Even if we discount the fact that that land looks appalingly bad, the correct template would be "basic land card" (cf. Ghost Quarter). I think it's safe to call this a fake.
With Usman Jamil filling in for Liam, here’s our Origins Set Review! After a quick overview on the logistics of Double-face Cards, Arthur and Usman take turns evaluating the new cards for Cube in a speedrun-like fashion (in the great tradition of Sports Panel Games like Around the Horn). Let us know your own ideas about the new cards, as well as who you think “won” the debate!
Suppose we think of this card as something to be played on turn 3. Do we have enough cheap spells costing one or less (a la Lightning Bolt and Preordain) and/or enough spells on the brink of inclusion (Gut Shot, Silent Departure, etc etc) to make this worthwhile as some sort of Phyrexian Rager for Red?
It was with great pleasure that we had Antknee42 as a guest on this episode! We talked about the past, present and future of Cube as a format; additional topics include (but are not limited to) how and why “pimping” began, the ‘new player’ feeling and how that relates to Cube, why context means a lot when it comes to Cube, linguistics, banned cards, Cleric tribal, the different layers of power level, ecosystems, the “thrills” of life, Magic simulators, the social contract in Commander and how that relates to Cube and “double-sleeving”. We had a great time recording this, and we hope you also enjoy it!
But who is running Cruel Ultimatum in cube? I wanted to stay realistic.
All jokes aside, I've run Cruel Ultimatum in the past and it's very much on my radar for a future re-inclusion. Sure, it's nearly uncastable, but the power level is high and me and my drafters found the "puzzle" of trying to cast it a fun one. I'm not saying it's something we should all necessarily be doing, but spending 1/2 slots in (hard-to-play but fan and powerful) cards like the Ultimatum or Door to Nothingness gives an extra dimension to a draft - 'yes, this is the day I'm casting Cruel Ultimatum!'.
As for the Goggles. I dismissed this card initially but this thread made me realize it's much closer in playability than what I initially thought. Unfortunately, it needed to generate 3 mana (maybe 2) or costing 3 to make it worthwhile, though.
The replacement effect that makes Primordial Hydra ETB with X counters gets that value from the X in the casting cost. If the Hydra is not being cast, X=0.
On topic: I get that this is potential card advantage, but I'm not really a fan. As others have said, this needed either Trample or getting any creature with CMC <=3. As is, I think I will pass.
Yes, it's a sorcery and not an instant - but the 1RR cost makes it (I believe) a much better option than stuff like Flame Javelin and Stoke the Flames. Plus, I think getting the Spell Mastery part online will be relatively easy in the type of decks that would want to play this card. Maybe this doesn't make it in smaller lists, but I will be running this and I will be happy with that. Thoughts?
An interesting take on usual staples Kodama's Reach and Cultivate. Getting only basic Forests is a downside compared to Reach/Cultivate (what's the deal with Nissa and basic Forests?), but it's card advantage nonetheless and that (potential) third Forest makes the card very appealing. Granted, Green is probably the worst color to get spells in the graveyard but going turn 1 cantrip, turn 2 Rampant Growth sounds very plausible; later in the game, you should have two spells in the grayveyard anyway. This also lets you trigger landfall for days.
I recently got two new awesome additions to my Cube that I really want to share.
First: I'm not really a man for misprints, but this showed up at my LGS. The misprint was so "clean" that I decided to get it for the Cube:Remarkably, this is an actual misprint and not a miscut card, as the back is exactly the same as any other Magic card.
Second: a few weeks ago, there was a Modern Rotisserie Draft and some people from R&D took part on it. Now, you may want to take a look at http://www.twitch.tv/magic/b/650496513?t=2h40m50s, where Aaron Forsythe and Adam Prosak do a live crack-a-pack. Well, it turns out that people from Wizards are actually pretty awesome, and I got this from Scott Larabee at GP Utrecht:This is now probably the single most pimp card in my Cube - foil, signed, with an awesome story behind it.
You can check the episode here: http://manadeprived.com/mtgin3d-019-rogues-whirling/
Edit: many thanks to Usman Jamil for filling in for Liam!
You can check the episode here: http://manadeprived.com/mtgin3d-018-forging-the-cube/
As for the Goggles. I dismissed this card initially but this thread made me realize it's much closer in playability than what I initially thought. Unfortunately, it needed to generate 3 mana (maybe 2) or costing 3 to make it worthwhile, though.
On topic: I get that this is potential card advantage, but I'm not really a fan. As others have said, this needed either Trample or getting any creature with CMC <=3. As is, I think I will pass.
Yes, it's a sorcery and not an instant - but the 1RR cost makes it (I believe) a much better option than stuff like Flame Javelin and Stoke the Flames. Plus, I think getting the Spell Mastery part online will be relatively easy in the type of decks that would want to play this card. Maybe this doesn't make it in smaller lists, but I will be running this and I will be happy with that. Thoughts?
An interesting take on usual staples Kodama's Reach and Cultivate. Getting only basic Forests is a downside compared to Reach/Cultivate (what's the deal with Nissa and basic Forests?), but it's card advantage nonetheless and that (potential) third Forest makes the card very appealing. Granted, Green is probably the worst color to get spells in the graveyard but going turn 1 cantrip, turn 2 Rampant Growth sounds very plausible; later in the game, you should have two spells in the grayveyard anyway. This also lets you trigger landfall for days.
Thoughts?
First: I'm not really a man for misprints, but this showed up at my LGS. The misprint was so "clean" that I decided to get it for the Cube:Remarkably, this is an actual misprint and not a miscut card, as the back is exactly the same as any other Magic card.
Second: a few weeks ago, there was a Modern Rotisserie Draft and some people from R&D took part on it. Now, you may want to take a look at http://www.twitch.tv/magic/b/650496513?t=2h40m50s, where Aaron Forsythe and Adam Prosak do a live crack-a-pack. Well, it turns out that people from Wizards are actually pretty awesome, and I got this from Scott Larabee at GP Utrecht:This is now probably the single most pimp card in my Cube - foil, signed, with an awesome story behind it.
Gut Shot
Mental Misstep