General Unpopular Fun/Effective Cards in Your Cube

[Tzenmoroth]

Green Mom might feel like a 3-4 drop in aggro or a 5-6 drop in slower decks based on when you actually want to use it but because it costs one, I don't think "I would rather be playing something better" applies here because you will be playing something better, easily on the same turn. Removal usually costs more than 1cmc so he's probably good if he eats a kill spell, in fact if he's just a removal magnet, he's doing a sweet Duress impression. Also, if your deck has 27 lands and theirs has 6 kill spells, they're going to run out of removal in hand before you run out of lands to play. It might slow you down if you use it too early, but that's perfectly okay if you play any creature of the removal check variety.

Also, I want to support combo but there are so few cubeable combos in Magic that they're at a huge premium for me, I can't turn down the option to run this beautiful combo.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Also, if your deck has 27 lands and theirs has 6 kill spells, they're going to run out of removal in hand before you run out of lands to play.

I don't know, I think you'ld be pretty much the underdog if you're only running 13 nonland cards in your draft deck, and Sylvan Safekeeper is not going to help you there

 

[ahadabans]

I'm going to try safekeeper again. I have the sweet new commander art version so I have additional incentive to run it.

My meta being heavy midrange, I can see this potentially fitting in somewhere. I'm running like 7 mana elves, so losing one won't matter.

 

[Tzenmoroth]

17* derp, did not mean to type 27 there. Proofreading is tech. =P

I've just found it worthwhile to slow down development mid game to keep a powerful creature alive when I know my opponent is going to run out of removal and I'll probably hit my land drops fast enough. It does make you think though, and makes an interesting subgame for both players which I like having my cube cards do.

 

[japahn]

I've run Sylvan Safekeeper since I first put a cube together. It's a very unique card that rewards good play and thinking ahead. It's also insurance against mana floods.

The best application is in ramp decks, you're going to have a lot of lands and protecting your fatties is extra important - for no mana.

Though, in most decks, it's a skill-testing card - it may win you the game but it also gives you an opportunity to blow yourself out of it. When you are mana-screwed, it's bad, but at least can chump unlike a Molten Vortex and sometimes trade with a 2/1.

Also, remember cube has a lot of removal. In a long game that's a back and forth attrition wars, it's incredible - better than Mother of Runes. It can protect its buddy, itself and the neighbor's dog.

 

[Lucre]

Like 3 weeks ago I had probably the best deck I ever drafted in a non powered cube but We started late and so I had to only go 2-0 but I've been meaning to post about it for as much time. It's weird I didn't like the deck so much but I felt like it hung together better than I understood. I can't get away from this UW thing guys.

 

[Dom Harvey]

It's super niche, and I haven't pulled the trigger yet, but this is really good if your plan is to make a prowess/heroic guy big and have it connect...

 

[Aoret]

I'm actually really curious what density of prowess/heroic that needs in order to be playable. I kinda want to throw that into an azorius slot.

 

[Tzenmoroth]

I feel like that could be played in a UW slot in a cube that really wanted to push Heroic and Jeskai Ascendancy / Prowess, you need a lot of support and low enough power level removal to enable heroic. You probably want to be in a retail removal environment so there's isn't cheap instant removal to neuter it. That card's niche is tiny but I guess it has one. I might actually cube it at some point too since I've been wanting to make a combat trick focused cube with those archetypes.

 

[FlowerSunRain]

I play Shimmering Wings in that role. Not requiring a white permanent, being able to leave it on a creature and triggering enchantresses was much cooler then being an instant and not requiring to recur.

 

[Kirblinx]

This dude gets so much flack in my cube when the draft process is happening, but as soon as he drops down in a game they soon realise how quick he makes the game end. A suped up Blood Artist/Falkenrath Aristocrat can make any combat look like death for the opponent. Plus the name is really cool to say when slamming down on a clogged board.
This is definitely not something that most cubes can run (I mean a 6-mana 4/2!?!?!) but it suits my low-powered cube great and haven't thought about cutting it anytime soon.

 

[Jason Waddell]

It's super niche, and I haven't pulled the trigger yet, but this is really good if your plan is to make a prowess/heroic guy big and have it connect...

This seems like the type of card that wants a Scry 1 ability on it.

 

[quanta]

This seems like the type of card that wants a Scry 1 ability on it.

That makes me think it would be cool to have a custom conspiracy that gives a named nonland card Scry X when you cast it. Not sure how big X should be.

 

[Jason Waddell]

Also it kind of works thematically. "View from Above", looking at the top of your library? It becomes a real late game powerhouse too. In topdeck mode with 6 mana? Why not Scry three times to dig for what you need.

 

[Jason Waddell]

Bump.

 

[genericco]

You can't just say bump, you have to have an example.

Nobody else picks Mesmeric Orb or has any interest in working it into their deck. Who knows how many drafts that would take. More Orb for me I guess

 

[Jason Waddell]

You can't just say bump, you have to have an example.

Nobody else picks Mesmeric Orb or has any interest in working it into their deck. Who knows how many drafts that would take. More Orb for me I guess

Fine.

 

[James Stevenson]

 

[Aston]

It's slowly gaining the respect it deserves.

 

[Diakonov]

I run Jilt instead of Brutal Expulsion, but I like both effects.

 

[GiftsForgiven]

I cannot believe how unpopular this guy has been in my cube. It's got a downside, sure, but there are so many ways to mitigate it...

 

[sigh]

I've seen Spec on this thread before, but I'll mention it again. In any environment that tries to push control onto other colors, this is an excellent spell for toning down blues tools. It's repeatable card quality that can be used early if needed. I'm a big fan of an environment with lots of card quality tools, so I've been v happy so far.
Sphinx gets some hate because it can't protect itself, but I'm a big fan of getting the FoF effect in multiple places, especially on a 5/6 flier.

 

[Diakonov]

I cannot believe how unpopular this guy has been in my cube. It's got a downside, sure, but there are so many ways to mitigate it...

I added this back into my cube very recently. I also just added in Shadow Rift, for entirely unrelated reasons, but I'm looking forward to seeing someone pull that off.

 

[GiftsForgiven]

I added this back into my cube very recently. I also just added in Shadow Rift, for entirely unrelated reasons, but I'm looking forward to seeing someone pull that off.

He's an incredibly good blink target. Him and Brago get super out of control. He's also a great Sac outlet, as when sacrificed, you are left with just 2 3/3s and no downside. Perfect for Pod chains or other sac decks. He just does a lot for enough different decks (and is a reasonable colorless curve-filler).

 

[Suicufnoc]

I think people overreact to the fact that he dies to lightning bolt. Would you play a 5 mana 9/3? (Idk) This is better and more interesting than that.