General [SPM] Spooder Man Testing/Inclues Thread

[TrainmasterGT]

This is a testing/includes thread. Post pictures using /ci or a text list using /c with what cards you plan to include and what cards you plan to test.

Testing(?):


Cool but not for my current Cubes:


I think this set suffers from having been conceptualized as a micro-set and then expanded to a full small set. There's not a lot here for my main Cube, but I think some of the Food/School cards might make sense in a project I'm working on in the future. We'll see.

What are your plans for this set?

 

[Seeker]

Way more cards than I expected this set. Three I'm fairly confident in... well, two really.

Spider-Byte, Web Warden is just an excuse to cut Jill, Shiva's Dominant because I hate meaningless DFCs. I'm sure we'll get a less awful art/flavor version within a year or two. (Note: there is actually a functional difference here that enables 2U: deal 1 with Warleader's Call or whatever, I just don't care about it.)

Plus an extensive maybe-list:

I really hate the "you can also cast the backside" DFCs. But I guess two of them are at least worth considering. Bunch of cool stuff that I do not know if I want or not.

 

[MilesOfficial]

As someone who primarily plays retail limited, dislikes Spider-Man, and likes Magic as a game of fantasy, I hate this set. As a Cube curator, I am thrilled for these mechanical pieces for my Cube.

Favorites



Iron Spider is so ideal and fits in with two archetypes I'm really happy to get more support for (artifact creatures and thopter tokens). It plays really well and helps guide drafters into a deck. Hobgoblin joins favorites like Marauding Mako, Ivora, Insatiable Heir, and Scrounging Skyray in a class of cards that love Snort and the like. This is really shaping up to be a fun, if somewhat straightforward, archetype. Time to get Windfall back in Cube, yeah?

Includes



Loving all these lands.

Watching



Aunt May is the only one I haven't really talked about much here. I've been meaning to add in a Soul Sister of some sort for a while now and Aunt May is both a 0/2 (big upgrade imo) and, most importantly, legendary. Really stoked about trying out another pair of 1MV legends in this set, even if neither are particularly sexy. I'm not sure my life gain mini-theme is working, but in places where it can overlap with legends, I think it's reasonable to push a little.

 

[Nanonox]

I like a lot of the card designs in this set and many of the cards would fit into multiple cubes. However, I don't necessarily want to bring this IP into my cube as the immersion break is pretty jarring. That said, there is one card I am eyeing despite it being blatantly Spider related



I love tempo decks and she fits right in, providing mild disruption with good stats and evasion. Being hybrid is a nice bonus. This card isn't critical to the cube, but aggressive disruptive decks are among my favorites and she is perfect in that role.

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Interested, but turned off by UB



Iron Spider: Redundant Steel Overseer + counter payoff all in one.

Ultimate GG: Big dumb beater that ties a bunch of themes.

Kaine: Eyeing this as a replacement to Asmo. Same hybrid cost, with a better floor.

Sandman: This reminds me of Tarmogoyf for whatever reason. A big vanilla(ish) beater that just smacks face. Recurring itself is the real selling point as my Green decks often have discard or selfmill.

Hangout: Efficient draw smoothing with a way to get through some blockers if need be. Love both modes with Dreadhorde Arcanist.

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Cool designs I probably won't add but want to shoutout.



Parents has me curious as a bigger Birchlore Rangers that isn't limited to elves. I recently posted about Jeskai Ascendancy, would be a nice fit there!

Jackal is an intriguing one. You are very dependent on drawing things in the right order, but doubling up on a Ledger Shredder, Cloud of Faeries, Sakura-Tribe Elder, Lotus Cobra, Eternal Witness could lead to some silly lines of play which I love. If you have equipment/auras to buff it further, then it opens up all sorts of options which is why I think power matters cards play really well in a lot of themes.

 

[Seeker]

If Jackal was a 2/1 or 2/2 or something I'd be a way bigger fan - having to start with a one-drop after you've already cast a two-drop just feels so difficult. Same reason I don't like the Arena-only Jarsyl, Dark Age Scion, except at least there it's "ever have had a one drop".

 

[shamizy]

This is the only card I'll be including and it's replacing Triomes as the squadron pick with tri-color cards in my cube. This does a better job of allowing those decks to play the third color without just going full greed like you can with triomes. Should be a pretty good solution in the long run, I'll probably pick up 4-5 of these and that'll be it. And the big reason is probably just that the art and flavor aren't so egregious.

Aside from that I have zero interest in this set. The art direction is terrible and it doesn't feel like a real set. Final Fantasy felt well crafted to me as a set and it's clear that they put in a ton of work into having flavor translate across various games in the cards. Final Fantasy as a full-fledged set put together a really great Limited environment that felt like classic Magic and it's close enough art-wise that it didn't feel like a massive break from familiarity. I don't really mind UB nowadays when it's done well even with distinct IPs like Warhammer 40K or Fallout if the cards feel like they could be within the same universe.

But Spiderman? This looks and feels abysmal. It's like their whole goal was to just cram in as many references as possible instead of anything coherent. And I like Spiderman as a character! I loved watching Marvel movies in their prime! But this just doesn't do it for me at all. It feels completely soulless.

 

[Nanonox]

having to start with a one-drop after you've already cast a two-drop just feels so difficult.

It’s the power rather than mana value. So you could Thundertrap Trainer, Fanatic of Rhonas or Winged Splicer on the first trigger and it would still be pretty good.
Not high power, but I can see it leading to a lot of fun.

 

[Seeker]

It’s the power rather than mana value. So you could Thundertrap Trainer, Fanatic of Rhonas or Winged Splicer on the first trigger and it would still be pretty good.
Not high power, but I can see it leading to a lot of fun.

"with mana value equal to Jackal's power"

it's a 1/1, you have to start with a one-drop

am I misreading this?

 

[Nemo]

Cards that I like apart from the flavor:



Swarm's stats and rules text are appealing to me. Kitchen Imp really needed to be a 3 drop instead of a 4 drop.

This set's spoiler makes me wonder how much flash I would want in my cube. I generally like flash for adding combat tricks without overfilling the cube with instants, but it's weird when everything has it.

 

[Nanonox]

am I misreading this?

I am completely off, my bad. Looks like I tried to will it into existence…

 

[ravnic]

I'll probably pick up a copy of Raging Goblinoids at some point and, if I find the time, maybe make an alter that eradicates all the spidey-flavor.

 

[Seeker]

This set's spoiler makes me wonder how much flash I would want in my cube. I generally like flash for adding combat tricks without overfilling the cube with instants, but it's weird when everything has it.

my joke side project, the Flash Cube, is eating very well this set, that's for sure

 

[inscho]

This set's spoiler makes me wonder how much flash I would want in my cube. I generally like flash for adding combat tricks without overfilling the cube with instants, but it's weird when everything has it.

One of my favorite cube archetypes is Azorius Flash. It’s a dynamic tempo deck backed with counterspells and removal. The available card pool allows the archetype to scale to almost any power level imo

 

[wahoopride]

Does anyone know how the timing restrictions work for Mayhem? My understanding of madness was that the timing was based on the effect that allowed it to be discarded. That is, if you discarded a sorcery with madness while the stack wasn’t empty, you could still play it immediately.

Will that be true with mayhem? Since with mayhem you don’t have to play the card as it’s being discarded I am wondering if the “flash” part is relevant for a card with mayhem so that it can be played on the opponents turn.

 

[ravnic]

Yes, exactly as you assume, Mayhem does not go around timing restrictions as Madness did.

 

[Nemo]

I forgot about the welcome decks. I also like these designs (functionally):



Lethal Protection is a little too slow, but it's not actually that far off for my cube.

I really like menace as an evasion mechanic. It's so much more interactive than flying while still being a nice, aggressive upgrade over a vanilla dork. They need to keep printing decent menace creatures.

Creatures like this always catch my eye, because I have a delusional desire to make Relentless Assault fun enough and good enough in a cube:

 

[Rasmus Källqvist]

A lot of very pleasant cards designs that would've shined in a real MTG set

 

[MilesOfficial]

Iron Spider: Redundant Steel Overseer + counter payoff all in one.

I think it's really important to note the distinction in the two cards: Iron Spider is a powerful card even outside of the counters decks, and is maybe too powerful for many Cubes around here. The Vigilance is the real thing -- it will almost always attack as at least a 3/4 for 3 colorless, and then snowball from there. Even ignoring counter synergies/artifact creatures/etc, it's a pretty solid card that may be a little much for some of you all.

Re: @Nemo's point about the other cards printed:



Spider-Man, Miles Morales was already in my Cube for one go-around thanks to the SDCC packs and it's...pretty much a Titan. And it's the right level of titan for my Cube, hitting on synergies I care about. I'm really trying to find the sweet spot for power level with my green 6+s, and this feels right? I've wanted to add Aragorn and Arwen, Wed but this seems to do the job a bit better, and without including another color.

The Mary Janes is also pretty cool but I don't think will make it.

Lethal Protection is such a clean, sleek card that I'd love to play it. It's going in my Reject Cube, I think.

 

[Dom Harvey]

Awaiting the online in-universe versions to proxy instead (so dumb that these aren't available in paper); I don't love the concept or execution overall but there are some individual bangers:





Peter Parker - I like Resolute Reinforcements with more bells and whistles (that isn't as nuts as Ajani) but this is a lot of words and mess that even the people who aren't turned off by UB will probably just give up on finishing.

Gwen Stacy - Might be the most clean/appealing member of the cycle on those terms for me - Front side is a fine card in its own right (and a nicer version of the Abbot of Keral Keep etc template) but I can easily imagine flipping/casting the back in a Jeskai deck

Miles Morales - The front is excellent if you can curve one-drop into this or have Scales support but

Spectacular Spider-Man - This card actually seems great to me (and I'm always in for more twists on Selfless Spirit) but will need to give it a new costume

Hide on the Ceiling - Very flexible + tricky card that you'll probably use every part of during your matches: mass value blink, protecting your stuff, token removal, Fogging their attacker or clearing a blocker etc. AFAICT this is the first mass artifact blink at a good rate too!

Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon - An oddball but quite cool + strong once you parse it IMO, great for any blue tempo/flash deck

Unstable Experiment - Neat card if you can reliably use the connive part

The Soul Stone - I've really come to enjoy mana rocks that do other cool stuff and this one is both a solid generic 'finisher' + cool incentive (animating this with Tezz AOB or Ensouls etc)

Hobgoblin, Mantled Marauder - I like pushing my discard themes hard so I should probably stomach this but see above

Sandman, Shifting Scoundrel - There are more jolly green giants that love lands than even I know what to do with but this clears a high bar

Carnage, Crimson Chaos - Headline act for a great roster of Mayhem cards for any discard theme but I'll be busy trying to loop this with Phantasmal Image

Eerie Gravestone - Peasant Cubes or spiritually similar Cubes will love this I think

Peter Parker's Camera - The easy joke is fetchlands but you'll definitely have something good to copy eventually and putting this effect on a cheap trinket makes it easy to invest in/forget it early and pop off later; pair with Grief/Fury/Solitude or Urza's Saga or a MH2 card of your choice

Iron Spider, Stark Upgrade - Steel Overseer frankly needed a glow up to stay competitive and you get a LOT for that third mana

Urban Retreat/Oscorp Industries - I liked the Mystery Booster utility duals like Lazotep Archway (and Madlands!) so I love seeing these

Like the odd Clue spin-off, this set breaks new ground in hybrid mana (a pattern for UB sets or just a coincidence?) which you love to see:

Mob Lookout - A beautiful card that absolutely should have been in SNC

Symbiote Spider-Man - Great blend of strong/clean Ophidian for any U or B deck + makes you excited to find ways to pair it with evasive attackers

Ultimate Green Goblin - Not as chungy as Rotting Regisaur but a lot more versatile in exchange (though Regisaur's brutal simplicity is part of the fun IMO)

 

[inscho]

Much like everyone else I thoroughly dislike the aesthethic, but I'm a big fan of some of the card designs

Certain:
Hobgoblin, Mantled Marauder: Easy include for my cube with such heavy discard themes. Marauding Mako has been a stud.
Agent Venom: I'd cut Midnight Repear for being a little underwhelming as of late. A juiced version is much welcomed.
Sandman, Shifting Scoundrel: Maybe my favorite card of the set...I've wanted a green card that tied lands into an aggressive madness/dredge much like Slogurk, the Overslime.

Near Certain:
Ultimate Green Goblin: Currently going to test this in place of Carnage Interpreter and Rotting Regisaur to open up a slot
Carnage, Crimson Chaos: This is super interesting. It's pretty wordy, but seems not only strong but a lot of fun.
Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior: I've been hunting for an Azorius hybrid that isn't Yorion for ages. Being a hatebear is a big bonus for me.

Uncertain but Interested:
Heroes' Hangout: Bushwhack has been suprisingly good for me, and I hope this is similar in red.
The Soul Stone: I'm always interested in diversifying Black's role with artifacts and this could be a good option.
Oscorp Industries: Very fun and cool....but I'm not sure I can make room.
Urban Retreat: See above
Spectacular Spider-Man: A Selfless Spirit with flash is right up my alley, but white's two drops are stacked.
Iron Spider, Stark Upgrade: I haven't been able to justify Steel Overseer in my cube, and this is much more tempting....it's a matter of finding space.

Interested but Doubtful:
Uncertain Experiment: Almost like an instant speed Chart a Course, but with a much lower floor.
Shadow of the Goblin: Less intrigued by this each time I reread. Over the course of making this post it has fallen from Near Certain to here. Needing to wait a full turn to rummage is not ideal. I wish it rummaged on ETB. The discard being mandatory is a buzzkill as well.