+impacts the board more every time (tapping)
+extra value as a shatter
-more expensive cycling
-doesn't hit enchantments
-no exile (pretty slim relevance)
I'd say nope but it's certainly close and I've been happy with Forsake as a maindeckable Disenchant
It's been overshadowed a bit by the flashy planeswalkers, but Jaya's Greeting is another interesting addition to the suite of burn options available. I've recently cut a lot of my straightforward red burn both in an attempt to power down the removal landscape as well as just reduce redundant and boring cards like Searing Spear and Lighting Strike, but Greeting occupies the space between those and something like Magma Jet in a way that gives it a slight niche. The downside of missing players is a consideration if you are concerned, as I was, about the dynamic of red or red splashing control/midrange decks scooping the burn away from aggressive red decks, as this is more attractive to those decks, making it less likely that a red aggro deck gets rewarded by picking it up on the wheel.
I mean, it's a fine choice as "worse" option that still functions well
If all you want is cards that are picked highly by the most decks, skip it and keep Incinerate + variants. Burn/aggro still would use this happily to clear blockers, though
Flame Slash is also just better, big difference between 1 and 2 cmc and even does extra damage. The CMC is just miles more important than either scrying or instant-speed, though.
I think, in my 420, I'm gonna jam each and every planeswalker at the start, and cut one of each mono color and the lowest 5 played hybrids. Let the players decide... I'll just make 25 packs and add each as a 16th card. The ones that end up in decks after a few drafts will end up in the cube. But, if I were to pick ten...
I think Jaya could be good if you support Big Red, because she plays nice with Pyrohemia and friends and potentially 2 for 1s... I'd snap her up for a RB sweeps deck.
Teyo, the Sheildmageseems great for me because I want to shift my WU section to control/ pillow fort, possibly with a high alert wincon.
I'm not sure if Ob or Davriel is my favorite black walker. One seems like a great aristocrats value topper, especially in an engine with Hidden Stockpile or the thopter foundry engine. Dav seems good in a topdeck situation in a black mid/aggro deck. I think the edge goes to Ob Nixilis
As for hybrid walkers, I would ideally be running a balanced cycle of 5 of them:
U/G Kiora
U/R Saheeli
W/R Nahiri
B/G Vraska (more deathtouchers needed.)
W/B Kaya (meh)
Or if the W/G Walker is good, I'll run that and both Black walkers!
Is anyone interested in Firemind Vessel?
Seems slow, but is a unique fixing effect in colorless, enabling to splash a guild.
In my cube(360) it would fight for the spot of Hedron Archive.
In my opinion the archive is the better card, but the vessel enables more fun decks. (ignoring the fun of drawing two)
I think some of my drafters would appreciate better fixing.
Maybe I should run both, not sure.
Initially, I was interested. Then, I decided it would likely be worse than Manalith variants - or at least comparable. The extra mana it costs matters even if it ramps more, and it lacks the utility of something like Hedron Archive.
I plan to test it first, maybe by temporary running more than 360 and than adding the good ones.
But only if I still like it after the first hands on experience with the Set at the prerelease and our playgroup sealed and draft.
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor, makes your dudes Frost Titan, makes some dudes and loots a bit. She just does so much, and fits into quite a few decks. Azorius tokens is a deck that I've been trying to push, and she slots into this quite nicely.
Tibalt, Rakish Instigator, I like it for Boros tokens, and the lifegain denial it provides can be gamewinning. Most aggro decks in my cube auto-lose against Green/White lifegain, and this circumvents that quite nicely.
Merfolk Skydiver, just a fun card, and I like durdling. This seems better than River Hoopoe, because it pushes Simic in a more aggressive direction, which I like. It also compliments Simic's 1-drop suite quite well.
Angrath, Captain of Chaos, this is nothing amazing, but it's servicable and rounds out my hybrid slots.
Dovin, Hand of Control, being a kind of repeatable Maze of Ith against aggro is solid, and in the control mirror the tax effect should allow you to get the upper hand. Also shutting down artifact ramp is a cool bonus.
Kiora, Behemoth Reckoner, I run bouncelands, which makes this even better, and also even if you draw only 2 cards off it, it is still a Divination that ramps you a bit. Seems especially solid in a Dimir deck with big flyers. Going this into Moroii into Indulgent Tormentor into Jetting Glasskite seems good.
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer, this card seems worth it only for the passive effect already, but being able to copy a Guttersnipe, Young Pyromancer or even a Hedron Archive for a turn seems super solid and fun. Really quite unique effect, and really fun to play with I think.
Also, I guess a 2 drop accelerant that is guaranteed to work on turn 3 is as good as rampant growth (until it dies), but it also attacks and blocks when you dont need the land.
So far this set is great for peasant cubers, especially compared to what we've seen in the last year or so from other sets. We still have another week of previews to go and, even at a tight 360, I'm already at four includes. For people with midsize or larger peasant cubes WAR looks like it'll give them a ton of new options.
My current update list, again at 360, looks like this:
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor -> Time of Ice
Eternal Taskmaster -> Dark Ritual
Paradise Druid -> Penumbra Spider (or maybe Phantom Centaur, but I love that guy)
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer -> Gelectrode
Paradise druid is a lot like Sylvan ranger, taps for all colours instead of just one but doesn't draw a card has an extra power. I don't have any vidgilence enablers to make it always hexproof. Maybe? do you prefer the ranger?
i think probable includes are:
evolution sage
flux channeler
jiang yanggu
kasmina
kiora (easy swap for snakeform)
mowu, loyal companion
pollenbright druid
saheeli (easy swap for nucklavee, also my favourite card in the set so far)
and ones that i'll have to have hard words to myself about:
angrath
cruel celebrant (will also include zulaport cutthroat if this goes in)
eternal taskmaster (if i did black aggro i think this would be snap include)
leyline prowler (super efficient but not sure if it topples any of the graveyard synergy cards i have in golgari)
mayhem devil
nahiri (i still do not know how to feel about her)
paradise druid (is this better than any llanowar elf variant?)
samut
I don't see Paradise Druid being much beyond playable. I played Servant of the Conduit for a while and it was pretty mediocre; the second toughness is relevant, if you're activating more than twice a lot just play a ramp spell instead.
Even though Ive seen sakura tribe elder work in aggro if there were creature thirsty synergies (equipment, battalion, etc). As a 23rd playable, of course.
Its a 2/3 vigilance on turn two and its a big power boost if you draw it late. GW is either completely skipping turn two with ramp or it's just trying to be a little bit bigger than its opponents as its not really in a hurry to get damage in.
I mean it's functional at doing that, but I think it is just worse than mono-colored competition like Pollenbright Druid and the 4/4 for 3G, or older stuff like Tezzeret's Gambit
It's like -- would Rakdos aggro decks play Hackrobat? Yeah, sometimes I guess, when you can draft it 12th, which will be about its average case.
With the addition of walkers at uncommon, I will be increasing my cube from 380 to 390 cards, likely adding 5x "rainbow" walkers and 5x monocolored walkers without trading cards out for them.
Likely 5x monocolored walkers Jiang Yanggu, Wildcrafter - Counters Matter/semi ramp Teyo, the Shieldmage - Can work in a sac/drain strategy or just a slower blink deck strategy Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor - Solid card, could also work well in a slow reanimator-shell Jaya, Venerated Firemage or Tibalt, Rakish Instigator - not sure here... leaning towards Tibalt as it makes tokens and has synergy with RB and RW in my cube. Jaya I think will be able to end games, but not sure if Jaya is win-more instead of close games, also 3CMC versus 5CMC. Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted - I just want to kill my own creatures and draw cards
Narset has been leaked (not including a link, easy enough to find online). Not even considering the new Narset, am I the only one who thinks only the blue walkers (Kasmina, Saheeli, possibly Kiora and Dovin) are potentially good enough to make the cut?
It's frankly proving to be the biggest problem with the inclusion of walkers for me, seing as though I don't like the idea of every one of them potentially being played in a blue deck and I hate the idea of including mediocre cards just to balance the types across the colors. Maybe they just fit better in control shells, though?
+impacts the board more every time (tapping)
+extra value as a shatter
-more expensive cycling
-doesn't hit enchantments
-no exile (pretty slim relevance)
I'd say nope but it's certainly close and I've been happy with Forsake as a maindeckable Disenchant
I mean, it's a fine choice as "worse" option that still functions well
If all you want is cards that are picked highly by the most decks, skip it and keep Incinerate + variants. Burn/aggro still would use this happily to clear blockers, though
Flame Slash is also just better, big difference between 1 and 2 cmc and even does extra damage. The CMC is just miles more important than either scrying or instant-speed, though.
I think Jaya could be good if you support Big Red, because she plays nice with Pyrohemia and friends and potentially 2 for 1s... I'd snap her up for a RB sweeps deck.
Teyo, the Sheildmageseems great for me because I want to shift my WU section to control/ pillow fort, possibly with a high alert wincon.
I'm not sure if Ob or Davriel is my favorite black walker. One seems like a great aristocrats value topper, especially in an engine with Hidden Stockpile or the thopter foundry engine. Dav seems good in a topdeck situation in a black mid/aggro deck. I think the edge goes to Ob Nixilis
Jiang Yanggu, Wildcrafter is easily my favorite green walker. xG counters is a thing, and this dude is Experiment One's best bud.
As for hybrid walkers, I would ideally be running a balanced cycle of 5 of them:
U/G Kiora
U/R Saheeli
W/R Nahiri
B/G Vraska (more deathtouchers needed.)
W/B Kaya (meh)
Or if the W/G Walker is good, I'll run that and both Black walkers!
Seems slow, but is a unique fixing effect in colorless, enabling to splash a guild.
In my cube(360) it would fight for the spot of Hedron Archive.
In my opinion the archive is the better card, but the vessel enables more fun decks. (ignoring the fun of drawing two)
I think some of my drafters would appreciate better fixing.
Maybe I should run both, not sure.
I plan to test it first, maybe by temporary running more than 360 and than adding the good ones.
But only if I still like it after the first hands on experience with the Set at the prerelease and our playgroup sealed and draft.
Kasmina
Kiora
Dovin
Eternal Taskmaster
Kasmina's aura
Merfolk Skydiver
Paradise Druid (best card / easiest staple in the set by miles)
Saheeli
Tibalt, Rakish Instigator, I like it for Boros tokens, and the lifegain denial it provides can be gamewinning. Most aggro decks in my cube auto-lose against Green/White lifegain, and this circumvents that quite nicely.
Paradise Druid easy staple.
Merfolk Skydiver, just a fun card, and I like durdling. This seems better than River Hoopoe, because it pushes Simic in a more aggressive direction, which I like. It also compliments Simic's 1-drop suite quite well.
Angrath, Captain of Chaos, this is nothing amazing, but it's servicable and rounds out my hybrid slots.
Dovin, Hand of Control, being a kind of repeatable Maze of Ith against aggro is solid, and in the control mirror the tax effect should allow you to get the upper hand. Also shutting down artifact ramp is a cool bonus.
Kiora, Behemoth Reckoner, I run bouncelands, which makes this even better, and also even if you draw only 2 cards off it, it is still a Divination that ramps you a bit. Seems especially solid in a Dimir deck with big flyers. Going this into Moroii into Indulgent Tormentor into Jetting Glasskite seems good.
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer, this card seems worth it only for the passive effect already, but being able to copy a Guttersnipe, Young Pyromancer or even a Hedron Archive for a turn seems super solid and fun. Really quite unique effect, and really fun to play with I think.
EDIT: Durr, Frost Titan. Thx Leelue.
WiJ
Peasant 540 Cube
Also, I guess a 2 drop accelerant that is guaranteed to work on turn 3 is as good as rampant growth (until it dies), but it also attacks and blocks when you dont need the land.
It might be great, actually.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
My current update list, again at 360, looks like this:
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor -> Time of Ice
Eternal Taskmaster -> Dark Ritual
Paradise Druid -> Penumbra Spider (or maybe Phantom Centaur, but I love that guy)
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer -> Gelectrode
MTGS Average Peasant Cube 2023 Edition
Follow me. I tweet.
Adds
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor -> Compulsive research : too many cards in my cube say draw a card.
Teferi's Time Twist -> Supreme will : This effect is better in blue than white.
Eternal Taskmaster -> Blood-Chin Rager : warriors is more GR than Black
Burning Prophet -> Electrostatic Field : I prefer my spells deck to be more agresive.
Evolution Sage -> Cytoplast Root-Kin : Same but better
Jiang Yanggu, Wildcrafter -> Hunting Triad : hunting triad was a bit of a meme to be honest.
Mowu, Loyal Companion -> Iwamori of the Open Fist : one +1/+1 counter and Mowu is better.
Pollenbright Druid -> Sunblade elf : sunblade is an elf warrior with a sometimes relevent ability pollenbright is more universal.
Dovin, Hand of Control -> Judge's Familiar : Now I can frame my first ever FNM Promo instead.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner -> Snake Form : 7 loyalty
Nahiri, Storm of Stone -> Fresh-Faced Recruit : Nahriri makes all your creatures into fresh faced recruits
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer -> Frostburn Weird : She is stronger than the wierd.
I am still waiting on the rest of the hybrid walkers... hard for the GW to push their way in but I hope Ashiok is good/uncommon.
My Proliferate is all in Blue and green so the blue and green walkers are quite strong for me
I don't think tibault is for me I don't see the need for the life gain hate in my cube.
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
evolution sage
flux channeler
jiang yanggu
kasmina
kiora (easy swap for snakeform)
mowu, loyal companion
pollenbright druid
saheeli (easy swap for nucklavee, also my favourite card in the set so far)
and ones that i'll have to have hard words to myself about:
angrath
cruel celebrant (will also include zulaport cutthroat if this goes in)
eternal taskmaster (if i did black aggro i think this would be snap include)
leyline prowler (super efficient but not sure if it topples any of the graveyard synergy cards i have in golgari)
mayhem devil
nahiri (i still do not know how to feel about her)
paradise druid (is this better than any llanowar elf variant?)
samut
this set has a lot of spicy ones.
Expect to be good: Tibalt, Leyline Prowler, Kiora, Saheeli
Unsure/testing: Evolution Sage, Deathsprout, Nahiri
Might get thrown in at some point in the near/distant future: Neoform, Burning Prophet, Grateful Apparition, Kasmina, Angrath
////////
I don't see Paradise Druid being much beyond playable. I played Servant of the Conduit for a while and it was pretty mediocre; the second toughness is relevant, if you're activating more than twice a lot just play a ramp spell instead.
Something like STE or Rampant Growth is weak to unplayable in aggro and amazing on ramp
(1-drop elves are amazing in both)
Even though Ive seen sakura tribe elder work in aggro if there were creature thirsty synergies (equipment, battalion, etc). As a 23rd playable, of course.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Huatli's Raptor however is very strong stronger than Quasali's pridemage I think, pridemage is very good stuff but raptor has a huge upside
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
You won't proliferate anything on T2, and by the time you're getting proliferate value you care drastically less about the 2/3 body. Very clunky.
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
It's like -- would Rakdos aggro decks play Hackrobat? Yeah, sometimes I guess, when you can draft it 12th, which will be about its average case.
With the addition of walkers at uncommon, I will be increasing my cube from 380 to 390 cards, likely adding 5x "rainbow" walkers and 5x monocolored walkers without trading cards out for them.
Likely 5x "rainbow" walkers:
Angrath, Captain of Chaos
Dovin, Hand of Control
Nahiri, Storm of Stone
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer
Likely 5x monocolored walkers
Jiang Yanggu, Wildcrafter - Counters Matter/semi ramp
Teyo, the Shieldmage - Can work in a sac/drain strategy or just a slower blink deck strategy
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor - Solid card, could also work well in a slow reanimator-shell
Jaya, Venerated Firemage or Tibalt, Rakish Instigator - not sure here... leaning towards Tibalt as it makes tokens and has synergy with RB and RW in my cube. Jaya I think will be able to end games, but not sure if Jaya is win-more instead of close games, also 3CMC versus 5CMC.
Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted - I just want to kill my own creatures and draw cards
Likely changes:
Cruel Celebrant -> Maw of the Obzedat - Obzedat is a better card, but I have been trying to sacrifice my guild cards to make the guilds have more synergy
Eternal Taskmaster -> Not sure yet
Paradise Druid -> Servant of the Conduit
Pledge of Unity -> Reap What Is Sown
Huatli's Raptor -> Qasali Pridemage
Ral's Outburst -> Bloodwater Entity
Teferi's Time Twist -> Not sure yet
Maybe:
Neoform - Not sure if the payoff is good enough for C/Ube
Pollenbright Druid - I like this, will likely make it in
Will buy, not convinced any will see the light of day:
Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage
Kaya, Bane of the Dead
Samut, Tyrant Smasher
Vraska, Swarm's Eminence
The Wanderer
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
It's frankly proving to be the biggest problem with the inclusion of walkers for me, seing as though I don't like the idea of every one of them potentially being played in a blue deck and I hate the idea of including mediocre cards just to balance the types across the colors. Maybe they just fit better in control shells, though?