The Dandy Cube (Chris Taylor's Cube)

Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor

GW Control from CubeTutor.com











Maybe there's some merit to this whole non-blue control thing. What do you guys think?
I know the fixing on this deck sucks, but I'm not sure I need it with the easy mana costs and kodama's reach.

I'd have liked the second guile, but my cubetutor list doesn't have that yet

It also still has shackles, which (as cool as it might be) really shouldn't be in an enviornment with no answers to artifacts.

Jason, I think you're cutting most of the artifact destruction too? I think it's time for her to go
 
Lucre

Lucre

Ahhh that's the stuff.
Yeah I like this kinda deck.
Terminus and burial with Boa, Emissary, Voice and Finks feel bad though lol. I'd probz wana get more cards in hand too but I like your miri's guile and for some reason I like the 1 drop creature that doesn't do anything.
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Yeah it would have been better with the other wraths, but I get the feeling I need them.
And hey, that 1 drop acts like mother of runes bro :p
 
Jason Waddell

Jason Waddell

Administrator
Staff member
Chris Taylor said:
It also still has shackles, which (as cool as it might be) really shouldn't be in an enviornment with no answers to artifacts.

Jason, I think you're cutting most of the artifact destruction too? I think it's time for her to go
Click to expand...

Yeah, Shackles is gone from my list now. Back to Treachery.
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Jason Waddell said:
Yeah, Shackles is gone from my list now. Back to Treachery.
Click to expand...

So far I'm nuking just about everything. All the swords, Jitte, Shackles,
Maybe even batterskull (I'm not sure yet)
It might leave a whole where some equipment might need to be put in, but it's so hard to find fair equipment anymore

I'm finding less enchantments that really need to go. Have you noticed any?
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Ah, which is getting cut anyways :p

Vortex is probably fine in that it is really mutual, and I don't think I've noticed anything else.
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Yes actually :p
They've all been close, granted, but I've seen enough evening out with wrath + manlands for it to be possible. And more than enough vortex biting someone in the ass for a lack of followup pressure

I'll keep an eye on it though
 
Ryan

Ryan

I've beat active Vortex from a control deck plenty of times. If you remove their pressure it winds up working against them. I mean obviously they're favored but it can be done. I also think it's the sort of card that gives you much more of a reason to draft mono red. Given it can just end the game I still find it to be a fairly skill testing card.
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Griffin Guide: Love this thing, it's everything I wanted spectral flight to be in a color better equipped to use it, plus some insurance. I might actually double up, if only because white non-removal non-creature cards are SUPER disappointing. It's also super good at jumping geist of saint traft and big green monsters, giving some actual play to the GW little kid deck (Kinda. If you look at it sideways)

Double Paladin: This has been really good. With the mostly sorcery removal this is a lot of surprise damage, but I think it's been manageable. The best part I think is that he's not double strike specific, you can just play him as an efficient 3 drop (Unlike fencing ace, sadly).
If double strike is your game, he's easily the best 3 drop to include, since he lets you suit up a guy AND THEN double it, rather than playing a guy who has double strike and then suiting him up (as with fencing ace)

Double Splicer: It's been alright. I imagine it makes lark a little more powerful, but honestly this was more of a pod inclusion :p They've been good (Obviously, because one was good) and they haven't been stifling given how much play they have with bounce or dividable damage or tricks have. I feel it's a little uninspired, but it's been positive. Plus, without a dedicated token strategy, what else am I adding? The other white 3s are like...battle cry creatures and token guys (who are either super specific or bad :p)

Fencing Ace is about as shitty without pump as ajani's pridemate is without lifegain, so I'm willing to tank it. He does beat x/1's in combat though, which I suppose makes up for his vulnerability in comparison. In white there's a small few ways to pump them. In addition to the ones you mentioned there's also griffin guide and soltari champion (who if he isn't on cubetutor now he will be soon).

Most of the pump is in multicolor: x2 Rancor, Slaughterhorn, Briarhorn, Warriors' Lesson, Nylea, Reckless Charge, Hero of Oxid Ridge (He got the nod over hellrider because of this), and a few custom bestow guys that don't suck ( {R} 2/2 can't block bestow 4, and {W} 2/1 bestow 4)

I think exalted might be a good place to go looking next, but I kinda feel multiple hierarch might not actually make their way to this deck since they're so good in their own, and since I don't do the utility land draft cathedral of war is NOT getting drafted :p
There's knight of glory, but protection still makes me feel icky. I dunno.
 
Eric Chan

Eric Chan

Hyalopterous Lemure
Staff member
Yep, she's kinda worthless without overpowered equipment to tutor up. All too often, people played Stoneforge with their one Bonesplitter, and it was.. underwhelming.

Good comparison on Spectral Flight, which is a card I've eyeballed, but haven't pulled the trigger on because it's not really an effect blue wants in cube.

Briarhorn, but no Boon Satyr...? I think you're missing out on one of the best green pump spells!
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
I cut boon satyr because I want to keep pump spells smaller than +4/+X. Becuase of the very real possability of double strike creatures getting those pump spells, I've tried to limit the damage that can come out of nowhere.
I really don't want a control player sitting and contemplating their attacks and going "Well, I'm at 16 and all he has is fencing ace. Better not swing."
I had to draw a line somewhere, and I figured 8 surprise damage was a bit much, but 6 was close enough to lava axe I'd be willing to let it slide. You'll notice I also don't have stonewood invocation or Increasing Savagery either.

Also: I would totally pull the trigger on spectral flight the moment I saw blue was attacking. Suiting up fencing ace is one thing, but suiting up Wake Thrasher works just as well.
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Alright, got some drafting in today :D I even got the comment "I really love drafting this cube" (I imagine this is what fathers feel like when their kid comes home with a gold star :p)

Draft Notes:
Remember that card lucas designed?
Bestial Mask {1}{G}
Artifact - Equipment
Equip {G}
Equipped creature is a 4/4 trample

It was in this draft, but I think it's a touch too powerful. I've removed the trample clause and added some color/type changing for flavorz. (Because YOLO)
(Alright it looks like the one downside to switching to google drive is linking images is annoying)

Bestial Mask {1}{G}
Artifact - Equipment
Equip {G}
Equipped creature is a 4/4 Green Beast

Props:
-People love the +1/+1 counter thing, and it doesn't feel poisony at all. Volt charge is a fine card, and all the creatures are playable regardless.
-People love Rush of Wild Power ( {4}{G}{G} Sorcery: Cascade, Cascade)
-People love playing pod (Even when it isn't good sometimes)
-Beastial Mask (Above) was a hit (Except when it suited up Geist of Saint Traft)

Slops:
-People have way more fetches than interesting fetchable lands.
-Lux, Mirror's Honesty (my new blue finisher, a {3}{U}{U}{U} 3/3 flying + clone) was not only confusing, but not that great.
-Cube feels a bit board stally. Perhaps it's time for a few more creatures with evasion? More removal? I'll play this one by ear.

Winning deck was 3 color pod with quite a few anti aggro cards and a sick reveilark package of Venser/Acidic Slime/Man-'o-War/Trygon Predator and two or three others.

TL: DR

  1. I'm thinking of going from 3 fetch / 1 shock / 1 dual to 2 fetch / 2 shock / 1 dual. Thoughts?
  2. Might need some more removal/stallbreakers, will collect moar dataz
  3. Custom cards are a hit (Check the new link on OP or here!)
  4. Nobody missed the broken artifacts/enchantments (jitte swords etc) or thier counters (Viridian Shaman Pillage Sundering Growth etc)
  5. +1/+1 counter sub-theme is swag as hell
  6. Hiring: One sweet blue finisher. Please submit resume below. You will be working with your teammates of Frost Titan (Don't worry, he'll warm up to you), Sphinx of Jwar Isle, and Consecrated Sphinx
 
Eric Chan

Eric Chan

Hyalopterous Lemure
Staff member
Chris Taylor said:
I'm thinking of going from 3 fetch / 1 shock / 1 dual to 2 fetch / 2 shock / 1 dual. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I think CML reported this exact same problem when he ran a configuration of 20 fetches / 20 duals, and he's also since switched to 20 fetches / 30 fetchables. If I ran fifty fixers in a 450 cube, this is probably what I'd do, too. I think you definitely need at least as many duals as fetches, and not the other way around.

On removal, I think this might be a case where you want a little more instant speed removal (gasp!), just to provide drafters with more options and tricks on other people's turns. I try and make sure they're more expensive or narrower in scope than my sorcery speed removal, to which I'll cite my favourite party tricks Crib Swap and Eyeblight's Ending. I love Volcanic Hammer as much as the next guy - by which I primarily mean only you - but even I would balk at the idea of running three of them.

Yep, my cube improved a ton once I purged Skullclamp, Jitte, and the swords, along with all of the mediocre artifact removal. This is blasphemy amongst us aggro lovers on this forum, but I'm actually contemplating taking out Grafted Wargear at this point, too. Card is busted good when there's no hate!
 
anotak

anotak

i took out grafted wargear because there's actually too much hate for it so its just too easy to get 2-for-1'd.

also a format with skullclamp and volcanic hammer???
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
I think wargear is at avoid spot right now for me. it's still the best equipment, but the risk of getting it slimed is real, but not a certainty.

I just have hammer in where most people have searing spear or lightning strike because fire ambush looks aweful. burn spell density is the same.
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Bumping while I'm drowning in schoolwork:
  1. Hiring: One sweet blue finisher. Please submit resume below. You will be working with your teammates of Frost Titan (Don't worry, he'll warm up to you), Sphinx of Jwar Isle, and Consecrated Sphinx
Also, I love the proliferate on volt charge, but I think the theme could be expanded to more than "A single red spell" + "red/green dudes"
Volt charge is definitely the place to be since we want burn spells anyway, but basically every other proliferate card is hot garbage, or in the wrong colors besides.
I've got an idea or two, but this was the main other support card I was thinking of:
ZenStrike.jpg


I figure if nothing else it lets creatures trade up and goes well with stuff like rancor
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Also: gorgeous new art for my old favorite discard spell:

RelentlessPersectution.jpg


From an actual magic artist no less! I don't think it's been used for an existing card yet, but correct me if I'm wrong
 
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