General CBS

[Onderzeeboot]

I may have asked this before, but with Ixalan 2 on the horizon, what's everyone's experiences with vehicles? I don't have much and it's a bit difficult for me to evaluate them.

They’re fine? You can’t really run too many in a deck, and the power band on them is super wide. Personally I run Esika’s Chariot, Cultivator’s Caravan, and Fleetwheel Cruiser. Smuggler’s Copter was a bit too good for my environment, and nothing else stuck.

 

[Velrun]

Ixalan 2

Ixalan 3

Also I like vehicles when they are not Kaladesh or Neo Kamigawa. I like then when they are boats and caravans.

 

[MilesOfficial]

I like them. I run five in my 720:



I like them quite a bit. I consider them in a similar space to Living Weapon and the like, and have not proven too complex even for newer players.

 

[Chris Taylor]

Night Scythe was one I ran for a while, but does feel pretty medium to me. Your milage may vary, or maybe medium is what you want.
Also a great candidate for universes within.

Esika's Chariot is one of my favorite magic cards bar none.

 

[Brad]

Helpful answers all around. Thanks.

I'm a bit reassured in my assessment by the fact that the vehicles suggested were the vehicles that I found appealing.

Another thing they share with equipment is that not that many of them are good.

 

[gaytransmulldrifter]

For some low-mid power options that are worth putting in decks in retail+ environments, I like:

 

[Chris Taylor]

Helpful answers all around. Thanks.

I'm a bit reassured in my assessment by the fact that the vehicles suggested were the vehicles that I found appealing.

Another thing they share with equipment is that not that many of them are good.

Also in that your cube doesn't want 30 of them (A deck with 6 vehicles in it just probably isn't good)

 

[Rusje]

Also in that your cube doesn't want 30 of them (A deck with 6 vehicles in it just probably isn't good)

True. But you can stack equipment as opposed to vehicles. This implies that one can play more equipment than vehicles.

 

[Erik Twice]

I just daydreamed of something like this:



I just like how it sounds.

 

[StrionicAdventurer]

I just daydreamed of something like this:



I just like how it sounds.

 

[Brad]

Plenty of other cards, too. Priest of Urabrask, Eldrazi token makers, general ramp things. Animar EDH lists probably have some stuff. Makes me think of 8whack.

 

[Velrun]

 

[ravnic]

How would you sell cube to a bunch of retail limited players who have never drafted anything not wrapped in plastic?

I have been in contact with a group of almost 40 people. I've got a few of them to cube with me, but the majority has been surprisingly hesitant. I talked to a guy who regularly organizes drafts within that group with much bigger attendence. He gave me two major answers why this might have been the case:
- most of those people have never cubed before, him included.
- a decent amount of them like to play for prizes, like booster packs.

I don't really want to offer prizes, at least not on a regular basis. That would mean I'd have to take an entry fee and that might scare off newbies even more. Also, it kinda contradicts what cube is about for me.

However, I want to write up a little post for the whatsapp group. For me, the advantages of cube are so obvious, that it somehow makes it hard to formulate. Also, I don't want to hit people with an endless wall of text. So, what would you say, what are the most important and/or convincing points to make? The goal is to motivate newbies and super enfranchised players to draftmy low-middle powered, synergistic cubes with me.


PS. I also talked to one person who drafted a max power cube once before and now thinks he doesn't like cube in general.

 

[Velrun]

Ignorance is your biggest enemy.

But also know your audience. If they want prize pool, give them prizes.

 

[Phone]

I think there's also the chance to make cheaper prizes. Like maybe it's not packs. It's something with lower stakes. A tropy or something else like that?

 

[MilesOfficial]

Bribe them. Offer prizes with no entry fee for the first one, and it'll get enough hooked. Make sure you communicate that the prizes are a one-time thing, but if other people want to "sponsor" a Cube night, they're welcome to.

 

[Brad]

Send a short article about it? Get the leader interested?

 

[Dom Harvey]

If you play at a bar or something 'winner gets free drinks next week' might be a good way to structure a reward you were going to pay for anyway without having to shell out for extra packs etc

 

[ravnic]

I like your ideas of possible ways to bribe people into cubing with me. Enjoy it and might try some of that

But, what I am actually even more interested in, from you, is arguments. What are the biggest advantages of cube over retail from a player perspective? And how can I formulate them in a way, that's convincing for cube-noobs?

 

[Jason Waddell]

I like your ideas of possible ways to bribe people into cubing with me. Enjoy it and might try some of that

But, what I am actually even more interested in, from you, is arguments. What are the biggest advantages of cube over retail from a player perspective? And how can I formulate them in a way, that's convincing for cube-noobs?

Free.

 

[Velrun]

I usually let the player base have a say in the cube. Either let them decide some things or at least have a round table discussion after each session.

This is not only to keep them interested. It is also because some of them are smarter than me, some have better ideas. And it’s usually a good idea to have people discuss good and bad ideas to some degree. In my opinion.

@Onderzeeboot had a sticker/upgrade cube where the players could actively change the power level of some of the cards by upgrading them with various traits. These changes would last between tournaments.

 

[Zoss]

To get people excited about cube, I draw comparisons between it and Masters sets, or talk about it being like the MTGO cubes without the broken stuff (that said, it's important to not actually list what broken stuff you're leaving out so that people can pick and choose what broken stuff they hate [Power? Storm? Aggro???] and assume that you don't have that).

For me, the big draw of cube is that a lot of older Limited sets were kind of frumpy. Cards are better nowadays, but you still get things like Sugar Rush, which just aren't that exciting. I'd appeal to the "what if draft, but better?" mentality first and foremost.

Alternatively, grab a singular friend and play a grid draft or something. It takes up a lot of space and looks funky, and it's a great way to show off the cool cards in your cube. People will likely start asking questions, opening the door for you to Tom Sawyer them into liking the cube.


Prizes could also be the ability to sign a basic from your basics box, if you're into that, or giving them a common from their deck/a card under $1/the MVP card from their deck with the stipulation that it's something within reason, i.e. not your ABUR duals. If your cube is cheap enough, a singular card could be a lot cheaper than a set of six packs or what have you, even if it *feels* worse.

 

[Mown]

'winner gets free drinks next week'

devious

 

[ravnic]

Oh, I let my regulars habe a say in my cube @Velrun, but that's not exactly a way to get new people on board so much.

@Zoss, comparing my cube(s) to masters sets is probably the optimal approach for this group. "Limited but better" could work as well, but I think I have to specifoy it. "You wont lose a game you were winning to a topdecked Gruff Triplets" might work.

Also, I think for the next step I'll offer my new Ravnica block cube. It's much closer to retail and build on a famously popular limited format.

 

[TrainmasterGT]

"You wont lose a game you were winning to a topdecked Gruff Triplets"

My guy you have the world’s largest grudge against Gruff Triplets lol.