I've seen people do well with the Kiki/Twin combo deck on MTGO. Just as many times, though, I've seen people pick one of the pieces early, try to force it, and end up with a UR pile of midrange stuff. I think it's popular because it's normally an auto-win when it comes together and because it's like playing a constructed deck in a limited format. The combo itself is not a deck I want to support in my own cube. It's high variance, easily hated out of the draft, and gives me the super feel bads when I lose to it.
Mostly this. I'm told this is a top deck on MTGO. But I don't get how. I don't think anyone gets the feel bads when they lose to it in my cube, because it's cool and people usually have some way that they can respond to creatures in their decks, but that rarely ever happens b/c to lose to it presupposes that someone was successful at drafting it and drawing it in game. But both the MTGS cube comparison and cubetutor's average lists show that Kiki is widely used. Angel and Conscripts are on both as well. Exarch and Pestermite are on cubetutor's 720 too.
The Kiki/Twin deck is one of the top tier decks in our environment. I run all the pieces in my 420 cube (including Recruiter) so it's relatively easy to put the pieces together, and when key cards are hated you still oftentimes end up with a reasonably strong deck (winning decks that started down the Kiki/Twin path during the draft but ended up going another route due to missing pieces end up as Izzet tempo/control/counterburn, Grixis control or Jeskai spells matter).
Falkenrath Aristocrat is amazing. After close to a year of play I decided to cut Grenzo for her, and if it came down to it I'd cut Dreadbore before her too (B and R decks here don't have problems dealing with creatures and planeswalkers... and Falkenrath is pretty good at killing the latter too). In an environment where it oftentimes just takes one big turn for a deck to win, extremely fast clocks like Falkenrath Aristicrat are a premium (especially in heavier on black Rakdos decks).
I'd put Hornet Queen at the top of that list, card is all kinds of nasty and I absolutely hate seeing it on the other side of the table. I've heard the arguments against the 'Hoof and I kept him out of my list for the longest time but the guy is not only adorable/fun but he's really good at winning (which is the most important thing really in a cutthroat environment). Sure I won't run him in combo reanimator but I do run him in value reanimator which tends to run dorks/utility creatures. Woodfall Primus is guaranteed value and trample is sweet.
There's enough artifact support in powered cubes that every goodartifact destruction spell is a good card, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's correct to support them all.
There are points I've felt I had a bit too much artifact destruction in my cube, and it noticeably impacted the win-rate of artifact based ramp decks. Tinker was still busted, but if the artifact decks were a bit more on the fair side, it was too easy to shut down their ramp and leave them stranded with expensive spells.
The mediocore mana rocks start becoming a liability the more artifact destruction you have... The artifact decks depend on those mediocore mana rocks, so that's the deck that gets hurt the most.
You want to have answers to the most powerful cards in cube, but you have to be careful to not indirectly invalidate strategies you are trying to support.
I'm not exactly sure where that line is, but I know it exists, and a cube designer should be mindful of it.
I'm definitely not at that point yet. The best decks, the decks that win most, run all kinds of artifacts and enchantments. The artifact deck, where you just take all the mana rocks you can get (I even run all the signets which I guess are mediocre compared to the other rocks I have... but not really) and top out with Upheaval, Wildfire, or whichever flavour of robot you wish to play is very very tough to beat. The deck was winning so much that I've even scaled back on a couple of cards that were pretty much only being run in artifact ramp decks (Inkwell, Burning <-- I know this one will send people here into convulsions).
Then there's the UR control and tempo decks, red heavy aggro decks and the combo decks that dominate. Cards like Sneak Attack, Splinter Twin, Sulfiric Vortex, Opposition, Jitte, Treachery, Survival -- all game winning cards in decks that consistently win. The biggest tell is when my players are having to take Disenchant/sex monkeys over a 'big' card just because they know that Disenchant/sex monkeys is probably going to be burned. They shouldn't be going before the A tier cards because of scarcity so I want more of them available for the draft. At one point I considered them as sideboard type cards. Now I feel vulnerable if I don't have one or two main decked. We've seen some really nice flexible cards these last couple of years though -- Kolaghan's Command is easily my #1 Rakdos card now (even counting Cackler) and Fiery Confluence would make my top 20 list for red. I also don't think I'd ever cut Rec Sage. Ever.
Very good point about indirectly owning other strategies though so I'll be sure to watch the weaker decks (creature decks that are not aggro/tempo) and note which artifacts/enchantments they rely on. Don't want to oppress already oppressed decks even more.
I think every single (powered) cube is short on the hate, mine included. So many games are won off the backs of fast mana rocks, equipment, a robot or something ridiculous like an Opposition or a Moat. I've even added in Ronom Unicorn, which has been putting in work, and I still think don't have enough enchantment (let alone) artifact hate. Especially if your group drafts in a way that burns cards... If I took that Jitte you can be sure I'm burning all the disenchant effects I see.
Black does have access to Thoughtseize/Duress/Inquisition which all make fine turn 1 plays. Perhaps a Sinkhole and/or a Nether Void would do more for your black aggro decks than the next best 1-drop you're not already running would.
Having base 3 power sets him apart from the other support/utility guys in the 3-drop slot. This guy is a relatively efficient beater that can easily provide card advantage in the midgame if not dealt with.
Surprised to see Sin Prodder not make the top 5 and Tireless Tracker to be so so low, but I slammed #s 1-4 and a few others in the top 10 so I like the list for the most part! That was a very good read -- thanks for posting!
I was big on blue devotion (Master of Waves, Thassa, Kira, Coralhelm Commander, etc) but have cut back on them in order to make space for other cards/archetypes. Blue tempo decks are already among the very best performing decks in my cube even without a devotion package, and with no particularly bad matchups (and relative ease of drafting) I don't feel the need for additional support, at least for now.
I run a 450, and have tested this Nissa extensively. I am very, very happy with her in the 3-drop section. She often comes down on turn 2 because of mana dorks, and her suite of abilities, while seemingly innocuous, result in a great investment for such a low casting cost. Her 0/1 Plant tokens serve to protect her, the +1/+1 counters are great for G/x midrange decks aiming to go wide, and I've seen her use the ultimate several times. I'm satisfied she'll be in my Cube for a while to come.
Echoing this sentiment. Baby Nissa is a very good deal for 3 mana considering her abilities and various synergies. Ever see her in play with this adorable guy? Talk about getting 'hoofed...
In an aggro deck the only card in the slot I'd take over Sin Prodder is Goblin Rabblemaster (unless you count Alesha in the same slot then maybe I'd take her too, maybe). Either choice is a + for aggro. You're digging through lands, or drawing cards or dealing damage. And it's a 3-power body with evasion. And it's splashable. Cant wait to play turn-2 Ankh turn-3 this guy. Any 'drawback' is really more of a feel bad I think (or maybe if you have a Cursed Scroll then maybe it can be a drawback).
And such a flavour win too. The decision whether or not to eat the damage is going to be hilarious (especially if they're eating damage from something like their Sylvan Library, Mana Crypt, Ancient Tomb, etc) and adding decisions to red is fun!
My cut would be Terastodon.
Then there's the UR control and tempo decks, red heavy aggro decks and the combo decks that dominate. Cards like Sneak Attack, Splinter Twin, Sulfiric Vortex, Opposition, Jitte, Treachery, Survival -- all game winning cards in decks that consistently win. The biggest tell is when my players are having to take Disenchant/sex monkeys over a 'big' card just because they know that Disenchant/sex monkeys is probably going to be burned. They shouldn't be going before the A tier cards because of scarcity so I want more of them available for the draft. At one point I considered them as sideboard type cards. Now I feel vulnerable if I don't have one or two main decked. We've seen some really nice flexible cards these last couple of years though -- Kolaghan's Command is easily my #1 Rakdos card now (even counting Cackler) and Fiery Confluence would make my top 20 list for red. I also don't think I'd ever cut Rec Sage. Ever.
Very good point about indirectly owning other strategies though so I'll be sure to watch the weaker decks (creature decks that are not aggro/tempo) and note which artifacts/enchantments they rely on. Don't want to oppress already oppressed decks even more.
And such a flavour win too. The decision whether or not to eat the damage is going to be hilarious (especially if they're eating damage from something like their Sylvan Library, Mana Crypt, Ancient Tomb, etc) and adding decisions to red is fun!