Generic cube

[jaska]

Here's my list: www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/24371

This is my first serious try at cube design so I'm basically just asking for any kind of help here. I'm trying to support some themes, such as Humans and "+1/+1 counters matter", but the cube really needs some refocusing as at the moment it's kind of all over the place.

The problems with the cube I have are that green and blue are kinda missing focus. Green especially.

Basically, I'm just asking if anyone can come up with any ideas on how to shape up the cube or if I should just tear it down and rebuild it from scratch.

 

[Jason Waddell]

What kind of themes do you enjoy?

 

[jaska]

What kind of themes do you enjoy?

I thought about this for a while and I think I best enjoy themes which can be kinda spread over as many colors and archetypes as possible. "No pick is safe" I guess is the dream.

I like +1/+1 counters as a theme because that is very versatile. It works with heroic, it works with the outlast guys, undying and persist, it works with graft (even if that's a pretty weak mechanic) and it even works with Ion storm.

 

[FlowerSunRain]

I think something that would be cool, particularly in a smaller (probably sub 360, but maybe 360) list would be to just go completely all in on the +1/+1 counters and see what that looks like. Like, in this cube, +1/+1 counters are a resource that every deck utilizes and needs to consider, regardless of color or speed. It might end up being a novelty cube, but based on my experiences with the interrelated mechanics the decks turn out quite different and interact well (because they are all competing on the same axis).

 

[Grillo_Parlante]

What theme/subthemes do you support already in each of the 10 color pairings? If you support, wedges and shards, which themes and subthemes do you support there?

Looking over the cube, it seems pretty reasonable. I would just cut the sword.

 

[Eric Chan]

Welcome to the forums!

Assorted thoughts:

• I don't like mixing Champion of the Parish themes with Steppe Lynx themes, as there really isn't enough room in a 360 list to do both well. I would choose either humans or landfall as the direction you want to go for white weenie, and then press the gas pedal on that theme.
• From personal experience, one Delver of Secrets and one Young Pyromancer alone aren't enough to carry the spells theme in UR, and instead become traps, as people will take them early and try to build around them. Again, I would go harder on this theme, or cut it completely.
• This looks like a relatively high-powered list, with the likes of Grave Titan, Jace, the Mind Sculptor, and double Kitchen Finks all making an appearance. As such, I'm afraid that "cute" cards like Ion Storm, Greater Gargadon, and Lorescale Coatl will be completely outclassed.
• Your curve is somewhat bloated at both three and especially four mana. There's a good chance that this leads to midrange fiestas, where something like six of your eight drafters end up with similar midrange blobs. To avoid this, I would focus on adding more two drops in place of threes and fours.

All in all, this looks like a good riff off of Jason's cube, right down to the four Wastelands. Again, the main question would be - what kind of environment are you trying to craft? Jason was specifically trying to emulate constructed Legacy play, and it's likely your cube will have that feel as well. However, for more niche themes like +1/+1 counters to surface, chances are that you will have to dial down the power level a great deal before something like that becomes effective, and not just underwhelming.

 

[CML]

What a great Cube name. Mine is generic too

my initial reaction is that there are a lot of cards that probably won't work due to the smallness or artificiality of their themes or just low power level in general. only drafting will tell, though

 

[Chris Taylor]

What a great Cube name. Mine is generic too

my initial reaction is that there are a lot of cards that probably won't work due to the smallness or artificiality of their themes or just low power level in general. only drafting will tell, though

I misread this as the Geriatric Cube

 

[Eric Chan]

So a cube built around these guys?

 

[James Stevenson]

snow-covered plainswalk

ho ho ho.