looking for.
cmc 5
Borderline:
Patagia Tiger: 3/4 flying for 5 is decent and the etb effect will often hit, because of the high density of humans in white and magic in general.
cmc 6
cubeable
Imposing Vantasaur: Cycling for 1 is very strong. Only 0 mana is a lower opportunity cost and in addition to that a 3/6 Vigilance isn't the worst body, if you happen to topdeck this in the late game.
cmc 1
Bad
Solid Footing: This would actually be kind if interesting if it didn't require vigilance for the effect.
Light of Hope: Flexiblity is nice, but the 1st mode is trash, the 2nd is too situative and the 3rd is too weak.
cmc 3
bad
Spontanous Flight: Having a leasting effect on your combat trick is interesting, but as a combat trick this one isn't that good. Combat tricks usually get exponentially worse with every additional mana they cost and 3 is already far too much.
cmc 4
bad
Blade Banish: There are a bunch of effects, which do something similar, but better.
I'm doing the evaluations bit by bit this time and in a form in which I can easily copy them into the project. Feel free to comment on whats already there.
Aegis Turtle: A total of 5 stat points for U is definitely huge, but with 0 in power your opponent can still attack freely into it, while e.g. a 1/4 would make so your opponent couldn't attack with X/1s. Also without reach it's not really a good blocker at any stage in the game.
cmc 2
bad
Facet Reader: If you have to constantly pay 1 to loot it really adds up fast and isn't worth it. There are simply way better alternatives.
Glimmerbell: While this can block 2/X fliers and chip in for some damage with it's pseudo vigilance, it's not really something you want. Unless you can really make use of the untap ability, it's more of a cosmetic feature.
Phasing Dolphin: The ability to get something through seems nice, but the Dolphin itself can't attack well. It can simply get blocked by 2 2/2s. The defensive body doesn't really want to attack, because in that case you can't use to to block. There are better alternatives, like Aerial Guide, which can constantly attack itself.
cmc4
bad
Crystacean: Flash can be strong, especially combined with a more defensive body, which can eat a creature for "free" and stay around after that, but with only 1 power this will rarely find a spot to "ambush" your opponent.
cmc5
borderline
Dreamtail Heron: A 3/4 flier for 5 is decent, but you will never mutate it, if you cast it for 5. Upgrading a 1/1 into a 3/4 flier for 4 and drawing a card seems great, but blue doesn't actually have too many non-human 1/1s lying around and so this is mostly a way smaller upgrade. Most blue hexproof creatures are already big, so making them 3/4 would be a downgrade. Even though mutate can't fizzle and you will still get a 3/4 for 4 if your opponent kills the target in response you won't get to draw a card. The real worst case for this card though is, that you often won't have a great target for it, so your opponent will let it resolve, let you draw a card and then kill 2 creatures with 1 removal, which isn't a great trade.
cmc 6
borderline
Wingfold Pteron: Flexibility is nice, but you usually put a creature into your deck for a specific purpose and if you want this to be your hexproof creature, there are similar, but slightly better options and if you simply want a big flier, there are way better alternatives.
cmc2
borderline
Startling Development: Cycling for 1 is the lowest possible opportunity cost apart from 0. The effect, though rarely useful definitely does have it's applications and though you will rarely want to target an opponents creature, it's nice to have the option.
Hampering Snare: A very situational, but not necessarly weak effect. Cycling 2 is too much of an opportunity cost to make this good though.
Keep Safe: A worse version of Confound. Though it can theoretically protect noncreature permanents, those are rarely targeted and the option of Confound to counter your opponents aura or combat tricks, will come in useful way more often.
cmc3
borderline
Of One Mind: Divination is not a good card, but the conditions to cast this for only U isn't actually that hard to archive, considering that about half of the creatures will be humans by default, if don't put any thought into creature types.
cmc4
borderline
Gust of Wind: Having a creature with flying in blue is usually not hard to archive, but the fact, that this card has a condition at all, which can be failed to met at times, and isn't an instant is a real bummer.
cmc5
borderline
Frostveil Ambush: The spells effect is overcosted by 2 compared to Frost Breath, but since this is a very situational effect Cycling for 1 is a real game changer. Cycling will be the default mode, but at times, the effect can acutally be really useful.
Serrated Scorpion: A 1/2 body simply isn't good enough and the death trigger doesn't justify it.
Whisper Squad: Cards like these don't work in singleton cubes.
cmc 2
cubeable (could be a staple, because I don't really see a reason why anyone shouldn't play this)
Boot Nipper: Useful flexiblity, where neither version is overcosted is great.
Borderline
Durable Coilbug: The recursion ability can make this a very pesky annoyance, but it's very expensive to buy this back multiple times and the 2/2 body doesn't have that much impact.
cmc 3
bad
Gloom Pangolin: The stats are ok, but as a vanilla there is simply not a reason, why you would want this.
Nightsquad Commando: You aren't always guaranteed to attack on your second turn and even though this is solid if triggered, there are situations where it's just a 2/3 vanilla.
cmc 4
cubeable
Bushmeat Poacher: This creature can turn all of your opponents removal into not only card draw, but also lifegain in combination with a decent defensive body. If demands to be handeled before you untap with it in many spots. If this wouldn't need to be tapped and thus be unaffected by summoning sickness it might be a staple, but as it is 4 mana can be a bit much for a removal magnet.
bad
Lurking Deadeye: This would be so much better if it were simply able to give deathtouch to a creature, so it could be played before blocks and actually take part in combat, but as it is, you need to make a bad block, which only damages the opponents creature and than play this post combat to get the value out of it's ability. Effects like these are simply awkward and usually not good and flash doesn't really help as it is.
cmc 5
borderline
Cavern Whisperer: The best case for this would definitely be to play it on a 1/1 or 2/2 which is no longer of use on turn 4 and get a "hasty" 4/4 menace, which discards, but the reality is often, that you don't have non-human 1/1 or 2/2 lying around, that you don't need anymore and a single discard, which your opponent can chose will often only hit some excess land and than give your opponent the opportunity to kill 2 creatures with 1 removal.
cmc 6
borderline
Blitz Leech: Flash in combination with an etb effect, that can mess with combat, by either killing an X/2 or shrink a bigger creature enough, that it dies in combat has potential, but 6 mana is a lot and the 5/2 body can only trade and rarely survive the block.
cmc 1
bad
Mutual Destruction: functional reprint (yeah I know it has the "flash" clause, but when does this ever come up realisticly)
cmc 2
borderline
Unexpected Fangs: Granting a permanent pump and lifelink with instant speed is kind of nice. In the best case this can be used as a combat trick and kill a creature when it's played and leave a decent threat behind, that has to be dealt with. With only +1/+1 the best case isn't that likely and like all "auras" removal is a problem against it.
cmc 3
cubeable
Memory Leak: Cycling for 1 is the lowest possible opportunity cost apart from costing 0 and the effect can be very good in many situations, even though it costs 1 too much.
borderline
Suffocating Fumes: Only giving -1/-1 often doesn't kill much on it's own, but the fact, that this is an instant and applies to the whole opposing team can definitely lead to some situations, where this is devastating. The rest of the time Cycling will do the trick.
cmc4
bad
Blood Curdle: I would rather pay 2 less, rather than give one creature Menace.
Thanks a lot Al. On Solid Footing, it only gives "Backbone" (the arena keyword name for toughness as power) if the creature already has vigilance so it would only work on a hexproof creature if it already had vigilance.
Also, I think Dreamtail Heron and Wretched Gryff are similar enough that they should be rated the same and the Gryff is currently listed as cubeable. I think there are arguments for both ratings.
Thanks a lot Al. On Solid Footing, it only gives "Backbone" (the arena keyword name for toughness as power) if the creature already has vigilance so it would only work on a hexproof creature if it already had vigilance.
Oh good catch. It's not a real card in draft and I never expected such a stupid downside. So bad it is.
Also, I think Dreamtail Heron and Wretched Gryff are similar enough that they should be rated the same and the Gryff is currently listed as cubeable. I think there are arguments for both ratings.
I like the griffin more as it can be cast on an empty board and the cast trigger can make a difference, but I think the Griffin is Borderline as well. I know that some people like to play it in order to have something to ramp into.
Thanks a lot Al. On Solid Footing, it only gives "Backbone" (the arena keyword name for toughness as power) if the creature already has vigilance so it would only work on a hexproof creature if it already had vigilance.
Oh good catch. It's not a real card in draft and I never expected such a stupid downside. So bad it is.
Also, I think Dreamtail Heron and Wretched Gryff are similar enough that they should be rated the same and the Gryff is currently listed as cubeable. I think there are arguments for both ratings.
I like the griffin more as it can be cast on an empty board and the cast trigger can make a difference, but I think the Griffin is Borderline as well. I know that some people like to play it in order to have something to ramp into.
On an empty board its 5 mana 3/4 vs 7 mana 3/4 draw a card. Not totally sure Gryff is better because you might just never get to cast it.
Also, with Thieving Otter I think a note should be made that it works with ping effects (like Viridian Longbow ) and then all of the Stealer of Secrets variants would be lumped together as "inferior to the Otter"
In a vacuum 5/4 kills a turn faster.
I dont like the red hound. the body is too fragile in both modes and Red has usually no problem to burn out the opponent. Usually you dont wanna trade on board too much.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Pauper Cube & Artifact Pauper Cube & Multiplayer Cube
Interested in building your own Pauper Cube? Take a look at some of the lists and the following project: The "Evaluate Everything" Project (updated to M21/JMP)
I think x/5s have virtually nothing to do with it. If there are a bunch of tokens in your Cube or otherwise expendable small creatures, the value of trample goes up substantially.
EDIT: maybe I'm missing something but the only tou=5 I can think of that really apply are other green 4 drops and maybe a few walls like Roots, Glare or Dreamstalker. Even at 5+ cmc it's not like there's a ton in Pauper.
but yeah sure. chumping is also relevant. but at least you will damage eventually then.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
I was thinking of x/5s as a dynamic variable that could affect the decision and my conclusion is that it is not since basically every Cube will play almost exactly the same x/5s (Roots, Hartebeest, Angler, Benthic, etc)
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
I might even find the time to update this project to Theors over the coming week.
Pauper Cube & Artifact Pauper Cube & Multiplayer Cube
Interested in building your own Pauper Cube? Take a look at some of the lists and the following project: The "Evaluate Everything" Project (updated to M21/JMP)
commenting on them is more work than changing the rating right away.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Pauper Cube & Artifact Pauper Cube & Multiplayer Cube
Interested in building your own Pauper Cube? Take a look at some of the lists and the following project: The "Evaluate Everything" Project (updated to M21/JMP)
either way its also interesting to see what powercreep did to us. back then a multicolor 4/4 for 4 was considered very good.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Ardenvale Tactician: A 2/3 flying for cmc 3 is decent and having a useful ability attached to it doesn't really hurt.
Trapped in the Tower: Not being able to hit fliers is definitely a drawback, but shutting down abilities as an additional effect makes up for it.
Borderline:
Ardenvale Paladin: If you highly support mono colored strategies, this is not that bad.
Faerie Guidemother: If you are in desperate need of 1 drops this is okay, since it can give you some reach, when you draw it later.
Flutterfox: If you have a deep artifact theme or a lot of auras this can be ok.
Knight of the Deep: Functional reprint
Outflank: Only costing 1 mana is definitely nice, but the effect is still pretty outclassed.
Prized Griffin: Functional reprint
True Love's Kiss: A Disenchant, that replaces itself. Can be a decent Sideboard card.
Bad:
Bartered Cow: Hill Giants are not too exciting in the first place and having this ability as a die-trigger doesn't help.
Beloved Princess: Being able to be blocked by 2/Xs isn't really much of an evasion.
Fortifying Postions: There is not much less of an effect a card can have.
Garrison Griffin: There are tons of similar cards, which do exactly the same without the tribal restriction.
Lonesome Unicorn: Having 2 cards in one is nice, but 8 mana is definitely too much, when booth bodies are underwhelming. For half the amount of mana you can get 2 2/2s with Vigilance.
Shining Armor: There simply aren't enough Knights.
Silverflame Ritual: There are way better effects to mass pump your team.
Silverflame Squire: A 2/1 for 2 is pretty bad. If you want to get the full value out of this card you can't play it before turn 4 where 2/X creatures can start to become useless and then you are forced to use the combat trick on turn 3, which can also fizzle and leave you with nothing but having spend mana on an overcosted combat trick.
Charmed Sleep: Functional Reprint.
Oko's Accomplices: A flying vanilla, but still solid cost/stat ratio.
Witching Well: In your opening hand this can improve your next draws and once you need it you have an Inspiration.
Borderline:
Corridor Monitor: 1/4s for cmc2 are decent blockers, but they need a little extra and the untap ability isn't really that.
Didn't Say PleaseUnless you want to actively mill the opponent putting cards into their graveyard is a downside more often than not.
Merfolk Secretkeeper: Only good if you run the mill archetype.
Moonlit Scavengers: This is only interesting if you have a deep artifact/enchantment theme.
Queen of Ice: It's nice that you can curve the effects into one another, but Frost Lynx/Stitched Mangler outclass this.
Run Away Together: It always sounds nice to use selfbounce to retrigger etb effects or save a creature from removal while doing something else, but self bounce also means that you have to cast the creature again, which costs you a lot of tempo.
Tome Raider: A flying Elvish Visionary. Not too bad, but not too exciting either.
Unexplained Vision: Drawing 3 cards for cmc 5 is ok, but sorcery speed is a huge problem and you need UUU to get the additional upside.
Bad:
Mantle of Tides: It sounds nice in theory, but onboard tricks aren't that effective and the normal equip cost is too high.
Mistford River Turtle: The stats are bad and you don't really want to attack with your blocker.
So Tiny: Threshold is hard to archive yourself and even worse when you have to hope for your opponent to get there.
Steelgaze Griffin: For this creature to be good you would need to trigger it every turn. That is just too unreliable and there are a lot of 3/4s with actual upsides which have more power on average.
Vantress Paladin: There already are 3/3 fliers for cmc 4 without a downside.
Wishful Merfolk: This creature is bad at blocking as well as attacking.
Smitten Swordmaster: A Child of Night that can randomly deal some additional damage before entering the battlefield.
Borderline:
Forever Young: A somewhat interesting design as you have the option put 0 on top and simply cycle it or improve your next X draw spells by a lot.
Locthwhain Paladin: If you heavily support monocolored decks this can be a decent threat.
Lost Legion: A fine blocker, that can help you to improve your next draws.
Malevolent Noble: An instant speed sacrifice outlet, that gets pumped permanently is kind of nice, but 2 is too much of an activation cost.
Reaper of Night: Even though booth parts are overcosted by 1 the combination is still nice.
Wicked Guardian: This is cubeable if you have a critical amount of 3 toughness creatures for cmc 2 or 3, which is usually not the case, so it's rated as borderline.
Bad:
Bake into a Pie: There is a ton of cheaper removal spells.
Barrow Witches: There aren't enough Knights, especially not in black.
Eye Collector: A 1/1 Flying isn't good enough and the additional ability doesn't do anything.
Festive Funeral: This wouldn't even be good with a ton of selfmill.
Foreboding Fruit: Divination is OK, but losing to 2 for no reason makes no sense and you would need to pay BBB to effectively gain 1 life with a Kicker cost of 2.
Giant's Skewer: Terribly overcosted.
Lash of Throns: Only getting a singe point of toughness will rarely help you not trade 2 for 1.
Memory Theft: functional reprint
Tempting Witch: There aren't enough good cards, which make food.
Barge In: A 1 mana combat trick that gives at least +2/+2 and trample sounds too good, so it obviously has 2 downsides in the form of only working on attacking creatures and only giving trample to non-humans. It gets a plus point for possibly granting the trample effect to the whole team.
Brimstone Trebuchet: Having reach and constantly applying damage is nice, but there simply aren't enough Knights.
Crystal Slippers: This definitely outclasses Strider Harness by a lot, but it still costs you too much tempo on curve to be cubeable.
Merchant of the Vale: The main body and the loot ability are only Ok. The main reasony why you would want to include this is, if you heavily want to support some kind of UR Spells deck and desperately want the Adventure Half.
Redcap Raiders: Even though human is the biggest tribal, "all the rest" is also a lot of creatures. The problem is, that the 3/2 on it's own isn't good enough. For this to be good you need to have a very creature heavy aggro deck, that constantly has a summoning sick creature each turn to tap until this is killed. You really don't want to tap a potential attacker to pump this.
Rimrock Knight: 3/1s for 2 are ok, but not having the option to block is a downside and the combat trick can fizzle and counter the Knight. Also you usually want to play your 2 drop on turn 2, which means that you often never had the chance to get the full value out of this.
Scorching Dragonfire: A nice creature removal, but there is a ton of alternatives, which can hit players if needed.
Thrill of Possibility: An instant speed Tormenting Voice.
Bad:
Bloodhaze Wolverine: You would need to trigger the effect constantly for this to be good.
Blow Your House Down: There are a lot of better Falter-effects.
Embereth Paladin: There are alternatives which provide a similar body with haste without a downside.
Ogre Errant: There simply aren't enough Knights, especially not in red.
Raging Redcap: There are better and cheaper double striker creatures nowadays.
Searing Barrage: Not being able to hit players right away, disqualifies this card.
Seven Dwarfs: Unless you disable to singleton rule, this is not a card.
Waselback Redcap: It's simply not worth it if you have to constantly pump mana into this to deal significant damage.
Fierce Witchstalker: A 4/4 trample for cmc 4 is already solid on it's own, but also getting the food token for free is definitely a nice little extra.
Garrenbrig Paladin: Adamant makes this effectively cost 2GGG to get the full value which is doable in green, and the 4/4 version isn't too horrible if necessary. The evasion of dodgeing all 2/Xs is pretty strong and can outclass Trample in several cases.
Wildwood Tracker: There are few humans in green. If you can guarantee to follow this up with another creature you are essentially getting a 2/2 for G, that dies to 1 damage removal, but still a decent one drop in an aggro deck.
Borderline
Fell the Phesant: If you want to play anti-air only sideboard cards this is fine, I guess.
Garrenbrig Carver: The comat trick is overcosted by 1, but a "free" 3/2 later on could make up for it, if it weren't for the fact the the trick can fizzle and effectively counter the 3/2.
Maraleaf Rider: This is basically a 3/1 Vanilla with some additional flavour text.
Outmuscle: Hunt the Weak with pseudo upside.
Rosethorn Halberd: Non-human is a lot of possible targets and so the first cast is usually pretty decent, but the reequip cost is pretty overcosted.
Tuinvale Treefolk: A decent body for 6 mana with some additional effect earlier on curve would be real nice, if it weren't for the fact, that the pump effect can fizzle and effectively counter the creature along with it.
Bad
Curious Pair: You are effectively spending 5 mana to get a Temple Acolyte.
Garrenbrig Squire: There simply aren't enough adventure cards.
Insatiable Appetite: There simply aren't enough food token producers.
Rosethorn Acolyte: You don't want your mana dogs to cost more than 2.
Tall as a Beanstalk: There are a lot of better auras, which grant the same boost for less mana. Also reach isn't an upside, because you definitely don't want to slam this on a creature just to start playing the defensive role.
Crashing Drawbridge: A 0/4 for 2 is a decnt blocker and being able to be also used aggressively is definitely nice.
Gingerbrute: Not amazing in any way, but simply a fine early aggressive, hasty, evasive creature, that can theoretically be put into any deck and also be used to gain some life in case of emergency.
Borderline
Golden Egg: If this wouldn't sacrifice itself after the first use, it could actually be decent fixing.
Scalding Cauldron: A somewhat decent removal for every color.
Bad
Arcane Signer: This has no effect in cube.
Henge Walker: Cathodion exists.
Jousting Dummy: 3 is way too expensive for the ability and doesn't make a 2/1 good.
Loctwhain Gargoyle: The initial body as well as the ability are bad and - and - doesn't make + in this case, but rather --.
Prophet of the Peak: A 6 mana creature with unimpressive stats, that can be disenchanted doesn't become good, just because it can Scry 2.
Roving Keep: This creature is sooo incredibly bad, you would think it is from Legends.
Singalpost Scarecrow: If the ability would have costed 1, this might have been somewhat interesting
Weapon Rack: Even though this might read somewhat similar to Serrated Arrows it's a million times worse, since it can't kill creatures and can't even be used to mess with combat, due to the sorcery speed restriction.
Mystic Sacntuary: Even though the effect is highly color restricted, the effect is still strong enough, that you might want to consider this.
Borderline:
Dwarven Mine/Gingerbread Cabin/Idyllic Grange/Witch's Cottage: The effects are all fine, but not that much better than the alternatives without the high color restriction.
Pauper Cube & Artifact Pauper Cube & Multiplayer Cube
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looks fine so far,
although i think gingerbrute is just amazing, being a hasty evasive onedrop without color restriction, that dies for life.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Daybreak Chimera: This is already Phantom Monster with only 1 Devotion, which is totally playable. From then on it only becomes better.
Borderline
Dreadful Apathy: For very big cubes, that feel like the 2 mana Pacifism aren't enough, this could be considerable. This also has a kind of neat side effect, where you can flicker it in response to the activated ability.
Flicker of Fate: It's kind of neat, that it can hit opposing creatures as well as enchantments. Since it can flicker enchantments you can do some neat things in combination with Journey to Nowhere and Oblivion Ring.
Hero of the Pride: If you play a lot of combat tricks or enchantments, the mass pump can be neat.
Karametra's Blessing: Interesting for a very aura heavy cube.
Leonin of the Lost Pride: Another 3/1 for 2 without relevant upside.
Nyxborn Courser: 2/4 are solid stats for 3, but WW and the fact, that it can be disenchanted makes it worse.
Omen of the Sun: A more expensive Raise the Alarm, that gains 2 life and can be sacrificed for Scry 2 or flickered. Okay, but not exciting.
Sentinel's Eyes: A cheap and cost effective aura in a color, that has otherwise little use for the Graveyard.
Sunlit Hoplite: Functional reprint
Bad
Captivating Unicorn: You would need to be heavily enchantment focuses, and even then it's outclassed.
Glory Bearers: 3/4 for 4 is okayish, but the ability isn't enough to make it good.
Pious Wayfarer: Your cube basically needs to be mono enchantments for this to be good.
Rumbling Sentry: A bad stat/cost ratio with an irrelevant upside.
Sunmane Pegasus: You really don't want to constantly invest mana to make this good.
Transcendent Envoy: Storm Crow is bad and the upside doesn't help.
Triumphant Surge: Too expensive and too restrictive.
Omen of the Sea: A better Anticipate.
Borderline
Naiad of Hidden Coves: This reads way better than it actually is. Mana instants are UU or so cheap that a cost reduction doesn't really help you at all and getting a lousy 2/3 Vanilla apart from that doesn't make this good.
Riptide Turtle: Depending on how high you value flash and if you are willing to play pure defenders without any way to pressure the opponent this might be considerable.
Starlit Mantle: If you heavily want to support an aura theme, this can theoretically be used to save a creature once and also provide a small buff.
Vexing Gull: If you are highly into flash, this isn't too bad, but not too exciting either.
Witness of Tomorrows: 3/4 fliers for 5 are decent and having an additional mana sink attached to it is nice, but there are better alternatives and keep in mind, that this can be disenchanted.
Bad
Brine Giant: Your cube basically needs to be mono enchantments for this to be good.
Chain to Memory: A mediocre trick, that doesn't replace itself.
Deny the Divine: A cmc 3 counter needs to be at least not restricted to specific card types or have a more significant upside, rather than exile.
Eidolon of Philosophy: The body is horrible and the ability is too expensive, especially because if there is a threat, that you would actually be able to pay for it, your opponent can simply remove it, but between turn 1-6 it's useless.
Elite Instructor: The effect is way too weak to be worth a lousy 2/2 for 3.
Ichthyomorphosis: This is a way for blue to deal with activated abilities, but 3 mana is simply too much for a card that also leaves a blocker behind.
Memory Drain: 4 mana is too much for a counter that doesn't have a more significant upside.
[card]Nyxborn Seaguard/card]: 2/5s for 4 aren't horrible, but they need some additional upside.
Sleep of the Dead: Card disadvantage. There are spots in the very late stages of the game, where this can have a significant impact, but that's a corner case.
Stern Dismissal: Unsummon can at least target your own creatures.
Thirst for Meaning: There usually aren't enough enchantments and even if there are you don't really want to discard them most of the time.
Towering-Wave Mystic: You either want to mill or deal damage. Cards that combine booth are usually bad.
Triton Waverider: Your cube basically needs to be mono enchantments for this to be good.
Lampad of Death's Vigil: A cheap acitvation cost allows you to easily recycle all creatures, that would otherwise die to removal and threaten your opponents life total without attacking, while restorting your own life.
Underworld Charger: A hyper aggressive card, but with decent stats in booth modes and very annoying to deal with.
Borderline
Blight-Breath Catoblepas: Black has more devotion that most other colors and the fact that this is a creature, that can trade and later be recurred is nice, but 6 mana is definitely a lot and 3/2 aren't the best stats.
Grim Physician: Functional reprint
Mire's Grasp: This is not a bad removal, but there are more efficient cards for 2 mana that deal with creatures.
Omen of the Dead: A strictly better Raise Dead, that is instant speed, provides devotion and can be sacrificed for additional value.
Pharika's Libation: A unique effect for black. If you want to grant black access to enchantment removal this is definitely considerable.
Rune-Scarred Berserker: A decent body, that basically grants you one free swing with whatever creature.
Soulreaper of Mogis: Functional reprint
Venomous Hierophant: This should only be a consideration if you desperately want self mill cards.
Bad
Aspect of Lamprey: You either want a Mind Rot effect or an aura that pumps a creature. This is a unique combination, but rarely any deck wants this.
Discordant Piper: There is a ton of better alternatives.
Final Death: 5 mana is simply too much and the exile clause matters too rarely.
Fruit of Tizerus: This might read like a possible finisher, but there are a lot better ways to win the game and black has better uses for the graveyard.
Funeral Rites: Divination is an okay baseline, but paying 2 life in addition doesn't make this better and the upside of self mill is barely relevant.
Mindwrack Harpy: You either want to mill or deal damage. Cards that combine booth are usually bad.
Mogis's Favor: The effect is too restrictive and black has better uses for the graveyard.
Nyxborn Marauder: 4/3 isn't a bad baseline, but it needs an upside.
Scavenging Harpy: A 2/1 flying for 3 needs a more sginificant upside.
Temple Thief: Your cube basically needs to be mono enchantments for this to be good.
Flummoxed Cyclops: A 4/4 for 4 is rock solid and if your opponent is forced to attack with at least 2 creatures if he wants to trigger the ability, which might leave them open in the back swing. The opponent also can't just attack with 1 flier.
Underworld Rage-Hound: Having to attack each turn is a significant downside, but allowing you to use your graveyard for "free" value later, when you run out of gas in a color, that doesn't have much use for the graveyard is nice and a 4/2 can rarely be ignored.
Borderline
Incendiary Oracle: A firebreathing 2 drop with an exile clause. It's okay, but not too exciting.
Irreverent Revelers: A strictly better Manic Vandal.
Skophos Warleader: The base stats are decent and the ability can be good in some spots, but there are better alternatives.
Stampede Rider: If you have a lot of 4 power creatures this is actually decent.
Bad
Arena Trickster: A Hill Giant is not too exciting and triggering this more than once is too unreliable.
Aspect of Manticore: Only granting First Strike until end of turn is not good enough.
Final Flare: Not being able to hit players, disqualifies this.
Hero of the Games: A 3/2 for 3 is just too bad and the ability, though something interesting is simply not good enough.
Iroas's Blessing: The chance for this to fizzle is too high and the +1/+1 not enough of an upside to be worth the risk.
Nyxborn Brute: A horrible stat/cost ratio.
Omen of the Forge: 2 mana burn spells need to do more than just 2 damage and scry for 3 mana.
Oread of Mountain's Blaze: The body is bad and the ability is too expensive.
Satyr's Cunning: The first cast is bad and it never gets better, no matter how often you cast it.
Voracious Typhon: 4/4 for 4 are decent stats and giving you an option to get value out of your graveyard in a color, that usually doesn't have much use for it is nice. It really misses trample though.
Borderline
Hyrax Tower Scout: Decent base stats, but the ability is not enough of an upside.
Ilysian Caryatid: Good for fixing and the 4 power clause can come in handy if you have mana sinks for the late game.
Loathsome Chimera: Being able to recur this is nice, but 4/1 are a bit too fragile stats to begin with.
Moss Viper: functional reprint
Omen of the Hunt: Being instant speed and having an additional upside is kind of interesting, but only getting 1 land for 3 mana is not a great ratio.
Relentless Pursuit: A solid dig spell, that can generate card advantage in green and also fills the graveyard.
Setessan Training: Replacing itself in addition to granting a more or less relevant buff is what can make an aura good, but the danger of fizzleing and not drawing the card is still there.
Warbriar Blessing: A fight spell that leaves a buff behind. If you want some green removal in aura form this is considerable.
Bad
Inspiring Awe: Fog effects are mostly bad, especially for 4 mana.
Nexus Wardens: There aren't enough enchantmens ususally to make this good.
Nylea's Forerunner: Granting trample to everything is nice, but 5/3 are way too bad stats.
Nylea's Huntmaster: If it could also grant trample it would be a lot more considerable.
Nyxborn Colossus: An additional point of toughness doesn't outweigh not having trample and GGG and the fact, that it can be disenchanted makes this pretty bad.
Setessan Skirmisher: Your cube basically needs to be mono enchantments for this to be good.
Skola Grovedancer: Even in a graveyard centric deck, this would only be mediocre.
Altar of the Pantheon: Functional reprint
Wings of Hubris: A slightly better Cobbled Wings. You rarely need it, but it doesn't hurt to have unblockable clause once if the air happens to be stalled.
Bad
Bronze Sword: The equip cost is too expensive.
Thaumaturge's Familar: Overcosted by 1.
Pauper Cube & Artifact Pauper Cube & Multiplayer Cube
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also being an enchantment creature is as much of an upside as a downside, since most cubes are not very stacked on disenchant effects and you can use them with auramancers. wont change the ratings, but the comment.
just as a sidenote. Im suprised nobody mentioned it yet, Flicker of Fate can be used to permanentely exile another card with oblivion ring and journey to nowhere.
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
There are a lot more Disenchant effects (Kor Sanctifier/Wickerbough Elder) than Auramancers in a vacuum.
Yeah, but that's a corner case. I can add this to the desciption though.
Pauper Cube & Artifact Pauper Cube & Multiplayer Cube
Interested in building your own Pauper Cube? Take a look at some of the lists and the following project: The "Evaluate Everything" Project (updated to M21/JMP)
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
I remember why I stopped doing this. It took an insane amount of time.
Pauper Cube & Artifact Pauper Cube & Multiplayer Cube
Interested in building your own Pauper Cube? Take a look at some of the lists and the following project: The "Evaluate Everything" Project (updated to M21/JMP)
powpercube Johnny https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/37t
Bad
Garrison Cat: There is a bunch of similar, but better alternatives for this.
cmc 2
Borderline:
Drannith Healer: Cycling for 1 is good, but you will rarely want to cast it, because triggering it multiple times in a singleton cube is unlikely, unless you are very dedicated.
Maned Serval: If you are looking for a decent defensive 2 drop without defender, this isn't that bad.
Savai Sabertooth: Functional reprint.
Bad:
Checkpoint Officer: There is a bunch of alternatives, that do the same, but strictly better.
cmc 3
Borderline:
Perimeter Sergeant: Humans is the biggest tribe and especially in white highly represented. Even though 3/2s aren't great depending on your human count, this can actually be interesting.
Bad
Helica Glider: Flexibility is nice, but neither mode is really good.
Snare Tactician: This is strong with enough cycle effects, but you would need a lot of cyclers to make this viable.
cmc 4
Borderline
Vulpikeet: In theory you can turn a 1/1 token into a 3/4 flying on turn 3, but only non humans, which is definitely a restriction in white and the plain 2/3 flying for 4 isn't too impressive.
Bad
Daysquad Marshal: You either want big creatures are lots of small creatures. Having 1 medium sized and 1 small creature is not really something any deck is really looking for.
cmc 5
Borderline:
Patagia Tiger: 3/4 flying for 5 is decent and the etb effect will often hit, because of the high density of humans in white and magic in general.
cmc 6
cubeable
Imposing Vantasaur: Cycling for 1 is very strong. Only 0 mana is a lower opportunity cost and in addition to that a 3/6 Vigilance isn't the worst body, if you happen to topdeck this in the late game.
Bad
Solid Footing: This would actually be kind if interesting if it didn't require vigilance for the effect.
Light of Hope: Flexiblity is nice, but the 1st mode is trash, the 2nd is too situative and the 3rd is too weak.
cmc 3
bad
Spontanous Flight: Having a leasting effect on your combat trick is interesting, but as a combat trick this one isn't that good. Combat tricks usually get exponentially worse with every additional mana they cost and 3 is already far too much.
cmc 4
bad
Blade Banish: There are a bunch of effects, which do something similar, but better.
cmc 5
borderline
Coordinated Charge: Cycling on situative effects like this "Overrun" effect is good and can be worth the additional mana over something like Inspired Charge
I'm doing the evaluations bit by bit this time and in a form in which I can easily copy them into the project. Feel free to comment on whats already there.
Pauper Cube & Artifact Pauper Cube & Multiplayer Cube
Interested in building your own Pauper Cube? Take a look at some of the lists and the following project: The "Evaluate Everything" Project (updated to M21/JMP)
Bad
Aegis Turtle: A total of 5 stat points for U is definitely huge, but with 0 in power your opponent can still attack freely into it, while e.g. a 1/4 would make so your opponent couldn't attack with X/1s. Also without reach it's not really a good blocker at any stage in the game.
cmc 2
bad
Facet Reader: If you have to constantly pay 1 to loot it really adds up fast and isn't worth it. There are simply way better alternatives.
Glimmerbell: While this can block 2/X fliers and chip in for some damage with it's pseudo vigilance, it's not really something you want. Unless you can really make use of the untap ability, it's more of a cosmetic feature.
cmc 3
borderline
Thieving Otter: A slightly better Stealer of Secrets as it can also work with non-combat damage.
Bad
Phasing Dolphin: The ability to get something through seems nice, but the Dolphin itself can't attack well. It can simply get blocked by 2 2/2s. The defensive body doesn't really want to attack, because in that case you can't use to to block. There are better alternatives, like Aerial Guide, which can constantly attack itself.
cmc4
bad
Crystacean: Flash can be strong, especially combined with a more defensive body, which can eat a creature for "free" and stay around after that, but with only 1 power this will rarely find a spot to "ambush" your opponent.
cmc5
borderline
Dreamtail Heron: A 3/4 flier for 5 is decent, but you will never mutate it, if you cast it for 5. Upgrading a 1/1 into a 3/4 flier for 4 and drawing a card seems great, but blue doesn't actually have too many non-human 1/1s lying around and so this is mostly a way smaller upgrade. Most blue hexproof creatures are already big, so making them 3/4 would be a downgrade. Even though mutate can't fizzle and you will still get a 3/4 for 4 if your opponent kills the target in response you won't get to draw a card. The real worst case for this card though is, that you often won't have a great target for it, so your opponent will let it resolve, let you draw a card and then kill 2 creatures with 1 removal, which isn't a great trade.
cmc 6
borderline
Wingfold Pteron: Flexibility is nice, but you usually put a creature into your deck for a specific purpose and if you want this to be your hexproof creature, there are similar, but slightly better options and if you simply want a big flier, there are way better alternatives.
borderline
Startling Development: Cycling for 1 is the lowest possible opportunity cost apart from 0. The effect, though rarely useful definitely does have it's applications and though you will rarely want to target an opponents creature, it's nice to have the option.
Hampering Snare: A very situational, but not necessarly weak effect. Cycling 2 is too much of an opportunity cost to make this good though.
Keep Safe: A worse version of Confound. Though it can theoretically protect noncreature permanents, those are rarely targeted and the option of Confound to counter your opponents aura or combat tricks, will come in useful way more often.
cmc3
borderline
Of One Mind: Divination is not a good card, but the conditions to cast this for only U isn't actually that hard to archive, considering that about half of the creatures will be humans by default, if don't put any thought into creature types.
cmc4
borderline
Gust of Wind: Having a creature with flying in blue is usually not hard to archive, but the fact, that this card has a condition at all, which can be failed to met at times, and isn't an instant is a real bummer.
cmc5
borderline
Frostveil Ambush: The spells effect is overcosted by 2 compared to Frost Breath, but since this is a very situational effect Cycling for 1 is a real game changer. Cycling will be the default mode, but at times, the effect can acutally be really useful.
Pauper Cube & Artifact Pauper Cube & Multiplayer Cube
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Bad
Serrated Scorpion: A 1/2 body simply isn't good enough and the death trigger doesn't justify it.
Whisper Squad: Cards like these don't work in singleton cubes.
cmc 2
cubeable (could be a staple, because I don't really see a reason why anyone shouldn't play this)
Boot Nipper: Useful flexiblity, where neither version is overcosted is great.
Borderline
Durable Coilbug: The recursion ability can make this a very pesky annoyance, but it's very expensive to buy this back multiple times and the 2/2 body doesn't have that much impact.
cmc 3
bad
Gloom Pangolin: The stats are ok, but as a vanilla there is simply not a reason, why you would want this.
Nightsquad Commando: You aren't always guaranteed to attack on your second turn and even though this is solid if triggered, there are situations where it's just a 2/3 vanilla.
cmc 4
cubeable
Bushmeat Poacher: This creature can turn all of your opponents removal into not only card draw, but also lifegain in combination with a decent defensive body. If demands to be handeled before you untap with it in many spots. If this wouldn't need to be tapped and thus be unaffected by summoning sickness it might be a staple, but as it is 4 mana can be a bit much for a removal magnet.
bad
Lurking Deadeye: This would be so much better if it were simply able to give deathtouch to a creature, so it could be played before blocks and actually take part in combat, but as it is, you need to make a bad block, which only damages the opponents creature and than play this post combat to get the value out of it's ability. Effects like these are simply awkward and usually not good and flash doesn't really help as it is.
cmc 5
borderline
Cavern Whisperer: The best case for this would definitely be to play it on a 1/1 or 2/2 which is no longer of use on turn 4 and get a "hasty" 4/4 menace, which discards, but the reality is often, that you don't have non-human 1/1 or 2/2 lying around, that you don't need anymore and a single discard, which your opponent can chose will often only hit some excess land and than give your opponent the opportunity to kill 2 creatures with 1 removal.
cmc 6
borderline
Blitz Leech: Flash in combination with an etb effect, that can mess with combat, by either killing an X/2 or shrink a bigger creature enough, that it dies in combat has potential, but 6 mana is a lot and the 5/2 body can only trade and rarely survive the block.
bad
Mutual Destruction: functional reprint (yeah I know it has the "flash" clause, but when does this ever come up realisticly)
cmc 2
borderline
Unexpected Fangs: Granting a permanent pump and lifelink with instant speed is kind of nice. In the best case this can be used as a combat trick and kill a creature when it's played and leave a decent threat behind, that has to be dealt with. With only +1/+1 the best case isn't that likely and like all "auras" removal is a problem against it.
cmc 3
cubeable
Memory Leak: Cycling for 1 is the lowest possible opportunity cost apart from costing 0 and the effect can be very good in many situations, even though it costs 1 too much.
borderline
Suffocating Fumes: Only giving -1/-1 often doesn't kill much on it's own, but the fact, that this is an instant and applies to the whole opposing team can definitely lead to some situations, where this is devastating. The rest of the time Cycling will do the trick.
cmc4
bad
Blood Curdle: I would rather pay 2 less, rather than give one creature Menace.
Pauper Cube & Artifact Pauper Cube & Multiplayer Cube
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Also, I think Dreamtail Heron and Wretched Gryff are similar enough that they should be rated the same and the Gryff is currently listed as cubeable. I think there are arguments for both ratings.
I like the griffin more as it can be cast on an empty board and the cast trigger can make a difference, but I think the Griffin is Borderline as well. I know that some people like to play it in order to have something to ramp into.
Pauper Cube & Artifact Pauper Cube & Multiplayer Cube
Interested in building your own Pauper Cube? Take a look at some of the lists and the following project: The "Evaluate Everything" Project (updated to M21/JMP)
I think Solid Footing is there to encourage you to live the dream with Maned Serval
On an empty board its 5 mana 3/4 vs 7 mana 3/4 draw a card. Not totally sure Gryff is better because you might just never get to cast it.
Also, with Thieving Otter I think a note should be made that it works with ping effects (like Viridian Longbow ) and then all of the Stealer of Secrets variants would be lumped together as "inferior to the Otter"