Sets Innistrad Block Retrospective

[Jason Waddell]

Now that we've had a year with all the cards of the Innistrad block, how have the cards held up compared to your initial expectations? Were there any hyped cards that didn't pan out for you? Hidden gems that have been overlooked by the cube community? Cards that were more or less fun than you expected?

I missed this card completely. Ten mana feels like an impossible number, especially in a fast cube. This guy has finished a surprisingly large number of games, and brings a fun "think two steps ahead" element to the game. Often the opponent will not want to waste removal on an early 0/3, and by the time you start putting counters on it you also have the ability to hold counterspell mana open. A flipped Test Subject often KOs an aggro deck in one hit. The instant-speed transformation and counter additions are great. Many times you can pass with 4 mana open on Turn 5 representing a counterspell, then end-step add two counters, untap, play a land and pump three more times for a 13/13 swing on Turn 6. Most importantly, control decks rarely have room for many dedicated finishers, so a two-mana creature that can block early beaters and finish off the game is a huge boon.

The Mayor had a short period of success. However, as the speed of my cube increased, he increasingly was relegated to being a 1/1. Somehow over the months Mayor of Avabruck managed to both exceed and not live up to my expectations. I do like the card though, and it is probably one of the most context-sensitive aggro cards I've ever played with. Mileage will definitely vary from cube to cube.

I know many people don't like this card due to its potency in constructed, but I've really come to love its design in cube. It provides incentive to build blue-white aggressive decks, which is a huge plus, and really requires a specific build to succeed. Any blocker trades with Geist, so you really need to shape your gameplan around getting the Geist safely into the red zone.

 

[Rob Dennis]

I've been such a huge fan of 3xISD that my second cube build is a 360-card ISD (with ~10% DKA stuff where it made sense).

For the archetypical unpowered cube promoting creature combat (e.g. mine: http://cuesbey.com/#/5573b050-9a6e-4207-ae88-5aa692daf5cd) I've been happy with:

- Fiend Hunter:
unconditional (though potentially temporary) removal on a anthem-able equipment-holder is a nice, interactive thing to have
- Stromkirk Noble:
I feel like cube draft and gameplay is better when there is a good "greed-check" deck in the format, and in most cubes, that's a "mono"-red deck, and Stromkirk Noble elevated the 1-drop slot in a pretty interesting way.
- Lingering Souls and Unburial Rites:
constructed (sometimes multi-format) all-stars to be sure, but I appreciate that B/W decks got some good options that weren't quite so intensive on the mana, which is usually a big problem for B/W multicolor (e.g. Obzedat, Stillmoon-Cavalier)
- Hellrider:
Easily my favorite red 4-drop and makes for a really satisfying topdeck against a clogged board
- Diregraf Ghoul/Gravecrawler/Geralf's Messenger/Liliana of the Veil:
each trying to support the improvement of black in different ways, which I really appreciate

If we count AVR, add 3 more really fun cards I don't want to ever stop playing with:
- Craterhoof Behemoth
- Restoration Angel
- Zealous Conscripts

all 3 represent the exact kind of thing I want be doing in that color and for that cost:
- end the game on the spot thanks to investing fragile resources towards a critical turn
- play offense and defense equally well while rebuying good ETB effects
- turn their big stabilization play into a game-ending "you did this to yourself" bad-beat story

 

[Jason Waddell]

Some great answers Rob! AVR definitely counts. I really like the way "on-board" removal creatures like Fiend Hunter and Tidehollow Sculler affect the board.

I've really taken to this card lately. Sure, it fits my theme, but it really hits that perfect mix of power and synergies. Also, I'm not usually one to spend so much time thinking about card art, but this one really has a great aesthetic. I love the way that the black and red colors are used in the dress palette, and the contrast to white really pulls it together. I find this card really beautiful to look at.

If this is the future of cheap removal, I am way on board. Setting up morbid is incredibly satisfying, and the -1/-1 effect often does the trick on its own. Design-wise, I find that these situational removal spells create far better gameplay than Doom Blade and its variants. I'm very tempted to up my Tragic Slip count, as it's a really fun one to play with.

 

[nex3]

This seems like the sort of card that folks here would like a lot. Its context-independent power level isn't especially high, but in the right context it does great stuff. It plays well with Nekrataal variants in black, and paired with other colors with more ETB effects it's even sweeter.

This isn't a card that every deck wants, which is part of why I love it. The other part is that the decks that do want it want it for very different reasons. In a spell-heavy Dimir or Esper control deck, it's a threat that can be dropped early or alongside counterspell backup. It's also the centerpiece of an Izzet tempo-burn deck that uses it to get in six or nine damage early. And then sometimes it's a last-pick.

 

[Jason Waddell]

I added Undying Evil several weeks ago, but haven't seen much from it yet. I dream of the Mulldrifter Evoke + Undying Evil nonsense.

The one time we did see it was ridiculous. I had my opponent at negative life with Abyssal Persecutor on the table, then was finally able to sacrifice it off of Cabal Therapy. He played Undying Evil on my Persecutor in response, and it came back as a 7/7. Then the next turn we were like "wait, weren't state-based actions checked while the trigger was on the stack?" and promptly scooped up or cards.

 

[Eric Chan]

Very much a meat & potatoes kinda guy, but it's the exact kind of thing that a white weenie enthusiast like myself wants. It's the type of body that isn't embarrassing against control decks packing a ton of removal, which is where I want to be as the aggro player. Chances are your opponent will leave your 2/2 alone for a lot longer than they'd like to, in their reluctance to spew value.

This isn't a card that was on my radar for several months after Innistrad came out, and it wasn't until other cube owners reported good results with it that I gave it a try. The more I play with it, the more I've been sold on its merits. It won't ever blow anyone away on sheer power level, but the two evasive bodies it provides at instant speed are welcome at every point of the game.

I figured this would be "yet another X spell" that I would run for six months, and then replace with the trendy it girl by the next set. What's happened instead is that Devil's Play has become the go-to X spell of choice, especially for control decks that can eke out the added value. Burning a small creature in the early game and then doming your opponent for the last four points of damage late gives this Fireball variant some of the best utility you can find.

I'm not sure if a planeswalker should count in a thread about unexpected all stars, but here we are anyways. A green spell that both eats small creatures and generates 2/2 token at no loyalty loss is already something that would turn heads. Now tack on another three (!) abilities - many of which need to be read and re-read, especially the ultimate - and you have the makings of a powerhouse. He's right up there with original Garruk on the list of green cards I'll commit to early.

Again, another bona fide monster that isn't sneaking up on anyone. She's one of the best midrange and control finishers, which is incredible, given that she only costs four mana. Her effect is much like that of a planeswalker when she hits the board. You either remove her immediately, or you die a slow and painful death.

We all knew this was great combined with Primeval Titan in Standard, and that success has translated over very robustly to cube. The G/R midrange decks can scoop this one up late and then turn any spare mana dork lying around into a legitimate game ender. Considering that it doesn't even cost you a spell slot, Wolf Run has almost no downside as long as your mana base can support it. I suspect it isn't fully appreciated because it doesn't look like your traditional bomb.

Hexproof has been a great addition to our cube. In addition to allowing cards like Jitte and the Swords to finally have their day in the sun, guaranteeing that your creature will get a hit in is.. Hah! No. Eff this guy.

 

[Jason Waddell]

Very much a meat & potatoes kinda guy, but it's the exact kind of thing that a white weenie enthusiast like myself wants.
...their reluctance to spew value.

Whatever you say, Mr. Fünke.

 

[nex3]

I've also been a big fan of Kessig Wolf Run. I love how it gives low-curve GR decks something to do if they flood out, and high-curve decks a finisher that combines powerfully with utility creatures.

 

[Enrique Angulo]

My favorite card to come out from Innistrad block for cube. When I first saw it I thought it would be pretty good for cube, but after playing with it many times, it's much better than just "pretty good". It provides so much value and is just so versatile. Control, aggro, and mid-range decks all want to play it.

Another all-star for cube. It surprise blocks, it re-buys a "comes into play" effect, and beats down pretty hard. Don't think I've found a deck that plays white and would not want to play this gem.

The most hyped card of the block, and boy did he not disappoint. Snapcaster provides so much value for just two mana it really is unbelievable, especially when played in a format full of some of the best instants and sorceries ever printed.

These two have really delivered in cube. At first I thought Gravecrawler's ability would be rather irrelevant, but it turns out there are enough cube-worthy zombies for him to create real problems for control decks, while adding a lot of value to GB decks. Geralf's Messenger was reluctantly added to the cube 2 months ago as I thought his restrictive mana cost would prevent players from playing with him. Boy was I wrong. Messenger is a beating to play against and a blast to play with.

Thalia was a great addition to cube. It made the aggro decks much better against the control decks, while still being a card that the control decks could still interact with. Even against other aggro decks it's a 2-powered first striker for 2 mana, which usually needs to be dealt with ASAP if the opposing aggro decks want to continue beating down. It's been in the cube since Innistrad was released, and I don't see it leaving anytime soon.

 

[FlowerSunRain]

Mikaeus, the Lunarch has been the unexpected stud for us. I actually didn't even buy this card, I won it in prize pack from a retail draft. One day I just decided to give it a run and every game he just found ways to produce positive outcomes in ways other creatures simply wouldn't have been able to. He certainly isn't the best card from the block and he's probably one of the worst cards I cube, but for some reason he just shows up in decks and wins games month after month.

 

[Calvin Chan]

Not the flashiest card by any means, but this card is just such a great value card at instant speed. It also creates many tricky plays with morbid, persist, undying.

I've got to second this guy in the white weenie deck after he helped me smash through Eric's last cube draft along with his buddy.
some other favorites

 

[Jason Waddell]

Altar's Reap! Exactly the card I need for my new cube project!

 

[CML]

I've got a lot of cards here so I'm going to try and limit myself to the ones that haven't been shouted out yet:

Devil's Play is unquestionably the best card from the block. (If it's the best card in my Cube, and X spells are worse in faster Cubes, and my Cube is the fastest Cube, then Devil's Play is the nuts.) Also the most popular thing to Mystical Tutor for.

A new and interesting twist on a dork with a relevant creature type!

Speaking of which: the only tribal cards worth running in Cube. Two of my absolute favorites.

Some more humans: a terrific red beater; a flexible anthem / Ranger target; a nice White two-drop; a cross-format all-star; a hilarious green utility dude; the most little-kid of little-kid cards.

Silverblade's best friends: at left, an aggressive mono-green 3-drop; at right, even more little-kid shenanigans.

I was pleasantly surprised by the way flip cards, especially Werewolves, turned out. There's a lot of play to them, even Waif, and Delver has found a fun home in a genus of interactive and challenging Legacy decks.

 

[CML]

(continued)

Another dork. I love green.

Resilient mid-range creatures or aggro curve-toppers. It's been a blast to play with these guys in Standard AND Cube. For the left two dudes, though, I'll never like them as much as I do Hero of Oxid Ridge.

Fatties. At left: fixed Baneslayer. At right: larger creatures with a fun graveyard theme.

Most of my criticism of this block focuses on how simplistic and poorly developed the graveyard themes were (compared to, say, OTJ), and I stand by these criticisms. They impoverished the draft formats and imposed unnecessary restrictions upon deck-builders. That being said, a handful of cards really shine as magnificent graveyard designs. These four are my favorites. Lili is one of the most fun cards in Cube, or - as her power level scales to the power level of the format - she's one of the most fun cards in any format, ever.

Mainly I like the creatures. This is a fine place for a block to be.

 

[CML]

And since I forgot...

Enemy M10 lands -- all staples
Utility lands -- I run wolf run, township, vault, drownyard and of these township is the best and drownyard the most flavorful. anyone with a graveyard theme should try ol' drowny. (there's gotta be scope to run all 10 -- even grim backwoods! -- with jason's sweet post-draft land-draft idea.)