(Found on Page 3 of the Cube Lists!! Shame on me!!)
Here's my Khans/Commander 14/FTV rant/update post...
The following list are probables...I haven't decided what should go in for most of this stuff. I obviously would appreciate any feedback. The decklist in my OP is current, for reference.
(I've also made some notes where I'm swapping in some different versions of cards that are already in)
...and I feel immediately "old". I'm hoping to get some more Cubeable Morph cards outside of Firecat, Exalted Angel and Bane of the Living. Willbender and Hystrodon never really cut it for me.
Also, totally on board with the "Morph, but not into creatures" idea. Morphing from a 2/2 colorless creature into a Chromatic Lantern would be interesting. I also like wtwlf123's idea of alternate morph costs. Discard, paying life (Zombie Cutthroat), even sacrificing permanents. There's some real potential there, and I think we'll get 2-3 very playable Morph cards.
I've read a few times that WOTC isn't expected to reprint the ONS fetches until 2015. It would seem that this block is the perfect opportunity to do so, but we'll see. I know how crazy newer players are to try and chase $100 fetches (SMH). I think the reprint is imminent, but just not this block.
Love the effects, hate the cost. As dreamy as that ultimate is, you still need other PWs to truly take advantage (unless you are ALL about untapping 4 perms or Sleight of Handing on your opponent's turn). He's an overcosted support card, but I could see "larger than medium" Cubes giving him a test run.
As am I. But Golgari is probably the tightest Guild in the Cube (I actually think the PRs prove that, with Golgari getting the smallest number of cards nominated -- everyone plays the same ones ) -- and even then, Abrupt Decay and Deathrite Shaman would be in line as the next 2 best Golgari cards.
Of that list of black cards, Contagion and Tombstalker would be the front runners. Consuming Vapors has swung too many games as has Bane. Zombify is part of the Reanimation package and Kokusho is straight pet card (we ran all 5 Kamigawa dragons at one point, Kokusho will always be the last one left).
I don't like the cuts of Catastrophe, Kor Skyfisher, Detention Sphere or Sarkhan Vol from the last round of cuts, but especially not Catastrophe.
The new changes look mostly pretty good, but I wouldn't cut Sarcomancy.
Catastrophe (for ummm...), Skyfisher (for Cloistered Youth) and Sarkhan (for Huntmaster) will most likely go back in after some test runs. We need Venser for the Blink/Bounce package, and I'm sticking with Geist and Verdict as the other 2 Azorius cards (unless you can make a case for Sphere over one of those two).
Sarcomancy was the "pressure" cut. Not sure what else I would've cut for Entomb. I'm pretty much the only one that drafts it in BX Aggro.
So I need some help with a number breakdown for a 450 custom card cube I plan on making with a friend for fun. I don't know what the average breakdown should be for monocolor/guilds/10 shard and wedges/lands and artifacts. The shard/wedge cards are because he is a very big fan of multicolor and as such he also wants a larger than usual multicolor section. I'm not very versed into how to properly breakdown a cube with a larger than normal multicolor commitment. (Or a normal cube for that matter) Any advice on this?
I run a 450 (links all over my sig). 60 of each color, 80 colorless/artifact (my artifact count is high to allow for the Artifact.dec package) and 70 in guild (4 lands, 3 spells).
If you're looking to make it a Guild/Shard/Wedge-based, then I would suggest 50 of each color, 70 colorless/artifact, 70 guild and that leaves you 60 cards for the Shards/Wedges/etc (which Tri-lands would be included in that count). You could then allow 5 cards per Shard/Wedge (50 total) and have another 10 left over for quad-color and 5-color spells.
It's not what I'm "looking for" per se, it'd just be interesting to get a retrospective insight in addition to the predicted behavior.
Maybe a more interesting article than the top X from the past year would be the biggest surprises from the past year. Cards like Chandra that you expected to be amazing but fell a little short. Cards like Purphoros that you rated pretty low but ended up running anyways. Cards like Thassa and Master of Waves who worked their way into the Cube and changed archetypes for a short while before ending up on the wayside.
Quote from wtwlf123 »
That would be neat information, but I ultimately don't have the time to draft up such an article on a regular basis. I can't even find the time for the articles for the "extra" side sets we get a few times a year.
As a sports fanatic, I'm going to talk in a vacuum for a moment to try and wrap my brain around what Wildfire393 is saying...
As wtwlf123 gets these previews together, I think he's pretty much on mark with the comparison to the NBA/NFL draft previews. It's an educated guess at a card that's coming and (here's the key phrase) in the current environment, how that card would perform. Some cards are a lot easier to take a scientific, educated and experienced guess at. Others, not so much. See, in the sports venue, their fields, equipment and rules are set and for the most part have been for years. In our venue, there's a LOT of moving parts. We not only have Cube size, but also other factors (Modern, Eternal, Powered, Group Size, Draft Type, etc) that can attribute to a card being more or less valued. Personally, I think wtwlf123 does a great job covering those known aspects.
Keeping with the sports tie-in, in the NFL the unwritten rule is that you can't give a legitimate grade on a draft class for 3 years. That gives the draft picks time to learn NFL systems, grow their bodies, etc. They're trying to "come up" to the NFL level. Writers will often have a "team draft re-grade" based on how each team's picks look now. They'll have fun and have a redraft knowing what they know now. For the record, I think this is what Wildfire393 is asking for -- something of a review after we've learned what we need to learn from any given cycle (block + base set). Personally, I love the idea. I think that'd be great information for the community.
However, that brings the moving parts back into play. This year during the Power Rankings we saw a LOT of new cards make the Top 20's in all the groups, most of which was due to the 4-year layoff from PR's. But what was interesting to me wasn't all the new cards, as much as it was new cards to the PR's that have been in print for years. This is the curve ball that makes our arena slightly different than sports (as it relates to reviewing newcomers after some time in the game). Right now, there are 4-5 cards that have been in print for a long time that aren't very desired. But these next 2 blocks will have some damn thing come out that will make some random card/group of cards very popular with us (For the record, this is one of my favorite aspects of the Cube). As much as Wildfire393's "musing" about a "Year in Review" brings up an interesting discussion, it does somewhat toe that line (given the amount of work it would take to come up with a Top 30 or 40) of how long that information would be relevant, let alone worth that effort. We've seen wtwlf123 give his review and within just that calendar year, cards shift their Cube value up and down.
I would like to continue this discussion as all this ranting hasn't really led me to a conclusive thought. If there is an "annual" project where we could review the cards that have been released during the MTG year cycle, I would like to see what our best options are for articles/primers/etc and how those can be best presented and I would be interested in helping or participating in that. I think it's a wonderful idea if it can be efficient for the parties doing the research/work and for the readers/community.
Jitte works in every deck. It's never NOT a good card. It's amazing, it wins games. It's Aggro and Control. Early game, mid-game, late game. Jitte. I'll never draw a Mox in the late game and give that smirk and nod as if it has just swung the game.
I can agree with that. It didn't blow me away by any means. I was just making a case for it not being totally useless by it being an Instant. That thing as a sorcery blows goats. LOL
Damnit, I had a comment in there about the Stoke -- knowing you'd say your critters are tapped out anyways -- but I deleted it. I was going to say if they get a 4-toughness dude in play that stymies your attack on that turn, the EOT Stoke opens it up for your next turn. I think it being an Instant strengthens it in that case, a case that will be it's most likely play.
The Library/Sol Ring discussion is an interesting one. I mean, you start with two cards that work in any deck. One card that puts you 2 turns ahead of your opponent (when played on Turn 1), the other allows you to draw 2 cards per turn (when played on Turn 1). I will say that Sol Ring doesn't lose "steam" when played in the late game as much as Library does -- given the likely situation that you're at less than 7 cards, but Library still does provide colorless mana as well. Library in Constructed formats way back in 1994 was a monster. In the Cube, it's an unadulterated nightmare based simply on the sheer power of the cards that it can draw in this format. I don't think either one is the "wrong" pick at any time and Library is slightly worse in Aggro decks that empty their hand quickly. I don't think the Cube format (in a powered arena) can get much faster. Moxes, Lotus, Sol Ring, etc provide enough speed.
Here's my Khans/Commander 14/FTV rant/update post...
The following list are probables...I haven't decided what should go in for most of this stuff. I obviously would appreciate any feedback. The decklist in my OP is current, for reference.
(I've also made some notes where I'm swapping in some different versions of cards that are already in)
IN -> OUT
BLUE
Dig Through Time -> Thirst for Knowledge (This seems like an insane upgrade)
Clever Impersonator -> Thassa, God of the Sea (Another upgrade. Can't find a 4cc to cut for CI)
Bribery -> 8th Edition (OUT) -> Judge Foil (IN)
Deep Analysis -> Torment (OUT) -> FNM Foil (IN)
Phyrexian Metamorph -> New Phyrexia (OUT) -> PreRelease Foil (IN)
BLACK
Living Death -> Zombify (as mentioned above)
Bloodsoaked Champion -> Sarcomancy (Sarcomancy always gets drafted late and rarely sees play)
Flesh Carver -> (I'm open to suggestions here. I've no idea what to do for this guy...)
Chainer's Edict -> Judgment (OUT) -> FNM Foil (IN)
Black Sun's Zenith -> Mirrodin Besieged (OUT) -> PreRelease Foil (IN)
RED
Dualcaster Mage -> Keldon Vandals (That's all I can come up with LOL)
Feldon of the Third Path -> (Not even sure if he belongs. But I have him, so I'll ask...)
War-Name Aspirant -> Stormblood Berzerker (Slight upgrade, right?)
Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker -> Comet Storm (I've gotten some words about Comet Storm even being in. This seems no-brainer to me, right?)
Avalanche Riders -> Legacy (OUT) -> FNM Foil (IN)
GREEN
Reclamation Sage -> M15 (OUT) -> Gameday (IN)
RAKDOS
Rakdos Cackler -> Return to Ravnica (OUT) -> FNM Foil (IN)
ARTIFACT
Solemn Simulacrum -> Mirrodin (OUT) -> C14 (IN)
...and I feel immediately "old". I'm hoping to get some more Cubeable Morph cards outside of Firecat, Exalted Angel and Bane of the Living. Willbender and Hystrodon never really cut it for me.
Also, totally on board with the "Morph, but not into creatures" idea. Morphing from a 2/2 colorless creature into a Chromatic Lantern would be interesting. I also like wtwlf123's idea of alternate morph costs. Discard, paying life (Zombie Cutthroat), even sacrificing permanents. There's some real potential there, and I think we'll get 2-3 very playable Morph cards.
I've read a few times that WOTC isn't expected to reprint the ONS fetches until 2015. It would seem that this block is the perfect opportunity to do so, but we'll see. I know how crazy newer players are to try and chase $100 fetches (SMH). I think the reprint is imminent, but just not this block.
I haven't played with Diabolic Servitude nor Living Death.
What's the thought on Unburial Rites?
As am I. But Golgari is probably the tightest Guild in the Cube (I actually think the PRs prove that, with Golgari getting the smallest number of cards nominated -- everyone plays the same ones
Reanimate
Exhume
Zombify
Profane Command
Animate Dead
Dance of the Dead
Necromancy
Recurring Nightmare
Am I running too many? Is there something better than Zombify that I should be running?
Catastrophe (for ummm...), Skyfisher (for Cloistered Youth) and Sarkhan (for Huntmaster) will most likely go back in after some test runs. We need Venser for the Blink/Bounce package, and I'm sticking with Geist and Verdict as the other 2 Azorius cards (unless you can make a case for Sphere over one of those two).
Sarcomancy was the "pressure" cut. Not sure what else I would've cut for Entomb. I'm pretty much the only one that drafts it in BX Aggro.
OUT -> IN
Yosei, the Morning Star -> Soul of Theros
Honor of the Pure -> Parallax Wave
Sarcomancy -> Entomb
Orcish Settlers -> Goblin Rabblemaster
Call of the Herd -> Master of the Wild Hunt
Uktabi Orangutan -> Reclamation Sage
I run a 450 (links all over my sig). 60 of each color, 80 colorless/artifact (my artifact count is high to allow for the Artifact.dec package) and 70 in guild (4 lands, 3 spells).
If you're looking to make it a Guild/Shard/Wedge-based, then I would suggest 50 of each color, 70 colorless/artifact, 70 guild and that leaves you 60 cards for the Shards/Wedges/etc (which Tri-lands would be included in that count). You could then allow 5 cards per Shard/Wedge (50 total) and have another 10 left over for quad-color and 5-color spells.
As a sports fanatic, I'm going to talk in a vacuum for a moment to try and wrap my brain around what Wildfire393 is saying...
As wtwlf123 gets these previews together, I think he's pretty much on mark with the comparison to the NBA/NFL draft previews. It's an educated guess at a card that's coming and (here's the key phrase) in the current environment, how that card would perform. Some cards are a lot easier to take a scientific, educated and experienced guess at. Others, not so much. See, in the sports venue, their fields, equipment and rules are set and for the most part have been for years. In our venue, there's a LOT of moving parts. We not only have Cube size, but also other factors (Modern, Eternal, Powered, Group Size, Draft Type, etc) that can attribute to a card being more or less valued. Personally, I think wtwlf123 does a great job covering those known aspects.
Keeping with the sports tie-in, in the NFL the unwritten rule is that you can't give a legitimate grade on a draft class for 3 years. That gives the draft picks time to learn NFL systems, grow their bodies, etc. They're trying to "come up" to the NFL level. Writers will often have a "team draft re-grade" based on how each team's picks look now. They'll have fun and have a redraft knowing what they know now. For the record, I think this is what Wildfire393 is asking for -- something of a review after we've learned what we need to learn from any given cycle (block + base set). Personally, I love the idea. I think that'd be great information for the community.
However, that brings the moving parts back into play. This year during the Power Rankings we saw a LOT of new cards make the Top 20's in all the groups, most of which was due to the 4-year layoff from PR's. But what was interesting to me wasn't all the new cards, as much as it was new cards to the PR's that have been in print for years. This is the curve ball that makes our arena slightly different than sports (as it relates to reviewing newcomers after some time in the game). Right now, there are 4-5 cards that have been in print for a long time that aren't very desired. But these next 2 blocks will have some damn thing come out that will make some random card/group of cards very popular with us (For the record, this is one of my favorite aspects of the Cube). As much as Wildfire393's "musing" about a "Year in Review" brings up an interesting discussion, it does somewhat toe that line (given the amount of work it would take to come up with a Top 30 or 40) of how long that information would be relevant, let alone worth that effort. We've seen wtwlf123 give his review and within just that calendar year, cards shift their Cube value up and down.
I would like to continue this discussion as all this ranting hasn't really led me to a conclusive thought. If there is an "annual" project where we could review the cards that have been released during the MTG year cycle, I would like to see what our best options are for articles/primers/etc and how those can be best presented and I would be interested in helping or participating in that. I think it's a wonderful idea if it can be efficient for the parties doing the research/work and for the readers/community.
The Library/Sol Ring discussion is an interesting one. I mean, you start with two cards that work in any deck. One card that puts you 2 turns ahead of your opponent (when played on Turn 1), the other allows you to draw 2 cards per turn (when played on Turn 1). I will say that Sol Ring doesn't lose "steam" when played in the late game as much as Library does -- given the likely situation that you're at less than 7 cards, but Library still does provide colorless mana as well. Library in Constructed formats way back in 1994 was a monster. In the Cube, it's an unadulterated nightmare based simply on the sheer power of the cards that it can draw in this format. I don't think either one is the "wrong" pick at any time and Library is slightly worse in Aggro decks that empty their hand quickly. I don't think the Cube format (in a powered arena) can get much faster. Moxes, Lotus, Sol Ring, etc provide enough speed.
Having said all that, I'll still take LoA at P1P1