Erik's "The cool side of Magic" cube
- Thread starter Erik Twice
- Start date
Have to agree. I’ve drafted some unique decks with this insect, but it’s a payoff for a subset of the artifact archetype. It comes together so rarely that it’s a dubious use of a guild slot.
This is a complete trap.
Kind of. I’ve drafted your cube a bunch of times where I see an early Replenish and try to draft around it, but it works 50% of the time maybe?
Hey, this works and is fun!
Sometimes the packs work out so that you have few enchantments to recur. Sometimes you have the enchantments, but few ways to get them into the GY (thanks White!). Other times you want a redundant enchantment payoff but there are none.
It’s still a fine inclusion since it’s one slot and most enchantments you run are fine, but sometimes feels like a trap!
It definitely feels more like a payoff for generating a bunch of treasure tokens or other trinket-y garbage that you're going to crack for value anyway, or if you're leaning into stuff like Kavaron Harrier/Kuldotha Rebirth/Sokenzan Smelter for a Pauper-style artifact-themed aggro archetype, where stapling 2 damage to villain's face onto whatever else you're doing is just what the doctor ordered.
Some random thoughts:
This is the only card that gives you card advantage without costing you a spell slot.
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White had too many good 1-drops, making it too easy to draft aggro. I'm getting Giant Killer back in, because a tapper is unique, the spell is interesting too and it's playable even when it's not ideal.
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As far as aggro artifacts go, density is more important than actual quality. The goal is to play power cards like Cranial Platting, Steel Overseer or Arcbound Ravager so the disruption offered by Phyrexian Revoker seems more valuable now than the semi-synergy of Syr Ginger. It's also a much cleaner card.
Besides, I've always found the whole "Syr" thing to be kind of cringe.
Adding this has been a huge success. It's early interaction, which is exactly what green lacks. I like that it's limited to 3 mana or less and it doesn't exile, I feel it would be too much of a silver bullet otherwise.
These cards are a bit narrow and not too great so I ended up cutting them long ago. Yet, I think I made a mistake. Without these type of cards, the aggro human deck simply lacks a reason to move into WG and WB. The moment I put them back, I started to see decks on those colours again.
Champion is a bit binary, but its ability to close games make it both different and enough of a payoff to justify its 1GG cost. It makes you want to draft equipment in green, Mutagenic Growth or Berserk, all of which makes the cube better overall.
Xathrid Necromancer isn't always better that Midnight reaper, but it s a human-lord and both WG and BR decks can make use of him. It's also a different kind of effect, which is something I value. Given I have free slots, it's well worth the addition.
Unlike Master of Death, which is a decent creature on its own and has relevant creature types, Squee is pretty bad. But I've found it necessary to use Bazaar of Baghdad and provide redundancy. I would replace it with something else, but there are only two creatures with this "return to hand" effect.
This is the only card that gives you card advantage without costing you a spell slot.
-> White had too many good 1-drops, making it too easy to draft aggro. I'm getting Giant Killer back in, because a tapper is unique, the spell is interesting too and it's playable even when it's not ideal.
-> As far as aggro artifacts go, density is more important than actual quality. The goal is to play power cards like Cranial Platting, Steel Overseer or Arcbound Ravager so the disruption offered by Phyrexian Revoker seems more valuable now than the semi-synergy of Syr Ginger. It's also a much cleaner card.
Besides, I've always found the whole "Syr" thing to be kind of cringe.
Adding this has been a huge success. It's early interaction, which is exactly what green lacks. I like that it's limited to 3 mana or less and it doesn't exile, I feel it would be too much of a silver bullet otherwise.
These cards are a bit narrow and not too great so I ended up cutting them long ago. Yet, I think I made a mistake. Without these type of cards, the aggro human deck simply lacks a reason to move into WG and WB. The moment I put them back, I started to see decks on those colours again.
Champion is a bit binary, but its ability to close games make it both different and enough of a payoff to justify its 1GG cost. It makes you want to draft equipment in green, Mutagenic Growth or Berserk, all of which makes the cube better overall.
Xathrid Necromancer isn't always better that Midnight reaper, but it s a human-lord and both WG and BR decks can make use of him. It's also a different kind of effect, which is something I value. Given I have free slots, it's well worth the addition.
Unlike Master of Death, which is a decent creature on its own and has relevant creature types, Squee is pretty bad. But I've found it necessary to use Bazaar of Baghdad and provide redundancy. I would replace it with something else, but there are only two creatures with this "return to hand" effect.
So, I decided to add Mishra's Workshop and Sphere of Resistance on a whim and...they work? They have suddenly made borderline cards that costed 3 mana or stuff like Goblin Welder have a real home.
This is one of the best example decks I've drafted. It has powerful stuff, but it doesn't seem broken in any way:
This one might actually be better but it's just cool because it features some Bazaar action:
I like that decks using it can be quite clunky and hard to draft:
Power seems about right. Most notably, all these decks would be better off with Ancient Tomb to power out non-artifacts.
My hope is that Sphere of Resistance sees play in ramp decks, but I've only gotten or two so far.
This is one of the best example decks I've drafted. It has powerful stuff, but it doesn't seem broken in any way:
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This one might actually be better but it's just cool because it features some Bazaar action:
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I like that decks using it can be quite clunky and hard to draft:
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Power seems about right. Most notably, all these decks would be better off with Ancient Tomb to power out non-artifacts.
My hope is that Sphere of Resistance sees play in ramp decks, but I've only gotten or two so far.
Stax was a success, but there are still a bunch of open slots in my cube that aren't doing anything. Why not make me any random suggestions or replacements? Any archetypes or ideas I could try to support?
Some that do something but perhaps not enough for the slot:
Tarmogoyf and Wall of Blossoms are too similar, probably the second will be gone soon.
Sandstorm Salvager is fine, but it's one 3 mana card too much and it does little unique compared to all other green three drops.
Oath is unique, but it can be a both narrow and brutal, particularly as a sideboard card.
Once Upon a Time seems like an autoinclude, not a real decision pusher.
REDUNDANT CARDS
These are all cards that work, but that I have too many "copies" or similar effects of.
Nethergoyf - Competes with Gravecrawler, Scrapheap Scrounger and Bloodsoaked Champion
Mire Triton - This is the second copy of Stitcher's Supplier but the introduction of Overlord of the Balemurk has pushed it out
Kitsa, Otterball Elite - Great, powerful card that pushes out other more interesting, unique discard outlets like Waterfront Bouncer
Murderous Rider - Just a good card, but it's not necessary by any means
I'm really at the point that I just don't know what other archetypes I can support or how. I have the space, just not the imagination for it.
Some that do something but perhaps not enough for the slot:
Tarmogoyf and Wall of Blossoms are too similar, probably the second will be gone soon.
Sandstorm Salvager is fine, but it's one 3 mana card too much and it does little unique compared to all other green three drops.
Oath is unique, but it can be a both narrow and brutal, particularly as a sideboard card.
Once Upon a Time seems like an autoinclude, not a real decision pusher.
REDUNDANT CARDS
These are all cards that work, but that I have too many "copies" or similar effects of.
Nethergoyf - Competes with Gravecrawler, Scrapheap Scrounger and Bloodsoaked Champion
Mire Triton - This is the second copy of Stitcher's Supplier but the introduction of Overlord of the Balemurk has pushed it out
Kitsa, Otterball Elite - Great, powerful card that pushes out other more interesting, unique discard outlets like Waterfront Bouncer
Murderous Rider - Just a good card, but it's not necessary by any means
I'm really at the point that I just don't know what other archetypes I can support or how. I have the space, just not the imagination for it.
Where do you land on the persist combo? For some reason I think it would be a great fit in your cube.
Metallic Mimic would be an enabler that works with zombies and humans. You have played The Great Henge already. Putrid Goblin and Kitchen Finks could be your combo creatures.
Devoted Druid combo or no, is a nice counter payoff
Winota, joiner of forces is a cool human payoff imo.
While not necessary, if you have free slots, the 1 mana land cyclers from LoTR really help at smoothing draws and will likely increase your cube’s consistency at avoiding non-games.
Detective’s Phoenix shoots up in value if you do.
More utility lands? Eiganjo, Otawara, Academy Ruins, Volrath’s Stronghold, Phyrexian Tower, Shifting Woodlands are all high impact cards that virtually increase slot density in your decks.
Metallic Mimic would be an enabler that works with zombies and humans. You have played The Great Henge already. Putrid Goblin and Kitchen Finks could be your combo creatures.
Devoted Druid combo or no, is a nice counter payoff
Winota, joiner of forces is a cool human payoff imo.
While not necessary, if you have free slots, the 1 mana land cyclers from LoTR really help at smoothing draws and will likely increase your cube’s consistency at avoiding non-games.
Detective’s Phoenix shoots up in value if you do.
More utility lands? Eiganjo, Otawara, Academy Ruins, Volrath’s Stronghold, Phyrexian Tower, Shifting Woodlands are all high impact cards that virtually increase slot density in your decks.
I haven't seriously thought of it, I'm not sure of how it would work, but I'll do some research.
I dislike the LoTR land cyclers because they are extremely high picks, I'm not surprised one of them is already banned on Legacy. They also simplify some decks too much.
I used to run Winota, but it got cut at some point. Perhaps I should try her again, moving Overlord of the Boilerbilges to red (it's currently RW).
I should probably run Otawara and replace Kinnan with Shifting Woodlands. I'm scared of Eiganjo because it can be recurred and it doesn't seem too fun.
Volrath's Stronghold seemed too easy of a "slot in" and very oppressive with certain cards. It just gave decks a late-game loop with no effort.
Phyrexian Tower and Academy Ruins don't seem worth the slot so far.
I dislike the LoTR land cyclers because they are extremely high picks, I'm not surprised one of them is already banned on Legacy. They also simplify some decks too much.
I used to run Winota, but it got cut at some point. Perhaps I should try her again, moving Overlord of the Boilerbilges to red (it's currently RW).
I should probably run Otawara and replace Kinnan with Shifting Woodlands. I'm scared of Eiganjo because it can be recurred and it doesn't seem too fun.
Volrath's Stronghold seemed too easy of a "slot in" and very oppressive with certain cards. It just gave decks a late-game loop with no effort.
Phyrexian Tower and Academy Ruins don't seem worth the slot so far.