Cubeable red cards with investigate. Hoping for 2+, but I'll be satisfied with 2. This is my biggest wish but on the other hand we'll probably see a lot of red artifact generators in Kaladesh so I won't be too disappointed.
Some more Aristocrats support in Rakdos, especially token makers in red or sac outlets in either color.
New versions of Emrakul, Thalia, Bruna, Gisela, and Gisa.
Red angels, preferably MP Cube friendly.
Lots of hopes for red, but red is the color that needs the most work in MP Cube. Ideally by the time we get past EMN, Conspiracy 2, and Kaladesh, I'd like to have a functioning red MP Cube section that I'm not constantly re-examining every few months because all of the red's MP themes are too insular and the cards just keep on wheeling.
My planned acquisitions for EMA fall into three categories:
Available for the first time with correct Oracle text in a non-FTV foil: Mom, Balance, Nevinyrral's Disk, Braids. Subcategory 1.5 here for Winter Orb, which also got its Oracle text changed with this printing.
Were too expensive to get as a cheap pick-up and I knew they were going to get reprinted as foils (and therefore replaced) at some point: Toxic Deluge, Baleful Strix
No way in hell am I paying > $300 for a non-promo / specialized printing of a card that isn't even on the reserved list: JTMS, Dack
Seal of Cleansing, Memory Lapse, Mogg War Marshal are Cubed cards that have new art. Also of note is our first version of Braids with correct creature typing.
Set looks to be pretty high quality and high powered, with some minor disappointments. No Port, wish they picked Fyndhorn Elves over Llanowar Elves, disappointed they didn't do new art for Young Pyromancer.
We've already got Dogfolk, Catfolk, Elephantfolk, Rhinofolk, Snakefolk, and Werewolves. I think it's just a matter of time before we get Boarfolk. On that note I'm surprised we don't have Bearfolk yet.
As someone who likes to keep his cards Oracle-Text-Current for obscure corner cases (I'm looking at you Sundering Titan + Blade Splicer) and to help new players not have to ask questions about obscure wording (Alpha Disenchant "Discard", Alpha Control Magic's "Wall of Text", Mirage Mystical Tutor getting a "Mana source" etc.) I'm wondering if there is going to come a time where I need to start replacing colorless generating cards with their newer diamond generating equivalents. This hasn't been a real choice yet, but with the new Mana Crypt, Wasteland, and Mishra's Factory this is now an option. I think I'm going to stick with the old style cards for nostalgia purposes, but I'm curious what everyone would do if all of the colorless producers had appropriate diamond alternatives.
I generally do the same thing in my Cube. I wound up replacing an FNM Mom (-> DD version) and a Judge Promo Grim Lavamancer (-> M2012 version) just for the correct creature types. It's also why I'm running unpimped versions of Krosan Tusker (none of the foils have the proper Beast in the type), Yavimaya Elder, and Sundering Titan, much like yourself.
I apply these rules pretty haphazardly though, like I think Beta Control Magic is ok because it doesn't really change how the card works even if the use of discard is a bit confusing, and actually the reminder that the creature remains tapped can be handy. However, I'd probably use the Time Spiral foil of Disenchant over the Beta version though because the use of discard there implies something different.
I've thought about the C question too, and I was briefly considering getting the Expedition versions just to make the whole Cube compatible with C if I ever decide to support it. I haven't pulled the trigger on this yet, but it's still an open question.
The thought of changing classic colorless lands and mana rocks to modern frame versions to accommodate C costs borders on offensive to me. You'll have to pry my black bordered Mishra's Factory, Strip Mine, and Worn Powerstone from my cold dead hands before I include versions of them that have C.
Maybe the payoff will be there in future sets, but I won't be in a rush to support C costs.
You and Ftz both touch on this, but IMO trying to make C consistent doesn't disqualify the really old cards that say "colorless mana" instead of 1. It's only the difference between 1 and C that's confusing since they actually mean different things. Given that C literally means colorless mana, having it spelled out vs having the symbol isn't that big of a deal (similar to running versions of cards that had vigilance and haste written out instead of having the keywords).
Not as iconic as the original but I like it better than the judge promo. I'm still running a white-bordered version of this one, maybe it's worth picking up a black-bordered copy...?
As a multiplayer Cube owner, go with Daretti. You can always find another high cost red finisher, but Daretti is pretty much required to give red artifacts viability. The Nalaars and Goblin Welder can't pull all of that weight by themselves.
Here's an interesting one, because despite very many different arts I don't think there's any kind of consensus on which is the "best" version of this card.
The original no. At common, no less. That art will probably look pretty good in foil, and I don't think the art for this one can be said to be any better or worse than any of the other versions. The single line of centered text is pretty cool, very fitting for such a basic and fundamental version of the effect. I'm torn as to whether the clean text box is worth the trade-off for Ertai's flavor text, which is one of the advantages that the FNM Counterspell has over the Beta / CE version.
Also, is it just me or is EMA pretty much Cube: The Limited Set? From what's been spoiled so far, these are some of the most powerful cards to have ever been printed, drafting this set is going to be nuts. Counterspell in a set at common! Never thought I'd see this again!
I like it about the same as the Graveborn version. Animate Dead is weird in the fact that having the actual Oracle text may actually make the card a bit more confusing. As far as I'm aware, I don't think there's a way to abuse the way the card works either, so there might not be much logistical benefit to running one of the new versions over a Beta / CE copy.
The new art is nice, but I strongly prefer the original version.
I don't think I'll be replacing my Beta Control Magic with the new version either, if only because of the sentimental value of the old art. I feel like I've been saying that about a lot of these reprints, which is a bit sad but at the same time good for my wallet.
Speaking of which, here's another reprint that's high quality but probably won't be replacing the version in my Cube:
Art on this one is nice! The coloring gives it a more old-fashioned feel that may appeal to some. I think I like the card art as an art piece more than the original guy-with-a-shovel-Entomb, but I also think this art makes less sense in the context of what this card is supposed to represent. These dudes in the robes did a pretty poor job of burying this guy if they just left his hand sticking out like that. I like the flavor text on this one a lot more than the original too, but this version definitely won't be replacing my old frame foil.
I've been hoping for a mono-red repeatable Threaten effect for a very long time, and the cost is reasonable enough for MP games.
Magali Villeneuve is quickly becoming one of the "get her version of the card, it's the best one" tier artists for me.
Lots of hopes for red, but red is the color that needs the most work in MP Cube. Ideally by the time we get past EMN, Conspiracy 2, and Kaladesh, I'd like to have a functioning red MP Cube section that I'm not constantly re-examining every few months because all of the red's MP themes are too insular and the cards just keep on wheeling.
Seal of Cleansing, Memory Lapse, Mogg War Marshal are Cubed cards that have new art. Also of note is our first version of Braids with correct creature typing.
Set looks to be pretty high quality and high powered, with some minor disappointments. No Port, wish they picked Fyndhorn Elves over Llanowar Elves, disappointed they didn't do new art for Young Pyromancer.
Two cards I can think of off the top of my head that may be worth mentioning.
I generally do the same thing in my Cube. I wound up replacing an FNM Mom (-> DD version) and a Judge Promo Grim Lavamancer (-> M2012 version) just for the correct creature types. It's also why I'm running unpimped versions of Krosan Tusker (none of the foils have the proper Beast in the type), Yavimaya Elder, and Sundering Titan, much like yourself.
I apply these rules pretty haphazardly though, like I think Beta Control Magic is ok because it doesn't really change how the card works even if the use of discard is a bit confusing, and actually the reminder that the creature remains tapped can be handy. However, I'd probably use the Time Spiral foil of Disenchant over the Beta version though because the use of discard there implies something different.
I've thought about the C question too, and I was briefly considering getting the Expedition versions just to make the whole Cube compatible with C if I ever decide to support it. I haven't pulled the trigger on this yet, but it's still an open question.
You and Ftz both touch on this, but IMO trying to make C consistent doesn't disqualify the really old cards that say "colorless mana" instead of 1. It's only the difference between 1 and C that's confusing since they actually mean different things. Given that C literally means colorless mana, having it spelled out vs having the symbol isn't that big of a deal (similar to running versions of cards that had vigilance and haste written out instead of having the keywords).
Not as iconic as the original but I like it better than the judge promo. I'm still running a white-bordered version of this one, maybe it's worth picking up a black-bordered copy...?
The original no. At common, no less. That art will probably look pretty good in foil, and I don't think the art for this one can be said to be any better or worse than any of the other versions. The single line of centered text is pretty cool, very fitting for such a basic and fundamental version of the effect. I'm torn as to whether the clean text box is worth the trade-off for Ertai's flavor text, which is one of the advantages that the FNM Counterspell has over the Beta / CE version.
Also, is it just me or is EMA pretty much Cube: The Limited Set? From what's been spoiled so far, these are some of the most powerful cards to have ever been printed, drafting this set is going to be nuts. Counterspell in a set at common! Never thought I'd see this again!
I like it about the same as the Graveborn version. Animate Dead is weird in the fact that having the actual Oracle text may actually make the card a bit more confusing. As far as I'm aware, I don't think there's a way to abuse the way the card works either, so there might not be much logistical benefit to running one of the new versions over a Beta / CE copy.
The new art is nice, but I strongly prefer the original version.
Speaking of which, here's another reprint that's high quality but probably won't be replacing the version in my Cube:
Art on this one is nice! The coloring gives it a more old-fashioned feel that may appeal to some. I think I like the card art as an art piece more than the original guy-with-a-shovel-Entomb, but I also think this art makes less sense in the context of what this card is supposed to represent. These dudes in the robes did a pretty poor job of burying this guy if they just left his hand sticking out like that. I like the flavor text on this one a lot more than the original too, but this version definitely won't be replacing my old frame foil.