From the Vault: Annihilation update! First time in foil for these two! Trying to decide whether I want Cataclysm in the cube or not.... Also I'm switching back to Goldmane. He just plays better.
I love Pelakka Wurm. It's one of my favorite Green fatties. The 7 life and Trample are brutal and running super ramp he has never been tough to get out. In my 450 I run it right next to Hornet Queen (Thanks M15!) and top out my curve with Woodfall Primus and Terastodon.
As for the whole rarity thing, I am SO HAPPY when a kick-ass common or uncommon comes out that is cube worthy. They are easy to get in foil and affordable as well. I will frequently buy a copy of a cube-able card at common and uncommon for the on-deck binder or my "box of cube worthy stuff that isn't good enough for the binder" regardless if I am going to immediately run it. They can be nice just to have if I want to swap out a few cards for freshness sake.
For what it is worth, my playgroup doesn't pay attention to rarity at all <old guy rant>however, in OUR day rarity wasn't advertised - we had to figure that out for ourselves and we liked it! Sometimes sets didn't even HAVE any rares and we had to "make do" with uncommons.</old guy rant>
These M15 Upgrades continue my quest to push underperforming cards out of the cube with some exceptions.
I made the switch to Ajani Steadfast and pulled Ajani Goldmane. Goldmane is totally a cubable card but I am trying to keep the Plainswalkers down to a reasonable number and White is stacked in that regard. If Goldmane turns out to be stronger he is only over in my on-deck binder. I like the fact Steadfast is splashable and he just seems like a card with a little more depth and complexity. We will see what the group thinks.
In a similar vein Garruk, Primal Hunter is a cubable card as well, but I just love the new Nissa, Worldwaker and she plays well with my super ramp package.
The rest of these changes seem to me to be pretty uncontroversial, but some may disagree with Hornet Nest. I think this card is under-rated so it gets a spot for now and honestly no one was playing Noxious Revival anyway.
My favorite card of M15 is Goblin Rabblemaster. I love him so much I squeezed him in my 180 as well.
Hornet Queen can finally go into the cube now that she printed in foil
As I looked at my land package I realized that most of my dual lands came into play tapped (especially since I don't run the ABUR duals). Since I was replacing some of the lesser duals (see below), I completed this cycle and removed the M10 Tap lands.
These guys did not come cheap in foil. I now have ½ a set of fetches. I am currently pairing them with the Man Lands, but if they ever reprint the other five I will most likely remove the vivids to complete the fetch cycle. I seriously have no idea why Wizards hasn't found a way to reprint these. I know they work years in advance, but man the others are crazy money. Until then five fetches are better than zero.
Man I love this card, but in the end I just can't see putting this into the cube.
I think I would have a better time with it than folks with powered cubes, but cutting Lotleth Troll for this seems a tough sell. I may buy one after the hype calms down and stick it in the on-deck binder in case I end up completely off base.
I feel like that at 450 I'm closing in on Maximum Planeswalker Saturation, but they are so fun! I think I count 19, so maybe not so bad. Ral will probably go if another great Izzet card rears its head. Until then that color pair just gets two
NOTE: Cube Tutor is out of date until they update for Conspiracy!
IN -----> OUT
W
Ajani Goldmane -----> Ajani Steadfast
R
Burning of Xinye -----> Shivan Dragon
X
Smokestack -----> Powder Keg
As for the whole rarity thing, I am SO HAPPY when a kick-ass common or uncommon comes out that is cube worthy. They are easy to get in foil and affordable as well. I will frequently buy a copy of a cube-able card at common and uncommon for the on-deck binder or my "box of cube worthy stuff that isn't good enough for the binder" regardless if I am going to immediately run it. They can be nice just to have if I want to swap out a few cards for freshness sake.
For what it is worth, my playgroup doesn't pay attention to rarity at all <old guy rant>however, in OUR day rarity wasn't advertised - we had to figure that out for ourselves and we liked it! Sometimes sets didn't even HAVE any rares and we had to "make do" with uncommons.</old guy rant>
IN -----> OUT
M15 Changes
W
Ajani Steadfast -----> Ajani Goldmane
R
Borderland Marauder -----> Gore-House Chainwalker
Generator Servant -----> Kargan Dragonlord
Goblin Rabblemaster -----> Zo-Zu the Punisher
G
Hornet Nest -----> Noxious Revival
Hornet Queen -----> Vinelasher Kudzu
Nissa, Worldwaker -----> Garruk, Primal Hunter
Reclamation Sage -----> Viridian Shaman
These M15 Upgrades continue my quest to push underperforming cards out of the cube with some exceptions.
I made the switch to Ajani Steadfast and pulled Ajani Goldmane. Goldmane is totally a cubable card but I am trying to keep the Plainswalkers down to a reasonable number and White is stacked in that regard. If Goldmane turns out to be stronger he is only over in my on-deck binder. I like the fact Steadfast is splashable and he just seems like a card with a little more depth and complexity. We will see what the group thinks.
In a similar vein Garruk, Primal Hunter is a cubable card as well, but I just love the new Nissa, Worldwaker and she plays well with my super ramp package.
The rest of these changes seem to me to be pretty uncontroversial, but some may disagree with Hornet Nest. I think this card is under-rated so it gets a spot for now and honestly no one was playing Noxious Revival anyway.
My favorite card of M15 is Goblin Rabblemaster. I love him so much I squeezed him in my 180 as well.
Hornet Queen can finally go into the cube now that she printed in foil
T Pain Lands T
Adarkar Wastes -----> Glacial Fortress
Brushland -----> Sunpetal Grove
Karpulsan Forest -----> Rootbound Crag
Shivan Reef -----> Izzet Boilerworks
Sulfurous Spring -----> Dragonskull Summit
Underground River -----> Drowned Catacomb
Yavimaya Coast -----> Simic Growth Chamber
As I looked at my land package I realized that most of my dual lands came into play tapped (especially since I don't run the ABUR duals). Since I was replacing some of the lesser duals (see below), I completed this cycle and removed the M10 Tap lands.
T Fetch Lands T
Arid Mesa -----> Clifftop Retreat
Marsh Flats -----> Isolated Chapel
Misty Rainforest -----> Hinterland Harbor
Scalding Tarn -----> Sulfur Falls
Verdant Catacombs -----> Woodland Cemetery
These guys did not come cheap in foil. I now have ½ a set of fetches. I am currently pairing them with the Man Lands, but if they ever reprint the other five I will most likely remove the vivids to complete the fetch cycle. I seriously have no idea why Wizards hasn't found a way to reprint these. I know they work years in advance, but man the others are crazy money. Until then five fetches are better than zero.
R
Goblin Rabblemaster -----> Rukh Egg
G
Reclamation Sage -----> Strangleroot Geist
M15!
IN -----> OUT
T
Yavimaya Coast -----> Simic Growth Chamber
Shivan Reef -----> Izzet Boilerworks
I think I would have a better time with it than folks with powered cubes, but cutting Lotleth Troll for this seems a tough sell. I may buy one after the hype calms down and stick it in the on-deck binder in case I end up completely off base.
X
Sword of Feast and Famine -----> Juggernaut
T
Mana Confluence -----> City of Brass
IN -----> OUT
RG
Grenzo, Dungeon Warden -----> Blightning
UR
Dack Fayden -----> Electrolyze
Dack's Duplicate ----->Fire//Ice
I feel like that at 450 I'm closing in on Maximum Planeswalker Saturation, but they are so fun! I think I count 19, so maybe not so bad. Ral will probably go if another great Izzet card rears its head. Until then that color pair just gets two
NOTE: Cube Tutor is out of date until they update for Conspiracy!
IN -----> OUT
Bane of the Living -----> Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
IN -----> OUT
W
Banishing Light -----> Seal of Cleansing
B
Gnarled Scarhide -----> Guul Draz Assassin
Master of the Feast -----> Fleshbag Marauder
R
Prophetic Flamespeaker -----> Hell's Thunder
T
Mana Confluence -----> Reflecting Pool