Card/Deck Single Card Spotlight
- Thread starter Dom Harvey
- Start date
CML
Contributor
http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/af17
a good read on the mothership, actually!
a good read on the mothership, actually!
Reading that article, I can see why they cite mirrodin-era standard as a reason a whole load of people left magic.
E:
E:
Yeah, that sounds greaaat.
Chris Taylor
Contributor
And here I was, trying to make this old chesnut work:
I LOVE Brain Freeze. If you or anyone has found a way to get storm to work in cube where it isn't poison, I want to hear it.
My completely untested probably terrible idea that I've vaguely been kicking around is to try to semi-support a "oops it's storm!" deck. There are some storm spells (Empty the Warrens) comes to mind that could conceivably be played just for value. Combine that with a higher than average number of cantrips and whatever a generic term is for Treachery-like effects (untapping lands) and Karoo lands and you might go for pure value and wind up with random storm finishes.
Not sure how viable that is, but I conceptually love Treachery and friends and have also been wanting to include a Storm card that isn't broken.
Not sure how viable that is, but I conceptually love Treachery and friends and have also been wanting to include a Storm card that isn't broken.
You and I think a lot alike. If your cube is posted, I'd like to look it over.
I run Empty the Warrens because you really only need a storm count of two to make it value. More and it's amazing. It also combos with Purphorus and other token strategies. Brain Freeze though is useless unless you go super nova on it. I tried making it viable using potential infinite mana combos (Palinchron, Sneak Attack, High Tide). But it just requires too many cards and too much luck. Plus, I never have 8 drafters so I just can't get it to work. I kept Sneak Attack because it's sweet with blink, reanimator and ETB effects in general - there are plenty of ways you can abuse that card. But the other ones I gave up on.
Unfortunately my actual cube was never up to date on CubeTutor (so I removed the link in my sig), AND I only run cards that I own so my theoretical cube and my actual cube are far different. I don't own *any* Storm cards or Treachery-like cards in paper, so they aren't in my cube. One day I'll spend money updating the cube and it will be glorious. Until then we run Johnny cards even more off then wall than a value Empty the Warrens.
(If you really want I can probably quickly post one color just to get a feel.)
(If you really want I can probably quickly post one color just to get a feel.)
I'd like to see a few of the more unusual cards you run which have turned out to be powerful/fun.
I think that a lot of the experimentation that used to happen in cube happens less now because there's almost too much information. Most cubes (mine included) tend to just run (mostly) the usual suspects because they are proven commodities. But sometimes you find something unusual and it works and no one else is really using it. Those are the cards I'm always after because they are different.
I know a lot of times these are conditionally good cards and depend largely on the other cards in your cube and the play style of your group, so I get that YMMV with these.
I think that a lot of the experimentation that used to happen in cube happens less now because there's almost too much information. Most cubes (mine included) tend to just run (mostly) the usual suspects because they are proven commodities. But sometimes you find something unusual and it works and no one else is really using it. Those are the cards I'm always after because they are different.
I know a lot of times these are conditionally good cards and depend largely on the other cards in your cube and the play style of your group, so I get that YMMV with these.
Not sure how common these are, but the cards that were better than expected from a quick glance:
Surprise blockers are never bad. Goes along with a blue subtheme on utility creatures.
I was on the fence about this, then me and a buddy went through looking at how many cards this interacts with. Turns out, it's almost all of them. I even wound up making a video about this card:
I don't run anything that makes this stupid broken and because of the principle that makes Strionic Resonator good (99% of good creatures have ETB effects), this is also really good while not being as broken as it is in constructed.
I blame my own stupdity for this. I found out after trying it in cube that it's considered one of the best cards in Melira Pod. Turns out, it's also very good in cube if you support any sort of token strategy (and that seems pretty darn common to at least somewhat support).
Surprise blockers are never bad. Goes along with a blue subtheme on utility creatures.
I was on the fence about this, then me and a buddy went through looking at how many cards this interacts with. Turns out, it's almost all of them. I even wound up making a video about this card:
I don't run anything that makes this stupid broken and because of the principle that makes Strionic Resonator good (99% of good creatures have ETB effects), this is also really good while not being as broken as it is in constructed.
I blame my own stupdity for this. I found out after trying it in cube that it's considered one of the best cards in Melira Pod. Turns out, it's also very good in cube if you support any sort of token strategy (and that seems pretty darn common to at least somewhat support).
I run Kiki - good call on that one. I've been on the fence about Strionic Resonator. I keep thinking about putting it in and then I pull back worried that it's too conditional. You may convince me to give it a real shot now. Thanks for that.
My black one drop section is bursting at the seams. I have no room for anything else. Green is similar, but mainly because I've got so many mana elf type effects and creatures. I do like combat tricks though, so I'm tempted to give Vitalize a shot. I run Harm's Way in white for that reason.
My black one drop section is bursting at the seams. I have no room for anything else. Green is similar, but mainly because I've got so many mana elf type effects and creatures. I do like combat tricks though, so I'm tempted to give Vitalize a shot. I run Harm's Way in white for that reason.
Dom Harvey
Contributor
In the same vein,
?
?
I don't have, so haven't run, that exact card. I do run the very similar Illusionist's Bracers and it has been pretty disappointing. I think Rings is a better card though and the differences may well make it playable.
I'm still sore from Bracers when one of my players came up with a ridiculous synergy... that we found out doesn't actually work. (Bog Witch) Bracers has never really done anything in my cube, the only reason it's still in there is I haven't taken to buying cards for the cube yet and I somehow don't own any good artifacts that aren't mana rocks.
I'm still sore from Bracers when one of my players came up with a ridiculous synergy... that we found out doesn't actually work. (Bog Witch) Bracers has never really done anything in my cube, the only reason it's still in there is I haven't taken to buying cards for the cube yet and I somehow don't own any good artifacts that aren't mana rocks.
Dom Harvey
Contributor
on another note
+
+ The idea being that you respond to your own top activation by activating it again, thereby drawing a card AND the top again?
Dom Harvey
Contributor
You draw two cards and have the Top on top (and can stack its ability to put it a few cards down). Works with Rings of Brighthearth too.
How would that work? The way I see it the first ability would resolve, you'd draw a card and put Top on your library, then the second ability would resolve and you'd draw the Top and the second part wouldn't happen because it lost track of where the Top went.
Edit: Oh! You have to mix the first ability in there, too. That works. I was looking at only the tap ability.
Edit: Oh! You have to mix the first ability in there, too. That works. I was looking at only the tap ability.
CML
Contributor
You know, now that it's no longer horribly balanced (development has caught up with design) Arcbound Ravager is a source of great delight in Modern. The elegance and difficulty of its design sends shivers down my spine.
Dom it might be time to bust out the Voltaic Keys
Anyone tried Rings?
Dom it might be time to bust out the Voltaic Keys
Anyone tried Rings?
Dom Harvey
Contributor
?
?
I saw the non-keyworded Flash and that it was a creature and assumed it would be garbage like most older creatures. Then I read the text box. Sure, it needs a specific deck but that thing's value town! Of course, if you're running rampant with Pyroclasm-style effects it might still be pretty bad.
I think I would rather play fresh meat. I know it isn't a creature, but it does count tokens.
Caller's art is roughly fifty times better, at least.
Caller's art is roughly fifty times better, at least.
Chris Taylor
Contributor
Fresh Meat is also nicely held up with a pile of eldrazi tokens onboard, FWIW
RE:Caller: No Chord of Calling on Fresh meat?
Wait, actual upside: Pod my 2 drop, get 4 power. Kinda like Wakedancer, but good.
RE:Caller: No Chord of Calling on Fresh meat?
Wait, actual upside: Pod my 2 drop, get 4 power. Kinda like Wakedancer, but good.
CML
Contributor
Fresh Meat is also nicely held up with a pile of eldrazi tokens onboard, FWIW
RE:Caller: No Chord of Calling on Fresh meat?
Wait, actual upside: Pod my 2 drop, get 4 power. Kinda like Wakedancer, but good.
elemental tokens and kitchen finks are going out of style!
?
I guess this should maybe be in some cubes. Like Eldrazi Domain. Hmm...
Chris Taylor
Contributor
I dunno, he does say nontoken.
Don't you already have fresh meat? I remember you getting all excited about that a while back