FlowerSunRain's Cube

FlowerSunRain

FlowerSunRain

Contributor
Right now my big issues are as follows:

1) I completely overhauled the cube for the Commander/Theros updates, so I'm sure some ratios are a little off, so if something seems funny or something extremely fitting is missing, say something.

2) Black is in flux right now as I work with the lifegain/payment theme. I cut out a lot of cards I've ran for a long time and I have typical misers guilt as my Nether Void is sitting on the bench. Here is what I am thinking:
a) Just gut the black aggro. The support is already pretty light here, but I'm torn that if I completely drop it the scope of variety in 2 power dudes attack will be limited to red based only. On the other hand, these cards are pretty useless in other strategies and taking up valuable cool stuff spots.
b) Gut the rest of the denial cards. I like that Braids and small pox work well with recursion, but the theme is pretty thin. If I take out more of the black aggro, I can strength this side of things with more disruption. Honestly, disruption is the best part of black aggro anyway. Can a this cube get by using mostly red and whites dudes?
c) I mean, I could just stuff in more gravecrawlers I guess.
d) Wakedancer, Agent of Fates, Strands of Night, Mortician Beetle, Pawn of Ulamog, Underworld Connections, Gutless Ghoul, that level up vampire assassin guy and Cemetery Reaper are all on my radar, but most of those cards cost three which is the current logjam in this color. I think Gutless might be a necessary evil on the account that gnawing zombie is awful.
e) Inquisition of Koz probably has a place too. Shepard of Rot and Pestilence probably don't, but my eyes are open anyway.

3) Icy manipulator and Rainbow Efreet are just dated cards that I like and will probably go.

4) Is Firefist Striker actually good? Is Boros Elite non-horrible? I'm also thinking of slamming in Sarkan Vol and I know we like him, but do we like him in this list?

5) Green could probably also use a look over, I just has so much I wanted to put in, I think its coherent, but is it awesome?
 
FlowerSunRain

FlowerSunRain

Contributor
I run 2 Green and 2 Black Devotion cards, plus the Red god without much of a hope to turn him on. He's probably a loose pick and will likely turn into an Avalanche Rider/Goblin Settler sooner or later.

For Green ramp finishers I've got Your Favorite Card, Pelakka Wurm, Rampaging Baloths, Deranged Hermit, Vorpede along with Durdler's Delight and Garruk Primal Hunter as non-creature options and Prime Speaker Zergana and SSS in Green/Blue.

Runechanter's pike probably sucks in this cube, I don't know why it's here.

I don't think this list wants batterskull even though I'm high on lifegain.
 
Jonas

Jonas

There is no need to turn on Purphorus to have him being good. Just a way to play a couple of critters per turn after you get him out.
 
FlowerSunRain

FlowerSunRain

Contributor
Vorapede is a beast, though it is awfully similar to Thragtusk. He gives much better Devotion and ends the game like a champ, though. I'm think Arbor Colosuss is the weak link, with that New Card Smell tainting my judgment. It would be nice to be able to block fliers though, I need to think about this.

I agree Purphorus is awesome even if you don't turn him on, I'm just not sure he's more awesome then a stone rain that punches you in the face.

Nighthowler is totally a trap card for this list I think. I mean, he's awesome and probably great in another list, but he could be one of the many synergistic 3 drops I'm struggling to find room for. I think he got thrown in when I was looking for black cards that turned on heroics and I forgot to drop him when I realized I didn't care.
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
I'll attest to vorapede, and Arbor Colossus seems alright, but not better enough that I'd include it. Reach is okay, but man I wish he had trample.
 
Alfonzo Bonzo

Alfonzo Bonzo

Sarkan looks good here. You have aggro dudes and could support a fires esq deck with hammer of purpheros. Also have goblin bombardment to sac things with.

I think fire fist striker and boros elite seem pretty horrible. How's swarmyard?

Cube looks fun.
 
FlowerSunRain

FlowerSunRain

Contributor
The cube in current form have only be drafted once. Swarmyard hasn't been played yet, but it has a big number of targets. If I add pack rat and/or Skylasher, which I'm considering, it should be a bonifide stud, but time will tell.

On further inspection, Boros Elite is definitely horrible. Firefist Striker, though, I'm not sure about. Where should I go for another aggro dude? Right now I've got Arena Athlete in that slot, who is pretty marginal himself. Ember Hauler has been decent in the past, but he strains manabases a little more. Goblin Shortcutter is a verified stud at in my library cube (not listed), but you rarely want to play him on curve. Akroan Crusader is an interesting card, but even with my plethora of ways to activate it, I'm sure it sucks. Magus of the Scroll is ok, but its redundant with Cursed Scroll so not desirable.

Any other ideas?
 
Jonas

Jonas

I would run pyreheart wolf long before firefist striker. I think I even prefer something like goblin shortcutter before it in cube.
 
FlowerSunRain

FlowerSunRain

Contributor
Mana cost is an issue, I don't think Pyreheart is going to work.

If I go in on the haste enablers, Keldons are good. Goblins are certainly in the "turn off blockers" niche that I'm exploring and probably not any MORE awful then the guys I'm considering. Adder Staff seems awful and if Ember Hauler is iffy because of mana, Kargan is straight out.

Goblin Diplomats. . .

Thanks for the suggestions!
 
Eric Chan

Eric Chan

Hyalopterous Lemure
Staff member
I'm a big, big fan of 'can't block' abilities in red, as aside from direct damage, temporarily removing big butts is a great way to push through a little extra damage, especially in cube where everything at four mana and up has a good chance of stonewalling red aggro decks otherwise. I've run stuff like Frenzied Goblin and Intimidator Initiate, which were both serviceable, and I think Firefist Striker is at least on par with both of those. I don't like the sound of Arena Athlete very much, but then I don't go out of my way to support heroic. Goblin Shortcutter is just awkward because you want to play it last, after all of your other creatures, at which point a 2/1 ground body doesn't do a whole lot for you. Though it costs more, I'd rather have Fervent Cathar in that spot, because it at least has a better chance of getting in for two on the turn you cast him.
 
Alfonzo Bonzo

Alfonzo Bonzo

Glareweilder looks quite janky but (especially vs nightbirds clutch which I still quite like)...
Mortician beetle, blood artist, falkenrath noble, corpse dance, phyrexian reclaimation, animate dead, diabolic servitude, whip of erberos, survival of the fittest, vengevine(?), promise of bunrei, (krovican horror), varolz, mimic vat,

I can't remember the rules for evoke, can you sac it to something else while the sac trigger is on the stack? If so opens up a lot of interactions.
 
Jonas

Jonas

Yes, you can sacrifice it to something else, since the triggered ability goes on the stack. At least that's how it plays in MTGO :p
 
FlowerSunRain

FlowerSunRain

Contributor
I don't think any of those cards are very good, unfortunately. Conviction is in the same vein and seems seriously weak. Giving a creature color protection of your choice is Seriously Good. I am considering Squee's Embrace and Undying Rage, with the latter perhaps at 1R as aggressive in theme auras. Undying rage in particular is funny because you can put it on your opponent's creatures as a really bad stun!
 
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