Cube Maxim
I aim to create the most fun, exciting, powerful and balanced custom limited environment
that I can for my playgroup within the confines of a Vintage legal and Singleton legal frame.
that I can for my playgroup within the confines of a Vintage legal and Singleton legal frame.
Basic Info
Cube Size: 450 Cards
Breakdown: 55 Each Color, 105 Guild/Multicolor, 70 Colorless
Standard or Theme Cube: Standard
Average Draft: 3-6 players
Cube CMC: 2.762
Design Restrictions
Powered?: Yes
Vintage Legal?: Yes
Singleton Legal?: Yes
The only cards I ban from the cube are cards that aren't Vintage legal (Ante cards, Dexterity cards, Un- Cards, Conspiracies & Holiday Promos, etc), cards that can't function within all game types (like draft manipulators that are blanks in Sealed Deck, or cards that would require a commander to function, etc) and cards thar reference "outside of the game" as a zone (Wishes, Companions, etc).
Color Balance?: Yes
Guild Balance?: Yes
Mana Support?: No
Mana Support?: No
Other Info
Here's a link to the cube on CubeCobra if you want to mock draft it:
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/wtwlf123
I wrote a cube article about the fundamental cube design questions, and how I decided to build my cube to cater to my playgroup. The article was designed to help those folks that are still in the incipient phase of cube building, and may need some pointers on how to balance the cube for smoother drafts and gameplay. But hopefully even the veteran cube managers can find at least some useful information on how to streamline the cube and better enable aggressive archetypes. Here's a link:
"Cube Design Philosophy"
I also wrote an article that deals with managing your manabase when cubing, and the impact those mana demands have on drafting, deck-building and constructing the cube. Here's a link to that one:
"Mana Short: A study in limited resource management."
Feel free to post comments on the article page or here in this thread with any questions or comments!
Additionally, I've written some Set Reviews in the form of top 20 countdowns based on set previews. Note, these are written as set previews, not necessarily set reviews, but here's the links to them anyways:
My Review #01 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from AVR!
My Review #02 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from M13!
My Review #03 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from RTR!
My Review #04 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from GTC!
My Review #05 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from DGM!
My Review #06 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from M14!
My Review #07 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from THS!
My Review #08 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from BNG!
My Review #09 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from JOU!
My Review #10 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from M15!
My Review #11 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from KTK!
My Review #12 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from FRF!
My Review #13 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from DTK!
My Review #14 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from ORI!
My Review #15 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from BFZ!
My Review #16 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from OGW!
My Review #17 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from SOI!
My Review #18 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from EMN!
My Review #19 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from KLD!
My Review #20 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from AER!
My Review #21 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from AKH!
My Review #22 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from HOU!
My Review #23 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from XLN!
My Review #24 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from RIX!
My Review #25 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from DOM!
My Review #26 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from M19!
My Review #27 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from GRN!
My Review #28 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from RNA!
My Review #29 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from WAR!
My Review #30 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from M20!
My Review #31 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from ELD!
My Review #32 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from THB!
My Review #33 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from IKO!
My Review #34 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from M21!
My Review #35 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from ZNR!
My Review #36 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from KHM!
My Review #37 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from STX!
My Review #38 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from AFR!
My Review #39 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MID!
My Review #40 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from VOW!
My Review #41 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from NEO!
My Review #42 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from SNC!
My Review #43 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from DMU!
My Review #44 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from BRO!
My Review #45 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from ONE!
My Review #46 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MOM!
My Review #47 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from WOE!
My Review #48 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from LCI!
My Review #49 - Discusses my top 20 Cube cards from MKM!
Enjoy!
I was invited to be a guest on the MTGin3D Podcast with Liam and Pedro. Here's a link to that episode ...give it a listen!
MTGin3D Episode #5 - Exploration
I was invited on as a guest for the "What's In The Box!?" Podcast with Zakeel and Drew. Here's a link to that episode:
What's in the Box EP8 - Community Spotlight: wtwlf123
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As for Walking Ballista, I think as long as you compare it to Triskelion, you can't do it justice. Removing +1/+1 counters in order to deal damage to target creature or player and the type line really are the only things these two creatures have in common.
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The last time I stepped into an actual Library? I can't even remember because books are so cheap nowadays.
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Hivemind comes to mind when I think back on what drove some people away from here. It was really easy to get the impression that there was a "right" way to construct a Cube and many "wrong" ones. Cube was defined as a singleton format with the most powerful cards ever printed. Power rankings and the Cube comparison thread listed the "must-plays" (or, at least, some users seemed to read it that way instead of using those resources as a starting point for their own ideas) and everyone excluding cards of that category was told that they are wrong. It was hard to get an actual discussion going on the merits of certain non-standard ideas.
I am less active in recent years (I have only so much tinkering in me, and these days I spend it mostly on my job and not on my Cube). That said, I get the impression that things have changed and that now it's easier to discuss different ideas. With all the powerful cards printed in recent years, we now have the ability to build Cubes with different cards but similar power level. I think that helped with shifting the discussion from "which card is more powerful" to "which card supports this archetype better".
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Wildest Dreams might be a good card for the more combo-oriented Cubes, I guess?
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With enough signets/talismans, it is often almost as easy to splash the fourth or even fifth color as it is to splash the third. I prefer the 4/5-color good-stuff decks to require some effort regarding the mana base rather than it coming together incidentally. Therefore, I prioritize non-signet/talisman mana rocks and fill up with signets/talismans as needed. Coldsteel Heart, Everflowing Chalice, Guardian Idol, Mind Stone and Prismatic Lens are all reasonable choices. Fellwar Stone, Star Compass and Sphere of the Suns are not as good as signets but still have the "problem" of incidental color fixing, so I choose not to run them. Thought Vessel and Fractured Powerstone virtually or actually don't do anything other than tapping for 1; they are options if you want to further reduce the color fixing available on mana rocks.
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That said, these are some nice minimalist tokens. I like the cat token best, because of the bandoulière!