Large update today. Still a lot of things I am unhappy with, but I think it is a step in the right direction. I hope that cutting out some of the useless fat will help, the list seems a lot tighter to me now. I hope you all agree.
I think this is enough of a shell for me to start looking more at specific cards instead of huge overhauls. One structural thing I am not sure about is the size of the Guild section. I wanted to keep it at 70 since I really like a lot of the gold cards but I am not sure that is wise in a 360 cube. Right now the extra 10 cards are coming from my colorless section since it is so weak anyway, but I think going forward I might move toward a 48-70-50 split.
There are some cards I don't like much but have not replaced yet, such as Soul of the Harvest. Those are high on my chopping block and I will focusing on tightening up those areas.
I have the whole signet cycle laying around, and was not planning on using them, but maybe that is wrong. Is the partial cycle to much for a small list?
Some proxy cubes-
"Do or do not, there is no try".
This is the group that seems oddest to me. Now, I can appreciate the idea of using some proxies to test to see if a very large outlay of money on a single card is worth it for the cube, but if someone just said "I'm going to proxy every card over X dollars", I don't see quite as clearly why they'd want to go this route.
I could understand this as a middle state... one in which someone fully intends in the future to get those proxied cards, to get to the cube with all of it's cards, and they feel that those specific cards are just that key to the play experience they want, but I can't imagine ANYONE would look to this kind of cube as their end state.
Just thought I would jump in as someone who only started building a cube about 3 weeks ago. I think proxies are totally fine, but like so many others, I am working to replace my proxies with the real cards, though I expect it to take several years. My cube is in the middle, with the color lands being proxied, as are cards I am using in standard, but nothing else (atm).
I also think proxies gives you the chance to prioritize what is important on your quest to get all the real cards. For example, I proxied the dual-fetch-shock sets so that I can focus on getting the spells first. I plan to get those cards eventually, but proxies allow me to put them at the lowest priority.
Thanks eidolon! I changed the spoiler titles and added WIP. Hopefully that makes things a bit cleaner. I appreciate the recommendations and will look at those right away!
I will also add my current thoughts on archetypes I want to be available.
I know this is asking a lot, but as I just started, I have not bought any cards yet. I have about $40 for games from Christmas, and was looking for advice on how I could use that to make the largest impact on the cube.
Commander 2013 Update on page 8. Updated list coming shortly.
My goal is just to have fun with my small play group of 4-8 people. I want to be able to draft, play sealed, and occasional multiplayer. I do not want to build for multiplayer, though I am sure those games will happen.
I want to support the regular aggro/midrange/control strats as well as an artifact tinker deck and a strong reanimation theme. I do not plan to support storm atm.
Basic Info
Cube Size: 450 Cards
Breakdown: 60 WUBRG, 80 Guild, 70 Colorless
Average Draft: ~4-7 players, 1 draft event a week; several 2-3 player games a week.
Average CMC: 2.84
Cube Design
Proxies?: Yes, for the fixing lands.
Functional Reprints?: Yes, when I have them.
Perfect Creature/Non-Creature Balance: No
Gold "As Printed" or "As Played": As Played
Large update today. Still a lot of things I am unhappy with, but I think it is a step in the right direction. I hope that cutting out some of the useless fat will help, the list seems a lot tighter to me now. I hope you all agree.
I think this is enough of a shell for me to start looking more at specific cards instead of huge overhauls. One structural thing I am not sure about is the size of the Guild section. I wanted to keep it at 70 since I really like a lot of the gold cards but I am not sure that is wise in a 360 cube. Right now the extra 10 cards are coming from my colorless section since it is so weak anyway, but I think going forward I might move toward a 48-70-50 split.
There are some cards I don't like much but have not replaced yet, such as Soul of the Harvest. Those are high on my chopping block and I will focusing on tightening up those areas.
Also excited for Gatecrash as I hope I can shore up a few areas I am unhappy with, like adding the Boros Charm and swapping Wolfbitten Captive for Experiment One.
I have the whole signet cycle laying around, and was not planning on using them, but maybe that is wrong. Is the partial cycle to much for a small list?
As always, please let me know what you think!
Just thought I would jump in as someone who only started building a cube about 3 weeks ago. I think proxies are totally fine, but like so many others, I am working to replace my proxies with the real cards, though I expect it to take several years. My cube is in the middle, with the color lands being proxied, as are cards I am using in standard, but nothing else (atm).
I also think proxies gives you the chance to prioritize what is important on your quest to get all the real cards. For example, I proxied the dual-fetch-shock sets so that I can focus on getting the spells first. I plan to get those cards eventually, but proxies allow me to put them at the lowest priority.
I will also add my current thoughts on archetypes I want to be available.
Thanks for any help!
My goal is just to have fun with my small play group of 4-8 people. I want to be able to draft, play sealed, and occasional multiplayer. I do not want to build for multiplayer, though I am sure those games will happen.
I want to support the regular aggro/midrange/control strats as well as an artifact tinker deck and a strong reanimation theme. I do not plan to support storm atm.
Basic Info
Cube Size: 450 Cards
Breakdown: 60 WUBRG, 80 Guild, 70 Colorless
Average Draft: ~4-7 players, 1 draft event a week; several 2-3 player games a week.
Average CMC: 2.84
Card Selection
Un-cards: Yes. (Topsy Turvy, Symbol Status, Booster Tutor, Rare-B-Gone)
Powered?: No.
Banned Cards: Morph. (atm anyway)
Cube Design
Proxies?: Yes, for the fixing lands.
Functional Reprints?: Yes, when I have them.
Perfect Creature/Non-Creature Balance: No
Gold "As Printed" or "As Played": As Played
Fully Updated List over at Cube Tutor!
Google Spread Sheet - most up to date with my trade list.
WWWWW
1 Elite Vanguard
1 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1 Mother of Runes
1 Savannah Lions
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Student of Warfare
2 Accorder Paladin
2 Cloistered Youth
2 Knight of Meadowgrain
2 Kor Skyfisher
2 Leonin Relic-Warder
2 Lone Missionary
2 Soltari Monk
2 Soltari Priest
2 Soltari Trooper
2 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Stormfront Pegasus
2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Wall of Omens
3 Fiend Hunter
3 Flickerwisp
3 Kor Sanctifiers
3 Mirran Crusader
3 Mirror Entity
3 Silverblade Paladin
3 Soltari Champion
4 Emeria Angel
4 Hero of Bladehold
4 Restoration Angel
4 Sublime Archangel
5 Cloudgoat Ranger
5 Reveillark
6 Sun Titan
7 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Land Tax
1 Mana Tithe
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
2 Balance
2 Eternal Dragon
2 Disenchant
2 Journey to Nowhere
3 Oblivion Ring
3 Spectral Procession
4 Ajani Goldmane
4 Armageddon
4 Day of Judgment
4 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
4 Faith's Fetters
4 Parallax Wave
4 Wrath of God
5 Gideon Jura
6 Catastrophe
6 Terminus
UUUUU
1 Enclave Cryptologist
2 Looter il-Kor
2 Phantasmal Image
2 Snapcaster Mage
2 Waterfront Bouncer
3 Aether Adept
3 Fettergeist
3 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
3 Man-o'-War
3 Serendib Efreet
3 Vendilion Clique
4 Glen Elendra Archmage
4 Sower of Temptation
4 Venser, Shaper Savant
5 Meloku the Clouded Mirror
5 Mulldrifter
6 Aetherling
6 Consecrated Sphinx
6 Frost Titan
9 Inkwell Leviathan
0 Mental Misstep
1 Ancestral Vision
1 Brainstorm
1 Force Spike
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Ponder
1 Preordain
2 Arcane Denial
2 Counterspell
2 Cyclonic Rift
2 Impulse
2 Into the Roil
2 Mana Leak
2 Memory Lapse
2 Miscalculation
2 Remand
3 Compulsive Research
3 Crystal Shard
3 Forbid
3 Frantic Search
3 Jace Beleren
3 Psionic Blast
3 Tinker
3 Topsy Turvy
3 Vedalken Shackles
4 Control Magic
4 Cryptic Command
4 Deep Analysis
4 Fact or Fiction
4 Jace, Architect of Thought
4 Opposition
5 Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
5 Treachery
6 Upheaval
BBBBB
1 Deathrite Shaman
1 Diregraf Ghoul
1 Gravecrawler
1 Sarcomancy
1 Vampire Lacerator
2 Blood Scrivener
2 Bloodghast
2 Dark Confidant
2 Dauthi Horror
2 Knight of Infamy
2 Nantuko Shade
2 Nezumi Graverobber
2 Oona's Prowler
2 Pack Rat
2 Reassembling Skeleton
2 Vampire Hexmage
3 Geralf's Messenger
3 Hypnotic Specter
3 Liliana's Specter
3 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Braids, Cabal Minion
4 Graveborn Muse
4 Nekrataal
4 Skinrender
5 Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
5 Shriekmaw
5 Tombstalker
6 Kokusho, the Evening Star
1 Booster Tutor
1 Dark Ritual
1 Duress
1 Entomb
1 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Reanimate
1 Tragic Slip
1 Vampiric Tutor
2 Bitterblossom
2 Chainer's Edict
2 Demonic Tutor
2 Diabolic Edict
2 Doom Blade
2 Exhume
2 Go for the Throat
2 Hymn to Tourach
2 Smallpox
3 Necromancy
3 Necropotence
3 Phyrexian Arena
3 Pox
3 Recurring Nightmare
4 Consuming Vapors
4 Damnation
RRRRR
1 Goblin Welder
1 Greater Gargadon
1 Grim Lavamancer
1 Jackal Pup
1 Mogg Fanatic
1 Rakdos Cackler
1 Spikeshot Elder
1 Stromkirk Noble
2 Ash Zealot
2 Fireslinger
2 Gore-House Chainwalker
2 Hellspark Elemental
2 Kargan Dragonlord
2 Keldon Marauders
2 Lightning Mauler
2 Plated Geopede
2 Stormblood Berserker
2 Torch Fiend
3 Fire Imp
3 Hell's Thunder
3 Keldon Vandals
3 Manic Vandal
4 Avalanche Riders
4 Flametongue Kavu
4 Hellrider
4 Hero of Oxid Ridge
5 Siege-Gang Commander
5 Thundermaw Hellkite
1 Burst Lightning
1 Chain Lightning
1 Faithless Looting
1 Firebolt
1 Forked Bolt
1 Lightning Bolt
1 Reckless Charge
2 Arc Trail
2 Incinerate
2 Magma Jet
2 Mizzium Mortars
2 Pyroclasm
2 Searing Spear
2 Shrine of Burning Rage
2 Smash to Smithereens
3 Char
3 Flames of the Firebrand
3 Molten Rain
3 Pillage
3 Staggershock
3 Sulfuric Vortex
3 Wheel of Fortune
4 Koth of the Hammer
6 Wildfire
GGGGG
1 Arbor Elf
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Experiment One
1 Fyndhorn Elves
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Noble Hierarch
1 Wolfbitten Captive
2 Fauna Shaman
2 Lotus Cobra
2 Mayor of Avabruck
2 River Boa
2 Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
2 Scavenging Ooze
2 Strangleroot Geist
2 Tarmogoyf
2 Wall of Blossoms
2 Wall of Roots
2 Wild Mongrel
3 Troll Ascetic
3 Uktabi Orangutan
3 Viridian Shaman
3 Yavimaya Elder
4 Master of the Wild Hunt
4 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Phantom Centaur
4 Thrun, the Last Troll
4 Wickerbough Elder
5 Acidic Slime
5 Genesis
5 Indrik Stomphowler
5 Thornling
5 Thragtusk
5 Vorapede
7 Hornet Queen
1 Rancor
1 Worldly Tutor
2 Life from the Loam
2 Regrowth
2 Survival of the Fittest
2 Sylvan Library
3 Call of the Herd
3 Cultivate
3 Kodama's Reach
4 Bramblecrush
4 Garruk Relentless
4 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Harmonize
4 Natural Order
4 Symbol Status
5 Plow Under
WUBRG
3 Detention Sphere
3 Geist of Saint Traft
4 Supreme Verdict
5 Venser, the Sojourner
Dimir
2 Baleful Strix
3 Far // Away
3 Shadowmage Infiltrator
4 Duskmantle Seer
Rakdos
2 Dreadbore
4 Falkenrath Aristocrat
4 Murderous Redcap
4 Rare-B-Gon
Gruul
1 Kird Ape
4 Bloodbraid Elf
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
4 Sarkhan Vol
2 Qasali Pridemage
2 Voice of Resurgence
3 Kitchen Finks
6 Armada Wurm
Orzhov
3 Lingering Souls
3 Vindicate
4 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
5 Unburial Rites
Golgari
2 Abrupt Decay
2 Lotleth Troll
3 Pernicious Deed
5 Vraska the Unseen
Simic
3 Edric, Spymaster of Trest
3 Trygon Predator
5 Mystic Snake
7 Simic Sky Swallowe
2 Fire // Ice
2 Izzet Charm
3 Electrolyze
4 Ral Zarek
Boros
0 Slayers' Stronghold
1 Figure of Destiny
2 Boros Charm
4 Ajani Vengeant
Other
1 Wild Nacatl
8 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
8 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
11111
0 Chrome Mox
0 Everflowing Chalice
0 Mox Diamond
1 Mana Vault
2 Azorius Signet
2 Coldsteel Heart
2 Dimir Signet
2 Grim Monolith
2 Izzet Signet
2 Mind Stone
3 Chromatic Lantern
3 Coalition Relic
3 Worn Powerstone
4 Thran Dynamo
5 Gilded Lotus
Equipment
1 Bonesplitter
1 Skullclamp
2 Umezawa's Jitte
3 Grafted Wargear
3 Sword of Body and Mind
3 Sword of Feast and Famine
3 Sword of Fire and Ice
3 Sword of Light and Shadow
3 Sword of War and Peace
5 Batterskull
0 Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 Black Vise
1 Cursed Scroll
1 Dismember
1 Pithing Needle
2 Ankh of Mishra
2 Ratchet Bomb
2 Winter Orb
3 Crucible of Worlds
3 Mimic Vat
3 Tangle Wire
4 Erratic Portal
4 Icy Manipulator
4 Nevinyrral's Disk
4 Smokestack
7 Karn Liberated
Creatures
1 Hex Parasite
2 Phyrexian Revoker
2 Porcelain Legionnaire
3 Phyrexian Metamorph
4 Lodestone Golem
4 Masticore
4 Molten-Tail Masticore
4 Solemn Simulacrum
6 Wurmcoil Engine
7 Myr Battlesphere
8 Sundering Titan
LAND
0 Arid Mesa
0 Battlefield Forge
0 Plateau
0 Sacred Foundry
0 Badlands
0 Blood Crypt
0 Bloodstained Mire
0 Lavaclaw Reaches
0 Bayou
0 Llanowar Wastes
0 Overgrown Tomb
0 Verdant Catacombs
0 Breeding Pool
0 Misty Rainforest
0 Simic Growth Chamber
0 Tropical Island
0 Caves of Koilos
0 Godless Shrine
0 Marsh Flats
0 Scrubland
0 Flooded Strand
0 Hallowed Fountain
0 Tundra
0 Creeping Tar Pit
0 Polluted Delta
0 Underground Sea
0 Watery Grave
0 Izzet Boilerworks
0 Scalding Tarn
0 Steam Vents
0 Volcanic Island
0 Raging Ravine
0 Stomping Ground
0 Taiga
0 Wooded Foothills
0 Savannah
0 Stirring Wildwood
0 Temple Garden
0 Windswept Heath
0 Ancient Tomb
0 City of Brass
0 Evolving Wilds
0 Gemstone Mine
0 Grand Coliseum
0 Terramorphic Expanse
0 Undiscovered Paradise
Utility
0 Blinkmoth Nexus
0 Dust Bowl
0 Maze of Ith
0 Mishra's Factory
0 Mutavault
0 Rishadan Port
0 Strip Mine
0 Wasteland