There's definitely a difference between Peek and Gitaxian Probe. I wouldn't want to play Peek in a completely proactive deck, but I'd play Gitaxian Probe in any deck. Being able to cast for 2 life changes the card by a lot.
I do understand the comparisons to Opt since it takes up the same slot in a cube, but I don't think of Peek as a Xerox Theory card. I think the strength of the card is in "Look at target player's hand" not "Draw a card." It says draw a card because if you sacrificed card parity for the information, it'd be terrible.
But I do think reactive decks and decks playing powerful but easily disrupted strategies do benefit from having access to Peek.
Interestingly, this card got a bit more support with the printing of Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer and Magda, Brazen Outlaw. I could see a red treasure achetype forming with Captain Lannery Storm being part of it.
Why Peek?
Information (and an opponent's lack of information) is powerful. If you have 2 Islands in play and a card in hand, your opponent does have to consider that your card may be Counterspell, or Mana Drain, or any other number of 2-mana counterspells. They may then delay development until they can fight against the suspected Counterspell. If your card in hand is a third Island, then that is a very powerful Island since the threat of Counterspell has disrupted the opponent and bought you time.
In cubes that have cards and combos that can win the game out of nowhere (Splinter Twin, Sneak Attack, etc.), I value having cards available to players that can give information about their opponent's hand. These cards benefit players fighting against unfair strategies, as well as players employing unfair strategies since players can also use these cards to know when it is safe to commit to the combo.
My cube employs a variety of unfair strategies, which I think overall improves the meta of the cube, but I was finding that cards like Vendilion Clique and Thoughtseize were very important not just for their ability to take the most powerful card from an opponent's hand (although, this of course is a key aspect of why those cards are good), but also granting information is powerful in it's own right. These cards were important, but I wanted more, so that more players could have access to the effect. I added Peek to increase the density of this effect.
Who wants Peek?
A draw-go Control deck can make the most of Peek. These decks can generally afford to delay playing key spells for a turn in order to lead with Peek, and Peek makes many of their spells better. Peek can let the player know if now is when they should cast Wrath of God, or if the opponent is keeping creatures in hand expecting the Wrath. Peek can also let them know if an opponent is trying to bait a Counterspell or if it is safe to counter the threat on the stack.
Combo players also appreciate Peek. Knowing if you can go for the turn 4 Splinter Twin, or if you need to wait for Counterspell back-up because the opponent has Swords to Plowshares can be game-winning information.
Who Doesn't want Peek?
A completely proactive deck like Green Ramp splashing blue for Upheaval or Opposition likely has no use for Peek. These decks might like Preordain and Ponder because those cantrips can prevent drawing late-game Llanowar Elves and dig closer to their key spells like Upheaval, but it is important to keep in mind that just because Peek costs a single U and replaces itself, it should not be thought of similarly to those cards. A deck that cannot make use of the information granted by Peek would just be playing Peek as "Cycling U", which is a fine floor, but not really impressive.
Yeah, a new Planeswalker in Red and Black is also on my wants. I'm less interested in 5cmc, ideally the Planeswalkers would be 3cmc or 4cmc. It's less of a priority than Red and Black, but I also have room for a Planeswalker in Blue.
I could see that being the case. I'm not sure which has the better upside, and I don't think I'm personally interested in playing both, but I am interested in how this tests.
I've been cubing Kabira Takedown, and have been happy with it. I think I like Takedown over this because Takedown can hit Planeswalkers and doesn't have to wait for combat, so it more easily answers things like Dark Confidant. Removal stapled onto lands is good, though, especially so on an untapped land.
I like the card, but also cut it on my M21 update back in June 2020. Surveil every turn is powerful, but it fills a similar role as the looters, and I like JVP, Suspicious Stowaway, and Looter il-Kor more in that slot. If I was cubing someone else's list, though, and saw Search, I'd still be likely to play it in a blue deck.
Ok, so if I have the 2 Pack Rats, and use Saw in Half on one, I'll have a 3/3 and two 2/2s? Then if I use Pack Rat's activated ability twice, I'll have three 5/5s and two 2/2s?
I have Pack Rat and a token copy of Pack Rat in play, so they are both currently 2/2. I target the token with Saw in Half destroying the token and creating 2 more tokens. The Pack Rat card is now a 3/3 because there are 3 Pack Rats in play. What are the tokens' power and toughness? Do the tokens grow when I create more Pack Rats?
Rift Sower was in the last iteration of the MTGO Vintage Cube, and it was serviceable. Not great or anything, but it seemed to do it's role well enough. I would have tested this card in my own cube if Ignoble Hierarch wasn't spoiled the day after this was.
1 - Henrika > Dracolich > Shepherd - The only experience I have with Dracolich and Shepard are in the MTGO cubes. I was mildly impressed by Dracolich and haven't been impressed by Shepherd. I'm not terribly impressed by either, though, so I'd test Henrika if I were considering any of them. I don't know if it's actually better than either of them. And though Shepherd wasn't good for me in the MTGO cube, if it's been good in your environment, it could be the best for your environment.
2 - Very environment dependent, I think. Servitude is very good, but slow. In a more fast-paced environment, Persist is probably better. I only have experience with Servitude, though, so Persist might be better than I think it is.
3 - Forbid. I really don't like UUU on Charm. I don't think either card is a must-include, but I think more decks will be willing to play Forbid than Charm.
I do understand the comparisons to Opt since it takes up the same slot in a cube, but I don't think of Peek as a Xerox Theory card. I think the strength of the card is in "Look at target player's hand" not "Draw a card." It says draw a card because if you sacrificed card parity for the information, it'd be terrible.
But I do think reactive decks and decks playing powerful but easily disrupted strategies do benefit from having access to Peek.
Peek
Why Peek?
Information (and an opponent's lack of information) is powerful. If you have 2 Islands in play and a card in hand, your opponent does have to consider that your card may be Counterspell, or Mana Drain, or any other number of 2-mana counterspells. They may then delay development until they can fight against the suspected Counterspell. If your card in hand is a third Island, then that is a very powerful Island since the threat of Counterspell has disrupted the opponent and bought you time.
In cubes that have cards and combos that can win the game out of nowhere (Splinter Twin, Sneak Attack, etc.), I value having cards available to players that can give information about their opponent's hand. These cards benefit players fighting against unfair strategies, as well as players employing unfair strategies since players can also use these cards to know when it is safe to commit to the combo.
My cube employs a variety of unfair strategies, which I think overall improves the meta of the cube, but I was finding that cards like Vendilion Clique and Thoughtseize were very important not just for their ability to take the most powerful card from an opponent's hand (although, this of course is a key aspect of why those cards are good), but also granting information is powerful in it's own right. These cards were important, but I wanted more, so that more players could have access to the effect. I added Peek to increase the density of this effect.
Cards that grant information that I run at 360:
Elite Spellbinder, Vendilion Clique, Peek, Frogkin Kidnapper, Dread Fugue, Inquisition of Kozilek, Thoughtseize, Collective Brutality, Gitaxian Probe
Also worth noting are cards that give-away information for some sort of other advantage, such as Courser of Kruphix, Oracle of Mul Daya, and Dark Confidant.
Who wants Peek?
A draw-go Control deck can make the most of Peek. These decks can generally afford to delay playing key spells for a turn in order to lead with Peek, and Peek makes many of their spells better. Peek can let the player know if now is when they should cast Wrath of God, or if the opponent is keeping creatures in hand expecting the Wrath. Peek can also let them know if an opponent is trying to bait a Counterspell or if it is safe to counter the threat on the stack.
Combo players also appreciate Peek. Knowing if you can go for the turn 4 Splinter Twin, or if you need to wait for Counterspell back-up because the opponent has Swords to Plowshares can be game-winning information.
Who Doesn't want Peek?
A completely proactive deck like Green Ramp splashing blue for Upheaval or Opposition likely has no use for Peek. These decks might like Preordain and Ponder because those cantrips can prevent drawing late-game Llanowar Elves and dig closer to their key spells like Upheaval, but it is important to keep in mind that just because Peek costs a single U and replaces itself, it should not be thought of similarly to those cards. A deck that cannot make use of the information granted by Peek would just be playing Peek as "Cycling U", which is a fine floor, but not really impressive.
Saw in Half preview image
Gilded Goose >> Rift Sower >= Paradise Druid
ECD > Cast Out
2 - Very environment dependent, I think. Servitude is very good, but slow. In a more fast-paced environment, Persist is probably better. I only have experience with Servitude, though, so Persist might be better than I think it is.
3 - Forbid. I really don't like UUU on Charm. I don't think either card is a must-include, but I think more decks will be willing to play Forbid than Charm.